Sideways

Mar. 5

Comedy drama/US/English (Japanese subtitles)/124mins
Starring: Paul Giamatti, Thomas Haden Church, Virginia Madsen
Director: Alexender Payne
Searchlight Pictures

Miles (Paul Giametti) is an oenophile, which in this case is just a poor disguise for being an alcoholic. He is not one of nature's good lookers, his career is going nowhere, no one wants to publish the novels he has written: a nice nerdy interest in red wine and regular sousing is some kind of compensation for or distraction from his unsatisfying life.

When Miles plans a tour of California wine country for his buddy Jack (Thomas Haden Church), you feel that he is planning his own drinking as much as arranging a nice break for his old chum.
Jack is quite unlike Miles, the well-read, sensitive soul. Jack is not too bright and comes with his own baggage: he is a failed actor. Jack also tends to think with the contents of his trousers — and he has his own addiction: women. Jack is getting married soon, which is the whole point of this trip, a chance to chill and spend some time together before Jack settles down and gets sensible. For Jack, the trip, to Miles's discomfort is a chance to get laid one last time. You see, Miles is not getting laid kind of people, this is definitely Jack's forte. Besides, Miles is already promised and is quite faithful: he is promised to alcohol and even a fleeting liaison with an actual woman would be a terrible distraction.

Jack will have his way, however, and without telling them of his impending wedding, the two men hook up with a pair of women, Maya (Virginia Madsen) and Stephanie: (Sandra Oh). Poignantly, Miles has adored Maya from afar for many years, but his shattered esteem will not let him to admit this to her. Jack just wants a shag.

From this point on, the film takes on some of the flavour of a comedy romance, but at no time does is slip in sentimentality or gooiness. The writer and director Alexander Payne knows that this film is powered by the compelling characters he has created and he keeps them working out their demons and foibles right to the end. A very humane and engaging film.

Shark Tale

Mar. 5

Animation/US/English (Japanese subtitles)/100mins
Voices: Will Smith, Robert De Niro, Jack Black
Director: Bibo Bergeron, Vicky Jenson, Rob Letterman
DreamWorks Pictures

Shark Tale has, if you'll pardon the expression, made quite a splash
in the West where it was released a few months ago, and where it has garnered nominations for all sorts of gongs. And not surprisingly. It comes from the same stable as Shrek and is voiced by an actual who's who of Hollywood, with Robert De Nero, Will Smith, Angelina Jolie. Martin Scorsese, Renee Zellweger and lots more.

In the long tradition of fearless film reviewing at KS, we are going to break ranks and offer only qualified praise.
It all starts out promising enough. Oscar (Will Smith) is a young, wide-boy fish with a nothing job and big dreams of success and fortune. Partly to finance these dreams, or his fantasy, he gets into a loan shark (ha ha ha!) for lots of money. Meanwhile, the reef where Oscar lives, is controlled by gangster sharks, the godfather of whom is Lino (Robert De Nero). Lino has a problem: his son Lenny (Jack Black) just isn't up to a life of brutality. In fact, he's a vegetarian shark, a very principled vegetarian shark, who does not have what it takes to run the family empire. Lino sends Lenny out with his appropriately psychotic brother Frankie (Michael Imperioli) to learn about being vicious. They come across a helpless Oscar, but Frankie dies in a bizarre accident before he can kill the smaller fish. Oscar takes credit for Frankie's demise and is an instant hero back on the reef.

Now both Oscar and Lenny have more problems. Oscar has to maintain his heroic charade while Lino is out for revenge, and Lenny finds himself sole heir to his father's crime empire. Oops! Resourcefully, the two fish contrive to help each other out.
Unfortunately, a talking-fish animation so soon after Finding Nemo is going to draw comparisons it cannot deal with. Also the film lacks the edge that its forerunner Shrek had. Shark Tale has neither the inventiveness nor the sheer humour of its close peers.

But I am knocking because I care. Shark Tale remains a genial and jolly little outing which makes brave stabs at fulfilling its promise.

Film Reviews by Chris Page

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