THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, February 13, 1996 TAG: 9602130036
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Craig Shapiro
LENGTH: Long : 127 lines
THERE'S ONE line in ``Living in Oblivion'' that sums up why we're such big fans of Steve Buscemi.
He plays Nick Reve, a director at wit's end trying to shoot a key sequence in a low-budget indie. It's not going well, and it doesn't get better when his flighty mother crashes the set. As the crew watches agape, she steps in front of the camera - and helps the struggling lead actress nail the scene.
``Ma,'' Nick says, throwing his arms around her, ``you kook!''
``Kook'' is the key word. Buscemi, all edgy and motor-mouthed, is one of our favorites. Have you noticed how he always looks like he needs a good night's sleep? If they ever make a live-action ``Ren & Stimpy,'' he has to play Ren.
Anyway, the movie mill could use more kooks. Used to be that Jon Voight, Christopher Walken, Dennis Hopper and Rutger Hauer were sure bets; now, it's Nicolas Cage and Buscemi who regularly test the boundaries.
``Living in Oblivion'' (Columbia TriStar, 1994), sharply written and cleverly directed by Tom DiCillo (``Johnny Suede''), indicts as much as it embraces movie-making. In Nick Reve - DiCillo's conduit - Buscemi gets the long overdue, broader platform than the supporting roles he usually fills.
He's up to it. Whether soothing egos or throwing a tantrum, Buscemi is a riot. There's desperation, and stupefaction, in those bug-eyes.
James LeGros, playing lunkheaded star Chad Palomino (Brad Pitt fans won't be amused), is a first-class scene-stealer. Best line: ``I only took this role because someone said you were tight with Quentin Tarantino.'' Catherine Keener, as the neurotic leading actress, and Dermot Mulroney, the macho cinematographer Wolf, turn in quality performances, too.
Come to think of it, everyone does. Videomatic says: A
Now, a fearless forecast:
Because ``Living in Oblivion'' (RATED: R for language, brief nudity; 92 mins.) is a small, independent movie about a small, independent movie, the video stores will not be crowded with copies. What's a Buscemi fan to do?
Check him out as Mr. Pink in ``Reservoir Dogs'' or his cameo in ``Pulp Fiction.'' (He's at Jackrabbit Slim's.) In ``Twenty Bucks,'' a unique little film that follows a $20 bill through several owners, he plays a petty thief. He's one of the metalheads who commandeers a rock station in ``Airheads,'' and in the recent ``Desperado,'' he's Antonio Banderas' spiritual adviser.
Finally, with spring training looming, maybe ESPN will rerun those ads with Buscemi plugging the network's baseball coverage.
He's that good.
SUPER, FLY: Can't find a copy of ``Dolemite''? The folks behind ``Black-Flix'' aren't kidding when they say the new catalog has it all: 50 years of movies, kid vids, sports, workout and instructional tapes - all from an African-American perspective. It's free. Just call (800) 841-7770, Ext. 133.
TOP TAPES (in Billboard):
Sales: ``Indian in the Cupboard,'' ``Apollo 13,'' ``Playboy: The Best of Anna Nicole Smith,'' ``Batman Forever,'' ``Casper''
Rentals: ``The Net,'' ``Die Hard With a Vengeance,'' ``Showgirls,'' ``Clueless,'' ``Waterworld''
The Couch Report
``Dangerous Minds'' (Hollywood, 1995). Michelle Pfeiffer hardly breaks new ground as a teacher who takes over a class of outcasts and gets them to believe and achieve. While the story is fact-based, it's still predictable: She learns from them. Tragedy unites everyone. One problem is the overage high-schoolers play ``types'' instead of real characters. Better to watch ``To Sir With Love'' or ``Stand and Deliver'' again. Videomatic says: C
(CAST: Michelle Pfeiffer, George Dzundza, Courtney B. Vance, Robin Bartlett, Wade Dominquez; RATED: R for language, violence; 99 mins.)
``Beyond Rangoon'' (Columbia TriStar, 1995). John Boorman's latest is a different ``Deliverance.'' Patricia Arquette, in an earthy performance, is a young doctor trying to forget a personal tragedy when she is swept up into the political turmoil in Burma. Boorman fuels the story with spirituality, emotion and pure adrenalin, and credit him for having a world view instead of Hollywood tunnel vision. Videomatic says: B+
(CAST: Patricia Arquette, Adele Lutz, Frances McDormand, Spalding Gray. RATED: R for violence; 100 mins.)
``Virtuosity'' (Paramount, 1995). Even Denzel Washington can't carry this routine techno-thriller. Part ``Blade Runner'' and ``Demolition Man,'' it has him as an unjustly jailed cop recruited to capture a computer-generated killer who's escaped into the real world. The FX are stale (they're by ``The Lawnmower Man'' team), the subplots are throwaways and the atmosphere is . . . synthetic. Videomatic says: C-
(CAST: Denzel Washington, Kelly Lynch, Russell Crowe. RATED: R for violence, language, brief nudity, situations; 105 mins.)
``Jeffrey'' (Orion, 1995). It takes a deft hand to bring humor to the AIDS tragedy, but Paul Rudnick's adaptation of his off-Broadway hit does just that. ``Wings' '' Steven Weber stars as a gay New Yorker looking for love in the hard-to- navigate age of safe sex. The movie is funny, engaging, and heartbreaking. Patrick Stewart and Nathan Lane (Timon in ``The Lion King'' are hilarious in flamboyant supporting roles. Videomatic says: B+
(CAST: Steven Weber, Michael T. Weiss, Patrick Stewart, Bryan Batt, Sigourney Weaver, Nathan Lane. RATED: R for themes, language; 92 mins.)
Also: ``Bloodknot,'' a thriller with Patrick Dempsey and Kate Vernon (R), and ``The Criminal Mind,'' a thriller with Ben Cross and Tahnee Welch (R)
Vids for Kids
``The Amazing Panda Adventure'' (Warner, 1995). A boy from America and a Chinese girl bridge the culture gap to save a panda cub from poachers. The sound environmental message may come off as a bit preachy, but youngsters will find it easy to digest. Everyone will enjoy the spectacular scenery and fun footage of the mother and baby panda. Videomatic says: C
(CAST: Ryan Slater, Yi Ding, Stephen Lang. RATED: PG-13 for pandas in distress, tension; 85 mins. $19.98)
``Bushwhacked'' (FoxVideo, 1995). Daniel Stern takes his ``Home Alone'' schtick and shows he's no leading man. He plays a dimwitted deliveryman who's framed for murder, and is then mistaken for a crack outdoorsman. With the bad guys in pursuit, he leads a scout troop into the wild. Not only is Stern grating, the script gets mean-spirited. Videomatic says: D
(CAST: Daniel Stern, Jon Polito, Brad Sullivan, Ann Dowd. RATED: PG-13 for mild language, threats to kids; 85 mins.)
Also: ``Trapped on Toyworld,'' the third adventure of ``Josh Kirby . . . Time Warrior!'' (PG); ``Muppet Treasure Island Sing Alongs'' and ``Things That Fly Sing Alongs,'' featuring the stylings of Kermit the Frog (Jim Henson, $12.99), and ``Kids' Guide to Life: Learning to Share'' and ``Do the Alphabet,'' part of Sony Wonder's ``Sesame Street'' line ($12.98)
NEXT TUESDAY: ``Copycat,'' ``To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar,'' ``Unzipped,'' ``The Stars Fell on Henrietta,'' ``Dead Tired,'' ``The Affair,'' ``Saints and Sinners'' MEMO: Wanna talk video? Call the official Videomatic Infoline Mailbox at
640-5555, category 2827, and give us your two-cents' worth.
ILLUSTRATION: Photo by CASTLE ROCK ENTERTAINMENT
Patricia Arquette plays a tourist embroiled in a Burmese civil war
in ``Beyond Rangoon.''
by CNB