Film index
Back To The Future (PG) .00. (Robert Zemeckis. LS. 1985) Michael J. Fox. Lea 'l’hompson. (‘rispin (ilover. 1 [6 mins. Deservedly popular time-travelling fantasy adventure with street-smart 80s teenager whisked back in time for a little chicancry with his future parents. Adam Smith Theatre. Kirkcaldy.
Bandits ( l2) .0. (Barry Levinson. 2()()l ) Bruce Willis. Billy Bob Thornton. Cate Blanchett. 122 mins. Written by llarlcy Peyton (Twin Peaks). Bum/its is a tale of modern day batik robbers Joe Blake (Willis) and Terry l.ce (‘ollins ('l‘hornton). Having become folk heroes. their crime spree is complicated by Blanchett‘s neurotic housewife who falls in love with both men whilst re-enacting the Patty Hearst story. Levinson and Peyton fail their likeable cast. but Thornton salvages the film with a genius comic performance as a hypochondriac criminal. It's a crime 'l‘hornton's poker face talents weren't matched by this overlong. unremarkable romp. Magnum Theatre. Irvine. Battle Royale ( 18) 0000 (I-‘ukasaku Kinji. Japan. 2001) l 18 mins. Lon/(217716 Flies is re-imagined as a violent pre- millennial nightmare as a class of teenage Japanese schoolchildren is abandoned on an island. given a variety of weapons. and told that only the last survivor will be allowed to leave. ()deon. (ilasgow.
Behind Enemy Lines ( 12) 00
(John Moore. ITS. 2()()l ) ()wen Wilson. (iene Hackman. David Keith. 105 mins. This hardware-packed drama is loosely based on the story of ['5 air force captain Scott ()‘(iradyg who was shot down by Bosnian Serbs in I995 and survived for six days in hostile territory. Here. he becomes cocky navigator (‘hris ‘I.onghorn‘ Burnett (Wilson). The bravura sequence leading up to the plane crash is an exhilarating collision of fast-paced editing and airborne camera-work. but the rest of the film fails to emulate the set-up. And bludgeoning patriotism subdues any attempt to get to grips with the Bosnian conflict and .\'A'l'()'s involvement; the latter dishonestly personified in a French admiral who would rather let the American die than jeopardise the diplomatic status quo. (ieneral release.
The Believer( 15) 0000 (Henry Bean. ITS. 2()()l ) Ryan (iosling. Theresa Russell. Billy Zane. 98 mins. A young .\'ew York Jewish kid who‘s also a neo-.\'a/i is about as provocative as subject matter gets. The story of Danny Blint rejecting his yeshiva studies to adopt a skinhead uniform and undertake acts of terrorism. might have been mete cheap sensationalism were it not for the thought- provoking manner in which writer-director Henry Bean investigates the story. and the fact that his script is based on a real case from the mom. t'nsurprisingly. Bean (a Jew) got himself into hot water in America. but his film is a cerebral theological and philosophical inquiry which transcends criticism. The l-‘ilnihouse. lidinburgh. Black Hawk Down ( (S) 00 Scott. ITS. 2()()l ) Josh llartnett. liwan McGregor. liwen Bremner. 144 mins. Scott's war movie. based on the book by Mark Bow-den. dramatises the I993 battle in Mogadishu between [S ground forces and
The Small Wonders
(Ridley
Production Award Scheme
£2000 to make your film! Supported by FVA filmmaker- in-residence: Amy Hardie Encouraging new talent - Documentary/Animation/ performance/Fiction contact: The Film and Video Access Centre on: 013] 220 0220 deadline: 28 January 2002.
. 'EDINBVRGH
26 THE LIST 17451 Jan 200?.
Somali militia. recasting what was essentially a military disaster as a tale of American heroism. It's a one-sided.jingoistic view of the events. playing to the American public in the wake of September I l. 'l‘echnically. it's a remarkable. graphic re-enactment of tnodcrn urban warfare. Yet. although we're clearly expected to be appalled. two full hours of orchestrated carnage ultimately comes across as voyeuristic. See review. (ieneral release. Breakfast At Tiffany’s ( IS) 0000 (Blake lidwards. l‘S. I96] ) Audrey Hepburn. (ieorge Peppard. Patricia .\'eal. Buddy Iibsen. Mickey Rooney. I IS mins. ‘Ilovv Do I look." asks original waif Hepburn in the role of borderline schizophrenic Holly (iolightly. ‘\'ery (iood. I must say I'm amazed‘ replies Peppard in the role of frustrated writer and part-time gigolo Patil Varjak. The iconic Hepburn has never made neurosis look so good. and while the film may have numerous redeeming features (not least the exquisite cinematography by Franz l5. Plane and the swinging soundtrack by Henry Mancini). it is she who remains responsible for making it such a well-loved classic adapted from the novel by Truman ('apote. New Picture House. St Andrew s. Brotherhood Of The Wolf( l5) .. ((‘ltristophcr (ians. lirance. 2()()l l Samuel Le Bihan. Mark Dacascos. Vincent ('assell. Monica Bellucci. limilie Dequenne. 13-1 mins. In l8th century l‘rance a terrifying beast is terrorising the (ievaudan region. ripping its victims to shreds. Adventurer and scientist l‘ronsac (Le Bihan). together with his Native American companion. Mani (Dacascos). is dispatched by the King to investigate the phenomenon. Aided by a mysterious Italian courtesan (Bcllucci). l‘i'onsac's investigations uncover a witch. a secret society and the sinister brother ((‘assell) of the beautiful noblewoman (Roselm's Dequennc) with whom l‘ronsac is enanioured. This bi/arrc hybrid of film genres historical romance. martial arts. horror - is lavishly assembled. yet strangely muddled and empty. Selected release. A Christmas Carol - The Movie (t‘) 0 (Jimmy T. Murakami. l7K. 2()()l) Voices of Kate Winsiet. Nicolas (’age. Simon (‘allow. 80 mins. Despite the advances made in computer-generated imagery. there is still a case for the traditional form. Sadly. it's not one made by this poorly executed film; the animation is fiat and static. scarcely better than that found on Saturday morning kids' 'l'\'. .\'or does the storytelling do Charles Dickens justice. sweetening and softening an already sentimental original. The filial straw. however. is the introduction of a pair of cute. slapstick mice. Bah. humbug. Selected release.
Eureka, Japanese director Shinji Aoyama’s lengthy, thoughtful drama set during the aftermath of a failed hijack
Code Unknown ( 15) um (Michael llaneke. lirancc. 2()()l ) Juliette Binoche. ()na I.u Yenke. Luminita (iheorghiu. I to mins. llanckc (I’unnv (fumes) asks how can we start to think and feel more about others and a less about ourselves'.’ lle answers by showing its semi-atomised modern living in modern day Paris. focusing on a handful of characters whose actions have chain reactions but who are obliviotis of their effect on others. But he provides no easy answers for his audience. instead Haneke presents a series of perfectly realised but unfinished dramatic scenes ‘incomplete journeys' he calls them - which leave tls to draw conclusions for ourselves. lixtraordinary. Adam Smith Theatre. Kirkcaldy.
Conspirators Of Pleasure ( 18) 0... (Jan Svankmajer. (‘zech Republic. I996) 75 mins. ('Icch surrealist Svankmajer's third feature is a live action black comedy that makes a wicked. slightly disturbing foray into the bizarre sexual fantasies that lurk in the human mind. Sparing in the use of his trademark stop-motion animation. Svankmajer manipulates his actors instead and draws on the work of de Sade. l‘reud. Max lirnst and Bunuel to illuminate his characters' desires. (‘(‘A. (ilasgow.
Dark Days ( 15).... (Marc Singer. l'S. 2()()l ) 82 mins. Filmed over two years in the labyrinthine underground tunnels of New York (‘ityg using a crew comprised entirely of homeless people struggling to survive there. young British director Singer's debut marks a new standard of excellence and integrity in documentary filmmaking. Wise-ass humour is juxtaposed with tragic anecdotes in this deeply human portrait of subterranean people: it gives dignity to a section of society previously denied it. Finally. DJ Shadow"s soundtrack is superb. iidinburgh l-‘ilm (iuild. Edinburgh.
0 Defenders Of The Forest (Isao 'l'akahata. Japan. l99-l) 199 mins. l’antastical animated account of the war between the tanuki (kind of racoon-dogs that shape change) and human developers whose plans threaten their environment. In addition to the ecological questions the film poses. “(item/ms ()f'l’lie form! also draws on the director's background as a ()(ls political activist. Part of the Studio (ihibli season. (ilasgow l'ilni Theatre. (ilasgow; liilinliousc. lidinburgh.
Le Diner De Cons ( I5) 000. (I‘rancis Verber. France. 1999) 'l‘hierry l.hermittc. Jacques Villerct. ('atherine Hot. 80 mins. liach Wednesday upmarket professional. Pierre and his friends invite someone for dinner as a play thing for their own amusement. l.hermitte‘s chosen victim on one
such night is Francois. an accountant whose hobby is making models out of matchsticks. If one finds interesting the idea of a lonely accountant abused for his stupidity before the tables are turned. then Verber's film offers much mirth. (‘ameo. Edinburgh.
Dinosaur (PG) 000 (liric Leighton. Ralph '/.ondag. KS. 2()()()) Voices of: [).B. Sweeney. Julianna Margulies. Joan Plowright. 82 mins. This latest computer animated offering from Disney follows the journey of Aladar the lguanadon as he flees across the meteor-ravished wasteland of prehistoric liarth alone after being separated from his family. Initially. the excitement is contagious. the (‘(il scenes are so realistic it's not that hard to believe what you are watching could be real. Then tragedy strikes; the lemurs talk. And talk. Yet as the predictable and. ultimately. boring storyline of Dinosaur unfolds. that winning Disney formula is guaranteed to keep any dinosaur crazy four- year-old pinned to his or her seat without scaring them too much. Selected release. Djomeh (PG) 0... (Hassan Yektapanah. Iran. 2()()l ) Jalil Nazari. Malibobeh Khalili. 9-1 mins. Viewers who are issue engaged will have to look hard for the political ironies in Yektapanah's take on a young Afghan working at a dairy farm in Iran. Lessons in life are learnt less through political action than emotional inaction as we watch Djonieh (Nazari) tentatively falling in love with Setarch (Khalili). a young Iranian woman who works in the village grocery store. Ycktapanah was Abbas Kiarostami's assistant and he shares with the Iranian master the desire to search for big themes through small stories. Djomeh offers a fundamental look at Afghan life. showing its one lowly member scraping a living and falling in love in another country. The I‘illtllttfltsc‘. lidinburgh.
Domestic Disturbance ( 12 ) 0. (Harold Becker. [S 2001 ) John Travolta. Vince Vaughn. Teri Polo. 89 mins. Twelve- year-old Danny's lies and delinquency are seen as a cry for help. He's unhappy that his dad ('l'ravolta) has left home and that his mum (Polo) is about to marry millionaire newcomer Rick (Vaughn). So when Danny says he saw his hated stepfather murder a man and dispose of the body in an incinerator. nobody believes him save his devoted dad. However. this genre offering fails to exploit the potential for unease and suspense in its set-tip. Steve Buscemi turns in an enjoyable cameo. but the film stumbles towards a conclusion that is both implausible and predictable. (icneral release.
Double Indemnity (PU) moo (Billy Wilder. t‘S. I944) Barbara Stanwyck. l‘red McMurray. lidward (i. Robinson. 106 mins. ('racking adaptation by Wilder and Raymond (‘handler of the James M. ('ain novel has insurance man McMurray attracted by the alluring Stanwyck. who talks him into murdering her spouse. and all goes well until his boss lidward (i. begins to suspect fotil play. Sexual chemistry. labyrinthine plotting. tart wordplay. it's all here. A classic. MacRobert. Stirling.
Dr Dolittle 2 (P(i) 0.. (Steve Carr. t'S. 2()()l ) liddie Murphy. Kristen Wilson. voice of Lisa Kudrow. 87 mins. A Mafioso racoon turns tip at (he doc‘s home and demands that he visit Beaver. (iodfather of the forest creatures. Beaver's problem is that two nasty humans want to ‘develop‘ their home. If only Dolittle can mate endangered species bear Ava (voiced by Lisa Kudrow) with circus dude bear Archie. then by law the forest will be protected. Simple. cheesy and cco-friendly. t'(i(' Cinemas. Edinburgh. Election ( l5) 0... (Alexander Payne. t'S, I999) Matthew Broderick. Reese Witherspoon. (‘hris Klein. 103 mins. Payne's adaptation of Tom Perrotta's novel. a comic satire on the 1992 American presidential election campaign set in a high school. foctises on the conflict between Jim McAllister (Broderick). a dedicated teacher who's also suffering from a mid-life crisis, and Tracy l’lick (Witherspoon). a model btit precocious pupil over a student government election. Winning performances and a super sharp script make this the smartest comedy to conic out of the States in years. Cameo, lidinburgh.
P