Friday, 21 July 2000

WEEKEND PREVIEW

It's one of those weekends that looked a bit more attractive from a distance.

As I stated in Monday and Tuesday's columns, I am a fan of What Lies Beneath. But I said all that I want to say about that movie then, as I hope that people will experience the movie in full themselves. In fact, I would suggest that you avoid reading ANY coverage about the film before seeing it for yourself. I'm not saying that every one of you will feel the way I do about the film. But I can tell you that the film has grown in my mind's eye every day since I've seen it and I look forward to seeing it again.

On the other hand, Loser looked like a real sleeper candidate from a distance. It is not. (More on that below.)

When Warner Bros. scheduled Pokémon 2000 a.k.a. Pokémon: The Power of One (the title card reading "Pokémon 2000" never appears in the movie) for this date, I immediately wrote that this might be too late for the studio's own good. Pokémon is still going along, but the juggernaut is slowing. I managed to avoid the original Pokémon movie, sending my 10-year-old godson and his sister and their father, so that Darius (the 10-year-old) could review the film on the radio show. This time, I went along. And this time, Darius will be reviewing the film for roughcut.com. A movie must reach its own level. Unfortunately, Thomas and the Magic Railroad is too young a film for Darius to review. So, we're having Susannah Breslin do it. (Ba dum dum.)

Then of course, there is The In Crowd, the poor teen's Coyote Ugly. Can't they wait? I kind of knew that the movie was in trouble when Warner Bros. was setting up interviews, but wouldn't let us see the movie first. I still haven't seen it. But I sat and watched the EPK with some friends last weekend and we laughed our a**es off at the tight-shirted melodrama. I'm not sure whether it's a good thing that Mary Lambert is directing features again or a nightmare that she has to start with material like this. I guess her height of directing success wasn't all that high, topping out with her second film, Pet Cemetery.

And for Box Office Extra, click here after noon, e.s.t.

THE GOOD: I'm all out of good movies to expound up upon this week, so here is a Los Angeles specific rave about another one of my passions. There are now two great BBQ restaurants in the Los Angeles. If you want Texas-style BBQ, the place to go is still Western Smokehouse on Overland just north of Palms. (The number is (310) 837-3544... dear God, no reservations necessary. Open Monday-Saturday) Christine is your hostess and the food kicks some serious butt. The smokers are out in the parking lot and the cooking is down home. The meat is all great, from the ribs to the brisket to the homemade sausages to the near-perfect Fried Chicken. And the side orders are almost a meal in themselves. My particular favorite is the fried sweet potato, served thick with butter and brown sugar. And don’t forget to have desert. Christine's pies are amongst the best in Los Angeles. Her apple pie is spectacular and her sweet potato pie is the best I've ever had.

Meanwhile, a bit further east, is The Pig, the latest greatest restaurant in town. It's Memphis style BBQ and it is equally spectacular. The restaurant, open for a few months, is on La Brea, just south of Melrose, next to--Ta daa! Relevance!--the Showcase theater. (323-935-1116, open Tuesday - Sunday, weekend til 1 a.m., www.labarbequeking.com) I went to this place last Saturday with friends who saw a positive review in the L.A. Times We had the baby back ribs, the pulled pork and the "bar-BQ" chicken. We didn't have the brisket because they were out…a good sign. They make what they make and they don't make no more. The chicken took a distant third as I ordered up another rack of baby backs for dessert. Also, they have four kinds of sauces available. They are all vinegar based, but go from sweet to a little edgy to vinegar hot to mustard-based. All four were worth including in the meal. After trying to get back to The Pig and not getting there until Wednesday, it became a double-dip day, with baby backs for lunch and a dinner of ribs, their gumbo (the best in town) and mustard-sauce chicken wings that were so good I ordered more. Already eating an absurd amount of food, I was challenged to order the Karo Pecan Pie. Wow! I love Pecan Pie and this was probably the best I've had in a few years.

As I was sitting there Wednesday night, I thought of Heartbreakers, the Bobby Roth movie that inspired me to want to move to Los Angeles. The guys in that movie would hang out at Fatburger at the end of their nights out, making the place home. As I ate the last bite of pie, the jukebox blaring out another great song by Sam Cooke or Johnny Cash or James Brown (When I played a Springsteen hit, the guy behind the counter turned down the sound and said, "We don't do the Boss or the Eagles in here." He turned it back up for Al Green.), having eaten as good a meal as I've had in a long time, with all the major food groups covered (pork, chicken, beef, cornbread, Karo syrup and blue cream soda that tasted as funky as it looked)…this could be my Fatburger. Now, I'm 35 years old and unmarried, much like the guys in Heartbreakers and they were kind of pathetic and I try not to be that, but if it's midnight and I'm looking for somewhere to eat good food and tell raunchy stories, I think I found the place.

THE BAD: Oh my! The things we do to our children. No wonder they are shooting up high schools. I'm not saying that Pokémon 2000 will cause children to be violent in and of itself. But I don't think you want your kids growing up into angry young teens and remembering that you would let them watch this stuff and wouldn't let them look at your Playboys. Sure, Playboy objectifies women and promotes the mental masturbation of self-delusional guys, but the human body isn't going to stop fascinating young boys anytime soon. Pokémon is about to self-destruct and to be permanently disavowed by the other members of the IM forces.

Now, I must say that I liked that the movie gave me a much need opportunity to nap. My godson, who wrote our roughcut review (please link) was on one side, paying strict attention. And on the other side was The Hollywood Reporter's Kirk Honeycutt, who was also paying full attention. He looked a little less enthusiastic than Darius. But I napped.

The reason this thing--can't really call it a film--isn't "ugly" is because no one involved seems to be too worried about this, outside of fully taking advantage of the fad of the moment. And God bless 'em. There is better stuff available on--BIAS ALERT--Cartoon Network. Yeah, we work for the same multi-national, but an old "Tom and Jerry" or a new "Powerpuff Girls" or even the ads for the network are more interesting than anything I saw on that screen in Pokémon 2000.

"Loser Is, TiVi PeeVo & A ROTD on the X-Men Score"