Gabriel and Me ( ISi O (l'dayan Prasad. (K. 2001 l Sean Landless. lain (ilen. Billy (‘onnoilyz 86min. Alter the monumental success of Billy [fl/int. yy riter Lee Hall seems to have become complacent as his follow-up is simply a formulaic retread ol‘ last year's hallctic harnstormer. Gabriel and He sees teenage (icordie lad Jimmy Sptid (Landlessi struggle to hide his wish to he an angel from gruff. dying lather ((ilent with the help of none other than the .»\rchangel (iahriel ((‘onnolly l. The dialogttc is cliched. the script sickeningly sentimental and the mix of gritty reality and high-floyy n fantasy just doesn't work. \Vynd 'l‘heatre. .\lclt'osc.
Gladiatort IS) .0. (Ridley Scott. IS. 2()()()) Russell ('royy‘e. Richard Harris. Joaquin Phoenix. 150mm. Jtist hct'ore dying (‘aesar Aurelius (Harris) charges (ictieral .\la.ximus ((‘royyel with cleaning tip his hcloy'cd. htit politically corrupt Rome. Aurelius' son. (‘ommodus
(Phoertix l. doesn't take kindly to this and has his riyal executed. Btit Maximus stlt'\'l\'e.s and. as a gladiator. works his yyay hack to Roriie intent on rey‘enge. Parallels iiitist he drawn with Spurli'eui and Bell Ilm-z yye'y‘e not seen a Roman epic iii a long time. Scott's is a handsome spectacle and exciting enough. htit that's all it is. l'(i('. lidinhurgh.
Gm 18).... (Doug l.iman. l'S. 1999) Sarah Polley’. Desmond Askcu. Katie Holmes. l()()min. Liman's lolloyy' tip to Swingers comprises three interlocking stories ahotit slacker kids at work. play and getting into trouhle in l.os .-\rigelcs and [as Vegas. (in may not have .S'u'i'neery' Rat Pack jokery. nor Jon i‘ay-reau‘s quirky dialogue and horroyy s its structure from 'l‘arantino's lilm. htit the cumulatiye impact of the story mixing is enormously entertaining. Right here. right mm. (in is the movie equiyalent of Big Beat music. much of which is featured on its great soundtrack. (‘ameo. lidinhurgh. Halloween and Call a Meeting (the) (Various. Various. 2002i min. Promoting film and Video in a non-cinema eny‘ironment. llalloyyeen showcases the yy'ork ol‘(ilasgoyy -hased lilmmaker l)a\'id Mackenzie. yy ith music from Stephen Pastel atid eo. l'olloyy ed by a oarx yy ith the lilmmaker. (‘(‘:\. (ilasgoyy‘.
Hardball ( 12) .0. (Brian Rohhins. l'S. Ztitll ) Keattu Reeves. Diane Lane. ltlornin. Hun/bull has too many adult themes to he a kids movie and too many kids to appeal to adtilts. Pltis Kcanu Recycs as tistial stittks htit somehoyy it is both engrossing and enjoyahle. Reey'es play s (’oniior ()'.\'eil a gamhler in deht to street crooks and running otit of time to make good his loss. lie horroyy-s funds from his trader pal .\like .\lc(i|one (Jimmy Iilemingi on the condition that (‘onnor coach a hasehall team hased in the projects that .\likc’s company sponsor. The child actors are great and in some scenes there is the el'l'ectiy'e mix between the lighthearted and hard hitting. t'(i(' Parkhead. (ilasgoyy: Shoyx’casc. Paisley.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone it’( ‘o 0.000 (('hris (‘oluinhus l‘S l'ls'. .‘Httl l)aniel Radclitle. ls’ohhre Coltrane. \laggie Smith. .loliti ('Ieese. Richard Harris. Julie \‘yalters. 153mm. (‘oluinhus has remained title not
just to the spirit hut. in many cases. the
letter ol'.l.l\'. lx’oyy llllj."\ itoyel. \\ ith only the occasional Hip and luck. the lllll‘i lolloyys closely the tale ol orphan hoy llat'ry. yxho groyys tip iii siihtirhia little realising that he's ot \y i/ard stock I ikc the iioyel. tlte liliii is tinsentinieiilal. yy tilt no hint ol icky yyhiriisy. ls’ather. ll is sustained hy a set ol stiperhly dry per Iorinanccs hy the all British cast .itid ieyyardcd hy the true. yyellcarned emotion ot an Iioiiout’ahle tiltcsl stlcccsslttlly litttgltl. Selected release. Hen ( 15! (\ai'iousi (illlltllt ("ompilation ol leshtan short lilnis. including Sun A. \‘o. .\'iil Now. and .X/yr'r I' / r'rfii. l’atl til the I.eshian and (iay liliii l'estiyal on loin. (ililsyjttm.
Human Body (I rt\'ariotis. l’S. ltltllt iitiii the. Simulation ride hiingiiig you the lull—hloyyii \yonder ol all those really. really small places inside its l\l.\.\. ( ilasgoyy. Ice Age r t 'i O. ((‘tnis \\ edge .\ (‘arlos Saldatilia. l‘S. It"): \oices ol .loliii l.egut/amo. ( ioran \ isnnc. Jack Black. Sliniii. ‘l'here's a taint aii ot cynicism iii this story ol a inorose tnaiiimoth. a htiiiihliiig sloth and a y‘. i|y tiger \yho ioiri l'orccs. despite all their hettei instincts. to return a human hahy to his lather, .\s the planet gets colder. they head in the opposite direction ol the animal migration.
to hattle siioyydritts. yolcaiioes. ice cayes
index Film
Tom Cruise on the trail of the Minority Report
and predators. eyentually deliyering their charge. The animators try desperately to make you tall in line yyith this unlikely hand (it creatures. to make you see the good hearts heiicatli the l'rosty exteriors. htit they don't deliycr that all important charm. yy it. Hair and imagination. Selected release.
The Ice Storm i IS: 0.... ( Aug Ice. t'S. 1993 Key in ls'line. .loari Allen. Sigoui'ney \Veay er. I 12min. lri Nixon era (‘onnecticuL Kline‘s dying attair yyith neighhour \Veay er pushes yy il‘e .'\llL‘Il turther into a riumhed l'rigidity. iust as hoth lamilies‘ teenage children are making their lit'sl sc\tt;tl loll!) s. Lee‘s satiric t‘_\ L‘ may he acute htit he has a coriipassioiiate y ision ol' human yyeakness. and hetieatli the humour is a sense ol‘ prolotmd unease. Scette alter scene. dcl'tly directed and heatitil'ully acted hy the cast. sends a chill into the heart. \loy icltottse. Motltct'yy ell.
Into the Deep t l 'i (Various. l'S. Ztlttli min the. .il) l\l.\X presentation. l\l.\.\. (ilasgoyy.
Italian for Beginners ( Hi 0... (lone Schcrlig. Italy. ltlttl I l 13min. 'l'hc ltt‘sl outright comedy t'roin the l)ogme school ot tilintnakirtg. Six ('openhagen—ites lall itt loye yy ith one another and cross the harriers ol class. temperament. cy‘en language. 'l’hirtk Mike Leigh crossed yyith l.ars \on 'l'rier. it that's possihle ('ameo. ludiiihurgh.
Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius t t 'i .0. (John .-\. Day is. [-3. 2002) Voices ot l)ehi Uerryherry. .\legan (’ayanaugh. Patrick Steyyart. Sltnin. Jitnmy Isaac
programme releaSed
.\'eutron's inventions oi‘teti cause more prohlems than they solyc. so “hell he contacts art ultra-intelligent alien lite form. the hoy genius sets till a chain of cy‘ctits that lead to the Yokians — imagine aii egg
yy ith a see-through shell arid green yolks - kidnapping all of the parents irt Retroy'ille. So Jimmy leads art expedition ol' t‘elloyx l95tls retro-sly led classmates into space to rescue their parents. As is the norm since 1in Story. Jimmy Neutron is packed \\ itlt pop-references. hut lacks sul'licient sophistication to appeal to adults. Ster ('entury. lidinhurgh; Discovery 'l‘heatre. lle‘ ()l' Butc.
Kate 8: Leopold tl’(i) 0. (James Marigold. IS. 200?.) Meg Ryan. Hugh Jackman. l,iey‘ Schreiher. lllmin. Leopold (Jackmani. an [inglish Duke in 1876 .\'eyy York. is heiiig forced to marry for money. (iiy'iitg chase to a t‘ttrtiy‘e l'elloyy he linds at a party at his home. the two men linally tall from the Brooklyn Bridge. Switching to 21st century Manhattan. the man in question. Stuart (Schreiheri. has diseoy'ered a portal to cross time and has itiady'ertently taken Leopold hack \y ith him. Stuart’s
doyy ristairs iicighhour happens to he his ex- girlli‘icnd Kate (Ryan). ('ue loy e interest for Leopold. \Vhat ltilloyy's is art ol‘ten tiresome. only occasionally amusing comhination ot' time-tray‘el. humour and romantic comedy. interspersed yy ith the clumsily dcliy'ercd message that iii modern times we hay e l'orgotten the important things in lite. especially the arts ol‘ courtesy aitd courtship. I)iscoyery 'l‘hcatrc. lslc ()l' Butc.
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