ANYWHERE BUT HERE -- Pacific Place, Metro, Oak Tree, others
COMING APART -- Grand Illusion
DOGMA -- various theaters
JIMMY ZIP -- Varsity Calendar
THE MESSENGER: THE STORY OF JOAN OF ARC -- City Centre, Metro, Oak Tree, others
TRAIN OF LIFE -- Broadway Market
WHERE'S MARLOWE? -- Uptown
8th ANNUAL POLISH FILM FESTIVAL -- Broadway Performance Hall
AN EVENING OF DARK PUPPETRY AND FILM -- CoCA
ARTIFICIAL LIFE: FILM SERIES -- Consolidated Works
CHOMSKYTHON! -- 911 Media Arts
DANTE'S INFERNO -- On the Boards
DOOMED PLANET -- Big Picture
DUTCH HARBOR: WHERE THE SEA BREAKS ITS BACK -- Little Theatre
EMERALD REELS SUPER 8 LOUNGE -- Alibi Room
FILM NOIR FOREVER -- Seattle Art Museum
FILMMAKER'S BRUNCH -- Egyptian
MULTI-DIRECTIONS IN ASIAN AMERICAN FILM -- Wing Luke Asian Museum
THE NEW SORROWS OF YOUNG WERTHER -- The Little Theatre
PAULINA -- Grand Illusion
RADIO RANCH -- Grand Illusion
RECLAIM THE STREETS -- Little Theatre
REGRET TO INFORM -- Varsity Calendar
SCREENWRITER'S SALON -- Little Theater Off Broadway
SHREDDER ORPHEUS -- Varsity Calendar
TALK CINEMA -- Pacific Place 11
WOMEN IN CINEMA -- Egyptian
COMING SOON
November 19 -- Sleepy Hollow, The World Is Not Enough, Felicia's Journey, Last Night, American Movie, Legend of 1900
November 24 -- Toy Story 2, Mansfield Park, End of Days, Flawless
November 26 -- Rosie, Man of the Century, Show Me Love, Beefcake, Douglas Sirk film series
8TH ANNUAL POLISH FILM FESTIVAL
No joke, the Polish Film Festival wraps up on Sun Nov 14. Call 283-8122 or visit www.polishhome.org for more details. See Stranger Movie Times for complete listings. Broadway Performance Hall
American Beauty
Entertaining fluff. Take your typical suburban satire (midlife crisis, bitchy wife, disaffected youth), throw in some excellent performances (Kevin Spacey hams it up brilliantly, while Annette Bening and Chris Cooper give life to the most cardboard of characters), and you've got an art-house crossover film that can appeal to everybody. Even me. (Andy Spletzer) Factoria, Guild 45th, Oak Tree, Pacific Place 11, Redmond Town Center
An Evening of Dark Puppetry and Film
Puppeteer Warner Blake performs from his Soup Talk Trilogies -- a fantastical history of the Western world via life-sized characters, panoramic miniatures, planetscapes, and marionettes. Blackchair Productions will curate accompanying film, video, and digital shorts. Sat Nov 13 at 8, $5, including no-host bar. CoCA
Anywhere But Here
Susan Sarandon and Natalie Portman are a motherdaughter superhero team! Actually, we just made that up, but doesn't that sound great? Reviewed this issue. Pacific Place, Metro, Oak Tree, others
*ARTIFICIAL LIFE: FILM SERIES
The Consolidated Works film series continues with animated shorts featuring puppets by the Brothers Quay and machines created by the Bay Area's Survival Research Laboratories. (Thurs-Sat Nov 11-13 at 8, $7); next week, get ready for Negativland's The Ad and the Ego (Thurs-Sat Nov 18-20 at 8, $7). Consolidated Works
The Bachelor
Comedy. Romance. All of these. STOP. Chris O'Donnell: Charming. Renee Zellweger: Heartbreaking. STOP. Second act: Greek. Restrooms: Stink. STOP. Third act: Redundant. Characters: Redeemed. STOP. Deus ex machina: Disaster! Finale: Fiasco! Claymore mine under seat: Kills 20! STOP. Losing oxygen to brain. STOP. Please God, STOP. (Wolf Blitzer, CNN) Lewis & Clark, Meridian 16, Metro, Redmond Town Center
*Being John Malkovich
Being John Malkovich is better than most every other film out there right now because, beneath the surreal world it's so happy to exploit, there is an emotional vein that is so strong and so sad, if filmed as anything other than a comedy, the movie would be devastating. Not only does director Spike Jonze explore aspects of storytelling on film that more established directors would never think to try, not only does it thoughtfully explore philosophical issues like identity and desire (and eventually, immortality), and not only is it one of the most emotionally honest movies in theaters today, it's also damn funny and always entertaining. You gotta see it to believe it. (Andy Spletzer) Meridian 16, Neptune
The Best Man
Not only is this the best black film released this year, it's also the best romantic comedy. A group of college friends are reunited for the marriage of a professional football star and his college sweetheart. With the exception of the too-long wedding scene at the end, the movie is simply delightful. Directed by Malcolm Lee (Spike Lee's cousin), this is a strong debut full of good writing and superb performances. (Charles Mudede) Grand Alderwood, Lewis & Clark, Meridian 16, Oak Tree
The Bone Collector
The trailer for this film is grossly unfair. The Bone Collector is not that bad. The story concerns a brilliant NYPD detective (Denzel Washington), confined to his bed after a work-related accident, always afraid a sudden seizure will turn him into a vegetable. He decides life is not worth living, that he will not recover, and that death is better than becoming a "zucchini." But suddenly there is a brutal but brilliant criminal menacing New York City, and a beautiful woman (Angelina Jolie) to help him catch this psycho. Now life has meaning! In the end, he gets the criminal and the girl without ever leaving his bed. By the way, if you are expecting Denzel to kiss the lady lead, you will again be disappointed. As the woman sitting next to me at the screening said: "Damn! they only touch hands! In Pelican Brief he just got a big hug, and in Virtuosity he saved the white lady and her daughter and still he didn't get some!" (Charles Mudede) Factoria, Lewis & Clark, Meridian 16, Metro, Northgate, Redmond Town Center
Boys Don't Cry
Boys Don't Cry pushes myriad societal hot buttons. Sexuality. Gender. Masculinity. Why we even care about such labels is an indication of how frightened we are about ambiguities. Boys Don't Cry is based on the true story of Brandon Teena, a girl who was murdered for living life as a boy. Hilary Swank, a Bellingham native, imbues Brandon with an infectious charisma, but the rest of the film could be seen as an indictment of the American psyche. Boys Don't Cry is not an easy film to watch; the rape and subsequent murder are unrelentingly harsh. Even the reason the story is "interesting" is depressing: Had Brandon been a real man killed in a senseless murder, his death wouldn't have merited one national headline. (Gillian G. Gaar) Broadway Market
Bringing Out the Dead
Not to be crude and businesslike, but we found this on the Web: "It may have opened like a Martin Scorsese film, but it's dying like a Nicolas Cage picture." Grand Alderwood, Meridian 16
Buena Vista Social Club
Director Wim Wenders and musician Ry Cooder collaborate on this documentary on the Cuban super- group the Buena Vista Social Club. Broadway Market
CHOMSKYTHON!
Whether you think he's a boring, pretentious smartypants or a talented speaker with a Really Big Brain, you'll agree that Noam Chomsky -- MIT professor, brilliant academic, media critic, political analyst, linguistics expert, and all-around VIP -- is the perfect guy to refer to when talking about the upcoming WTO hoopla. Join the intellectuals at 911 and Eat the State for two nights of "intellectual self-defense" as Chomsky's videos and ramblings are screened. Fri-Sat Nov 12-13, $5; see Stranger Movie Times for breakdown. 911 Media Arts
*Coming Apart
A smokin' hot revival of Milton Moses Ginsberg's 1969 film about a guy (Rip Torn) who secretly films the women who come visit him, often for sex. New 35mm print! Fri-Thurs Nov 12-18 at (Sat-Sun 2:30), 4:45, 7, 9:15. Reviewed this issue. Grand Illusion
Dante's Inferno
You probably slept through it in Classic Literature 101, so don't miss it on film this time around: Guiseppi de Liguoro's 1911 silent-film version of Dante's Inferno (with its "layers" of hell and sin explored in frightening detail) could be the most compelling thing you see this season. With the Black Cat Orchestra playing the original score. Until Nov 14: Thurs & Sun at 8, $10; Fri & Sat at 8, $12. Call 217-9888 for advance tickets and more info. On the Boards
Dogma
Kevin Smith's latest about two fallen angels (best "friends" Matt Damon and Ben Affleck) out to end the world, and a wacky group of people from New Jersey who try to stop them. Reviewed this issue. Grand Alderwood, Guild 45th, Uptown
Doomed Planet
An 85-minute, all-digital Armageddon comedy about two rival cults, made in Seattle. Directed by graphic designer/filmmaker/Internet film innovator Alex R. Mayer. This is the last ever sneak preview of the rough cut, with a bonus performance by Please-easaur. Sat Nov 13 at 9, $8. The Big Picture
Double Jeopardy
Libby Parsons' (Ashley Judd) perfect life is straight out of J. Crew, at least until she's framed for her husband's murder and goes to jail. While in prison, Libby discovers her husband is very much alive. Six years later, she jumps parole to find her son. Tommy Lee Jones is her gruff 'n' tough parole officer who tracks her down, but ends up taking her side against this bastard. Though deftly sidestepping gaping plot holes, even with her undeniable beauty and talent, Judd can't possibly save this blurry mess. (Min Liao) Aurora Cinema Grill, Meridian 16, Varsity
*Dutch Harbor: Where the Sea Breaks Its Back
Chock full of stunning imagery and with a live and in-person score by Chicago's Boxhead Ensemble (including members of Pinetop Seven, Gastr del Sol, Dirty Three, and others), Braden King's Dutch Harbor is both more and less than a documentary of the small Alaskan fishing town. "Narrative" takes a backseat to the moody and fascinating black and white shots of fishermen working on a boat, or waves crashing on the rocks. Thurs Nov 11 at 7, 9. (Andy Spletzer) Little Theatre
*Emerald Reels Super 8 Lounge
The Emerald Reels Super 8 Lounge -- where the grainy visuals of Super 8 films blend with the sexy sounds of local DJs -- is back with a vengeance. The exotic DJ OO#/ will provide an ambient atmosphere for Super 8 shorts from all over the continent. Featuring a short film about Steve Miller by The Stranger's own Andy Spletzer! Mon Nov 15 at 9, $3; for more info call 284-6940. See also Stranger Suggests. Alibi Room
*Fight Club
With Fight Club, David Fincher has made his best film yet, taking a bleak story -- written in the first person with a detached sense of humor -- and matching its tone perfectly. A disenfranchised guy (Edward Norton), hooked on support groups for the terminally ill, gets a grade-school crush on a fellow support group tourist (Helana Bonham Carter), then meets a rebel (Brad Pitt) with whom he starts a masochistic fight club. Only then does the story spin way over the top. The movie may be two and a half hours long, but it flies by. If you even remotely liked it, you'll want to see it again. (Andy Spletzer) Grand Alderwood, Meridian 16, Metro, Oak Tree
Filmmaker's Brunch
As part of the Women in Cinema festival, directors, writers, and producers will gather for a brunch and a panel discussion entitled "No Apologies," focusing on the ways "women's films" have changed and evolved. Sexuality on film, creative power, and the woman's status in the film industry will also be discussed. Moderated by Marcie Sillman, producer of KUOW's "Week-day." Sun Nov 14 at 10 am, $10; call 464-5830 for more info. Egyptian
Happy, Texas
Two escaped prisoners pretend to be gay and learn to like it. Pacific Place 11
The House on Haunted Hill
The only people running scared from this film are its investors. Meridian 16, Oak Tree
Hungry Bachelors Club
No, we never heard of it either. Here's what we found out about from its website: "A gentle, sweet romantic comedy with some very human twists, The Hungry Bachelors Club is set in Anytown, USA, where anything can happen. It is the spicy story of best friends Delmar and Hortense, two single women who share their love of food and friendship with an eccentric circle of half-baked family and friends at the Hungry Bachelors Club." Wow! Aurora Cinema Grill, Pacific Place 11
The Insider
Despite the ad campaigns, The Insider is not an indictment of big, evil tobacco. The real story is about bungled journalism and broken integrity, with a healthy dose of paranoia thrown in for good measure. As a big-budget Hollywood drama, perhaps even as a thriller, The Insider is just about as perfect as you can get. Mann is one of the best technical directors around, able to put together a glossy-looking film without it appearing like one big commercial. Every performance in the film, from Russell Crowe and Al Pacino, to Christopher Plummer's brilliant rendition of Mike Wallace, will undoubtedly be deemed Oscar-worthy at the end of the year. However, though meant to be a cautionary tale about media accountability and how easily good journalism can be corrupted, The Insider is far too slick, and comes across as typical Hollywood mayhem instead of the "based- on-actual-events" drama originally intended. (Bradley Steinbacher) Factoria, Meridian 16, Metro, Red-mond Town Center, Southcenter
Island of the Sharks
At first glance, Island of the Sharks might seem like yet another run-of-the-mill IMAX nature documentary; no flashy 3D work, no front seat view in a thrill ride. But the film works hard to find some stunning imagery, and succeeds. One of the most breathtaking shots is beneath a large school of hammerhead sharks, a fish whose appearance is both disturbing and compelling. Sharks and seals are also shown (separately) herding a school of fish into an immense, squirming ball, making them easier to pick off and devour. Don't worry if you're faint-hearted, though; the film's violence is boringly PG, mostly. Linda Hunt's wry narration adds further subtle delights. As a pack of horny male manta rays trail a female, Hunt observes, "They will pursue a potential mate for days if necessary." Stalkers, it seems, can be found in every species. (Gillian G. Gaar) Pacific Science Center
Jimmy Zip
Local director Robert McGinley's latest film, about a pyromaniac runaway who becomes an apprentice to a brilliant metal sculptor. A "punk mythology" starring Brendan Fletcher and Robert Gossett. Fri-Thurs Nov 12-18 at (Sat-Sun 2), 4:30, 7, 9:20. Reviewed this issue. Varsity Calendar
Light it Up!
What were they thinking? Everybody knows we need a Republican president before anyone can sell a students-under-siege, pro-militia movie like this. Grand Alderwood, Lewis & Clark, Uptown
*The Limey
In Steven Soderbergh's latest, fading '60s icon Terence Stamp plays an unstoppable force of vengeance searching for the person responsible for killing his daughter. Meanwhile, fading '60s icon Peter Fonda plays a downwardly mobile record exec who used to date her. Here, Soderbergh expands on the style he began to explore in Out of Sight, the layering of visual flashbacks and flash-forwards grounded with dialogue, compressing what would normally be a two-hour movie into 90 action-packed minutes that keep moving and keep you thinking. The Limey is one of the best films of the year, and you can quote me on that. (Andy Spletzer) Seven Gables
The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc
Luc Besson's latest, starring his ex-wife/model/ "actress" Milla Jovovich as the girl who had a meeting with God and was told to kill the English. Reviewed this issue. City Centre, Factoria, Lewis & Clark, Metro, Oak Tree, Redmond Town Center
Multi-Directions in Asian American Film
The Wing Luke Museum presents a unique film series, designed to revive and introduce Asian Pacific American films. Screenings of local Asian American shorts will be followed by a panel discussion moderated by Rick Bonus, a Professor in the UW's American Ethnic Studies Department. Sat Nov 13 at 2, FREE; for more info, call 623-5124, ext. 114. The Wing Luke Asian Museum
Music of the Heart
Meryl Streep plays Roberta Guaspari, a woman who taught inner city kids how to play violin, then had a documentary and a big feature film made out of her story. Unfortunately, they've taken the film crews out of the story. Meridian 16, Metro
The New Sorrows of Young Werther
Goethe's 250th anniversary is celebrated with a screening of this film, which was based on his short novel -- which, in turn, inspired Jules Massenet's opera Werther. Wed Nov 17 at 7:30. Little Theatre
*Paulina
Vicky Funari's documentary about a Mexican girl sold from her family to an abusive owner. Thurs Nov 11 at 5, 7, 9. Grand Illusion
Pokémon
Reviewed by 9-year-old film critic Sam Lachow: "I would give the movie Four stars. It was just like, at the, um, um, beginning, it was kind of boring. And Mewtwo was kind of like, um, he was weird. I like how it showed Mewtwo, like what he really is. He was really bad. There wasn't enough pokémons. Some parts were a little boring, but when they got to that big war -- when Ashe was walking out, and saying, 'I'm not gonna let you do this,' I thought it was Dramatic. I kinda liked the ending, but it wasn't really alot like a happy ending.... No victory, like the person didn't faint, or anything." (Compiled by Jamie Hook) Factoria, Grand Alderwood, Lewis & Clark, Metro, Oak Tree, Pacific Place 11
Princess Mononoke
As anyone who's seen a Hayao Miyazaki film will attest, the story you follow is secondary to the sights you behold. The craggy reality of his twisting tree trunks capped with windblown tufts of leaves; the weighty presence of the rocks, whether rough or slicked smooth by water; the breathtaking vividness of light when the clouds part; the crouched expectancy of animals at rest -- all of these are rendered as gorgeously as any animation I've ever seen, and in fact make a better plea for ecological sanity than the sometimes heavy-handed script. The only downside to how glorious Miyazaki's images are is that he knows it, and occasionally lingers too long. (Bruce Reid) Pacific Place 11, Varsity
Radio Ranch
(1935) A late-night screening of this kooky Western about a singing cowboy (Gene Autry) and his battle against greedy capitalists and an ancient civilization under the sea. Fri-Sat Nov 12-13 at 11:30. Grand Illusion
Reclaim the Streets
This documentary is about a seemingly loose and eclectic organization called Reclaim the Streets, which protests, resists, and tries to destabilize social structures that decrease and delimit the freedom and spontaneity of working-class citizens in big urban centers around England. Apparently, this is how you protest at the end the of the century: you play live and electric club music, you sing inspirational songs, you dance in the street, and you clash with the "nutters" (the cops). The documentary shows the organization traveling from city to city, lending their creativity and muscle to an array of social justice issues such as poverty, workers' rights, and -- my favorite -- protests against the automobile, which they believe prevents forms of social interaction that make living in a city a rich experience. This film, which was shot on home video, may be of interest to anyone who has their mind set on making trouble for the WTO. Fri-Sun Nov 12-14 at (Sat-Sun 3:30), 5:30, 7:30, 9:30. (Charles Mudede) Little Theatre
Regret to Inform
Documentary about the war widows and women who watched their husbands go off to fight the Vietnam War. Interviews with Vietnamese war widows are also included. Thurs Nov 11 at 4, 5:45, 7:30, 9:15. Varsity Calendar
Romance
An uncut, uncensored, provocative French film, titled Romance. We all know what kind of movie this is. Pure smut. Don't see this with your parents. 18+ ONLY! Broadway Market
Run Lola Run
Entertaining techno-fluff from Germany about a girl who has three chances to save her boyfriend. Harvard Exit
Screenwriter's Salon
The evening will include a script reading of Meg Richman's new screenplay Elmira, about a waitress with "the healing touch," and a discussion with the screenwriter. Directors Patricia Rozema (Mansfield Park), Alison Maclean (Jesus' Son), and others from the Women in Cinema Festival are expected to attend. Mon Nov 15 at 8, call 464-5830 for cost and details. Little Theater off Broadway
Shredder Orpheus
In conjunction with the screening of Jimmy Zip, Seattle director Robert McGinley's Shredder Orpheus will also be shown. Fri-Sat late show 11:45, $5; Sat-Sun 12 noon, $5. Varsity Calendar
*The Sixth Sense
A little boy sees dead people while Bruce Willis sees his marriage disintegrate. Aurora Cinema Grill, Meridian 16
STANLEY KUBRICK FESTIVAL
A late-edition festival devoted to the late Stanley Kubrick, starting Fri Nov 12. Fri-Sat is A Clockwork Orange, Sun is The Shining, Monday's a double feature of Barry Lyndon and Lolita, Tuesday's a double feature of Lolita and Full Metal Jacket, and we can think of no better way to cap off the festival than with two days of his favorite film, The Exorcist, on Wed-Thurs. Cinerama
The Story of Us
A couple who should be divorcing decide -- in a big, fake ending -- to stay together. Grand Alderwood, Pacific Place 11
*The Straight Story
Rather than making the journey of hundreds of miles on a riding mower a quixotic, life-defining quest, The Straight Story is even more about an interesting but unremarkable road trip taken by a quite remarkable man. David Lynch's name is so synonymous with violence and twisted sex that it's sometimes hard to remember that nearly everything he's done has been about decent people who were seduced, often literally possessed, by an evil force outside themselves. Blue Velvet wasn't great because it pissed off a bunch of moral standard-bearers, and The Straight Story isn't great because it will charm many of those same people. Both achieve greatness thanks to an endless fascination with how wondrous and mysterious each and every person can be. (Bruce Reid) Harvard Exit, Redmond Town Center
Talk Cinema
A Sunday morning series devoted to "secretly" screening upcoming independent, art house, and foreign films. Post-film discussions are moderated by guest speakers. Through Dec 19. Sun Nov 14 at 10 am, $15 single/$99 series pass; call 800-551-9221 for more details. Pacific Place 11
Three Kings
In its efforts to be a comedy and a drama, as well as an action movie, Three Kings actually pulls it off, despite an occasional misstep. You laugh while you're in the theater, curse the U.S. as you leave, then relax in your La-Z-Boy once you get home. (Bradley Steinbacher) Factoria, Grand Alderwood, Meridian 16, Metro
Train of Life
The third Holocaust comedy in two years! Nothing spells rib-ticklin' fun like genocide! Broadway Market
Where's Marlowe?
A wacky detective movie, starring Miguel Ferrer, one of the creepiest men in Hollywood. Uptown
*WOMEN IN CINEMA
This year's Women in Cinema festival promises to be exotic and educational. Fri-Thurs Nov 12-18; for complete listings, see Movie Times. Call 464-5830 or visit www.seattlefilm.com for more details. Reviewed this issue. Egyptian
