FYI – NEW MOVIE THEATER OPENING IN IXTAPA – DECEMBER 1ST (located in the shopping area behind Señor Frogs, next to Nueva Zelanda)

There is a movie theater in Downtown Zihuatanejo. CINE PARAISO, on the pedestrian walk at the corner of Nicolas Bravo and Cuauhtemoc.

The higher ups of this publication have decided to go ahead with this column, even though it is impossible to keep up the weekly movie changes at the local theaters. By the time I give you an opinion on a film (no matter how distorted it may be) the picture will be long gone. So, we have put our collective minds together and come up with the idea to review any movie that pops into our heads. And, of course, the movie should be available for rent so the written review is not a total waste of time.

I have been a Coen Brothers fan since ‘Raising Arizona’ and their latest effort, ‘The Big Lebowski’, shows us why they are still in the business: pure entertainment. With ‘The Big Lebowski’, they have created memorable characters that are so diverse it is hard to believe they are all in the same movie.

Take an unemployed 60’s throwback, a gung-ho Vietnam vet and a naïve guy always two steps behind in conversation, set against a case of mistaken identity, a kidnapping and bowling and you have ‘The Big Lebowski’. A piece of work not only well written, but brilliantly acted. This is one fun movie, complete with dream sequences and an outstanding soundtrack. Do not expect another ‘Fargo’, though. The Coen Brothers have shifted gears with this one, like only they can. Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, and Julianne Moore star with John Turturro in a small, but unforgettable role. A good ride for all and available at most local video stores.

-November 1999