The Hot Button by David Poland

Friday, 19 February 1999

WEEKEND PREVIEW

There are only two new films this weekend, Jawbreaker and Office Space. Both films are fighting for the teen audience, though Jawbreaker may actually draw teen-aged girls as well as horny boys (as if there were any other kind) and Office Space, which will draw no teen-aged girls, has a chance to draw office-bound America. (Oddly enough, Mike Judge's name will probably scare some of the over-35s who would absolutely love this film even more than the twentysomethings who are less likely to identify with the whipped characters the film centers around.) Read the Rose McGowan/Rebecca Gayheart live chat transcript here. Go to the Office Space Website, which features live footage of a guy living on a billboard.
But will either film get to the top spot? I doubt it. I expect Message in a Bottle to stay on top, with Payback in close proximity. Other films that should manage to hold spots in the Top 10 are My Favorite Martian, She's All That, Saving Private Ryan, Shakespeare in Love, Blast From the Past and Rushmore.
THE GOOD: This is "The Great" actually. I finally got a chance to screen the Sundance Audience Award Winner in the documentary category, Genghis Blues. The film, made by Roko and Adrian Belic, who had almost no professional experience at all before this film, starts off a little slowly. They just don't have the smooth production techniques down. But as you get to know the people who are going to make this trek to the little-reached Eastern European nation of Tuva and then, the land of Tuva itself, you fall in love. Paul Pena, a San Francisco-based jazz artist who masters the Tuvan art of throat singing long before getting to Tuva, is one of the greatest characters you'll ever meet in any film. And one of the most truly emotional. Ironically, the singing itself is not the best part of the film. It's a fascinating curiosity. But the tether to ancient tradition and the nation's effort to maintain that grip is beautiful. And the sense of being far away is all too tangible, even though it's just a movie. I'm not sure when this film will actually hit theaters. It could be a while. But put it in your mental file and keep it there. And when it finally lands at a theater near you, see it. You won't be disappointed.
THE BAD: Not really anything bad, but I have a slot to fill and this is it. I'm up in San Francisco to meet with nine, count them, nine members of the edTV team. Why San Fran? The movie is set here. In the meantime, I get to eat in a whole new set of trendy restaurants and learn my way around a whole new set of streets. The weather is exceptional. Better than L.A., in fact, which is saying something. This is the first stop on the Hot Button World Tour, which will be heading to Boca Raton, Atlanta, Las Vegas and Los Angeles in the weeks to come. Keep an eye out. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll get really bad jet lag. Well, I'll do those things. And you'll all just laugh at me. It's not easy being me. (That would be the biggest lie of all, but don't tell anyone.)
THE UGLY: I went to see Fox Searchlight's 20 Dates. Now, understand, I can't review this film rationally. I am already getting e-mail mockingly addressed to Myles Berkowitz. Ha, ha, freaking ha! True, he does look more than a little like me. Of course, I know how to dress as not to accentuate my short waist. And I am a bit more on the swarthy side. But mostly, I'm not that irritating. I know. I talk a lot and I talk fast. But if that's what it's like to spend and hour or two with me, I'm going to slow down my speech and bleach my hair blond. I can't be that irritating. The other surreal thing about this film is that I know more than half the people in it, either personally or within one leap of acquaintance. That includes "the lovely Elizabeth," whom a friend of my used to chase every time he could and who, I seem to remember, finally told us one day about her filmmaker boyfriend. There is a lot of gamesmanship with the idea that this is a "documentary." It is clever, but is it really entertaining? Well, it's better than the other "I'm an aggravating divorced Jewish guy looking for love" semi-documentary, "Men Are From Manhattan... Women Are From Saskatchewan," which ran on Cinemax last year. In the simplest terms, I hope the film flops because I don't look forward to anyone saying, "You know, you look like that guy!" I'll smile and hold my rage and get an ulcer then cancer and die all because of this movie. It ain't fair.
JUST WONDERING: Have you checked your movie choices with the bishops yet? Click here or call up for the latest at 1-800-311-4CCC.
QUOTE WHORING USA: For Jawbreaker: "Jawbreaker sucks, but I mean that in a good way... a really good way!" "Paging principal Clinton!" "Porno and puberty have never looked better together!"
BAD AD WATCH: This came from a reader, Marty: "So here's a nomination for bad ad watch: if you see the commercials for Office Space, that new Mike Judge live-action 'Dilbert' film, you get the tagline at the end -- 'Work sucks, only in theaters.' Ha, ha. So what is that saying? Our work doesn't suck? Only movie theater ushers and concessionaires have sucky jobs (and that's why they're usually so rude)? The phrasing is a little off, but that makes it a classic. And hopefully the movie is as good as the tagline."
READERS OF THE DAY: Erin P: "I don't remember if you've posted this in the column. If you have, I probably repressed the memory because it was too horrible for words. A sample from this wunderful Website: 'Thus, reviews found here will always be positive in one way or another.' The site? www.pwunder.com. I saw Office Space tonight. Very funny, I thought."
From Erik T: "Talk about hitting the mark with your responsibility issue. That's what bugs me the most about those in the public eye -- the refusal to be accountable for their behavior, as if the viewing public is so dense we hadn't noticed. Concerning that Catholic review site, I'm finding more and mores sites that are very helpful in allowing the viewer to make up their mind instead of trusting the MPAA. The ratings system is so screwed up at this point (and corrupt) that sites like www.screenit.com are excellent alternatives -- check out that site if you haven't already, as it's the most anal (and helpful) site on the Web if offensive content is something one wants to screen out of their viewing choices."
And from Paulie D.: "Critical response is often way over the top. If they don't like a movie, they feel it is their job to attempt to destroy the movie and its chances of success. It also become cool to trash a movie as much as possible, just as it is to praise something that's 'hip' and 'in.' Two of the most recent examples of the former are The Waterboy and Patch Adams. Critics ripped them to shreds in every way they possibly could, but look at the box office numbers. Nobody listened to them. And really, while neither is worthy of awards, is either movie that bad? Is there anything wrong with working extra-hard to make people laugh and entertain them. Isn't that what the average movie-goer wants anyway? I highly doubt Frank Coraci or Tom Shadyac thought they were going to win an Oscar® when filming began. They obviously wanted people to laugh and/or cry and make some cash. Is there any good reason for critics to act as if those films are evil? Why try and take the joy out of it for everyone? A popular critic said recently that he didn't want to know anyone who liked a certain movie. Honestly, what is the big deal if a person who works 50 hours wants to laugh a little at the end of a difficult week?"

E ME: I'd ask you for tips on San Francisco, but I'm leaving tonight. Time for one more meal though. What do you think? And what do you think about all this other stuff?

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