Bungle in the Jungle

Tropic Thunder

There are some comedies which make you laugh and send you from the theater with a huge grin on your face. Then there are comedies which make you laugh against your better judgement and send you from the theater masking your smile so other theater patrons won't think you're a sociopath. "Tropic Thunder" belongs in the second category.

Ben Stiller's latest movie, “Tropic Thunder,” tells the story of the production of a big-budget war movie, and everything that goes wrong in the process. When novice director Damien Cockburn (Steve Coogan) comes to the conclusion that his Vietnam War epic is unconvincing, he decides to drop his cast into the jungles of Vietnam and shoot the picture guerilla-style (think “Platoon” meets “The Blair Witch Project”). Little does he know that the helicopter transporting the cast has flown far off course and landed them in a jungle filled with dangerous opium smugglers. Soon enough, the cast is thrust into real danger and forced the complete a real-life rescue mission.

From the very beginning, thanks to mock movie trailers, “Tropic Thunder” sets its tone: sarcastic, ironic, and bad-mannered. The audience meets the three stars of the movie, prima donnas all. There’s action star Tugg Speedman (Ben Stiller), a Stallone-clone who’s famous for his one-liners and big guns; Australian method actor and award-winner Kirk Lazarus (Robert Downey, Jr.), a very obvious jab at Russell Crowe; and funnyman Jeff Portnoy (Jack Black) a riff on Eddie Murphy. The platoon is rounded out by rapper Alpha Chino (Brandon T. Jackson) and rookie Kevin Sandusky (Jay Baruchel).

Many of the jokes in “Tropic Thunder” come from the situation in which the conceited and overconfident actors find themselves: stuck in a strange jungle and pursued by dangerous men with real guns. The most hilarious bits, however, come from the personalities of the actors themselves, especially Speedman and Lazarus, who get the most screen time. Lazarus, the audience learns, has undergone a controversial skin pigmentation surgery to look the part of the platoon’s African-American sergeant. In fact, he’s so dedicated to the role that he refuses to break character even when the situation becomes increasingly dangerous.

“I don't break character until the DVD commentary,” says Lazarus.

Speedman, threatened by Lazarus’ acting chops and rejected by the rest of the ensemble, decides to travel into the jungle alone, where he’s quickly captured and held for ransom. In captivity, Speedman goes the way of Colonel Kurtz in “Apocalypse Now,” muttering crazy non-sequiturs and adopting a Laotian boy he calls little Half-Squat.

Above all, “Tropic Thunder” is a parody of war movies and of all movies in general. It pokes fun at the movie business, at Hollywood and at the intransigence of celebrities. “Tropic Thunder” might not be a movie for the politically correct, but it’s one of the funniest films to be released this year. It’s crude, rude and incredibly offensive, but it’s also sharp, knowing and often hilarious.

*** out of ****

Star Warriors

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

The magical world of "Star Wars" has undergone something of a facelift over the last ten years. Once the preeminent sci-fi/fantasy franchise in the world, "Star Wars" has become a ghost of its former self: associated most recently with money, complicated special effects and amateurish writing; not the sense of wonder, adventure and humanity that characterized the original trilogy. Almost this entire shift in quality corresponds to the three "Star Wars" prequels, released in three-year intervals between 1999 and 2005. Those prequels, which range from passable to lousy, have gone a long way to dehumanize what was a distinctly human franchise. If the original trilogy was vibrant, bustling and full of life, the new trilogy is colorless, plastic and antiseptic.

The latest addition to the "Star Wars" brand is the animated full-length feature film "Star Wars: The Clone Wars," which takes place between "Attack of the Clones" and "Revenge of the Sith," the second and third prequels. "The Clone Wars" is the first installment of an animated "Star Wars" series set to debut on Cartoon Network and TNT this fall.

"The Clone Wars" is the story of the ongoing galactic civil war between the governing Republic and the secessionist Confederacy, played out in battles fought by Confederate droid armies and Republic clone troopers. Leading those troopers are Jedi knights, protectors of peace and justice in the Republic. Two knights in particular, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, are at the center of "The Clone Wars," just as they are at the center of the entire "Star Wars" storyline. New to the mix is Jedi hopeful Ahsoka Tano, a young woman sent by Jedi master Yoda to train under Skywalker.

Early in the film, Skywalker and Tano are called away from the frontlines for a mission with far-reaching consequences: find and rescue the kidnapped son of gangster Jabba the Hutt, whose criminal organization controls important shipping lanes that might swing the war toward one side or the other.

"The Clone Wars" is the most episodic of the seven "Star Wars" films, and tells only a fraction of a story that will no doubt be explored in the upcoming serial. But because its story is so short and diverting, "The Clone Wars" is more lean and Spartan than its three predecessors.

"The Clone Wars" is very much like the final (and most exciting) forty-five minutes of "Attack of the Clones," filled with non-stop action and fireworks. The beginning battle scene, in which rival armies fight ferociously in the streets of an alien city, is particularly compelling. In the second act, a platoon of clone troopers, led by Skywalker and Tano, scale a vertical cliff wall to access a heavily fortified temple.

One of the more surprising and touching elements of "The Clone Wars" is the sense of brotherhood and fraternity among the clone troopers’ ranks, and the strong impression of loyalty between the troopers and the Jedi who command them.

The funny and heartfelt moments in "The Clone Wars" will surely annoy many "Star Wars" fans and others who find them too juvenile. But "The Clone Wars" was made for kids, just as every movie in the franchise was made for kids.

*** out of ****

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Mamma Mia!

Film genres previously thought dead keep popping up now and then to remind us of their viability. Movies like “3:10 to Yuma,” “The Proposition” and “Open Range” keep alive the Western; movies like “Chicago,” “Hairspray” and, now, “Mamma Mia!” refuse to let the musical perish without a fight. It’s a losing battle, though, because more powerful genres, like superhero movies and animated films, continue to take up real estate and edge older types of movies out.

The newest movie musical is “Mamma Mia!” based on the stage musical inspired by the songs of the Swedish pop group ABBA. The story of “Mamma Mia!” concerns soon-to-be-married Sophie Sheridan (Amanda Seyfried), a young, vivacious woman living on a Greek island with her mother Donna (Meryl Streep). When Sophie stumbles upon her mother’s diary, she learns she has three possible fathers. She then decides to invite all three to her wedding, under false pretenses, and predicts she will know her father when she sees him.

“Mamma Mia!” is a sweet, good-natured musical with several magnetic personalities and a handful of rousing song and dance numbers, but inconsistency keeps it from realizing its true potential. There is just not enough substance between the songs to keep it afloat.

The biggest treat in “Mamma Mia!” is Streep and her two best friends Tanya (Christine Baranski) and Rosie (Julie Walters). All three have known each other for years and have been there, in the good times and the bad times. They are wise, supportive, salty and sexy, all at once. Their song and dance numbers are especially emotive and dynamic, particularly “Dancing Queen” where Donna, Tanya and Rosie sing so proudly that they recruit a small army of women who leave their posts around the island to sing along.

The single greatest number is Streep’s show-stopping rendition of “The Winner Takes All,” a wounded and devastatingly honest performance by one of the most talented women in the movie business.

Equally fun are the three potential fathers in Sophie’s life, Bill (Stellan Skarsgård), Sam (Pierce Brosnan) and Harry (Colin Firth), all of whom throw themselves completely into the proceedings of “Mamma Mia!” It’s a real joy to see three accomplished actors, who have often played stone-faced serious men, act absolutely goofy, fumbling over their potential fatherhood. For a closer look at their goofiness, stay in the theater once the credits begin to roll.

Seyfried, who plays Sophie, is also compelling, with a huge, bright smile and a beautiful singing voice. Mostly known for her television work, Seyfried should be able to use “Mamma Mia!” as a launching pad for her film career.

The weakest element of “Mamma Mia!” is its direction; not surprising, because the film’s producers hired Phyllida Llyod, who directed the original London stage version of “Mamma Mia!” but who has no background in film. A lot of the awkwardness and uneasy transitions in the movie can be attributed to her lack of experience.

It’s difficult to dislike “Mamma Mia!” because the movie has such an optimistic attitude and relishes the simple, joyful moments in life. However, the movie is such an uncomfortable mix of good and bad that it finally settles on average. It’s a middle-of-the-road kind of musical, but one that has moments that are worth the price of admission.

** 1/2 out of ****

The FBI's Least Wanted

The X-Files: I Want to Believe

Who will like the new "X-Files" movie? Not necessarily diehard fans of the show, who are looking for grand revelations and close encounters. Not necessarily those who never watched the sci-fi series, who are looking for a ghost story without any baggage. Most likely those who appreciate the new "X-Files" movie are people who are familiar with the television series, which ran from 1993 to 2002, but who appreciate the dynamic between its two lead characters more than the demons and monsters which inhabit their world.

"The X-Files: I Want to Believe" is the story of former FBI agents Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) and Fox Mulder (David Duchovny), once assigned to a series of unexplained, paranormal case records called the X-Files. Now years removed from the agency, Scully is a physician at a Catholic hospital and Mulder, always more willing to believe in supernatural forces and alien life forms, is a recluse.

One day federal agents contact Scully and ask her to recruit Mulder for one last assignment: help the FBI track down a missing special agent who has disappeared from her home in rural Virginia. Their only lead is a self-proclaimed psychic (Billy Connolly) who claims to see visions of the lost agent. Mulder, who is infamous for his ability to work with psychics, grudgingly decides to help the FBI, but only if Scully participates in the investigation.

"I Want to Believe" has almost nothing to do with the "X-Files" mythology; it stands alone as an isolated event in the lives of Mulder and Scully. And although the hunt for the missing agent is thrilling, compelling and sometimes deeply disturbing, it pales in comparison to the drama between former partners Mulder and Scully, who appear as two people genuinely in love with each other.

The writing in "I Want to Believe," is characteristic of the "X-Files" show: intelligent, realistic and provocative. The screenplay was written by series executive producer Frank Spotnitz and series writer and director Chris Carter, who also directed this most recent "X-Files" movie. Dialogue between Mulder and Scully, tender and meaningful, is especially memorable and sounds like the back-and-forth between two people who know each other completely and intimately.

"I Want to Believe" is short on action, but heavy on suspense. With the exception of a harrowing chase scene through a deserted construction site and a violent climax, the movie focuses much more on investigation than violence.

In many ways, "I Want to Believe" is a throw-back, an analog thriller in a cinematic world gone digital. It’s most similar to "The Silence of the Lambs," a thriller about human monsters and human redemption. In 2008, when special effects and gore are the components of successful thrillers, it’s easy to see why "I Want to Believe" can (and has) slipped through the cracks.

*** out of ****

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