FILM INDEX
I Fresh ( l8) (Boaz Yakin. US. 1994) Sean Nelson. Giancarlo Esposito. Samuel L. Jackson. llS mins. Twelve-year-old Fresh (Nelson) is
reckoned by all-and-sundry to be the neighbourhood gopher. he‘ll run heroin and crack for local drug-dealers. but he‘ll also make sure he gets to school on time. Because Fresh has a maturity beyond his years. coupled with a necessary detachment for life around him. and that‘s what's going to get him clear of trouble before he‘s dragged in funher. An excellent debut by Yakin. with an extremely moving performance by Nelson. Edinburgh: Filmhouse. I La Frontera ( l 5) (Ricardo LatTain. Chile. I994) Patn'cio Contreras. Gloria Laso. 115 mins. A Santiago maths teacher is exiled to a coastal village for protesting against the ‘disappearance‘ of a colleague; there he discovers a bizzare bunch of inhabitants and an absurd way of life
that is surprisingly lyrical and resonant. The film
may be short on plot. but it allows cenain motifs
to acquire a symbolic significance through visual
and spoken suggestion. See review. Edinburgh: Filmhorrse.
I Geronimo: An American legend (12) (Walter llill. US. I994) Wes Studi. Jason Patric. Gene llaekman. llS mins. It's clear that director Hill and co-writers John Milius and Larry Gross see Geronimo. last of the Apache to surrender to the US Army. as a proud. fearless and dangerous rebel. Striving for authenticity and imbued with an unsentirnental respect for its subject. the film shows deep understanding over one of the most shameful episodes of ‘ethnic cleansing' in American history. Glasgow: OH".
I Hoop Dreams ( 15) (Steve James/Fred Marx/Peter Gilbert. US. 1994) I75 mins. Filmed
over four and a half years. Hoop Dreams follows
the hopes and disappointments of two young black kids from Chicago whose ticket out of the ghetto is a basketball scholarship. You‘ll cheer the games. you‘ll cry at family traumas. you'll get angry at a system that sets tip and snatches away goals that mean more than life to the participants. More than a remarkable achievement. this is great cinema. Fife: Adam Smith.
I The Hudsucker Proxy (PG) (Joel Coen. US. I994) Tim Robbins. Jennifer Jason Leigh. Paul Newman. lll mins. When lludsucker lndustries' boss takes a dive from art upper storey boardroom window. mailroom boy Norville Barnes (Robbins) finds himself
catapulted to executive status. But pretty soon he's forgotten his roots and is becoming as heartless as his manipulative mentor. played by Paul Newman. A winning blend of 40s screwball comedy. SOs consumer quirks and satire on 80s corporate greed. the Coen brothers' latest is cinematic fantasy in its purest form. Glasgow: MGM Parkhead. Central: Allanpatk.
I It Came from Outer Space (PG) (Jack Arnold. US. I953) Richard Carlson. Barbara Rush. Charles Drake. Russell Johnson. SI mins. Made in 3-D. this prototype 'friendly alien' movie broke sortie new ground. but also harbours some pretty familiar stereotypes (tolerant. misunderstood scientist. shoot-first-ask- questions-later lawman) and some pretty naff acting. But there‘s are signs here of Arnold's talent for atmosphere and composition (he went on to make The Creatrrrefrunt the Black lxrgmm and The Incredible Shrinking Mun ). lidinbut‘gh: Cameo.
I Jack & Sarah ( 15) (Tim Sullivan. (K. 1905) Richard Grant. Samantha Mathis. Judi l)ench. IOS mins. When his wife dies shortly after giving birth to a baby daughter. Jack (Grant) at first rejects the child. but is persuaded to take on his responsibilities by his family. In order to keep hisjob as a City lawyer. he hires Amy (Mathis) as a live-in nanny. and so adds an extra complication to his life. A familiar scenario. helped along by breezy supporting performances. suffers when it takes a turn into trielodramatic romance. Glasgow: MGM Film Centre. Edinburgh: MGM. C(‘I. Strathclyde: UCIs.
I Judge Dredd ( IS) (Danny Cannon. l'K/l 'S. I995) Sylvester Stallone. Armand Assante. Diane Lane. It seems that Mega (‘ity ()ne's tortghest lawman. Judge Dredd. ltas a genetically-mutated clone of a brotlter. who has just escaped from prison and bent on destroying the Judge System. the only thing that keeps tltis post-atomic world in order. lians may have a feeling of unease about Stallone's casting. but in young director Danny Cannon there's at least someone who understands Dredd's mythology and who proved. with The Young Americans. that he's good on atmosphere if not plot. See preview. General release.
I Junior (PG) (Ivan Reitman. I'S. l99-1) Arnold Schwarzenegger. Danny DeVito. limma Thompson. 110 mins. The Twins team are back and. like it was first time around. they're trying
j to pass off a single joke as art entire movie.
Scientists Schwarzenegger and DeVito have their funding pulled. btit decide to test their fertility drug on a human being - hey presto! Arnie's pregnant! Little to laugh over. however. until he gets into the frocks and tries passing himself off as female. Otherwise there‘s just a whiff in the air that this surefire moneyspinner is treading in some morally dubious areas. Glasgow: MGM Film Centre.
I Jurassic Park (PG) (Steven Spielberg. l'S. I993) Sam Neill. Laura Dern. Jeff Goldblttm. A group of scientists are invited to give their approval to a theme park filled with genetically engineered dinosaurs. bttt the giant reptiles are soon running amok. Unsurpassed computer effects ensure that the dinosaurs themselves are terrifyineg believable (moreso than the PG certificate would strggest). bill by the halfway point. it's more or less a cltase movie with superior technology. Glasgow: MGM Film Centre.
I Killing Zoe ( IS) (Roger Avar'y. CS. 1993) [Eric Stoltz. Julie Delpy. Jean-Hughes Anglade. 96 mins. An ace safe-cracker (Stoltz) arrives in Paris too can‘y otrt a ‘job' for a friend. bttt too mrrch partying means that the elaborate batik siege is doomed to failure. Given that Quentin ’l'arantino's name is on the credits as executive producer. it's no surprise that the film is a mix of nihilistic attitrrdes and designer violence. linked in with a tribtrte to the heist pictures of past decades. lidinburgh: Cameo.
I The Last Temptation Of Christ ( IS) (Martin Scorsese. L'S. I988) Willem Dafoc. llarvey Kcitel. Barbara Hershey. Harry Dean Stanton. 163 mins. (‘ontroversral though hardly blaspheirrous adaptation of the Nikos Kazantzakis novel has Christ tempted on the cross by the possibility of living otrt his life as an ordinary mart. which allows him to realise the ftrll significance of his divinity. Straightfonvard though rather overlong treatment of the ministry with Dafoe a rather conventional-looking Christ. The rather reverent tone lacks the edge of the director's earlier work on the mean streets of New York. lidinburgh: I-‘ilmhouse.
I little Women (U) (Gillian Ar'tttstrong. LS. I994) Winona Ryder. Susan Sarandon. Gabriel llyrne. lIS mins. Louisa May Alcott's novel has charmed readers for generations. despite weighing down its morals with a mountain of sentimentality. In Hollywood's third screen version. the March girls are still unbelievably good and forgiving. btit Armstrong and writer
Robin Swicord have added a touch of 90s post- feruinism to give a contemporary relevence to their bonding and independence. A glowing view of farttily love. Central: MacRobert. Fife: Adam Smith.
I little Rascals (1‘) (Penelope Spheeris. CS. I994) Travis 'l'edford. Bug llall. Brittany Ashton llolmes. 82 mins. After Beverly Hillbillies. director Spheeris does another 'I‘V remake. this time going fora bunch of smug brats who leave a trail of destruction behind them. liven kids who enjoyed the Home Almii' level of mayhem might not take to the American sentiment arid unnecessary low humour here. Glasgow: ()deon. MGM Parkhead. lidinbtrrgh: ()deon. I'Cl. Strathclyde: Magnum. I'Cl (‘lvdebank
I Mad Dogs And Englishmen ( IS) (llcnry Cole. L'K. I995) lilizabetlt llttrley. C. Thomas Ilowell. 97 mins. Liz Hurley may have made a few films iii the past. btrt this is the first to be released since she appeared on the cover of every magazine imaginable. llere. she's the object of desire of messenger boy Ilow ell. Director Cole tries (and fails) to recreate the drugs. booze and sex party feel of a modern decadent London. btrt it‘s all a terrible. boring mistake. Strathclyde: L'Cl CIvdebank.
I The Madness 0t King George (I’G) (Nicholas llytuer. UK. 1994) Nigel llawthorne. Helen Mirren. Rtrpert Everett. ll() mins. Alan Bennett's adaption of his own stage play is a great British film in its owrt right with no lingering sense of theatricality. Nich Ilawtliorne's excellent portrayal of the King. his demented behaviour threatening the stability of the nation. gives the film an emotional core. while the script's themes are intelligently handled throughout. Central: MacRobert. Borders: Pavilion.
I Miami Rhapsody ( l 5) (David Frankel. (‘8. I995) Sarah Jessica Parker. Antonio Banderas. Mia Farrow. 97 mins. It‘s not often that Hollywood manages to ptrll off a romantic comedy that comes at you consistently from a woman's point of view. Aspiring comedy writer Gwen decides to settle down and get married. only to discover that all of her family are having affairs. Despite this rather different approach to romance. the tone isn't necessarily cynical. more open and honest for the 90s. Glasgow: MGM Film Centre. Edinburgh: Cameo.
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30 The List l4-27 Jul I995