The Unusual Suspects
With Rita Kempley
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, March 14, 2003; 2 p.m. ET It's Friday afternoon and you can almost taste the popcorn. Whether you're planning to hit the theater or your local video store, Rita's here to help you wade through the sea of choices. It's also your chance to be a movie critic. Share your picks and pans, and tell us how things would be different if you ran Hollywood. Who would you cast in your movies and why? A transcript follows. Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.
Gene Siskel Film Center: Hi, Rita! I just returned from a conference in Chicago, and managed to find time to see "Bend It Like Beckham" at the Gene Siskel Film Center. Great movie -- think "Monsoon Wedding" meets "East is East." But the film center is the bomb diggity for non-mainstream film lovers. A European Union Film Festival is currently underway (including many of the films nominated for Foreign Film Oscar), but they also squeeze in films like "The Producers" (new print) and "Night of the Living Dead." This week alone they have 15 films rotating through the two theaters. If you're going to Chicago, check it out -- it's right across the street from the flagship Marshall Fields department store. I wish we had something like it in the D.C. area! Rita Kempley: Welcome back. I didn't know they had a center named after Gene. That's good to hear. Beckham opens here next Friday. Thanks for the sneak preview.
Fairfax, Va.: When my sister and I were 10 and 12, our mother dropped us off at the MacArthur Theater so we could see "Gone With the Wind". Right before leaving the house, our big brother whispered, "Just keep in mind that Vivan Leigh complained about Clark Gable's bad breath". That has ever since colored my view of that film. Notice how Vivian holds her head stiffly away during the kissing scenes. I plan to rent the DVD tonight so my kids can see it (ages 13 and 15). The dilemma: do I tell them about Rhett's breath? Rita Kempley: Apparently it was a result of having dentures. No Polident back in the day.
Damascus, Md.: This seems to be a obvious question, and yes, it has to do with the Oscars:
Who will get more, The Lord of the Rings, or Chicago? Rita Kempley: You knew the answer to that before you asked the question. Chicago will sweep.
Washington, D.C.: Dear Rita, I was very surprised and disappointed by Renee Zellwegger's SAG win for Best Actress. I don't think an actress should be awarded for merely showing up and being adequate for a demanding role (as Glenn Close says in Dangerous Liasons, no one applauds the tenor "for merely clearing his throat). I think that Diane Lane, Julianne Moore and Nicole Kidman even though her performance was more of a supporting one) all gave much more impressive and Oscar-worthy performances in their respective films. Needless to say, I will be very disappointed if Renee walks away with the Oscar for Best Actress on Oscar night. Rita Kempley: Dear Washington:
You've sure got that right. I thought she was the weakest thing in Chicago, entirely overshadowed by Catherine Zeta-Jones. Now that girl had it going on and she seemed tough enough for the business. Rene was a bit mousy for my taste. I think this might be Nicole Kidman's year.
Club Guido, USA: Hi, sweetie, What do you hear about the new Piglett movie? I'm dying to see it. Guido Rita Kempley: Hi Guido, Darling:
I'm going to see Piglet tomorrow in the a.m. I hear he's a real ham.
McLean, Va.: In the D.C. metro area, where can I see Bend it like Beckham? Thanks!
Rita Kempley: I just wrote that it was opening next Friday, but it has now moved to the 28th. I'm not sure where it will be opening, but it will be screening at a theater called the Hoffman and at the Wisconsin. Usually that means it will be playing at those theaters.
Arlington, Va.: With so many movie critics out there, how do we know which to trust? Rita Kempley: Pick one you usually agree with and use his/her opinion as a guideline.
Mister Jimmy: I need your help, Rita. Miss Edie wants to drag me to see "Willard" this weekend. Can you please have a talk with her? Rita Kempley: Hi Mister Jimmy:
As you know, I just hate to see Hollywood attempt to remake a classic and I think Willard falls into this category. This probably won't dissaude Miss P, you know how she gets when she has new mumu and wants to show it off. Perhaps it will be more enjoyable for you, if you just keep saying to yourself, rats are squirrels without fluffy tails.
Somewhere, USA: Speaking of kissing scenes, Tony Curtis said kissing Marilyn Monroe in Some Like It Hot was "like kissing Hitler". What do you suppose he meant by that? Rita Kempley: I've never heard that one. I'm sure most men would have liked to have the opportunity to find out. And probably some women, too.
Boston, Mass.: Have you seen "All the Real Girls"? Any good? It was playing here in Boston for a week but now it's gone from there and just at one theater, out in the 'burbs. I liked "George Washington" a lot so I really want to see it, and I thought that Zooey Deschanel was really good in "The Good Girl" and I want to see her do more in this. Your thoughts? Rita Kempley: It only played for one week! That's tragic. "All the Real Girls" is a wonderful film. I think the last chat I called it a chick flick for guys, which is a good thing in this case. The men are as real as Deschanel's carry. I think it's worth the schlep.
ArtMovieLover, Va.: How'd you score a review of a guns-'n-guys movie (The Hunted) over Steve Hunter? Could it be that the Style editors are ... thinking outside the box? Rita Kempley: Hi ArtMovieLover:
We haven't heard from you in ages. Missed you. Well. I don't know about the out of the box theory. Steven's book, "Point of Impact," was to have been adapted by William Friedkin, and for reasons that are inexplicable to both Stevie and myself, "The Hunted" is supposed to be the prequel to that movie. In the meantime, Friedkin is off making another movie. Steve had to recuse himself.
Silver Spring, Md.: Rita, Now that our baby is old enough for a babysitter, my wife and I are planning an evening out, possibly dinner and a movie. Is there anything coming out in upcoming weeks that will be really worth seeing, since we won't be going to the movies often? We haven't seen a movie in the theater in ages, so any recent releases with legs are also worth knowing about. Our likes: quality dramas (not too depressing, though), sophisticated comedies ("The Closet"), foreign films ("Amelie" and the German film about Martha the chef), and well-executed thrillers (e.g., "Bourne Identity"). Rita Kempley: I'd suggest "The Quiet American," very smart, moving adaptation of Graham Greene's novel. I'm fond otf the "Guru," a zany semi-musical comedy about a young Indian who comes to America to become a pop star and winds up advising wealthy Gothamites on their sex lives. I also like "About Scmidt," though some people have told me they found it depressing.
Bend It Like Bekham: I saw a trailer for it last weekend at the Courthouse theater, so hopefully it will be there at some point. It looked like fun! Rita Kempley: Then, it sounds as though it will be playing area wide.
Carolyn Hax Impersonator: To Gone with the Wind -- if your view of the film was colored because you knew about Gable's smelly breath, then don't tell your kids. But do encourage them to floss and brush! Rita Kempley: I think the kids would be more apt to heed the advice if they saw how halotosis can keep a couple apart.
Bowie, Md.: Rita, are you helping Bob Levey with his movie selections? He said on his chat today that he will be watching them on his VCR because he gets so many reader complaints about audience behavior in theaters. I know we get a lot of those complaints here; but on a percentage basis, how many times you do you go to a public (not critic) theater do you think audience behavior impinges on your enjoyment of the film?
Rita Kempley: Bob Levey hasn't mentioned this list to me. Has he printed this list yet? If so, we could applaud or deride it. I say everyone is entitled to his/her list. It is the American way.
Actually, I really haven't had to deal with any blabbers in quite a while. Knock on wood.
Shirlington, Va.: My wife and I saw My Big Fat GW when it came out. We suffered for the next few weeks as the only people who seemed totally unimpressed. We were even mildly offended by the non-stop cliches (not because they were racist, etc., but because they were so old and hackneyed). Well, with the Oscars around the corner and the MBFGW sitcom up and running, we are living it over again. Is there anyone else out there who was just bored and underwhelmed by the movie and disappointed to hear about the sitcom? Rita Kempley: You are far from alone. Many a Suspect has expressed bewilderment over the movie's glowing word of mouth. Most critics missed the movie's allure. I thought it was pleasant as ethnic romcoms go, but "Moonstruck," for one, was much more imaginative.
Clearly it filled some need. For one thing, it was the only love story in release last summer. And didn't have much competition this winter or fall.
Big problem with Quiet American ... : Graham Greene wrote the American young man as a (misguided) idealist. QA the movie portrays him as a CIA agent working undercover. Takes a lot away from the protagonist's moral dilemma. Rita Kempley: Perhaps, but then movies seldom live up to a reader's expectations.
Arlington, Va.: I saw Bend it Like Beckham several weeks ago in England, and while it was a decent enough afternoon at the pictures, it wasn't a great movie. Also, the only Americans allowed to see the movie are those who actually understand the title. Rita Kempley: Well, I better skip the screening. I'm thinking it must be a story about a guy named Beckham, who can bend iron with his bare hands.
Alexandria, Va.: My friends in the UK all said that Bend it Like Beckham was an okay movie, but nothing spectacular, and that they suggest that I wait until it comes out on video. Rita Kempley: Well, there you have it. Two thumbs down.
Cumberland, R.I.: I just have to vent! I thought that watching Jack N. in About Schmidt was like watching someone sleepwalk. Yikes -- another Oscar for the old codger?? Tell me it ain't gonna happen! Rita Kempley: Cumberland:
If you've got to vent, this is the place. I haven't a clue whether the codger will land an AA or not. One thing's for sure, he won't have far to walk from that front row seat.
Manassas, Va.: I feel so Duh! My fiance and I both saw The Life of David Gale twice. SPOILER ALERT! It totally changed my attitude about the death penalty but one thing we couldn't understand was the deal with "the student who would do anything", and the cash. Why was it given to her husband to take to David Gales ex wife and also I think it was a terrific must- see. I was surprised that it was rated a C- by critics. I would have given it an A Rita Kempley: You know what, it doesn't really matter what the rest of the world thinks. If a movie makes you think -- about anything -- let alone gives you a new perspective on a difficult issue, be grateful.
I was also a bit confused by the student. But I believe it had to be the girl who falsely accused the hero of raping her. I don't know why she sent the money -- or when -- either. My guess, the producers wanted some kind of happy ending.
MBFGW: In my humble opinion, that movie did so well because it was so kind and gentle (and yes, predictable,) in an extremely trying time. I, for one, get very tired of "romantic comedies" where one party is a liar and the other a manipulator, and everyone is cruel to everyone else for the sake of a laugh. It's the same way I feel about "Friends." With friends like these ... Rita Kempley: Good points. Many of the heroines in Cinderella romances are frauds, not that most viewers seem to mind. "Maid in Manhattan" tries on a hotel guest's clothes and snags her prince; "Working Girl" raids her boss' wardrobe and meets her prince. The makeover, however it is achieved is a hallmark of the genre..
Herndon, Va.: OUR QUEEN: I think "About Schmidt" qualifies as the funniest depressing movie ever. For "the Quiet American," Brendon Fraser deserves praise for his performance, too. Finally, yes "My Big Fat GW" had every cliche in the book, but it was redeemingly funny -- which, lord knows, we need right now. I can't wait for the first Bruce Willis flick based on the Iraq War of March-April 2003. Steve Rita Kempley: Sir Steve:
I thought About Schmidt was funny, too. And I didn't really find it all that depressing. It put in mind of J .Alfred Prufrock's reflections on life. And while the rest of you are probably out there jumping out of airplanes and climbing mountains and going on camera safaris, I'm clinging to my routine. I know I'll have regrets ... and the poor soul does find a kind of redemption in the end.
Laurel, Md.: MBFGW is the perfect chick flick:
The bad guys aren't that bad. Of course, Chicago is a great chick flick too; and the good guys aren't that good.
Rita Kempley: Laurel: So you like your men pretty mediocre.
Georgetown, Washington, D.C.: Hi Rita - Since you liked "The Guru" and "East is East," I'm sure you will enjoy "Bend It Like Beckham." I saw it in England last July and really enjoyed it. By the way, the title refers to the ability of David Beckham to strike the soccer ball in such a way that it curves to one side. Rita Kempley: Thank you, Georgetown.
Boulder, Colo.: Rita, I went to an AMC theater the other night. The theater was fairly full, but there were still some completely empty rows up front and isolated pairs and single seats throughout. A few minutes before the previews started, a theater employee came up to our row and forced everyone to squish together to fill up empty seats so she could seat three people together in that row. Have you experienced this? I thought it was way out of line, people who come late to a popular movie shouldn't expect to get their choice of seats. Rita Kempley: Hi Boulder:
If the usher asked nicely, I don't think that it was that big a deal. But ideally people should arrive before the credits roll, so they don't have to crawl over everybody to find their seats.
That happened here recently when some theater manager made several people get up to make room for a politican of some sort and his party.
Men in Romantic Comedies: It's not just duplicitous heroines. The male love interest in "The Wedding Planner" is obviously not interested in sustaining a relationship with his fiancee and is actively seeking romance with the heroine. Ditto "Serendipity." Why is the "capture" of these men supposed to be romantic? Rita Kempley: Most love stories aren't really romances at all. They're recreations of the fairytale Cinderella. The love object is the prize for having successfully completed the course.
MBFGW: No violence, no bad language, suggestion of sex but nothing graphic. I took my parents and they loved it -- my mom said she liked it because "the family was nuts but they all loved each other." Not many movies like that these days. Rita Kempley: Good points all.
Riverdale, Md.: Rita, What do you (and maybe the female suspects out there) think of John C. Reilly's Oscar chances. I can't remember which film (Chicago or Hours) he was nominated for, because he played the same character in both: the loving husband no woman can stand being married to. Is he really good in that role, or does he just have the right "look" to be believable?
Rita Kempley: It was Chicago. I think he's got the look and the "gift" for playing that role. If only he were bad but not to bad, he'd have a better shot at getting the girl.
Re: David Gale $: SPOILER ALERT! Hi, The money that was given to the ex-wife in the end was the $$ he got from doing the interview with Bitsy ... Rita Kempley: Thanks for the explanation. However, I do recall a post card or note that arrived with the money. This seemed to indicate that it had something to do with the student as well.
Rita Kempley: The time has come to say so long. I've got to go out and shoot the squirrels that are eating my crocuses. Okay, I'm just going to ring the dinner bell and give up.
Anyway, good talking to you. See you in a couple of weeks.
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