“Darkness Falls” Starring Chaney Kley, Emma
Caufield Directed by Jonathan Liebesman
The mantra from “Darkness Falls” has this much
right: Don’t go into the dark! As in, don’t go into
theaters to see this movie. In fact, don’t even sneak in.
Even if you have a pal who works for the theater and can get you in
for free ““ don’t go.
What little story there is in the movie revolves around a child
who happened to see the tooth fairy taking a tooth, resulting in a
terribly traumatic reaction to darkness that follows him into
adulthood. As it happens, the tooth fairy is actually a horribly
hidden town secret-turned-urban legend with revenge issues.
Most of the film seems copied from other second-rate suspense
flicks from the last five years, including 1998’s
“Phantoms,” and 2000’s “Blair Witch 2: Book
of Shadows.” Apparently, actor Lee Cormie has been
genetically engineered by film executives to look exactly like the
frighteningly eerie boy-child from last year’s “The
Ring.” Adding to this sense of derivation, two of the main
characters are former cast members of TV’s “Buffy the
Vampire Slayer.”
Humor appears about halfway through, as sort of a second
thought. But it doesn’t do the damage control a film like
this desperately needs.
As a thriller, “Darkness Falls” is a disappointing
one-trick-pony. Relying mostly on abrupt noise and quick camera
shots, the pay-offs are jarring and lose their effectiveness more
and more as the movie goes on.
If you’re looking for more authentic suspense, rent
Hitchcock’s “Vertigo.”
-Christopher Cobb
“Power and Terror: Noam Chomsky in Our
Times” Directed by John Junkerman
While astrophysicist Stephen Hawking gained “rock
star” status through his image as a scientist with a
beautiful mind, Noam Chomsky gets it by default. The typical
American would be without a steady icon to rally under were it not
for this ever-present, best-selling political dissident.
Unfortunately, director John Junkerman uses this truth as an
excuse for laziness. The result is a bareboned documentary that
only skims the surface of issues that Chomsky seemingly
understands.
“Power and Terror” is a sloppy mishmash of several
lectures Chomksy gave in early 2002, in addition to one
face-to-face interview.
Chomksy was one of the first to speak out against the patriotic
reaction to Sept. 11. 2001. His commentary of the event followed
the defiant theme that the only way to stop terrorism is to
“stop participating in it.” It’s certainly a
thought-provoking and potentially valid argument, but for all the
political dissenting, there’s little opportunity for debate.
“I agree with everything he said,” one woman enthuses
as she leaves his lecture.
The movie is filled with superfluous ego-patting, and Junkerman
is more interested in documenting Chomsky’s popularity, not
his substance. The most ridiculous moment comes toward the end, as
the camera focuses on a child no older than 10 approaching Chomsky
and offering him a warm embrace. The kid was surely on his way to a
lecture on neuroscience.
Political documentaries are risky because only the best ones
answer questions and provoke thought. “Power and
Terror,” has an interest in dogmatically and superficially
pursuing the former. In turn, it does Chomsky, one of our
nation’s saving graces, serious injustice at a time when we
may need him the most.
-Andrew Lee