Mysterious Skin
Initially I was not going to tell you anything about director
Gregg Arki’s amazing movie ‘Mysterious Skin’,
as it is the sort of movie where its plot developments and
mystery would be spoilt by pre-knowledge. But, after due consideration,
I think some viewers would be offended if they approached
this movie unwarned. ‘Mysterious Skin’ is concerned
with the psychological impact of pedophilic events endured
by two teenage boys when they were both extremely young. Director
Arki handles this subject-matter with much sensitivity, and,
it is also superbly acted by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bradley
Corbet, Bill Sage and Elisabeth Shue, but, it is a very confrontational
and raw depiction of this sexual deviance. This movie is no
romanticized ‘Brokeback Mountain’. It is a true-to-life
representation of certain aspects of sexual activity, and
much of the language and acts depicted are awfully graphic.
Many viewers will find them deeply disturbing. The movie is
STRICTLY for adults only, and should not be left lying about
on a coffee-table. View it with total discretion. There is
also another side to this movie that I would love to tell
you about, but, it would spoil the surprise. Let’s just
say that this movie is one of the most intriguing sexual sci-fi
thrillers you are likely to see in a long, long time. The
movie is utterly engrossing and carries a powerful emotional
wallop, which lingers well after the final credits roll. The
movie is not for the squeamish, but it comes very highly recommended!
My Tiny Universe
When a washed-up actor (Andy Comeau) comes across an abandoned
cell-phone while out jogging, he is quick to discover that
the phone is owned by a big-time Hollywood producer (John
Heard). After down-loading the cell-phone’s telephone
numbers, and setting his computerized surveillance cameras
in place, the actor contacts the producer and invites him
over for a drink. Before you know it, the producer’s
nagging wife (Lesley Ann Warren) and his demanding mistress
(Debbie Mazar) have also joined the party. Although it is
not clear in the credits, Glen Scantlebury and Lucy Phillips’
‘black’ comedy, ‘My Tiny Universe’,
appears to be an adaptation of a stage play, for much of the
action takes place in a cramped studio apartment, and the
script and acting styles both have a decidedly theatrical
flair. However, this is not to say that the movie is not enjoyable.
Far from it. The movie contains some witty dialogue that is
expertly delivered by its professional ensemble cast. Lobo
Sebastian, in-particular, is amusing as the Mexican chauffeur/slash/bodyguard
who has to carry much of the bulk of the visual humor. The
movie has nothing new to deliver in its plotline, but, the
exuberance of the performers turn it into a very likeable
film. Okay, the movie won’t win any awards but it passes
the time in an enjoyable manner.
Aquamarine
Director Elizabeth Allen’s aquatic fantasy ‘Aquamarine’
is a delightful fairytale for romantically minded juvenile
girls, dealing as it does with a lovely mermaid who is washed
ashore at a beach club in South Florida. Aquamarine, the mermaid,
only has three days to prove that ‘true-love’
exists, or it is back to the depths and a marriage arranged
by her strict merman father. The usual rigmarole ensures.
The movie is shot in bright chocolate-box colors, and the
editing and the music, and so-on-and-so-forth, gives it a
nice contemporary ‘pop’ touch, but, what really
irritates me about this film is that it desperately tries
to pretend it is something it is not. After importing her
young American starlets, namely, Emma Roberts, Jojo and Sara
Paxton, director Allen fills the movie with Australian character-actors
who just cannot do a convincing American accent. The film
is shot entirely in Australia. There is no mistaking the Australian
Gold Coast and the City of Coolangatta. Only Australian beaches
have white sand like that, and only Australia has such aquamarine
blue skies and seas. And, God help us, only Australians talk
like that. Why on earth Elizabeth Allen persists in this fantasy
that the movie is taking place in a small beach town in Florida
is beyond me. It is not convincing. Okay, it obviously has
something to do with distribution and ticket-sales, seeing
as how American audiences will not watch anything they do
not think is American, but, Australian audiences are going
to be deeply offended by the whole farce and will quite rightly
pan the movie. Once again, the movie points out Australia’s
insecurities about the strength of its own film industry,
and it brazenly indicates the Australian film industry’s
need to imitate the American model. If you are an Aussie ex-pat
buy the DVD for your teenage daughter. She will love it. Meanwhile,
you will cringe all the way through the entire show, and I
don’t blame you.
Grilled
Funnymen Ray Romano and Kevin James have a reasonably good
time in Jason Ensler’s situation-comedy ‘Grilled’.
As two door-to-door wholesale meat salesmen, they are desperate
for a big sale before they are ‘canned’. But,
when they try to sell a ‘package’ to a meat-loving
big-time Mafia hit-man things get slightly out of control.
Ensler, Romano and James keep the gags coming thick and fast,
but this is not too difficult in a rather ordinary movie.
Most of the jokes come from the inter-action between Romano
and James, and the peculiar situations in-which they find
themselves. At eighty minutes, the movie doesn’t outstay
its welcome. Things are pretty neatly wrapped-up before the
movie entirely runs out-of-steam. Look for a great cameo from
Burt Reynolds, as a Mafia Don who really knows his meat!
Ambulance Girl
I am a big, big fan of Kathy Bates. I have loved her to death
ever since she bashed-up James Caan in ‘Misery’,
and got herself an Oscar for her efforts. But, as a bored
housewife-cum-cookery-expert, who gains a new lease-on-life
as a volunteer in an Emergency Rescue Team at her local fire
brigade, she is a big, big embarrassment. ‘Ambulance
Girl’ once again proves that actors cannot direct themselves.
You need someone on the outside with a critical eye saying
‘enough’. Kathy Bates is quite a capable director,
as her episodes for TV’s ‘Six Foot Under’
demonstrate, but, she should never have attempted to direct
herself. Very few actors can get away with this. Possibly
Clint Eastwood being a rare exception. However, let’s
not hold this movie against Kathy Bates. She is a great gal
and the best is obviously yet to come. Let’s just try
to pretend that this whole ghastly affair never even happened.
