| OCR Text |
Show _The Salt Lake Tribune CALENDAR Friday,December25, 1998 ‘Monsters,’ soulful performance, capturingnot his loneliness and his slow mental but probably R for nudity and sex. was writing his own epitaph — a sentiment this movie expresses with poignancy pathized. “Gods and Monsters" finds — tek Patch Adams RobinWilliamsrises above theclichesinthis Whale (played by Sir Ian McKellen) in the twilight of his life in 1957. Whale is out of the Hollywood game, retired and semiblackballed because of his open (for the time, anyway) homosexual- ity. Whale whiles away his d: sketching and fielding the oc: sional interview from fawning (and invariably male) film students falls uponhis gardener, a strapping lad namedClayton (played by Brendan Fraser). Whale asks Clayton to pose for a fewsketch ind Clay- ton — uneasilyat first — agrees The sessions unlock a flood of memories for Whale, taking him back to his abused childhood in England, the trenches of World WarI, the set of “Bride of Fran- kenstein” and the all-male skinnydipping parties in Whale’s back yard pool. The film is a revelation for writer-director Bill Condon, whose last movie, the horror schlocker *Can- dyman: Farewell to the Flesh showednoindicationofthe intelligence and tenderness at work here. flashbacks, of Holly- as the set design of “Bride of Frankenstein”) and eye-popping fantasy sequences (one casts Clayton as Frankenstein and Whale as the monster) to depict Whale as a man rummaging around his memoryasif it were a dustyattic. McKellen, so brilliant in his Nazi-dress “RichardIII,” gives a First Night Will Swing In melts away. Enemies (like his roommate, played by ‘“Happiness’”” Philip Seymour Hoffman) become his allies, recalcitrant pa- ual situations) gives Whalethelast word on his eventful, painful life When describinghis vision of Frankenstein’s monster, that “he’s noble and misunderstood,” Whale picted in the poetic biography “Gods and Monsters,” surely em- eventually with resistance, which promptly “Gods and Monsters” (not rated, a condition with which Whale, de- eye Oedekerk’sscript is an obstacle course of familiarity. Patch is met decline. @ Continued from F-1 Whale’s whois half-heartedly served up as the movie's romanticinterest only Whale’s urbane gentility but Bard, Aliens For Christmas medical comed) tients (like one played by Peter Coyote) become putty, and the nurses turn into co-conspirators. There's even room fora big speech at the end, when Patch is brought up before a medical board. (Take a guess howthe vote goes.) “Patch Adams” (rated PG-13 for strong language and crude humor) does serve as a platform for Wil- liams to do what he does best Robin Williams has this seriocomic thing down cold. With that giddylaugh and childlike smile, he evoke laughter and wring tears. Even when the movie flatlines, Williams keepsthe beat. can drawgales of laughter from theslightest joke. And whenthings get serious, his eyes crinkle up and x Stepmom Good actors are squandered on a forced and cliche-ridden tearjerker. get moist — andthereisn’t a dry eyein the house. If only the makers of Williams’ new movie, “Patch Adams.” had that samesense of balance. Alas, director Tom Shadyac and screenwriter Steve Oedekerk (whocollab- Blame those infamous horror writers, the Brothers Grimm, for the sorry tective’ and ‘The Nutty Professor”) overplaythe yuks and Dwarfs.” Stepparents today won't find much comfort in “Stepmom,” a the pathos of this based-on-true lifestory The movie introduces Hunter Patch” Adams as a suicidal man who has committed himself to a well-intended attempt to examine modern family relations that suc- cumbs to cloying sentiment and pulverizingclichés mental hospital. He starts to use The family dynamic here centers on Jackie (Susan Sarandon) and Luke (Ed Harris), divorced humor to connect with his fellow patients (one played by Williams star from “The Fisher King,” for three years and sharing custo- Michael Jeter) and decideshis call- ingis to be a doctor. His mission: to helppatients through laughter. dy of their two kids — moody12- year-old Anna (Jena Malone) and rambunctious 7-year-old Ben (Liam Aiken). New to the mix is Luke's girlfriend, Isabel (Julia Roberts), a fashion photographer Patch’s philosophy runs counter to the guidinginterests of the medi- cal school, as expressed by Dean Waleott (Bob Gunton, the warden from tion”): reputation of stepparents — the invariable villains of such fairy tales as “Cinderella” and “Snow White and the Seven orated on “Ace Ventura: Pet De- “It is our mission to rigor- tive director. “Wehave 135 different activities at a dozen different locations. “This is the first year that the entire Salt Palace has been available.’ Farrington said the Salt Lake City version of First Night is secondin size onlyto Boston, the city that originated it. More than 60,000 people packed downtown last year. More than70,000areex. pectedthis year “When people take over the streets, the city has a whole new rhythm to it,” said Marsh. “Those who don’t normallytalk to strangers, smile and wave and have a goodtime. It's different than at any other time of year.” The alcohol-fi ee celebration has University jazz band F vities begin at 6 p.m. and last until the midnight fireworks at Lindquist Field The Mega Stomp on Washington Boulevard, in a heated tent, hosts the rock music Three County Stomp. Buttons are available at Ogden City Mall information desk and Peery’s Egyptian Theater @ Buy a Button First Night begins Thursday at 5:30 p.m. and runsuntil midnight. First Night buttons, $5 in ad- vance,$7 the night of the event, are available at Blimpie, Albertson's and Maverick CountryStores Craig Gleason of the Salt Lake City Police Department. “Patrol guys do what they do every day. The downtown bike squad may adjust a shift to be down there. “The kindof event we're putting on doesn’t lenditself to problems The people who drink 24 beers, this is not for them. Although we may havegoto their house later.” Among the newitems for this year's event are several children’s remained relatively free from crime and disturbance. The Salt Lakepoliceforce does not anticipate adding manymoreofficersto the downtown area ‘Historically, First Night has run as smooth assilk said Sgt activities in the Salt Palace, includ- ing a dinosaur dig, complete with chocolate-chip-cookie extractions, theater productions and a mini film festival “This stops the‘Us’ ys. ‘Them,’ said Marsh. “[First Night] is about Us.’ “A GREAT PSONL Tom Hanks have turned into an interesting comedy about how Isabel's rela- daughter, Tracy (Kulani Hassen), is (which was a rehash of “Ki uncontrollable. ter, a 15-foot gorilla living in t stretchesof the story Atthis point, “Stepmom” could tionships with Jackie and Anna evolve from hostility to slow tolerance to something warm and fuzzy. But we're going for Oscars and shameless tearjerking here — sO soon it is revealed that Jackie has cancer. The screenplay — a patch job creditedto five writers, including such sob scribes as Jessie Nelson (“Corinna, Corinna’), Steyen Rogers(‘Hope Floats”) and Ron Bass (“Rain Man”) — has more clichés than there are ornaments ona Christmas tree. Be prepared for stormyconfrontations, hugging reconciliations, heartwarming understanding, lip-synching to Motownsongs, andatearful goodbye longer than the one in Meet Joe Black.” borhood drug dealer. Her autistic Loretta’s mother, Rosa Lynn (Mary Alice), takes drastic action to save her family. She hocksthe fam- (played by the comely Charli Theron), who has protected J since she wasa little girl — when man Jr). Earl reluctantly takes them in,putting Loretta to workin his chicken restaurant. Loretta and clubbing every night with his ne Angelou and first-time screenwriter Myron Gobleare trying to Just kidding. Whatreally happer send a message — aboutthe value of family, the evils of drugs and guns, the importance of personal history, self-sufficiency and black Roberts, the sobersided Harris entrepreneurship. But the sto both Loretta’s plight and a heavy- handed flashback describing the (“Contact”) — are laid wasteto history of that candelabrum, is drama. A waste of talent ofthis magnitudeis really somethingto The moral lessons are presented this sappyand unrelenting melo- cryabout nasty poacher, Strasser (Rac Sherbedgia), killed Joe’s and Jil mothers. Enter Gregg O'Hara(Bill Pa ton), a zoologist who wants to stuc Joe andbring him toa wildlife pr serve in California. Gregg pe suadesJill to help, in Joe’s besti thekids also get to know the Southern branch of their family, Earl's Alzheimer’s-afflicted wife (the late EstherRolle) and Earl’s lawyer son Will (Wesley Snipes, one of the movie's producers). The saddest thing about “Step- and the delightful young Malone Kong”) features, asits title chard heart of central Africa. Joe's on human companion is Jill You ily’s most valuable heirloom — a Civil War-era silver candelabrum named Nathan — to buybustickets to ship Loretta, Thomas and Tracy to the MississippiDelta, to live with Rosa Lynn's uncle Earl (Al Free- mom” (rated PG-13 for language and thematic elements) is that so many good actors — the earth mother Sarandon, the mega-watt This howlingly stupid remake the 1949 RKO monster moy melodrama at its most simplistic. with the subtlety of an after-school special Thoughwell-acted, especiallyby terest, and soon Joe is headed | L.A. Therehesigns a three-pictur deal with Paramount, buysa five bedroom housein Malibu and goe best friend, Leonardo DiCapri is muchless interesting. Director Ron Underwood (‘‘Cit Slickers”) steals every trick fror the Steven Spielberg playbook The scenes of Paxton chasing Jo are reminiscent of Paxton chasin; tornadoes in the Spielberg-pro duced “Twister,” and the Africa vistas (filmed in Oahu and Kauai look like shot-for-shot copies o ‘Jurassic Park.” The special ef fects, particularly the creature con struction of famed makeupartis stupid for anyone over8. musicwith a Big Band Swing Blow Out Starring the Weber State ists. “People probably won't be able to see everything,” said Bob Farrington, Downtown Allianceexecu prized Walkman to pay for booze Herson, Thomas (Mpho Koaho), is pressured to work for the neigh- the movie's art would match its intentions. OGDEN — The David Eccles Conference Center and the Og- First Night with performances by Utah rock, rap. folk and funk art- should marketit with a big yell cover underthetitle Spielbergj Dummies. Lukeis awayon businessfor vast As a poet and author, Maya Angeloucan spin words into radiant den City Mall are thehot spots for this year's “PartyLikeIt's 1999” First Night on Thursday. Fora button ($5 the dayof the event and children under 10 play f r free), the second annual Ogden event featureslive The New Year cago. Unemployed and frequently drunk, she even sells her son's How bad is ‘Mighty J Young”? Put it this way: WhenD neywritesits tie-in book, The Mc ing Of “Mighty Joe Young,” Stewart look like a slacker. (The @ First Night in Ogden @ Continued fromF-1 rectorial debut. Loretta (Alfre Woodard) is a woman in trouble in inner-city Chi- pete with Jackie, whose arts-and- crafts wizardry makes Martha find support fromhis classmates, particularly Carin (MonicaPotter). uneasy fascination with family otic? Though rated PG (for menacing action violence and mild language). children. Shecertainly can’t com- manity out of you.” But Patch does best-known films, ‘Home Alone” and “Mrs, Doubtfire,” reflect an discord —leapfrogs from catfight to catfight. First Jackie and Isabel argue, then Anna andIsabel argue, and the cycle repeats while * Mighty Joe Young ‘A monkey could make a smarter movie t this "King Kong” rip-off. Woodard and Freeman, “Downin the Delta” (rated PG-13 for drugrelated material) is stifled byits piety. If Angelou could handle im- pared herto take care of Luke's ously andruthlessly train the hu- tor Chris Columbus — whose pictures that breathe with life and endless levels of understanding. But those talents don’t transfer well to the discipline of movie directing — as evidenced by “Down in the Delta,” Angelou’s clunkydi- ——— tok Down in the Delta \ heavy-handed approach brings down Maya Angelou’s well-meaning movie whose career has scarcely pre- “The Shawshank Redemp- movie makes no bones about which side it favors in the workvs.-motherhood debate.) For the movie's first half, direc- Rick Baker, are effective — bu whocares whenthestory is so idi ages as well as she weaves words, Pm., 11:20-11:40pm First Night Schedule Poetry Alex Caldiero, 6:20 p.m, Lisa SaltPalace (100 S. West Temple) Bickmore, p.m., Jennifer Tonge, 8:20 Outside — Luminaria, 6-11.45 pm. Pm. Jeffrey Berke, 9 p.m.: Sandy AnderExhibit Hall B & C — Swingorillas, 6 7:30 p.m.; Atomic Deluxe, 8-9:45 p.m. Ray son, 10:20 p.m.; Neil Hollands, 1 p.m. M Callivan Utah Center(36 E. 200 South) Smith & the First Night Swing Kings, 10. 11:45 p.m Native American Dream Catchers, Drum 11:45p.m. Dino Dig. 6-11-45: Imagin: ns, 6-1 -45 pm; Plane e — Los Hermanos tary Playground, 6-11-45 pm os Andes, 7:30-8:30 p.m.: Soul Patrol Ballroom DiverseCITY, 6-8:30p.m Rhythm & Blues Revue, 9-10 p.m.; Zion Tribe, 10:30-midnight Janam (EasternArts), 6-6:20 p.m.: Chinese School of Dance, 6:30-6:50p.m: Llajtayku. Mf Hansen Planetarium (15 S. State) 20 p.m Cosmic Countdown (limited seating) 7:30-7:50 p.m. Fait Pm.. Salt Palace Gallery 150, 6-11-45 p.m treet(Between 100-300South) Salt Palace Stage 151 — Junior Shake olution. Shadow Wall, Roving Perspeare Company, 6-630 p.m. & 6:45-7:15 forme rs, Karaoke Stage, Hydrogen. Bubbles ood Court, Warming Stations, Inter: Pm. StageRight Theatre Company. 1 11 pm. 1115-1145 pm,, May Company fictive Mural Project, 6-11:45 p.m 10:15p.m Off Broadway Theatre (272 S Main p Street alt ice Room250 Murder Mys tre, 7, 8:30 and 10 p.m. Quick Wits, limited seating, show each s e Studio 251 — Folk music hour, 6-11.45 p.m an ‘on. 7-7:50p.m AnkeSummer. Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center hill, & 50 p.m. Kathryn Warner, 9-9:50 (138 W. 300 South) pm Kelly F aust, 10-10:50 p.m., Cherie o-American song and Call, 11-11-45 pm Capitol Theatre (50 W. 200 South) Saliva Sist pm, and 10-11 pm 9.15 pm, Out of the Wings ve astest Hypnotist, 8:30 pm 9:30 p.m M Salt Lake Art Center (20 S. West Tem ple) M Crossroads Plaza (50) MainStreet i Egg Drop, 5-11:45 p.m. Music, 6 Mini FilmFestival; Blue, 6-10 p.m. 11:45 p.m. Chump(rap/punk), 6-6:30 p.m 1 ZCMICenter (36 S. State) 6:45-7:15 pm, Funk Toast (funk), 7:30-8 Utah Museum of Natural History's Pim., 8:15-8:45 pm.; Red Relief (rock), 9 Handsof Time,” 5-11:45 p.m 930pm. 9:45-10:15 p.m; Mulberry Drive Music BRIDGJJ, 6-7 Mambo folk rock), 10;30-11 p.m. 1115-11-45 pm Sumbo, 7:30-8:45 p.m: R pe & the W. 200 South Rubbe id, 9-10:15 p.m.; Peter Breinholt ly Faust (folk), 6-6:20p.m. de, 10:30-1145 p.m 7:20-7:40 p.m.; Iris (rock), 8 M's (150S. State §:40-9 p.m., 9:20-9:40 p.m. Greg Arts andcrafts, 5-11:45 p.m. Floor Trio (jazz) 10-10:20 p.m., 10-40-11 @ Zions Bank (102 S, Main) “Mighty Joe Young” is too violent for children under8. It’s also too Music — Jeff Green, 6-7:15 p.m; Cate Cannon Todd, 7:30-8:45 p.m.; Lucarelli/Zwick Duo, 9-10:15 p.m; Chris Proctor, 10:30-11:45 p.m. Cathedral of St. Mark (231 E. 100 South) Bach Organsolos by Rulon, 8 p.m. Central Christian Church (370 S. 300 i) Christian musumic, 7-9 p.m, se of Church History (45 N LDS Muple West Tem ) Family activities, 5-1st1 p.m. Lake Buddhi Temple (211 W 100 South) Joya-E Service (last night gathering), 5:30-11:45 are Tabernacle (50 W m Temple Squ South Temple) 20; Welcomeby iyton High School, 6; Coombs Family Pianists, 7; Beehive StatesmanBarbershop Quartet, 8; A Family Musicians, 9; BYU Ballroom Dancers, 10; Ivory Piano Quartet, 11 p.m. Joseph Smith Memorial Building (15 W. South Temple) Mezzanine — Suzuki Strings, 5:30; Bountiful Belles, 6; Beehive Statesman Barbershop Quartet, 7; Swiss Chorus, 8:30; Salt Lake Symphonic Choir, 9:30 p.m. Bonneville Room — Bamt Men's arbershop Quartet with Cinnamon & Spice Women’s Barbershop, 10:30 p.m. Lobby — Touch ofPolynesia, 6:30; Ivory Quartet, 9: Sandra Paterson/Gaye Eng. land, 10; Utah Pipe Band, 11 p.m Empire Room — Folk music, 5:30: 7 lorsville High Madrigals, 6; Salt phonic Winds, 7; Janelle Harrison, 7:30; Brew mily, 8; Jenny Oaks BakerJenny Naylor, 8:30; Intimate Opera, 9: Jaze Trio, 10; Maestro String Quartet 10:30 p.m COMEDY! and Meg Ryan Are‘ Magic! Beeaeeur ey “Two Thumbs Up!” “SISKEL & EBERT “A Pitch-Perfect Romantic Comedy.” -Leah Rozen, PEOPLE “Romantic Comed at Its Best!” * -Bob Thomas, ASSOCIATED PRESS -Bill Diehl, ABC RADIO NETWORK “A Sure-Fire Hit!” ~GeneShalit, THE TODAY SHOW “You'll Love It!” -Neil Rosen, NY1 NEWS ] IAEA TANS WES RN “UE a Mi FP AN IN CAEL STEAM DY ON EL PN WESON LN we perregetnailcom Now Svowine SS — S| === See aa [ riazasaon, centuries ektewsr |froaaoncares][ower waves ae ovanese Zs wiih [es Le o][ S27= | [(G |GENERAL AUDIENCES) ET cosevinna if you've only seen it once, you haven’t seen it all. ae ee q now playing! Ime Te 15 CARMINE 12 PLAZA 5400 SANOT MOUIES 9 {We ABEL THEATRE CROSSROADSCINEMAS Starshio T GATEWAY8 Disneyland, Watch ABC Christmas morning for the Walt Disney World Very Merry Christmas Leo |
