FIGHT CLUB (20th Century Fox 2000)

Most people I knew sadly avoided this movie because of the trailer or the fact that Brad Pitt was in the film. Big mistake. Pitt excels in roles like this, the crazy, demented charismatic charmer. And no Fight Club is not solely about fighting another person. It's really about fighting what's inside yourself and society at large. But before you freak out and think it's some serious message movie, guess again. Fight Club is a satire of extremely dark and funny proportions.

Make no mistake, this is Edward Norton's movie. When we meet his Narrator character, the poor white collar schmoe can't sleep and lives for buying furniture from Ikea. His doctor recommends that if he wants to see real pain he should stop by a terminal support group meeting. The Narrator goes and soon becomes addicted to the attention he receives. He's able to vent his feelings and sleep. Until...





There's another faker at these support meetings, the morbid Marla Singer (Helena Bonham Carter). She even attends the testicular cancer meetings. The Narrator confronts her and winds up in a worse spot than he was before he starting faking at these meetings himself. Once again, he can't sleep. He's laboring away at his car company recaller job in a waking sleep state. His job requires him to fly all over the country and look at cars that crashed and see if it's necessary to recall them. On one of these flights, he meets anarchistic soap maker Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt).

And that's where the fun really begins. When Norton returns from one of his many trips to find his perfect little condo blown to oblivion, he calls up Durden to ask if he can move in with him. For a favor of course. Seems that Durden requests this: "I want you to hit me as hard as you can." Norton reluctantly does and Fight Club is born. Eventually it becomes so huge that Norton's character becomes jaded and wants bigger and better things. Tyler offers them Project Mayhem and then it becomes Mayhem when Marla gets between them. I will not offer any hint of the ending or how Brad is connected to Norton, for it is delivered in the film far more creatively than the novel, and really had me and my friend stunned.


This film shot in David Fincher's trademark whacked out style, is full of hilarious dialog, and few instantly classic scenes, such as Norton's confrontation with his boss. A revenge moment that has not left my brain since seeing the movie. Naturally, the perfect visual FX are delivered by Rob Bottin, particularly in Norton's case. Despite what you've heard, women can relate to this film. The consumerism, the way that society expects you to act, and the need to vent in some way. Naturally this is done all so over the top you can't take seriously and only an idiot would. The best film of the year. (Kim August)

THE HAUNTING (Dreamworks)

Not even Liam Neeson could save this clunker, loosely based on the Shirley Jackson novel, The Haunting of Hill House What screenwriter David Self did to the Nell character and her ties to Hill House was deplorable. None of the ending that was in the original film or the novel remains. The special effects were for the most part cheesy. And I certainly hope that Clive Barker takes notice of the HUGE RIP OFF from his Thief of Always when the house starts to crumble, we see an eye in the glass, just a like drawing and description from Barker's own ode to Jackson's classic. This movie was so laughably bad that the audience were laughing at all the wrong places. (RJ Mac)

THE 13th WARRIOR (Touchstone)

Antonio Banderas makes a convincing Arab diplomat in John McTiernan's slow but interesting version of Michael Crichton's EATERS OF THE DEAD. Basically, Banderas is an exiled Arab who joins with a group of Norsemen to defend a village against the monsterous eaters of the dead. Said eaters are cannibalistic warriors who worship a mad "Mother Goddess" type and pose as bear-men. Most interesting is how the Norsemen and the Arab come to understand one another. It's slow but so was the book it was based on. Also, it's surprisingly low in gore content, which is a refreshing take with all the period battle films that have been released over the last 4-5 years. If you like Anotonio and/or Crichton rent this one. Not bad. (Kim August)

SLEEPY HOLLOW (Paramount)

Happily, I finally saw SLEEPY HOLLOW last week and I must say if Tim Burton makes more films like this then I will truly worship him. I just hope he doesn't continue to use Christina Ricci (more on this later). Anyway, SLEEPY HOLLOW is a delightful take on Washington Irving's story. Here, the clumsy school teacher Ichabod Crane becomes Constable Ichabod Crane (masterfully realized by Johnny Depp) a NYC detective who seems to have invested forensic investigation. All of Icabod's eccentricities are intact; his clumsiness, cowardice (but it's way cool that he eventually acts in spite of fear), and his very bookish, inward way of looking at things. A brillaint moment that capitalizes on all of this is when he looks at one of the Horseman's victims and asked if anyone moved the body. Yes comes the answer and then why? Icabod's reply is "Just...just because!" Another hilarious moment (and there are many) is the death of Ian McDarmid's Doctor Lancaster. It's just so OTT and sudden, I nearly fell out of my seat. There's a lot of rich backhistory here concerning Sleepy Hollow and the headless horseman (whose the great Christopher Walken when he's in possession of his head). Christina Ricci's the one weak link. She constantly lost her accent, was completely unconvincing and did not have good chemistry with Depp or anyone else. I was rather bummed when the horseman was denied his chance to add her head to the collection. But don't miss this one, for beyond the woefully rotten Ricci you will find a great and rare treat: the ace script, gorgeous atmophere and scene stealing moment from Christopher Lee, awesome performance from Johnny Depp, just a great, great fun film that totally evokes Hammer Studios finest moments. We need more films like this one. Please Tim more homages to Hammer and give Mr. Lee a bigger role next time. Wonderful (Kim August)

FROM DUSK TIL DAWN 3: THE HANGMAN'S DAUGHTER (Dimension)

Ridiculous prequel to FROM DUSK TIL DAWN that explains how the vampires wound up at the Titty Twister in the first place. If you can stop laughing in between the horrid acting, even worse make-up, and silly plot line you'll have beaten me and my friends who wasted a good 100 some odd minutes watching this 'film'. Where are the good horror movies anyway? NEEEXXT! (Kim August)

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