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Show ™;DAILY UTAH CHRONICLE ARTS&ENTERTAINMENI T h u r s d a y , A p r i l 27, 2006 ' a great epic, 'King' of more than just effects "King Kong" Universal Pictures Directed by Peter Jackson Screenplay by Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, based on a 1933 story by Merian C. Cooper and Edgar Wallace Starring: Naomi Watts, Jack Black, Adrien Brody, Thomas Kretschmann, Kyle Chandler, Evan Parke and Andy Serkis Rated PG-13/187 minutes Available on DVD Four out offour stars •••• Chris Bellamy Chronicle Writer Perhaps they were just fed up with three-straight years of "Lord of the Rings" hype, but for one reason or another, academy members overlooked almost everything about Peter Jackson's epic masterpiece, "King Kong." Oscars for sound and special effects could be expected, but to overlook everything else—in particular Jackson for director, Naomi Watts for actress and Andrew Lesnie for cinematography—is a damn shame. "King Kong" is not a great movie just because it is spectacularly entertaining, or because the 25-foot gorilla himself is the single best special- effect ever put on screen. Both of those things are true, but what makes this film special is the emotional relationship between Ann Darrow (Watts) and Kong (Andy Serkis). Who would have ever thought that a computer-generated ape could make you cry? The emotional center of "King Kong" rivals that of any serious drama to come around in a long time. Oscar nominations were warranted across the board and in nearly every category. From the character detail to the first-rate special effects to the stunning climax atop the Empire State Building (one of the most amazing sequences I've ever seen), this is beautiful filmmaking on its most epic scale. c.bellamy@ chronicle.utah.edu 'Munich' a timeless, soul-probing thriller worthy of Best Picture "Munich" Universal Pictures and DreamWorks Directed by Steven Spielberg Written by Tony Kushner and Eric Roth Starring: Eric Bana, Daniel Craig, Ciaran Hinds, Mathieu Kassovitz, Hanns Zischler and Geoffrey Rush Rated R/164 minutes Available on DVD on May 9 Four out offour stars •••• Aaron Allen Chronicle Writer The big question isn't whether "Crash" or "Brokeback Mountain" deserved to win Best Picture. The big question is: Why didn't the voters recognize Steven Spielberg's "Munich" as more timeless and powerful than either one of them? In my original four-star review of "Munich"—a soul-probing thriller about the bloody aftermath of the V2 Olympics massacre—I talked about the flak Spielberg has taken regarding his approach to the material. Is he an enemy of Israel, as some of his opponents have suggested? I think not. Like patriotic Americans, Spielberg is critical of his leaders, asking questions without easy answers. Anyone looking for a black-andwhite message in this film will be sorely disappointed. But enough about the meaning of it all—"Munich" is first and foremost a thriller, inventively shot by frequent Spielberg collaborator Janusz Kaminski. He and Spielberg know that the visuals carry the strongest punch, no matter how many fancy words Tony can stuff into his characters' mouths. The very last shot in the movie says more in a few seconds than most movies say in 120 minutes. a.allen@ chronicle.utah.edu Gaghan's grim tale of oil, government and corruption is a staggering prophecy "Syriana" Aaron Allen Warner Bros. Pictures Written and directed by Stephen Gaghan Starring: George Clooney, Matt Damon, Jeffrey Wright, Chris Cooper, Alexander Siddig and Tim Blake Nelson Rated R/126 minutes Available on DVT) June 20 Three-and-a-half out of four stars •••* Chronicle Writer In Stephen Gaghan's "Syriana," a grim and thrilling mosaic of corruption, that dry sucking sound you hear is a straw, thrust into our planet, thirsting for oil that's almost gone. The world's dependency on this most precious natural resource brings out the worst in those who don't see in terms of living and dying, but in terms of winning and losing. "Syriana" is a pessimistic film that's more terrifying because it's probably true. Gaghan, who wrote the Oscar-winning script for "Traffic," does similar work here, patch-quilting a story of characters who sometimes poke our emotions, but mostly represent rungs on a ladder. A worldwide net is thrown, capturing everyone from disposable immigrant employees to demoralized government agents, so it's inevitable that some of these characters are types rather than full-blooded human beings. It's a slightly frigid approach—but perhaps that is Gaghan's point. Every one of his characters plays an integral part in a machine that perpetuates corruption, violence and heartbreak, all for the claim of diminishing oil supplies. Bob Barnes, a grizzled CIA agent, is certainly a cog, whether he knows it or not. Oscarwinner George Clooney plays Bob, a yes-man tired of saying yes. He's been asked to arrange the assassination of Prince Nasi Al-Subaai (Alexander Siddig). The details of why are murkyeven to Bob—but they may have something to do with the prince's radical ideas concerning the king's oil empire. Matt Damon plays Bryan Woodman, chief financial adviser to the Al-Subaais. He lives in Geneva, Switzerland, with his wife (Amanda Peet) and their two young children. Bryan is a decent, pragmatic man, but not above exploiting a family tragSee SYRIANA Page 13 'Mysterious Skin' a powerful indie film "Mysterious Skin" _ Desperate Pictures Directed by Gregg Araki Screenplay by Gregg Araki, based on the novel by Scott Heim Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Brady Corbet, Michelle Trachtenberg, Bill Sage, Jeffrey Licon, Mary Lynn Rajskub and Elisabeth Shue Not Rated (Intended for Adults)/99 minutes Available on DVD Three out offour stars ••• Chris Bellamy Chronicle Writer One of writer/director Gregg Araki's earliest films was titled "Totally F***ed Up." He's never been one for subtlety. Indeed, "totally f***ed up" seems to be Araki's calling card, as his films generally deal with troubled and selfdestructive suburban youth. That trend continues in "Mysterious Skin," which is kind of a composite of many of Araki's earlier works. Based on the novel by Scott Heim, "Mysterious Skin" follows Neil (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and Brian (Brady Cor- See MYSTERIOUS SKIN Page 12 Best of theater at the U Kevin Stanfa Chronicle Staff Writer Best Drama: "Pussycat" in Studio 115 "Pussycat" gets this nod because it took audiences and the theater world back to a drug-induced, raveloving '90s, full of disenfranchised youths and an interestingly human story amidst the glam and glow of an unforgettable underground of candy necklaces, glow sticks and a soundtrack that made everyone get all nostalgic. Ah, high school. Best Comedy: "On The Razzle," in the Babcock Despite the fact that the U does comedies as often as the president's approval rating rises above 40 percent, "On The Razzle" proved that you could enjoy yourself at the theater without needing to understand some deeper meaning in life. This was an essentially fun and energetic performance. "On The Razzle" gets double points for proving that actors in horse costumes can still be funny. This production also receives points for the adorable 6-year-old Robin Young who stole the end of the show with her too-cute-to-be-true scene. Best Actor: Thomas Marcus as Prior in "Angels in America: Perestroika" As Prior Walter (a homosexual man with AIDS), how many people can portray the maturity and depth of one of contemporary theatre's greatest plays, in college no less, and still make me cry...almost? Thomas Marcus. Well done, sir. Best Production: "Assassins," in the Babcock Theatre I am a closet musical lover, and I saw this one four times. If that and the sold-out status of practically every show isn't enough, the poignant and satirical commentary on the viability of the American dream, as well as "Assassins'" diverse and eclectic style of music, most certainly is. Oh yeah, and it's got Stephen Sondheim. 'Nuff said. Best. Musical. Guy...ever. Best Direction in a Play: Larry West for "Iphigenia at Aulis" It takes guts to graft a fairly modern concept onto an ancient Greek play in the Classical Greek Theatre Festival with cameras, reporters and, of course, helicopters—and make it work. V Best "Shaker-Upper of Traditions" Jared Anderson for Studio 115's "Experiments in Ink VII" The guy took an annual event that had virtually never changed and was beginning to lose its appeal and turned it into a night of collaboration and experimentation that went beyond theatre into dance, film and English. Best Deal for Students: It's a tie. SLAC's student season tickets are only $56, which is a damned good reason to see new, edgy and original work. Pioneer Theatre Company gets a nod as well because, despite its more commercial nature, with a $5 activation and $5 tickets at half-hour, there is no reason that anyone should have missed "Beauty and the Beast" this year...er, I mean- Best Excuse to See Theater: Reality TV and an onslaught of nothing but never-ending sequels in Hollywood The great thing about theater (other than the fact that it is live) is it is such a communal event. In a day and age in which the world is getting smaller and technology is putting people closer, but further away, the theatre reminds us why it has survived thousands of years and can still amaze and entice our senses. Sure, it can be cheaper and involve more effort than staying at home to watch Bucky get kicked off "American Idol," but come on, it is a sad state of affairs when a majority of Americans would rather watch a would-be-star named Bucky over Shakespeare. k.stanfa@ . chronicle.utah.edu |