Reviews

The present-day persecution of homosexuals and transsexuals will (hopefully) be seen by future generations as an ugly blemish upon the historical fabric of the United States, the inevitable result of our continued obsession with preserving "traditional values." But movies like "Boys Don't Cry" won't be the catalyst that brings this change in heart about. Here is a film that manages to be as repugnant as the tragedies it depicts. It is filled with exceptionally well-played characters, not one of which is at all likable. Brandon, (portrayed wonderfully by Hilary Swank) the proverbial "man trapped inside a woman's body," is undoubtedly intended as the story's protagonist, but aside from the love he feels for Lana (another fine performance from Chloe Sevigny), he possesses no admirable characteristics; he is profoundly stupid in the choices he makes, and doesn't seem to realize just how precarious his position is. He's a sheep surrounded by a pack of wolves but is either too naive or too lovestruck to notice. His constant run-ins with the authorities certainly don't make things much easier. The rest of the characters are your stereotypical Midwest lowlifes: their activities consist of drinking, smoking, and working dead-end jobs. It is not at all difficult to predict what will ultimately happen to Brandon in an environment such as this. If Hollywood wanted to send a message about the dangers of sexual discrimination, they couldn't have picked a worse story.

'Syriana' takes on one of the most important issues of our time: the conflict between American oil interests and the powers of the Middle East. The task proves too much and we are left with a film that buckles under the weight of its own intricacies.

I enjoy films that offer complicated plots. The problem with 'Syriana' is that its level of complexity exceeds its capacity for coherence. There are long stretches of unintelligibility, where it is nigh impossible to determine exactly what is going on or how it relates to the movie as a whole.

Another of 'Syriana's' shortcomings lies in its ensemble cast. The difficulty is not the ensemble cast itself, however; this is a story that demands the use of multiple characters. Rather, the problem is the size of the ensemble. We are presented with numerous parallel stories whose relations between one another do not become clear until the very end. With this bevy of narratives comes the sacrifice of character depth. The film attempts to add dimension to its characters by providing unnecessary conflicts. The fact that Bennett Holiday's father is an alcoholic is utterly irrelevant to the plot; it is included for the sole purpose of adding depth to an otherwise boring character. Bob Barnes' son exists for no reason other than to illustrate the tension in Barnes' family. The death of Bryan Woodman's son serves a similar purpose: to provide conflict between Woodman, his wife, and the royal family.

'Syriana' is not without its positives, however. The acting is first- rate across the board, and the parts that do make sense are quite captivating. It is also unsettling when one realizes that the basic premise is not at all far-fetched. But on the whole, 'Syriana' is a disappointment.

Up until now, the Batman series has attempted to translate the campiness of the pulp comic to the big screen. Although these films succeeded in enveloping us in the dark world of Gotham (with the exception of the abominable 'Batman and Robin'), we were always aware that what we were watching was fantasy. 'Batman Begins' manages to removes this awareness while at the same time preserving the relentless gloom of its predecessors. Gone are the days of chuckling at the Caped Crusader's adversaries for their exaggerated malice. We are now given villains that are genuinely wicked and devoid of humor. They are no longer caricatures that perpetrate evil for its own sake. Rather, they are motivated by an agenda that, while condemnable, is selfless and not entirely unjustifiable. This is not to say that the plot itself is realistic. As Roger Ebert pointed out, there is no possible way that it could be. But its characters ARE real and interact with their world in a very human way. If this is the shape of Batman to come, we have much to look forward to.

Although its overall quality has been tarnished by a few of its episodes (namely I and II), the Star Wars saga still stands as one of the greatest triumphs in the history of cinema. We should be thankful, then, that this particular entry has escaped the attention of most Star Wars fans.

The Star Wars Holiday Special is a travesty in almost every respect. Aside from the introduction of Boba Fett (though even this segment is handled in a sloppy, amateurish manner), there is nothing positive that can be said about it. It is a mishmash of tedious, sophomoric live action and cheesy animation, held together by a messy and downright laughable storyline. It functions as a side story that bears no relation to the preceding events in "A New Hope" or the later events of "The Empire Strikes Back." If you're a die-hard fan of the series, please avoid this at all costs (which shouldn't be too difficult, given its obscurity). Watch "The Clone Wars" instead.

'RoboCop' represents a low point in '80s sci-fi cinema. The acting is laughable, the plot redundant, and the dialogue stale. I suppose the film was intended to be brain candy, but its sheer unpleasantness causes it to fail even in this respect. The fun factor is further reduced by the movie's almost unbearably annoying villains who, for whatever reason, find it necessary to giggle with girlish glee whenever they kill or threaten someone. A stupid, pointlessly violent, and thoroughly unenjoyable movie. If you're looking for an enjoyable cyborg flick, this ain't it. Try 'The Terminator' or 'Terminator 2: Judgement Day' instead.