“Coffee and Cigarettes”
Directed by Jim Jarmusch
United Artists
Never has a little nicotine and tobacco been so filling.
“Coffee and Cigarettes,” the new film by director Jim
Jarmusch, presents a look at daily life in the form of many short
black-and-white vignettes, all interconnected by the presence of
the two little title addictions. Employing a star-studded cast,
Jarmusch mixes well-seasoned actors with rock-star musicians to
create one really cool combination of celebrity-on-celebrity
encounters that probably could only occur through the magic of
Hollywood. And it makes for a pretty addictive movie. Almost 20
years in the making, Jarmusch has been filming these short segments
ever since he first made a 1986 short featuring Roberto Benigni
(before his well-known Oscar win) and Steven Wright in which they
share their personal doubts over a cup of java and some smokes.
While each scene follows a completely different path, they all
begin the same: two or three people meet to enjoy a little
conversation, coffee and cigarettes. And while it helps to be
familiar with the actors (most of them, but not all, play
themselves), it’s definitely not a requirement. To see
legendary rock ‘n’ roller (and heavy substance abuser)
Iggy Pop be harassed by the much milder Tom Waits as they squabble
over where to have coffee is a classic. And what’s even
better is that it’s a scene that’s actually funny. But
the same cannot be said about every scene. Out of the 10 or so
vignettes, the humor is really hit or miss. While some scenes are
spent with laughter and insight, others leave you shifting in your
seat, desperately awaiting a change of pace. Indie rockers Meg and
Jack White bring about as much energy to the screen as Ben Stein on
sedatives, making you wonder if they wanted to be there at all.
Perhaps Jarmusch should have noted that not everyone has as much
talent on the big screen as they do on the music stage. Still,
“Coffee and Cigarettes” has it’s share of witty
moments. Cate Blanchett’s (who plays herself) meeting with
her estranged burnout of a cousin (also played by Blanchett) takes
a turn to the hilarious when a snobby Blanchett fails to even come
close to remembering her cousin’s fiancé’s name.
Blanchett’s two characters are so different you
wouldn’t know she was playing them both unless you were
really watching for it. And Bill Murray’s unlikely run-in
with Wu-Tang Clan’s GZA and RZA is surprising and smart; GZA
refers to Murray by full name the entire time while he confidently,
and uninformedly, orders tea “because it has less
caffeine.” “Coffee and Cigarettes” might not be
the funniest movie this summer, but it’s worth watching to
see how a director like Jarmusch does so much with so little. If
you’re looking for a good break from the early wave of summer
action flicks, “Coffee and Cigarettes” is just the
thing to order.
-Justin Scott
“Troy”
Directed by Wolfgang Petersen
Warner Bros.
“Troy” is a great, glittering popcorn movie, engrossing
from the first frame to the last. It’s well directed, with a
to-die-for cast, and has shimmering cinematography. But just as the
horse proved the Trojans’ downfall, so “Troy” has
its bête noire. Its Achilles heel, which prevents
“Troy” from being mentioned in the same breath as the
great David Lean cinematic epics, is its screenplay. Although Troy
is based on Homer’s “Iliad,” one of the greatest
stories ever told, the screenplay by David Benioff is riddled with
clichés and groan-inducing lines. We all know the basics of
the story, and Petersen’s film focuses mostly on the
relationship between Achilles (Brad Pitt) and Hector (Eric Bana),
which is a wise choice. Bana, infamous from last year’s
horrific “Hulk,” gives a star-making performance,
nearly stealing the movie from his more well-known co-star. And
Bana’s tender scenes with wife Andromache (Saffron Burrows)
hint that this great Trojan is not just a bloodthirsty warrior.
Meanwhile, Pitt was born to play Achilles, obsessed with
immortality and constantly worrying if his name will be remembered
in 1,000 years. He also leads a love story with Briseis (Rose
Byrne), Hector and Paris’ (Orlando Bloom) cousin, that,
although historically inaccurate, allows for the obligatory sex
scene. The other actors don’t fare quite so well. As Helen,
Diane Kruger, though lovely, has no personality, and she and Bloom
have no chemistry together. And teenage girls will be disappointed
to learn that Bloom has a rather small role in the film; he is
mostly relegated to standing in the background and looking
cowardly. There’s plenty else to look at. The cinematography
by Roger Pratt is beautiful, and Mexico and Malta do a good job of
standing in for ancient Greece and the now-vanished Troy. The fight
scenes are also well choreographed. “Troy” may not be
remembered in 3,000 years the way “The Iliad” is
remembered today, but overall it is a massive, thoroughly enjoyable
film.
-Johanna Davy