Alexis Bledel/Jonathan Jackson in Tuck Everlasting
courtesy Walt Disney Pictures
"Living Forever"
"Tuck Everlasting" is a movie about living forever. It stars Alexis Bledel, Jonathan Jackson, Ben Kingsley, William Hurt and Sissy Spacek. The movie is based on Natalie Babbitt's beloved book and is directed by Jay Russell.
I had a chance to speak with Russell recently and we discussed his two last movies. He was the man behind the film version of "My Dog Skip" which was based on an autobiographical story by writer Willie Morris. That movie was a hit in theaters and an even bigger hit on video. The same will probably be true of "Tuck" which is now out on video.
"I filmed the essence of Natalie's book," said Russell. "I didn't make it a word by word adaptation. This caused Natalie some concern when I first spoke with her about the movie. She didn't understand what I meant by the essence of the story. I told her to watch 'My Dog Skip' because I did the same thing with Willie's book I planned to do with hers. When she saw the movie she understood and was fine with it."
When he was casting the film he said Alexis was the first person he tested for the role of the young girl who is tempted with everlasting life. "I didn't feel like I could cast her. I mean since she was the first person. You just don't meet the right person right off. But in this case it still came back to her after I had interviewed everyone else," he said.
"But the opposite was true in the case of Jonathan Jackson," he continued. "He was the very last person I tested for his role. It was time for me to start filming and I still didn't have the role cast. People were getting nervous but then Jonathan came in and I knew he was right for the part."
Since the film concerns living forever, I asked Russell if he would like to do that and what age would he want to stay throughout eternity. "I think I would like to be four years old," he answered. "My son is four years old and everything is a wonder to him. So I guess that is the age I would like to be forever."
Thankfully he is not four, and makes the kind of movies families can see together. He assembled a strong cast for "Tuck Everlasting" and garnered special recognition from the Broadcast Film Critics Association for his efforts. They recognized it as one of the top "family films" of 2002.
Steven Seagal doesn't make family films but he does make good, exciting action thrillers. Such is "Half Past Dead," his latest offering which has Ja Rule as his co-star. Seagal plays an undercover cop in Alcatraz. There he works to protect government officials when the prison is taken over by a smooth criminal (Morris Chestnut).
This film is scripted to get the very most excitement out of its situation. Seagal is big and burly as ever and the supporting cast is strong physically and acting wise. This blend of Seagal's macho manner and the hip-hop element of Ja Rule somehow works out.
You can also pick up three movies out this month from Director Krzysztof Kieslowski. They are his acclaimed films "Red", "White", and "Blue." These are three very distinct movies which tell a story about three very different women but all with an air of mystery involved in their lives.
Juliette Binoche stars in "Red"; Julie Delpy in "White"; and Irene Jacob in "Blue." The stories are independent with only the themes being the connection. But the brilliance of Kieslowski's directing abilities always shines through.
Eddie Murphy has a so-so comedy out called "I Spy." This movie co-stars Owen Wilson and is loosely based on the old Robert Culp/Bill Cosby TV series. Murphy and Wilson do not mesh as well as Culp and Cosby did.
Famke Janssen is the female lead and she doesn't add much. The entire movie is just okay from casting to script to execution. Wilson partners better with Jackie Chan than Eddie Murphy.
Two action movies you might want to watch are "Hijack'd" and "Sniper 2." "Hijack'd" stars Craig Sheffer and Rachel Hayward in a movie about a commercial airliner which is taken over by a hacker. He makes the plane fly in circles over Seattle. If his demands aren't met the plane will drop out of the sky when it runs out of fuel.
"Sniper 2" brings back Tom Berrenger from the original film. This time he is on a mission to the Balkans, and Bokeem Woodbine is along for support. The trigger tight suspense is the main draw.
Kids everywhere can rejoice as there is a new "Spongebob Squarepants" movie out in the video stores. Look for "Anchors Aweigh" and "The Sponge Who Could Fly." Its typical Spongebob humor and that is just right for the little guys in your family.
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