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(The latly (Ear Hppl ■ x v ~- '*, **?&!:•' s|E? SjgplsN • "The Wonder Boys" boasts an all-star cast, including (left to right) Robert Downey Jr., Katie Holmes, Tobey Maguire and Michael Douglas Smart Screenplay Creates Success for 'Wonder Boys' Bv Jeremy Hertz Staff Writer Director Curtis Hanson’s last picture, the 1997 neo-noir “L.A. Confidential,” was a perfect film. Hanson’s follow-up, “The Wonder Boys,” is a smart, human comedy about a novelist (Michael Douglas) struggling to write a follow-up to his best selling book. Douglas’ Grady suffers from writer’s block. He copes by ||| Movie Review "The Wonder Boys” riff churning out thousands of uninteresting, aimless manuscript pages. His editor (Robert Downey Jr.) has flown in to check his progress. Grady has impregnated the chancel lor (Frances McDormand) of the uni versity where he teaches writing classes. One of his students, James (Tobey Maguire), is brilliant and suicidal; anoth ,er (Katie Holmes) wants to sleep with i, him. His wife left this morning. Douglas’ wry voice-over lends the yilm a great authorial tone. His charming ('cynicism and good comic-timing are j surprising. Downey also turns in an ' excellent performance. * Steve Kloves packs his screenplay ' with smart allusions and hilarious quips. 5 An incestuous relationship is referred to \ as “the Chinatown thing.” J In another scene, James attends a lec ture in which a successful writer uses a trite metaphor (“reaching in I*l n At www.superfriends.com, build your own free website for you and your friends. Create your own profiles, share pictures, post addresses and have private chats...or just hang out! Start your FREE Super Friends website today! www.superfriends.com No downloads • Completely private • Absolutely free the far shore of accomplishment”). The audience has just enough time to groan before James bursts out laughing. But w hile the screenplay is unques tionably smart, it’s not always wise, like “L.A. Confidential,” there’s a lot of plot to cover. Unlike that movie, some char acters get lost in the shuffle. Holmes’ Hannah doesn’t seem to belong in the film at all. She’s flat, and the most she does to advance the story is look up a number in a phone book. Others have issued criticism that “The Wonder Boys” wanders. And it does -but that’s because Grady does too. One character observes that he “didn’t make any choices” when writing his new manuscript. Neither does the film choose what, precisely, it’s trying to say until its final moments. Ultimately, the movie tells a story about finding one's role in fife, accepting responsibility and moving on. It’s an examination of how to handle success, and what it means to be a writer. Considering the obvious parallels between Grady’s predicament and film maker Hanson’s situation, the observa tions this movie makes can apply to any storytelling art form. The ending is a little pat. Problems wrap up easily. But we feel as if the movie has come very close to honestly earning its upbeat finale -and that’s one of the most difficult things for a story to accomplish, in any medium. The Arts & Entertainment Editor can be reached at artsdesk@unc.edu. DIVERSIONS Movies Film Focuses on Historical Chinese Ruler By Ferris Morrison Staff Writer Film has truly become a window in which one can view a nation’s culture. While it probably won’t reach most of mainstream America, “The Emperor and the Assassin” is a one that mas terfully depicts a chapter of China’s tumul tuous history. The film H| Movie Review "The Emperor and the Assassin" ffff chronicles the rise of Ying Zheng, the power-hungry king of Qin, who dreams of uniting the seven kingdoms of China Gothic Film Festival to Feature Classic Horror Flicks By Allison Rost Staff Writer Downtown Durham will play host to ax murderers and monsters this week end. But fear not - these creatures of the night will be only on the big screen. The Nevermore Horror & Gothic Film Festival runs Friday through Sunday at Durham’s Carolina Theatre, featuring old classics and new favorites. Jim Carl, director of programming at the Carolina T heatre, said the horror festival was a long time in coming. “The films of that genre aren’t shown on the big screen anymore,” he said. The Nevermore festival grew out of the popularity of the theatre’s Retrofantasma film series. About a year ago, the Carolina Theatre decided to show “Evil Dead 2” as a one-time event, not expecting a large turnout. When 300 people came, it spawned Retrofantasma. The Retrofantasma series shows a horror film bimonthly. Word-of-mouth and the good-time gothic mood that the series offers has increased its popularity. “It’s a very lively atmosphere with everyone clapping and cheering,” Carl said. Carl decided to expand on the con cept by passing out survey cards at Retrofantasma showings and asking for recommendations. The playlist for this weekend was crafted from those sug gestions. Carl said most Retrofantasma atten- into one under his rule. To complete this feat, Ying enlists the help of his beautiful concubine Zhao, played by Cong Li. Zhao goes to Han to befriend the king and encourage him to find an assassin for Ying, part of the leaders plan for unity. While in Han, she finds the assassin Jing Ke, but ends up falling in love with him. Director Chen Kaige is internation ally renowned for his direction of “Farewell My Concubine,” which won a Golden Globe in 1994 for Best Foreign language Film and was Oscar-nominat ed for Cinematography and Best Foreign Language Film. In “The Emperor and the Assassin,” Chen reflects the majesty of the king- dees were under 30, so the theatre antic ipated a younger crowd for this week end’s festival. Many of the films came out before college-age students were old enough to see them on the big screen, Carl said. The festival gives younger viewers an opportunity to see them in their original 35mm format and get a different expe rience than video can provide. Four of the 11 films have also never been screened in North Carolina; “Titus,” “The Stendhal Syndrome,” “Day of the Beast” and “The Item.” Carl said films such as “The Exorcist” and “The Shining” are in the “bring back” category, and two classic horror films from the 1930s are also fea tured. Mel Brooks’ campy classic “Young Frankenstein” is being shown as pm 7:00, 9:30, weekends 2:00, 4:30 ALL ABOUT MY MOTHER 9:20, weekends 2:20 END of the AFFAIR 7:10, weekends 2:10 _ rupcrt / E^Vmadonna TMSfexr rm- BESTjpHING Ei fpGl3i-ss Mjfci wttwneubvsuhingnnmc.coni /t MWIMITHmP STARTS FRIDAY > MARCH 3 bn A vUIln I //fen / Afe Columbia at franklin, chapel hill 933-8464 it's local Jo*- • <jj the time! (9i)869-855 5 RALEIGH (919) DURHAM (919) 287-3333 l I' i free for women! dom of Qin through his cinematogra phy. Royal court members are shot in center screen, framed on each side with lanterns, tapestries or other decorations. The technique contrasts the American tradition of film, which places action off-center to make the shot more visually appealing. But in “The Emperor and the Assassin,” placing the courtiers center screen highlights their prominent position and emphasizes the importance of symmetry in Chinese culture. T he details in the set and costumes, the result of a film budget hailed to be the largest ever for a Chinese produc tion, prove impressive. While the somewhat unemotional depiction of the story leaves audiences a family offering. Films are not the only entertainment this weekend. On Saturday night, Joshua Kane will perform “Tales of Terror: Edgar Allan Poe.” Carl enthusiastically explained the festival’s appeal: the films bring back memories of silver-screen favorites for older generations, while today’s youth might remember staying up late to catch them on the tube. “It’s that old nostalgia feel.” Admission is $5 for students; Saturday’s live performance is sls. For more information, call 560-3040. A CLOCKWORK ORANGE TONIGHT FREE! A \VV @ 9:OOPM os!cSs> BW dr.strangelove Friday @ 7:oopm Saturday @ 10:00pm f PEE with UNC One Card! EYES WIDE SHUT ffl Friday @ 9:oopm u I Saturday @ 7:oopm K £ I Admission: $2.00 with UNC One Card! I" All movies shown in Carolina Union Auditorium. I FORMOREINFORMATIONCALL962-2285_J Thursday, March 2, 2(XX) without tears or laughter, the coldness adds to Chen’s artful illustration of ancient China. Despite the love-triangle circumstances, the characters hold the appropriate solemnity of the royal court. Unfortunately, most audiences will be intimidated by the subtides, consid ering the film too daunting to watch and read at the same time. But with its grace and artistry, “The Emperor and the Assassin” is sure to be another Oscar-worthy film for Chen. As an example of just how beautiful film can be, it is destined to become an inter national classic. The Arts & Entertainment Editor can be reached at artsdesk@unc.edu. The Arts & Entertainment Editor can be reached at artsdesk@unc.edu. [the CIDERHOUSE RULES 4:30-7008 IHOLYSMOKE ■< 2:10 Mol |THE WONDER BOYS fgjgl DEUCE BIGELOW (R) Daily 7:20. 9:50 Sat/Sun 2:20, 4:45, 7:20, 9:50 MAN ON THE MOON (R) Daily 7:00, 9:40 Sat/Sun 2:00. 4:30. 7:00. 9:40 DOUBLE JEOPARDY (R) Daily 7:10, 9:30 Sat/Sun 2:10. 4:35, 7:10, 9:30 THE BEACH 1 t Daily 3:00,5:20,7:40,10:001 1 PITCH BLACKI Daily 3:15,5:25,7:351 J SCREAM 3] . Daily 9:40 g J HANGING UP ! Daily 3:10,5:10,7:10,9:10 tjjjjß J BOILER ROOM 1 Daily 3:20,7:00,9:20 k 1 hurricane! . Daily 3:00,5:00,7:00 E J THE INSIDER! > Daily 8:401 J AMERICAN BEAUTY! ■ Daily 3:20. 7:00, 9:25 E J WHOLE NINE YARDS! SNOW DAY ! SCRE AM 3! 7
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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March 2, 2000, edition 1
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