Things You Can Tell lust By Looking At Her ****
Raymond Carver-esque ensemble drama
Rodrigo Garcia is the son of the novelist Gabriel Garcia Marquez, but his debut film as writer and director has more in common with the quiet intimacy of Raymond Carver than his father's boisterous magic realism. It's an ensemble drama comprising overlapping stories set in the San Fernando Valley - as were both Short Cuts (based on Carver’s stories) and Magnolia.
Those earlier films had an epic sweep, but Things You Can Tell. . . is made on a much smaller scale. Its five stories all concern women, some of them self-deceiving, all of
them seeking fulfillment. Gynaecologist Glenn Close receives a visit from tarot reader Calista Flockhart, who lays bare her client's character along with the cards. Bank manager Holly Hunter also receives insight from a stranger, in her case a garrulous bag lady. Middle- aged single parent Kathy Baker takes a hesitant
road. Flockhart's psychic cares for her terminally ill female lover. Wry, blind Cameron Diaz goes on a date,
DOCUrttENTARt Life Without Death ** Ponderous personal account
After the death of his grandfather, Frank Cole becomes so traumatised he crosses the Sahara With the aid of a fed- up camel and a clear lack of liqwds. A few scrapes With bandits la'er, Cole SUrVIveS to tell the tale. This is the hindSight account of his tortu0us JOurney (both for Frank and us), meaning many shots of sand and close- ups of Our hero looking hassled and clammy, but none of the exciting events he narrates in the droning v0iceover. Much of the 'action' takes place atop a camel, leaVing you simultaneously queasy and bored and, despite the promising Pi-esque opening, this is hardly a desert storm. (Brian Donaldson) I Life Without Death, FI/mhouse 3, 78 Aug, 6pm, 22 Aug, 3pm, £7 (£4.50).
DRAMA
Krampack ***
Gay coming-of-age tale
Spanish direct0r Cese Gay presents a simple story of the holiday expl0its of two seventeen-year-old boys attempting to lose their Virginity. A run-of-the mill scenario until this coming-of-age tale takes a gay tWist when the latent sexual chemistry between the two male leads bubbles to the Surface, Pleasant and eaSy—gomg, Krampack's 'gayness' is neatly interwoven into the script. In showmg y0ung men coming out and liVing to tell the tale, it presents a welcome change from the cliche: gay- y0ung-man-has-crisis-is-shunned-by- family-and-friends-commits-suicide. Not earth-shattering, but definitely entertaining.
(DaVie Archibald)
I Krampack, Cameo 7, 79Aug, 70pm, 24 Aug, 70.30pm, £7 (£4.50).
fontvll fiLM
Holly Hunter in the directing debut of Rodrigo Garcia, the son of the novelist
DOCUMENTARY
The Land Of The Wandering Souls (La Terre Des Ames Errantes) *** Indictment of Pol Pot’s regime
A steady—eyed look at the Cambodian men who lay fibre optic cables, Rithy Panh’s film diligently shows not only the back-breaking work, but also its dangers: digging up the Side of roads, workers occaSionally come across old land mines, remnants from the Pol Pot regime. Pol Pot is held responsible not Just for the risk of pOSSlble death, but for stunted lives also. One interViewee rails against a system that left many of his generation Without an education, With the dictator pursumg his anti-intellectual policies. Policies that, the film implies, Will likely blight the country for decades to come.
(Tony McKibbin)
l ' . x i . , ., . . Devils On The Doorstep (Guizi Lai Le), an epic (162 minutes) film that tackles the complexity of Sino-Japanese relations during the 19441apanese occupation of China. Filmhouse 1, 22 Aug, 10.15pm; Cameo 2, 24 Aug, 9.30pm; GFT 2, 26 Aug, 6.15pm, £7 (£4.50).
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
while her police detective sister (Amy Brenneman) investigates a young woman’s apparent suicide. ‘Only a fool would speculate about the life of a woman,’ says one character. Foolhardy or not, Garcia has crafted an intelligent, compassionate and moving film. In his case, speculation pays dividends. (Jason romantic interest in the dwarf who moves in over the Best)
I Things You Can Tell Just By Looking At Her, ABC 7, 23 Aug, 6pm, GFT 7, 25 Aug, 8pm, £7 (£4.50).
I The Land Of The Wandering Sou/s, Fi/mhouse 3, 79 Aug, 3pm, 27 Aug, 9pm, £7 (£4.50).
DOCUMENTARY
Legacy *
Tedious familial documentary
Tod S. Lending’s dOCUmentary follows the trials of the Collins family, centering around eldest daughter Nicole, the first of the clan to graduate from high school. Set in the housmg projects of an unspecified city, the film records the death of promising student Tyrell, and Nicole’s mother struggling to balance her need to find a job With childcare commitments. Unfortunately, Lending is clumsy and unimaginative, sacrificing detail for needless repetition of key facts in the family history and the opinions of the rather obnoxious Nicole. In the end, this is a well-meaning film
rendered tedious by inept direction. (Jack Mottram)
I Legacy, Fi/mhouse 7, 22 Aug, 4.30pm; Fi/mhouse 3, 26 Aug, 6pm, £7 (£4.50).
CHILDRENS
The Little Vampire tit Spine-chilling fun for kids
Take the Adams family, add fangs, Scotland and the Macaulay Culkin of the noughties (Stuart Little’s Jonathan Lipnicki), and the resulting film could easily be monstrous. Despite its Hollywood re-vamp, Angela Sommer— Bodenburg’s well-loved novel emerges with its sense of fun intact. The only spine-chilling moments result from some dire dialogue and the cringeworthy rendition of stock Scotland (think castles, kilts, and bagpipes lurking round every tartaned corner). Rollo Weeks as the orthodontically challenged hero is a cool little charmer and the friendship between he and the human boy (Lipnickil is surpriSingly touching. This film certainly doesn't suck, though ultimately it lacks real bite. (Judith Ho) I The Little Vampire, ABC 7, 79 Aug, 4pm, £4.50 (£2.50).
DRAMA
Kaerli hed Ved Forste Hik (Love t First Hiccough) *‘k‘k
Danish teen drama
Not qune an American Pie but certainly a naughty Danish, this European take on US teen dramas is destined to bring a little light-hearted fluff to the Film Festival. Vik, an endearing nerd, has Just started at Junior High and fallen head over heels With the unattainable Ania, who’s already dating the flash senior With a sports car. Our hapless hero must then ensure that Ania is saved from said dastardly senior who is conVinced of Vik’s own less than honourable intentions. First-time fumblings add plenty of slapstick humOur in this enjoyable, if derivative, raging- hormones romp. (Catherine Bromley) I Kaer/ighed Ved Forste Hik, Cameo 2, 79—20 Aug, 7pm, £7 (£4.50). THRlLLER Koroshi ***
Film noir, Japanese style
A man loses his job. Fear of IOSing respect prevents him from confiding in his Wife. He needs work and is offered a temporary post as a hitman. Thereafter, it’s all downhill for the new assassm on the block in this at times boring, but, occasionally, brilliant film. A metaphorical meditation on human eXistence in late 20th century Japanese sooety, Koroshi utilises stunning cinematography, sharp experimental editing and a script that is at once predictably dull, darkly comic and highly ironic. An enigmatic film which demands to be re-watched - immediately. (DaVIe Archibald)
I Koroshi, Fi‘lmhouse 2, 79 Aug, 70.30pm, 24 Aug, 70.45pm, £7 (£4.50).
68 THE LIST FESTIVAL GUIDE 17—24 Aug 2000