Acorn-2 Reviews

Passion of Mind (2000)

A Delightful Surprise

[9/10 · 30 September 2004]

This is a very fine film, one I very nearly missed because of my disdain for Demi Moore. But I was wrong. Director Alain Berliner gives her both the safe space and the restraint that she needs to go beyond herself and produce by far the best performance of her career (of the films I have seen).

With a very fine ensemble cast including Willaim Fichtner, Stellan Skårsgard, Joss Ackland, Sinead Cusack and Peter Riegert, this film offers a delicate exploration of questions central to human psychology and the interaction of our inner and outer lives.

Beautifully photographed by Eduardo Serra and surprisingly well-written by Hollywood regular Ron Bass and relative neophyte David Field, this film at first appears to be heading for typical "Women's Film" territory, but Berliner and the writers put a wholly original, subtly crafted spin on it that makes it anything but predictable and ordinary.

I have a complete review of the film up at my website: www.thenedpages.com - then click on "critical analysis" and pick it off the list of reviews.

Xiu Xiu: The Sent-Down Girl (1998)

A remarkable first feature from Joan Chen

[9/10 · 27 August 1999]

Xiu Xiu is a beautifully made movie in which Joan Chen combines sumptuous visual imagery, a beautiful, delicate musical score, fine performances by her actors and a spare and intelligent script to produce a simple, moving story of two lost lives.

The movement of the story from the dark confines of the tent Xiu Xiu and Lao Jin share to the almost limitless prairies and big skys of the Tibetan highlands follows the emotional pulse of the film. Expert camera work creates perspectives that sweep from the touchingly intimate to the overwhelmingly vast, exploring the characters from inside and out.

Wonderful, economical performances from newcomer Lu Lu and Tibetan stage veteran Lopsang give profound and touching insight into the extraordinariness of two ordinary people. Chen saves the story from descent into melodrama by a precise and thoughtful restraint that respects, observes, and never intrudes to seek to "explain" or apologize.

A film worth going out of one's way to see.

Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

The Mountain has labored and brought forth a Mouse

[5/10 · 20 July 1999]

EWS is an unfortunately incoherent adaptation of a book whose main ideas are a half-century behind the times. Kubrick applies his mighty skills to making a movie out of it, but is betrayed by his own lack of focus. This main fault is compounded by shaky performances by Kidman, who seems to be doing "The Three Faces Of Alice" and Cruise, who stares stoicly or covers his face whenever called upon to express emotion (except once when he sobs). In addition, there is the weakly obvious screen-play (which Kubrick co-wrote), and a leaden pace and self-indulgent editing that makes it seem even longer than it's nearly three hours. The film is one of Kubrick's least successful efforts, but given the level of his work, it's still better than most recent films, and worth a look. For more detail, see my review at The Nedpages, under the external reviews link in IMDb.

American History X (1998)

A provocative, intelligent, well-made film

[9/10 · 13 November 1998]

It is always easy to poke holes in the the efforts of others. The more sincere and earnest those efforts are, the easier cynical critics find it to denigrate them.

Nothing succeeds entirely and AHX certainly has a number of (minor) weaknesses that others have pointed out - primarily problems with the script. But where it fails it mostly fails because it tries to do something very difficult.

There is a sincere attempt here to add a thoughtful and provocative comment to the important dialogue on bigotry and hate that is essential to human survival in an increasingly inter-racial, intercultural world. That Kaye and McKenna choose to end with a truism: "hate is baggage" - is not a cop-out, but a painful truth - hate is in us and only by dealing with our own hate can we deal with that around us.

What is perceived as Norton's "vanity" is completely in keeping with the character - stemming from the same insecurity as his need to control and his racist self-aggrandisement. What else is the swastika tattoo, for instance, but a piece of vanity: primitive body-jewelry? His performance is daring, frightening and compelling if one is able to drop the defenses of cynicism and be moved by it. Ditto Edward Furlong's work.

This is one of the best realised films by a first-time director and first-time screenwriter I can ever remember. Although imperfect, it is damn good. Even to have gotten such a difficult, non-"feel-good" film to the screen is an enormous labor. All involved deserve thanks and praise for - not a flawless job - but a job very well done.