Film index
Jason And The Argonauts it') 0... (Don (‘haffey. l'K. I‘m-t) 'l'odd Armstrong. Nancy Kovack. (iary Raymond. 10.3 mins. 'l‘otally brill adventure yarn as our hero Jason sets out to retrieve the legendary golden fleece and is helped by a number of the gods on ()Iympus alotig the vvay‘. Ray llarry'hausen's stop-motion effects remain among the best of his career. most notably the final conflict vv itl) an army of skeletal soldiers. The l.umiere. lidinburgh.
Just Visiting tl’(i) O. (Jean-Marie (iaubert. I’rance/t'S. Zoo) ) Jean Reno. (‘hristian (‘lav'ier. Malcolm McDovvell. 88 mins. When Medieval lirench nobleman 'Iliibault tReno) accidentally kills his vv ife on the eve of his vvedding he implores his potion-concocting vvi/ard McDovv ell to send him back in time to right the vvrongs. But the wizard mistakenly sends ’l'hibault and his devoted servant Andre ((‘lav ier) forvvard to 2 1 st century (‘hicago vvhere they have ‘hilarious adventures‘ vv ith indoor plumbing and electrical appliances. While the original. I.av l'ixiicurv exuded a certain l’ythonesqiie charm vv ith its pelit bourgeoisie parody and schoolboy vulgarity. this slushy remake is saddled with an anaemic. W‘illess script co- vv'ritten by 80's teen flick director John lltighes t‘l‘lic Break/us! (iii/n. (ieneral release.
The Lady And The Duke (L’Anglaise et Ie Duc) tl’(i) GOO tliric Rohmer. France. 2001 ) l.ucy Russell. Jean-(’laude Dreyfus. Francois .‘vlarthouret. IDS units. The Lady of the title is the royalist (irace lilIiott (Rtissell). a Scottish- born noblevvoman living in Paris during the l’rench Revolution. l)espite their political differences. she remains good friends with former lover the Duke of Orleans tl)rey fiis ). republican cousin to King I.ouis XVI. As mob rule svveeps the streets of the capital. hovvever. her safety becomes ever more precarious. Rohmer has crafted a suspenseful and timely account of hovv idealism can be supplanted by fanaticism. Appearing in practically every scene. Iininsh nevveomer Rtissell conveys both her characters poised assurance and human vulnerability. (il’l'. (ilasgovv; Iiilmhousc. lidinburgh.
Land Of The Pharoahs tt’) 0. tllovvard llavvks. l'S. I‘ISS) Jack llavvkins. Joan ('ollins. Alexis Miiiotis. IDS mins. If Jack llavv kins is l’haroah. then I'm the Sphinx. Risible historical epic vv ith the obligatory cast of thousands as llavv'kins attempts to btiild the biggest py ratnid ever. despite the evil intentions of his vv ife. cattily play ed by ('ollins. 'I‘ack. St Brides ('eiitre. Iidinburgh.
Lantana 1 IS) tRay I.avvrencc.
Atistralia/( iermany. loot ) Anthony I.al’aglia. (leoffrey Rush. Barbara llershey. Ill mins. lixpertly-handled psychological thriller vv hich revolves around the disapjk'arance of a vvoman who may or may not have been murdered. Part of liarly Spring. (il’l‘. (ilasgovv; l‘ilmhouse. lidiiiburgh.
Legally Blonde t )2) .00 (Robert l.uketic. IS. 200] ) Reese \N'itherspoon. l.uke Wilson. Selma Blair. 07 mins. Legal/v Illmuli' is adapted from Amanda Brovv n's unpublished novel. an anthropological study of the ‘lavv student species‘ dravs ing on her experiences as a blonde attending law school. By contrast. Karen Mc(’ullah l.ut/ and Kinsen Smith's (/1) Things [Hate About You) screenplay focuses on the ‘clueless' nature of protagonist Iille Woods (\‘v'itherspoon ). a ('alifornia babe vv ho finds herself to he a fish out of vvater vvhen she follovvs her boy friend to Harvard. It also resorts to a deeply conventional narrative about honesty and integrity winning the day. 'lihlis. Legit/Iv Ilium/4' lacks the bite of other teen satires such as Election. another film starring Witherspoon. but one vvhich lived tip to the actor's impressive talents. I’I‘Il ('inema. lialkirk.
L09 BOOKS ttbc) (Stelios IlaralambopouIos. (ireece. Ztlol ) 7() mins. Documentary about the (ireek poet (ieoi'ge Seferis. Part of the (ireek l"ilm licstival. Iiilmhouse. lidinbiirgh.
The Lord Of The Rings (Po) 0.... tl’eler Jackson. Nevv Zealand/l 'S. zoo) ) Ian
30 THE LIST 98 l of) lzl Mar 700?
McKelIen. Iilijah Wood. I.iv 'l‘yler. ('ate Blanchett. Viggo Mortensen. I78 mins. At long last. a svvord and sorcery adventure that really delivers the goods. J.R.R. 'I‘olkien's great achievement vv as to create an Iinglish mythology. located in a fantastical yet believable vv'orld. Jackson's great achievement is to bring the author‘s 1000 page tome to life. not merely realising the fantastic elements with special effects spectacle ithouin they are \‘t’I'V spectacular). but through storytelling flare and marv ellous performances from his cast. Visceral and breathtakingly dramatic. 'l’lic I-i'llnvvzv/iip ()1 The Ring is an inspired labour of love and a monumental achievement. (ieneral release. Lucky Break t )2) 000 tl’etcr (‘attaneo. t'K. Ztltll ) James Nesbitt. ()liv ia Williams. Timothy Spall. Bill Nighy. ('hristopher I’lummer. l()7 mins. 'l'his prison escape cotnedy from The I’M/l .l/univis ('atlaneo shovv cases some great British acting talent and promises a lot of laughs. So vvhen Lurki- Iii-mt opens vv ith the most pathetic attempt at a lnink-robbery ever seen on screen. it‘s hard to suppress a lottd vv ail of disappointment. Btit vvhen the tvvo sad culprits. Jimmy (Nesbitt) and Rudy (James). end tip in IIM l’rison Long Rudford. things soon start to look up. A farce vvith no real social agenda. l.ui'kv Break runs avvay from the realities of the British justice system and mobilises some old social stereotypes. to have a good laugh. And cheerfully comic yet poignant; treacly -svveet yet deeply ironic. it does succeed as a charming piece of escapist cinema. The l.umiere. lidinburgh.
The Man From Elysian Fields) )5) ((ieorge llickenlooper. t‘S. 2()()l l Andy (larcia. Mick Jagger. Julianne Marguiles. HIS miiis. Smart comedy drama about a failed novelist. t‘iiable to support his family and at the end of his tether. Byron ‘I‘iller reluctantly takes a job at a titular escort agency. l’eatures a rev elatory performance from Jagger as the jaded agency boss. Part of liarly Spring. (II’I‘. (ilasgovv; l‘ilmhouse. Iidinburgh.
Mean Machine I Is) 0 tllarry Skoliiick. t'K. :oot ) Vinnie Jones. Jason Statham. David llcttltttittgs. ‘lb’ mins. Imagine a film about a prison football team. starring Jones. featuring stereotyped characters left over from the TV sitcom I’nI'I'ir/er' and blessed vv ith the vintage grainy visuals. cod—(‘ockney dialogue and macho posturing of The Sivci’nc'v'. the producers of l.ur‘k’. Stork :lni/ ’Iiv‘o Smoking Barrels are behind this piss-poor. parochial avvfulness. And it's an insulting remake of Robert Aldrich's bruising. fiercely anti~ authoritarian American football movie. ('ameo. lidinburgh.
Meet Me In St Louis it') 0.00 t\'incente Minnelli. t‘S. I‘HJ) Judy (iarland. Margaret ()‘Brien. Mary Astor. I I3 mins. Released during vvartime. this musical vvas an optimistic attempt to emphasise family values. but Minnelli never vvallovvs in nostalgia. Instead he combats it vvith sparky and sarky family dynamics. Set in NUS. the put-upon father vvants to him e his family from St l.ouis to Nevv York but faces
resistance from his gaggle of girls vv ho have romances to get on vvith. and the fast- approaching World liair to enjoy. Perfect casting and performances. along with songs like ‘Ilave Yourself A Merry Little ('hristmas' add to the vv arm glovv. (irosvenor. (ilasgovv‘.
O Monsoon Wedding l )5) 0.000 (Mira Nair. lndia/l'K. Ztltll ) Naseeruddin Shah. l.illete Dubey. Vijay Raal. I I3 mins. ()n the eve of the longed-for. cooling mon- soon season. the far-llung members of an upperaniddle class Indian family gather in Delhi for a typical Punjabi vvedding. But as the big day davvns. the wedding contractor‘s promises become more evasive. vvhile the bride's hard-pressed father vvorries hovs he is going to pay for everything. Nair‘s
spravv ling. carnivalcsque drama combines the colour and vibrancy of Bolly'vvood vv ith an earthy realism. And vvhile she can be sharply satiric. Nair treats her characters. high and lovv, vv ithotlt condeseension. Selected release.
Monsters, Inc. it') 000. (Pete Docter. t'S. Zoo) ) John (ioodman. Billy (’rystal. Steve Busceini. 92 mins. The latest ('(il animation from 'Iov Sim-v makers l’ixar is set largely in Monstropolis. a city inhabited by the foulest of beasts. the monsters povv er their city by sending ‘scarers' through doors vvhich telepoit them into children's rooms. Once there. they pull faces at the kids. producing shrieks of terror. which are bottled back in Monstropolis and used as a source of energy. It's a neat idea. but vv hat really lifts the film is the sense of fun that pervades the vv hole movie. .llonslcrx. Inc runs as smoothly as a fairgrotllld slide. that no one is too big to enjoy. (iencral release.
The Most Fertile Man In Ireland (the) (“tub Appleton. Ireland. 3000) ‘ll mins. An engaging comedy. part of Irish Reels. vv hich should appeal to anyone vv ho liked Divorcing Jack. Protestant and (‘atholic communities are vvori‘ied about losing their ability to reproduce so both sides hire the Iiighly potent Kris Marshall. vv hose ability to impregnate at the first attempt is legendary. t'nfoitunately. even he begins to run out of steam. The Lumiere. lidinburgh.
The Mothman Prophecies t 12)
0. (Mark l’elliiigton. IS. 2002) Richard (lere. I.aura I.inne_v. Will I’aton. l lts’ mins. l’ellington's paranormal chiller secs (iere's ll'us/iineinn I’m! journalist John Klein lose his vvife in tragic circumstances. 'l‘vvo years later he finds himself inexplicany stranded in the small West Virginia tovv ii of Point Pleasant. where he discovers that the edgy locals have been experiencing strange phenomena. including manifestations of a giant. moth—like creature. Iierily. the figure recalls the strange sketches Klein's vv ife made before her death. l’ellington is very good at creating an atmosphere of unease. but the build up is too slovv' and climax overvvrought. See revievv. (ieneral release.
Moulin Rouge i II) 00000 tBa/ l.uhrmann. t'S. loot ) livv an Mc(iregor.
‘ ‘”- “5" -. Anthony Hopkins is a man with paranormal powers in Hearts In Atlantis
Nicole Kidman. Jim Broadbent. IUS’ mins. l.uhrmanii's follovv -up to RUHH’U A'- Julie! is a vvildly unrestrained. gloriously camp. levvd as hell musical love story that re-invents the form. from the (iolden Age llollyvvood song and dance spectaculars up. l.uhrmann has transformed the eponymous I‘lth century Parisian dancehall-ciim-brotliel into the rave capital of liiirope. vveaving 20th century pop music hits into the very dialogue of the film so that it becomes almost opera. And spiralling around a fairytale romance between Mc( iregor‘s idealistic poet and Kidman's dance girl is a barrage of riotous imagery and design. there‘s no middle- ground vvith l.uhrmanii‘s film; if you abandon yourselro it it'll leave you intoxicated vv ith pleasure. Selected release. Mourning Rock ttbc) tl’hilippos Koutsaftis. (irecce. zoom 87 mins. Documentary about lileusis. a tovv n torn betvv'een the myth of Demeter goddess of the earth and its industrial function. Part of the (ireek l-‘ilm I’estiv'al. I-‘iliiiltouse. Iidinbiirgh.
Mulholland Drive 1 15).... (David Lynch. l'S. loot ) Naomi Watts. I.atira lilena Ilarring. Justin 'l’herouv. 140 mins. (liven the troubled production history of I.y nch‘s latest slice of nightmare noir it vvas originally a pilot for a l‘S television series which vv'as cancelled it's nothing short of miraculous that .llii/lio/lum/ Drive shines vvith the lilmiiiaker's idiosyncratic brilliance. Although set in the present day talbeit vv ith retro styling). I.y'iich dravvs on his fascination vv ith 40s and 50s llollyvvood and its secret history of crime. here involving tvvo actresses. amnesiac Rita tllarring) and amateur sleuth Betty iWatts). The proceedings veer into the kind of vvaking nightmare territory that either flummoxes or delights v ievv‘ers as I.y nch mixes the Marne. almost laughable vv ith the moments ofelectrify ing fear. (lrosvenor. (ilasgovv: ('ameo. Iidinburgh. Murderous Maids t )5) tJean-I’iei're Denis. lirance. Ztltll ) Sylvie 'l‘estud. Julie- Marie l’armcntier. Isabelle Renauld. 04 mins. Dramatisation of a true life crime in vvhich tvvo maids murdered their mistress and her daughter in pre-Second World War I.y'on. l’art ol liarly Spring. (il’l‘. (ilasgovv: I-‘ilinliouse. Iidinburgh.
Music and Film (the) (\‘ai'ioiis. Join). A self-explanatory title vv ith screenings of single promos by a variety of acts including l‘unk D'Void and Movv er as vv ell as a documentary about reclusive eccentric Scandinavian singer/ songvv'riter Stina Nordenstam. The main event hovvev er. is a performance by Ninja 'ftine Records act Neotropic. who provide the live soundtrack for their ovv n film l.u l’nu‘lmini' Im. ('('A. (ilasgovv.
Night Shift (Trois/Huit) t ti) .00 (Philip l.e (iauy. lirance. loot ) (lerald I.aroche. Marc Barbe. 0o mins. l-‘rom the moment hapless l’ieri‘e (I.aroche) steps onto the night shift at the bottle factory he falls victim to the resident bullyboy. the bully. l-"red tMarc Barbe). is a mean inadequate. jealous of l’ierre's popularity and skills. It is. hovv ev er. \\ hen I’ierre's sot) starts to despise his father's vveakiiess and begins to hero vvorship the odiolts l-‘red that the vv ider destructive elements of bullying are observed. 'l‘ense psychological tale and povverful portrayal of a social problem that scars a lot of people and their families. (ll-'l'. (ilasgovv.
No Budget Story ttbc) tReltos llaralambidis. (ircece. I‘M?) ST mms. (‘omedy' in vvhich a young liliimiaker is forced to collaborate with a porn film producer in order to realise his ambitions. Part of the (ireek l-"ilin l‘estival. Iiiliiihouse. lidinburgh.
La Notte 'I'lic' .Vie/il 1 l5) 0... (Michaelangelo Antonioiii. Italy. l‘lbl) Marcello Mastroiaimi. Jeanne Moreau. Monica \‘itti. Ill mins. lialling betvveeii I.'.'lv'v'cniiu'ii and [flail/Inc. .-\ntonioni's depiction of a marriage on its dying breath is another perfectly executed study of alienation. The performances are vvondci‘lul. the sterile atmosphere evocatively captured against the blank facades oi Milan's suburbs. 'l'he l.uiiiiei'c. lidinburgli.