KEA Productions: DVD Movie Reviews
from the archives of NuReel.com, The Berkeley Daily Planet, and Alameda Sun- written by Kamala Appel
ratings: Plus (highest)-Neutral (okay)-Negatives (pass & omitted from archive)
L: Legally Blonde, Life as a House, Lisa Picard is Famous, Little Voice, Little Nicky. LOTR
LEGALLY BLONDE (neutral/plus)
As I sat in the theater waiting for "Legally Blonde" to start, I mustadmit that I had somewhat low expectations. I thought the film would behost to a few stereotypical cheap shots and a lot of stupid grammarschool level jokes. To my surprise, I found "Legally Blonde" quiteentertaining and rather clever at times.
I would describe the film as "Clueless" meets "Forrest Gump" becausethe story revolves around a somewhat dippy, superficial, "blonde withbig boobs" (as the character describes herself) sorority princess whomanages to swing acceptance into Harvard Law School. I must admit thatI found her motivation and the reason for her admission somewhatdisturbing because on one level it promoted the helpless femalestereotype, however the overall film supports the idea of self-worthand a positive attitude towards female independence. Although the maincharacter, Elle Woods, played by Reese Witherspoon, does spend much ofher time trying to win back her boyfriend so he will marry her, shealso spends a lot of time befriending a middle-aged woman and helpingher to realize that she is attractive too, even though she isoverweight and over forty. I have not seen a lot of movies out ofHollywood that support the notion that women over forty beingdesirable, so I found this element of the story and characterdevelopment refreshing . Unfortunately, the film does resort to acliche happily ever after ending that lessens the underlying feministtone, but I suppose the liberation from twenty minutes into the filmuntil the final five minutes makes up for the sell-out ending.
"Legally Blonde" possesses the clever self-reflexive humor that made"Clueless" a smash hit. Reese Witherspoon as Elle Woods portrays thesimple innocent whose dumb luck makes audiences cheer for and laughwith her, in a manner reminiscent of Tom Hanks as Forrest Gump. Thereare a few funny but overtly sexual lines that some parents may not wantchildren under fourteen to see. "Legally Blonde" opens wide July 13th.This film would be equally enjoyable on video because its strength isthe witty script and Reese Witherspoon's comic performance.
LIFE AS A HOUSE (NEUTRAL/PLUS)
The race for the Academy Award begins with LIFE AS A HOUSE, however, Idoubt that this film will finish in the top five. The creative forcesin front and behind the camera just scream out Oscar, unfortunately,the effort does not match the accomplishment. Irwin Winkler, thedirector and/or producer behind so many award winning and box officesuccess stories including ROCKY, RAGING BULL, THE RIGHT STUFF andGOODFELLAS, directs a cast of some of today's most talented actors andrising stars.
The cast includes Kevin Kline (A FISH CALLED WANDA, IN AND OUT,SOPHIE'S CHOICE, THE BIG CHILL, and THE ANNIVERSARY PARTY), KristinScott Thomas (THE ENGLISH PATIENT, THE HORSE WHISPERER, ANGELS &INSECTS, RICHARD III, and FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL), HaydenChristensen (VIRGIN SUICIDES and upcoming STAR WARS EPISODE II), JenaMalone (STEPMOM, CONTACT and upcoming DONNIE DARKO), Mary Steenburgen(WHAT'S EATING GILBERT GRAPE, PHILADELPHIA, NIXON, RAGTIME, andPARENTHOOD), Jamey Sheridan (A STRANGER AMONG US and television'sCHICAGO HOPE), Sam Robards (A.I.: ArtificialIntelligence, AMERICANBEAUTY, and television's SPIN CITY), and Scott Bakula (LORD OFILLUSIONS, MI FAMILIA, and television's QUANTUM LEAP, MURPHY BROWN, andENTERPRISE). As one would expect, the entire cast proves worthy oftheir reputation by giving strong performances all around, especiallyKevin Kline and Hayden Christensen. Kevin Kline plays a man whoattempts to make amends for disappointments in his own life and in thelives of those he loves. His character, George, renovates his crumblinghouse and in doing so, he rebuilds his life and restores the moral ofthose around him. His house becomes a metaphor that represents hisemotional well-being and the inverse of his current physical state.Kline and Christensen generate believable and moving father-sontension.
Unfortunately, the script (by Mark Andrus, co-writer of AS GOOD AS ITGETS) creates a story that places the characters in one overlymelodramatic scene after another, making the film predictable andreducing the potential impact the acting. LIFE AS A HOUSE is a truemelodrama in the purest sense since mood music plays throughout theentire film. The constant music, often the same piece, lessens theimpact that the melody may have had, if the work only played duringclimatic moments.
Although a lot of talent and effort went into the creation of thisfilm, and the acting is superb, LIFE AS A HOUSE is a disappointment.Just a word of warning for those who associate Kline with humor morethan drama, this film is very serious and tragic. LIFE AS A HOUSE willstart a platform release pattern starting on October 26th.
LISA PICARD IS FAMOUS (PLUS)
Bravo's "Inside the Actor's Studio" meets BEST IN SHOW in thismockumentary about the plight of an actor. LISA PICARD IS FAMOUS takesa wry and poignant look at fame through the eyes of a hopeful actressas she struggles to become a star in the Big Apple. Director/Actor,Griffin Dunne (Actor: AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON and AFTER HOURS,Producer: AFTER HOURS, RUNNING ON EMPTY; Director: ADDICTED TO LOVE andPRACTICAL MAGIC) plays a documentarian named Andrew who believes thatLisa Picard is someone to watch, so he does 24/7. Hoping to gaininsight into what drives Lisa Picard and other actors, he follows LisaPicard to auditions, agency visits, parties, plays, and from room toroom in her New York apartment, in hopes of gaining a betterunderstanding of the life of a thespian on the rise. He and theaudience also become familiar with her support network which includesher doting boyfriend played by Daniel London and her jealous bestfriend, played by Nat DeWolf, who hopes that his one-man play will behis break-out film (out as in out of the closet). Throughout the film,the characters and the audience wonder: are they wannabes or futuresomebodies? One thing is for sure, it is a tough business to be in andeven tougher to break into show business.
The filmmakers explore what it means to be famous as they follow thecharacters in their pursuit of fame. However, the film not only looksat America's obsession with fame, but also at how ambition and tunnelvision can often lead one to lose sight of what really matters likelove and friendship. Even though the surface subject matter is aboutactors, the underlying emotion and human interaction will appeal to nonactors.
Well-written and perfectly cast, LISA PICARD IS FAMOUS promises toplease people inside and outside of the Biz. The majority of the humorstems from the film's look at humanity more than Hollywood (broadersense of the word to encompass the motion picture and televisionindustry at large). Nat DeWolf and Laura Kirk, co-writers and co-stars,worked diligently with their friend Mira Sorvino (MIGHTY APHRODITE, ATFIRST SIGHT, ROMY & MICHELLE'S HIGH SCHOOL REUNION, BARCELONA andSUMMER OF SAM), who makes her producer debut with this feature, toproduce an insiders' film that will also make outsiders laugh. The filmalso hosts a number of cameos by some prominent figures in the New Yorkfilm scene including: Mira Sorvino, Buck Henry, Charlie Sheen, SpikeLee, Sandra Bullock, Carrie Fisher, Melissa Gilbert, and Penelope AnnMiller.
If you like movies with a cast who can laugh at themselves, then you will laugh and thoroughly enjoy LISA PICARD IS FAMOUS.
*This movie became a sleeper solely because it ended up in the shadow of the Terrorist Attacks of 9/11. It is worth seeing!
Little Voice (Plus)
"Little Voice" is about a mouse who roared. I wanted to post a reviewfor this film even though it has been out on video for over two yearsnow (a 1998 release) because I do not feel that it received thefinancial recognition that it deserved. "Little Voice" exemplifies theinfluence a marketing campaign can have over a film's box officesuccess and appeal to audiences or lack there of...
Jane Horrocks plays a shy young woman with a tremendous talent. "LittleVoice", the character, receives her nickname from her overbearingmother due to her soft speaking voice. "Little Voice" the story isabout Horrocks' character's ability to escape her mother and othereveryday stresses in the real world, by imitating the singing voices ofvarious singers such as Judy Garland and Ethal Merman. When she sings,she is also able to see her dead father, added incentive for her escapefrom reality to fantasyland. Horrocks gives a stellar performance bothas Little Voice and even more so as the incredible performer singing onstage. (I could not believe that she was actually singing. I wouldalmost recommend the film just for people to hear her sing like some ofthe greatest singers of modern time.) Her mother is played by the samewoman who played the birth mother in "Secret and Lies" (another film Iwould recommend to anyone who enjoys British humor and kitchensink/working class films). Ewan McGregor plays Little Voice's awkwardand equally shy love interest. The entire cast gives convincing andsympathetic performances.
The story is sweet and touching. Audiences will appreciate a tale ofthe ugly ducking, so to speak, who transforms into a graceful swan onstage. The writer and director (Mark Herman) do a good job ofdeveloping the characters and harvesting on-screen chemistry betweenthe characters. The tension between the mother and daughter is veryreal and identifiable. Herman, the director, works well with his editorto edit a tight film that flows well without any unnecessary scenes.
"Little Voice" is available on video and definitely worth a rental forthe acting, especially the remarkable on stage singing impressions doneby Jane Horrocks. The story is touching and overall the film flowswell. In a nutshell, "Little Voice" exemplifies quaint. I think thisfilm flopped at the box office not for lack of merit, but rather forthe challenge it presented to the marketing department at Sony: noaction, no big stars, and a story that is difficult to summarize in a 4minute trailer or 30 second teaser. However, it is an ideal videorental because those who have seen it will give it positive word ofmouth. If you have not seen "Little Voice", I definitely recommendrenting it. Its selling points (performances and story) are equallyenjoyable on tape.
Little Nicky (neutral)
Many may wonder why Adam Sandler makes so much money. Well, I think itis because he meets audience expectations. Apparently, there is a largeaudience who likes silly antics and screaming comedians, and if you do,you will love "Little Nicky". Adam Sandler plays "Little Nicky", thehunchback from Hell who is mixed up due to his mixed moral heritage(since his mother is an angel and his father is a devil). Sandler alsoplays the role of co-executive producer, along with Robert Engleman(Executive Producer on "Mystery Men", "Blade", "Kazaam", and "MortalKombat"). Furthering his credits, Sandler co-wrote "Little Nicky" withTim Herlihy who has worked with Sandler before on "Big Daddy", "TheWaterboy", "The Wedding Singer", "Billy Madison", "Happy Gilmore" andSATURDAY NIGHT LIVE.
For those who are very religious, some of the humor in "Little Nicky"may be offensively blasphemous similar to last year's "Dogma". However,there are some very funny moments when the various characters have veryrealistic reactions to some supernatural encounters. I personally foundthe satanic snoring, the brain child bulldog, and the hell-worshippinghead bangers, quite humorous.
"Little Nicky" hosts an all-star cast, who star and make cameoappearances including: Patricia Arquette as Valerie, Nicky first andonly love; Harvey Keitel as the Devil and Nicky's father; Rhys Ifans asAdrian, one of Nicky's diabolical brothers; Tommy "Tiny" Lister asCassius, Nicky's other diabolical brother; Allen Covert as Todd,Nicky's NY City roommate; Reese Witherspoon as Holly, Nicky's angelicmother; Dana Carvey as a corrupt basketball referee; Jon Lovitz as aperverted peeping tom; Michael McKean as the NY City Police Chief;Quentin Tarantino as the blind man who sees evil; Rob Schneider as the"you can do it" Townie; and John Witherspoon as the swindling streetvendor. The ensemble of characters assist and challenge Nicky as hetries to save his dad and the residents of New York city from hisbrothers' scheme to disturb the existing balance of good versus evil byraising a little Hell on earth. As one may expect, they playover-the-top character-types who transform Little Nicky's tour of NewYork city into an Alice in Wonderland adventure.
"Little Nicky" does have its moments, but they could be easily enjoyedon video. For those who are major fans of Sandler and the rest of theSATURDAY NIGHT LIVE cast from his days on NBC, you will enjoy thisfilm. If you are a big fan of heavy metal music, you will probably havea blast viewing the film more in a theater with a good sound system."Little Nicky" opens wide in theaters on Friday, November 10th.
LORD OF THE RINGS: FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING (PLUS/NEUTRAL)
I suspect that LORD OF THE RINGS is one of the most anticipated filmsof the year due to the popularity of the books; if not the first, thenthe second only to Harry Potter, and the second place would probablyonly be due to the fact that the Harry Potter books are the currentcraze as compared to the older J.R.R. Tolkien books that were popularin the 1970s. The film certainly lives up to the epic quality of theseries of books.
However, I think that the writer, Frances Walsh, may have been a littletoo true to the book; the film would have been stronger if theadaptation focused on what would make a strong movie instead ofpreserving the accuracy of the book. Readers usually do not expect thesame level of closure as movie-goers. Readers can put the book downwhenever they want without missing a beat; movie-goers will have tohave a very unique digestive system to endure the full three hourswithout a single bio break. People who have or have not read any of thebooks will appreciate the pace, acting, special effects, and costumes.Even those who have not read the book will find the action somewhatpredictable since the film basically consists of a chase scene followedby a battle, once the characters encounter the bad guys; and then thecycle repeats throughout the entire film, until the abrupt ending.Although some may find the number of fight sequences to be a bit tooplentiful, bordering formulaic, I commend the filmmakers for notstooping to the level of excessive gratuitous, graphic violence.
The filmmakers prove that an action fantasy film can have a lot ofspecial effects that do not revolve around blood and guts. This is notto say that no one gets hurt, because many characters, both good andbad, do. However, the film maintains a fantasy tone, that makes thedeaths and injuries a little more bearable. LORD OF THE RINGS stands upand even surpasses a lot of other action films that lack theimagination of a fantasy based story. The special effects (SoundDepartment headed by Christopher Boyes, Special Effects headed by GinoAcevedo, and Visual Effects headed by Holly Acton) both visual andaudio, heighten the epic quality of the film. The set design by (SetDecoration by Tanea Chapman Costume Design by Ngila Dickson) alsocontributes to the drama and leaves just enough up to the imaginationto increase the suspense and tension.
The cast could not be stronger. The long list of consummate actorsincludes Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Ian Holm, Viggo Mortensen, andcameos by Liv Tyler and Cate Blanchett. This film, like the books,targets males and does not give much depth or importance to the femalecharacters. To a degree the appearances by A-list caliber actresseslike Tyler and Blanchett seem to be for mere aesthetic reasons.Although they certainly demonstrate their on-screen presence in termsof beauty, neither has the opportunity to flex her acting muscles (thisis true to the book).
LORD OF THE RINGS is a must-see on the big screen and will hit theaterson December 19th. My only criticism would be the abrupt ending. I thinkmany people will feel cheated after sitting through a three-hour racewithout a finish line. However, purist fans of the book probably willnot care.
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