Newspaper Page Text
April 1, 1992
Flagpole Magarine
Page 25
The Movie Dope
These are desperate times folks. The only decent
films in the first-run theaters are pictures from last
year. We 're well into a dry spell and there’s no relief in
sight. Hang in there, were in this together.
First Run
American Me (R)
Director/s tar Edward James Olmos' [Stand and Delrver) new
picture features some very disturbing imagery (I learned a lot
more about smuggling drugs in one's body cavities than
really! needed to). But the point to all inis, other than some
generalized moralizing about gang violence, isn't very dear.
Olmos’ acting has certainly been stronger. Only William
Forsythe [Raising Anzona) gives the sort of performance
needed camy this kind of effort. A disappointment. Ends
Thursday. (Beechwood)
Article 99 [P G-13)
This is some pretty nch lemtory, the treatmeni of veterans by
a government which feels no responsibility toward them, so
it’s rather disappointing find such a simplistic, pedestrian
treatment of the subject ft's the old wisecracking mavencks
vs. the uncanng administrators (yeah, kmda like M’A’S’H'),
handled with a sledge hammer subtlety that makes Alan
Alda’s worst T.V. posturing seem delicately understated
There’s a great cast here, but not the matenal to match. The
whole thing comes off as a blown opportunity. Ends Thurs
day. (Beechwood)
Basic Instinct (R)
You know, I’m as homophobic as the next red-blooded
American, and I’ve yet to be accused of over-sensitivity
toward anyone. So imagine my cu'prise when I saw this
picture and actually found it offensive. There are some real
twisted notions here concerning the relationship between
sexual preference and overall mental health, ft is in fact, a
fairly ugly film. It’s also a complete dud ?s a suspense thriller.
As the film ends one realizes that if s producers couldn’t have
cared less as to wether or not their *whodunif was plausible,
or even coherent A very slick, expensive looking mess. Keep
going. (Georgia Square Mall (inside))
Beauty and the Beast (G)
look, it didn't win the damn OscanSj give it up. we can all go
home now. It’s over.
The Cutting Edge (PG)
Gee, a romantic comedy set in the fascinating world of
Otympic®figuro skating, itshould have been really good. But
they blew it Was it the unappealing actors? Or the toxic
levels of bad pop music? Perhaps it was the consistently
mane and humorless ’banter'. No. Mo, more than all of these
things blame must fall on the merciless, unrelenting parade
of montage sequences. How many montage sequences do
you think one could squeeze into a ninety minute film ? Guess
again. There are over six hundredsuch sequences here. The
human nervous system has not yet sufficiently evolved
enough to handle that kind of strain. Audience members
wailed for relief, perhaps you heard their cries? I was the one
screaming, 'somebody kill mel* For god’s sake, stay away.
(Georgia Square Mall (outside))
Fried Green Tomatos (PG-13)
Sure, it’s the kind of movie you can recommend to you
parents, but you should recommend it to them. No, you
should powith them. It’s really a very pleasant, engaging, film
with some strong performances and a sharp scnpt. It also
understands the value of the whole storytelling thing. Make
an effort (Beechwood)
The Hand That Bocks the Cradle (R)
In the first fifteen minutes of this one we get to watch a woman
molested by her gynecologist dunng an examination, and
shortly thereafter, a gory miscarnage. What follows is pretty
dull. You don’t need to see this. (Beechwood. starts fnday at
the Classic Tnpfe)
Hook (PG)
Nausoatmg, expensive dnvel from Steven Spielberg Robin
Williams turns m his standard stuff and Hoffman is merely
ordinary. Pure pabulum. I hated it and so should you. (Alps)
Ladybugs (PG-13)
We have a winner! Ladybugs thoroughly suroasses Stop Or
My Mom Wilt Shoo-in awfulness, and is the year’s worst film
to date. Rodney Dangerfeild hasn’t made any great films, but
he could always be relied upon to delrver some killer one-
iiners. Here, nothing he comes up with is even remotely
funny, it’s actually pretty painful to watch The premise s
completely asinine, and the rest of the cast is unbelievably
amateurish Even the fourteen year-olds for whom this was
intended should tire of this pretty quick,*; Ignore it and * will
90 away. (Beechwood)
The Lawnmowc Man (R)
This one. I’m told, has little to do with tne Stephen King shoe
story or which it is based, which is surpnsmg in that it is so
vary much line any other Stephen King c*cture I’ve seen The
producers have thrown in all this Virtual reality* stuff, which
they fail to make any sense of, and realize with complete
mediocrity. Pierce Brosnan gives itthe old college try, but Jeff
Fahey (Silverado) is swiftly becoming one of my least favonte
actors. Those hoping to check out some hot ’cyber-sex’ will
bo bitterly disappointed. It’s dull. Skip il(Classic Triple)
Medicine Man (R)
There’s something vaguely opportunisticabout director John
McTieman’s( The Hunt For Red October) save- the-rainforest
picture, all the motives are a bit simplistic, a bit too, well,
correct. Nor is the materiel here suited to his style, the picture
never establishes a consistent pace. Scenes that should
work just don’t get moving. Luckily Sean Connery is aboard,
and the old boy just may be the best damn movie star (if not
actor) working. A full pardon is granted for Highlander II. That
performance and a few strong moments effectively captured
by McTiernan make this wonh a trip to the mall. Ends
Thursday (Classic Tnple)
The Movie Dope Checklist
Your moviegoing made that much easier!
The picture at the top of this list is the best
one in town. If and when you've seen it, just
check it off and move on to the next one!
□ Fried Green Tomatoes
□ Star Trek VI
□ Beauty and the Beast
□ Medicine Man
□ Wayne’s World
□ My Cousin Vinny
□ White Men Can’t Jump
□ Article 99
□ American Me
□ The Lawnmower Man
□ Basic Instinct
□ The Cutting Edge
□ The Prince of Tides
□ Hook
□ Stop or My Mom Will Shoot
□ Ladybugs
My Cousin Vinny (PG-13)
Joe Peso seems to have learned from most, if not all of the
mistakes he made with last fall’s dog, The Super. This one is
a enjoyable, if unimpressive, light comedy. The scnpt is
actually pretty flat, but Pesci and co-star Manca Tomei (well
bo heanng more from this woman — and I don’t mean a
postcard) actually get the chemistry thing going well enough
to put his one, just barely, over the top. Hit a matinee.
(Georgia Square Mall)
Prince of Tides (R)
I finally saw it. And was it ever awful. A Oscar®nomination
for best picture? I demand an investigation. Of ail the con
trived, hackneyed soap operas I’ve ever seen. Some of this
[whathappened to the Vietnam vet brother?) is pretty laugh
able. Nick Noite is a terrific actor, and it's a real disappoint
ment to see him attacking this matenal so earnestly. As for
Babs, one would have to rent some old William Shatner
horror movies to catch acting of this caliber. As for her
direction, she had the sense to hire an expensive cinematog
rapher, and let him do his job. but the actors weren’t so lucky.
Don’t be a sucker, rent The Great Sanorn msteac
(Classic Triple)
Ruby (R)
Okay here's my theory, in an attempt to discreoit nagging
(and disturbingly correct) conspiracy theones, the C.I.A
procuced tms picture. Familiar elements of tne assassination
story (the creepy Dave Feme, a philandering Jack Kennedy,
eel), are cleverly injected into a ndiculous.iarvnntrime plot,
mating ridicule and creaqng apathy in its auoence The' f
only mistake was making a film tew peopie will see There's
no real enligntenment here, ana even »es$ ontertamment.
Danny Aielio's performance is uneven, and ne s offered little
in tne way of support from a dull cast Skip it (Georgia Square
Mall (outside))
Star Trek VI (PG)
It’s 1 eally just old people in space isn’t it? No. no, this is pretty
much the whole Star trek thing at its best. Ill be there. (Alps)
Stop or My Mom Will Shoot
(PG-13)
Wow. This material is beneath Sylvester Stallone* Evnn hard
core fans will be quick to recognize the fact that this sucks!
Think Stallone doing a guest shot on Golden Girls and you V6
got the picture. You wanna pay for that? Of cou, se you don’t
Ends Thursday. (Georgia Square Mall (outside)
Wayne’s World (PG-13)
This is about as long as an edition of Saturday Night Lrve. and
on average, about as funny. The bit begins to wear thin as
fast as you might expect but Mike Myers, a very funny guy.
manages to stave off compete disaster. Video? I think this
pretty well defines the ’wait-til-it-hits-Blockbuster' genre.
Your not in any nurry here. (Georgia $qua r e Mall (inside))
White Men Can't Jump (R)
Wnter director Ron Shelter, brought us Bull Durham a few
years back, and the first half hour of this one is just as strong;
strong characters, some good yucks. But all to quickly it
begins to settle for seme well worn pot devices and easy,
stupd gags which undermine any son believaPlity (Yes.
Woody does pek up that damned guitar and warble out some
lame tune). There are some real laughs here, enough to this
a half-hearted recommendation (most of them coming from
a dead-eyed Wesley Snipes), but there’s not much of a movie
here. Be sure to hit a matinee, if you must (Georgia Square
Mail (outside))
Starting Friday
Beethoven (PG)
A biography of the great 19th century German composer?
Dream on. The most you’ll get here is on e big slobbery St
Bernard. I can’t wait. (Georgia Square Mai! (outside))
Rock-A-Doodle-Doo (G)
Singing cartoon animals (there’s a switch) from Land Before
Time director Don Bluth.
Straight Talk (PG)
Dolly Part on stars as a radio talkshow host Youronyour own
here, I'm not going.
Thunderheart (R)
Val Kilmer is a Native American F B I. agent There is the
promise for much murder mystery and mysticism. Well see.
Repertory
Georgia Theatre
4/1
Looney Tunes
Daffy Duck cartoons and a fell bar. You knew the dnll.
Tate Center
Wed 4/1
Cape Fear (Lee J. Thompson, 1962)
It’s Gregory Peck getting chased around the Everglades by
the superhumanfy cool Robert Mitchum. A good bet.
Thur4/2
Broadcast News (James L. Brooks, 1987)
This is all well and good, but Albert Brook's performance is
what makes this worth the tnp.
Fri&Sat 4.'4&5
Cape Fear (Martin Scoresese, 1991)
You don’t want to let this go without catching it on the screen.
Midnight
Robocop(P aul Verhoven, 1987)
Wonderfully excessive volence highlights director Verhoven’s
best film. Take the kids.
Sun 4/6
High Heels (Pedro Almodovar, 1991/
Yet another wacky Spanish sex comedy
Call for Times
Alps - 548-5256
Beechwood - 546-1011
Classic Triple - 543-6544
Commerce Drive-in -
335-2486
Georgia Square Mali
Inside - 543-1632
Outside - 548-9460
Georgia Theater - 549-9918
Tate Center - 54-UNION
■C
1. Boyz n the Hood
2. Thelma &. Louise
3. Jungle Fever
4. Point Break
5. The Fisher King
6. Whore
7. Barton Fink
8. Double Impact
9. Harley Davidson
& Marlboro Man
TO. Regarding Henry
11. The Doctor
1 2. Mobsters
1 3. Freddy's Dead
1 4. Don’t tell Mom the
Babysister's Dead
1 5. Paradise
Foreign Top 1
1 . The Vanishing
Drowning by Numbers
3. The Reflecting Skim
4. Fisrt Name Carmen
5. The Icicle Girl
6. The Nasty Girl
7. Ay Carmela
8. The Field
9. The Chocolate War
1 0. Betty Blue
New Releases
■ Boyz in the Hood
• The Fisher King
■ Shattered
Other s People s Money
■ Paradise
■ Twenty-One
Murder of Mary Phagan
Marrige of Maria Braun
* Billy Bathgate
* Deceived
&. more *
Tlrivia Question:
The Best Picture of the Year!
In Honor of its Acodemv
Awords Sweep..
in S;ence of tne tamos
whet was Dr Hannbal s
nicknomse" 1
onswe, conecdy 4 gel Sfoc
poslors :om on greo be; i you
oie among toe fit 1C ccroc*
answer you oeo feaeve c fiec-
Voor Vooo' i*