sfboy101 Reviews

Kiss Me Kate (1953)

Charming in 3D

[22 January 2004]

I am lucky to have seen a beautiful print of "Kiss Me Kate" shown in 3D at the Stanford Theater in Palo Alto in June of 2000. It was shown in dual-projector format which resulted in a clear, bright picture. The 3D was accomplished with gray polarized glasses rather than the blue/red ones, so there was no weird chromatic aberration. It was spectacular. The dance numbers were a riot of talent, color, and depth!

Tell your local art-house theater that you promise to pack the house if they will put on a 3D festival, especially if the 3D print of "Kate" is the centerpiece, and they can do the dual-projection. Sad that "Kate" was never released in its true 3D glory. "Kate" was directed and shot with an image for each of your eyes -- seeing the flat version is like seeing only half the movie!

A Ring of Endless Light (2002)

Clumsy

[28 August 2002]

Other comments have covered how poorly this Disney made-for-tv cowflop reflects the thoughtful and emotional children's novel on which it was based. Keeping in mind that films and books are independent mediums, with different requirements for developing characters and advancing plotlines, it is sad to see how little care went into this piece.

Watch the dolphin sequences. They were obviously shot in a waterpark or aquarium, and then intercut with shots of the actors in the real sea. The water changes color from shot to shot. Clumsy. Much of the rest of the film follows suit, with bad dialogue and confusing action sequences.

Going back to the book as an adult, I am amazed that a novel aimed at young readers explored the topic of death with both directness and sensitivity. This film explores how cool it would be to have a boyfriend with a speedboat.

Red Planet (1994– )

True to the spirit of the book

[5 December 2001]

This was a great way to bring the novel to the screen. Think two- or three-episode "Batman" -- just enough time to tell a longer story, and still aimed at kids just old enough to follow a more intricate plot. Heinlein's juvenile novel "Red Planet" wouldn't make much of a film, but was very well adapted into a rarely-seen form, the animated miniseries. I would like to see more of these!

London Kills Me (1991)

Disappointing

[24 February 2001]

I'm a big fan of Hanif Kureishi -- I think his screenplays for "My Beautiful Laundrette" and "Sammy and Rosie Get Laid" are brilliant. In both of those movies, the worlds he creates are so complete: friends, families, sex, money, expectations and loss all add up to real people doing interesting things in unique situations. The same goes for the book and miniseries "The Buddha of Suburbia," a great exploration of an extended family in 1970's London.

This movie, however, shoots for the same heights but misses badly. Characters are unlikeable. Situations ridiculous. Language is relentlessly coarse but doesn't further the characterizations. Perhaps the hero's quest for a decent pair of shoes is meant as a parable -- if so, it was a rough little story that didn't teach me anything.

Kureishi's other works remain some of my favorites, but after this movie was over I needed a shower. Looking for a good rental? Try "Sammy and Rosie" or "Laundrette." If you have two or three nights to watch the tape, find a video store with "Buddha."

Passion Fish (1992)

An intimate and nuanced film

[10/10 · 15 February 1999]

John Sayles gives the viewer a two-second break at the end of every scene in this small, perfectly-acted film. The conversations slow or stop, the action halts, sometimes the screen goes blank. The viewer has a chance to appreciate the scene, think about what just happened, savor the moment. Not every pause happens after something significant -- or was that scene important? Everyone who watches this movie will appreciate something else, I think.

"Passion Fish" is so detailed that there is a wealth of emotional content for the audience. Watch for Alfre Woodard's excitement when she is reunited with her daughter. Was that tiny squeal in her voice just good acting or did we just witness the manifestation of a mother's spontaneous, overwhelming love that happened to take place in front of a rolling camera? And what about the hilarious monologue a soap-opera actress speaks when she related the worst role she ever played, the victim of alien medical experiments in a low-budget sci-fi picture? It has nothing to do with the plot of "Passion Fish," or does it? Maybe it tells of the indignities we all go through to achieve success, love, self-respect.

Can you tell that I really liked this movie?

The Buddha of Suburbia (1993)

Excellent adaptation of Kureishi's novel

[26 January 1999]

Naveen Andrews, probably best known to American audiences as the Indian bomb expert in "The English Patient," plays Karim, a young London high schooler in the 1970's. Karim is caught between loyalties to his mother and his father, who are going through a messy split. Susan Fleetwood is notable as the father's mistress, whose son might or might not be the hottest thing to hit the music scene since Bowie.

The amazing thing about "Buddha..." is the depth of characterization. The secondary characters, and there are at least fifteen, all have their own struggles and histories. Karim floats through his world, trying to be everything to each character -- a friend, a confidant, a lover, a good son, a loyal nephew -- and finds that he can't satisfy everyone. Pay close attention to each story, such as the arranged marriage between Jamila and Changez. It's a comedy of errors orchestrated by her traditional parents that's wonderfully out-of-place for the characters who see themselves liberated members of the "me" generation.

Though this is a mini-series rather than a film, the production values are pretty good. It would be a good idea to rent it for two nights, since it's long. And since it was made for TV anyway, the small screen is just right. (It was shown on a big screen at the San Francisco Gay & Lesbain film festival.)