About Flagpole. (Athens, Ga.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 4, 2000)
URBAN LEGEND: FINAL CUT (R) An embarrassing sequel to 1998's mediocre Scream rip-off Urban Legend A group ol student litmmakers at Alpine University (“the greatest film school in the world") are sliced and diced by a killer in a lencmg mask (There iust aren't enough masks let! lor killers lo wear these days.) Led by Amy Mayfield (Stir Ol Echoed Jennifer Morrison, who somehow manages to deliver a good pertormance). the kids all vie lor the prestigious “Hitchcock Award." a prize so valuable, somebody is willing., lo kill lor it 1 Don't bother trying to ligure out who the killer is. because there aren't any actual clues. Don't worry, though, it's all explained to you at the end. Directed by rookie filmmaker/com- poser John Oilman With Joey "Joseph" Lawrence [Vaughn Sterling). (Beechwood, Carmike. Commerce Drive-In) THE WA T CHER (R) Keanu Reeves doesn't exactly crank up the charm in this low-intensity crime thriller from director Joe Charbarvc. When FBI agent Joel Campbell (James Spader), who has been chasing serial killers lor years. Ilees LA (or a new life in Chicago, a series of particularly gruesome murders pops up and it becomes clear that his most elusive and cunning nemesis (Reeves) is starting a cat-and-mouse game with him Not recommended. (Carmike. Commerce Drive-In) WHAT LIES BENEATH (R) This weak, infuriating thriller starts out like a creepy love letter to Hitchcock but suffers from loo many preposterous contrivances. Michelle Pfeiffer and Harrison Ford are apparently a weallhy. happily married Vermont couple, but trouble comes alter their daughter’s exit to college The film effectively builds up lo some very fright ening moments but unfortunately relies too heavily on the new trick of startling the audience with a loud, sudden blast ol orchestral accent. Directed by Robert Zemekis. (Beechwood. Carmike) WOMAN ON TOP (R) A stiff and silly romantic comedy from Venezuelan director Fina Torres. Isabella (Penelope Cruz of All About My Mother) is an extraordinarily sexy, independent- minded female chel from northeast Brazil with an unhealthy fetish for chili peppers She breaks free from a rocky marriage to a smug charmer named Tomnho (Murilo Benicio) in her home town and goes to San Francisco. She moves in with her old friend the drag queen Monica (Harold Pernneau, Jr.) and embarks on a career hosting an evening cooking show called "Passion Food." If you preferred last year's ridicu lous Simply Irresistible lo 1996's won derful Big Night, please don't miss this thing Ends Thursday (Beechwood) MOVIE PICK SNAP JUDGMENTS REMEMBER THE TITANS (PG) The opening title sequence of Remember the Titans includes both "Walt Disney Pictures Presents," and "based on a true story"—a sure sign that a feel-good, heart- tugging ride will follow. Throw in "Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer"—the man behind Gone in Sixty Seconds and Con Air—and one might expect things to get a little edgier. They don't. Directed by Boaz Yakin (Fresh, A Price Above Rubies), this sports drama is a portrait of Alexandria, Virginia (though it was actually filmed in and around Atlanta—watch for Dan Matthews), a football-crazed town torn by the mandatory integration of the city's formerly segregated high schools. Set in 1971, things get messy when the school board appoints an African-American, Herman Boone (Denzel Washington of Hurricane), to replace the beloved Bill Yoast (Will Patton of The Patriot and Gone In 60 Seconds) as head coach of the Titans football team. Though he's resented by both the team and the community, Boone's determina tion never falters; he keeps Yoast on board as an assistant coach and takes the team to a training camp isolated from the racially charged city. The black and white teammates (Donald Faison, Wood Harris, Ryan Hurst, Ethan Suplee, Craig Kirkwood, Earl C. Poitier and others) argue and brawl with one another Horn the start, but after Boone forces them to spend time with one another off the field, they all become friends, singing the Temptations together in the locker room and slinging "your mama" jokes at each other in color-blind fashion. When they return to Alexandria a few weeks later, they've become such a tdghtknit group they can hardly understand the racist attitudes that still prevail. Things start looking worse - someone throws a brick through Coach Boone's window and more brawls break out at school - but when the team starts winning, the whole town is brought together, and harmony ensues. At one point, the new long-haired quarter back dubbed "Sunshine" (Atlantan Kip Pardue of But I'm A Cheerleader) plants a long kiss on one of his unsuspecting teammates. That night, Sunshine's roommate asks him if he's gay. Just as the film begins to deal with issues of toler ance in more than a cursory manner, the whole incident is written off as an ambiguous joke, never to be addressed again. Even for a high school sports movie, the sheer number of oblig atory inspirational speeches can get a little numbing. There's the locker room speech, the hospital bed speech, and an honest-to-God Gettysburg Address, each with swelling orches tral accompaniment. The film is saved by exceptional casting and the on-screen chemistry between Boone and Yoast as they grow to trust one another. Denzel Washington gives a predictably commanding performance, delivering dozens of dramatic monologues with a minimal amount of corni ness, while Patton, looking (and smirking) remarkably like George W. Bush, delivers a much-needed understated performance. Could a community's web of hatred and intolerance really melt away thanks to a suc cessful football season? Probably not. It'd be nice if it could be that simple, though, and in that sense, Remember The Titans is an inspiring, but naive, fairy tale. If you can choke back your cynicism, you might have a goo i time anyway. Vaughn Sterling Sr 1 Voik 1toast with 1 1fipple$ 8t Cherrie$ | i| CO dhili Voqs Vegetarian Meatloaf Chicken Tetrazzini 229 East Broad St. 706-543-8552 S3 take-out available -8552] eb J speakeasy ih. FINE SOUTHERN TAPAS & SPECIALTY COCKTAILS *eten course mcaU happy hour 4-7 late ni^ht menu 11 - close OPEM MON - THUR5 4pm - 1am FRI & SAT 4pm - 2am u ft % t a ■ r s 269 E. Broad 346.3336 [BBSSSaS! 1 1 £ 1 P iKKncasiagrAiig Doug will participate in a candidate forum Phi Kappa Hall UGA North Campus Thursday, October 5 8pm The public is invited. Experience WXJGHAlNIS MAURHNf 8UN« TRMSlMfi SHOOTING RANGE SHOT FOR SHOT, WE ARE THE CHEAPEST PLACE IN TOWN. 546-6111 PElE~the-(AT<*> art by JkMPSpKAri Dews Flash! 18 x 24 Newsprint 100 Sheets $7.95 Reg. t $ 11.95 268 N. Jackson St. • 548-5334 OCTOBER 4, 2000
