This British comedy gangster film borrows a star and maybe one or two ideas from America, but there's no harm in that when the result is this entertaining. Samuel L Jackson is the man with a plan - a plan to sell his formula for a new designer drug to whoever will pay the right price. Having pulled one over his former US employer 'The Lizard' (Meatloaf), he seeks an alternative deal with Liverpudlian kingpin Ricky Tomlinson. Things quite don't go to plan and soon he finds himself reluctantly teaming up with local fixer Robert Carlyle as they are chased around Liverpool by cops, skinhead thugs and a mysterious female assassin (Emily Mortimer).
Ronny Yu's direction definitely lends something to the action scenes but occasionally allows the story to meander too much. This isn't particularly intellectually challenging stuff but no-one can deny that it's fun. Jackson and Carlyle work particularly well together, while Emily Watson may just be the coolest female assassin to grace the screen since Anne Parillaud starred as Nikita. Add to that an assortment of British supporting actors including a deliciously off-the-wall performance from Rhys-Ifans (Notting Hill) as a local drug lord.
It doesn't have the intricate plotting of Lock, Stock or the hard edge of Snatch but does have enough pace and British charm to be hit both here and in the States.
Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back (4)
Fans of Kevin Smith’s previous movies (Clerks, Mall Rats, Chasing Amy, Dogma) will be immediately familiar with the title duo. The convenience store slacker dudes have been coveted by their creator. Now Smith sees a need to move on, and this movie is intended as their farewell send-off. The plot(?) centres around the duo’s discovery that Hollywood are making a Bluntman and Chronic movie and have neglected to cut them in on the royalties, (Technically they own the IPR as they are the real people on which the comic characters were based).
Sadly the end result is a very uneven comedy road movie. Whilst Jay and Silent Bob were great cameo characters, they can’t support a full movie. Director Kevin Smith resorts to far to much foul language and endless dick jokes. Sometimes the comedy is hilarious but just is much isn’t! There are a string of cameo performances – notably from previous actors and characters in Smith’s movies. (Chris Rock, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon to name but a few). Star Wars gets a mention yet again, with both Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher appearing in separate scenes. Sadly, it isn’t enough.
For fans of Smith’s previous movies only – and even then don’t expect too much!
Bruce Willis and Billy Bob Thornton star as a pair of bank robbers who become notorious for pulling off a string of non-violent robberies. However, complications ensue when they take insecure housewife Cate Blanchett as a hostage during one of their raids. Not only does she choose to hitch up with them but an awkward love triangle begins to form.
Barry Levinson’s character-driven romantic action comedy (it lurches unevenly between all 3) contains enjoyable performances from its 3 leads but never really sets the screen alight. Thornton’s performance stands out but Blanchett’s kooky character is no less entertaining. A little more pace and a couple more twists could have improved this immensely (the blatantly obvious denouement lets it down badly), but it is still worth watching.
Crowd-pleasing lightweight entertainment which won’t be troubling the likes of Bonnie & Clyde or Natural Born Killers.
Ben Stiller (Meet The Parents, There’s Something About Mary) produces, directs and stars in this camp comedy about an international male model who is brainwashed by an evil fashion conglomerate into assassinating a foreign political leader. As if that wasn’t enough, Derek Zoolander also has to contend with rival male model Owen Wilson.
Much of the comedy hangs on the premise that all models are illiterate morons. However, the film manages to pull this off without ever being too insulting to the industry – mainly by planting tongue firmly in cheek and presenting its central character as a sort of Austin Powers of the fashion world. Indeed, fans of Mike Myers’ super spy will no doubt lap this up.
Whilst not all the jokes hit their target, there is enough fun here to sustain the running time. The performances are enjoyable enough, especially those from Owen Wilson and Stiller’s own Dad. The occasional star cameo is also thrown into the mix – cue Jon Voight as Zoolander’s coalmining Dad, David Bowie as himself and David Duchovny as a conspiracy theorist.
A clever idea that works better than you might expect. Sort of a thinking man’s dumb movie!
It’s 1991. Robert Redford stars as the CIA agent on the verge of retirement who suddenly finds himself embroiled in an internal investigation after a former operative (Brad Pitt) whom he recruited winds up in a Chinese prison. Thus we are treated in numerous flashbacks to Redford’s account of how he recruited Pitt in Vietnam and trained him in the Middle East. But while Redford is mentally jumping through hoops to second guess his interrogators, he is covertly running rings around them to discover the truth and help his protégé.
Surprisingly, director Tony Scott shows sufficient restraint with the technology of modern espionage to prevent this turning into ‘Top Spy’. Instead, he presents a well paced tale derived direct from news headlines spanning the 70s and 80s. His trademark visual flourishes are still very much in evidence but never overshadow the story.
Aside from the intelligent plot and fast-paced story-telling, holding this together is a central performance which is vintage Redford. It’s not his first time in this type of role (Remember 3 Days Of The Condor?) but nevertheless his laconic spy is a joy to behold - whether preaching the rules of the game in a roof-top rendezvous with Pitt or plotting to outwit his superiors in a denouement reminiscent of Kevin Costner in No Way Out. Like his director, Pitt also benefits from having reigned in his act a little.
If you’re hoping for a good old-fashioned spy caper then this isn’t it, but this above average modern spy yarn is certainly worthy of attention.
Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone (8.5)
Chris Columbus has restored my faith in his directing skills with this triumphantly faithful adaptation of J.K.Rowling’s first Harry Potter novel. Of course, having the author oversee and advise on proceedings must have helped!
For those who have been locked in a cupboard under the stairs for the past 5 years, Harry is condemned to a grim childhood at the hands of cruel parents while his favoured older brother is spoilt rotten. All that changes when Harry turns 11, discovers that the family he knows are not his real kin and he is in fact the son of a deceased wizard. Thus he packs his bags and sets off for his first academic year at Hogwarts school of wizardry and witchcraft. Joining him in his adventures are his new found friends, cheeky Ron Weasley and precocious Hermione Granger.
I am reliably informed by friends who have read the book that the film faithfully recreates the sets and set pieces, though one or two scenes have been shortened. With ‘franchise’ credentials never in doubt (The second film received the green light before the first had even been released), it seems no-one pressured Columbus into dispensing with characterisation and set-up for the sake of more action or a shorter running time. Hence we have 152 minutes (That’s a long childrens movie!) introducing us to Harry and his chums, life at Hogwarts, the rules of quidditch etc. with nary a mention of the Philosophers Stone for the first 90 minutes. The result is refreshing and bodes well for future installments.
The 3 children at the centre of it all give personable performances, with my tip for the future being Emma Watson as Hermione. The youngsters are ably supported by an array of fine British actors including Alan Rickman as professor Snape, Robbie Coltrane as friendly giant Hagrid, and not forgetting Richard Harris, Leslie Thomas, John Cleese and Maggie Smith.
Spellbinding fare for adults and children alike and by no means a poor man’s pre-cursor to Lord Of The Rings.
At the end of World War II, Nicole Kidman and her 2 children move to a remote mansion in Jersey. Kidman’s husband joined the army 18 months previously and has not been heard of since. Kidman employs 3 locals as servants to help her run the house. Meanwhile she busies herself by being overly protective of her photo-sensitive children. But when one her daughter claims to have seen someone else in the house, it becomes apparent that all 3 of them may be facing a far greater threat than mere daylight.
Director Alejandro Amenabar delivers an intelligent, atmospheric and truly creepy supernatural chiller. Trendy blood n’ guts horror has no place in this film. Instead doors creak, light plays tricks on the eyes and the housekeeper (Fionnula Flannagan) always seems to know more than she lets on. The scenes when Flannagan faces off against Kidman are electric, but Kidman steals the show in her own right throughout. Her performance is very different, but every bit as equal, to that in Moulin Rouge. Indeed, the only question now is which performance will win her the Oscar!
Only the final revelation (Actually I figured it after just 25 minutes) is a let-down, having already been done before and thus drawing obvious comparisons with another film which I will not name here. That and possibly the appearance of a rather old-looking Eric Sykes as the butler! Nonetheless this is well directed and acted.
The latest Coen Brothers stars Billy Bob Thornton as a small town barber in the late 1940s. Realising that his wife is having an affair, he seeks to blackmail her suitor in order to scare him off. Of course, things don’t quite go to plan!
Thornton’s performance may well gain him an Oscar nomination and the whole 1940s movie feel is lovingly recreated in black and white, but somehow it just doesn’t seem as inspired as the usual fare from the Coen Brothers. The denouement is far from original. When it comes right down to it, if you want to watch an old black and white thriller then why not rent a classic Hitchcock movie?
The Coen Brothers remain great directing talents because they continue producing offbeat and challenging movies. Unfortunately that means some you like and some you don’t. Some of their movies are first class. In my opinion this one isn’t – but then I’m one of those who didn’t like Fargo!
The basic premise of this romantic comedy is the ‘dumb blonde’ joke. Reese Witherspoon stars as the vacuous blonde who is heartlessly dumped by her high school sweetheart (Matthew Davis) shortly before he sets off for Harvard law school. But instead of Witherspoon retiring to her fluffy pink bedroom and burying her head in a box of chocolates (Oh no – actually she does do that!), Witherspoon comes out fighting – determined to gain her own admittance to law school and thus win back her boyfriend.
This film is very reminiscent of Clueless a few years back. Reese Witherspoon is superbly cast in the lead role – treading a fine balance between convincingly dumb and believably resourceful. You’ll have seen her in films like Pleasantville, Election and Cruel Intentions (where she was upstaged by the on-screen shenanigans between Sarah Michelle Gellar and Ryan Philippe). A much under-rated actress – hopefully this film will finally put her on the map.
Enjoyable comedy demonstrating that you don’t have to be dumb to be blonde, but it helps!
Lightweight romantic comedy written and produced by Billy Crystal, who also stars as a movie producer about to launch his new film. But he has a dilemma. How to arrange a successful press junket when the director won’t let him see a finished version of the movie and his stars (Hollywood’s favourite onscreen couple) are about to announce their divorce?
Crystal has pulled together a good cast. Catherine Zeta Jones and John Cusack make a credible Hollywood couple trying to maintain an appearance of normality. Julia Roberts provides reliable love interest as Jones’ sister with a secret crush on Cusack. Numerous other stars give cameo appearances. The problem is really the script. Not only is the story wafer thin, it is also based around a situation (the press junket) which is not one with which a large percentage of the viewing public will be familiar. This really makes it little more than one big ‘in-joke’ for the movie industry.
An inconsistent ,overly predictable romantic comedy.
A horror movie that jettisons all that recent post-ironic baggage and returns to being genuinely scary. While returning home from college, brother and sister (Justin Long and Gina Philips) are almost run off the road by a maniac driver who they later espy – apparently dumping bodies into a hole. Inevitably they investigate (but only after an intelligent discussion of the pros and cons), whereupon they end up being the next targets of someone who may or may not be a demented serial killer.
Victor Salva’s film is very much a game of 2 halves. The first 45 minutes is as creepy as any recent horror film that I can recall. Hell, it even has relatively intelligent teenagers who don’t shed their clothes at the first sign of danger! Above all, it has some genuinely scary moments that will have you gripping your seat tightly when you’re not leaping out it. But then the true nature of the villain is revealed and all credibility begins to dissipate rapidly. But it’s nice to see that, even in this day and age, there’s still room in the movies for a man in a rubber suit!
Classic 70s style creepy suspense obliterated by classic 50s style special effects.
Jean-Pierre Jeunet, director of Alien Resurrection and one half of the creative talent responsible for Delicatessen and City Of Lost Children, here provides us with a charming piece of French whimsy. It’s brighter than his usual stuff but still just as quirky.
Newcomer Audrey Tautou plays the title character – a lonely woman living in the heart of Paris. One day she discovers a box of childhood mementos concealed behind a wall in her apartment. Having successfully tracked down the true owner and seen the delight on his face, she determines to do more good deeds for the people around her.
This is a delightfully uplifting tale. Audrey Tautou is magnificent in the central role, but the characters around her provide fine support. The real joy is in the detail with which Jeunet tells the story, laced with offbeat humour.
French cinema is back on track with this assured contender for Best Foreign Film at the next round of award ceremonies.
Number crunching isn’t visual and thus rarely translates into interesting movie fodder. Of course there are exceptions such as Contact and Cube. Enigma isn’t quite in that category but it does gently draw you into the world of World War II code-breaking.
The action mainly centres around the activities of Bletchley Park where much of the British code-breaking effort was conducted. The Germans have changed their codes for no apparent reason so it falls to the boffins to crack them again, aided by mathematical genius Dougray Scott just back from a nervous breakdown following an ill-fated romance with one of his Bletchley co-workers (Saffron Burrows) who has mysteriously disapperared since. When Scott then strikes up a friendship with yet another co-worker (Kate Winslet), alarm bells ring in the mind of Jeremy Northam, the secret service man tasked with maintaining security.
More of a war-time drama than a war movie. One of those rare recent beasts which hasn’t trampled historical fact into oblivion (though the Poles have raised objection). Filmed on location at Bletchley, this lovingly recreates the period feel. Not the most perplexing whodunit or the most intricate spy yarn, but a pleasant enough diversion for a couple of hours. The central trio provide solid performances. Unfortunately, good as she looks, Saffron Burrows still couldn’t act her way past a motorised shark!
A gentle Sunday afternoon wartime yarn.
Heist movie in which Edward Norton and Robert De Niro combine forces to pull off a daring raid on the Montreal Customs House. Their goal is a valuable sceptre stored inside a safe in the basement. Marlon Brando plays the fence who brings the two criminal talents together. Angela Bassett provides light relief as De Niro’s girlfriend who wants him to give up his life of crime.
Whilst the elaborate heist which occupies the last third of this movie is tense and entertaining, the first two thirds are slow and plodding. Considering the talent on display and the mouthwatering prospect of De Niro and Brando sharing the screen for the first time, the result is rather disappointing. Though De Niro seems to be operating on auto-pilot, it is Brando’s risible performance which lets this down so badly. Only Ed Norton displays much acting talent with his passable ‘Rain Man’ impression.
Save it for a rainy day.
Steven Spielberg’s realisation of the late Stanley Kubrick’s project (Itself adapted from the book ‘Supertoys Last All Summer Long’) is certainly bold. Whether or not it ultimately succeeds is open to debate. Set in a future where Humankind co-exists uneasily with machines of their own creation, Haley Joel Osment stars as the latest project – a machine who can love as a boy loves his mother. The question is, can said ‘parent’ return that love? Ultimately rejected, Osment seeks out more of his own kind and eventually teams up with gigolo-style mecha Jude Law. Together they travel to the edge of the world (a semi submerged New York) in their search for a means by which Osment can make amends and rediscover the love of his mother.
As a slice of pure science fiction, this is flawed by too little explanation of the circumstances upon which the film hangs its basic premise. However, as a catalyst for some deep philosophical debate down the pub it works a treat. Haley Joel Osment turns in another remarkable performance for one so young, and Jude Law delivers a ‘career best’ which may well garner a Supporting Actor nomination in the next few months.
Neither a classic Kubrick film nor a typical Spielberg movie, though it contains elements of both. The intelligence and detachment of this treatment owes much to Kubrick, while the special effects and visual realisation owe more to Spielberg. Perhaps most controversial in this strange mix is the electronic teddy bear. Is this Kubrick’s ET, Spielberg’s Jar Jar Binks or a subtle reminder that some kind of teddy bear or its equivalent lurks hidden among the earliest childhood memories of just about everyone?
The biggest debating point of the whole film is the ending. I have yet to decide whether the last half hour is deeply profound or a complete waste of time, and I believe it would be unfair to judge it on one viewing alone. Certainly it veers dangerously close to going completely off the rails but just maybe it rallies itself in the final 10 minutes. Whatever your viewpoint, this is undeniably as intelligent and thought-provoking a film as you are likely to see this year.
Paul Walker is an undercover FBI agent endeavouring to infiltrate the illegal street racing fraternity in LA in an attempt to identify the gang responsible for a series of daring lorry hi-jacks. Vin Diesel is the unsung king of the street-racing circuit and thus number one suspect. Walker has to befriend Diesel to establish his cover, but also gets involved with Diesel’s sister (Mia Loretto).
It’s a flimsy plot involving, Vin Diesel excepted, some even flimsier characters. Easy to see why this may appeal to male teenage audiences but (unless they’re leading secret lives) I don’t think my Porsche-owning friends usually turn up at car rallies with 2 or 3 babes hanging on each arm! But this film isn’t about people. It’s about cars and driving very fast. To be fair, the action sequences are reasonably exhilarating and some of the stunts are very impressive.
Put brains in neutral. This is popcorn fodder pure and simple for those who want to watch car chases.
After the dance comedy Strictly Ballroom and the MTV-style Romeo & Juliet, director Baz Luhrmann turns his hand to a full blown musical weaving a tragic love story against the backdrop of the famous Parisian nightclub. Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman star respectively as the naïve playwright and the club courtesan with whom he is smitten.
In many ways this resembles a lavish stage play brought to the screen. Costumes, sets and musical numbers are extravagant in the extreme. Influences from Luhrmann’s earlier work are numerous. McGregor and Kidman (indeed the whole cast) appear to be having tremendous fun. Kidman not only looks stunning (She sports the same hairstyle as she did in Batman And Robin) but also turns in one of her best performances. However, without a doubt the acting honours go to Jim Broadbent who hams it up superbly as the owner of the Moulin Rouge. (Not having entirely forgotten The Avengers, I never thought I’d be recommending him for an Oscar nomination!).
As with Romeo & Juliet, Luhrmann
cleverly panders to the MTV generation by peppering his musical entirely with
revamped pop songs instead of original numbers. This familiarity adds to the
fun, not only in spotting the opening lines before the actors burst into song
but in the enjoyment of the clever and elaborate rearrangements. Everyone will
have their own favourites. My personal highlights include Kidman’s rendition
of Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend, Broadbent’s rendition of Like A
Virgin, and a hilarious Can Can with the whole cast on their knees which somehow
reminded me of South Park!
Dazzling, audacious and definitely off-the-wall. It won’t be to everyone’s taste, but you won’t see anything else like it in cinemas this year.
Sigourney Weaver and Jennifer Love Hewitt star as mother and daughter con artists who endeavour to ensnare aging tobacco billionaire Gene Hackman in their tried and tested phoney marriage scam. Complications arise when Jennifer Love Hewitt falls in love with local bar owner Jason Lee and Ray Liotta (a previous victim of the girls’ scam) catches up with them.
Plotwise, David Mirkin’s comedy is in similar territory to Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Unfortunately the comedy isn’t quite as fast flowing. Some of it works an absolute treat but other so-called comic moments are signposted a mile off. Most annoying is the number of loose ends which aren’t so much left untied as simply discarded. (The fate of Gene Hackman is a case in point).
Two things make this a film worth watching. (OK - 3 for us guys!). First is the fact that, allowing for its flaws, the film dares to buck Hollywood trends by having a complex plot. Second is the quality of the acting. Weaver and Hewitt gel effortlessly, both providing equally comic performances in their own way. But their star roles are no match for the supporting men. Gene Hackman’ performance will have most people squirming as he conjures up one of the least likeable characters he has ever played. Meanwhile it is Ray Liotta’s dodgy car salesman who finally steals the acting honours.
An enjoyably frothy comedy which will eventually fade from memory.
A young puppy yearning for adventure inadvertently gets mixed up in a spy caper in which the warring factions are cats and dogs. The cats, led by a meglomaniacal white kitty which could easily have been one of Blofeld’s pets, are intent on preventing scientist Jeff Goldblum from developing a cure for allergy to dogs. Quite naturally, the dogs are looking out for Goldblum’s wellbeing.
Using a mixture of live animals, animatronics and CGI, what
starts out as a nice idea pretty soon runs out of steam. That said, the talking
animals will amuse the young kids and their Bond-style antics are occasionally
funny for adults too. Robert Rodriguez may have confounded the pundits with
James Bond for kids earlier in the year, but Lawrence Guterman’s attempt to do
the same for family pets will find favour with few children over the age of 8
and even fewer parents.
Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (4.5)
Yet another computer game gets the movie spin-off treatment. What sets it apart is that it retains its roots throughout – every last frame is computer generated. The plot is lame science fiction, with elements plundered from a number of sources. It might help if it was better explained. There again – it might not!
This is not a movie to be seen for itself. It should be
seen for being a significant step forward in photo-realistic CGI and the
potential impact this could have on the future development of cinema. The
technology is obviously not still without its problems – just note how often
characters turn away from the camera to speak! But marvel at some beautifully
rendered landscapes and the most expensive head of hair ever to grace the
movies.
Tim Burton’s ‘reimagining’ of the 1968 original is a visually impressive Summer blockbuster. Mark Wahlberg stars as the astronaut propelled through time and stranded on a planet dominated by apes and ruled by General Thade (Tim Roth). Helena Bonham Carter is the rebellious teenage ape who helps Wahlberg to escape and mount a resistance movement against Thade’s tyranny.
Plotwise, this is probably closer than its predecessor to Pierre Boulle’s sci-fi novella. But that’s not always a good thing. Tim Burton’s movie certainly boasts great visual and makeup effects. The apes are far more believable. Indeed, General Thade and his right hand ape Attar (Michael Duncan Smith) are truly menacing.
For those remotely familiar with the original, comparisons are inevitable. Effects aside, this just doesn’t match up. Burton has wisely opted for a different ending, but neither of the ‘surprises’ carry the weight of Charlton Heston’s realisation. However, in a nice touch, Heston does at least get to cameo in this version (this time as a dying ape) – again uttering that immortal line. The biggest criticism which I have of this film is that it lacks the social comment of the original. Parts of it are still present but even they are heavily watered down. Man’s inhumanity to man, animal experimentation and other subjects are just as relevant today!
A science fiction classic which has shamelessly been remade as a Summer action blockbuster. That Tim Burton is responsible for this travesty only makes it worse. Entertaining enough if you have never seen the original, but if you have ….
This
high-tec thriller opens with a psychotic John Travolta delivering a deliciously
wry monologue on hostage situations in the movies before the camara pulls back
to reveal that he is standing in the midst of one such scenario. If films were
judged for an individual scene, what happens next would surely nab every FX
award going. But, following this stupendous opening 5 minutes, the plot(?)
begins to kick in and everything starts to fall apart. Hardly surprising as
director Dominic Sena was responsible for last year’s ‘Gone In 60
Seconds’, a film not noted for much – least of all its plot!
Hugh Jackman (X-Men) plays a computer hacker drawn into Travolta’s scheme to steal billions of dollars from some secret government account. Don Cheadle is the FBI agent hot on his trail. Halle Berry, in a surprisingly meaty role, could possibly be Travolta’s mistress and may or may not be an undercover DEA operative. One thing’s for sure – she gets to show off her assets in the most gratuitous topless scene for many a year. (Not that any males in the audience will be complaining too much!). Having had his role severely edited, Vinnie Jones gets to play little more than one of Travolta’s henchmen.
It doesn’t take a degree in computer science to spot that the techy stuff is utter drivel. (At least Antitrust knew what it was talking about). Even the computer stuff in Ghost is more convincing than this! And just when the plot gives way to a potentially explosive finale to rival the opening scenes, the whole thing comes spectacularly off the rails with some kind of True Lies rip-off.
See it for the opening 5 minutes, but don’t expect anything from the rest.
Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan team up for more of the same buddy cop comedy action. This time the action is split between Hong Kong and Vegas as the duo get involved with the internal politics of a triad gang led by the man who used to be Chan’s father’s partner in the Hong Kong police force.
If you’ve seen the first film then you know what to expect. Tucker and Chan again blend effortlessly for another round of wise-cracking and superbly crafted martial arts scenes. With Ang Lee’s recent martial arts foray still in most peoples’ minds, it is interesting to note that Zhang Ziyi (the girl at the centre of Crouching Tiger’s story) has a prominent role here too.
And do stay for the out-takes – especially as Chris Tucker delivers the funniest one-liner of them all.
High Heels And Low Lifes (5.5)
Mel Smith directs this British comedy thriller in which Kathryn McCormack and Minnie Driver are 2 friends who over-hear a robbery in progress on their mobile phone. The police ignore them when they try to report the incident so the girls decide to blackmail the criminals for a slice of the take. But the person they try to blackmail is not his own boss, and soon matters escalate and become more dangerous for the girls.
The setup is a little slow, but once this gets going it is entertaining enough. The comedy would have to be sharper and the thrills faster in order to label this ‘slick’, but the girls both turn in good performances. In terms of pace and atmosphere, this very much resembles a modern day Ealing comedy.
Doesn’t always hit the mark, but to see Minnie Driver running around with a sub-machine gun is almost worth the money alone. And watch out for Mel Smith making a fleeting ‘Hitchcockian’ appearance!
This sequel directed by Joe Johnston is better than Spielberg’s own sequel (JP2: The Lost World) for a number of reasons. Primarily the plot is simpler and (due to a remarkably short 85 minute running time) the action is tighter. Secondly there are characters whom you can learn to care for, not least thanks to the casting. Sam Neill is back as the paleontologist from the original film. William H Macy adds a solid performance as the businessman hoping to rescue his son. Thirdly the tone is darker. Don’t let the PG rating fool you. This still has sufficient scary and surprising moments to fill its running time. And finally – someone has injected a wickedly sly sense of humour.
It’s a straight forward setup. A businessman (Macy) and his wife (Tea Leoni) offer dinosaur expert Sam Neill enough money to fund several digs. In return, they wish him accompany them on a flight over Isla Sorna (site of the action in JP2) – at least, that’s what they tell him. In fact, their son is believed to be stranded on the island and they wish to mount a rescue mission. Naturally, the rescue expedition also ends up stranded on the island – just around feeding time for the dinosaurs!
Nothing too original but still a lot of fun thanks to some good acting and some new monsters.
There can be few males on the planet possessing either a PC or games console who aren’t familiar with Lara Croft’s archeological exploits. Those sad few who have never heard of her will probably not enjoy this movie anyway. Basically, Lara is a modern female version of Indiana Jones with a different wardrobe and a touch less humour. In this first film (Angelina Jolie is already signed up for 2 more), Lara does battle with some bad dude in a race to find parts of an ancient artifact which can bestow incredible powers upon its owner at the point when all the planets in the solar system are aligned – once every 5000 years.
Well that’s the plot – with dialogue to match! Fortunately the film has some redeeming features – not least Lara’s! Angelina Jolie has gone to great lengths to become the titular character, and it is hard now to think of anyone else who would suit the role better. Lara’s appearance, her movements and even those funny little grunting sounds she makes whenever she runs into a wall are all lovingly recreated. So too is the interior of her English stately home, complete with butler Chris Barrie (of Arnold J Rimmer fame) and a basement full of toys reminiscent of a well appointed property in Gotham City. A couple of the ‘tomb raiding’ set pieces are very impressive. A pity the same can’t be said of the villains.
Previously, cinematic outings for computer game characters have been mediocre at best! On the evidence of this film, Lara Croft isn’t about to buck the trend. It’s entertaining enough in a ‘mindless Summer blockbuster’ sort of way and will probably do well given the size of Lara’s fan base (Undoubtedly her biggest asset!). But if this is to develop into a fully fledged franchise then Lara’s next quest should be for a decent plot.
Shrek is a friendly ogre. The most frightening thing about him is his broad Scottish accent. When his quiet little swamp suffers an influx of fairy tale immigrants fleeing the nearby kingdom, Shrek heads off to confront Lord Farquaard. He agrees to put matters right if Shrek will rescue Princess Fiona from the dragon’s castle, neither one realising that she is not your average ho-hum fairytale princess.
Dreamworks have really put one over on Disney this year,and quite rightly so too. For while Disney’s latest hit across the Atlantic is floundering, Shrek has entered the castle, tiptoed past the sleeping dragon and is within reach of snatching the Disney crown. Shrek is a Disney movie in all but name – yet it isn’t! Because Shrek takes all the fairytale mythology that Disney has coveted over the years and, whilst still revering its origins, cleverly subverts the whole lot! Hence the friendly ogre (voiced by Mike Myers), the street-smart princess (Cameron Diaz) and the oh-so-clever-it-hurts casting of Eddie Murphy playing the donkey (Literally a kick-ass smart-ass bad-ass!), improving upon the persona he first honed for the comedic dragon sidekick in Disney’s own Mulan.
I have only 2 real gripes about this movie. Firstly the story is fairly straight forward though there is the odd subversive twist. (If only the short guy had ended up with girl – now that would have been subversive!). But this is a kids’ movie after all. Secondly, the dragon is much too child friendly! Dragons should be menacing and, save for a brief moment, this one isn’t. The other ingredients, however, have been skilfully blended. The CGI animation rivals that of Toy Story, whilst the humour takes pot shots in all directions and rarely misses its mark. Prime piss-take target is Disney (Far too many references to catalogue here) but Temple Of Doom also gets a passing nod, as does the Matrix. And the sly dig at Aardman Animation’s Chicken Run most definitely drew the biggest laugh from this particular reviewer.
The kids will love this film but, believe me, it’s wasted on them! The parents will enjoy this so much more.
Ivan Reitman directs this sci-fi comedy in which a meteorite crashes to Earth releasing extra terrestrial single celled organisms which evolve at an alarming rate. Who ya gonna call? Apparently a couple of college science professors played by David Duchovny and Orlando Jones. But while they may be first on the scene, they are not the only ones. Soon the army turns up to take charge but you can be sure they don’t have the situation under control!
There have been numerous comparisons to Reitman’s 1984 hit Ghostbusters, but this probably owes as much to films like Men In Black. The comedy is not exactly high-brow stuff (Bottoms are big - literally!), but Duchovny and Jones work well together. Given its main star, the film pokes surprisingly little fun at The X-Files. Dan Ackroyd provides an enjoyable cameo as the state governor. Julianne Moore, as a clumsy military scientist, is victim to an underwritten role.
Not bad as a no-brain Summer blockbuster. While it is not a great movie, it manages to generate more laughs than it has any right to do.
First
released in Britain in 1999 and currently undergoing a re-release after becoming
a sleeper hit in the US last year. This is a British crime flic which stands
apart because it offers a sinister world of shady dealings inside a London
casino rather than the usual assortment of East End gangsters.
Clive Owen plays a writer who reluctantly agrees to take work at a London casino after his Dad talks him into it. His experience unveils a seedy world inhabited by shady management, jaded staff and mysterious punters which he resolves to use as the basis for his new book.
Directed by Mike Hodges (Get Carter), the crime is less important than the detailed lives of the characters who are drawn together in the casino. It’s more drama than thriller. Nevertheless, it is thoroughly entertaining, thanks largely to a strong central performance by Owen. Although the ending is a little too hurried, (Who killed whom and the final location of the money never being fully explained), this only adds to the post-mortem enjoyment of a low budget gem which nearly got away.
Judging from the Sunday evening turnout at my local cinema, there is certainly a thriving market for vampire movies. Unfortunately this one, like Dracula himself, should have been locked away in a crypt gathering dust.
Christopher Plummer plays an antiques dealer by the name of Van Helsing whose London premises become the target of a hi-tech heist. However, the silver coffin in the vault is not quite the treasure hoard the thieves were expecting to find. And there are other surprises toboot. Meanwhile a girl in New Orleans is having strange dreams about a man she has never met. It doesn’t take much brain power to figure out the identity of the woman or what the thieves find in the coffin! Dracula is back but with a new and somewhat unconvincing slant on the legend.
Risible script, poor direction, little real horror and bad acting all count against this film. Gerard Butler as Dracula has little menace and no charm whatsoever. Christopher Plummer sports a ridiculous accent and should know better. Johnny Lee Miller, as Van Helsing’s assistant, is equally poor. And to see Jeri Ryan (Voyager’s Seven-Of-Nine) as a vampire is so laughable that it will no doubt offend most Star Trek fans.
Series 7: The Contenders (3.5)
Reality TV has become big business in the past couple of years. We’ve seen assorted members of the public put in a house together Big Brother), left to fend for themselves on an island (Survivors) and so on. Director Daniel Minahan’s neat idea has been to take this to its logical next step by portraying a mythical reality TV program in which randomly selected members of the public are each given a gun and the winner is the last man (or woman) standing.
There is the germ of a good idea here, but unfortunately the big screen is completely wrong for this project. Surely it should be obvious that satirising a TV phenomenon is best done on the TV itself. For this reason this may come across better on video or DVD, though in my opinion it would have been better had it been made specifically for TV.
The film uses a montage of TV-style cinematic techniques to achieve the desired look. Unfortunately the clever idea is fatally flawed by a set of contestants who are at best dull and at worst completely unlikeable. This makes it impossible to root for any particular contestant. This means the (preposterous) outcome is a little less predictable but also means that no-one cares anyway.
Okay, so I’m not a huge fan of this kind of TV anyway, so perhaps I’m not the best judge. In seeking to expose the absurdity of this type of entertainment, Minahan has only served up more of the same. Those who enjoy the likes of Big Brother et al may derive more enjoyment from this.
The 1999 remake of The Mummy may not have been particularly terrifying but it was nonetheless an entertaining retro adventure yarn and probably the best of all the Indiana Jones imitations. Its success was due, in no small part, to a finely crafted mix of likeable characters, entertaining story line, witty dialogue and great special effects. Unfortunately this sequel dispenses with the first 3 ingredients in order to up the fourth.
Set 8 years on from the first film, Rick (Brendan Fraser) and Evelyn (Rachel Weisz) are now married with son. Rather carelessly, not only do they manage to reincarnate Imhotep but also raise the Scorpion King. Soon they are doing battle with mummies on the streets of London before, once again, returning to Egypt to vanquish the bad guys properly.
Too much action and too little story leave this franchise floundering in the quicksand. There are some high points, notably an attack by pygmy mummies and the sight of Rachel Weisz battling Princess Anck-Su-Namun (Patricia Velasquez) – definitely a plus point for the men in the audience. Unfortunately, there are far too many attempts to recreate the feeling of the original which just simply fail. The CGI effects are totally over-used and other ideas are so obviously derivative of other movies – especially the airship which is a blatantly sub-standard copy of Jabba The Hutt’s sail barge.
Those that disliked the 1999 movie will dislike this sequel just as much. And those that enjoyed the previous outing may well join the dissenters this time around.
A low budget Australian film which tells of one town’s contribution to the 1969 Apollo 11 moon landing when their satellite receiver was chosen to broadcast the moonwalk across the globe. Sam Neill stars in this gentle and light-hearted tale based upon a true-life incident when a local power cut threatened months of meticulous planning.
This is a very gentle film with some humorous performances. Most of the ‘action’ stems from the fact that only the 4 men who man the satellite receiver station have any idea how critical it is to NASA’s plans. An eclectic assortment of townsfolk (few having much idea what the moon landing is all about) provide a unique and funny perspective on one of the landmark events of the 20th century.
Slight yet satisfying.
Computer thriller in which whizzkid programmer Ryan
Philippe is employed by Bill Gates style IT industry mogul Tim Robbins to work
on a project which will bring global communication into the home via every
device imaginable. Supported by girlfriend Claire Forlani (Meet Joe Black), but
considered to be selling out by his best friend, Philippe goes to work on campus
at Robbins’ headquarters. Only when news reaches Philippe that his best friend
has been murdered after being on the verge of his own software
‘breakthrough’ does he become suspicious of his new employer and his
business methods. The question is, to whom should he voice these concerns?
This film knows its’ target audience and tugs on all the
right strings accordingly. Pandering to mainstream audiences is kept to a
minimum. Computers are shown without the traditional Hollywood flashing lights
and computer jargon is thrown into conversations with little explanation of the
terms employed. Couple that with a plot which plays upon everyone’s distrust
of all things Microsoft and a hero in the guise of a geeky programmer with a
beautiful ‘real life 3-dimensional girlfriend’ and you have the makings of
an entertaining and intelligent thriller.
Ryan Philippe is always good value for money, Claire
Forlani is eminently watchable and Tim Robbins exudes just the right amount of
creepy charm. The well-paced plot, while not entirely original,
has sufficient twists to last the entire running time. Of course it is
possible to pick holes in it, but this is still one of cinema’s better
attempts to portray computers in both an entertaining and realistic manner.
Not since Wargames have computer nerds had this much fun at
the cinema.
Lee Tamahori directs this follow-up psychological thriller
to Kiss The Girls in which Morgan Freeman reprises his role as detective Alex
Cross. Eight months on from losing his former partner in a sting operation which
goes disastrously wrong, Freeman is involved with a kidnapping case after the
kidnapper (Gary Soneji) phones him personally. Soneji has abducted a senator’s
daughter from her school right from under the noses of her security detail. So
begins a game of cat and mouse as Freeman and one of the FBI agents (Monica
Potter) endeavour to profile the kidnapper in their attempt to trace the
whereabouts of the girl.
The film begins with an apallingly sub-standard Cliffhanger
rip-off, but fortunately moves swiftly on to become an absorbing and intelligent
thriller for the next hour in which the kidnapper proves every bit as smart as
Detective Cross. Unfortunately, the final 30 minutes eschews all the tension and
suspense in favour of a typical Hollywood chase and resolution. Rumour has it
that the ending was re-shot after an adverse test screening so I suspect that
Tamahori’s original denouement was darker and more intelligent.
Morgan Freeman is always good to watch on screen but, as
with the film’s predecessor, we’ve seen better performances from him. Monica
Potter fares well within the constraints of her role.
Entertaining in parts, but not consistent enough to be
considered really good.
Brad Pitt plays a mishap-prone slacker who breaks up with girlfriend Julia Roberts when a local mobster, to whom he owes a debt, sends him to Mexico to retrieve an antique pistol. Things don’t go quite according to plan down in Mexico and soon Pitt finds himself up to his neck in trouble. Not least of his problems is that the mobsters dispatch a psychopathic hitman to hold Roberts hostage until the deal has been concluded successfully.
Gore Verbinski directs this low budget romantic comedy thriller for which Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts both took a huge pay cut. Unfortunately the chemistry between the 2 stars never really ignites at all. The comedy element is nicely handled, but as a thriller this fail on the most basic of levels because the pace is simply so laid-back. It’s not all bad news. The performances from Brad and Julia are reasonable, though they are better when apart rather than sparring with each other. Upstaging them both, however, is James Gandolfini as Roberts’ kidnapper. His performance, especially opposite Julia Roberts, is funny, touching and menacing at all the right moments.
Strangely, the best element of this film has nothing to do
with the present day action. The legend of the antique pistol itself, which
gradually unfolds throughout the film, contains more romance and drama than
anything else the film has to offer. (Think something like the background legend
of Desperado crossed with the fairy tale style of Don Juan De Marco). If only
the rest had been as good as this, The Mexican could have been a big hit.
A more laid-back thriller would be hard to imagine.
Sleazy bartender Matt Dillon, saddo cop John Goodman and smug lawyer Paul Reiser all recount their own versions of events following the night they met the woman of their dreams in a bar called McCools. Liv Tyler plays the object of their desires who is actually an impulsive con artist.
A slick black comedy with a noirish plot and screwball complications. The three main men each provide solid performances. So too does co-producer Michael Douglas, though I won’t tell you what his role is! At the centre of it all is an excellent performance from Liv Tyler who, before this, probably wouldn’t have been most peoples’ idea of a buxom femme fatale.
Especially refreshing is that the story isn’t too predictable. The humour ranges from slapstick to sick but is never dull. My personal favourites include the running gag with the DVD player (Richard take note!) and the inevitable final showdown set to the music of a late 70s dance hit. Of course, it also contains the most titillating car wash scene since Wild Things.
What lets the film down in my opinion is that it is hard to root for any of the characters. That aside, this is clever, witty and a lot of fun.
Definitely one of the better kids’
movies I’ve seen this year – but then it is directed by Robert Rodriguez
(Desperado, From Dusk Til Dawn). Antonio Banderas and Carla Gugino are retired
super spies who used to save the world on a regular basis. Now they are married
with kids. (Oh how the mighty fall!). Restless but rusty, they come out of
retirement to investigate the disappearance of several fellow agents and
promptly fall into the evil clutches of the bad guys. Until now, the children
have no idea that their boring parents are actually spies (and quite cool toboot).
Suddenly it is up to them to save their parents and the world.
The premise is a lot of fun, as are parts of the movie. Unfortunately the action is fumbled by endeavouring to cater for too many disparate elements of the audience. The spy caper elements are good (and clearly aimed at the 6 – 10 year olds) but the introduction of monsters created by a demented childrens TV presenter seemed to be aimed at the under 5s and may irritate the older kids. Unlike other recent Easter fare, there are scant offerings for the parents save for the on-screen presence of Antonio Banderas and Teri Hatcher. That said, any film that dares to introduce Cheech Marin as a loving ‘Uncle’ gets my vote! Other Rodriguez regulars are present, but it would spoil one of the best bits to mention them all by name.
James Bond for juniors in every way. No sex or violence. But definitely entertaining for the kids and undoubtedly the best childrens movie showing this Easter.
Four students from a public school plan to bunk off from a geography field study trip by camping out in a disused World War II bomb shelter for 3 days. However, things go wrong and 18 days later a lone survivor finally returns to civilisation to tell the tale of their ordeal. Her rendition of events points an accusing finger towards a fifth student who first discovered the hideaway and who helped them plan their adventure, but his version of events differs dramatically.
A humble British chiller which tries hard to be a cross between Shallow grave and The Blair Witch project. Ultimately it fails to reach this lofty goal but it is still to be commended for striving towards a degree of originality even if the final reel descends into something which is anything but. While some of the plot twists work better than others, most if not all are intelligent – rather than the bizarre and daft twists that occasionally pop up in Hollywood teen chillers.
The acting is mostly average, though Thora Birch rises above the rest to remind us of the acting credentials she formerly displayed in American Beauty. In both her mannerisms and her acting ability, she reminds me very much of Christina Ricci.
Interesting and entertaining, but hardly the scare-fest which the marketing would have you believe.
Renee Zellweger (Nurse Betty, Jerry Maguire) stars is the neurotic thirty-something heroine of Helen Fielding’s best selling novel. For those who have never heard of Bridget Jones, imagine a slightly overweight, British, down-to-earth version of Ally McBeal and you’ll be somewhere in the right ballpark. Between trying to give up smoking and worrying about her weight, Jones worries about her (lack of) sex life. She lusts after her boss (Hugh Grant) but knows he is exactly the sort of guy she shouldn’t get mixed up with. Meanwhile, her Mum tries to fix her up with all manner of dull-as-ditchwater men, the latest being a barrister by the name of Mark Darcy (appropriately played by Colin Firth). Inevitably she makes the wrong choice and all manner of comedic complications ensue before the predictable romantic conclusion.
As her debut film, director Sharon Maguire should feel well pleased with the result. This is an enjoyable romantic comedy that will equally serve as a chick flick or a date movie. Renee Zellweger trumps her doubters with a superb performance and not a hint of a Texan drawl to be heard. Hugh Grant gets to grips with a role that requires him to be slightly nastier than usual and Colin Firth provides the dashing hunk for women to drool over.
The plot is mostly predictable and many of the situations aren’t that original, but the action is nicely paced and the performances are appealing. An enjoyable British romcom with talk of a sequel already doing the rounds.
Jennifer Lopez stars as the wedding planner of the title – a co-ordinator of the big day for society wedding bashes that would put my cousin’s wedding service to shame. Lopez is a finely honed organiser and trouble-shooter who can handle talking the bride through an attack of last minute jitters, sober a drunken father of the bride just minutes before escorting his daughter down the isle, or feed the best man his speech via an electronic earpiece as though such things were an everyday occurrence. Obviously however, she can’t find romance herself.
Cue the introduction of Matthew McConnaughey who rescues her from a bizarre road accident. He proves to be perfect in almost every way until she discovers that he is, in fact, engaged to her new client. Will she pursue true love or will she play the professional control freak to the bitter end? You figure!
The first 25 minutes of this movie is solid romantic comedy fare. Unfortunately, once the set-up has been firmly established all sense of originality or intelligent comedy goes straight out of the window. The responsibility for all the poor reviews rests firmly with the script. McConnaughy is likeable enough in his role and Jennifer Lopez is actually rather good in hers. The chemistry is sufficient to support the romance, but the script cannot deliver much comedy beyond the first reel.
It may get a mention in the title but there is little evidence of planning elsewhere in this movie.
Rugrats In Paris: The Movie (4.5)
This time the mischievous ankle-biters get a chance to sample some French culture when Dad is summoned to Reptarland (A Japanese theme park) to fix the main dinosaur attraction. Cue an ideal setting in which our heroes can wreak maximum havoc! In a heartwarming sub-plot, Chuckie seeks a new Mummy. (For those who don’t know – his previous one died).
Solid childrens’ fare for the Easter holidays, though sadly not quite as good as their first big screen outing. There are still numerous film references for parents to spot, including a mildly amusing parody of The Godfather, but this is still primarily fun for the kids.
Sandra Bullock stars as an FBI agent who has to go undercover at a beauty pageant which is believed to be the next target of some mad bomber. Cue a lightweight comedy in which our heroine has 2 days to be transformed from bumbling tomboy Fed with an attitude into a graceful and elegant beauty queen. Fortunately Michael Caine is at hand to assist her in this matter.
Sandra Bullock badly needs a box office hit and, while this won’t garner much critical acclaim, it will serve to put her on the Hollywood map again. The script occasionally has a sly dig at the beauty contest scene but mainly descends to the level of more obvious comedic gags. No doubt all those women who keep telling me that Ally McBeal is too thin will be cheering in the isles when Bullock gets pizza delivered in for the half starved contestants. Like the material, most of the performances are lightweight. Probably a deliberate ploy so that Bullock can shine. That said, William Shatner turns in a very funny and likeable performance as a fading pageant host.
Amiable comedic fare. No brains required!
Robert De Niro is a celebrity cop on the trail of a pair of East European killers who is aided in his investigation by fire marshall Edward Burns. The killers’ early crimes are motivated by revenge, but later they devise a more sinister plan
A flawed thriller that is both messy and violent in its execution. The film does actually have something genuine to say – trying to stir up the debate surrounding violence fuelled by media attention – but fails miserably to express the arguments coherently. This garbled message is wrapped up in a story which tries to be too many things - cop movie, buddy movie, Backdraft 2 etc. It also seems likely that several actors had their own agendas and weren't concerned about the movie as a whole. Kelsey Grammar appears as a sleazy tabloid hack, trying valiantly to shake off his Frasier persona. In a sense, Robert De Niro also plays against type.
The film is deliberately violent in order to portray the horror that people will watch as entertainment (though one might argue that this is a self-defeating argument). And the final reel rather lets the plot slide into made-for-video garbage. That said, there are a couple of scenes that will endure in the memory beyond the final credits. The first is a worthy 'Backdraft' moment. To reveal the second would be almost unforgivable! Try not read too many advance reviews lest other critics are less inclined to hold back.
With a more coherent script this could have been a good thriller. Instead it isn't. But one scene may make you think twice in the future!
Roger Donaldson directs this account of the harrowing 2 weeks in October 1962 during which the events of the Cuban Missile Crisis unfolded. Centred mainly within the corridoors of power in Washington, the film leads viewers step by step through this thrilling history lesson as the US president struggles to remain in control of events and his own staff as tensions escalate off the coast of Florida.
Kevin Costner, Bruce Greenwood and Steven Culp share the starring honours as political advisor Kenny O’Donnell, John F Kennedy and Bobby Kennedy respectively. All are uniformly good. Since the facts themselves were dramatic enough, the film rarely creates its own drama save to emphasise the internal political conflict raging amongst the president and his advisors. Largely by barely scratching the surface of events preceeding the crisis, flag waving is also kept to a minimum. However, this is actually self defeating since this is the one element of the history lesson which could have benefitted from greater explanation.
Nevertheless, an engaging account of the crisis. Exciting seems a wholly inappropriate word given the potential gravity of the situation. Oh yes – and a welcome return to form for Costner.
Lasse Halstrome directs this charming tale (adapted from Joanne Harris’ novel) which tells of a free spirited woman (Juliette Binoche) who brings chocolate and happiness to the inhabitants of a provincial town in France. Not without a struggle however, as the puritanical mayor (Alfred Molina) endeavours to spread fear and loathing of the decadent candy amongst the God-fearing townsfolk.
A French film in all but language. The influences in this can probably be debated ad infinitum, but I’d argue for elements of Jean de Florette and Babette’s Feast with just a hint of Don Juan De Marco and LA Story. A suitably mouth watering cast provide entertaining performances, especially the female troika of Juliette Binoche, Lena Olin and Judi Dench. I can’t quite decide if Johnny Depp is the weak link or not, but somehow his portrayal of an Irish tinker puts me in mind of Dick Van Dyke’s chimney sweep!
Not Oscar winning material but a delightful film nonetheless. Even my general loathing for the title candy can’t prevent me from liking this.
A World War II drama set amidst the battle of Stalingrad. Jude Law is a Russian sniper whose expertise, along with a little propaganda supplied by political officer Joseph Fiennes, helps to boost the morale of a nation on the brink of defeat. Endeavouring to suppress this remote glimmer of hope for the enemy, the Nazis call upon sharp-shooter Ed Harris to track down and eliminate Russia’s new hero. Thus develops an intriguing battle of wits between the two men.
The idea that the broad canvass of a battle that waged for six months and cost hundreds of thousands of lives can be boiled down to a duel between two men is quite simply audacious. Unfortunately director Jean-Jacques Annaud has chosen to complicate matters by introducing Rachel Weisz (The Mummy) as the third point in a love triangle involving Law and Fiennes. Her performance is not in question, but the role of her character is as, more often than not, it detracts from the more interesting duel between the two snipers.
Gritty realism notwithstanding, this is not a great war movie. However, it is sufficiently different from the norm to make it appealing.
Cate Blanchett is a widowed psychic trying to raise her 3 children in a small town where most locals distrust her abilities to ‘see’ things. Tensions boil over when the local police ask for her help in tracking down Greg Kinnear’s missing fiancee. Matters only get worse when said missing person turns up dead at the bottom of a lake which Blanchett has led them to and the wife-beating husband (Keanu Reeves) to her friend Hilary Swank is implicated as the murderer.
Sam Raimi directs this rather lack-lustre thriller. There are are some similarities to last year’s What Lies Beneath but, save for a powerful performance by Cate Blanchett, this is inferior stuff. The lightweight plot holds up purely by virtue of providing enough suspects to keep the audience guessing (at least for a little while) as to whodunnit.
The Legend Of Bagger Vance (6)
Prior to World War I, Matt Damon is Savannah’s most promising young golfer. But having been to war and lost his bottle, he seeks solace in a different bottle and loses his girl (Charlize Theron) and his swing instead. When her father dies, leaving behind massive debts after building Savannah’s finest golf club, Theron organises a golf tournament between 2 star players. But the financial backers want some local colour, so Damon is asked to compete. Fortune smiles upon him with the arrival of mysterious caddie Will Smith.
Robert Redford directs this beautiful old-fashioned film at a gentle pace which befits the sport it represents. The notion of golf as a metaphor for life is occasionally hammered home a little heavy handedly, but it’s easy to forgive that given that everything just seems to blend so seamlessly together. The story holds no great surprises but that doesn’t really matter. It’s the mood that counts. Just sit back and relax. If you’re a golfer – so much the better.
Old-fashioned, charming and unhurried – rather like one or two golfers I know!
When businessman David Morse is kidnapped in Latin America, Russell Crowe is the designated hostage negotiator assigned to secure his release. Complications ensue as Crowe gradually develops feelings for Morse’s wife (Meg Ryan) while they are dealing with the terrorists holding her husband hostage. Meanwhile, Morse endeavours to escape from his captors with the help of a fellow prisoner.
An exciting opening sequence in the former Soviet Union soon gives way to a relatively run-of-the-mill thriller, sadly short on action for most of the time. David Morse’s performance is excellent, but Russell Crowe shows none of the flare previously displayed in previous work such as Gladiator, The Insider or LA Confidential. Meg Ryan displays some of the angst-ridden emotion which must threaten to swallow people up in such circumstances but this really isn’t her subject material. As in Courage Under Fire, it’s an attempt to break out from romantic comedy which fails to wholly convince.
Yet another British gangster movie. This time around, Ray Winstone is a retired gangster living out his days with his wife in in a sun-drenched Spanish villa who receives an unwelcome visit from former colleague Ben Kingsley. Kingsley has been sent by crime boss Ian McShane to get Winstone back for to London for a Mayfair bank heist. Winstone wants to say no, but Kingsley is not a man accustomed to taking no for an answer – the very reason why McShane has sent him.
Debut director Jonathan Glazer (perhaps best known for those surfing Guinness horses) displays some visual flare, but it’s not enough to bolster such a thin plot. Ray Winstone plays his normal hard-as-nails character but the twist here is that he isn’t the hardest man on the block. That honour goes to Ben Kingsley, displaying a truly scary side which is totally convincing.
The screenplay contains too few surprises and far too much foul language to warrant anything approaching a recommendation.
Ridley Scott directs this long awaited sequel to The Silence Of The Lambs. Ten years on, Hannibal Lecter has established himself in Florence as art historian Dr Fell (as in the nursery rhyme). Agent Starling’s meteoric rise through the ranks of the FBI is on the wane. Meanwhile Lecter’s only surviving victim, millionaire Mason Verger (an unrecognisable Gary Oldman), is plotting his own sadistic revenge. When Hannibal Lecter sends Clarice Starling a letter to welcome her back on the case, he sets in motion a chain of events which ultimately leads an Italian policeman into danger when he attempts to pursue Verger’s reward money.
Anthony Hopkins is again superb as Hannibal Lecter. Julianne Moore seems less convincing early on as Clarice Starling, but after the first half hour or so it is hard to remember that the role once belonged to Jodie Foster. Any weakness in Starling’s role has more to do with weak scripting and more extensive on-screen time for Hopkins than in Julianne Moore’s portrayal of the character. Ridley Scott directs with confidence, restraint and his trademark deft visual flair. Save for two scenes, there is little gore to be seen. But never forget that Lecter is supposed to be a monster and a psychopath and therefore to believe in those traits we have to be reminded of them. Hence the two scenes in which his penchant for blood is amply demonstrated are most definitely not for the squeamish. And this considering that the ending has been changed from that in Thomas Harris’ novel because it was just too unpalatable!
Fans of Silence Of The Lambs will enjoy this too, but be warned that it is not as good as the original film. But then, apparently, neither was the book. Ridley Scott, still riding high from his success with Gladiator, will have firmly consolidated his comeback with this work.
Courtney Solomon directs this largely mundane fantasy. Set in the mythical land of Izmer, evil wizard Profion (Jeremy Irons) attempts to gain control of the kingdom by persuading the ruling council that Empress Savina (Thora Birch) is up to no good. Of course, it’s the other way around! Petit thieves Justin Whalin and Marlon Wayans become embroiled in the action when everyone starts seeking the Rod of Sarville which has the power to control red dragons.
The action is
fun and some of the special effects hit the mark, though an equal number fall
woefully below par. If the initial premise failed to ring bells, just wait until
you see the costumes. There is no mistaking Empress Savina’s credentials as a
poor man’s Queen Amidala. Thora Birch’s acting is at best wooden, whilst
Jeremy Irons’ seething and snarling is almost laughable. There are one or two
impressive sets, but for the most part they seem to be littered with leftover
props from numerous TV series. As if to prove the point, both Tom Baker and
Richard O Brien make appearances. (The former is lamentable and the latter is
quite good).
As a half term offering for nerdy teenagers (of which I was once one), this satisfies without offering anything very inspiring. Merely an hors d’oeuvre preceding the infinitely more mouthwatering sword 'n sourcery prospect awaiting us this Christmas. (And there is indeed a trailer!)
Cameron Crowe directs a largely unknown cast in this affectionate peek into the backstage life of a rock band on the road during the early 70s. Patrick Fugit plays the 15 year old aspiring music writer who nabs an assignment for Rolling Stone magazine and heads off on the road with band Stillwater, much to the dismay of his overly protective mother (Frances McDormand). Along the way he befriends the lead singer Billy Crudup and band-aid (not groupie!) Penny Lane played by Kate Hudson.
This is not a staid rockumentary. Instead Crowe has crafted an absorbing tale based upon his own adventures as a teenage rock journalist. The acting is uniformly good, with old hand McDormand only just outshone by newcomers Fugit and Hudson. The latter in particular is a name to watch, especially given that she is the daughter of one Goldie Hawn. As well as having an eye for detail, the film is peppered with amusing anecdotes. Couple that with the obligatory hit soundtrack of sounds from the period and what you have is an affectionate and, at times, sentimental view of what it was like to be privy to the fringes of rock stardom in the early 70s.
To quote Empire magazine … ‘Those who were there will love the detail. Those who weren’t will wish they had been.'
The Emperor's New Groove (6.5)
The action for Disney’s new
movie is set in a mountain kingdom ruled by the hip, cool and arrogant Emperor
Kuzco. When Kuzco fires his evil adviser Yzma, she seeks her revenge by
endeavouring to poison him but instead inadvertantly turns him into a llama.
Kuzco ends up stranded in the outer reaches of the kingdom and is forced to team
up with a kind-hearted peasant in order to find his way back to the palace and
reclaim his kingdom.
This is a departure from
Disney’s normal format. Save for the opening sequence, there are no musical
numbers whatsoever. Fortunately there is next to no merchandising either. The
emphasis has returned to plot and characterisation. Some scenes and characters
are derivative of other films (Yzma is a variation on the Cruella De Vil theme)
and the plot is relatively thin but there is much fun to be had from the comedy
on display. By no means a classic but it should keep the kids amused for half
term.
Steven Soderbergh directs this updated film version of the late 1980s Channel 4 TV mini series. Multiple plot strands (one of which is almost entirely conducted in Spanish) are loosely woven together, providing a cohesive insight into the world of drug trafficking and the different ways in which it touches people’s lives. Hence in Ohio Michael Douglas is newly appointed to lead the fight against the traffickers, only to discover that his own daughter is an addict. Meanwhile in San Diego, society wife Catherine Zeta Jones finds her world falling apart when her wealthy husband is arrested for trafficking. And across the Mexican border in Tijuana Benicio Del Toro is a cop battling the drug cartels on the ground.
At almost 150 minutes running time this is not a short film but Soderbergh’s fast and furious editing keeps things tight enough to retain interest throughout. Technically, this is certainly an impressive piece of work from a US director. The ensemble cast, especially Michael Douglas and Benicio Del Toro, are uniformly good. Even Catherine Zeta Jones turns in her best performance for some years.
However, as impressive as this is technically, it remains to be seen whether or not it will garner sufficient interest from the public to make it a commercial success. Let’s hope it does because anything as intelligent and complex as this coming out from the States should be encouraged.
Very loosely
based on true life events, this tale derived from a renowned stage play purports
to tell how the Marquis de Sade (Geoffrey Rush), having been incarcerated in a
French asylum, spent his final days continuing to shock and entertain the public
with his perverted writing. Joachim Pheonix (Gladiator) is the priest who runs
the asylum but seemingly cannot control its notorious inmate. Michael Caine is
the doctor charged with correcting matters, whose methods of correction are
possibly even more depraved than the Marquis himself. Meanwhile Kate Winslet is
the asylum washerwoman who is both the Marquis’ muse and the object of desire
for the priest in denial.
Great performances from Rush and Caine, the former again doing madness to perfection and the latter being typical Caine in sadistic mode. Winslet too is good, but perhaps sparkles less than usual. The main problem with Philip Kaufman’s film is that it is hard to discern what lesson we are supposed to take away from it at the end it all. Nevertheless, funny and entertaining while it is on the screen.
Six years after making the Oscar winning Forrest Gump, director Robert Zemeckis again teams up with Tom Hanks for this desert island scenario. Hanks is a FedEx employee involved in a plane crash, thus marooning him alone on an uninhabited island. As Hanks gradually comes to terms with his plight, we see early attempts at foraging for food, abortive attempts to make fire and a fear of strange noises in the night. In fact, a man driven to such despair that he befriends a volleyball.
This might all sound slightly bizarre, but Tom Hanks’ performance is so convincing that nothing about the situation seems in any way unbelievable. Just aswell since, for at least 90 minutes out of 150, Hanks is the only person on screen. Whilst the scenes at the beginning and end of the film are necessary to complete the story, they are by far the weakest parts.
Hanks will undoubtedly gain an Oscar nomination, but probably won’t win. The biggest winner of all is probably FedEx, given the amount of product placement throughout the movie. Indeed the first 10 minutes is one long commercial. Most memorable, however, is the scene in which Hanks performs some DIY dentistry with an ice skate.
Satisfying while on the screen, but in retrospect the film is too long for what is effectively quite a slim story line.
A murder mystery drama starring Morgan Freeman and Gene Hackman could have been a perfect vehicle for some high tension courtroom drama. Instead, this virtual two-hander opts for an unusually low key approach. Morgan Freeman is the San Juan police captain investigating the deaths of two 13 year old girls. Hackman is a lawyer and prominent member of the community who discovered the second body. He is also Freeman’s prime suspect since the facts just don’t appear to fit his story.
This feels very much as though it has been adapted from a stage play. Most of the action takes place in Freeman’s office. Both stars bring a quiet power to their roles, and nearly all the tension derives from this. Primarily this is still a very clear cut ‘did he or didn’t he?’ scenario, though the story does manage to throw up one or two surprises along the way. Engaging enough if you like the stars, but the story lacks any real dramatic punches to make this truly memorable.
Chuck Russell directs this late addition to the pre-millennial hoopla. Kim Basinger is single-handedly raising her niece. What she first suspects to be some form of autism displayed by the child proves to be something else. Rufus Sewell, leader of a religious cult, is already aware of the girl’s power and seeks to enroll her on the dark side, so to speak.
There are some nice ideas wrapped up in this Omen-in-reverse style plot, but they are all but swamped by a mundane script and acting to match. The horror is rarely terrifying and most of the CGI effects are so obvious as to be truly laughable. Quite why Christina Ricci agreed to appear in this is quite beyond me!
Makes Stigmata and End Of Days look good by comparison.
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (9)
Mandarin, English subtitles)
Ang Lee (director of Sense & Sensibility among others) turns his hand to the
martial arts genre. The result is a splendid mix of action, romance and fantasy.
The story is set in a mythical 19th century China where retiring warrior Chow
Yun Fat presents his sword (Green Destiny) as a gift to an old friend, father of
fellow warrior Michelle Yeoh to whom he has long been attracted. When the sword
is stolen by a mysterious thief suspicion falls upon the Emperor's household and
rumours abound that this action my herald the return of the assassin who
murdered Chow Yun Fat's former master, and whom he has sworn to avenge.
The techniques and special effects displayed in the fight scenes as good as
anything hitherto seen on film. Not surprising when you consider that the
choreography has been handled by the same person who worked on The Matrix. If I
have one criticism, it is that the superb high flying wire work stretches
believability a little too far. However, what sets this film apart from its
martial arts predecessors is that Lee wraps the whole thing within the framework
of an epic romantic fable. Chow Yun Fat and Michelle Yeoh provide credible
performances whether sparring verbally or physically. Relative newcomer Zhang
Ziyi, around whom the story centres, anchors both the action and romance with a
performance worthy of her co-stars. Already being talked about in terms of
Oscars - expect this to nab the technical awards which The Matrix reaped last
year. Also a strong contender for Best Score and Best Foreign Film.
To my knowledge, the only time Chinese subtitled martial arts movies have
previously aired in British mainstream cinemas is around midnight on Fridays and
Saturdays. Such a major mainstream release for this film potentially heralds a
very exciting development within the British cinema-going fraternity.
Redefines the benchmark by which future martial arts movies will be judged.
Sixth Sense director M.Night Shyamalan casts Bruce Willis
yet again to star in his latest work. Willis miraculously walks away unscathed a
from a train crash which claims the lives of everyone else on board. Soon
afterwards, Samuel L Jackson comes calling. Jackson suffers from a rare
condition which makes his bones very brittle. Initially he seems keen to
understand what makes Willis appear to be at the other end of the medical
spectrum, raising in Willis certain questions about his medical history. But
later Jackson offers Willis an alternative explanation!
There is the germ of a nice idea here but, given the nature of the material, it
is handled in completely the wrong way. Shyamalan opts for another Sixth Sense
style build-up of tension whereas (Not wishing to give the game away) this
deserves a treatment similar to one of last year's Summer blockbusters. That
said, Willis and Jackson provide solid performances. Shyamalan provides a nice
sting-in-the-tail twist late on, but this is not in the same league as 'I see
dead people'. All in all, the 2 hour running time is much too long for the
story.
The Sixth Sense in style, but not in content or impact.