Jack Black in "School of Rock"
courtesy of Paramount Home Entertainment
"School's In With Jack Black"

On the recent Academy Awards telecast Jack Black and Will Ferrell combined their talents to burst forth in song. It was one of the few truly enjoyable moments of a much too long show. But Jack Black is good at being great for short moments. That is his natural habitat. He is a great character actor, a supporting player. The trouble comes when Hollywood wants to make him the star of the show.

Such is the case with "School of Rock," a movie now on video/DVD in which he is the STAR and is in almost every scene. That is just a little too much Jack Black for one movie to hold.

In the film Black plays a musician who turns to substitute teaching at an exclusive private school. He is bored with it all until he finds his students/kids are musical geniuses. He decides to form his own rock group with the kids and enter a contest. And the rest is history.

Joan Cusack is his co-star in the movie and she is okay. But there is no room for her to shine. Jack is the star and all the focus is on him. 

Some will get some fun from this movie but I found that all Jack and little else made for a one-note film.

A few weeks ago I went to se the new Ashley Judd movie "Twisted." I thought it would be a great film but it was cursed by the presence of Andy Garcia. That man just can not have a hit. The same could be said of Sharon Stone. Lately casting her in a film could be a death wish on the part of the moviemakers. She can suck the life out of a movie as she did in "Cold Creek Manor."

In this movie she co-stars with the always enjoyable Dennis Quaid. They play a couple who escape from the city and move into an older country home. Once there they have nothing but problems.

There are some tense scary moments in the film but overall it is an exercise in tedium. Dennis tries his best but everywhere he turns there is Sharon bringing him and the movie down. It isn't that she is a bad actress, it is just that she is not an enjoyable one. 

To the Jack Black, Sharon Stone club we could add Ben Stiller. This guy makes twenty movies a week and most of them are humdrum efforts. "Duplex" was one of his worst, and to top it off he managed to make Drew Barrymore look annoying.

They play a young couple who purchase an apartment in the city. It looks like a great buy since it also comes with an upstairs apartment. Soon however they learn that the lady who rents the upstairs apartment is the tenant from hell.

One silly problem after another occurs and the lady is driving them batty. Nothing works in trying to get her out, and soon you will be tired of them trying. This is one long, drawn-out, non-funny comedy. Give it a rest, Ben, and slow down the moviemaking mania.

Julia Roberts on the other hand is usually good for a solid two hours of entertainment, but her latest "Mona Lisa Smile" just didn't do it for me. In this film she plays a feminist teacher at Wellsley back in the 50's. She tries to teach her girls they can be anything they want to be, and have it all.

Kirsten Dunst and Julia Stiles play two of her students. They are interchangeable in the film. Maggie Gyllenhaal at least makes a distinctive impression in the movie. Marcia Gay Harden phones in her performance, and she is a very talented actress.

Julia flashes her radiant smile but nothing she does enlivens this film. It is just too cute, sensitive and blah to hold your interest. "Mona Lisa Smile" might cause you to frown out of frustration with the simplistic message of the script.

"Veronica Guerin" on the other hand might make you sit up and take notice. Cate Blanchett has the title role and she is amazing. She gets you inside the skin of this reporter in Dublin, Ireland who is determined to root out corruption in her city.

The movie is fast-paced and shocking, and true. You might be drained by the time it ends but at least you will have been challenged by its story and its acting. Make sure not to miss this one.

Another film that will hold your interest is "Prey For Rock and Roll," the story of an all girl group who are on the fringes of success. But do they have internal problems, oh yes! Each of the four women in the group has something working against her. Still there is always that glimmer that they can break through and put all these problems behind them.

The fantastic Gina Gershon leads the cast, and Lori Petty Drea De Matteo and Shelly Cole are the other members of the group. All of them have their moments and all of them are good in their roles. This is another good movie to watch this week.

Finally for the kids there are new "Winnie the Pooh" and "Barney" movies. The new "Pooh" movie is "Springtime With Roo" and "Barney's" film is titled "Movin' and Groovin'. Barney is rocking out in his movie and the kids will love all the songs and dancing. There are thirteen songs included in this film.

"Springtime With Roo" has five new songs and celebrates the special bond of friendship between Pooh, Roo and Tigger. Children of all ages will embrace this magical Disney movie.

Happy Viewing!

 

 

 

 

 

©2004 Jackie K. Cooper

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