~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Movie Reviews II23t I By Genevieve McGillicuddy ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 4 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ s ~ ~ ~ Remembering River Phoenix Tim Burton's By Sam Wicks troubled adolescent. I know that I The Ni tmare Be- River Phoenix and his family had a troubled childhood andadoles- fore Christmas moved to Micanopy, Florida in 1987. cent life. I still have problems and I Micanopy is only fifteen miles north don't know of any person fmm my ofOcala,where Ilive. He and Iween't generation who had a perfect life at Tim Burton has finally achieved this activity as the other inhabitants the film's real appeal lays in the bi- really part of the same music scene, any point. what hu- can only be called a darkly of the land of Halloween, and when zarre characters that live in Hallow- but we ended up being at the same morous film that will to those he appeal accidentally falls into the world of een Land, the script, and the truly shows a couple of times. Actually, The opinion of all these media who appreciated his talents in Ed- Christmas, discovers that he wants to amazing animation. The time-con- some of the shows that I saw him at types just perpetuates the opinion of ward Scissorhands and the Batman take over that for himself. holiday suming "claymation" affords an ele- were among the greatest shows ofmy the youth in this country that anyone movies. Ttus is Burton's answer to all Jack's adventures are supported by ment of reality to the creatures that life,a fewbeing the third Fugazi show near or at present of middle age is of those Christmas spe- his fellow Fran- jolly, sugary citizens, except for a inhabit the realmof the Pumpkin King. and the first SamIam show I went to. unable to relate to life at present. 1993 cials that fill the airwaves every kenstein-like year girl named Sally, who The film seems to be directed at a Whenever Fugazi came to the should not be confused with 1963. following Thanksgiving. Instead of harbors warm for Of feelings Jack. mature audience at times, but chil- Gainesville area they stayed at his Your average media personality says, Frosty the Snowman, the skeletal fig- the course, story has a rather happy dren may enjoy the more gross as- parents'arm in Micanopy. I never "Phoenix was a vegetarian and an ure of Jack the Pumpkin can- King, sings ending after Jack realizes that he pects of the film. For those of us who said a word to him in my life. Iwanted advocate... news of his ditties about how much fun it is to not take the place of the real Santa scorn sugar~ted sentimentalityand to, but he was really aloof from fans sudden death caused by drugs is scare people every Halloween. How- Clau. Burl Ives soundtracks, this film is a and people who wanted to meet him. shocking considering his healthy ever, Jack doesn't feel as fulfilled The is by plot a rather simple one; refreshing find. Too bad. And when I did see him lifestyle.", or something along those some of my friends usually had to lines. Why is it that if you are a ~MLife point him out to me. He usually had vegetarian you are labeled as living a a lot scruffy facial hair and his hair healthy lifestyle and one fic of drug For those of you who found finds that conventional medicine has suffering wife, Susan (Nicole was usually unkempt. He never stood use? A remark such as the one men- out, that was his intention. Ghost a tearful, but enjoyable experi- not helped, he seeks the help ofa wise Kidman), who practically fades into probably tioned is ridiculous. A lot ot seem to.have ence, watch out for M~Life another Chinesehealer(what an original idea). the wallpaper when she isn't spout- people been shocked at his "sudden" death It seems that tearjerker from the creators ofthe1990 When he undergoes therapy under ing homilies to cheer up her dying just because he due to drugs. I can't that I was, 'overdose hit movie. ~MLtfe concerns a suc- this man, he finds himself entering a husband. Susan only falls out of her say died of a drug he is por- though I was surprised that he did cessful yuppie who, after discovering tunnel, and after a few of these epi- Stepford-wife mode when she loses trayed as the bad guy, that his death oveidose. I really can't understand shouldn't that he has terminal cancer, decides to sodes, one expects Shirley MacLaine her cool during labor, only to resume be mourned because he how any human being could over- record his life on film for the benefit of to appear and counsel the dying man her good spirits following the birth of abused his body and did things we dose on unless it was inten- his unborn child. is on his chances at reincarnation. How- their child. It is unfortunate that drugs are told by our parents and others of tional and I can the idea "He the lucky actor who attempts to sur- ever, Jones is just as skeptical as the Kidman, a talented and versatile ac- only ponder superioritynot to do. used drugs, that something an inten- face above the maudlin quality of the audience of his mystical experiences, tress, is wasted asanunderdeveloped triggered hegot what hedeserved", seems tobe tional overdose. His death script, but succumbs in more ways and he accepts the fact that nothing character. does the overall consensus. A few of the trouble me. than one in his role as Bob Jones, a will stave off his illness. The film has ~MLtfe may have some re. people that Italked to about his death de- public relations whiz who seems to a Capraesque tone, detailing the rift deeming values, but overall, it really actually laughed. That is a sad, The odd thing is that his ab- have it all, only to lose it. between Jones and his in isn't a fully realized story. Jones'e- pressing response. I was offended by sence doesn't seem to bother anyone Keaton has his moments, when workingclass Detroit and immigrant turn to his roots and forgiveness of it. else on this campus. No one really River talent transcends tripe, but they are background. The most lackluster char- past faults has a ring of truth,but the Phoenix is dead, forever. acknowledges that herepresented our It's few and far between. After Bob Jones acter is (unfortunately), Jone's long movie is a bit predictable. a harsh reality to accept. Why generation on the silver screen. Ithink doesn't it seem to be as troubling to he did. He always portrayed some others? Il Ladro di

abrubtly turned away because of the movie that is very realistic in that the

m m girl's background. Antonio, not sure story is completely drawn out to its ~ of what to do, and finding that he is maximum potential. The film does This Italian film, hailed at film increasingly sympathetic of what the not sink into a simple story, and it' festivals and by critics last year, is a children have been through, decides ending does not provide answers be- quiet, but devastating film about the to take the children on an unsched- cause it reflects how the real lives of loss of innocence. The film is an un- uled trip to their birthplace, Sicily. the children cannot be wound up in sentimental look at the fate of two There,'e attempts to give them a two hours. Rather, the director seeks children who are taken into the cus- taste of what their childhood should to make his audience contemplate the tody of the state after their mother is havebeen,butis thwarted inhisgood changes that occur between the two charged with making her twelve-year intentions when his superiors repri- children and Antonio. This movie is old daughter, Rosetta (Valentina mand him for "kidnapping"the chil- an interesting comment on the '1ost Scalici), into a prostitute. Rosetta and dren. The children end up in another children" of society and what their her younger brother, Luciano orphanage. fate may be. Special consideration (Giuseppe Ieracitano), are taken into Il Ladro di Bambini is some- must be made to praise the two chil- thecareof an officia, Antonio (Enrico what drawn out in that the director dren who star in this film —they are Lo Verso). Upon arriving at their in- uses not only dialogue, but images to non-professional actors, but exude a tended destination, a religious or- convey what meaning the film may realism that is rarely seen on the phanage, Rosetta and her brother are hold. It is a contemplative film, a screen.