'A Simple Wish'

'Contact'

arl Sagan, when asked whether he
( believed in the existence of highly
evolved life elsewhere in the uni-
verse, said, "The key word in that
question is 'believe.' And in my view, you
believe only on the basis of compelling
evidence. But I think it would be fan-
tastic, not just a major scientific discov-
ery, but a transforming experience in
human history."
What if we had that evidence? What
would our reaction be, and how would it
change us, if at all? This scenario is the
premise behind Contact, based on
Sagan's novel (the script was overseen
by him before his death late last year). Jodie Foster is a brilliant scientist in Carl Sagan's Contact.
When an astronomer with her ear to
is also escapist enough to keep you in awe from
the sky receives a message— or, more accurately, start to finish.
a response — from deep outside our galactic neigh-
Much of the film's appeal and resonance should
borhood, the world finds itself faced with some big be attributed to the players. Jodie Foster, who was
questions. Namely, what do the "outsiders" want? chosen for the lead because both Sagan and Ze-
Contact showcases the opinions of a myriad meclds could see no one else playing the role, is a
of characters: Some are paranoid and fearful, perfect fit as Elli Arroway, a smart, independent
others opportunistic, others altruistic. Religious and very human scientist. Matthew McConaugh-
factions turn to alien worship, or vehement-
ey (Lone Star, A Time to Kill), though he
ly condemn science and its pursuit of false
doesn't have much screen time as Ar-
MOVIES
truths. Scientists who rely on empirical
roway's spiritual counterpart and love in-
evidence are forced to confront issues of
terest, is Foster's artistic equal when he
faith.
does show up.
Director Robert Zemeckis has made a habit
Zemeckis also expertly directed James Woods,
of helming films that balance high-tech effects John Hurt, Tom Skerritt, and, a la Forrest Gump,
and superb storytelling, like Forrest Gump and interspersed footage of our commander in chief,
Back to the Future. With Contact, he relies even President Clinton.
more heavily on intricate characters and ideas,
Contact is a film with enough emotional and in-
resulting in an inspiring, important tale that tellectual energy to keep you pondering its ques-
tions for weeks.
Jeffrey Hemiann is associate editor at Visible Ink
—Jeffrey Hermann
Press, publisher of VideoHound's Golden Movie
Retriever.

®

'Wild America'

squanders every potentially interesting moment
with jokes or ineffective over-exay:eration. At one
point, Marshall pets a baby moose. Along comes its
ow anyone could take a premise like the one mother, and, naturally, a rampage ensues.
in Wild America and make it boring is beyond
This could have been interesting, maybe even
me. But it happened and it's right there on gotten the heart racing a little. Instead, we have
the big screen, dull as can be.
the sight of Jonathan Taylor Thomas caught up in
Wild America tells the tale of the three Stouffer the antlers of a ridiculously fake-looking moose
boys, Marty (Scott Bairstow), Mark (Devon Sawa) head, carried through the forest and deposited into
and Marshall ("Home Improvement's" Jonathan white water rapids, the worst cche of all.
Taylor Thomas), who live their lives through a
For a film about capturing the beauty and dan-
movie camera. They'll try anything if it looks good ger of wild animals, Wild America has the worst-
on film, including trying to fly off the roof of their looking fake animals this side of Godzilkt.
family home and tying Marshall into a Houdini-
Of the young actors, only Scott Bairstow as the
like contraption for an underwater escape.
oldest son shows any real spark, giving Marty a
Their every action is documented on film and
wild-eyed exuberance that gives his risk-
shown each week in the family garage to a
taking character a feeling of unpre-
M o u lts
semi-appreciative audience of friends. When
dictability. Jonathan Taylor Thomas is
the local movie shop gets a professional cam-
passable as the narrator Marshall, but he's
era in stock, the boys suddenly decide that
not quite up to carrying a whole movie yet.
movie-making is their way out ofArkansas and the
Wild America is an insult to the intelligence of
family car-parts business.
the young adults for whom it was made. Director
And what better way to make their mark than William Dear and writer David Wieger should re-
by filming America's fiercest, most endangered alize that just because it's a kids movie, doesn't
animals? The unchaperoned teen-agers set out mean the filmmakers can skimp on quality.
to get the shots everyone else is afraid to try..
1/2 40
Sound exciting? Not in Wild America, which
—Liz Led
Liz Lent is a local freelance writer.

Rated PG

H

impressive, he manages to bun-
gle Anabel's initial wish and must
f the many criticisms of re- convince her that he can deliver.
In the futile process of trying
cent Hollywood filmmaldrig,
the most prevalent and, per- to dazzle Anabel, Murray real-
haps the most valid, is di- izes that he has forgotten the an-
rected at the appalling lack of nual meeting of the North
imagination in story develop- American Fairy Godmother As-
sociation and rushes off, leaving
ment.
Just this past summer we have his wand at Anabel's apartment.
seen supposed blockbusters This turns out to be a happy ac-
cident, especially when
stumble because of mis-
the attendees are cap-
Moul t s
placed emphasis on spe-
tured by the nasty witch
cial effects and a
Claudia (Kathleen Turner)
disregard for plot. Lacking
either courage or creativity, the and their wands are confiscated.
With all the good magic in the
major studios have offered noth-
ing but gimmicks and mimics for continent held captive, it is up to
the masses, and this overall fail- inept Murray and earnest Anabel
ure to aim high has resulted in a to neutralize Claudia, free the
lack of quality summer releases, fairies and get daddy to the the-
„ der on time.
g Structurally, at least, A
Simple Wish manages to
avoid the lack of imagina-
tion problem. But the film
has little to offer beyond its
initial premise and veers
back and forth schizo-
phrenically from a chil-
dren's story to a spoof of
children's stories and fi-
nally lands somewhere in
between. Many of Short's
nervous quips will go over
the heads of most young-
sters and seem flat and un-
funny for adults. And like
some of the bigger films of
the summer, A Simple
Wish becomes so infatuat-
ed with its own magic that
it fails to enchant the au-
Kathleen Turner, Martin Short and Mara
dience.
Somewhere in America a
Wilson team up in A Simple Wish.
young Anabel is dreaming about
for adults and children alike.
A lightweight fantasy film a summer movie that the whole
called A Simple Wish attempts to family can enjoy. Unfortunately,
fill this void. Starring Martin somewhere in a Hollywood stu-
Short, Mara Wilson and Kath- dio, there is a Murray who will
leen Turner, A Simple Wish tells try to make her wish come true.
the story of Anabel (Wilson), a lit-
1/2
tle girl who just wants a bit of
—
Richard
Halprin
success for her widowed father,
a Central Park buggy driver with
Broadway aspirations.
When her father gets an op-
portunity to audition for the lead
role in the musical version of A
....Outstanding
Tale of Two Cities, Anabel hedges
hope against hope that he'll win
the role.
Very Good
Z*.
• Well, sometimes hope needs
help, and in Wilson's case, assis-
tance comes in the form of a fairy
godmother named Murray
Good
(Short). Like a Woody Allen char-
acter overdosed on pixie dust,
Murray is a neurotic, twitchy
Fair
fairy on a rookie assignment to
Anabel's neighborhood. Hardly

Rated PG

Rated PG

o

Bagel Barometer
do.

Richard Halprin is an

attorney/film critic.

No Bagels

Awful

