| Show slows Up best films V 1 tf t by Mi Mike ke Richan i. i ir f Contributing Writer f f fj j F 4 The recent holiday se season son has seen I an onslaught of new films Unfortunately Unfortunately r the most promising films did not reach the Salt Lake area until after the holiday season Due to a ay y phenomenon called in which the studios try to stir up enthusiasm enthusiasm enthusiasm en en- among the public and Academy voters films which have received rave reviews and look to tobe tobe tobe be among the best of the year do not arrive in Utah until months later Alan Parkers Parker's Mississippi Burning Burning Burning Burn Burn- ing already the recipient of Best Picture fr from m the National Board of Review The Accidental Tourist Lawrence Kasdan's film based on the book by Anne Tyler Best Picture from New York Film Critics and Talk Radio by Oliver Stone did not even reach here until this week more than a month after their actual releases Its It's not that the studios w want nt to upset us they just think that we dont don't really care to see these films unless Los Angeles or New York say we should As if we really care what New York thinks This trick sometimes works Platoon and sometimes doesn't Cry Freedom but two things are certain it is irritating and raises holy hell with my Top Ten list Most local critics go ahead and make their Top Ten lists anyway including slop-over slop from 1987 but I have sworn an oath never to reduce our market area to such a times the admission admission admission sion even though we are We have been allowed to see some of the recent Oscar contenders along with the rest of the country however In Rain Man 2 1 you will find Dustin Dustin Dustin Dus- Dus tin Hoffman in a role that is the best of the year possible possible possible pos pos- sible exceptions Hackman in Burning and Hurt in Tourist H Tourist Tom Cruise on the other hand is the films film's lead foot and theres there's no escaping certain scenes in which Cruise simply does not possess or at least does not demonstrate topnotch acting Its It's not just his type-cast type slightly sleazy LA too-hip too kid character which seem to be the extent of his role choices and its it's not that he cant can't yell or wrinkle his brow and curse convincingly he has these things down In Rain Man there are one or two scenes which require some depth of character from him or at least the actors actor's ability to hint at that depth its it's what makes his eventual change to decency believable believable believable able and acceptable but Cruise lets the opportunities opportunities opportunities pass In a scene in which he is read his fathers father's will Cruise rants and raves about being left only a car and some rose bushes he hits the table and he says the word f-word a lot So what When its it's all allover allover allover over theres there's this nagging reminder that the scene would have worked even better with a better actor Hoffman on the other hand is flawless and the contrast between the two characters bogs Cruise down Barry Levinsons Levinson's direction is handed even-handed and does not succumb to the temptation to sentimentalize sentimentalize sentimentalize sen sen- he has a firm grip on the characters and there are few if any deviations from acce acceptable table performance performance performance per per- standards My other pick for a current release would be Tequila Tequila Tequila Te Te quila Sunrise 2 1 This is an adult film with intelligent intelligent intelligent in in- and frequently intimidating screenplay but never fear it all comes out in the end and makes for a high caliber film Wonderful performances from the films film's three starts Michelle Pfeifer Kurt Russell and Mel Gibson are the highlight and writer debut director Robert Townsend Chinatown executes each twisty scene with con con- The picture has the feel of Bull Durham but carries a b bigger t p punch its it's a mys thriller mystery riller A film Id I'd heard a lot of good things about was Mike Nichols Nichol's Working Girl it has received many star four-star reviews While entertaining and pleasant often funny it is very firmly a better than average but not near great film due in large part to Melanie Griffiths Griffith's inability to act she has received many positive comments on this performance She has no real sense of comic timing switches accents with maximal effort and brings no sense of completeness completeness completeness com com- to her pretty yet smart character Harrison Harrison Harrison Har Har- rison Ford and Sigourney Weaver each have smaller roles but succeed more readily Ford as her partner lover and Weaver as her villainous boss There are some films to avoid Twins 2 1 couldn't be more dull It panders for laughs and usually rec receives ives some in the wrong places The TheLand TheLand TheLand Land Before Time 2 1 might appeal to children under three but there are too many rounded edges cute voices and scenes exactly like the last scene to suit my taste Cocoon II is not not- m much ch of a sequel sequel sequel se se- quel and very dishonest in its extraction of emotion though Elaine and Wilford Brimley are fun to watch Two vo comedies currently playing are among the best of the year The Naked Gun From the Files of Police Squad is an exceptional romp through sight-gag sight satire that is perhaps the funniest film of the season Leslie Nielsen's rendition of the national nation nation- al anthem is a classic It definitely wont won't hit you funny if you dont don't catch the satire however Dirty Rotten Scoundrels was much better than I expected expected expected ex ex- and Michael Caine and Steve Martin are hilarious as con-artists con living the high life in ih Europe this film holds up extremely well for repeated view- view ings That's most of it for now Coming soon Mikes Mike's Best and Worst of 1988 in including luding Top Ten lists with you guessed it no 87 titles and votes for the best performances |
