Kill Bill: Volume I

Quentin Tarantino’s new film centers on a woman known only as The Bride (Uma Thurman), who awakens from a coma four years after she is nearly assassinated at her wedding party by the elite fighting force to which she once belonged. Once she’s up and about again, The Bride sets out on a mission of revenge against her former compatriots. On paper, Kill Bill: Volume I sounds dangerously close to Charlie’s Angels: There are many martial arts action sequences, all of the main characters are women and one of them is played by Lucy Liu. However, whereas Angels was mindless fun, Kill Bill is an intricate homage to classic themes and styles strung together for the most fun and exciting film of the year. Within the film, one can see hints of Tarantino’s influences and tastes—spaghetti westerns, Hong Kong kung fu, Japanese samurai, anime—all adapted to fit into his unique vision. (SNJ)

Lost in Translation

Fulfilling the boundless promise exhibited in her debut effort, The Virgin Suicides, director Sofia Coppola crafts a sublime love letter to Tokyo and transitory friendship with her newest film, Lost in Translation. Hollywood star Bob Harris (Bill Murray) has been shipped off to Japan to hawk Suntory whiskey to the natives. There he encounters Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson), the beautiful wife of a photographer who spends much of her day staring out her window in hopes of somehow finding herself within the city’s skyline. The pair discover Tokyo culture and a profundity in their friendship that is lacking in their respective marriages. Johansson perfects the prolonged sulk, while Murray delivers his best performance yet, donning the hats of weary voyager, droll companion and cynical mentor with equal comfort. There are plenty of belly laughs to be had along the way, but what remains with the viewer is the significance of the fleeting connection that these two people share. (BYC)

Veronica Guerin

Director Joel Schumacher’s latest movie is based upon on the life of the Sunday Independent reporter of the same name. The film is the story of Guerin’s self-imposed mission to clear the streets of drugs and pushers, culminating in her brutal death at the hands of gang leaders fighting the momentum of her crusade. Most important, it is the story of Guerin herself: her character, her motivations, her fears and her doubts. Cate Blanchett’s resplendent performance as Guerin seethes with passion and intensity in every scene. It is her skillful work—as well as that of her supporting cast—that compensates for the film’s directorial inadequacies. (GPH)

—Happening was compiled by Dominique M. Elie, Alexandra D. Hoffer, M. Patricia Li, Vinita M. Alexander, Tiffany I. Hsieh, Steven N. Jacobs, Ben Y. Chung and Gary P. Ho.

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