REEL CRITICS

A sophisticated, but slow ‘Mood’

“In the Mood for Love” is a unique cinematic experience -- it is very

quiet. The men and women speak softly and are very polite in this Hong

Kong import.

Tony Leung Chiu Wai is the husband whose wife’s job calls for her to

travel. Maggie Cheung’s husband is likewise constantly on the move.

The couples meet when they move into adjoining apartments. We never

see the traveling spouses again.

The spirit of romance evolves reluctantly between Wai and Cheung’s

characters as we move through muted action, sound and light. Wai and

Cheung are drawn to each other, but they resist fulfillment despite their

loneliness.

There is unusual background music that has an intrusive quality,

misplaced and loud. Also, my attention was seriously challenged by the

pace and the cultural differences of East versus West.

Despite that, “In the Mood for Love” may become a landmark art film

for director Kar-wai Wong for the sophistication it aspires to.

o7 “In the Mood for Love” is rated PG for thematic elements and brief

language.

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* ELAINE ENGLAND, 65, lives in Newport Beach and owns a gift-basket

business she operates out of her home.

Mixed review for ‘School’s Out’

It’s Saturday, raining and the grand kids are here. Tabatha is 10,

Matthew is 4, and the animated “Recess: School’s Out” seemed like a good

choice, since the two of them had watched the TV cartoon series that

morning.

In the dark, loaded down with popcorn, pretzels, candy and oversized

drinks that spill, we find our seats. Matt brought his pillow in case he

got bored. Tabatha names off all the movie characters who go to the

fictional 3rd Street School.

She tells me that T.J. (Andrew Lawrence) has to stay home during the

summer, but all his friends get to go to “cool” camps. Matt pipes up,

“There’s a real bad, mean guy who is from space or something, and we

won’t like him.”

Here comes evil former Education Minister Phil Benedict (James Woods),

whose wicked idea is “eliminating summer vacation.” Benedict attended 3rd

Street School years ago and holds a grudge against the current principal,

Mr. Prickly (Dabney Coleman).

Benedict sets up his evil headquarters at 3rd Street School, and T.J.

spots eerie green lights and wild scientific equipment in the auditorium.

He goes to his folks, but they don’t believe him. He goes to the police,

and they laugh at him.

So T.J. gathers his friends from camp, and they go to work to

eradicate Benedict. The ingenious secret weapons the kids come up with

are a kick.

In the audience, I saw all of the boys from 4 to 14 loudly laughing,

throwing stuff and really getting into the pranks in the movie. The girls

and parents, on the other hand, looked like they could have used

Matthew’s pillow.

The “Recess” characters are likable and worked together to save

something they believed in -- a positive message for kids.

Now for parents and grandparents, the one saving grace for this film

is the marvelous sound of ‘60s music. Stay the extra minutes for the roll

of the credits and Robert Goulet’s off-the-wall rendition of “Green

Tambourine” with a Woodstock psychedelic backdrop.

We voted “Recess: School’s Out” “fun, but could have been funner.” It

might not last long in the theater, so a video is just fine.

o7 “Recess: School’s Out” is rated G.

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* GAY WASSALL-KELLY, 60, is the editor of a Balboa newspaper and is

active in the community.