Park City's Flick Chick by Jill Adler
December 2005
And the winner is... The Oscar nominees may not be dished until Jan. 13, 2006 but the race is on. The Christmas holiday movie scene explodes with poignant, hilarious, fantastical and action-packed flicks charging into theaters. Here are three destined to get a at least a few Oscar nods.
Chronicles of Narnia
Film Rating: PG
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe I don't for one minute buy that Aslan, the Lion (Liam Neeson), is a symbol of Christ. He's a cute, fluffy cat who's good, fair, and just, sacrifices himself to save his people and is resurrected via a mythical stone. Read into it what you will but I'd rather have fun watching this revolutionary fantasy fairytale. Four World War II refugee kids trip through a wardrobe (closet) and wind up in Narnia- a land of centaurs and talking animals. They learn from the beavers and fox that it's up to them to save Aslan's kingdom from the White Witch and her reign of ice. For those desperately hoping for a Lord of the Rings-style fix, here it is! Narnia is a smaller story than the LOTR complex journey but it still rivets. It also has the most realistic CGI I've ever seen. It's an exciting, touching and beautiful adaption of C.S. Lewis' classic series. Take the whole fam.
Brokeback Mountain
Film Rating: R
Yes, this is that "gay, cowboy movie" everyone is talking about. It's not a chickflick per se but it's certainly no guy flick either. In fact, you have to have a strong hold on your cajones, boys, to dig this film. Heath Ledger (Ennis) and Jake Gyllenhall (Jack) turn in Oscar-winning performances especially when you consider their hunky, hetero Hollywood personas. The two penniless, brooding cowboys are sent up to Brokeback Mountain to watch sheep (go figure) for a rancher (Randy Quaid) in Wyoming. Well, it's lonely on a mountain surrounded by all those sheep so one night, things get wild. It's the 60s. The boys "explore", fall in love and are torn apart when it's time to head back to town. They decide to pretend like nothing happened. They get married, have kids but secretly lust for each other. Forget for a moment that these lovers are guys. The whole frustrated love thing is universal. You believe their ache for each other but, man, is this film depressing. Well-acted, beautifully shot and edited, catch BM if you're a cinefile. Just don't expect to leave with any warm fuzzies.
King Kong
Film Rating: PG13
Basically, if you've seen one version of the 1933 King Kong classic, you know the story. Gigantic, overstuffed gorilla with adolescent-sized hormones gets yanked out of the wild and caged in the city. He desperately wants a piece of the heroine (Naomi Watts) and while she loves 'em big and tough, the thought of bestiality is inconceivable in "civilization". The monkey meets a tragic fate and everyone cries. The End. King Kong (2005) ain't any different except it's a spectacle in its own right and probably the most powerful of its remakes. Director Peter Jackson (The Lord of the Rings trilogy), Kong is as real as it gets. At an equally impressive three hours, the movie feels slow at the beginning but wait till you get to Skull Island. All hell breaks loose. Just hold on tight and enjoy the ride! Leave the little ones at home unless you want to deal with monsters in the closet for the next few months.
