Sphere

Barry Levinson: Sphere (US 1998). Dustin Hoffman (Dr. Norman Goodman), Sharon Stone (Beth Halperin), Samuel L. Jackson (Harry Adams).

100640 / 12 / US / 1998 / Levinson, Barry / / science fiction

Sphere / Vieras tulevaisuudesta. © Warner Bros. D: Barry Levinson. Based on the novel by Michael Crichton. DP: Adam Greenberg. ED: Stu Linder. PD: Norman Reynolds. M: Elliot Goldenthal. CAST: Dustin Hoffman (Dr. Norman Goodman), Sharon Stone (Beth Halperin), Samuel L. Jackson (Harry Adams). 133’. Scope. MPAA 35817. Rated PG-13. DIST: Warner Bros. Finland. 35 mm print viewed in Helsinki, VET, Thursday 5 March 1998. *** Intelligent science fiction yarn, one of those following the example of Solaris, as did The Event Horizon and Contact, with better success. The round shape, the time warp and the black hole play a central role in all. They are three variations of the same basic idea. In this one, the unknown and unseen alien has the power to make dreams come true. Barry Levinson is a good actors’ director but not a good action director.

Jackie Brown

100633 / 16 / US / 1997 / Tarantino, Quentin / crime
Jackie Brown / Jackie Brown. © Mighty Mighty Aphrodite Productions. A Miramax release. P: Lawrence Bender. D+SC: Quentin Tarantino - based on the novel Rum Punch (1995) by Elmore Leonard. CAST: Pam Grier (Jackie Brown), Samuel L. Jackson (Ordell Robbie), Robert Forster (Max Cherry), Bridget Fonda (Melanie), Michael Keaton (Ray Nicolette), Robert De Niro (Louis Gara). 155’. 1,85. MPAA 35732. Rated R = 17. Finnish / Swedish subtitles by Timo Porri / Janne Staffans. DIST: Columbia Finland. Viewed in Helsinki, VET, Monday 2 March 1998. *** A total surprise. The Tarantino films so far - Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, True Romance, Natural Born Killers, From Dusk Till Dawn - have all been extremely violent. This one is about crime, as well, but with little explicit violence. It’s mostly about character. It has less action than the excellent Elmore Leonard adaptation Get Shorty, also influenced by Tarantino. We see Tarantino moving in the Melville direction: Le Doulos would be a point of comparison. But the visual style of Jackie Brown is flat. Another point of comparison would be Rio Bravo with its long duration, flat cinematography and emphasis on character. But Jackie Brown is much more laid back - at the risk of losing excitement. The dialogue is less flashy than before. The soundtrack CD will be worth buying. True Tarantino aficionados will want to see this film three times.