|
Volume CXXXIII, Number 4 |
 |
A Guide to Renting Movies
ERIC WORTHING
Staff Writer
If you're at all like me--in the cinematic sense that is--you
have on occasion been disappointed by Hollywood's seasonal movie lineups.
It seems that all of the films this summer (and now fall) have been nothing
more than over-hyped. So, what do you do? You march right down to Movie
Gallery (a subject I won't get into right now) and pace up and down the
rows for an hour, trying to find something worth watching. It is with
your salvation in mind that I write this article.
If one day you find yourself in the aforementioned situation,
I suggest that you head straight for the director's corner in Movie Gallery
and pick up Jim Jarmusch's "Night on Earth." It is a lesser-known
film but nonetheless held me captivated with the twists, trials, and tribulations
of five taxi drivers in five different cities all over the world. Jarmusch,
also the director of films "Ghostdog" and "Deadman,"
weaves these tales together with the theatrical assistance of Rosie Perez,
a young Winona Ryder, and (my favorite) Roberto Benigini.
The movie itself is composed of five independent sections,
each telling its own story, that span the dramatic spectrum. As a whole,
it captures the highs and lows of human emotion--from desperation to elation
and back again. These stories are set exclusively in the cab and consist
only of dialogue between driver and passenger, but don't let this scare
you away. Despite this rather artsy pretext, the exchanges themselves
and the progression of events leads one on a road with more bumps and
curves than those driven by the taxis.
The score of the movie is top-notch and was composed by
none other than the great Tom Waits. Waits, as usual, builds haunting
melodies that sound like an insomniac gypsy covering dirty show-tunes.
He peppers the movie with these incantations, contributing irreplaceably
to the movie. As he plays his accordion and guitar to the varying moods
of the movie, he elevates the drama and mystery to new heights.
Simply put, "Night on Earth" is a best bet for a good, quality rental. It is a rather haunting movie though, and the scenes and music will echo in your mind for weeks to come. It is located in the director's corner in what used to be Matt and Dave's Video Venture (now Movie Gallery), on Maine Street. "Night on Earth" is choice you will not regret.