Volume 04, Number 17
Movies
Movie News
By Bill Hersey
Happy to say success has not spoiled Daniel Radcliffe, the young star of the Harry Potter series. He was here recently with producer David Heyman to promote the latest film in the series, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix for Warner Bros.
I got to know Daniel and his co-stars, as well as his parents, during their many promo visits here. I think I can safely say he's made millions of dollars and millions of fans from his talent, and dedication to his work.
At the press conference he and Heyman had nothing but praise for each other. The producer told the media “Daniel's remained decent and unaffected. He's a real friend.” Daniel said: “On the set I'm surrounded by honest and supportive people like David—and parents— and that's primarily what's kept me grounded.”
TOHO-Towa held a Sunday premier of their film Rush Hour 3 at Roppongi Hills Arena. Two more downto- earth, unspoiled international superstars, Jackie Chan, who flew in for one day of promotions, and Hiroyuki Sanada, who co-starred in the film, with their energy and dynamic personalities made the event fun and exciting.
On-stage dialogue included Jackie praising the French government's support when they were shooting on location in Paris, adding it was very expensive turning the lights of the Eiffel Tower on and off. Hiroyuki (Last Samurai) said it was a real learning experience working with Jackie and Jackie gave out with his famous smile, saying: “I knew Hiroyuki was good—but not that good. Scenes that sometimes have 20 to 30 takes, had two or three with him. He's a real pro.”
Sorry the Chinese government won't let the film be shown there. That, of course, means the DVD pirates will make big bucks from the popular stars and fun film.
Movie Review - No Reservations
by Marie Teather
This romantic comedy, set around a chic New York eatery, is Scott Hicks’ Hollywood take on Mostly Martha, a much loved German film drama. Catherine Zeta Jones, an eclectic fusion of Welsh girl-next-door and Hollywood starlet, stars as Kate Armstrong—an uptight and perfectionist head-chef who keeps her relationships as cool and controlled as her walk-in freezer, that is until her sister dies in a car crash and she finds herself in inheritance of her young niece, Zoe. While Kate is out of work, trying to figure out why an eleven year-old refuses to eat Cordon Bleu-inspired culinary and also coming to terms with her own relationship issues, Nick Palmer (Aaron Eckhart) is hired as the stand-in chef. Kate—Manhattan’s female equivalent of Gordon Ramsey—returns to work to be greeted by the free-spirited and opera loving Nick managing the kitchen with his own unique flavor. The remainder of the film predictably focuses on the intertwining lives of the three characters.
Although as unsurprising as a packetbought bolognese, food critics, or those seeking a little comforting food for thought, will find Zeta Jones’ portrayal of how to help a child in grief heartwarming, and Eckharts performance humorously charming.
East/West Double Bill
by M. Halliday
Whatever your feelings about the Harry Potter phenomena one thing is certain: that peculiarly British practice of sending young children to ancient private schools in lands far, far away (well the English home counties generally) has never been more fashionable; for a somewhat different take on the British public (private) school system watch Lindsey Anderson’s If. Made in the late 60s, Anderson used one of these venerable old establishments as a metaphor for Britain itself, or at least its ruling class. His assumption, that the system, in the guise of the school, was there for the over throwing and that free thinking youth would be the first on the barricades, was proved somewhat wide of the mark. The film, however, is excellent and despite being a wonderful time capsule of late 60s Britain is also strangely timeless. Superbly acted by an all British cast headed by Malcolm McDowell (in the role that caught Stanley Kubrick’s eye) and featuring an ending that pulls on the heart strings of rebel wannabes everywhere, If is the first, and easily best, part of a trilogy—the sometime interesting and inventive O Lucky Man and rather messy Britannia Hospital being the other two.
In Juzo Itami’s smashing little comedy Tampopo the theme of education is explored via the quest to create the perfect bowl of ramen. Made in 1985 and exploring Japan’s intense and enduring obsession with food, Tampopo follows the education of a widow (called Tampopo and played by Nobuko Miyamoto—Itami’s real life wife) by drifting truck driver Goro (played by Tsutomo Yamazaki) and his side kick (a young Ken Watanabe). Other, often hilarious, food related sketches appear throughout the film; Itami’s genius is the way these seemingly unrelated sketches complement the main story rather than distract. The overall result is a genuinely charming, very funny film (though vegetarians may need a pillow to hide behind for the turtle scene) that is nevertheless as subversive in its own way as other ‘heavier’ works and one is sure-the humble bowl of ramen will never seem quite the same again.