24 - Friday, December 11. 1998 - North Shore News

The good,
the bad &
Apt Pupil

I was lucky to see some excellent
films this year, and even luckier to
miss some of the reai stinkers that
polluted cinemas nationwide. Here
are some of the cinematic highs
and lows I encountered:

Best
1. Waking Ned Devine
1998's The Full Monty, Waking Ned
Devine was a divine departure trom the
endless stream of blockbuster
Hollywood vehicles this year, Someone
in the tiny hish village of Tullymore has got
to impersonate dead Ned Devine te collect
his lotrery winnings, but they've got to get
Ned's teeth back mn first, One of those
movies that make vou want to stand up and
cheer at the end.
2. Saving Private Ryan
An obvious choice, given the film's content
and its groundbreaking, heartbreaking, battle
scenes. Difficult ro watch, but did more to
educate vouth on the true meaning of
Remensbrance Day than any documeniary
coukl

3. Life Is Beautiful
How rare it is to have farcical comedy so
naturally blended with human tragedy.
Roberto Benigni's character makes us
laugh and ery, then laugh some more, all
the while erving to save his fittle boy from per-
ishing, in ‘the Holocaust.
4. Elizabeth
A refreshing departure from light and airy period pieces,
Elicabetir is dark, gothic and riveting. Cate Blanchett is
brilliant as Elizabeth, the virgin queen of England, and
is a certain Oscar nominee.
5. There’s Something About Mary
This film hardly hit a cultural high nore, but was such a
phenomenon that it deserved mention. Recently lett
Park and Tilford Cinemas, where it had been playing
since the summer — an enviable run by any box-office
standards. Straddled the line of political correctness and
crossed the line several times in terms of good taste (did
we really need to see the franks and beans?) but audi-
ences loved it regardless.

EC RSE

NORTH SHORE PERFORMANCE

JULIE CRAWFORD
Fim Reviews

¢ 4
For Searchlight

David Kelly stars in director/writer Kirk Jones’ Waking Ned Devine.
The film opens today at Fifth Avenue Cinemas.

WORST

1, Apt Pupil

Don't veu hate i when those pesky v
just won't die? After a stabbing and af
the stairs, a few good blows to the head witha
shovel finally do the trick. Threw in some extra:
neous Holocaust imagery and a psychopath: in-
training and you've got yourself one of the
most unlikable movies of 1998,
2. 54

Jae would chink thar a movie about drags,
uninhibited sex and celebrities would at feast be
tun to wateh, if Gor intellectually chaitenging;
the AXE documentary, however, was more captivating.
The characters in 54 seemed bored, and so were we.
3. Armaggedon
Would it never end? Sure, mingled in with lethal doses of
rah-rah U.S, patriotism there were some fairly impressive
effects, but there were also a few that looked as chough
they were downloaded off the Internet. Members of the
audience were piaying “guess the next line” throughout
the film with high success.
4, A Price Above Rubies
Despite the talented cast (Renee Zellweger, Christopher
Eccleston) and seemingly interesting storyline, the tilm
failed to deliver much more than glossed-over and trite
portrayals of life as an Orthodox Hasidic Jew in
Manhattan's diamond district. And Sonia’s affair with a
Hispanic Catholic was toe much of a stretch.
5. Six Days, Seven Nights
An exotic locale does not a great film make. Achingly pre-
dictable plot, and the relationship between pilot Harrison
Ford and passenger Anne Heche jusv didn’t fly. Gilligan's
Island reruns on TV are 9 better bargain.

@ Park & Tilford Cineplex

200 ~ 333 Brooksbank, North Vancouver 98? 3911 ©
Babe: Pig in the City (G3 — 2. @:45 8:50 pan ine 6-45 pan
show on San. Deo. £27

Elizabeth (4A; 0 113,70 15,945 pan.

Meyeho (14A)-- 140, 7:30, 9:50 pom.

Patch Adams tnot yet rated = 7 pan Sar, Dee, E2 onky
Antz (ity — 215 pam.

The Red Violin (PGi) -- 708,940 p.m,

Pleasantville (GG 1:39, 6:58, 9:30 pan.

Meet Joe Black (PG) — 1,745 pam

@ Esplanade 6 Cinemas

200 W. Esplanade, North Vancouver (983-2762)

A Bug's Life -- 12:15, 2:35, 4:50, 7:20, 9:40 p.m.
The Waterboy — 12:20, 2:40, 4:55, 7:40, 9:50 pin,
Jack Frost —- 1, 3:30, 7:10, 9:30 p.m.

Star Trek: Insurrection -— 12. 2:30. 5, 7:30. 10 p.m.
The Rugrats Movie -- 12:30, 2:25, 4:45, 7.9 pam.
Enemy af the State * 4:30, 4:20, 7:15, 1010 p.m,

Seo amare paw 38

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