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Kids
DRAMA I KNOW YOU KNOW (15) 81min (Network) ●●●●●
DRAMA THE DINNER PARTY (15) 88min (Kaleidoscope) ●●●●● WESTERN THE VALDEZ HORSES (15) 93min (Optimum) ●●●●●
Though not generally thought of as being a spaghetti western, this US/Italian/Spanish co-production from 1976 fits the bill. Directed by Hollywood veteran John Sturges (The Magnificent Seven, Gunfight at the OK Corral), produced by Italian movie mogul Dino De Laurentiis and shot on location in Andalusia (where Sergio Leone worked) with a supporting cast of dubbed Italian and Spanish actors, it stars real-life husband and wife Charles Bronson (again) and Jill Ireland as, respectively, Indian-Mexican horse breeder Chino Valdez and Catherine, the 15-year-old daughter of a wealthy and ruthless landowner. Already shunned by the local community because of his mixed racial origins, Valdez’s romantic pursuit of the gorgeous girl enrages her father, who destroys the young buck’s home and – bad move – steals his beloved horses. Thereafter, revenge is meted out in an icy cold manner that only stone-faced Bronson could manage under that blazing Spanish sun. Good, solid, rough stuff. No extras. (Miles Fielder) Opening with the claim that it was inspired by real events, this Australian psychological drama by Scott Murden manages to drain the plausibility out of its subject by flatly delivered, moralising dialogue, clumsy character exposition and behaviour that isn’t intriguingly singular, but often just daftly inexplicable. The film is told in flashback as police interrogate the various characters about a dinner party hosted by the psychotically perfectionist as well as beautiful and bullying Angela (Lara Cox). She intends, we’re informed, to commit suicide with her boyfriend and invites people round to witness their last supper, but the night doesn’t quite go according to the plan, as we see, not least through lack of money when Angela tries to score enough heroin off a dealer to put the pair of them in an early grave. Begging for satire (Angela takes all the course books out of the library to guarantee herself the best grades) but played all too straight, The Dinner Party is a dish best turned down. (Tony McKibbin)
Despite garnering acclaim for his 1999 clubber comedy Human Traffic, writer/director Justin Kerrigan hasn’t made a movie since. Making the decade- long wait worthwhile, the Cardiff-based writer-director returns with a moving and semi-autobiographical tale about that horrible moment when you realise your parents aren’t perfect.
Said parent is special operative and single father Frankie (Robert Carlyle, excellent), a man dedicated to his adolescent son, Jamie (Arron Fuller). While Frankie promises a new life in America after one final mission, his increasingly unstable behaviour shows Jamie that Dad isn’t quite the hero he seems.
The grotty working-
class suburbia of 80s Wales is grim, but this is a deeply personal project. As an act of catharsis and simultaneous tribute to his late father, Kerrigan fashions a few poignant and bittersweet moments, which are helped no end by Guy Farley’s affecting score. Extras include Kerrigan’s video diaries. (Stephen Carty)
I Know You Know
The very wonderful Foolish Notion (superb musician Wendy Weatherby and one half of Wee Stories, Andy Oor Rabbie Cannon) are legging it out of town after performing their Fringe show Wee Willie Gray (pictured) at 10.30, and heading to the Fringe by the Sea in North Berwick. There they’ll perform their funny, accessible and highly recommended homage to Robert Burns, Oor Rabbie. ■ North Berwick Masonic Lodge, North Berwick, Fri 13 Aug.
Glasgow Activities & Fun FREE Folding Clouds and Hoovering Hills Until Sun 15 Aug, Thu–Fri noon–5pm; Sat/Sun noon–6pm. Tramway, 25 Albert Drive, 0845 330 3501. A fun, interactive installation for children under 12 and their families covering building and design. Build a Boat Thu 12 Aug, 11am–noon. £3. The Tall Ship at Glasgow Harbour, 100 Stobcross Road, 222 2513. Create a replica of a historical boat. Booking essential. Ages 5–9. FREE Timorous Beasties Thu 12 Aug, 11.30am–2pm. Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, Argyle Street, 276 9599. Fun summer activities for ages 3–6. Gigantic Titanic Fri 13 Aug, 1–3pm. £5.95 (£4.65; one child free per paying adult; additional children £3). The Tall Ship at Glasgow Harbour, 100 Stobcross Road, 222 2513. Help The Tall Ship create a replica of the Titanic. All materials supplied. FREE Saturday Art Club Sat 14 Aug, 10.30am–1pm. Gallery of Modern Art, Royal Exchange Square, 287 3050. Art activities run by a different art educator each week relating to the current exhibitions. Parents can get stuck in too. Ages 3–11. FREE Highland Cattle – Walk, Wash & Waffle Wed 18 Aug, 1.30–3pm. Pollok Country Park, Pollokshaws Road, 276 0924. Go behind the scenes to find out about Glasgow’s prize-winning beasts. Notes of Fun Thu 12 Aug, 10–11am & 11.30am–12.30pm. £4. Mugdock Country Park, Craigallian Road, Milngavie, 956 6100. Fun with musical games, singing, laughter exercises and percussion instruments. Pre-school session from 10am, ages 5–9 from 11.30am. Booking recommended. FREE Craft Workshop Fri 13 Aug, 1–4pm. Silverburn, Barrhead Road, 880 3200. Crafty activities facilitated by Busy Bees Craft Studio. Time Travellers: School Days Sat 14 Aug, 2–3pm. £2 (under 16s £1.50). Scotland Street School Museum, Museum of Education, 225 Scotland Street, 287 0500. Relive schooldays past, from Victorian times through to World War II and into the 60s. Cycle Glasgow 2010 Sun 15 Aug, 10am. £8–£12 (under 16s £3.50–£5). Kelvingrove Park, Otago Street, 330 3593. The eighth sponsored cycle organised by the University of Glasgow to promote this
fun and healthy activity and raise essential funds for leukaemia research. You can chose between a 13 and a 26-mile route, both starting and finishing in Kelvingrove Park. To download an entry form www. glasgow.ac.uk/cycleglasgow or call Angela on 0141 330 3593. FREE Farm Open Day Sun 15 Aug, 1–4pm. Tollcross Children’s Farm, Wellshot Road, 287 9000. A day of family fun with music and games, balloon sculpture and face painting. Theatre & Dance Susie and Simon’s Summer Surprise! Wed 18 Aug, 2pm. £9 (£6). Mugdock Country Park, Craigallian Road, Milngavie, 956 6100. A summer show packed with colourful characters for children of all ages. Booking essential.
Books FREE Topsy and Tim Go Camping Sat 14 Aug, 11am–noon. Waterstone’s, 153–157 Sauchiehall Street, 332 9105. Have fun sharing your favourite Topsy and Tim stories and trying out activities. Outside the Cities Activities & Fun FREE Ice Cream Making at Callendar House Thu 12 Aug, 2pm. Callendar House, Callendar Park, Falkirk, 01324 503798. Learn how to make ice cream the traditional way and try some more unusual flavours from the Georgian period. Red Kite Animation Workshop Thu 12 Aug, 2pm. £17. North Berwick Masonic Lodge, 8/10 Forth Street, North Berwick, 0844 481 8898. Find out about animation in this interactive workshop. Ages 8–12. Booking essential. Part of Fringe by the Sea 2010. Dance Base Workshops Fri 13 & Sat 14 Aug, 10.30am. £6. Old Pulteney Spiegeltent, North Berwick Harbour, North Berwick, 0844 481 8898. Edinburgh’s award-winning Dance Base present Funky Creative Dance for 7 to 10-year-olds. Parents are invited to enjoy a cup of coffee while the young ones jive. Part of Fringe by the Sea 2010.
Theatre & Dance Oor Rabbie Fri 13 Aug, 5pm. £10. North Berwick Masonic Lodge, 8/10 Forth Street, North Berwick, 0844 481 8898. Foolish Notion presents a family- friendly look at Robert Burns’ best-known works. Ages 8+. Part of Fringe by the Sea 2010. See picture, above. 12–19 Aug 2010 THE LIST 121