“Godzilla 2000” Starring Takehiro Murata, Hiroshi Abe and Naomi Nishida Directed By Takao Okawara
Once upon a time, long before the birth of Pokémon, a different breed of superhero monster stole the hearts of almost 100 million viewers in Japan alone. Nearly 46 years since the creation of the Godzilla series, director Takao Okawara and “Godzilla 2000” bring the towering, 170-foot beast to theaters to wreak havoc once again in the frazzled streets of Tokyo. Like its 22 preceding episodes, “Godzilla 2000” can be summarized by its terrifying concept: A big fire-breathing, razor-backed beast stomps through the city and people begin running through the streets like ants. He’s the star of the show until new adversary Orga awakens from a UFO that was thought to be dormant for 6,000 years. Big monsters. Little people. Buildings crumbling. That’s the point. Marking his third starring role in a Godzilla film, Takehiro Murata plays Shinoda, the head of the Godzilla Prediction Network that researches the whereabouts and minimizes the tearabouts of Japan’s perennial foe. Hiroshi Abe plays Shinoda’s counterpart Katagiri, who dedicates himself in his role as the chief of the Crisis Control Intelligence Agency to destroying Godzilla forever. The highlight of the film goes to Tsutomu Kitagawa, the gymnast who wears the Godzilla suit and controls the beast’s inner mechanisms. The film’s dubbed English dialogue loses its drama in the translation. Instead of becoming a dark and haunting sequel, “Godzilla 2000” leaves viewers with more laughs than gasps in awe of the fantasy that made him charismatic in the first place. Who cares if Godzilla was supposed to have been killed off in 1995’s “Godzilla vs. Destoroyah,” which was announced as his final film? The point of the series is not to label the monster as the good guy, the bad guy or even the guy who was supposed to have died long ago. Audiences who like fire-breathing, tail-whacking, city-terrorizing beasts like Godzilla won’t have a problem with that. Viewers who look for a plot with any more substance may not find Godzilla’s destruction as fulfilling.
Sharon Hori Rating: 3
“Bring It On” Starring Kirsten Dunst and Eliza Dushku Directed by Peyton Reed What do Kirsten Dunst, Paula Abdul, Aaron Spelling and Dwight D. Eisenhower have in common? They were all cheerleaders. Aside from a short cheerleading stint in the eighth grade, Dunst, however, was only a cheerleader for movie-making purposes. In “Bring It On,” Dunst plays Torrance Shipman, the high-spirited and determined cheerleader who resolves to lead her squad to the national championships. Cheer glory seems within arms’ reach, until Torrance discovers that her team’s routines were stolen from a rival squad. The movie takes an unconventional approach to the often light-headed world of high-set ponytails and pompoms. Delivering all the excitement of the Olympics, the movie explores the hard work and dedication involved in making cheer perfection look so easy. Writer Jessica Bendinger is a linguistic master of teen-speak, with sparkling dialogue that places the moviegoer in a privileged position among high school cheerleaders. The film, however, is not entirely serious. Humor ensues when Torrance learns that her entire cheerleading career has been a lie. She is not afraid to seriously proclaim: “I am cheerleading.” Not so eager to embrace cheerleading is Missy Pantone (Eliza Dushku,) who proclaims that cheerleaders are dancers who’ve gone retarded. As a new transfer, she discovers that Rancho Carne High does not have a gymnastics program and, as a last resort, reluctantly joins the squad. Dushku adds an edgy shade of contempt and enthusiasm to the otherwise monochromatic team. Just as colorful is Jesse Bradford, who plays Missy’s equally alternative-minded, Clash-loving brother Cliff. Bradford is irresistibly charming, and it is no surprise that Torrance soon finds herself having “cheer sex” with him despite her initial reservations. “Bring it On” is a surprisingly intelligent movie about the trials and tribulations of high school and cheerleading. Many of the film’s feel-good scenes are reminiscent of the teen classic “Clueless” and will have young and old generations alike aspiring to become cheerleaders all over again. As if!
Emilia Hwang Rating: 8
“The Crew” Starring Richard Dreyfuss and Burt Reynolds Directed by Michael Dinner Whoever said you can choose your friends but you can’t choose your family never met the four retired wiseguys at the Raj Mahal. Not exactly members of the most sophisticated mob family, they are nevertheless confronted with the harsh realization that their good times would not last forever. They once had it all – beautiful women, power, money and respect. Now, they struggle to hold onto their declining libidos, meager fast-food wages and their room with a view at a senior citizen residence hotel. When the increasingly pricey real estate and trendy clientele of Miami’s South Beach threaten to force the foursome out of the Raj, they discover that they still have what it takes get to scheme their way out of any situation. From extortion to arson, the guys defend their residence at the last retirement pad on South Beach by staging a murder at the hotel. As a result, the management not only renews their leases, but rewards them with a hefty bonus and a rent reduction. Bobby Bartellemeo (Richard Dreyfuss) provides the humorous narration that introduces each of the elderly wiseguys at the beginning of the film. The chaos that ensues only escalates the comedy, and their attempts to fight eviction result in their inadvertent reinduction into gangland. But before their face off with drug lord Raul Ventana (Miguel Sandoval), the hilarious rejuvenation of their youth brings back the days of yore, in the form of Rolex watches, fancy cars, and an effervescent stripper named Ferris (Jennifer Tilly). Joining Dreyfuss in the cast of retirees is Burt Reynolds (Joey “Bats” Pistella ), Dan Hedaya (Mike “The Brick” Donatelli) and Seymour Cassel (Tony “Mouth” Donato). While Tony never has much to say, he abandons his reticence after a night of hired passion with Ferris, and reveals how the gang created the bloody murder at the Raj. Ferris then blackmails Tony and his cohorts to put a hit on her stepmother, Pepper Lowenstein (Lainie Kazan). Ferris’ family ties translate into a large inheritance for the exotic dancer. In a pool of misfits and manipulators, the only character with a deeper agenda is Bobby. He is searching for the daughter he abandoned when he went off to do time in prison. When he finds her, their reunion adds a touch of sentimentality that offsets the persistent comedy in the film. The movie starts out with the elderly misfits thinking that they’d be better off dead. But with family like “The Crew,” the senior citizens take out a new lease on life in a movie that proves entertaining for all ages.
Emilia Hwang Rating: 7