Susan Granger’s VIDEO UPDATE for week of Friday, July 6th
Martha Fiennes, sister of actors Ralph and Joseph Fiennes, makes her directorial debut with “Onegin,” a lyrical, melancholy story based on a narrative poem by Alexander Pushkin. Set in St. Petersburg in 1827, Ralph Fiennes plays Eugene Onegin, a jaded, cynical sophisticate who inherits the country estate of his wealthy uncle. While visiting his new property, he becomes friendly with a neighbor (Toby Stephens), his fiancee (Lena Headley) and her younger sister (Liv Tyler), who unwisely declares her love for him. Tragedy inevitably follows. The pace falters a bit after the first hour, but the photography and music are superb.
“Scream 3” is Wes Craven’s most recent horror sequel but it suffers from the departure of writer/creator Kevin Williamson. Neve Campbell continues as the perpetually stalked Sidney Prescott, hiding out in the California hills, even as intrepid TV reporter Gail Weathers (Courteney Cox Arquette) tries to track her down. Meanwhile, there’s a movie-within-a-movie as survivors of the original massacre become technical advisors on “Stab 3,” a silly low-budget thriller.
“Santitos,” the best Latin-American picture at the Sundance Film Festival, is an enchanting tale of love, faith and self-discovery. Dolores Heredia plays a beautiful young widow searching for her missing child – a journey that takes her from a humble Mexican village to the rowdy brothels of Tijuana and a rarely-seen side of Los Angeles. It’s in Spanish with English subtitles.
PICK OF THE WEEK: “Moon Over Broadway” is a documentary about a play that’s actually better than the play. D.A. Pennebaker and his wife, Chris Hegedus, cover in Sherlock Holmes-like detail the bumpy road traveled by Carol Burnett and company while working on Ken Ludwig’s farce “Moon Over Buffalo.” If you’ve ever been curious about the trials and tribulations of putting on a play, don’t miss this light-hearted, problem-by-problem revelation.