THE ITHACAN

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…

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.…

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…

Artistic video blurs reality into fantasy

By Matthew Reis, Staff Writer • February 4, 2007

Some people take portraits in the middle of a park. Others take portraits in a department store. Artist Sam Jury takes portraits in the middle of a dream — or at least that’s what she tries to make viewers think. Jury’s mixed media piece “Forever is Never” is an enlightening video that allows the viewer…

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…

Latest big-screen musical lives up to the hype

By Hannah Moore, Staff Writer • January 31, 2007

Based on the Broadway musical of the same name, “Dreamgirls” is an inspiring toe-tapper that chronicles the lives of Effie White (Jennifer Hudson), Deena Jones (Beyoncé Knowles) and Lorrell Robinson (Anika Noni Rose), as they follow their dreams of pop stardom. The girls get their big break when they are hired as back-up singers for…

‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ is a fairy tale worth getting lost in

By Nina Boutsikaris, Contributing Writer • January 31, 2007

Guillermo Del Toro’s “Pan’s Labyrinth” attempts to explore the prevalent malevolence of the real world through the fantastical eyes of an innocent child. Sergi López stars as the seriously evil and cold Capitán Vidal of a fascist post–World War II army base in rural Spain, where young Ofelia, portrayed by 12-year-old Ivana Baquero, comes to…

Comedian offends and tackles religious issues

By Harry Shuldman, Staff Writer • January 26, 2007

George Carlin is not stand-up comedy’s elder statesman. “Elder” and “state” imply a type of establishment, which Carlin has always successfully avoided. There’s the old adage that all comedians secretly wish they were rock stars. As such, maybe Carlin is the Jimi Hendrix of stand-up. The gold standard. The undisputed great one. And like a…