Finally, a great movie starring real actors! In a time dominated by car-toon flicks, such as Shark Tale and The Incredibles, Mike Nichols’ Closer has given those seeking a bit of reality in the multi-plex something to get excited about. The film, which stars Julia Roberts, Jude Law, Natalie Portman and Clive Owen, may be a bit much for some, how-ever. The subject matter is intensely sexual, with a plethora of obscene language, and those opposed to such things should steer clear. In addition, those expecting another breezy romantic comedy from Roberts and Portman will be utterly shocked by some of their respective scenes. Seeing America’s sweethearts explicitly discuss-ing their sexual practices or stripping in a nightclub could be enough to cause any “chick flick” fanatic to spontaneously combust in sheer disbelief. Once one can get past the sometimes-explicit sexual content, a truly great film is revealed underneath. Rather than pad the movie with fluff, Nichols jumps from cli-max to climax, creating an urgent feel that draws the viewer in. For example, the film begins with characters Alice (Portman) and Dan (Law) meeting on the street and falling in love after Alice is hit by a car. In the very next scene, Nichols skips ahead and shows Dan attempting to seduce

Anna (Roberts), which then leads to the dissolution of his relationship with Alice. This technique is an interesting one and helps to keep the drama at a constantly high level. The four main actors all do an out-standing job, but Portman and Owen are the true stand-outs. Portman delivers an absolutely breathtaking performance as the mysterious stripper Alice. Throughout the film, she radiates a quiet intensity that bursts forth in several instances as she is put through the emotional ringer. In addition, her character proves to be the central core of the movie, as the excellent twist ending reveals. If justice is served, Portman will at least end up with an Oscar nomination. Meanwhile, Owen plays the role of vengeful and sex-obsessed dermatologist Larry with a scary intensity. Upon discov-ering that Anna, who he has married at this point, has been cheating on him with Dan, Larry launches into a tirade, the likes of which have rarely been seen on film. Through psychological bashings such as this, Larry devastates his foes mentally while avoiding violence completely. Owen may not be big and strong like the Arnold Schwarzeneggers of the world, but you’ll still never want to be on his bad side after seeing this movie. M. Night Shyamalan himself would be impressed with the film’s twist end-ing. While the clues are there for studious

viewers to dissect, casual spectators will be completely blind-sided. The ending also works well within the larger story and doesn’t feel as if it was tacked on just to get people talking. This is the way a twist ending should be, something Shyamalan recognized in The Sixth Sense but failed to apply in The Village. Closer is a movie that works on many levels. Every detail has a purpose and those who take the time to reflect on the film will be impressed by its complex-ity. Even those who just want to catch a good flick will walk away happy, since the movie’s unique structure keeps the drama coming at all times. So, if you’re sick of all the cartoon foolishness that currently has a stranglehold on the movie-going com-munity, why not check out Closer? It may be racy, but it sure ain’t boring.

6 7Friday, December 10, 2004

By Vincent Civitillo ‘Polar Express’ brings life to a children’s classicBy Michele Domalewski

This holiday season The Polar Express pulled into movie theaters everywhere. But does it live up to the expectations of audiences that had their favorite children’s storybook in mind? The 30-page classic has been adapted into a 96 min-ute computer animated motion picture that captures the essence and magic of Christmas. Opening with a snowy night of Christmas Eve, the story follows a restless young boy (Daryl Sabara) who is sadly disappointed with Christmas because of his linger-ing doubt in the existence of Santa Claus (voiced by Tom Hanks). That night a train, the Polar Express, pulls down his street and the boy is persuaded by the conductor (also voiced by Hanks) to come on board. Once aboard, the boy learns that he and the other children are destined for the North Pole. As the train and story progress, several mishaps and adventures liven up the ride, including a search for a lost ticket and an encounter with a homeless man (another character voiced by Hanks). They finally arrive at the North Pole where the boy learns that “seeing is believing” and each child learns his or her own moral lesson. Hanks pulls off the almost impossible depiction of three main characters and an added fourth with the boy’s father. Each character is distinctively different and is carried out well with little disappointment. Sabara supplies the voice of the boy and captures the innocence and purity of a hopeful doubter of Santa Claus. Eddie Deezen, Nona Gaye and Peter Scolari provide the voices of three other main children who also portray the essence of young hopefuls.

Images such as snowy neighborhood nights, dark for-ests, the northern lights, mountain ranges and the North Pole are splendidly animated and make the movie a visual delight. The train itself is very realistic and is fantastically rendered. However, an aspect of the animation that is not up-to-par is the faces and movement of the characters. They seemed to have an eerie appearance which perhaps was an over-attempt at being realistic instead of having a typical animated appearance. Fans of the original storybook written by Chris Van Allsburg are not likely to be let down by the movie. The writers did add small adjustments to the story and cre-ated interesting new characters, but they do not harm the classic tale. If anything, the new additions make the story even more enjoyable. The Polar Express truly captures the magic of the beloved holiday. Despite a few flaws along the way, it

shines brightly this season and is successful in lifting spir-its and bringing out the juvenile excitement of Christmas for people of all ages.

Christmas With the Kranks is the result of a partnership between well-known author and entertainment big shot John Grisham and screenwriter/producer Christopher Columbus. Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis star in the film, which often exceeds viewer expectations. The television commercial seemed to suggest that the picture would mirror co-star Dan Aykroyd’s failed career. However, the book-turned-movie really surprises viewers. Virtually all of the truly funny or heart-warming parts of The Kranks are left out of the television ad. This holiday comedy gets the job done and exceeds all expectations. After the Kranks regretfully say goodbye to their perfect, almost grown-up daughter for the holidays, Luther (Allen) and Nora (Curtis) get swamped by Christmas traditions. To escape from it all, holiday grouch Luther proposes that Nora and he skip Christmas altogether and take a tropical vacation. The Kranks begin to avoid all their holiday chores and neighbors while trying to keep their getaway a secret. However, all their efforts turn out to be for naught when their daughter calls to say she’ll be home for Christmas at the last minute. Thanks to screenwriter and producer Columbus (Stepmom, Jingle all the Way, Nine Months) and Allen’s priceless comedic delivery, the film excels in the laughter department. The fur-ther inclusion of several emotional scenes solidifies Christmas With the Kranks as Allen’s best performance on the big screen to date. However, the same can’t be said for Curtis, who does a great job portraying an over-the-hill, stressing mother at Christmas time, but botches most of her comedic scenes. Overall, the movie was funny, but some parts that were meant to be humorous end up as dull. Also, the supporting

cast, which doesn’t sound bad on paper (Aykroyd, Malcolm in the Middle’s Erik Per Sullivan, Cheech Marin of Up in Smoke, Desperate Housewives’ Felicity Huffman and Caroline Rhea from Sabrina the Teenage Witch), doesn’t perform to their potential. Surprisingly though, director and producer Joe Roth (Daddy Day Care) does a great job of presenting the heartwarming parts of Christmas With the Kranks without all the predictably mushy stuff viewers are typically subjected to in holiday movies. It’s a true family film with a plentiful supply of wholesome laughs. Christmas With the Kranks is capable of warming any Scrooge’s heart. It makes viewers feel like Christmas time has finally arrived and is probably the closest thing to a “holiday classic” our generation will get.

It’s not Christmaswithout the ‘Kranks’

Too ‘close’ for comfort

Photo copyright Icarus Productions

Photo copyright Icarus Productions

Christmas with the Kranks came into theaters on Nov. 24. It stars actors Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis.

By Paul Szaniawski

Photo copyright 1492 Pictures and Revolution Studios

This Christmas when you’re perusing the shelves of Blockbuster trying to find the perfect holiday film, if you happen to find yourself in a position of not wanting to rent the usual Christmas Vacation or A Christmas Story for yet another year in a row, consider giving some of these differ-ent and more underrated classics a try. 5. Bad Santa (2002) – Certainly not for family entertainment, Bad Santa is a Christmas movie for those in the mood for a darker, edgier holiday classic. In the film, a heartless criminal poses as Santa to rob malls across the country. Upon meet-ing a nympho with a Santa fetish though, the modernized Grinch begins to change his ways. 4. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) – Jack Skellington is from a place called Halloween Town where every day is Halloween and everything in sight is spooky. Life for Jack is turned upside down when he happens upon the land of Christmas Town and struggles to interject his spooky style into the holiday. With its strong Halloween-themed plot, Nightmare is a Christmas film for those looking to break out of the spirit of the holiday without watching something completely unrelated. 3. Gremlins (1984) – A wonder-ful holiday classic about a girl who hates Christmas, a fuzzy critter who can’t eat after midnight and a legion of green monsters who watch Snow White and go caroling door to door. Gremlins is the Christmas movie for people who don’t want to watch a Christmas movie. It has the holiday backdrop and a level of cute-

ness essential to a Christmas film, but doesn’t lay the holiday spirit on too thick and concerns itself mostly with its own unrelated plot. 2. Love Actually (2003) – “If you believe in Father Christmas, children, like your uncle Billy does, buy my festering turd of a record.” A number of unrelated stories about couples at Christmas time weave together to create a romantic com-

edy that’s “actually” good for both males and females alike, making Love Actually a Christmas film to watch if you’re looking to make a date out of it. 1. Jingle All the Way (1996) – Arnold Schwarzenegger delivers the per-formance of his career (that is, if you don’t count The Terminator, Terminator 2, Total Recall, Predator, Kindergarten Cop, Twins, End of Days or True Lies) in a film about the thankless job of a parent fighting to

get his child what he wants for Christmas. Unfortunately, the toy happens to be about as difficult to find as Jimmy Hoffa and a competing parent (Sinbad) will stop at nothing to make sure he doesn’t get one. Whether you’re a parent who can relate or just someone looking for an enjoyable film to watch, Schwarzenegger’s Christmas classic is the perfect underrated holiday film.

The out-of-the-ordinary Christmas classics

Photo copyright Castle Rock Entertainment and Warner Brothers

Polar Express rolled into theaters on Nov. 7. Tom Hanks does the voice of multiple characters in the movie.

Photo copyright Castle Rock Entertainment and Warner Brothers

Polar Express, a beloved childhood classic book, has now been made into a full-length feature film.

The film Closer made its way into movie theaters everywhere on Dec. 3.

Photo copyright Warner Brothers

This Christmas check out some of the more underrated holiday films. While they may not be mushy or filled with the Christmas spirit, they are sure to give you alternative options for your holiday entertainment.

Photo copyright Walt Disney Pictures

Photo copyright Universal Pictures Photo copyright 1492 Pictures and 20th Century Fox

Photo copyright Dimension Films

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By Bill Greenwood

Closer stars Hollywood superstars Julia Roberts, Natalie Portman, Jude Law, and Clive Owen. The four engage in a series of affairs that devastate all involved.

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