St. Louis Post-Dispatch from St. Louis, Missouri • Page 79

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1995 ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH 3G REVIEWS FILM JAZZ Jazz History Lessons From Harrell Quintet -v Pacino With Be Niro: Hot Ticket, Two Wavs 'v "HEAT" response. Rounding out the rhythm section, Grenadier's bass provided good support. Hart is a powerfully percussive and empathic player. His intensive as well as swinging style was often in the forefront, but it was never overpowering.

Werner plays in a classical romantic mode, but witJEi the modern tension of peers likfe Chick Corea. His solo on "Cheatah" progressed into a frenetic paci? of fractured, primal tones. At first, Harrell's sound may nave seemed sparse and distant. His' subdued presence, a result of the inedi-cation he takes for schizophrenia, added to the perception. But it' was worth listening hard to Harrell' for tiny shifts in harmony and rhythrnjc structures.

He has a talent for placing notes with a rare sense of economy and balance in place of technical'fah-fare. Harrell's harmonic awareness, poignant sound and original melodic imagination make him a contemporary trumpeter worthy of greater recognition. The Tom Harrell Quintet plays tonight and Saturday night at Jazz at the Bistro, 3536 Washington Avenue, in two sets, at 9 and 10:45. p.m.'j By Michael J. Renner THE Tom Harrell Quintet demonstrated Wednesday what jazz is all about: Original music composed and performed with an ear toward history.

This highly regarded New York-based "neo-bop" group opened its four-night gig at Jazz at the Bistro with Harrell on flugelhorn and trumpet, Kenny Werner on piano, Larry Grenadier on bass, Billy Hart on drums and Don Braden on tenor sax. Harrell has worked steadily and unobtrusively as a sideman for two decades. He is known for the pensive originality of his phrasing, and his compositions are constructed to take full advantage his delicate style. Harrell's "Angela" seemed to envelop the entire history of tonal jazz playing, but with a large dose of Clifford Brown's round, brassy tone. Harrell avoided the "fat" sound that many players produce on flugelhorn.

The ensemble's interplay was relaxed and tight. Braden and Harrell were in sync without ever having to look at each other, while Werner and Hart would challenge each other in subtle call- i jr. i Rating: violence, language. Running time: 2:54. By Harper Barnes Post-Dispatch Critic at Large THE biographies and acting styles of Robert De Niro and Al Pacino are so similar that it seems almost unbelievable that they have never before acted together in a movie.

(Both were in "Godfather II," with De Niro playing the young man who eventually became the Pacino character's father, but they had no scenes in common.) Let's hope they get together more often. In "Heat," a powerful crime epic that combines highly charged, sometimes violent action with deep probing of human relationships, each is better than he has been in years. As they got older, both actors tended to take bigger and bigger bites out of the scenery (a tendency that reached hysterical zeniths in "This Boy's Life" for De Niro and "The Scent of a Woman" for Pacino). But in "Heat," written and directed by Michael Mann De Niro and Pacino are focused like lasers, mainly on each other although for most of this scorching movie, they aim from afar. De Niro plays Neil McCauley, a tough, pragmatic professional thief who specializes in big-time heists.

He and his gang McCauley's partners in crime are played by some very effective actors, including Val Kilmer, Tom Sizemore and Jon Voight are planning a multimillion-dollar LA bank job. Pacino plays homicide cop Vincent Hanna, and he and his men the fine actors on Pacino's side include Wes Studi and Mykelti Williamson are watching the thieves. Eventually, the thieves start watching back. "Heat" moves forward like an intricate dance FILM Al Pacino plays street-smart detective Vince Hanna in "Heat." The Late Marlon Riggs Celebration Of Diversity is working a lot harder at being an all-seeing, all-knowing homicide detective. If this were an ordinary movie, Hanna might finally realize life is not all cops and robbers when he finds his wife with another man and a near-tragedy befalls his stepdaughter.

But, time and again, "Heat" veers sharply out of the groove worn by a thousand other movies. As I said, it's not an ordinary movie indeed, it's an extraordinary one, with compelling performances, a fascinating mix of characters and a riveting story line. (Chesterfield, Crestwood, Des Peres, Esquire, Halls Ferry, Keller, Regency, St.Clair, Union Station) through a dark mine field. Two of McCauley's men are married, and Kilmer's character and his wife (Ashley Judd) have a small child. Fine, says McCauley, but if the time comes when the robbers have to disappear, they have to do it immediately, without looking back.

When McCauley falls for a young woman (Amy Brenneman), we know eventually he is going to have to put his own credo to the test. If this were an ordinary crime movie, we would suspect that love was going to be his downfall. But this isn't an ordinary crime movie, and what happens is more complex and interesting than that. Hanna is working on his third marriage (to a divorced mother played by Diane Venora), but he him, frail and weak with the final stages of the disease, discussing, rjje range of black identity from his hpspi- talbed. He also interviews a variety of pec- pie, including black scholars Cornell West, Bell Hooks and Angela and visits centers of black culture, ranging from a Mississippi blues' bar to a gay and lesbian church in! Los Angeles.

I Always, his focus is defined by 'a I statement from Malcolm "We're'a thousand and one different colors." His final film is ultimately a loving celebration of diversity. (At 8 p.m. Friday, Sunday in Winifred Moore Auditorium, 470 East Lockwood Avenue, on-the campus of Webster University.) Harper Barnes "BLACK IS BLACK AIN'T" No MPAA rating: contains profanity, sexual topics, brief nudity. Running time: 1:27. THE late filmmaker Marlon Riggs, who died last year of AIDS at the age of 37, made documentary films that were passionate reflections of his feelings about two important aspects of his identity: he was black, and he was a homosexual.

At the same time, he refused to permit himself to be bound by narrow definitions of being black or gay. In "Black Is Black Ain't," he uses the stew called gumbo as a metaphor for the rich diversity of African-American culture. "Black Is Black Ain't" is Riggs' final testament, and some of it shows Dangerous Game That Crosses Dimensions 'JUMANJI' ers. It can also literally suck a kid in, and thaf's what happened in 1969 to a boy named Alan Parrish. Cut to the present, and a couple of children (Kirsten Dunst and Bradley Pierce) find the game in the mouldering old mansion where Alan once lived.

They begin playing it, and find themselves surrounded by mean little monkeys and a vast, bloodthirsty Rating: PG. Running time: 1 :44. A ND you were worried about your -kids playing Mortal Kombat, or spending all day surfing the Internet. The ancient board game of Jumanji is truly dangerous, unleashing monkeys and monsters on unwary play audience I saw it with seemed to have fun without scampering for the exits. "Jumanji" does feature giant spiders, and huge pulpy flowers that can swallow compact cars, and presumably little boys and girls as well.

"Jumanji" is not nearly as scary nor as relentlessly intense as "Jurassic Park," and the disturbing scenes are over quickly. Let me put it this way if your child still loves Barney, he or she is probably too young for "Jumanji." (Clarkson, Crestwood, Des Peres, Eastgate, Eureka, Galleria, Halls Ferry, Keller, Mid Rivers, Northwest Plaza, Regency, St. Clair, Union Station) Harper Barnes FACT FARE plant that appears to have been smoking Miracle Gro. The game also brings back the long-lost Alan Parrish, only now he's a goofy-looking adult (Robin Williams). The only way to get rid of all the dangerous interlopers is to keep playing the game at least that's the premise of the movie, based on the book by Chris Van Allsburg.

"Two thumbs up," was the enthusiastic reaction of my nephew Jonathan Weiss, who is almost 8. "I loved that movie," he added, and then began singing the "I hate Barney" song. I'll add a thumb about 30 degrees short of vertical. "Jumanji" is sort of a cross between "Back to the Future" and "Gremlins," but not as good as either. It's moderately entertaining, and the computer-generated monkeys and elephants and rhinos are truly astonishing.

Apparently, some smaller children have found "Jumanji" overly frightening, although the youthful preview Remake Can't Touch Hepburn's 'Sabrina9 English explorer Henry Hudson, his son and several other people were sJ adrift by mutineers in present-day Hudson Bay. S'l'l i Britain's King George was crowned in 191 1 at Westminster Abbey. Mark David Chapman pleaded guilty in 1981 to killing John Lennon outpklu-n. the rock star's New York City apartment building on Dec. 8, 1 980.

In 1 509, Henry VIII was crowned king of England. "SABRINA' white sweater fetchingly across his shoulders and doesn't trip over any of the expensive antique furniture. Harrison Ford is very low key as the older brother, the one we are rooting t'or Sabrina to fall in love with when she comes back from Paris all grown up. This is the '90s, so he's a corporate raider who specializes in unfriendly mergers. This being a Hollywood movie, when he eventually decides that love is more important than money, he still gets to keep the money.

(Chesterfield, Creve Coeur, Des Peres, Eureka, Halls Ferry, Kenrick, Mid Rivers, Northwest Plaza, Ronnie's, St. Charles, St. Clair, Shady Oak, Union Station) Harper Barnes Rating: PG. Running time: 2:04. IF you're a fan of the original 1954 movie version of "Sabrina," starring Audrey Hepburn, William Hold-en and Humphrey Bogart, you'll probably want to stick with your memories (andor your videotape).

Judged on its own, the new "Sabrina," directed by Sydney Pollack, is a slickly engaging, deeply shallow, thoroughly unnecessary re-telling of an American Cinderella story. Julia Ormond is charming as Sabrina Fairchild, the chauffeur's daughter who grows up on a Long Island estate, in love with the younger of two appallingly rich brothers. TV talk show host Greg Kinnear plays the object of her affection, a devoted playboy. Kinnear has a winning smile, knows how to drape a FMMLV "GMME WIGHT" mm i-Tfwriffl -f mir Two Weird Sisters And One Bad Madame immtm DOCKSIDE Join Us For These Games: not much doubt how "Sister My Sister" is going to end. The only questions are how things will work out for Madame's pudgy, spoiled daughter (Sophie Thursfield), who seems caught between two powerful forces, and how long it will take before the sisters (A) seek solace in each other's arms in their lonely attic room and (B) explode in rage against Madame.

"Sister My Sister" is a generally interesting, well-acted psychological (or is it pathological?) study that is based on the same true story that inspired Jean Genet's play "The Maids." It is the feature-film directorial debut of Nancy Meckler, a prominent British director of contemporary theater. (Tivoli) Harper Barnes "SISTER MY SISTER" Rating: sexual situations, brief violence. Running time: 1:30. 60ISTER My Sister" opens with the camera sliding across the blood-stained walls of a French town-house. Then we go back in time and meet Madame Danzard (Julie Waters), the nasty-tempered mistress of the house, who seems to take reptilian delight in tormenting the two sisters who work for her as servants.

Fifteen minutes into the movie, we'd like to take an ax to Madame Danzard, and all we've done is watch as she mistreats the help. And the sisters (Joely Richardson and Jodhi May) are obviously simmering cauldrons of mental weirdness and repressed sexual intensity. So there's PACKAGE KIVBRBOAT 10:15 EM. A.M. INCLUDING: Thur.

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FOR JUST $25 PER PERSON, casting with the Canadian Broadcasting Co. Besides being a newsman, he hosted a Canadian game show. His first game show in the United States was "Wizard of Odds," followed by many others including "High Rollers," "Double Dare" and "Pitfalls." He joined "Jeopardy!" in 1984. Trebek is an accomplished chef, plays ice hockey and owns a winery. Write to the 55-year-old Trebek in care of KingWorld, 1700 Broadway, 35th Floor, New York, N.Y.

10019. PMII IS 4 si By Steven Cole Smith "1995, Fort Worth Star-Telegram I have been a fan of Alex Trebek of "Jeopardy!" as long as he has been on the show. Please give us some biographical information on him, and an address to write to him. Al Trebek is a native of Ontario, Canada, and he graduated from the University of Ottawa with a degree in philosophy before moving into broad- I MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS NOW! SPACE IS LIMITED! CALL: (800) 325-7777 OR (314) 949-7777 1995 St. Charles Riverfront Station.

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