Is All Nice With 'Sugar & Spice?'
Director Responds To Controversy, PLUS: Reviews Of 'The Wedding Planner,' 'Sugar & Spice' And 'Shadow Of The Vampire'
Director Francine McDougall has been honored in the past as a documentary filmmaker at Sundance, but these days, she's found the cameras pointing at her. And while the publicity isn't exactly ideal, Francine is handling the real life of a filmmaker quite well, considering that her first feature film, "Sugar & Spice," has already been met with a storm of controversy.
Although the film is a dark comedy, the premise is still likely to raise a few eyebrows: A high school cheerleading squad (Mena Suvari, Rachel Blanchard, Sara Marsh and Melissa George) rallies around their pregnant squad captain (Marley Shelton) by plotting to rob a bank to help with finances. And while the squad wears rubber masks to conceal their identity, McDougall knew that she herself couldn't hide from harsh criticism.
To make sure that she didn't make any stupid moves, McDougall had the guidance of somebody who knows that "stupid is as stupid does": "Forrest Gump's" Oscar-winning producer, Wendy Finerman.
"Wendy has so many years of experience, and the great thing she taught me was about the political side of the business," McDougall told me in a recent interview. "I never realized half the filmmaking process was the politics, and she taught me how to play the politics."
It's pretty safe to assume that the political debate of "Sugar & Spice" originated with the premise itself, when you consider that it involves teen pregnancy and an armed robbery plot by a bunch of high-schoolers. But while McDougall remains comfortable with her filmmaking decisions, she says the studio, New Line, is nervous about any backlash that the film might cause. After all, the issue of movie violence in the wake of Columbine is still squarely under the microscope of political and public scrutiny, and it's not about to go away any time soon.
"The film is so obviously a satire, so obviously tongue-in-cheek, that I can't see anyone taking it to heart," McDougall said. "After three test screenings, I read every single card, and not one was offended by the nature of the film. I feel fine about it."
New In Theaters
'The Wedding Planner' (PG-13)
"The Wedding Planner," starring Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Lopez, is a paint-by-the-numbers story of two people falling in love who have no business doing so.
The romantic comedy is a pleasant diversion, but very little originality is employed in telling the story. Lopez is a wedding planner whose own love life is in a drought as she seeks the perfect love that her parents seem to have. When she literally runs into a cute doctor, romance ensues until she finds out that he is one of the grooms whom she has been hired to help.
Unfortunately, the two leads' realistic portrayals are at odds with the broadly comic performances by the rest of the cast. New director Adam Schankman borrows tired bits from other movies to keep bringing the pair together. However, he does stage one magical scene where the pair watch a classic movie musical under the stars and are inspired to dance along with it.
Keep your expectations low, and you can say "I do" to "The Wedding Planner." --Debra Scott
'Sugar & Spice' (PG-13)
Consider the premise: A group of gun-toting high school cheerleaders rally around their pregnant captain squad captain by robbing a bank branch at a supermarket. That's right: It's a movie about the always hot-button issue of teen pregnancy, with elements sure to stir the post-Columbine movie violence debate. Does it seem like the studio is begging for trouble, or what? Imagine if they'd kept the original title, "Sugar and Spice and Semiautomatics."
On its face, a movie like "Sugar & Spice" would seem reprehensible; that is, if not for the fact that it was played as such over-the-top satire. But because of the film's tone, this wicked comedy works, and can actually be high-spirited at times. James Marsden ("X-Men") and Marley Shelton ("Pleasantville") play Jack and Diane, the star quarterback and cheerleading captain at Lincoln High School. He's a stud, she's pretty and perky, and they're pregnant.
But instead of leaving Diane in the lurch (an original plot turn there), Jack works his tail off to ensure that his pregnant partner has at least a livable life. But the squad (Mena Suvari and Rachel Blanchard among them) wants more for Diane -- and for themselves. So, after watching a few bank robbery movies for training (so much for an argument that movies don't influence) and a trip to a women's prison for advice from the pros who are cons, the girls -- clad in their red and blue outfits and "Betty Doll" masks -- go off to pull the heist.
Sure, the humor of "Sugar & Spice" is scathingly offensive at times (it originated with "Drop Dead Gorgeous" screenwriter Lona Williams, so you know that nothing will be sacred), but its cartoonish performances are so filled with lunacy that it's hard to take seriously. Aside from the robbery itself (which is softened by its ridiculous planning), there's no real violence to speak of, and the majority of the film is clearly being played for laughs. The characters are painfully stereotyped and one-dimensional (the cheerleaders are naturally stamped as dim bulbs, the jocks are dumb lugs and the nerds are, well, nerdy), but director Francine McDougall smartly uses innovative shots to support this alternate reality, rather than trying to make it something in which we could really believe. Unfortunately, her filming techniques can't help "Sugar & Spice" throughout the whole film, as the ending feels, rushed, weak and no doubt overused. --Tim Lammers
'Shadow of the Vampire (R)
The facts: Murnau was, in life and as portrayed in "Shadow" by John Malkovich, an obsessive filmmaker who would stop at nothing to perfect the art form. His star Max Schreck (Willem Dafoe) did 20 films before the "Nosferatu," but so embodied the part of vampire Orlock that it would make an indelible impression on audiences for years to come.
The fiction: In a play on the actor's mysterious persona, "Shadow" screenwriter Steven Katz turned Schreck into an actual vampire. So, in the film, he's a vampire playing an actor playing a vampire. Murnau, a director obsessed with realism, goes so far as to hire a true vampire for his film, passing him off to the cast and crew as a method actor who never appears out of character. Schreck agrees to appear in the film on the promise that he'll receive the neck of the leading lady when the shooting wraps. Unfortunately, his hunger for blood won't wait -- bad news for the film crew.
With "Shadow," director E. Elias Merhige has made an immensely entertaining, fiercely original film. It's also a darkly funny and witty look at the art of filmmaking and how far each of the players will go to get what they want. As Schreck/Orlock, an unrecognizable Dafoe is the lifeblood of this film, despite being surrounded by talented actors. He really bites into the part -- wide-eyed scowls, outstretched arms, clicking nails, slithering movements, convincing European accent and all. The performance is so much more than (ghoulish-makeup-covered) skin deep -- he plays the vampire with an erotic passion, but also a sensitive and romantic neediness.
The theme of obsession is prevalent in "Shadow." In a memorable scene, Murnau and Schreck/Orlock are at each other's throats (a precarious spot for Murnau) over film-related demands. Murnau insists that he must finish his picture; Schreck is thirsty for a new victim. At that point it's hard to tell whose maniacal expression is more disturbing. Merhige is masterful behind the camera, switching between color and the black-and-white fuzzy style of the original "Nosferatu." Like the classic film on which it's based, "Shadow Of the Vampire" casts an intoxicating spell on the audience: It's haunting, moving and sublime. --Suzanne Ellis
'Dinosaur' (PG)
Recently Released 'Me, Myself & Irene' (R)
Asking the question of whether men and women can truly be friends without having romantic feelings for one another, the film follows the exploits of Harry Burns (Billy Crystal) and Sally Albright (Meg Ryan) and their 10-year journey through relationships, happiness, heartbreak and the yes, the test of their friendship -- a concept that neither thought was possible – at least with each other. Brilliantly juxtaposed with the story are mockumentary "interview" scenes with couples revealing the secrets to their long-lasting success.
Of course, the only thing that could make the "When Harry Met Sally" experience better than it already is, is the debut of the film on DVD. Having it available in the crisp digital format would have alone been worth the long wait (it debuted in theaters in 1989); so needless to say, having several bonus features on the disc to boot is genuine thrill. Without question, the best extra feature on the disc is the retrospective documentary, which blends set footage along with recollections from Reiner, Ephron, Crystal, co-star Carrie Fisher and others. And while there are occasional interview clips from the set, noticeably absent from the documentary is Meg Ryan, who one can only presume declined because of personal reasons. It's too bad, because obviously this is a rare behind the scenes look at one of America's most beloved romantic comedies.
Among the laughs is Reiner's story of how he gave instructions on how Meg should act during her uproarious fake orgasm scene, going so far as to go through all the motions himself on the set; and the revealing of the real person behind Sally's obnoxious restaurant ordering habits. Other features include seven minutes of deleted scenes, which, while mostly unmemorable, are still interesting to watch; and an informative commentary track by Reiner. --Tim Lammers
Catch up with Tim on these recent @ The Movies interviews:
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Imagine being a fly on the wall when some weary New Line Studio marketing executives were mulling over how they were going to promote "Sugar & Spice," a film that's anything but nice. 
The tale of one of film history's most enigmatic duos comes gloriously to life in "Shadow of the Vampire," as F.W. Murnau, German director of the 1922 silent film classic "Nosferatu," and Max Schreck, the actor who played the title role, are reunited as characters in a part fiction-part fact retelling of the making of their film. New On Video
'What Lies Beneath' (PG-13) 
The biggest mystery of "What Lies Beneath" isn't the promising premise, but how, despite a bevy of talent (Harrison Ford, Michelle Pfeiffer, director Robert Zemeckis), the film could end up being such an enormous disappointment. Pfeiffer stars as the wife of a genetics professor (Ford) haunted by the ghost of a woman linked to her husband's past. Despite dependable acting and some genuinely spooky moments, this thriller for the most part is troubled by an overly long dead-end subplot that begins the movie, and an utterly predictable "give-me-a-break" scenario that ends it (brought about by the "stupid character syndrome"). "What" would have been better left "beneath" a stack of other scripts on Zemeckis' desk. --Tim Lammers 
Despite a seemingly warm and fuzzy premise, parents should be forewarned that the animated fare of Disney's prehistoric tale "Dinosaur" does not always have the same family-friendly tone as the enormously popular "Land Before Time" series. D.B. Sweeney heads an all-star voice cast as Aladar, an orphaned Iguanodon who must endure a meteor-ravaged environment with his adopted by a family of lemurs. While there are plenty moments of warmth, humor and fellowship, "Dinosaur" is also capable of frightening images of "Lost World" proportions. Among them are intense scenes with a vicious group of Carnotaurs and a haunting sense of Armageddon when the meteors strike. Sure, it’s being true to the plight of the real-life dinosaurs, but for a kid-friendly studio, the move is especially perplexing. The computer animation is breathtaking, yet doesn't overshadow the tried-and-true lessons it teaches of loyalty, compassion and standing together in the face of adversity. --Tim Lammers 
While the material he has to work with isn't exactly fresh, Farrelly brothers stalwart Jim Carrey strikes a brilliant balance between subtlety and his over-the-top antics in the execution of dual roles in "Me, Myself & Irene," another gross-out comedy that tests the limits of the faint-hearted. Carrey stars as Charlie, a cop whose dual personalities struggle for the same woman's (Renee Zellweger) affections. With a tag line that reads, "From Gentle To Mental," you just know a movie like "Irene" is going to, at the very least, deeply offend somebody. But given the right frame of mind, no pun intended, it's easy to see "Irene" is strictly being played for laughs. The important thing to remember here is the intended audience is the rude and crude humor crowd, so there shouldn't be any surprises going in. The real question isn't whether Peter and Bobby Farrelly will push the envelope, but how far. In the case of "Irene," the pushing even involves a live foreign object, and the result isn't pretty. --Tim Lammers DVD Spotlight
'When Harry Met Sally' (R) 
While many film classics have the edge on it on the basis of romance alone, few come close to "When Harry Met Sally" when it comes to blending of comedy and romance together. Quite simply, it is the definitive romantic comedy -- using a unique perspective to touch a romantic nerve like never before. Thanks to a smart script by Nora Ephron, the movie was borne of the introspective relationships woes of director Rob Reiner. It features one of Billy Crystal's best roles to date, and is without question the movie that made Meg Ryan a Hollywood star.