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Monday, September 18, 2006
By Zack McGhee | Monday, September 18, 2006, 12:36 PM
Clumsily written but stylishly directed and expertly acted mystery showcases Egoyan’s talents for sex — but it’s never sexy (which is emotionally truer during a ménage, don’t you think?) — and intrigue. It’s about a fictional, past-their-prime comedy duo (Colin Firth and Kevin Bacon) and a talented young journalist (Alison Lohman, unfairly derided by most critics, gives it her best shot) who wants to uncover the truth about their involvement in the death of a young college student 20 years earlier. Plenty of nudity and uninhibited rumpy-pumpy got it slapped with an NC-17, but it’s considerably sadder and gentler than you’d expect, and not the least bit erotic. The big reveal is a tad dissatisfying (as The Big Reveal always is), but the ending is poignant, and it’s a wonder to look at.
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By Zack McGhee | Monday, September 18, 2006, 12:35 PM
Ruthlessly convoluted noir-style mystery is merely the latest exhibit in the case against Brian De Palma, who hasn’t made a genuinely good movie since The Untouchables almost 20 years ago. Alas, I must confess I haven’t actually seen The Untouchables, which could mean Mr. De Palma has actually never made a good movie, since his earlier movies of note — Carrie, Blow Out, Scarface, and Sisters — are all terribly interesting, but also plenty problematic. (How is it, then, that I’m always excited for the next one?) This one is a particularly potent misfire, since almost nothing goes right: De Palma makes a mockery of his fine cast, wastes a dynamite story by colliding it with at least three or four others, and can’t even seem to get his trademark (usually stolen) shots off competently any more (his Steadycam moves are blurry, not elegant and in focus like they used to be). As the titular character, however, Mia Kershner ought to win a Supporting Actress Oscar; she’s the only one — behind or in front of the camera — to get The Black Dahlia right.
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By Zack McGhee | Monday, September 18, 2006, 12:34 PM
McGuigan caught a lot of flak for ripping off Pulp Fiction with this gleefully audacious thriller, but first-time screenwriter Jason Smilovic’s dialogue is actually wittier than any of Tarantino’s. Unfortunately, its plot is also needlessly convoluted. Slevin starts out strong, I’ve gotta give it props for its key twist (even though you don’t see it coming, you do see it coming, right?), and there’s a pair of sterling performances here by Josh Hartnett and Lucy Liu. Trouble is, once you find out where it’s going, it just goes there, predictably hurtling us toward its inevitable destination. C’mon, fellas… it’s s’posed to be about the journey, remember?
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By Zack McGhee | Monday, September 18, 2006, 12:33 PM
Almost as good as Citizen Kane, though it feels as much like Robert Wise’s best movies (especially — and strangely — The Haunting) than anything from Welles (conspicuously aloof in the final product). You can sense the tardiness of every fade-in, the prematurity of each dissolve. That said, I’m not sure I could take 2+ hours of it, since in spite of it’s greatness, it’s not actually about much. Happy ending just feels tacked on; stop it after Orson’s final voiceover.
The Magnificent Ambersons is currently available on Time Warner Cable’s inDemand channel 200.
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