Disturbing Behavior
Stepford 90210
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Disturbing Behavior
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Rated R
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Starring James Marsden, Katie Holmes, Nick Stahl, Bruce Greenwood
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Directed by David Nutter
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83 Minutes
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Review by Patrick Lee
 teve Clark (Marsden) and his family, seeking a fresh start after the suicide of brother Allen, have moved from Chicago to idyllic Cradle Bay in the Pacific Northwest. "You'll never want to leave," they are told.
But troubled Steve finds that things are not quite what they seem. At his new high school, talkative outcast Gavin (Stahl) befriends Steve and outlines the rigid caste system ("Welcome to my nightmare"). Gavin also introduces his pierced, "white trash" friend, Rachel (Holmes, of TV's Dawsons Creek). Sparks fly. ("Cue the power ballad," says Gavin.)
Steve learns that the top of the Cradle Bay High food chain is occupied by the aloof Blue Ribbons, prize student athletes with a penchant for letter sweaters, bake sales and Olivia Newton-John tunes.
At first curious, Steve resists the Ribbon's invitations to join them after witnessing curious acts of brutality--acts that are hushed up by the local constabulary. Gavin believes something bad is behind the Ribbons' unearthly wholesomeness, but his suspicions are dismissed by Steve and Rachel--until Gavin himself undergoes an inexplicable transformation into a clean-cut zombie.
Following clues left by the old Gavin, Steve and Rachel uncover unsettling evidence as to the true nature of Cradle Bay's star teenagers, evidence that leads to school psychiatrist Dr. Caldicott (Greenwood). But before they can act on their knowledge, Steve's own parents decide it's time to help him become one of the Blue Ribbons. Can Steve and Rachel escape their fate and reveal the truth before it's too late?
Toxic jock syndrome
The first feature effort of TV director David Nutter (The X-Files), Disturbing Behavior shares many of that show's virtues, particularly a mood of deep paranoia, not to mention the Vancouver location and some cast and crew (cinematographer John Bartley, composer Mark Snow and supporting actor Steve "Duane Barry" Railsback).
But the witty script by Scott Rosenberg (Con Air) has more in common with postmodern horror flicks like Scream in the way it mixes traditional shocks with ironic pop references--everything from Pink Floyd to The X-Files to the Pied Piper of Hamelin--to tell a story that hits a little too close to home.
Just as the 1975 SF-horror classic The Stepford Wives satirized gender roles, Disturbing Behavior takes aim at today's teen motivational movement that would transform troubled youths into model citizens.
With cheerful amorality, the movie turns the world of high school upside down (the druggie, weapon-toting emotional basket cases are the heroes; the Pat Boone clones are the bad guys) to question the wisdom of fixing what may not be broken. In doing so, it upends the homilies of teen improvement ("Go forward," "Respect yourself") and puts them in the mouths of adolescent automatons, to chilling effect.
At its heart, Disturbing Behavior accurately captures the angst of growing up less than perfect. The youthful cast is great, especially Stahl's jittery Gavin. Holmes, last seen in The Ice Storm, smolders nicely but doesn't have enough to do. Greenberg plays Dr. Caldicott as a high-school Mengele. And William Sadler mugs his way through the key role of the janitor who may or may not be the village idiot.
Any wayward teenager who's ever worried that his parents will send him to a "tough love" camp will relate to Disturbing Behavior. I hope their parents get it too.
-- P.L.
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Pi
Pi is the loneliest number
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Pi
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Starring Sean Gullette, Mark Margolis
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Written and Directed by Darren Aronofsky
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Not Rated
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85 Minutes
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Review by Kathie Huddleston
 or 10 years Max Cohen (Gullette) has been trying to discover a pattern to the stock market. A mathematical genius, Max is very close to making the most important discovery of his life.
Unfortunately, Max has problems. People won't seem to leave him alone. His neighbors keep dropping by, trying to be friendly. As if that weren't annoying enough, an aggressive financial firm tempts Max with a powerful computer chip to win his allegiance, and members of a Kabbalah sect believe Max can help them unlock the mysteries of their ancient holy texts. Even his mentor, Sol (Margolis), seems to be pushing him away from finding the pattern he's looking for.
Worse for Max, however, is that his computer, Euclid, breaks down just as he's about to find the number that will lead to the pattern he's searching for. If he can find a pattern in the stock market, that might lead to finding a pattern in all things, from the leaves on the trees to the mysteries of the universe. However, the closer he comes to finding his answer, the closer he comes to madness. Max's worst enemy may be himself.
As chaos seems to surround him, Max must avoid his pursuers and push forward to find the number that may give him the answer to everything. It's an answer that goes beyond the stock market, to the very fabric of life.
A compelling descent into madness
Pi isn't an average science fiction movie. There are no stunning special effects, no poorly developed characters, no paper-thin script. Instead, it's a quietly powerful film that is well written and takes its time getting into Max's head.
Filmed in stark black and white, Pi is an examination of genius and madness, and how one can spur the other. Rather than gloss over material that other filmmakers might find boring, Pi asks difficult questions, unafraid of challenging its audience.
The story is played out carefully, first introducing Max and his oddities, and eventually peeling away layer after layer of this fascinating character. None of this would work without Gullette's mesmerizing performance as Max (he shares a story credit with producer Eric Watson and writer/director Darren Aronofsky) . He doesn't have an easy task, since Max isn't a likable character. However, Gullette brings Max and his struggles to life through a deeply felt portrayal of this complicated man.
There are other compelling characters in Max's world, especially Max's mentor, Sol, and Kabbalah sect member Lenny Meyer (Ben Shenkman). Some of the actors are veterans and some are not. However, they all give excellent performances.
Produced on a shoestring, Pi won the Directing Award for Dramatic Competition at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival. It's an impressive first feature film from 28-year-old Aronofsky, and it bodes well for the writer/director's future projects.
While Pi will never be a blockbuster, the strength of its script makes it compelling filmmaking. How odd to watch the first 10 minutes of a science fiction film and not be able to figure out the ending.
-- Kat
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