lifestyle SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2014

Film Review ‘Big Eyes’ reveal far too little he eyes may be the windows to the easy enough to believe that her courage soul, but they wind up revealing far and instinctive honesty might fail her in Ttoo little in “Big Eyes,” an unpersua- the moment, and that she might become sive, paint-by-numbers account of the a willing participant in a deception that fraud perpetrated by Walter Keane, who Walter says is no big deal, and yet some- succeeded in fooling the public and how crucial to the success of their opera- amassing a fortune by passing off his wife tion (“People don’t buy lady art,” he Margaret’s paintings as his own. Despite notes). It’s also understandable why the Amy Adams’ affecting performance as an lie might become harder and harder to artist and ‘50s/’60s housewife complicit in expose as her work becomes a cultural her own captivity, this relatively straight- phenomenon. Before long, Walter is forward dramatic outing for Tim Burton is opening his own gallery; selling countless too broadly conceived to penetrate the prints, posters and postcards; discussing mystery at the heart of the Keanes’ the motivations behind his art on televi- unhappy marriage-the depiction of sion; earning a sly endorsement from no which is dominated by an outlandish, less a lover of consumerist art than Andy ogre-like turn from Christoph Waltz that Warhol and seizing every opportunity to increasingly seems to hold the movie present paintings to politicians, digni- hostage. Still, the tale’s colorfully enter- taries and movie stars, such as Joan taining veneer and the name talents Crawford. involved should draw an appreciative number of arthouse patrons to the Silent outrage Weinstein Co. release, set to open The problem is that on some level, Christmas Day. despite this carefully orchestrated flurry Although this independent produc- of activity, “Big Eyes” doesn’t seem to trust Guitarist Richie Faulkner (L) and singer Rob Halford of Judas Priest perform at The Pearl concert theater at the Palms Casino Resort as the band tion qualifies as a change of pace for either the factual truth or the emotional tours in support of the album “Redeemer of Souls” on Thursday in Las Vegas, Nevada. — AFP Burton following the elaborate live-action logic of the dilemma it’s showing us. fantasy worlds he’s inhabited of late, it’s Shifting uncertainly between exagger- plain to see what might have personally ated comedy and tense domestic drama drawn him to the story of a shy, stifled (and propelled both ways by Danny artist whose creations captivated many Elfman’s churning score), the film skips with their eccentric fusion of the tender along on the surface, never really and the grotesque. And while there may approximating the texture of an actual, Russian punk group thank be no overtly supernatural trappings in lived-in marriage, or the complexities of a evidence, Burton, reteaming with his “Ed family situation where a woman would Wood” writing duo of Scott Alexander feel compelled to lie to her own daughter and Larry Karaszewski (whose other (played as a teenager by Madeleine Amnesty for support biopic credits include “The People vs. Arthur), who’s clearly too wise and per- Larry Flynt” and “Man on the Moon”), has ceptive to be so fooled. And whenever effectively rendered the story as a sort of Margaret’s pained reactions and increas- ampaigners from Amnesty International 20th-century fairy tale, about a sweet ingly bitter, sarcastic exchanges with yesterday honoured two members of the damsel in distress locked away by an evil Walter aren’t deemed expressive enough, CRussian punk group Pussy Riot who enchanter who somehow manages to Nolan’s narration is on hand to spell out served 22 months in prison for staging a shock keep her and the outside world under his the obvious (“Now the cover-up was performance in a Moscow cathedral in 2012. spell for more than a decade. worse than the crime!”). Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Reinforcing the storybook feel, the Although saddled with similarly on- Alyokhina thanked their supporters during their events are narrated by a side character, the-nose dialogue and hemmed in by the week-long visit to Britain, their first time in the real-life San Francisco Examiner columnist essentially passive nature of her role, country, in which they will also speak at the Dick Nolan (Danny Huston), who offers Adams manages to supply the film with a Cambridge Union and to British lawmakers in a pithy but clunky observations about the compelling center, showing Margaret’s parliament building. overweening sexism of the era and the tireless painting to be at once a conces- “I believe in you!” Tolokonnikova said at the limited options available to a Christian sion to Walter’s demands, a vital creative dinner in London, attended by human rights single mother and divorcee like Margaret outlet and an eloquent act of defiance. campaigners who wrote letters to the pair in Doris Hawkins Ulbrich (a blonde-wigged Increasingly, her paintings seem to prison and to Russian President Vladimir Putin to Adams). That presumably explains why express the silent outrage that their cre- demand their release. she seems so quiveringly fragile when we ator cannot, which makes it all the more Asked whether Britain should stop letting in first meet her in Northern California in unnecessary when the film has her expe- Russian oligarchs, Alyokhina said: “We are 1958, frantically packing her things and, rience visions of big-eyed people staring absolutely not happy that Russian officials are along with her young daughter, Jane at her in public, in a mannered attempt to stealing money and taking it to Europe to enjoy (Delaney Raye), leaving her never-seen suggest her increasing guilt and anxiety themselves. first husband. over the situation. “We can’t tell local politicians who to allow in Her doll-like fragility eventually giving and who to ban. The only thing we can say is Signature paintings way to a hard-won resilience, Adams’ that corruption is a bad thing and on that basis With little money and no real plan, Margaret is an effortlessly sympathetic they might think about who they let in,” she said. Margaret moves with Jane to San figure. Then again, one might well feel The two women were convicted over their Francisco, setting up shop at an outdoor sympathy for anyone with the misfortune performance critical of Putin and the Russian art fair and displaying her signature of being married to Walter Keane, played Orthodox Church. They had almost served their paintings of forlorn-looking children with by Waltz with the sort of aggressive sentences in full when they were freed under an abnormally large, soulful peepers. These showboating intensity that entertains ini- amnesty in December 2013. in turn catch the eye of the smooth-talk- tially, but eventually gives the picture They have since set up a centre to campaign Nadezhda Tolokonnikova (L) and Maria Alekhina members of the Russian punk rock band ing Walter Keane (Waltz), a successful almost no room to breathe. for prisoners’ rights in the Mordovia region Pussy Riot pose for photographs at Amnesty International UK headquarters in East London real-estate man who has made the pur- In its smartest touch, the film makes around 320 miles (510 kilometres) southeast of yesterday, before speaking at a reception with activists who campaigned for their release suit of art his life’s passion, in a manner of time for the voices of various art-world Moscow where Tolokonnikova served her sen- from prison. — AFP speaking. Sweeping the naive Margaret tastemakers-namely, a local gallery cura- tence. activity with foreign funding to register as “for- Tolokonnikova said, adding: “In some circles, off her feet with his intoxicating tales of tor (Jason Schwartzman) and the New She said she was unconcerned by a law eign agents”. being branded as a ‘foreign agent’ is a mark of having lived and painted in Paris, where York Times art critic John Canaday (a passed in 2012 in Russia requiring all charities “We’re not worried. We keep working,” quality”.—AFP he studied at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts delightful Terence Stamp) — who form a engaged in what officials perceive as political and drew inspiration for his many sort of dryly funny Greek chorus, reacting Montmartre street scenes, Walter seems with unconcealed horror to the massive too good to be true-partly because he’s a success of the Keane paintings, which known womanizer, as Margaret’s only Canaday witheringly describes as “an friend (Krysten Ritter) can attest, but also infinity of kitsch.” This is the second movie because Waltz’s wolfish, trust-me grin is a in as many months (after “Birdman”) to ABC continues to dominate clear tipoff. feature a heated argument between a But Margaret is anxious for a better Times reviewer and the object of his or life, desperate to keep custody of Jane her derision, and it’s wise enough to view and genuinely smitten with Walter, so she Margaret Keane’s legacy with a measure as ‘Scandal’ hits 6-week high swiftly accepts his proposal of marriage. of critical detachment, acknowledging Not long after a blissful Hawaii wedding the porous boundary between art and and honeymoon, Walter, with his keen kitsch, the frequent clash of populist and n updated Nielsen nationals released tion of CBS’ “The Big Bang Theory,” again lion viewers overall) all were up from their talent for showmanship and self-promo- elitist sensibilities and the inherent sub- Friday afternoon, most of CBS’ lineup saw Thursday’s No. 1 program-took a backseat. national averages of last week, though tion, begins shopping their paintings jectivity of a spectator’s response. Idownward adjustments, while “The Big “Scandal” was up 10% week-to-week to they’re expected to come down from their around San Francisco, eventually per- Despite its relatively realistic setting Bang Theory” (4.5/15 in 18-49, 16.90 million hit a six-week high in adults 18-49 (3.2 rat- football-inflated prelims; at its current num- suading local impresario Enrico Banducci and restrained use of visual effects, viewers overall) held at its prelim demo rat- ing/9 share, 10.0 million viewers overall), ber, “Mom” was at a series high. Drama (Jon Polito) to display them near the rest- Burton’s 17th feature as a director is as ing while coming down slightly in total view- according to preliminary national estimates “Elementary” remained at its low level clos- rooms in his famous nightclub, the hun- meticulously designed as one would ers; this was the second straight week of from Nielsen, winning the 9 o’clock hour by ing out the night (1.2/4 in 18-49, 6.9 million gry i. But when passersby ignore Walter’s expect. Taking advantage of splendid gains for “Big Bang,” as viewers seem to have 3 shares over the CBS comedies and also pre- viewers overall). work and instead find themselves gravi- views of San Francisco (including the found the show on its new (old) night. vailing in total viewers. Fox’s “Bones” (1.2/4 in 18-49, 5.5 million tating toward Margaret’s big-eyed waifs, Palace of Fine Arts, where the real Though it came down 0.2 in the nationals, “Grey’s Anatomy” had another solid out- viewers overall) was down a tenth to its low, he begins openly claiming credit for the Margaret Keane can be seen seated on a “Mom” hit a series high in 18-49 (2.6/8) and ing kicking off the night (2.4/7 in 18-49, 8.3 and “Gracepoint” (0.8/2 in 18-49, 3.4 million latter, which his wife has made the mis- bench in the background) and Hawaii, drew its second largest overall audience million viewers overall), placing second viewers overall) edged up week to week. take of signing with her new married where much of the later action is set, d.p. (11.07 million). “Two and a Half Men” (2.1/6 in among the broadcasters in demos and NBC opened with “The Biggest Loser” name, “Keane.” Bruno Delbonnel’s images boast a 18-49, 8.75 million viewers overall) lost a matching last week’s average. And following (1.2/4 in 18-49, 4.5 million viewers overall), In the film’s pivotal stretch, Margaret warmth and richness of color appropriate tenth to match last week’s low, while “The “Scandal” at 10 p.m., rookie “How to Get which was steady week to week and pulled learns the full extent of her husband’s to the film’s subject, amplified by the McCarthys” (1.4/4 in 18-49, 6.36 million view- Away With Murder” (2.9/9 in 18-49, 9.2 mil- into a tie with Fox’s “Bones” for a deep third- fabrications, but finds herself too vivid period detailing of Rick Heinrichs’ ers overall) and “Elementary” (1.0/3 in 18-49, lion viewers overall) was up a tick to hit a place finish behind CBS and ABC. It was fol- shocked, betrayed and frightened to production design and Colleen Atwood’s 6.53 million viewers overall) both shed two three-week high and easily beat the com- lowed by lame-duck comedies “Bad Judge” reveal the paintings’ true authorship. It’s costumes. — Reuters tenths to hit their lows. bined 18-49 scores of “Elementary” and (0.9/3 in 18-49, 3.7 million viewers overall) There were no demo adjustments for “Parenthood” in the hour. and “A to Z” (0.6/2 in 18-49, 2.4 million view- ABC’s winning lineup, though all three shows Compared to the same November sweep ers overall), with the former steady and the went up slightly in total viewers. The only night of a year ago, ABC’s Thursday lineup latter falling to its low, and “Parenthood” non-CBS show to change in the nationals was up 33% in adults 18-49 and 30% in total (season-low 1.0/3 in 18-49, 3.6 million view- was Fox’s “Bones,” which edged up a tenth viewers. The night figures to take a tumble in ers overall). (1.3/4 in 18-49, 5.50 million viewers overall) coming weeks when the dramas take a two- CW’s “The Vampire Diaries” again hit a low to match its score of the prior two weeks. month break, but season-to-date the net is in the prelims (0.7/2 in 18-49, 1.6 million Among networks, the total-viewer derby up vs. its Thursday average of last year by viewers overall), though it has often been was closer but CBS prevailed over ABC (9.40 more than 20% in both demos and total adjusted up to a 0.8 in the nationals. And million to 9.22 million). The Alphabet won viewers. “Reign” held steady (0.4/1 in 18-49, 1.2 mil- over runner-up CBS by 0.7 in 18-49 and 0.3 in Ratings for CBS are subject to revision due lion viewers overall). 25-54. to preemptions in both Miami and Buffalo Preliminary 18-49 averages for the night: NFL Network’s game between the Buffalo for the evening’s “Thursday Night Football” ABC, 2.8/9; CBS, 2.3/7; Univision, 1.1/3; NBC Bills and Miami Dolphins averaged a 2.8 game telecast nationally on NFL Network, and Fox, 1.0/3; CW and Telemundo, 0.6/2. demo rating and 7.79 million total viewers, but “The Big Bang Theory” (prelim 4.5/15 in In total viewers: CBS, 9.9 million; ABC, 9.2 down a bit from last week’s Cleveland- 18-49, 17.1 million viewers overall) will again million; Fox, 4.5 million; NBC, 3.7 million; Cincinnati matchup. rule as the night’s No. 1 program in 18-49, Univision, 2.8 million; CW and Telemundo, One week from their fall finales, ABC dra- 25-54 (6.3/17) and total viewers. 1.4 million. —Reuters mas “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Scandal” and “How to Comedies “Mom” (2.8/8 in 18-49, 11.8 mil- Get Away With Murder” impressed once lion viewers overall), “Two and a Half Men” This photo released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Charlie Day, left, as Dale Arbus, and Jennifer Aniston as Dr Julia Harris, D.D.S. in New Line Cinema’s comedy, “Horrible again last night, winning for the net in key (2.2/7 in 18-49, 9.5 million viewers overall) Bosses 2,” a Warner Bros Pictures release. The comedy releases in the US Nov 26. — AP demos while everybody else-with the excep- and “The McCarthys” (1.6/5 in 18-49, 6.9 mil-