Two Dramas from Sony
Dangerous Game (May 26/05)
While there's nothing really worth recommending about Dangerous Game, the film isn't quite as awful as one might expect. Directed by notorious crackpot filmmaker Abel Ferrara and starring Madonna (!), Dangerous Game features a movie-within-the-movie that revolves around a sleazy married couple whose marriage is falling apart. Director Eddie Israel (Harvey Keitel) is going for a gritty, realistic vibe and pushes his actors - Francis Burns (James Russo) and Sarah Jennings (Madonna) - further than they're willing to go. The majority of Dangerous Game is devoted to arguments between the various characters, a routine that quickly becomes awfully tedious. This is despite a better-than-expected performance from Madonna (hard to believe, but she doesn't suck here), though Russo goes over-the-top early and often. Ferrara's refusal to give us a reason to care about any of these characters ultimately sinks the film - and, worse yet, turns it into an uncommonly interminable experience.
out of
That Championship Season (October 14/05)
Based on the play by Jason Miller, That Championship Season follows four high school buddies (played by Bruce Dern, Stacy Keach, Martin Sheen, and Paul Sorvino) and their former coach (Robert Mitchum) as they get together to celebrate the 24th anniversary of a pivotal basketball win. Revelations ensue, forcing the quartet to spend the night hashing things out and re-evaluating their lives. Although That Championship Season is extremely well acted - Keach, in particular, effectively sheds his tough-guy persona to become a guy that's basically a pushover - the movie's theatrical origins remain obvious throughout, both in the dialogue and direction. Filmmaker Miller imbues the movie with a slow-paced, expectedly talky sort of vibe, which admittedly suits the material but prevents the film from ever really taking off. While there are a few moments of authenticity here and there, That Championship Season - by and large - just isn't terribly compelling.
out of
