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Some opposing views are available this week at The Film Forum, run by Steve Lansingh (who originated this very column a few years ago). Lansingh calls Clones "a morally complex tale that rivals The Empire Strikes Back for brain food. It gives the series richer, more resonsant tones. I can't wait to get back in line to soak it all in again, to grasp things that might have slipped by me."

Lansingh also answers critics that have criticized the film for not having the simple, compelling, good guys vs. bad guys plot of the original trilogy: "Many reviewers have criticized the movie on this front, saying there's no real story here, just an assemblage of spare parts. While I can see their point, I think it's a whole lot easier to tell the story of one man's journey (as the original trilogy did) than the whole galaxy's journey (as this new series attempts). Not every character gets as solid an arc as in the originals, but the machinations of the universe follow a fairly clear arc if you choose to look at it from that 'certain point of view.' For me, at least, the busyness of Episode II is not a turn off but an invitation to explore further."

At the same Web site, critic Jeff Diaz writes: "Many of the intelligentsia and their rivals the cultureless rednecks are in agreement that this film is heavily flawed … the first for reasons of dialogue or because the film was too popular by nature … the second because there isn't enough action and a person must possess a brain in order to appreciate this movie. But to the normal person who still possesses the ability to like a movie because of a good plot, good action, and stunning effects, get out there and be impressed."

* * *

Christian critics also continued thinking through the new comedy About a Boy, which tells the story of a shallow, self-centered man (Hugh Grant) who starts growing up and learning his need for other people and the importance of being trustworthy and dependable.

Peter T. Chattaway (Vancouver Courier) says, "Some writers, looking for a way to pigeonhole this movie, have called it a 'romantic comedy.' But although About a Boy is very much a story worth telling, it's, like the title says, ultimately about a boy—about two boys, in fact, and the effect they have on each other's lives. The [filmmakers] allow the humor to come … naturally out of the interactions between the characters, and they thankfully refuse to exploit these same serious moments for their sentimental value. … For the most part, the film strikes just the right tone."

Simon Remark (Hollywood Jesus) calls the movie "warm and funny … one of the most entertaining films I've seen in a while. It shows the importance of connecting with other people, as truly 'no man is an island.' We all have a need for love and relationship; also, Will learns that true wealth and happiness can only come from the immaterial."

Next week: Are post-9/11 audiences ready for big-screen nuclear holocaust? We'll look at reactions to The Sum of All Fears.

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May (Web-only) 2002, Vol. 46