Word: minimalist
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...program on the channel is becoming as difficult as finding a video on MTV. For that, this high-profile launch is welcome, even if it's as precious and trendy as a truffle-emulsion foam. British superchef/pretty boy Jamie Oliver isn't actually naked--the title refers to his minimalist recipes--but his artfully disheveled, Prada-model looks probably didn't hamper his TV deal. To be fair, this gravy-boat dreamboat is professional and informative. But his languid preening, the jerky handheld camera and the Brit-pop sound track are enough to make you want to toss your biscotti...
...subtlety and effectiveness of the script and cinematography is complemented by the acting, which is surprisingly minimalist. Mark Wahlberg gives us a subtle but outstanding portrayal of Leo's fear and frustration. Less is more? In this case, yes; Wahlberg is very good at playing like he's trapped and angry without doing much more than making slight adjustments to the muscles on his face. It seems silly to read about, but it works. Much the same thing goes for the rest of the cast. Charlize Theron, ever the chameleon, plays the languid, dark-haired Erika; Faye Dunaway and James...
...belong almost exclusively to the actors. There is no lighting, no sound, no set; the only real evidence of staging are the lazy circles that the actors draw around each other as they pace the grass of the courtyard. And while Anouilh's script can certainly support a minimalist production, this one struggles to establish any sense of atmosphere. It is difficult to forget that one is in the middle of Adams House. The costuming is confusing: most costumes are appropriately spare, but they range incongruously from a generic pink Elizabethan dress for Harrington to the fashionable ensemble...
...fourth song, "How to Disappear Completely," is a beautiful ballad in the tradition of OK Computer's "Lucky" and The Bends' "Fake Plastic Trees." The minimalist lyrics and instrumentation are in concert with the song's theme of invisibility. However, there is still the rare indulgence; a gorgeous and unexpected melisma on "Strobe Lights" sets the song apart from its predecessors...
...Like Diana, the movie refuses to be confined by traditional definitions. With its charged brawls and minimalist cinematography, Girlfight is as much Jerry Springer as it is artsy indie flick. And while Diana's high school friends don't exactly look as saccharine as the Clueless chicks, Girlfight's youthful cast and plot often veer into teenybopper territory. Ultimately, however, Diana trades her sassy catfights for the more sophisticated gender-blind featherweight boxing circuit. Her subsequent struggle to be accepted by both the all-male boxing club and by her own father allows the film an emotional depth that strikes...