THE ITHACAN

Street-smart woman transforms elder’s life in ‘Venus’

By Miranda K. Pennington, Senior Writer • March 1, 2007

Though not the first film to examine a relationship made inappropriate by age, education, culture or class background, “Venus” may be the first to avoid settling on a single interpretation. The lustful fascination Maurice (Peter O’Toole) has with Jessie (Jodie Whittaker), an uncultured teenage urchin, is, from the outset, disturbing and creepy. The film approaches…

‘The Astronaut Farmer’ flies to outer space

By Ben Tietz, Staff Writer • February 28, 2007

In a time of pop-culture-happy, snarky entertainment that masks any message behind a preening above-it-all attitude, “The Astronaut Farmer” is a welcome relief. Directed by Michael Polish from a screenplay written by Polish and his brother, Mark, “The Astronaut Farmer” is one of the most recent corny films. But that is its primary charm. Charles…

Daring crime drama depicts story of real-life FBI agent

By Ben Tietz, Staff Writer • February 22, 2007

In “Breach,” Cooper plays Robert Hanssen, the FBI agent who was arrested Feb. 18, 2001, for leaking billions of dollars worth of government secrets to the Soviet Union. Cooper conveys evil thoughts that the film’s script only hints at, and he does this without a more well-known actor’s histrionics and showboating. Cooper uses silence far…

Impressive cast couldn’t save ‘Ghost Rider’

By Harry Shuldman, Staff Writer • February 22, 2007

As if “Daredevil” and “Elektra” never happened, writer/director Mark Steven Johnson has been allowed on the set of yet another superhero film. This time, he works his fractured magic on Marvel Comics’ hell-spawned biker series, “Ghost Rider.” One could argue that Johnson had strikes against him with “Daredevil” because of the absurd story. Admittedly, a…

New ‘Hannibal’ doesn’t live up to standards

By Harry Shuldman, Staff Writer • February 15, 2007

“Hannibal Rising” is like “Muppet Babies” or “The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles,” but with more cannibalism. The film aims to expand the popular series about psychotic cannibal Hannibal Lecter by taking the audience back to the beginning. But like similar experiments, such as “The Exorcist: The Beginning,” it’s a storyline no one needed to know.…

Cutesy imperfections attempt to charm

By Miranda K. Pennington, Senior Writer • February 15, 2007

“Because I Said So” is a culminating film for director Michael Lehman. With “Heathers” he displayed knowledge of how to depict women addicted to drama. “My Giant” illustrated his willingness to put casting opportunities above plot plausibility. And from “The Truth About Cats and Dogs,” he learned that every relationship needs a little dishonesty. All…

Almodóvar returns with another masterpiece

By Laurel Janeen, Smith Staff Writer • February 14, 2007

“Volver” begins with Raimunda (Penélope Cruz) coming home from a long day at work to find a nightmare spilling out onto her kitchen floor. Her husband lays dead after trying to take advantage of her daughter Paula (Yohana Cobo), who stabbed him in self-defense. Raimuda does what any self-respecting woman would do: She grabs a…

Film chronicles reign of murderous president

By Harry Shuldman, Staff Writer • February 8, 2007

A string of Hollywood-produced, Africa-based films throughout the past three years have reminded audiences of the sorrow and turmoil that exists across the continent. The results are a mix of informative, though not very uplifting, experiences. In the spirit of such films, “The Last King of Scotland” does to its audience what Idi Amin did…

Powerful dancing beats standard plot twists

By Miranda K. Pennington, Senior Writer • February 8, 2007

There’s not really much to be added to the genre of “personal redemption via [insert art form here].” The key is showcasing the chosen art and illustrating its fresh and vital appeal within a well-established framework. “Stomp the Yard” hits this mark, doing for stepping what “Roll Bounce” tried to do for synchronized roller-skating. Here’s…

‘Aces’ low in bloated mob tale

By Ben Tietz, Contributing Writer • February 7, 2007

Writer-director Joe Carnahan’s latest exercise in pop-violence, “Smokin’ Aces,” is truly awful. Designed only to elicit sophomoric shouts of excitement from the audience, this unnecessarily convoluted film has a hyper-kinetic style of editing and an undeserved tone of smugness that floats through it like a toxic gas. The story involves Buddy “Aces” Israel, a campy…

Scandalous behavior rocks the playground

By Miranda K. Pennington, Senior Writer • February 1, 2007

The truly shocking relationship in “Notes on a Scandal” is not the torrid affair between a teacher and her student, but rather the warped intimacy that binds an adulterer and her blackmailer. Art teacher Sheba Hart (Cate Blanchett) and 15-year-old Stephen Conolly (Andrew Simpson) are exploited by history teacher Barbara Covett (Judi Dench), who puts…

War film captures different point of view

By Harry Shuldman, Staff Writer • February 1, 2007

The most popular World War II films are told from the perspective of the winners. Like the war itself, they’re epic, noisy and violent. No matter how much corn syrup is splattered around the set, at least audiences get to leave feeling good about the ultimate outcome. Enter “Letters from Iwo Jima,” an American World…