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<FONT FACE="Verdana"><B>This week at the Kenworthy-<BR>
</B><BR>
<FONT COLOR="#800000"><H2>Spiderman 2 (PG13)<BR>
</H2></FONT><B>Friday, Saturday & Sunday November 26, 27 & 28<BR>
4:15 & 7:00 PM<BR>
</B>Tickets: $5 adults, $2/child 12 or under<BR>
<B>Spiderman 2 is a special presentation; KFS passes will not be accepted this week.<BR>
</B>(See Review below)<BR>
<B>* * *<BR>
Upcoming movies at the Kenworthy-<BR>
</B><BR>
<B>Maria Full of Grace (R)<BR>
</B>Dec 3 at 7:00 PM<BR>
Dec 4 & 5 at 4:30 & 7:00 PM<BR>
<BR>
<B>It’s a Wonderful Life<BR>
</B>Dec 10 at 7:00 PM<BR>
Dec 11 & 12 at 4:15 & 7:00 PM<BR>
<BR>
</FONT><FONT FACE="Tahoma"><B>I Heart Huckabees (R)<BR>
</B>Dec 17 at 7:00 PM<BR>
Dec 18 – 19 at 4:30 & 7:00 PM<BR>
</FONT><FONT FACE="Verdana"><BR>
<B>Regular Movie prices</B>: $5 adults, $2 children 12 and younger. <BR>
KFS passes accepted for Sunday movies<BR>
<BR>
508 S. Main Street, Moscow, Idaho<BR>
For more information, call 208-882-4127.<BR>
<B>* * *<BR>
This week’s review-<BR>
</B><BR>
<FONT COLOR="#800000"><H2>SPIDERMAN 2<BR>
</H2></FONT>Directed by Sam Raimi<BR>
Written by Alvin Sargent, based on a screen story by Alfred Gough, Miles Millar and Michael Chabon and the Marvel comic book by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko<BR>
Running time: 1 hour, 50 minutes<BR>
This film is rated PG-13 (Parents strongly cautioned). It has some brutally violent scenes, and kissing. <BR>
<BR>
<B><I><U>As reviewed by A. O. Scott writing for the New York Times<BR>
</U></I></B><BR>
On the way out of the advance screening of ''Spider-Man 2'' I asked my son, who is nearly 8 and whom I had brought along for some unscientific audience research, what he thought of the movie. <BR>
<BR>
As he usually does, he mentioned the scary parts and the cool parts, of which there are many. ''But there was one part,'' he said, ''that I really didn't like.'' That was when Peter Parker threw his costume in the trash and declared that he was ''Spider-Man no more.'' <BR>
<BR>
''He can't do that,'' my son complained. ''It's not right. We need Spider-Man.'' <BR>
<BR>
And so we do. At the very least, a movie audience brutalized by dumb, loud and cynical blockbusters can always stand to be reminded of what vibrant, intelligent and sincere popular filmmaking looks like. <BR>
<BR>
The distinguishing features of this film, I'm happy to report, are strong characters and honest feelings. This sequel, freed from the dreary burden of exposition, is better than its predecessor, and also superior to most other comic-book-based movies. It has a more credible (and more frightening) villain, a more capacious and original story and a self-confidence based not only on the huge success of the first ''Spider-Man'' but also on Mr. Raimi's intuitive and enthusiastic grasp of the material. <BR>
<BR>
At the end of ''Spider-Man,'' the hero was forced to choose between superhuman powers and the earthly charms of Kirsten Dunst. It was hard not to sympathize and to wonder why poor Peter Parker couldn't have both. But the world, then as now, needed Spider-Man, and so Peter (Tobey Maguire) hardened his jaw and renounced his desperate, lifelong love of Mary Jane Watson (Ms. Dunst). The first hour of the sequel is largely devoted to exploring the consequences of this decision -- to showing, in other words, what a drag it is to be Spider-Man. The weary web-slinger, though adored by the public, is mocked and maligned in The Daily Bugle (still edited by the blustery, blithely unethical J. Jonah Jameson, played with maniacal gusto by the incomparable J. K. Simmons). But the deeper wounds are suffered by his alter ego. <BR>
<BR>
<B><U>As reviewed by Jeffrey M. Anderson writing for the San Francisco Examiner<BR>
</U></B><BR>
Peter Parker goes through such suffering and torment in "Spider-Man 2" that you might think you're watching an Ingmar Bergman film.<BR>
<BR>
But of course, that's the secret behind Spider-Man and many of his fellow superheroes over at Marvel Comics. They have lives just as complicated as ours, but made more difficult by the inclusion of superpowers. How much responsibility does a superhero have? Do his or her personal problems always have to take a back seat to some stranger getting mugged in an alley?<BR>
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"Spider-Man 2" beautifully illustrates this quandary in its opening minutes. Working as a pizza delivery boy, Peter must change into Spider-Man to get his pies delivered on time. Unfortunately, he spots a pair of children running out into the street, chasing a red ball in front of a speeding truck (don't these truck drivers ever watch out for bouncing red balls and children?). Because he saves the kids, he misses his delivery by two minutes and loses his job.<BR>
<BR>
As fast and relentless as "Spider-Man 2" may seem, Raimi does some of his most remarkable work with his little rest periods. For one thing, Peter's mad-dog newspaper editor J. Jonah Jameson (J.K. Simmons) gets several hilarious line deliveries in, giving the film as many laughs as there are thrills. Raimi also gets comic mileage out of a musical interlude set to the tune of "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head."<BR>
<BR>
More important is a wonderful scene that comes about two-thirds of the way through. Just when things can't get any worse for Peter, his Russian landlord's gangly-but-cute daughter (Mageina Tovah) -- complete with blond pigtails -- appears at his door, asking him if he would like a slice of chocolate cake and a glass of milk. It's an unbearably lovely scene, giving us a much-needed breather and Peter a new lease on life. Not everything in the world sucks after all.<BR>
<BR>
Credit four very good writers with this excellent film, which unquestionably surpasses the first in every respect. Sure, the movie has a few small flaws that could have been fixed with a bit of editing, but it's easy to gloss over them while basking in the glow of the overall effect. The key is that Raimi has clearly enjoyed working on this film and his joy shines through. It's his best film since "A Simple Plan" and certainly one of this summer's high points.<BR>
<BR>
<B><I><U>As reviewed by Jon Niccum writing for the Lawrence (Kansas) Journal-World<BR>
</U></I></B><BR>
The mantra of the Spider-Man character has always been, "With great power comes great responsibility."<BR>
<BR>
Filmmaker Sam Raimi could certainly relate to that when he tackled the first "Spider-Man" project two years ago. Commendably, he took one of the most popular of all comic book characters and crafted a critically praised blockbuster that went on to become the fifth-highest grossing movie of all time.<BR>
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With "Spider-Man 2," Raimi has masterfully managed to avoid every pitfall that plagues superhero flicks --and sequels in general. The result is one of the year's best films and arguably the most successful comic book adaptation of them all.<BR>
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Whereas the original movie felt like two separate ideas forced into one story (an origin tale and a super-villain showdown), the flow here is remarkably improved. The opening minutes reveal this flair. Rather than resorting to some clunky recap or "Star Wars"-like crawl, the credits are bolstered by panel art that wordlessly summarizes the plot of the first movie.<BR>
<BR>
The "Spider-Man" franchise, like fellow Marvel Comics' standout "X-Men," has learned a valuable lesson when it comes to casting. Unlike the "Batman" series which flaunts movie stars, "Spider-Man" hires ACTORS. Molina isn't exactly a household name to most 13-year-old superhero devotees, yet his ability to show a human side being corrupted by power brings added depth to the story. <BR>
<BR>
The effects in this film -- specifically Ock's appendages and the web-slinger himself -- make the first picture's CGI work look as clunky as Claymation.<BR>
<BR>
Raimi puts his own distinctive stamp on the production. There are moments where he flirts with pure genius, such as an off-the-wall montage set to "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head" that seems straight out of a 1970s shampoo commercial.<BR>
<BR>
There's little to find fault with in this staggeringly entertaining sequel. However, it sure raises the bar enormously high for the inevitable "Spider-Man 3."<BR>
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<I>Film reviews are researched and edited by Peter A. Haggart<BR>
</I>* * *<BR>
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</B></FONT>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<BR>
PAMELA PALMER, <B>Volunteer<BR>
</B>Mailto:ppalmer@moscow.com<BR>
Film and Events Committee <BR>
Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre<BR>
<BR>
http://www.kenworthy.org<BR>
To speak with a KPAC staff member, <BR>
call (208) 882-4127<BR>
Mailto:kpac@moscow.com<BR>
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