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Show Team America' hilariously carries out mission of mockery Chris Hewitt RlDDFR KNIfjHl NtWSPAptRb knew that North dictator Kim II sounds exactly like Eric Cartman from "South Park"? It's one of the revelations in the bloody, profane, explosively funny "Team America: World Police," which was made by "South Park" creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker (whose vocal work links Cartman and Who Kim). i crime-fightin- onettes, "Team America" is a spoof of movie cliches, plus a little political satire, hilarious songs, projectile vomiting, a primo joke about "Cats" and between pupexplicit sex pets, naturally. As in "South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut," the highlight of "Team America" is the songs. About half of them are full-o- n production numbers, including one for Kim. The others tweak the songs that pop up as under- - . scoring in action movies. ' One is a macho knockoff of .' Danger Zone" from "Top Gun." another sounds like "Holding Out for a Hero" and there's a syrupy ballad that would be perfect for Aerosmith to warble over the love scene in a Bruce Willis bomb (the romantic lead sings, "I miss you. V" i Direction Trey Parker Starring: Trey Parker, Matt Stone Running time: 1 hr., 45 min. Rating: R for graphic, crude and sexual humor, violent images and strong language, all involving puppets V" ' more than Michael Bay missed the mark when he made 'Pearl Harbor'I need you like Ben Affleck needs acting school"). Stone and Parker have a vicious gift for spotting what's ridiculous in pop culture, whether1 it's sanctimonious' actors getting in over their heads (Susan Sarandon and Janeane Garof alo are dispatched with maximum brutality), idiotiQ.ac-- ; . . I t ill W.Vt,j , mari- g I Team America: World Police Location: Opens Friday in theaters everywhere Featuring a "Mission: Impossible" style cadre of international 1 CD Review ' 1. J f ?! hV(lin :a I'M M PS3 1) tion-fil- dialogue cold," whimpers a dying hero) or the notion that America is the center of the world (Cairo, for instance, is identified as "5,621 miles east of America"). And some stuff is funny simply because it's being done by y puppets on detailed of Times Square and Paris. There are a few dead spots yawn-producin- g 3- r- - - ' - ..... Paramount Pictures Lead marionettes: Joe, Gary, Chns, Lisa and Sarah in "Team America: World Police." obsessive-compul-sivel- in "Team America," but it even made me rethink my objection to tired jokes that poke fun at the "You had me at 'hello' " line from "Jerry Maguire." "Team America" rips off a "You had me" joke and makes even that cliche seem fresh and very, very funny. Williams turns off the charm for dour 'Final Gut' David Germain cv ei v frame. This is not an idea with resonance you i:an feel in 1 lie moody little si ' ihnlU'r "Thr l lnal 'ul'" '(Is nunc like a.s( jciice (c! mien! Hun incina your gut. like aliens coming dow n to Ixiot us ot'l the planet-omachines deciding to take over the world. n i jit st si iiiij-' !v, in- 0 .a! ai.i V. -- :"). "v and ar-- ;h'' f; .aid : m-- ' writer-directo- e . 1 r hilar Nairn never manages ;o liiake the tale fee! relevant, o' efnotelv pkui.sil j'e d mi; lli'iigs further, Nasti; and iv ew )t'csiTit lie siory in a (I ll'sii in of eras ,:s' null's ahd ;!' is ; !' nn aiii' - past vH-s:with terhha! s v cai s a; t lie f i i . - 'he lilll di'S e the authentic retio"-iId ol . ishion le.V.ure of "Blade Run--h i. ot "P.rail. The visual mishmash in "The Final Cut" i ' 'il'l'l' ol . l lll c Woven lllto (')! ( onlltni.iHv ihe on . idirave!.-llirougho- the inov ic ."i lii seams of its dramatic com showing sloppily in alniosl 'it further distancing viewers fioin the universe' Nairn cre;a; s, ates Williams plays Alan man. the name itself heavy- - . au-ee- ' ! . no! ii.i i ' t'u-l- i ugly moments, Alan's torment' oyer a memory of his own is rekindled by an image lie sees in tin' loolage of his cur-' ul ive fi ic i he en! i !,nij iuy that (levisiij)ed thi:'!!;iklllls j'hi' lob also put i iun in i're led, sights of inijilant.opp'i-.iuentsv former colleague lieu her i i hi' handed given that he's the finest "cutter" in the business, a hack who sorts through the life footage of the deceased to present a bowdlerized "Rememory" compilation, discarding all the Inn ( avie.el) who's tiesperate todhtain the executive's memories hoping to tind sinister secrets to provoke a scandal and discredit the industry. Protesters gather outside "Rememory" funerals with signs and inane chants of "Live for today," rushing at Alan with fierce cries of "There's the cutter!" The scene has the ferociousness of clashes outside abortion clinics, yet Nairn's screenplay offers only hazy hints of why memory implants are viewed' as such a societal evil.'". Met cher finally explains to an extent, that it's an invasion of oihei.s' privacy when they're' captured oiv someone's implant Review ioo'.ago, f.uf U s a lechiy d ,u gum'.'iii. and sv, ei ping contention that, ei 'mpivaus desii'oy persona! his all hi'siorv " tory, and ' i'ius hollow dull earlv on. "The IV nal Cut" gains momentum and i uiids suspen.st' near the end a.s Aim scrambles to unlock his memories while Fletcher and Ins cohorts close in. Yet it comes too late to pull the audience hack into the story. Williams is at his most dour here. His performance is solid thematic material, some violence, sexuality and ianquage pre-sen- ,' The Final Cut Director: Omar Nairn Cast: Robin Williams, Jim Mira Sorvino Caviezel; Running time: Rating: PG-1- 1 hr., 34 min. fot mature Location:- - Opens Friday in select Cities i hut void of humanity. ne of Nairn's points is that only an inhumanly dispassionate person might bear roving among the vilest crannies of other people's minds. That emotional parsimony makes Alan a thoroughly forgettable protagonist, though. i |
