DVD REVIEWS OF NEW RELEASES.Byline: Rob Lowman Entertainment Editor True vision at work in `Look at Me' ``Look at Me'' deftly peeks beneath the covers of the gentility of French society, revealing an uneasy mix of art and commerce, snobbery and civility, sensitivity and practiced indifference, decency and hypocrisy. Directed and co-written by Agnes Jaoui, ``Look at Me'' is an ensemble piece that explores the subtext sub·text n. 1. The implicit meaning or theme of a literary text. 2. The underlying personality of a dramatic character as implied or indicated by a script or text and interpreted by an actor in performance. of these seeming contradictions. It revolves around the ironically named Lolita (Marilou Berry), the shy, overweight and easily overlooked daughter of a famed, self-absorbed novelist, Etienne Cassard (Jean-Pierre Bacri, the film's co-writer and ex-husband of Jaoui.) Lolita desperately wants her father's approval, but he doesn't take her attempts to become a classical singer seriously. His life, instead, is occupied with his young trophy wife and young daughter, ``friends'' fawning fawn 1 intr.v. fawned, fawn·ing, fawns 1. To exhibit affection or attempt to please, as a dog does by wagging its tail, whining, or cringing. 2. over him and writer's block writer's block Psychiatry An occupational neurosis of authors, in whom creative juices are temporarily or permanently inspissated . Lolita trusts no one, believing her friends are a result of her father's fame. Even her singing coach, Sylvia (Jaoui), is about to dump her when she finds out Etienne wants to meet her husband, Pierre (Laurent Grevill), a struggling novelist whose book starts to get hot even as Etienne starts to cool. Everyone in ``Look at Me'' has their failings in this intricate tale, but the story succeeds because its characters are all too human. Despite their ability to create believable characters, the novelists often lack insight into those who are part of their lives. (Anyone who's been around the literary scene knows brilliant words don't necessarily translate into brilliant people.) Etienne and his circle swim in emotionally uneasy waters, flailing around and occasionally connecting in unexpected ways. Etienne's young wife proves to be the most open, although you're left wondering if she will grow tired of the role her husband has cast her in. Or you wonder if Jaoui's Sylvia has been awakened at the end, or merely had a moment of clarity before lapsing back into her own illusions. There is a key scene toward the end where Etienne goes to hear Lolita sing. In most films, it would be a moment of triumph, but in ``Look at Me'' it becomes something else, which is why the film is such a compelling picture. ``Look at Me'' (Columbia; $29.95) `Kung Fu kung fu Pinyin gongfu Chinese martial art that is simultaneously a spiritual and a physical discipline. It has been practiced at least since the Zhou dynasty (1111–255 BC). Hustle' Stephen Chow's ``Kung Fu Hustle'' is literally a kick. The writer-director and star of this martial arts This is a list of martial arts, broken down by region and style. African martial arts Eritrea
Chow plays a petty criminal, Sing, who want to move up a become a member of the Axe gang, whose members are deadly and don't mind joining their sportily dressed but brutal leader in a dance number now and then. But that's just the beginning of the fun trip as heroes and villains arise from the weirdest places in ``Hustle.'' No matter how weird or silly ``Hustle'' gets, though, you have to love Chow's inventive style. In a scene early on, Sing tries to show his worth by attempting to assassinate as·sas·si·nate tr.v. as·sas·si·nat·ed, as·sas·si·nat·ing, as·sas·si·nates 1. To murder (a prominent person) by surprise attack, as for political reasons. 2. the landlady landlady n. female of landlord or owner of real property from whom one rents or leases. (See: landlord) of a tenement (played with great flair by Yuen Qiu
``Kung Fu Hustle'' (Columbia; $28.95) includes commentary, deleted scenes and features. `Because of Winn-Dixie' Wayne Wang, who has made hard-edged films like ``The Center of the World'' as well as a sophisticated family drama in ``The Joy Luck Club,'' has made a heartwarming heart·warm·ing or heart-warm·ing adj. 1. Causing gladness and pleasure. 2. Eliciting sympathy and tender feelings: a heartwarming tale. Adj. 1. , family-friendly movie in ``Because of Winn-Dixie Because of Winn-Dixie is a best selling children's novel by Kate DiCamillo published in 2000 and winner of a Newbery Honor distinction the following year. It also won the 2000 Josette Frank Award. .'' The film, adapted from Kate DiCamillo's best-selling children's book, tells the story of a young girl, Opal Buloni (AnnaSophia Robb), the lonely daughter of Southern minister (Jeff Daniels). When she finds a stray dog at the local Winn-Dixie supermarket, she adopts him and names him after the store. The dog helps to open Opal's life. She befriends a librarian (Eva Marie Saint) who tells her stories and a young guitar-playing man (rock star Dave Matthews) who gives her a job at a pet store. A sweet film without much bite, ``Winn-Dixie'' may not excite many in the video-game generation, but it has a pleasant feel. And sometimes a change of pace is a good thing. ``Because of Winn-Dixie'' (Fox; $29.98) includes commentary and featurettes. `Hush ... Hush Sweet Charlotte,' `The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit' ``Hush ... Hush Sweet Charlotte'' was another creepy triumph for Bette Davis and director Robert Aldrich, who had teamed up two years earlier in 1962 for ``What Ever Happened to Baby Jane.'' The newly remastered ``Charlotte'' stars a number of Hollywood veterans besides - Olivia de Havilland Olivia Mary de Havilland (born July 1, 1916) is a two-time Academy Award winning actress and is the last surviving principal cast member from Gone with the Wind. She is the sister of Academy Award winning actress Joan Fontaine. , Joseph Cotten, Agnes Moorehead, Cecil Kellaway and Mary Astor. Shot in black and white, the film is about a Southern spinster SPINSTER. An addition given, in legal writings, to a woman who never was married. Lovel. on Wills, 269. , Charlotte (Davis), living in an old, large and rundown house, who was suspected of killing her boyfriend nearly four decades before. (Body parts had been cut off.) When the state wants to tear down to demolish violently; to pull or pluck down. - Shak. See also: Tear the house because of a new road, Charlotte refuses, and her cousin (de Havilland) comes to live with her. It's then that things really get strange as Charlotte's sanity is question. ``The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit'' (1956) is a look at the strain underneath the placid surface of America's middle class. Written and directed by Nunnally Johnson, it stars Gregory Peck as a man trying to climb the corporate ladder under the pressure of his wife (Jennifer Jones) when a bombshell is dropped into his life in the form of a child he fathered in Italy during World War II. ``Hush ... Hush Sweet Charlotte'' (Fox; $14.98) ``The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit'' (Fox; $14.98) Muppets and more TV Besides the first season of the newly remastered ``The Muppet Show,'' the Muppets' fun adaptation of ``The Wizard of Oz'' is also out today. The third season of the classic '70s detective show ``Columbo'' is joined by sets of two of the other shows it rotated with as part of ``NBC NBC in full National Broadcasting Co. Major U.S. commercial broadcasting company. It was formed in 1926 by RCA Corp., General Electric Co. (GE), and Westinghouse and was the first U.S. company to operate a broadcast network. Mystery Movie'' - the first season of ``McMillan and Wife'' and seasons one and two of ``McCloud.'' ``McMillan'' stared Rock Hudson as a wealthy San Francisco police commissioner whose wife (Susan Saint James) is always finding cases for him to solve - sort of a ``Thin Man''-like premise. ``McCloud'' was bit of a knockoff knock·off n. Informal An unauthorized copy or imitation, as of designer clothing: "the place to go for quality knockoffs" Women's Wear Daily. Noun 1. of a 1968 Clint Eastwood movie, ``Coogan's Bluff.'' Like Coogan, McCloud - played by Dennis Weaver - was a Western lawman on the streets of New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. . In this case, the Taos, N.M., deputy sheriff is on loan to the NYPD NYPD New York City Police Department (since 1845; New York City, NY, USA) NYPD New York Play Development . Both series were lively and entertaining if not memorable. Other notable TV releases are listed below. ``The Muppet Show - Season One (Special Edition)'' (Buena Vista; $39.99) ``The Muppets' Wizard of Oz'' (Buena Vista; $24.99) ``Columbo - The Complete Third Season'' (Universal; $39.98) ``McMillan and Wife - Season One'' (Universal; $39.98) ``McCloud - Seasons 1 and 2'' (Universal; $39.98) ``Roswell - The Complete Third Season (The Final Chapter)'' (Fox; $59.98) ``Dallas - The Complete Third Season'' (Warner; $39.98) ``Profit - The Complete Series'' (Anchor Bay; $29.98) ``Thundercats - Season One, Volume One'' (Warner; $64.92) CAPTION(S): 4 photos Photo: (1) AGNES JAOUI and MARILOU BERRY in ``Look at Me'' (2) ``Kung Fu Hustle'' (3) SUSAN SAINT JAMES and ROCK HUDSON in ``McMillan and Wife'' (4) ASHANTI and friends in ``The Wizard of Oz'' |
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