Sherman’s March:

A Meditation on the Possibility of Romantic Love in an Era of Nuclear
Weapons Proliferation
D: Ross McElwee.
VHS Home Video

Ross McElwee, fascinated with General William T. Sherman, set out to make a
film about Sherman’s infamous march across the South. The $9,000 that McElwee
received as a grant for the project instead funded a self-reflexive documentary
romp through his own Southern past. The result is an intimate portrait of the
South, replete with Southern womanhood of both the pushy and pristine
varieties. Southerners and non-Southerners alike should find such characters as
the determined matchmakers, reactionary militia members, and Burt Reynolds
fanatics a welcome eyeful. More than a uniquely hilarious and poignant insight
into the South, McElwee’s film is a subtle statement about the nuances of
recollection and the role of the documentarian in the documentary-making
process. — Clay Smith

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Deadly Advice

This very proper, British black comedy begins with a swift smack of an axe
into the poor head of an overbearing Welsh mum. From there it only gets
bloodier, sillier, and terrifically more contrived. The adorable Jane Horrocks
plays Jodie, an unlikely mass-murderer prodded by the rather pushy ghosts of
infamous British killers to take the matter of her stifling family life into
her own hands. Jodie’s sister is glad to have Mum out of the way, but won’t
take the rap. When she invites a muscle-bound male stripper to live at home,
Jodie finds herself in a domestic pickle once again. Easy enough to fix,
though, when your options include murder. — Kayte VanScoy

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NBA Shoot Out

For those basketball fanatics whose lives temporarily cease to have any
meaning when the NBA playoffs end, there is now an answer. NBA Shoot Out for the PlayStation is arguably the best video game hoops simulation currently
available. Every NBA franchise is included, and with a few notable exceptions
(Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal) the team rosters are also
complete. The polygon graphics are nicely rendered and the sound of sneakers on
hardwood is lovingly reproduced in all its annoying glory. Gameplay is very
good, but not entirely glitch-free. There are also a variety of options
including multiple difficulty levels, adjustable length of quarters, and modes
for one to eight players. As a final crowning touch, there are no visible
officials, although a disembodied voice does stop play for supposed
infractions.

— Bud Simons

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Babyfever

“You can’t marry someone who deals in golf metaphors — I won’t let you,”
declares Gena’s (Foyt) best friend Roz (Lenney) in Babyfever,
independent director Henry Jaglom’s most recent feature to be released on
video. Usually put off by Jaglom’s somewhat smug cinematic sense of women, I
was pleasantly surprised by this film. Perhaps it’s due in part to Foyt,
Jaglom’s real-life wife and co-writer of the script. The story deals with
Gena’s deliberation over having a baby with her lover James (Salinger), a nice
enough man but one whom Roz believes is too conservative for Gena’s lively
personality. As with most Jaglom films, the majority of Babyfever takes
place at an all-female event, in this case a Los Angeles baby shower. Gena’s
indecision and uncertainty about children and husbands comes off as honest and
real, and the character’s self-deprecating wit saves the film from whiny
self-absorption. Lenney’s performance as the resolute best friend also is
impressive, and her advice to Gena about not settling for just any partner
further empowers the film. — Alison Macor

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The Unexplained

Whether you’re a Scully (skeptic) or a Mulder (believer), the CD-ROM The
Unexplained has something of interest for you. You can explore all sorts of
phenomena accompanied by eery music and voiceovers. Small anecdotal details are
given on a wide range of topics such as black holes, UFOs, time travel,
aberrations of nature, ESP, and other oddities of the human mind and body. One
of the main themes is the inability of science to explain these strange
phenomena. Unfortunately, no topic is covered in any detail and much of the
information is given in vague terms such as “more likely” and
“disproportionate” rather than in real statistical terms, leaving the
science-minded skeptical. If, however, your interest has been piqued, a
world-wide listing of books, magazines, societies, and Internet addresses is
given from which more information on the paranormal can be found. — Tivoli Majors

This article appears in August 30 • 1996 and August 30 • 1996 (Cover).