Napoleon Dynamite
Directed by Jared Hess
By James Luscombe

Napoleon Dynamite is more than a nerd — he’s the literal embodiment of the term; he’s the eternal nerd. The jocks at his Preston, Idaho school joylessly give him noogies and slam him into his locker as if it was their daily obligation to do so. Napoleon reacts, as real nerds do, with a sense of righteous indignation — he huffs and puffs and kicks at the air in frustration. At home, when his eccentric grandmother asks about his day he responds with a petulant, "It was the worst day of my life, okay?!!" It’s business as usual in his world, but he never really seems defeated.

This is the kind of movie that wears its pedigree a little too obviously; Napoleon Dynamite is the love child of Pee Wee Herman and Dawn Wiener from Welcome to the Dollhouse. It’s a pretty funny movie but it’s also a bit of a robot-baby, written as if by a Sundance savvy "scriptomatic" (insert eccentricity here: Napoleon has a pet lama named Tina!) and is directed by Jared Hess as if he were channelling the deadpan wit of Wes Anderson.

Napoleon Dynamite may be a tad too calculating for its own good, but it has its own pleasures too. Hess has an eye for a good visual joke. Napoleon sketches away like a ten-year-old drawing a creature called a "liger" — a combination of a lion and a tiger "bred for its skills and magic." And there’s a soaring tetherball scene at the end that builds to an ecstatic finish.

Along the way the movie hits all the marks that goose our emotions a little as well. There’s a prom scene that’s kind of touching without being cloying (the song? Alphaville’s icky classic "Forever Young"), and there’s an assembly scene where a supremely confident Napoleon gets to display his "skills" and win over the hearts of his schoolmates. That’s the charm of this movie: Napoleon is an archetypal loser who never once doubts that he’s something of a hero and deserves to get the girl in the end. (Fox Searchlight)
Around the World in 80 Days - Dir. by Frank Coraci
Carandiru - Dir. by Hector Babenco
Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story - Dir. by Rawson Marshall Thurber
Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban - Dir. by Alfonso Cuarón
My Mother Likes Women (A Mi Madre Le Gustan Las Mujeres) - Dir. by Ines Paris and Daniela Fejerman
On The Corner - Dir. by Nathaniel Geary
Saved! - Dir. by Brian Dannelly
Soul Plane - Dir. by Jessy Terrero
The Chronicles of Riddick - Dir. by David Twohy
The Day After Tomorrow - Dir. by Roland Emmerich
The Stepford Wives - Dir. by Frank Oz
The Terminal - Dir. by Steven Spielberg
Twist - Dir. by Jacob Tierney
Two Brothers - Dir. by Jean-Jacques Annaud
Valentin - Dir. by Alejandro Agresti
White Chicks - Dir. by Keenan Ivory Wayans
Leif Vollebekk - Inland
Although he's a Montreal native, this debut album sparkles with many of the magical elements associated with Vollebekk's Scandinavian heritage. At times recalling Nick Drake's Bryter Layter in its fragility and subtle deployment of strings, but also the playfulness of fellow Montrealer Patric... Full Review
Lindstrøm Explores
Don't count on Norway's premier disco revivalist Hans-Peter Lindstrøm to ever turn in the same record twice. "All the artists and bands that I really like do surprising stuff every time, and I guess I just copy their way," he says from his Oslo home studio. "But it's also about not getting bored myself."... Read More
Mary J. Blige - Stronger with Each Tear
Mary, we love the fact that you're happy ― no more drama ― and that your personal issues seem to be a thing of the past. Trouble is, your pain was what fuelled your passion. It's the reason why What's the 411 was a classic, and why subsequent albums were usually measured by whethe... Full Review
Social Networking
• Be our friend on MySpace
• Be our fan on Facebook
• Tweet us on twitter
Viewing the June 2004 Issue: • Contents Page • News • Click Hear • Articles --> On the Cover  •  Front Five  •  Points  •  Comics  •  Point of View  •  Questionnaire  •  Research  •  Timeline • Music Reviews --> Recently Reviewed  •  Aggressive Tendencies  •  Beats & Rhymes  •  Destination Out  •  Frequencies  •  Groove  •  Pop Rocks  •  Wood, Wires & Whiskey  •  Concert Reviews • Motion Reviews --> Recently Reviewed  •  Dvd Reviews  •  Film Reviews  •  Music DVD Reviews • Music School --> N/A • Contests • Contact --> About Us  • Advertising  • Distribution  • Getting Reviewed  • Getting Published  • Letters To The Editor  • Partnerships  • Subscriptions • Exclaim! Radio --> Aggressive Tendencies Radio  • Beats & Rhymes Radio  • Frequencies Radio  • Destination Out Radio  • Groove Radio  • No Future Radio  • Pop Rocks Radio  • Wood, Wires & Whiskey Radio • Exclaim! TV • Home & Latest Issue • Browse Issues