At the Movies With Stephen Hunter
The Latest Cinema

Stephen Hunter
Washington Post Movie Critic
Friday, July 25, 2008 12:30 PM

Washington Post film critic Stephen Hunter was online Friday, July 25 at 12:30 p.m. ET to discuss the latest movies. Whether you're in search of a popcorn cruncher or a quality indie film, Hunter will provide guidance about what to see and what to skip at the movies this summer.

A transcript follows.

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American Teen: I am dying to see the American Teen documentary that opens today, but it is in limited release. Do you know if there are any plans for it to show in DC/NOVA?

Stephen Hunter: There are indeed and yours truly has been selected to review it. I think it opens next weekend but certainly sometime in August.

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Washington, D.C.: I might be in the minority but I found the new "Batman" dreary, dull, and pointless. From the first scene to the last, I was unimpressed. The movie didn't have much of a dramatic arc...it flatlined. The much hyped performance of Ledger was sunk by the inertia of the storyline. Yes, the Joker was a psychotic killer with flair but so what...the character wasn't developed enough to keep me interested. Ledger's maniacal shtick grew tiresome.

Stephen Hunter: Why, sir, what is wrong with you? I may have to dispatch the Washington Post goons to your house (we know who you are) and gently massage you until you achieve compliance with our policy statement of last Thursday. My advice: send a groveling, sniveling apology before this session is over or enjoy the consequences!

Seriously: imho, it got worse as it progressed and my goodwill for the first half just barely carried the day over my badwill for the second.

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Washington, D.C.: Dear Dr Guns:

I can't believe you're making me go see Step Brothers. What have I ever done to you?

Unarmed in D.C.

Stephen Hunter: The fact that you're utterly innocent makes my crime much more enjoyable.

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washingtonpost.com: Step Brothers Review: Obscenely Funny ( Post, July 25)

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Bow, N.H.: The other night I watched Back to the Future and was struck (yet again) by how well that movie has stood up over time. It is not alone, of course, and whether or not you agree that BTTF has aged well, what do you think makes some movies last while others -- even some very popular when released --just do not retain the same appeal over time?

Stephen Hunter: I agree with you on BttF, which I'd happily watch right now. As for the deeper, harder, headache causing q of what lasts and why, I can only posit pitiful generalities: the really good movies transcend time of production and fashions of the year and touch chords that will never go away. Casablanca: honor, belief, duty over love. Bridge on RK: honor, belief, duty over life, the tragic necessity of war. BttF: America as she was, as she became; the optimism of youth, the charm of love and the coolness of Chuck Berry.

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Ocala, Fla.: I find that I am disappointed that the new X-Files movie doesn't suck completely. We have to hate Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz, right?

Also, are you stoked that the proposed new Internet naming convention will allow more complex domain names, e.g., killallthewhales.withexplosiveharpoons?

washingtonpost.com: This 'X-Files' Puts the Normal in Paranormal ( Post, July 25)

Stephen Hunter: i agree that the mediocrity of Xfiles is a great disappointment; yes, it's wise and good to hate young people who make gazillions on TV.

As for adding "withexplosiveharpoons: to my web domain "Letskillallthewhales," I'm truly grateful that modern techonolgy has assisted me in my expressiveness. Is this a great country or what?

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Arlington, Va.: I really enjoyed the movie Hancock, with Will Smith. It kept my wife and I both laughing and waiting to see what would happen next.

Stephen Hunter: what more can a guy want?

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Boston, Mass.: I know I'm way late with this, since it carries over from the last time you did a movies chat, but I wanted to chime in with some other great book-to-movie adaptations: Fight Club (I'm willing to overlook the fact that they left off the last chapter) and Terry Gilliam's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. And there's one movie that I liked better than the book: The Kite Runner.

Stephen Hunter: posted without comment so that Boston can finally get a good night's sleep.

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Baltimore, Md.: As we are both residents of the Queen City of the Patapsco River Drainage Basin, I need your answer to this question: Is it good or bad that New Line Cinema has asked John Waters to develop a sequel to Hairspray? Now we will have a sequel to a movie musical based on a stage musical based on a movie. How long can this last? And wouldn't it be a better idea to turn Serial Mom into a musical? Thanks.

Stephen Hunter: I think it's good in that it'll give John something to do besides counting money and micro-gardening the micro-mustache. To be honest, however, Serial Mom would make a good musical because it's already got a plot there; he's going to have to come up with something entirely new for a Hairspry sequel and SM seems to have the sort of musical-style plot simplistics already in place. does that make any sense?

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Dodgeville, Wisc.: Stephen, At a certain point in some actor's careers you begin to refer to them as "the great." Laura Linney, Chris Cooper are two of the current I've seen you refer to in that way. And even Diane Lane? Although I'm not sure whether her "great" refers to her looks or acting or both. Same with Charlize. So who else, currently? Does Paul Giamatti qualify yet? And... there are times when I would see Cicely Tyson and think she certainly had reached that stature (Jane Pittman) -- and other times I've wondered, what the heck is she trying to do there. So what's your take on her? Thanks

Stephen Hunter: It seems like you were going to criticize me for overusing the great, and even though you don't, I am guilty of that. But these people are so impressive when they're on, the words just leap from my fingertips to my keyboard without interference from my brain which is a good thing. Did I really call Diane Lane "great." Hmm, I must have started Happy Hour before 11 that day. As for Tyson I would easily and happily call her great and I think in the future--all four days of it!--I'll reserve great for people with lengthy careers.

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Really?: Very few things could have surprised me more than to see a positive review of "Step Brothers." I've seen the commercials which show a bunch of different scenes and I haven't laughed yet, and believe me, dumb guy humor works fine for me. On the other hand, my 10-year-old thinks it looks really funny. That says something about all three doesn't it, but I'm not sure what.

Stephen Hunter: You know, "judging" humor is always so subjective it's almost pointless. I happen to like "sloppy body stuff," i.e., because to a repressed little WASP wallflower like me, anybody who can get crazy in public with their butt is really taking a risk. I overvalue it, I suppose, 'cause I couldn't do it in a jillion years. I also really like male flaws for some reason: we hairy boys are SO miswired and contemplating the folly we are capable of generating is always a laff-riot! That said, it's also true that I've seen plenty of sloppy body movie and haven't crack a smile. It's all just whimsy.

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Maggie vs. Katie: Read your review on the Dark Knight (sour grapes to the poster who is just so bored by it all . . . oh, how do you live with the ennui?) and largely agreed but for your statement that the prettier and less-talented actress would have been the better casting choice.

Katie would have been completely out of her depth amongst the rest of the cast and make one wonder why Harvey and Bruce fell for her. A billionaire can buy pretty anytime he wants -- I'd more believe him falling in love with a less conventionally pretty but far more interesting companion. Same with Dent -- his character isn't one that would be intrigued by arm candy.

washingtonpost.com: This Joker Holds All the Cards ( Post, July 17)

Stephen Hunter: Fair enough. Please understand, though, I wasn't arguing that Katie is better but that in this case, less talent was more movie. In other words, whenever Maggie was on, the scene was about HER because she has so many beguiling and charismatic movie moves (those betwitching eyes). I was arguing for what I call "ensemble": that is, Maggie made that character more interesting than the drama required and it offset the rhythms of the scene. I also disagree with you that one could understand why these guys were attracted to her. To me, she's "interesting" when she should be "knockout." I like "knockout".

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Dunnellon, Fla.: Were you visiting Florida recently? I saw a truck with bumper stickers reading "Happiness is a belt-fed automatic weapon," and "When in doubt, empty the magazine."

Stephen Hunter: My name is legion.

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Mrs. Arlington, Va.: No, seriously, I could've sworn that somebody mentioned a new book by Stephen Hunter.

Stephen Hunter: I think I heard it too. Subtle, low insistent whispers in the wind, chanting "Night of Thunder," September 23, Simon and Schuster, darn I'm almost SURE that's what I heard. How about you, folks, are you hearing that EVERYWHERE YOU GO?

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Herndon, Va.: Mr. H: Good idea for a "Baltimore" movie from previously "done" material -- "The Wire." Decent idea for a "Baltimore" movie -- "Homicide, Life on the Street." BAD IDEA -- a sequel to "Hairspray."

Stephen Hunter: Never having seen the wire, I thought (tell me if I'm wrong) its genius lay in its tapestry, its willingness to go slow and get everything in. That's exactly the opposite of a movie, which goes fast, and just does the highpoints. It would be cool, though, to see David S and his team try and compress a Baltimore crime caper into 95 tough-as-nails minutes for a feature audience.

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Washington, D.C.: Steve: Have you seen the Hunter Thompson documentary Gonzo? While I thought it was overlong (what isn't these days), it was a fascinating look into what happens when a writer moves into the celebrity category. While it seems weird to compare Thompson to Hemingway, the arch of his life is somewhat similar, although lived out on a smaller stage. Early success, followed by media celebrity, followed by a diminution of craftsmanship as a writer (accompanied by the use of too many consciousness altering substances) followed by a gun to the head. It made me wonder whether Thompson, who was in his late 60s when he pulled the trigger, wasn't on some level consciously living out his own version of the Papa myth. He was, after all, a writer from the last generation to really worship Hemingway as a god.

Stephen Hunter: I did see it and sort of disagree with you on the following basis. Yes, both became too big, captive of their reps, bitter at the movement of focus elsewhere, and ate the gun. However I think HST had a better character by far than EH because he retained the affection of his friends until the end. EH BETRAYED everybody and, from my reading at least, was a true monster, by the end incapable of love, just bitter and rancid and fulminating wrath and foam. In fact, EH still fascinates me BECAUSE of that: he just really let all his evil impulses dominate him. To me, the three artists that I admire most are EH, John Ford and John Wayne and ALL of them ended up like that, in bitter exile, loathed by everyone they used to know. Boy, did they need Prozac! They deserved so much more happiness at the end.

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Falls Church, Va.: Across the entire century of movie history, there is no actor that I hate more than Will Ferrell. In every movie he's the same character that I find so creepy and repulsive -- the slow-witted, angry man-child -- and every freaking one of them is a hit.

I'm no French intellectual. I was a fan of Jackass and Beavis and Butthead. But Ferrell is not just unfunny; he's scary to me.

What's wrong with me? Where do I go for the appropriate head injury that will allow me to join the rest of America and fall in love with his movies?

Stephen Hunter:

Nothing is wrong with you, my son. It's okay to hate Will Ferrell. I hated, what was it, Elf, or Fairy or Santa's Li'l Nerdboy, or whatever it was. I don't know if he bludgeoned me into acceptance by refusing to go away or if the practice of three drinks before screenings helped his case, or what, but isn't one of the fun things about the movie life the pleasure of hating someone the world seems to love. For me, it's Adam Sandler; what pleasure he's given my spleen over the years!

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Arlington, Va.: I didn't agree with your conclusions about The Dark Knight (watching Morgan Freeman walk away from those monitors was an honest thrill for me), but de gustibus.

However, what possessed you to veer off from a critique about Gyllenhaal's performance relative to the tone of the movie (a fair area of inquiry, if not one where I agreed with you) to whether or not she is more attractive than Katie Holmes?

What difference does that make?

Stephen Hunter: Beauty is part of the texture of the movie, any movie. So I insist on dealing with it, even if in real life I would never say, "Gee, you're not as pretty as so and so." Also, if you notice, I will also discuss male beauty, which is very interesting to me. I just don't think you can do this job fairly without acknowledging that beauty has always been and always will be an essential element of the product.

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Washington, D.C.: Sour grapes poster again: I agree that Maggie wasn't effective in her role in "Batman" but for different reasons. She reminded me of a girl playing grown-up...sort of like a little girl trying on her mother's clothes and makeup. Her high-pitched voice didn't help her in that regard.

Stephen Hunter: well said.

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Arlington, Va.: Are you going to do one last list of great movies and bad movies before you retire?

Stephen Hunter: no, I don't think so. the tradition around here to is to go out quietly. I've indulged myself, primarily on this forum, too much already with victory laps and aw-shucks moments. Oh, wait, my backlight just went out. Morrie, dammit, get my backlighting back!

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Up With Maggie: The problem with "Batman Begins" was largely when Katie Holmes was onscreen. She was awful.

Also, you've been accused of sexism many times in the past, and this is why. You want women to look pretty and pose for you and not insert their inconvenient brains, because that is too challenging.

I loved Maggie in the role. What's wrong with a beautiful and interesting woman? Or do you enjoy the fact that there are so few interesting, developed roles for women in movies?

Stephen Hunter: if you say so. sigh.

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Bethesda, Md.: Are there any new TV box sets you have been enjoying?

I can see sitting down and enjoying the new MANNIX box set. Well, any hard-scrabbled TV detective from the 60s or 70s, I would imagine.

Stephen Hunter: no but thanks for giving me an excuse to inquire--this is so obscure--if anyone knows of a tape or disk of an original naked city episode called "Bakers Dozen." It's not on any of the Naked City collections. I'd love to see it again.

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Herndon, Va.: Mr. H: I hate it that my (probably) last e-mail to you is argumentative, BUT -- I don't think John Wayne ended up hating everyone and in exile. Troubles with his wife yes, but he fought out his last months with cancer and, I believe, had a loyal circle of friends.

Stephen Hunter: Read several bios, and my impression was that he kept loaded guns everywhere and moaned and whined about what was wrong with Hollywood. I don't begrudge him the guns, obviously, but loaded guns shouldn't be left around, tha's not good judgment. It didn't sound pleasant, but there were probably good days and bad days.

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Washington, D.C.: Interesting that Ford and Wayne are two of the three artists you most admire, as their lives were so intertwined. When a read the Ford bio from few years back, Print the Legend, I did come away realizing that Ford had a mean streak. But I also admired him tremendously for the way he stood up to Cecil B. DeMille and others during the Red Scare. Ford was very right wing, but he was forsquare for freedom on speech and association. Whenever he heard of a technician or designer who had been blacklisted, Ford would say, "Send the Commie bastard to me. I'll put him to work."

And, frankly, I also admired him for the way he never let Wayne forget that Wayne dodged military service in WWII, even while the much older Ford came under fire doing combat filming for the Navy.

Stephen Hunter: Ford was really cool, no? But . . . I've always had trouble with Ford's superiority to Wayne on that issue. Ford used connex to set himself up in a motion picture unit and went off with a batch of buddies, more or less transporting his culture of celebrity and pleasure to the Pacific with him. It was a pretty fun way to go to war, quite unlike the experiences, say, of a Marine lance corporal on Tarawa. As for Wayne, I would say that idealized sergeant image he projected was probably quite a great contribution to morale, and was certainly the equivalent of Ford's.

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Batman and Bale: Hi, LOVED your last book. Made me want to go to Japan.

As to Batman, I thought the movie was fabulous, and Bale was great, too. I thought he did a great job playing someone who is not a shallow twit pretending to be a shallow rich twit. Ledger's performance was truly incredible, and very, very sad. You wonder about the actors who can really disappear into a role (Bale included -- the guy does interviews about Batman in American accent so as not to "ruin the effect" and he trained in martial arts for months for the role) and how it affects them. R. Downey Jr. comes to mind, as well.

Stephen Hunter: good way to get on by complimenting the old goat. but your post is good and very observant vis a vis the bat guy.

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I don't think you are sexist: I understand your point about Maggie, but I disagree. I thought Wayne would not have fallen for anyone who was not a partner/peer. His Russian ballerinas are for show -- I see him as almost ascetic, coming from his martial arts/Eastern training we saw in the first movie. He is waiting for her and dalliances are not his style.

Stephen Hunter: fair enough and good point, well argued.

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Will Ferrell: Come on now, wasn't I loveable as Frank The Tank? LET'S GO STREAKING!

Stephen Hunter: Will, you're a sketch!

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Washington, D.C.: I liked your "Dear Dr. Guns" article of a couple of weeks ago. I especially liked the four rules you cited. I did some target shooting outside years ago and one of the first things I was taught was how far a bullet can go once it's fired. It made me respect the power of the weapon and to be very careful where I pointed it.

washingtonpost.com: A Straight Shooter ( Post, July 18)

Stephen Hunter: thanks for kind words.

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Columbia, S.C.: Saw In Bruges and loved it. I was surpised (thanks for the recommendation) because I generally despise Colin Farrell. Is this what he needs to do more? More supporting and less leading in acting?

However, In Bruges doesn't make up for Alexander.

Stephen Hunter: Nothing makes up for Alexander.

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Eastern Market, Washington, D.C.: Stephen -- I really wish you had been assigned to review "Mamma Mia! -- you would have had a field day with it. Saw it in Ballston Sunday afternoon, sitting in front of a couple of women who violated virtually every rule of cinema etiquette throughout the movie -- talking to the screen, hooting and clapping at every lame, clumsily-filmed pratfall -- really, it was almost like they came from some strange society that had never seen a movie before. It might have been less notable if the film itself had merited any such responses, but at best it was, as Lisa DeMoraes, would say, craptastic. These women in their absurd response and behavior were almost a more fascinating show in themselves.

Stephen Hunter: What can I say except I appreciate your kindness, but, er, I'm rather glad I wasn't assigned to revie "Mamma Mia."

Thanks and best to all.

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