FILM index
FILM INDEX continued (Jolie), a gorgeous, unpredictable sociopath who establishes herself as Susanna's best friend and worst enemy. The film does veer too far into tissue territory, but this remains a sensitive and persuasive piece of work. Edinburgh: UGC Cinemas. Wishaw: Arrow Multiplex.
Go (18) **** (Doug Liman. US, 1999) Sarah Polley, Desmond Askeu, Katie Holmes. 100 mins. Liman's follow up to Swingers comprises three interlocking stories about slacker kids at work, play and getting into trouble in Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Go may not have Swingers' Rat Pack jokery, nor Jon Favreau's quirky dialogue and borrows its structure from Tarantino’s film, but the cumulative impact of the story mixing is enormously entertaining. Right here, right now, Go is the movie equivalent of Big Beat music, much of which is featured on its great soundtrack. Edinburgh: Cameo.
Good Morning Babylon (15) (Paolo & Vittorio Taviani, ltaly/France/US, 1986) Vincent Spano, Charles Dance, Greta Scacci. 117 mins. A pair ofTuscany artisans emigrate to America, where they end up working in Hollywood on the set of D.W. Griffitbs' Intolerance. Fascinating episodic portrayal of the clash of two cultures, with the hubbub of early Hollywood engagingly captured. Part of the Italian Film Festival. Glasgow: GET. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
A Goofy Movie (U) sat (Kevin Lima, US, 1996) With the voices of Bill Farmer, Jason Marsden. Jim Cummings. 74 mins. After a school prank backfires, Goofy decides to take troublesome son Max off on a bonding fishing trip. Max is trying his best to be Cool, but that isn't easy when your dad's this particular Disney star. An incidentpacked journey provides plenty of laughs which should keep restless kids and
3 accompanying adults amused. Edinburgh: St Bride‘s.
The Green Mile (18) trunk (Frank Darabont, US, 2000) Tom Hanks, Michael (‘larke Duncan, David Morse. 189 mins. Darabont follows one Stephen King prison drama, The Shawshank Redemption, with
Forrest Gump (12) *** (Robert Zemeckis, US, 1994) Tom Hanks, Robin Wright. Gary Sinise. 142 mins. Even those with the lowest le can rise to the top in the land of the free, as this picaresque talc sets out to prove. But despite its incurany sweet hero and its fairly standard love story core. Forrest (in/rip has a surprisingly dark-tirith view on recent American history — complete with racism, drug and child abuse. war and political assassination. There are some bitter tasting choices hidden among the soft centres. Batligate: The Bathgatc Regal. From The Edge Of The City ( 18) whet (Constantmos Giannaris, Greece, 1999) Stathis Papadopoulos, Dimitris Paoulidis. Costas Cotsianidis. 90 mins. The city is Athens. ()n the edge of this vast sprawling city in the depressed suburb of Menidi, a gang of young Russian immigrants dream by day of a better life while at night they descend into the city to steal, score drugs, pimp and turn tricks. Superlicially this is another drug-buddy movie, but Giannaris's film is distinguished by its socio-political dimensions and the powerful performances from its actors, many of them non- profcssionals. See review. lidinburgh: Filmhouse.
Gandhi (PG) (Richard .»\ttenborough, UK, 1982) Ben Kingsley, (‘andice Bergen, Edward Fox, Trevor Howard. John Mills. 188 mins. ()sear-laden biopic of the great Indian leader and man of peace chronicles and clarifies the country 's birth pains. Although the choice attracted some flak, Kingsley gives an outstanding performance in the title role, and packed out by star cameos the lilm has the feel of an old- fashioned epic. But a good one. Izdinburgh: Lumiere.
Girl, Interrupted l 15 i innit (James Mangold. US. 2000) Winona Ryder, Angelina Jolie, Whoopi Golderberg. 127 mins. Ryder plays Susanna Kaysen. whose memoirs of her time spent in a mental institution in the late ()Us provide the basis for this film. but the star of the show is Lisa
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32 THE LIST 13-27 Apr 2000
another about life on death row at Cold Mountain Penitentiary in the 19305. Despite its lengthy running time, Darabont‘s careful, even pacing works at this length. Only towards the end, where the strong storylines are resolved with a somewhat whimsical paranormal occurrence, does this sturdy piece of filmmaking waver. General release. Groundhog Day (PG) innit (Harold Ramis, US, 1993) 101 mins. Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, Chris Elliot. TV weatherman Phil Conners (Murray) finds himself in the back of beyond, trapped in an ever-repeating single day. Partying and babe-chasing leads to serious romancing as he goes after his producer (MacDowell). Murray’s cuddly sarcasm stops the movie from becoming the kind of moralising mush that surrounds so many of his contemporaries. At last, a Hollywood comedy that is really funny. Edinburgh: Cameo.
Guests (Ospiti) (15) (Matteo Garrone, 1999) Corrado Sassi, Psaqualino Mura, Julian Sota. 78 mins. Two young related Albanians are the focus for this complicated story set in modern day Rome. Characters come and go searching for meaning in their lives in Garrone’s examination of the sad destinies of so many contemporary immigrants. Part ofthe Italian Film Festival. Glasgow: GF'T. Edinburgh: Filmhouse. Hannibal's Children (I Figli Di Annibale) (15) (Davide Ferrario, 1999) Diego Abatantuono, Silvio Orlando, Valentina Cervi. 93 mins. Domenico bungles a bank robbery and ends up kidnapping Tommaso, an entrepencur. Tommaso turns out to be even less scrupulous than Domenico, and the two of them plot to escape together. Needless to say things don‘t exactly go to plan . . . Part of the Italian Film Festival. Glasgow: GET. Edinburgh: Filmhouse. Holy Smoke (18) that (Jane Campion, US, 2000) Kate Winslct, Harvey Keitcl, Julie Hamilton, Pam Grier. 114 mins. Winslet courageously throws herself into the role of Ruth, a spirited young woman who falls under the spell of a Guru in India, and then finds herself confronted by an American Exit Counsellor (Keitcl) enlisted by her Australian family to lure her back borne. Holy Smoke is packed with provocative ideas, but Campion‘s failure to explore them and, more damagingly, her heavy-handed attempts at comedy, wipe out any interest the film might hold. Glasgow: GET, ()deon At The Quay. Showcase. Edinburgh: UCI, UGC Cinemas.
Hurly Early (18) iii (Anthony Drazan, US, 2000) Sean Penn, Kevin Spacey. Robin Wright Penn. 117 mins. Drug abuse, verbal abuse, abuse of women and soul searching form the basis for this screen adaptation of David Rabe ‘s smart, cynical off-Broadway drama about a couple of scuzzy Hollywood casting agents — Spacey and Penn — and their loser friends. Unsurprisingly, the play 's sharp one-liners are in place, and although it remains stage-bound, this is a relentlessly compulsive (and convulsive) bout of wordplay. Glasgow: Odeon. Edinburgh: UGC Cinemas.
The Hurricane (15) it (Norman Jewison. US, 2000) Denzcl Washington, John Hannah, Deborah Kara Unger. 140 mins. An engaging and wholly Oscar-worthy turn from Washington isn't enough to salvage Jewison's controversial biopic of the boxer Rubin Carter. The facts of Carter's triple murder case have been massaged into cinematic shape to the extent that gaping holes mar the film‘s narrative, a cowardly tactic that simplifies and finally discredits its message about institutionalised racism in America. The nuts and bolts of the case are glossed over in favour of a fawning glorification of Carter, who is painted as a quasi-mythic martyr saint. General release. Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom (PG) *‘kt (Steven Spielberg, US, 198-1) Harrison Ford, Kate (‘apshaw. Kc Huy Quan, Amrish Puri. 118 mins. Again the foreigners find it hard going keeping up with the Jones, as master entertainer Spielberg piles on the action sequences. This time. however, the frantic pace has even less credibility than Raiders had. Edinburgh: St Bride’s.
The Insider (15) ***** (Michael Mann. US, 2000) Russell Crowe, Al Pacino, Christopher Plummer. 157 mins. Mann's
heist movie, Heat, boasted some electrifying set pieces, yet while The Insider contains virtually no ‘action’ there's a terrific sense of dramatic urgency that drives the film. It all starts in the mid-90s with Jeffrey Wigand, the corporate man who blew the whistle an the American tobacco industry, triggering a $246 million lawsuit. The performances are excellent and not since All The President's Men has fact and drama merged so powerfully on screen. Glasgow: Odeon At The Quay. Edinburgh: Cameo, UGC Cinemas. Paisley: Showcase. Stirling: Carlton.
The Iron Giant (U) ***** (Brad Bird, US, 1999) Jennifer Aniston, Harry Conick Jr, Vin Diesel. 86 mins. In this animated film adaptation of Ted Hughes’s classic children’s story about a boy who befriends a 50ft. robot from outer space, the action is transported from rural England to small- town America in the late 19505. The resulting film is a fast-moving thrillfest featuring bongo-beating beatniks, a great rockabilly soundtrack and explosive destruction on a grand scale. This being a kids film, through, it‘s violence with a conscience. Edinburgh: Odeon. Ayr: Odeon. Falkirk: FTH Cinema. Kilmarnock: Odeon. Stirling: MacRobert.
La Jetee (12) *tit (Chris Marker, France, 1962) 29 mins. An extremely rare opportunity to see this influential piece about the power of memory. An image of a woman at the end of a pier haunts a man as he wanders through a post-apocalyptic world. Edinburgh: Cameo.
Kaos (l8) (Paolo and Vittorio Taviani, Italy, 1984) Margarita Lozano, Claudio Bigagli, Enrica Maria Modugno, Franco Franchi. 187 mins. Five stories by Pirandello are placed against the vast Sicilian landscape that was his birthplace. The tales of werewolves, tyrants and bandits are as dramatic as the bleached rocks and dark interiors and build up a strange, grotesque vision of the past. The visuals are stunning, the individual sections a little overlong. Part of the Italian Film Festival. Glasgow: GET. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
Kevin 8r Perry Go Large (15) it (Ed Bye, UK, 2000) Harry Entield, Kathy Burke, Laura Fraser. 82 mins. This big-screen spin- off for one of the sketches from TV‘s Harry [infield-Ind Chums follows its two teenage characters on a quest to lose their virginity and become top DJs. The key influence here is the Carry On series, so prepare yourself for a stream of erection, urinating and vomiting gags. There are some enjoyable performances, but there's a nagging sense that, with this predictable satire, Enficld and chums are milking a cash-cow. See review. General release.
LA. Confidential (18) ***** (Curtis Hanson, US, 1997) Kevin Spacey, Guy Pearce, Russell Crowe, Kim Basinger. 135 mins. Adapted from James Ellroy's nco-noir novel, the best American film of 1997 evokes a glitzy post-World War II Los Angeles underpinned by an all-pervasive, festering corruption. An intricate, drop-dead brilliant plot links bent cops, good cops, Hollywood star lookalike prostitutes and the mob. The dialogue crackles and the actors burn up the screen: one of the few films one would dare mention in the same breath as the definitive Chinatown. Edinburgh: UGC
, Cinemas. Lake Placid (15) **** (Steve Miner, US.
3000) Brendan (ileeson, Bridget Fonda. Bill Pullman, ()liver Plait. 82 mins. Big monster eating people in a lake in Maine. Local
? sheriff, game warden. scientist and hunter team up to kill it. Plenty ofextras get munched. Doesn't sound particularly
appetising - we‘ve seen it all before in Jaws. A lligator, Pirahna. etc. — except Lake Placid has the smartest. funniest dialogue you're likely to hear all year: "The sooner we catch
this thing, Sheriff, the sooner you can get 3 back to sleeping with your sister.‘ Goes for
cheap belly laughs and gets ‘em every time.
General release.
The Last Days (PG) *in (James Moll,
US. 1999) 87 mins. Any Holocaust documentary is inevitably a footnote to Shoah, Claude Ianzmann's exhaustive 1986 study of guilt and the process of remembering. The Last Days takes a similar approach with its in-depth interviews. but its
3 claim to have captured the truth, to have