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By Beth Lambdin
Washington Window
Vol. 75, No. 7, June 2006
United 93 (Rated R)
Like most Americans, I know the fate of United Flight 93, the only one of the four planes hijacked on Sept. 11, 2001, that didn't reach its intended target (the Capitol in the film). So, from the opening scenes of Muslim prayers, I dreaded the inevitable conclusion to the events unfolding on the big screen. British film maker Paul Greengrass tells the story with immediacy and urgency, and like it or not, we're along for the ride. Because we're in the know, tension doesn't build slowly; it bludgeons us right from the start. On the ground, normal routines fall apart as planes blip off radar. As aviation and military personnel come to accept the incomprehensible, that the hijackings are real and the terrorists are on suicide missions, they react with shock and disbelief. But, by and large, officials respond appropriately, and even wisely, to establish control of America's airspace. After phone calls home, the doomed passengers know about as much as the officials (very little), and after tearful goodbyes, refuse to go quietly. Some may find catharsis in the final heroic scenes of desperation as passengers storm the cockpit. I felt only profound grief - and longed for a typical "Hollywood" ending.
The Da Vinci Code (Rated PG-13)
The pre-release outrage was universal; people of all faiths knew they'd be offended by the film. How best to respond: protest, boycott or engage? If you escaped the media onslaught or didn't read Dan Brown's 2003 fictional bestseller, here's the plot: a curator is murdered at the Louvre. Investigators ask Harvard symbologist, Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks), to help decipher gruesome clues left at the crime scene. When Langdon becomes the No.1 suspect, Sophie Neveu (Audrey Tautou), granddaughter of the victim, "rescues him." With a mad monk (Paul Bettany) nipping at their heels, they dash around Paris and London following cryptic clues that reveal secrets about Jesus and Mary Magdalene, which Opus Dei, a conservative Catholic sect, has fanatically guarded. Director Ron Howard defends his film as entertainment and not theology. So, does it entertain? Yes, the film is intriguing and intelligent, connecting divergent dots to create a psychologically satisfying whole. But, at 2 ½ hours, it begs for crisper editing; at times this thriller is paradoxically inert. Perhaps, most distressing (given the sacred feminine tract) is that it dumbs down Sophie's role. Yet, spontaneous applause erupted from the capacity crowd at the screening I attended - a clue not all people were offended.
Akeelah and the Bee (Rated PG)
Like the 2002 Oscar-nominated documentary, "Spellbound," director Doug Atchison's fictionalized story about stellar spellers also charms. Akeelah (marvelous Keke Palmer) is a precocious 11-year-old from a poor neighborhood in Los Angeles. Bowing to peer pressure, she attempts to hide her intelligence, but underneath the false bravado, she's a gifted speller and a kid who loves to learn. Unfortunately, Akeelah's widowed and overwhelmed mother (Angela Bassett) dismisses her when Akeelah tries to share her passion for words. However, Akeelah perseveres and after qualifying in local bees, she has a shot at the big time, the Nationals in Washington, D.C. But, to be competitive she needs a tutor and after a rocky beginning, finds one in Dr. Larabee (Laurence Fishburne), an erudite and dignified college professor. The taciturn professor teaches Akeelah strategies to break down words and methods to jog her memory, but more importantly, he gives her the gifts of a classical education and an unshakable resolve that she is powerful beyond words. Occasionally, the film approaches predictability, but each time a surprise turn reveals deepening insight into Akeelah's character. Her balance of brains and heart guarantee she'll always be a champion - in spelling and in life.
Thank You For Smoking (Rated R)
I hope that Aaron Eckhart will be remembered at Oscar time for his pitch-perfect performance as tobacco lobbyist extraordinaire, Nick Naylor. This sharp satire is adapted from Christopher Buckley's book (look for him in a cameo) and directed by Jason Reitman. Nick's the "sultan of spin," a smooth-talking, charming rascal who prides himself on his abilities to leave his less glib enemies (including William H. Macy as sanctimonious Senator Ortolan K. Finistirre) sputtering in frustration. Nick knows that smoking kills, which makes him a pariah except within the self-named "MOD Squad," the "Masters of Death," an unholy triumvirate of tobacco, alcohol and firearms lobbyists who meet, eat and strategize about how best to market their goods. Professionally a player, personally, a train wreck, Nick's disconnected from his one source of love, his 12-year-old son, Joey, (Cameron Bright). Beneath the slick exterior, however, Nick's heart still beats and he wants to connect with Joey. So, the kid starts to accompany him on business trips - and grows to respect his father's prodigious talents. Nick is often morally reprehensible and an appalling role model for his son. Yet, his ubiquitous argument about free will - although twisted - actually makes good sense.
Lambdin is a freelance writer who reviews movies every other month in Washington Window. She welcomes your comments at lambdinb@tontologic.com
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