“Center Stage” Starring Amanda Schull and
Peter Gallagher Directed by Nicholas Hytner
Years have passed since we had a sexy group of young people
dancing… in a movie, that is. The “West Side Story”
Gap ads were whetting our appetite for the days of
“Fame” and “Flashdance,” so Hollywood
decided it wasn’t going to deprive any more movie audiences
of seeing great-looking teen dancers with good excuses for
great-looking bodies. They’re giving us “Center
Stage.” A story about underdog aspiring ballet dancers trying
to make it into top ballet companies, “Center Stage” is
all that one would expect from this sort of a coming-of-age story
with the big dance number climax. The heroine, Jody (newcomer
Schull), is a Jennie Garth look-alike ““ bubbly, blond and
beautiful. Of course, the cast of characters includes the best
dancer in the school, who just has to be a bitch. You have a spunky
dancer who breaks all the rules and a couple of guys, who can be
categorized as the nice guy, the cool guy, the gay guy and the
sadistic dance director. We’ve seen all these people, who are
as unique as the Gap dancers, before, but ultimately that is the
appeal of the movie. If you allow yourself to get swept up by the
underdog story, you will cheer for Jody. She isn’t the
world’s most graceful dancer, which the film makes far too
obvious, showing her colliding with other dancers frequently. And
when the director (Gallagher) tells Jody she has the wrong body
type, bad feet and that she won’t make it, the plucky heroine
perseveres and pulls off the dance of her life. All the while, she
captures the attention of two guys, one who will be her
choreographer and gives her the plum role. Despite the idea that
Jody sleeps her way to the top, “Center Stage” is easy
to swallow, all warm and gooey. Viewers can’t help but want
the characters to succeed, in spite of the fact that they
spontaneously dance MTV-like routines and are waxen beautiful.
Also, if you’re not bothered by good-looking guys popping up
out of nowhere to become the love of a girl’s life to show
her what life really means, then this is your film fantasy, fully
realized by the competent young actors and much better dancers. The
situations are too good to be true, with a prissy ballerina snaring
the attention of a Columbia pre-med in a love-at-first-sight
scenario. Although this may not turn up in real life, the slick
visual production allows viewers to suspend their disbelief once
the dancers show up onscreen. Even in this cotton candy of a movie,
“Center Stage” does acknowledge how much hard work,
disappointment and swollen feet it takes to be a good dancer. Like
“Wonder Boys” did for writing, “Center
Stage” actually does show how painstakingly perfect every
gesture and movement must be in order to make it big. The movie
accurately portrays the struggles that would-be ballerinas must
undergo with their physical appearance, making references to eating
disorders. The ballerinas may make dancing look like hard work, but
watching their struggle is effortless. Sandy Yang Rating: 6
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“Hamlet” Starring Ethan Hawke, Bill Murray
and Julia Stiles Directed by Michael Almereyda
Perhaps the Bard is turning over in his grave as more and more
filmmakers today re-interpret his classic writings. It is unlikely,
however, that Shakespeare would be unhappy with the most recent
adaptation of his tragedy, “Hamlet.” Directed by
Michael Almereyda, the Miramax film stays true to
Shakespeare’s poetry verse-by-verse, yet changes the setting
to modern-day New York City. While Almereyda’s and his
cast’s artistic intentions merit a video rental, this movie
forces the movie-theater audience to ask, “To shell out seven
bucks, or not to shell out?” Set against the backdrop of a
fast-paced, technology-driven world, Hamlet’s father, head of
the Denmark Corporation, has recently died. His uncle Claudius
(Kyle MacLachlan) has now taken the reins of the powerful company,
as well as married Hamlet’s mother. Holed up in his ritzy
penthouse Hotel Elsinore, Hamlet (Ethan Hawke) suspects foul play.
As the young Ophelia (Julia Stiles) pines away for his affections,
Hamlet prefers viewing the outside world through his portable video
camera. Without a doubt, Hawke eloquently captures Hamlet’s
angst. Hawke displays his depth as an actor when Hamlet talks with
his dead father’s ghost (Sam Shepard). Hamlet’s
countenance realistically shifts from shock to confusion to horror,
as he learns that his uncle Claudius murdered his father.
Throughout the film, many lengthy close-ups of Hawke’s
tortured eyes cover the screen as Hamlet contemplates suicide or
how to avenge his father’s death. But the camera focuses on
his pained face so much, that the movie begins to feel laborious.
Things liven up a bit when Bill Murray appears as Polonius. Usually
known for his hilarious comedic roles, Murray solemnly quotes
“To thine own self be true,” with such grace, that it
makes one wonder if this could be the same guy from
“Caddyshack.” He holds his own alongside the other
noteworthy cast members, especially Diane Venora as Hamlet’s
newly remarried mother, Gertrude. Acting aside, the film does not
make any revolutionary interpretations, which could have added the
unique flair this movie needs. While one does not expect a version
of “Hamlet” to leave them clutching their seats, the
film lacks the needed tension to keep the audience intrigued. Even
the climactic duel scene at the end is performed in a slow, almost
predictable way. When taken for what it’s intended to be, a
small-budget, modern version of a classic tragedy, the movie comes
close to succeeding. But unfortunately, a must-see movie it is not.
Elizabeth Blair Rating: 5