Dennis Schwartz' Short Reviews  'O'  11

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Adapted from Mamet's play. Wordsmith Mamet enraptures the screen with a two-character story. It features performances of scathing and provocative dialogue between the pompous, middle-aged professor and his dull, feminist student. She has come to him for help concerning her failing grades and he goes off on a tangent explaining his philosophical views about education. They both tell their sides of the story, explaining their troubles, but are unable to communicate with each other. Their exchange covers many educational themes such as: tenure, curriculeum, modern education, and sexual harassment. The problems are articulated by the characters, but the answers lie with the audience. The film's title, Oleanna, interestingly enough, is taken from a folk tale of a husband (Ole) and wife (Anna) selling worthless swampland to farmers and then disappearing with all the farmer's money. GRADE: B

The L.A. chosen ones, part human and part barbarian, try to kill a lone survivor (Heston) of germ warfare. Joe Canutt, the action coordinator, son of the legendary Yakima, does an excellent job arranging the action sequences. Interesting theme for Heston as he talks to himself, battles the creatures, and tries to come to grips with living just on memories. The film, also, defines the scientist Heston as a man who understands nothing until there is nothing to understand. GRADE: B-

Brando is outstanding as a longshoreman-boxer, who could have been a contender but for the corruption on the waterfront he's involved in. An interesting sidebar to the film, is that Kazan squealed to the McCarthy hearing (which may have played into his glorification of the Brando role ratting on the mob). GRADE: B

This is a lightweight entertainment film meant not to cause any controversy as it comes after the Iranian government banned the director's last two films. It's a fantasy and comedy about the history of Iranian cinema, it's seen through the eyes of an early cinematographer (Mehdi Hashemi)--modeled awkwardly on Charlie Chaplin's tramp character--who introduces movies to the Persian court, gradually winning over the shah (Ezatollah Entezami) after the ruler falls for an actress (Fatemeh Motamed Aria), literally dropping from the screen into the palace. The film was plagued by impossible to read subtitles, which blend into the B & W picture onscreen and are too low on the screen to be visible. And since I didn't catch on to all the inside jokes about Iranian cinema, I found it not possible to say I enjoyed this film. Though, I must say it was filled with dazzling displays of photography and did itself proud by presenting the old silent days under the shah to the current day. It also poked fun at the current censorship rules. GRADE: C

This is a very powerful drama on any level you approach it. It is the study of a family wracked by violence and abuse from a father, Temuera Morrison (Jake Heke). He can't control himself when he is often drunk. He is subject to extremely violent outbursts, feeling insecure that he comes from a family of ex-slaves. His wife's family remains rooted in their native Maori traditions. Beth Heke's (Rena Owen) role is to be the submissive wife, mind her lip, and hold the family together. The other part of the film just as effectively traces the cultural heritage of a proud people, who a thousand years ago were the conquerors of New Zealand. The film is distinguished by outstanding acting and a memorable story. Highly recommended. GRADE: B+

An interesting, though not a particularly sensitive telling of a revenge flick. Adjani plays a young, attractive woman whose mother was raped. The film changes moods many times in the telling of her story, as it becomes more and more complex. Adjani's performance is mesmerizing, lending the picture an eerie psychological edge. The major problem with this story is, that it is difficult to feel sympathetic to someone so bent on getting revenge. GRADE: C

Nicholson is placed in a mental institution, and immediately infuses some hope into the other patients. It is derived from Ken Kesey's book, using the unrest in America to take the side of the under-dog against the system. There is much energy in this popular film. GRADE: B-

A sweet film, skillfully done. Deanna gets Stokowski to form an orchestra. GRADE: B

Kurosawa at his maudlin worst, doing a Frank Capra sentimental tear-jerker instead of looking to fellow countryman, the great Ozu, for inspiration on how to make this type of film. The result is a whimsical love story about a returning soldier down on his luck and short on cash, who is engaged to this nice girl whom he dates once a week on a Sunday. Chieko is nice enough as the optimist as opposed to the downcast but proud Isao. They worry about money. She watches him play baseball with some children. They go to the zoo. They look at a house they cannot afford. He wants to have sex with her, but she doesn't. So they go to see Schubert's "Unfinished Symphony." But ticket scalpers buy up all the cheap seats and they can't afford to go. It ends as the couple sit in the now empty outdoor stadium where Schubert was just performed and he pretends to conduct the symphony. Naturally, we hear the symphony. That was just too much for me.
GRADE: C

Opens with an hilarious scene in a diner, and evolves into a love triangle story among best friends on the railroad. A rather conventional, but razor-sharp look at small-town America during the Depression. GRADE: C+

The censors worried about Jane's cleavage. Hawks unhappily walked off the set. Howard Hughes meddled and finished this off-beat Western by directing it himself. And then there was the plot, it had Billy the Kid, Doc Holliday, and Pat Garrett getting all hot and bothered about such things as the worth of Jane, stolen horses, and shooting some people. The film has a healthy erotic quality to it, along with a diverting casual style. GRADE: B+

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