reviews
Alexander * The Aviator * The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou *
This week's reviews (hey, gotta get this all out of the way before the year end list hit!) are horoscope crazy. Have you met these movies? Are you compatible?
What's Their Sign? |
Alexander
Oliver Stone, that bold 80s superstar of auteurs is a Virgo. Anatomically speaking Virgos are said to rule (or be ruled, which is it?) from the stomach or intestines. It makes sense. Whether cathartically tearing through the Vietnam war era in his two Oscar winning stints (Platoon & Born on the 4th of July) or embracing the insanity of celebrity and media frenzies in his controversial '94 hit (Natural Born Killers) no one has ever claimed that Stone lacked "guts" as a filmmaker. So, theoretically, if anyone could take on as grandiose a project as Alexander, why not Mr. Stone?Alexander the Great is believed to be a Cancer. The exact date of his birth is questionable, possibly July 20th, but it places the king in Cancer territory or possibly on the cusp of Cancer and Leo. Unfortunately, in this case the signs of filmmaker and subject don't prove particularly compatible. Stone does not gallop back into filmmaking glory alongside Alexander's horse.
Despite its water (Cancer) and earth (Virgo) creative force and subject, Alexander the film is, I believe, an airy Gemini like its stars Angelina Jolie and Colin Farrell. It's open-minded --or at least as open-minded as Hollywood gets with biopics of sexually ambiguous figures. And it's most certainly ambitious as it attempts to cover 30 years full of political intrigue, wars, love and death into a mere three hours of film. But it's also easily distracted and fickle, lacking any real focus. Why, with only 175 minutes to work with, do we waste so much time with old Ptolemy (Anthony Hopkins) wandering about dictacting the story? Why do we return randomly to repetitive sequences starring Olympia (Angelina Jolie) and her snakes? And, WHY, in a biopic about a famous imperialistic conqueror, are there only two battle sequences? And why do they each require 60+ minutes of patience from the audience before arriving? No, the stars were not in alignment for this film. Alexander is nowhere close to great. It has flashes of vivid imagery and charisma, and then quickly loses its way again.
CThe Aviator
Martin Scorsese, arguably America's most admired auteur, and Leonardo DiCaprio, arguably still Hollywood's hottest young actor, are both Scorpios. That likeness may explain their mysterious pairing. DiCaprio seemed so lost in Scorsese's Gangs of New York epic that their second consecutive collaboration is something of a surprise. This time they've left the dingy, bloody streets of early New York for the shiny dream-town allure of Hollywood and I'm thrilled that they've relocated. Their take on that infamous Capricorn billionaire, Howard Hughes, a wealthy nut who conquered Hollywood and the aviation industry while being conquered by his own demons is a joy.
That Scorpio dynamism and passion from director and star is clearly up on the screen in The Aviator. And their domineering willful Scorpio spirit also proves a good fit for Hughes's Capricorn drive and perfectionist inflexibility. It's a trio made in heaven. Or rather a quartet if you wish to throw in the delicious Taurun double-plus-goodness of Cate Blanchett (May 14th) as Kate Hepburn (May 12th). So with Scorpio, Capricorn, and Taurus representing earth and water energies, which sign is the film and where, pray tell, is the air sign in a movie full of airplanes and dreams of soaring?
Well, even though an air sign is nowhere to be found, the movie has wonderful plane sequences and all the other elements in balance. I'm tempted to call the whole affair a fiery Leo. Those who share the sign of Leo are known for their charisma and their desire to be adored. They live to be worshipped. In movie terms then, Leos are Oscarbait prestige pictures. Leo is a fire sign and The Aviator has fire and flash to spare...particularly in its killer Hollywood sequences. Quoth Madonna, a famous Leo: "Hollywood. Hollywood. How can it hurt you when it looks so good" And look so good The Aviator does. From Dante Ferretti's bold production design to Sandy Powell's amazing 30s and 40s costumes for both the male and female stars, watching the movie is like gourging on cinematic beauty. Robert Richardson's deliciously gleaming cinematography and Thelma Schoonmaker's crisp and dynamic editing also help to raise The Aviator to a sterling example of the Hollywood machine at its best. This film is generous in its entertainment value. While it's true that it may be cynically built for Oscars and adoration, like the most charming lions you've known, it deserves the attention anyway. The Aviator is by far the best bio-pic in a year overstuffed with them.
B+The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
Wes Anderson is a Taurus, a star sign often known for association with creatures of habit. This will come as no surprise to his fans. It's nearly impossible to see an Anderson picture and not realize it's his. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, true to form, trots out all the familiar Anderson impulses for display: the large casts (featuring Bill Murray), the stylized acting, the parental or mentor relationships, the obsessive detailing in the production design, the elaborately perfect hyper-planned song scoring, and precociousness of prodigous gifts. Like Anderson's past films Aquatic feels like both an extension of and an homage to childhood preoccupations and fantasies. Fans of his previous work may smile on The Life Aquatic but it won't win many new devotees to his unique cinematic world.
Aquatic, like the man behind it, is a Taurus -how could it be anything else when the movie is so stubbornly devoted to Anderson's precociously detailed and miniature worldview? But it is also not as boring as habitual inflexibity suggests. Boredom isn't something one often associates with quirky teams of oceanographers. Bill Murray's wonderfully sensitive sad/comic turn as Steve Zissou also implies that this Taurus film has a little something extra for the audience to savor. A water sign is ascending. Perhaps it is Pisces, with its sympathetic motley crew of actors and its methodical creativity amply on display in the funny and crammed submarine set (production design by the great Mark Friedberg who also did Oscar-worthy work on Far From Heaven). There's also eye candy riches in the hilarious uniforms (by costuming god Milena Canonero) and treats for the ears with the musical accompaniment (Portugese Bowie songs!) and scoring courtesy of Mark Mothersbaugh, from Devo, who also did fine work on The Royal Tenenbaums. Team Zissou may be found lacking when compared to the Tenenbaum clan, but the stars still align for an experience that's one-of-a-kind.
B-
All reviews and commentary by Nathaniel R.
Review Archivep.s. Other 2004 series of mini-reviews: Karaoke pt 1 / Karaoke pt2 / Comedic survey / Brevity /Personal Ads / Personal Ads pt 2 / Thanksgiving Dinner.
p.s. The Aviator in Top Ten ~ Honorable Mentions Category
