Double Feature

August 2005 - Ahhh, summer. Time to head for the beach or hang out by the pool. No matter which you choose, there's a movie to get you in the mood.

So, let's start by taking a dip in the 2003 drama Swimming Pool. British actress Charlotte Rampling plays Sarah Morton, author of a series of British detective novels. As the movie opens, Morton is so bored and out of ideas that her publisher suggests a change of scenery. He sends her off to stay at his country house in France.

Morton settles in and chooses the bedroom overlooking the swimming pool, which happens to be covered. After a trip to the local café, Morton sits down to write, and it appears the change has done her some good.

She has just turned in for the night when Julie, the publisher's oversexed, 20ish, French daughter turns up. In the morning, Julie opens the pool and swims. The movie then travels down paths that involve murder, sex and voyeurism, and those paths never quite lead where you expect.

Overall review: I think this is one that you have to see to decide for yourself. It's interesting and intriguing but, in my opinion, it loses some of that if you figure out what's really going on.

Swimming Pool is rated R for sex and frequent nudity. Lots of French being spoken here, but there are subtitles. You should be able to find it on DVD.

If you prefer the beach, check out Blue Crush. It's based on a magazine article by Susan Orlean, who was also involved in the film Adaptation.

Blue Crush stars Kate Bosworth and Michelle Rodriguez as surfer chicks in Hawaii. During the day, they work as maids in one of the ritzy hotels. But, in the evening, they party. And, in the morning, they surf.

The main character here is Bosworth's Anne Marie Chadwick. She's the most talented of the bunch, but she was almost killed in a surfing accident a few years before. Now, when the big waves roll in, she's gun-shy. But, there's a big tournament coming up, and Anne Marie is training hard in hopes of doing well enough to latch on with a sponsor.

The surfing tournament just happens to coincide with the NFL Pro Bowl, and the players just happen to be staying at the hotel where Anne Marie works. She falls for a hunky quarterback but is scorned by the wives and girlfriends of the other players.

Can Anne Marie conquer her fear of the big waves? Can she overcome her insecurities and find happiness with the quarterback? I'll never tell!

Overall review: Liked it. The plot is cheesy romance, but the scenery and the actors are gorgeous. And, the photography in the surfing sequences is way cool, dude!

Blue Crush is rated PG-13. Look for it on DVD or home video.