THE BIJOU BEAT

The Best of 1996


FARGO
No better film was released this year than this, the Coen Brothers' masterpiece. Their usual blend of darkness and light was given warmth by Frances McDormand's amazing portrayal of Marge the Sheriff. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences simply must make her this year's Best Actress Oscar winner. Or else.

BIG NIGHT
A feast of a film. Wonderful acting (especially on the parts of Stanley Tucci, Minnie Driver and Tony Shalhoub), a warm, honest script that pulls in the viewer ever so slowly, lovely cinematography and direction that refuses to rush. And some delicious looking food that had my mouth a-watering.

BOUND
Tough-as-nails gangsters, even tougher chicks who are out to steal their dough, a plot that twists and turns and lots of shadows. What more could one ask of modern film noir?

BREAKING THE WAVES
An unsettling, moving film that shouldn't be missed. Emily Watson is magical as a young woman whose unwavering faith, in God and in those she loves and trusts, leads her down a destructive path. The ending sucks, quite frankly, but I'll not soon forget the film.

EMMA
An utterly charming remake of Amy Heckerling's Clueless, reset in 19th century England, with Gwyneth Paltrow in the Alicia Silverstone role.

FLIRTING WITH DISASTER
An outrageous tale of a young man's search for his roots that never should have worked but did, thanks largely to the fine work of its stellar cast.

RIDICULE
Patrice LeConte's entertaining look at the politics of wit that held sway in the court of Louis the XVI. A French gentleman, whose neighbors are dying of a fever carried by mosquitoes, seeks the funds to drain a nearby swamp. He arrives at court, plans in hand, but finds that an audience with the King is not easily attained. And neither money, family nor fame prove to be the quickest way to the king's ear but rather a cutting epigram, a aptly-worded bon mot, a subtle, slicing jape offered at the right gathering. He flounders at first but soon finds his riposting rhythm.

SHINE
I've not a clue how accurate is this telling of the trials and tribulations pianist David Helfgott has faced but it's certainly a moving account. All three actors who portray Helfgott, at different times of his life, are terrific and this tale of the triumph of the human spirit is, in the end, quite an inspirational, uplifting one.

LOOKING FOR RICHARD
I was a bit skeptical, going in; my Al Pacino threshold can be, as longtime readers of this humble little rag know, rather low. But my hat's off to him for this film, which endeavors to make Shakespeare accessible to the masses. And it couldn't have come at a better time, what with scripts based on the Bard's plays being all the rage, currently, in Hollywood and elsewhere.

LONE STAR
Every word counts, no dialogue is wasted in this absorbing interweaving of a handful of tales that is part mystery, part love story, part soap opera. Perhaps the best work yet from director John Sayles, who gets terrific work from an impressive roster of actors. I'm looking forward to viewing it again.

SWINGERS
What a pleasant surprise this film turned out to be. I expected a trifle detailing the lounge revival scene and found, instead, a funny, moving, insightful relationship film that just happens to take place in retro-hip L.A. nightspots, late night diners and low-rent Vegas casinos. Jon Favreau's script is terrifically funny, the direction and acting top-notch. The phone call scene, an instant classic, had me simultaneously cringing and laughing.

SECRETS AND LIES
A great film. The histories of several dysfunctionally intertwined lives are revealed detail by detail, hint by hint, clue by clue. We get to know the characters in this wonderful film even as they get to know themselves. Director Mike Leigh takes his time, allowing his wonderful cast of actors the luxury of stretching out and they reward him with marvelous performances. Funny, moving and affecting without being the least bit treacly; I've never heard a quieter sold-out theatre.

TREES LOUNGE
Steve Buscemi's directorial debut is a triumph. He plays a loser among losers, in a small Long Island town, who seeks a way out of his ennui but ends up taking misstep after misstep in his drunken haze. Somehow, Buscemi the actor manages to keep us cheering for this bozo. Buscemi gets the most out of his terrific cast, especially Chloe Savigne, who is simply wonderful.

TRAINSPOTTING
Always a tall order, turning a good book into a film, but this one's mostly successful. It's not, of course, so much about heroin addiction as it is about folks who live on the fringes of society, who see no other worthwhile path for themselves than the escape the drug brings. Trainspotting is funny, sad, even horrifying, but always entertaining and thought-provoking.

COLD FEVER
A young Japanese man, whose parents perished in an accident in Iceland, must forego a vacation in Hawaii to perform a sacred ritual at the site of their passing. He encounters, in this quirky road movie, all manner of oddball people and strangely beautiful countryside. This film has such a charm that it made me want to visit Iceland, a place that has never been high on my list of dream destinations. Hell, it stars Fisher Stevens and I'm still recommending it; it must be a terrific film.

THE CELLULOID CLOSET
I heartily recommend this insightful, funny, moving film. It explores the ways Hollywood has depicted gay men and women in the past one hundred years. Incisive commentary from both scholars and stars; I especially enjoyed hearing from Harvey Fierstein and Susan Sarandon.

The following films earned a recommendation, if not a Best of the Year designation. Most were pleasant surprises and all are worth a rental: That Thing You Do, The Truth About Cats & Dogs, Romeo and Juliet, Chungking Express, Welcome to the Dollhouse, Mother, Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy, Jerry Maguire, The English Patient, Everyone Says I Love You, The Crucible, Bottle Rocket, Beautiful Girls.


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