views *< DAMAGE by Kirsten Beazley Director Louis Mall (Atlantic City, My Dinner With Andre) has brought us yet another film based upon the all too common theme of sexual desire and obsession. The film Damage is akin to 9 1/2 Weeks, Fatal Attraction, The Lover, et al. in its exploration of an increasingly popular theme. Jeremy Irons (Reversal of Fortune, Kafka) plays Stephen Flemming, a highly esteemed member of British Parliament who appears to lead the perfect life. He has the perfect home and the ideal family - a son, a daughter, and a ‘charming and devoted wife’ - none of whom suspect a thing when he becomes embroiled in an affair with his son’s mysterious girlfriend Anna ( played by Juliette Binoche of The Unbearable Light- ness of Being). Before more than a sentence is spoken between Stephen and Anna they engage in frequent “love making” sessions - one of which occurs in a doorway just off a public street (a la 91/2 Weeks) while Stephen is supposed to be in a UN meeting. Surely this type of behav- iour does not befit a high profile politician who is almost certainly being groomed for higher office! But alas, such is the story of Stephen’s descent into the abyss of sexual obsession. Stephen is addicted to the relationship he shares with Anna and is unable to break things off despite his son’s growing attachment to her. Furthermore, Stephen is intrigued and even turned on by Anna’s sordid past which has left her rife with emotional complexities. So, the relationship continues along its fateful course. Stephen neglects Anna’s own prophetic words, “damaged people are dangerous” for it is they who “know how to survive at all costs”. Indeed, one of the questions posed during the film is who is the more damaged, Stephen or Anna? What is supposed to set this film apart from its thematic predecessors is that the psychology of the illicit lovers is explored in greater detail thus allowing the viewer to understand their motivation and need for each other. However, whether this film’s psychological approach truly does set it apart from the host of other “sexual obsession” films is for the viewer to decide. Watch for the numerous ironic father and son scenes (e.g.. “Dad, if you only knew Anna the way I do...”) as well as Miranda Richardson (Enchanted April, The Crying Game) who provides the film with its strongest performance as Stephen’s wife Ingrid. Damage is playing at the Park Theatre and the Capitol 6. MATINEE by Jamie Tolagson Set in Florida at the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis, this film by Joe Dante stars John Goodman as a “Roger Corman-ish” schlock filmmaker premiering his new horror film “Mant” ( a tale of a radioac- tive half man/half ant ) in a small town movie theatre. As the premiere date approaches the fear of nuclear Armageddon sweeps the town, and the two events collide crazily with each other at the climax of the film. Unfortunately, most viewers will be fast asleep by that time. The problem is Dante. Completely dependent on films and television to form his view of the world, he is simply not qualified to make a film satirizing them. Dante attempts to poke fun at the bag of tricks that schlock filmmakers use to sell tickets, but by intercutting this humour with images of nuclear devastation and 90’s political awareness, he is simply digging into the same black bag, but with more offensive results. There is no substance to Dante’s romantic images of Cold War America, only a desperate plea for credibility from a filmmaker still unable to set his sights beyond the protecting, fatherly arm of his mentor, and God of 50’s Romanticism, Steven Spielberg. A good film for insomnia. PETER'S FRIENDS by Kirsten Beazley and Andrew Robulack Peter’s Friends is British actor and director Kenneth Branagh’s new film. Set in a manorhouse way out in the foggy boglands, the film explores a twenty year reunion between friends. Andrew: Branagh is a stage actor and director by training and in all of his films it shows. His long takes and wide framing leave lots of room for acting and physical stage-style blocking in addition to heavy camera blocking. Peter’s Friends, in particular, has some very stunning acting. Kirsten: True—and it boasts some good photography, too. For example, the elaborate extended shot as all of Peter’s guests arrive. It’s a good thing they all arrive at Peter’s house at the exact same time. As for the acting, I kind of thought Kenneth Branagh was trying too hard to adopt a John Cleese persona in the very early scenes of the film. However, I always enjoy watching Emma Thompson, who has teamed up with her husband Branagh before in Dead Again. She too is theatrical but transposes it well to the screen. Her character contributes a great deal to the humour of the film. Andrew: Sure, Mr. Branagh hams it up a bit too much early on; and out of the entire cast throughout the film his performance was the weakest. The other actors, however, were quite impressive, even if they were from the Masterpiece Theatre school of acting and film. That brutish and banal British bawldry permeates Peter’s Friends and makes many of the characters difficult to connect with. Good acting, but too stereotypical, too vacuumous. Interesting to watch was the interaction of characters and how conflicts developed from their vintage friendships. Kirsten: For me this film bore an uncanny resemblance to Kasdan’s The Big Chill. Simply put, Peter’s Friends is a British Big Chill. There seems to have been an attempt on Branagh’s part to deal with important issues not always tackled in films; for example, parents struggling with the loss of a child to SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). I thought this was reasonably well handled but the other significant issue brought up during the film has Branagh treading on very thin ground. To his credit, at least Branagh is addressing an issue most other mainstream filmmakers keep away from. F I LM views 7 DAMAGE by Kirsten Beazley Director Louis Mal (Atlantic Ciy, My Dinner With Andre) bas ‘brought us yet another film based upon the all to common theme of sexual desire and obsession. The film Damage is akin to 9 1/2 Weeks, Fatal Attraction, The Lover, eta. in its exploration ofan increasingly popular theme. Jeremy Irons (Reversal of Fortune, Kafka) plays Stephen Flemming, a highly esteemed member of British Parliament who appears to lead the perfect life, He has the perfect home andthe ideal family -a son, 2 ‘daughter, and a ‘charming and devoted wife’ - none of whom suspect a thing when be becomes embroiled in an affair with his son's mysterious sirfriend Ana (played by Juliette Binoche of The Unbearable Light- ‘ness of Being). Before more than a sentence is spoken between Stepen and Anna they engage in frequent “love making” sessions -one of which coveurs in adoorway just off a public street (ala 91/2 Weeks) while Stephen is supposed tobe ina UN meeting. Surely this typeof bebav- Jour does not befit a high profile politician who is almost certainly being groomed for higher office! But alas, such is the story of Stephen's escent into the abyss of sexual obsession, ‘Stephen is addicted to the relationship be shares with Anna and is ‘unable to break things off despite his son's growing attachment tober. Farthermore, Steen is intrigued and even tumed on by Anna's sordid past which bas left her rife with emotional complexities. So, the relationship continues along its fateful course, Stephen neglects Anna's ‘own prophetic words, “damaged people are dangerous” for is they who “know how to survive at all costs”. Indeed, one of the questions posed