Mighty Joe (PU) (Ron Underwood. US. I998) Charlize Theron. Bill Paxton. lI-I mins. Whichever way you cut it. Mtg/try ./m' is just another big monkey movie. Despite infinitely more sophisticated effects than its I949 predecessor. this version is far less involving or entertaining — it‘s so predictable you would think the monkey wrote it. Ayr: ()deon.
Monsieur Hulot's Holiday (PG) (Jacques Tali. France. I953) Jacques Tali. Nathalie Pascaud. Michelle Rolla. 9l mins. M. Hulot. the bachelor with the accident-prone touch. arrives at a jaunty coastal resort and devastation very soon ensues. Comic timing at its most irresistible. as Tali gets away with a number of memorable. slow-burning gags. all undercut by the stabbing notion that we all have an uncle exactly like Hqut. Stirling: MacRobert.
MouseHunt (LI) (Gore Verbinski. US. I997) Nathan Lane. Lee Evans. Christopher Walken. 98 mins. Latie and Evans play hapless brothers who inherit a decrepit mansion. but when they decide to renovate and auction it. a resident rodent is not willing to be evicted. An excellent blend of Laurel and Hardy slapstick and black humour. Mouse/Inn! is sheer entertainment and has some real belly laughs. The tone and the pacing are spot-on throughout. and the sets and special effects are the icing on the cake. Glasgow: Showcase. Paisley: Showcase.
Mulan (U) (Barry Cook. Tony Bancroft. I998) Voices of: Ming-Na Wen. Donny Osmond. Eddie Murphy. 89 mins. After Disney's tastily designed venture itito Greek mythology with Hercules. the studio has brought its lens to bear on the rich and colourful possibilities of Chinese legend. The most striking aspect of this romantic epic is its magnificent animation. Details of character. movement and expression are as fine as should be expected from the world's best known cartoon studio. btit the stunning large-scale set pieces are truly astonishing. while the design team stirs iii an authentic flavour of China. Glasgow: UCI. Edinburgh: UCI. East Kilbride: UCI.
The Mummy ( I2) (Stephen Soriiniers. US. I999) ) Brendan Fraser. Rachel Weisz. John Hannah. I 15 mins. The secret of the film‘s success lies in its reinvention as an Indiana Jones-style adventure in which rugged hero Fraser. luscious librarian WCISI and comic sidekick Hannah scour l93()s Northern Africa for the fabled City of the Dead and unwittingly resuscitate dead Egyptian priest. who immediater btisies himself with ravaging the land with apocalyptic plagues. General release.
My Favourite Martian (PG) (Donald Petrie. US. I999) )(‘hristopher Lloyd. Jeff Daniels. Elizabeth Hurley. 92 mins. This movie remake of an American TV favourite. scarcely known in the UK. is a breezy family adventure that‘s amusing and disarrningly entertaining. Some excellent special effects help. as we meet a hapless Martian visitor who has crash landed on Earth and is keen to leave as soon as possible. Edinburgh: ()deon. Ayr: ()deon. Greenock: Waterfront. Kilinarnock: ()deon. My Name Is Joe ( I5) (Ken Loach. UK. I998) Peter Mullan. Louise Goodall. David McKay. 105 mins. My Name Is Joe‘s blend of comedy. social drama. love interest and tense thriller makes for a more accessible movie than we'd normally expect from Loach. Recovering alcoholic Joe Kavanagh (Mullari) meets and falls in love with health visitor Sarah (Goodall). btit his well intentioned scheme to get a young friend out of the grip of a vicious drug dealer looks likely to backfire on everyone he cares for. Stirling: MacRobert.
Never Been Kissed ( l2) (Raja Gosnell. US. I999) Drew Barrymore. David Arquette. Michael Vartan. 107 mins. As journalist Josie Geller. Barrymore is given her first undercover reporting assignment: to go back to high school as a student to find out about modern education from the inside. Needless to say Jessie has some problems adjusting to the priorities of her new life and. at school first time around. Josie was far from Miss Popular. Capilalising on the considerable charm of its star. Never Been K (saved is a cheery. upbeat affair. enjoyable enough for the popcom cinema audience. See review. General release.
The Night Of The Hunter (P( i) ((‘trarles Laughton. ITS. I955) Robert .\litchurn. Shelley Winters. Lilian Gish. 93 mins. Mitehuni is unforgettable in this atmospheric tale (sadly Laughton's only filtii as director) in which he plays a psychotic priest chasing two children for the money stolen by their father. James Agee's script and Laughton‘s stark monochrome visuals mark otit an allegorical conflict between good and evil btit there's plenty haunting imagery to make this a niesiiierising cinematic experience. lialk’irk: I’I‘II.
The 9th Configuration r )5) (William I’ctcr Blatty. l'S. I979) I I8 mins. The writer of The hilarity! directs this fascinating oddity set within the walls of castle converted by the US Army into an asylum for battle- stressed soldiers. At the heart of the drama is the relationship belweeri the inmates and the castle psychiatrist. ('olonel Kane. who has more than a few demons of his to exorcise. Edinburgh: l‘ilnihouse.
Notting Hill ( 15) (Roger Michell. t'K. I999) Hugh Grant. Julia Roberts. Ill) mins. Screenwriter Richard ('urtis's eagerly awaited follow-up to I'rmr Il’r'rlr/r'ngv :lm/ A Funeral has Grant playing William 'I'liackcr. the divorced owner of a travel bookshop into whose life walks Hollywood iiiegaslar Aiiiia Scott (Roberts) and. before you know it. they kiss. General release.
Orphans ( l5) (Alan J. l’akttla. l'S. I987) Albert l'TlIIIC)‘. Matthew Modiiie. Ill) niiris. Two boys left to their own devices since childhood in a decaying .\‘ewai'k house fend for themselves almost as wild animals. until a gangster on the run (himself the product of an orphanage) seeks refuge there and destroys their strange existence forever. Well handled version of intriguing stage material. never quite transcending its origins brit a worthwhile curiosity. lirigrossing performances. Stirling: .\IacRobert.
The Parent Trap (t?) (Nancy Meyers. ('8. I999) Dennis Quaid. .\‘alasha Richardson. Lindsay Lohan. IZS iiiiiis. This updated version of the Hayley Mills original casts Lohan in the dual role of identical twins coriipletely unaware of each other‘s existence tiiitil they discover the truth at summer camp. Never having met the other parent. American Hallie and English Annie agree to swap identities. It makes for a sweet natured. well meaning story that trades on elements of farce and the odd bit of slapstick. Glasgow: Showcase. Paisley: Showcase.
Place Vendéme ( l5) (Nicole Garcia. France. I999) Catherine Deneuve. Jean- Pierre Bacri. Jacques Dulronc. I I8 iiiitis. This sleek thriller has some of the same pleasures as last years I. 'A/i/irirlenimit: aii intricate narrative. criss-crossing relationships and all iconographic use of Paris. Garcia‘s filiii. though. has a bit more emotional resonance. courtesy. perhaps. of the characters‘ seniority here — Deneuve as a woman in her fifties whose life has fallen apart: whose husband is suicidal. 'I'Iiere's plot enough here for Garcia to rollercoast. but the director's more interested in character study. Edinburgh: l‘TllIllltfllsC. Playing By Heart ( IS) (Willard (‘arr-oll. US. I999) Sean Connery. Gena Rowlands. Gillian Anderson. Dennis Quaid. I I9 units. This is a kind of self-contained soap set it) LA over eight days and nights. which features a number of famous faces. and which attempts to say something about love and relationships through a seemingly unconnected group of people. Unfortunately. none of the relationships really holds water. and sol’laving By: Heart seems dilettanle. self-absorbed and basically misguided. Perhaps for the riiawkisli. but definitely not for the cerebral. Glasgow: ()deoii Quay. St Andrews: Picture lIouse.
Pleasantville ( ll) (Gary Russ. t‘S. 199s) Tobey Maguire. Reese \\'itliei'sptiriii. William H. Macy. Jeff Daniels. Joan Allen. 12-1 mins. Thanks to a dodgy plot twist. 9()s kids David and Jennifer are zapped into I’lerrxuritville. an I Love [airy-sly lc 50s sitcom. a monochrome world where sex. art and passion are unknown. If this was just a gimmick movie. it would be a brilliant one. but Pleasantville is also a relentlessly inventive comedy. Edinburgh: Cameo. Rogue Trader ( )5) (James Deardeti. t'K. I999) Ewan McGregor. Anna I-‘riel. 92 mins. Young Watford boy Nick Leesoii conquered
the Singapore stock c\change. made millions for Baiiiigs .\Icrcliant Bank of London. then bankrupted theiii w itli a billion dollar debt. I‘oi his trouble. he got a prison sentence in Singapore. cancer. was diyorced by his w He and. according to hiiii. iiiade riot one penny. Based on l.ccsoii's book. DCHI'tlL‘ILs yersion of tlie cyclits makes for a surprisingly i'iyeling underdog-yersus-the- cstabIrsliiiient thriller. Kirkcaldy. .-\darii Smith.
The Rugged Island (I’( i) (Jenny Gilbertson. I'K. I934) John (iiicrsoii Gilbertson‘s story doctiiiicnlary about a young Shetland couple torn between duty to "149m? Parents and a new life III Australia, Iidiiiblirgh: Lumiere.
The Rugrats Movie rt'i (Nor-ion Virgieii/lgoi‘ Koyalyoy. I'S. I998) Voices of: ILG. Daily. ('hristine (‘ayaiiauglr Kath Soucie. SI) units. The weekly animated adventures of the tin-cutesy. irritatineg yoiced l’icklcs family is big among kiddies and adults iii the States. bill the nioy ie is definitely more of a junior entertainment. The liliii's message is well inlenlioned. and it might keep the little ones qtiiet for a while. Iidinbtirgli: Bi‘uiiloii ‘I‘hcatrc. ()dcoii Ay r: ()deon. Iryiiic: .\lagiiiiiii. Kiliiiariiock' ()tlc‘till.
Rushmore f ISI (\Vc‘s .'\|I(lk'l\t)|l. LS. I‘M”) Jason Schwart/iiiaii. Bill Murray. ()ll\ ia Williams, 93 mins. Bright. bespectacled and geeky. .\Iax l‘ischer. scholarship boy at the e\cltisi\c Rlishiiiore Acadcliiy in Houston. is irritating and endearing in equal iiieasures. while his self belief is awesome. In Bill Murray ‘s sell -Ioat|iing iiiillioiiaii‘c stch tycoon. .\Ias finds a soirl mate. but when they botli fall in love w NB the new teacher .\Iiss (‘ross (\Villiaiiis). their friendship ltll'll\ sour. Wes Anderson‘s quirky. original coiiiedy puts iiiost of Holly wood‘s recent otitpiit to shame. .\Iurray gives his best performance in years. while Iiliii debutante Scliwart/maii is simply astonishing. Glasgow: ()deoii Quay lidiiibtirgh: ('aiiieo. Secrets And Lies ( I5) (.\Iikc Leigh. t'ts'. I990) 'I‘iiiiothy Spall. Brenda Blethyn. I’hyllis Logan. I-lt) iiiiiis. Leigh‘s I’aliiie
index FILM
l)‘( )i-\\ inning lollow tip to \(I'At if is a bitteisw eel lake on stibtitbaii domestic life \‘oung black opticiaii Iloitense searches for the mother who put her tip tor adoption as a baby. bill is surprised to disco\ei it‘s w liitc working-class (‘yiillira Genuinely emotional. with great peiloiiiiaiices by Marianne Jean-Baptiste and Timothy Spall. bill the show stopping turn comes from (‘aiines winner Brenda Bletliari l-diiibuigli l‘llllllllllht‘.
Shakespeare In Lover )5» (John Madden. I'K. I998) Joseph l‘iennes. Gwyneth l’altiow. Rupert l-yeiett III) iiiiiis Joseph l'ieiiries. a pair of breeches and a lew iiioody \ctscs and a league of women will Icayc the cinema wondering why they never liguied it tllll tII sc‘lttMl Shakespeare Is st‘\ ill) legs 'I‘oiii Stoppaid's script is estibeiantly confident. irreverent and w itty \II the characters are sent up and \Vill Shakespeare is the blilt of so many jokes. it's .r wonder he retains his ioniaiitic gloss Ix'iikcaldy \daiii Smith.
A Simple Plan I I5) (Sari) Raiiiii. IS. I998) Bill l’a\loii. Billy Bob lTIUIIIIUII. Bridch l'UlItla. III iiiiiis. Two close btit \el.\ different brothers accidentally stumble upon \-llll in a w necked plane. and decide to hold onto the cash Bill of course. llieii illegal lottery jackpot is (list the start of .r iiiglitiiiaiisli descent into greed. suspicion .iiid iiitiitlci l'alkiik I' I II
Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace tl’) (( ieoige llicas. I'S. I999) lawan .\Ic( iiegoi. I.iaiii .\ecsoii. \.tl.lllt‘ I’ortiiian. Ii: nuns ()ii the surface. the plot structure isn‘t .i iiiillion light years away from the oiiginal Slur Ilrri \ Iii \ isuaI teiiiis. I/It' l’lirrntum .Ilr'rrrrr (‘ stands alone III the cineiiialic tiniyetse. .\t tiiiics you'd think there was more .itiiiiiatioti than Iiyc action onscreen r and maybe it‘s :liis toning down of the Iitiiiiaii element that .ias left the film lacking soul (ieiicial release
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New Lanark World Heritage Village
VICTORIAN FAIR Sunday 5th September
Stalls ' Entertainers ' Street Theatre
Music ' Dancing 0 Games
Tel: OI555 66I345
for details. Entrance
£2 per car I2 - 5pm New Lanark
(by Lanark) is
sinposted from all major routes.
New Lanark Mill Hotel
3 course Victorian dinner
Bottle of champagne for the best Victorian costume! Special D,B&B only £37.50 p.p.p.n. Fri 4th-Sun 6th To book phone OISSS 667200
26 Aug—9 89;) I999 THE lIST104