Daily Staff Writer

“What Dreams May Come”

For anyone interested in the afterlife and all the forms of beliefs on what happens after death, “What Dreams May Come” is a thought-provoking movie with a new idea about death.

With an all-star cast including funny man Robin Williams paired with the sleek Annabella Sciorra, along with Cuba Gooding Jr. and Max Von Sydow, this movie explores the fantasy world of death as based on the novel written by Richard Matheson.

In the beginning of the movie, Chris Niesen (Williams) and Annie (Sciorra) meet and fall in love. They go on to get married and have two children, all of this happening before the opening credits of the film have finished rolling.

Early into the film, the two children die in a car accident, and are soon followed in death by Chris himself in another freak car accident.

Chris is transported into a world depicting his imagination of the afterlife. He finds himself existing in a painting made for him by his artist-wife Annie.

He is guided along by spiritual guide “Albert,” (Gooding, Jr.) as he tries to accept his own death and understand the new world that surrounds him — a world where thought is real and the physical is the illusion.

Meanwhile, back on Earth, Annie has been left in a state of disarray and eventually kills herself, a move which banishes her to Hell, and although she and Chris were soulmates, she can never be rescued.

Chris begins a journey to rescue her with Albert and the “Tracker” (Von Sydow). His journey takes him from the magnificent Consciousness City to the horrific Sea of Doubt, eventually finding his way to Hell to rescue the woman he loves.

The special effects in this movie are remarkable feats of beauty, and the constant theme of art and death being parallels in our existence is brilliantly original, making this movie a noteworthy epic on the afterlife.

-Kevin Hosbond

“Rumble Fish”

Based on the novel by S.E. Hinton, “Rumble Fish” is a visually and emotionally stunning film.

It was directed by Francis Ford Coppola, who also directed Hinton’s “The Outsiders.”

Like “The Outsiders,” “Rumble Fish” is a story of teenagers trying to survive in a dangerous world.

The film stars Matt Dillon as Rusty James, a young delinquent who spends most of his time getting into fights and trying to score with the ladies.

Rusty is nostalgic for times past, when there were street gangs and rumbles in the neighborhood, located somewhere in New York City.

The old gang leader was Rusty’s older brother, The Motorcycle Boy, played by Mickey Roarke. He has since left the neighborhood, and there is doubt as to whether he will ever return.

When the movie begins Rusty is trying to rally his friends to join him in a rumble later in the day.

Rusty is stabbed during the rumble, but is saved by The Motorcycle Boy, who has just returned to the neighborhood.

The remainder of the film follows Rusty James attempts to gain friendship and understanding from his brother.

The Motorcycle Boy is a local legend, and everyone around town both knows and respects him.

Everywhere he goes, Rusty James is told that no matter how much he may want to, he will never be able to be like The Motorcycle Boy.

The boy’s alcoholic father, played appropriately by Dennis Hopper, describes The Motorcycle Boy by saying it is like he could have anything he wants, only he can’t find anything he would like.

Coppola has gathered an impressive cast for this film. In addition to the actors already mentioned, “Rumble Fish” features Dianne Lane, Nicholas Cage and Tom Waits.

The cinematography in the film is very impressive. The entire film is black and white, with the exception of the fish at the pet store that The Motorcycle Boy is obsessed with.

The environment that Coppola has created is not entirely realistic. One particularly impressionistic scene involves an out-of-body experience by Rusty James.

The film has resonance for anyone who has ever looked up to someone older. Rusty James has trouble understanding who he is, so he decides he wants to be his brother instead.

Like “The Outsiders,” “Rumble Fish” is a touching story for anyone who has ever felt like they didn’t fit in, and didn’t know what to do about it.

-Ben Godar