FILM | 2001: A Space Odyssey

2001 would be the crown jewel in the career of most other great directors, but Stanley Kubrick’s oeuvre is so solid that many buffs can sensibly rank two or three of his other films alongside it (Dr. Strangelove and Eyes Wide Shut are every bit as good, and The Shining blows all three of them out of the water). There’s no denying, though, that this is Kubrick’s most influential film. But its famously obtuse story still enthralls and its effects work still holds up remarkably well. And then there’s HAL... Monday at 5:30 and 8:30 p.m. Brattle Theater. (BJS)

tues, nov. 25

FILM | West Side Story

West Side Story didn’t suddenly make it cool for Manhattan gangs to dance through the streets, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t fascinating to watch the Jets and the Sharks physicalize their confidence and tension by leaping and twirling. Jerome Robbins’ choreography isn’t the only reason to watch this Romeo and Juliet update. There’s also a masterful set of songs here, written by Leonard Bernstein ’39 and a young Stephen Sondheim. This is one of the few musicals where each song is better than the one that came before it—and in a musical featuring “Something’s Coming” and “America” in its early reels, that’s a staggering feat. Stars Richard Beymer and Natalie Wood are as laughably bad as supporting players Rita Moreno and George Chakiris are great; the latter two both won Oscars for their roles. 5 and 8 p.m. Brattle Theater. (BJS)

thurs, nov. 27

FILM | Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

For those still here on Thanksgiving Day, the Brattle will be screening this 1971 children’s classic and cautionary tale. You know the drill: Five greedy kids win a tour of a candy factory, where they are punished for their cravings in visually imaginative ways. Add in some Burt Bacharach songs, some garish ’70s set design, and Gene Wilder’s repressed, vaguely psychotic turn in the title role, and you’ve got a couple hours of kitschy fun to take in after you’re demolished your pumpkin pie. 3, 5:15, 7 and 9:45 p.m. Brattle Theater. (BJS)

films

The Human Stain

In the midst of the 1998 Lewinsky sex scandal, Coleman Silk (Anthony Hopkins), a distinguished classics professor at a small Massachusetts liberal arts college, embroils himself in a microcosm of similar scandal and tragedy. One chance comment in class provokes an accusation of racism that culminates in his resignation and the death of his wife. Based on the novel by Philip Roth, The Human Stain follows Silk through four major stages of self-identification: anger, denial, acceptance and confession. A self-made man in every sense of the word, Silk’s success in life embodies a severely warped version of the American dream—a light-skinned black man passing himself off as a Jewish intellectual. Newcomer Wentworth Miller is startlingly good as the tormented young Silk, torn between the pulls of family and future. Hopkins is almost convincing as the tragic hero, and Nicole Kidman is less so as the battered Faunia, the cleaning woman who pulls Silk out of his shell. Much like Silk himself, the film is a prisoner of its own ambitions, falling victim to its literal devotion to Roth’s novel. The Human Stain is a story better left in print. (TIH)

Kill Bill: Volume I

Quentin Tarantino’s new film centers on a woman known only as The Bride (Uma Thurman), who awakens from a coma four years after she is nearly assassinated at her wedding party by the elite fighting force to which she once belonged. Once she’s up and about again, The Bride sets out on a mission of revenge against her former compatriots. On paper, Kill Bill: Volume I sounds dangerously close to Charlie’s Angels: There are many martial arts action sequences, all of the main characters are women and one of them is played by Lucy Liu. However, whereas Angels was mindless fun, Kill Bill is an intricate homage to classic themes and styles strung together for the most fun and exciting film of the year. Within the film, one can see hints of Tarantino’s influences and tastes—spaghetti westerns, Hong Kong kung fu, Japanese samurai, anime—all adapted to fit into his unique vision. (SNJ)

Lost in Translation

Fulfilling the boundless promise exhibited in her debut effort, The Virgin Suicides, director Sofia Coppola crafts a sublime love letter to Tokyo and transitory friendship with her newest film, Lost in Translation. Hollywood star Bob Harris (Bill Murray) has been shipped off to Japan to hawk Suntory whiskey to the natives. There he encounters Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson), the beautiful wife of a photographer who spends much of her day staring out her window in hopes of somehow finding herself within the city’s skyline. The pair discover Tokyo culture and a profundity in their friendship that is lacking in their respective marriages. Johansson perfects the prolonged sulk, while Murray delivers his best performance yet, donning the hats of weary voyager, droll companion and cynical mentor with equal comfort. There are plenty of belly laughs to be had along the way, but what remains with the viewer is the significance of the fleeting connection that these two people share. Coppola dreamily lingers on every scene, adorning each of them with the sensation of the aftermath of a first kiss. (BYC)

Veronica Guerin

Director Joel Schumacher’s latest movie is based upon on the life of the Sunday Independent reporter of the same name. The film is the story of Guerin’s self-imposed mission to clear the streets of drugs and pushers, culminating in her brutal death at the hands of gang leaders fighting the momentum of her crusade. Most important, it is the story of Guerin herself: her character, her motivations, her fears and her doubts. Cate Blanchett’s resplendent performance as Guerin seethes with passion and intensity in every scene. It is her skillful work—as well as that of her supporting cast—that compensates for the film’s directorial inadequacies. (GPH)

—Happening was edited by Tiffany I. Hsieh ’04 and compiled by Ben Y. Chung ’06, Jayme J. Herschkopf ’06, Gary P. Ho ’04, Steven N. Jacobs ’05, Sarah L. Solorzano ’05, Benjamin J. Soskin ’04 and Jordan Walker ’07.