FILM INDEX continued from page 32
The Relic ( l8) (Peter Hyams. US. I996) Tom Sizeniore. Penelope Ann Miller. l.inda Htiiit. l09 mitts. Never more than functional. btit never less than mindlessly enjoyable. this surprisingly nasty horror movie blends elements of the haunted house. serial killer atid monster mayhem sub-genres as a mythical beast with enhanced DNA romps around a New York museum. Miller has the depth and presetice to convince us she‘s smart enough to survive this tiight of terror. while Sizemore carries off his first leading man role with confidence. See review. (ieneral release. Return Of The Jedi (PG) (Richard Marqtiand. US. I983) Mark Hammill. Harrison Ford. Carrie Fisher. l3] mins. Family relationships are neatly tied tip iii the final part of (ieorge Lucas's original Slur ll’tirs trilogy. while the matinee-style action quota is kept high as the forces of evil are vanquished at fast. This is much more of a kids film than the others - as evinced iii the cutesy liwoks — btit the final confrontation between l.iike atid Darth Vader has more emotional impact than anything else iii the series. (ieneral release.
Ridicule ( l8) (Patrice l.econte. France. l9t)(i) Charles Berling. Jean Rochefort. Fanny Ardant. 102 mins. A yottng engineer travels to the court of Louis XVI to secure ftiiidiiig for a drainage project and discovers- a cruel society where savage wit can open doors or slain them in your face. Verbal duels give the tiliii a literate spark. and the portrait of a decadent world manages to achieve several contemporary parallels. A costume drama with depth beneath the costumes. lidinbtirgh: Filmhouse. Stirling: MacRobert.
Robinson In Space (PU) (Patrick Keiller. lzls'. I996) 81 mins. Anybody who saw ls'ciller's literary-cuiii-political tour [wit/tin will know exactly what to expect of his broadened-out follow-up. ()ii a Daniel Defoe-style trip across the length atid breadth of linglaiid. Keiller takes in factories, supermarkets and research plants. while literary favourite themes are explained in Paul Scofield's immensely civilised tones. An accessible. informative and thoroughly entertaining example of the film essay iii its most stripped-down form. (ilasgow: (El-T. Romeo And Juliet (12) (Bax. l.iihrmann. Australia/US. I996) Leonardo DiCaprio. (.‘laire Daties. Pete Postlethvvaitc. 130 mins. The Strictly Bull/mini director's treatment of the Shakespeare tragedy is a magnificent riot of colour. action and sexy teen romance. without any need to sacrifice the text. To call it '.\l'l‘\" filmtiiaking' misses the point that the camera tricks and iii-jokes don‘t in any way distract front the fact that l.uhrmann has completely grasped the issues at the centre of the play. An intoxicating. breathtaking mix of (‘atholic iconography. high camp and street violence that's botli deliciously feverish and studiedly cool. lidinbui'gh: l’('l. Ayr; ()deon. (ialasliiels: Pavilion. lrvine: Magnum. Kirkcaldy: Adam Smith
Scream ( IS) (Wes Craven. L'S. I996) Neve Campbell. Cotirteiiey' ('ox. Drew Barrymore. 1 l liiiiiis. Rather than depart from the traditional devices. shockmeiser Craven plays safe with what he does best. btit plays it know melt. The teenagers of Woodsboro know they're typical stalker fodder. so when a killer hits town. they gather iii an enormous house to watch horror movies as the real bad guy gets closer. Self- coiiscious references are good ftiii. the opening sequence is genuine white-knuckle material. and - if you know the rules — you'll find it perfectly scary and funny. (ieneral release.
She Wore A Yellow Ribbon (U) (John Ford. LS. 1949) John Wayne. Joanne Dru. John Agar. Ben Johnson. l()3 itiiiis. The second in Ford's trilogy of cavalry Westerns s‘s‘ltll'cs on Wayne's retirement from military service following Custer's Last Stand. While not as gripping as I’m-I Apache or Rio (innit/c. it has a mellow elegance and a visual brilliance which woii citiematographer Wititoti Hoch an ()scar. (ilasgow; (ii-T.
Shine ( I 3) (Scott Hicks. Australia. I996) (ieoffrey Rush. Noah Taylor. Armin Mueller-Stalil. l05 mins. Winner of nine top
awards at Australia's equivalent of the Oscars. Shine is a remarkable and devastating film about the life of child prodigy and pianist David Helfgott. who was forced to retire from the stage due to a mental breakdown. btit returned later in life. The performances show real love. while the recital passages are presented with a conviction that underlines the quality of the film as a whole. lidinburgh: Dominion. lrvine: Magnum.
Sleepers ( IS) (Barry .evinson. US. (99(1) Jason Patric. Brad Pitt. Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman. Kevin Bacon. 157 mins. Four boyhood friends are thrown into a juvenile detention centre when a prank goes wrong. and are sexually and psycliologicall abused by the guards. Years later. two of the boy's murder the ringleader and their pals try to pull off a scam that will see them go free. In its film form. Lorenzo (Tarcaterra's controversial ‘true‘ novel becomes a nostaglic rites-of-passage tale. totigli prison ’mcssage' picture and edge-of—seat courtroom drama rolled into one powerhouse of a movie. lidinburgh: Cameo. Some Mother's Son ( t 5) (Terry (ieorge. Ireland/US. I996) Helen Mirreti. Fionntila l-‘lanagan. Aidan (iillen. l 12 mins. This gripping account of the IRA hunger strikes during the early Slls focuses on two fictional mothers. one a gentle pacifist. the other with a fierce hatred of soldiers. Terry (ieorge. writer of Ill The Name ()f The I'ltII/It'l' makes his debut as director and. while his film is not overly objective. it does recognise humanity on all sides. What impresses most. however. is the fine acting froiti .‘ylirren. Flanagan and a host of fresh and familiar faces. lrvine: Magnum.
Space Jam (ti) (Joe l’ytka. t‘S‘. i996) Michael Jordan. Bugs Bunny. Wayne Knight. 87 iiiitis. Nasty alien cartoons have captured Bugs Bunny atid are going to enslave the Looney Tunes in their amusement park on Moron Mountain. btit Btigs has the brainwave of challenging them to a basketball game and enlisting the talents of Michael Jordan for his team. Lacking the class of Win) l-i'tiiiit't/ Roger Rriltliitf’ and the pace of a real basketball game. Sluice .ltllll should divert the kids on Saturday mornings. ev cn though the jokes and effects are tired from over-Lise. (ieneral release. Space Truckers ( I 3) (Stuart (iordoii. US. 1996) Dennis Hopper. Stephen Dorff. (‘harles Dance. 92 mins. What sliotild have been an off-beat science fiction comedy has ended tip as a clunky. predictable pot-boiler. Spaced-out cowboy Hopper. trainee trucker Dorff and exiled Noo Yaw k diner waitress Debi .‘yla/ar battle with intergalactic pirate Dance (a hilarious. self-iiiocking performance) and a consignment of bio- mcchanical warriors. Nothing gels. and the effects sequences are tacky and unimaginative. (ieneral release.
The Spitfire Grill ( ll) (l.cc David l/ltittii-l. LS. 1996) Alison lilliott. lillen Burstyti. Marcia (iay Harden. l [6 mins. Released from prison. l’ei'cy (Alison lilliott) looks to make a fresh start iii a small Appalachian community as a waitress at the local diner. Btit smalltow ti folk mistrust strangers. and it takes time for her to become accepted. It's not far from being like some soapy melodrama. btit only it) the best sense with characters who are real and convincing. (ircat performances and a story that unfolds with deceptive languor until you are absorbed in its every detail. See review. (ilasgow: Showcase.
Star Trek: First Contact ( I2) (Jonathan Frakes, US. 1996) Patrick Stewart. Jonathan Frakes. Brent Spiner. | l l mins. The eighth and most impressive instalment iii the series gives the Net! Genera/inn crew a chance to be fully centrestage. A brooding (‘aptain Picard (Stewart) leads the fight against the half-fiesh. half-machine Borg. who are intent on attacking liarth and changing history: (ienuinely scary in parts. with fine performances throughout. l{dinbui'gh: Cameo.
Star Wars: Special Edition (L') (George Lucas, L'S. 1977/97) Mark Hamill. Harrison Ford. Carrie Fisher. 126 mins. A screen legend returns. slightly souped-up for the modern audience: sound is suitably thunderous. the minimal extra footage of largely anorak interest. and the additional digital effects rather obviously painted in.
listings FILM
Set against today's blockbusters. it has become something of a period piece. However. for its conceptual imagination. its innocence of spirit atid budget-stretching technical resottrce l.iicas's movie milestone remains just that. (ilasgow': l‘(’l (‘ly'debank lidinburgh: L'C'l. liast Kilbride; L'Cl. (ialashicls: Pavilion.
Things To Do In Denver When You're Dead (IS) ((iary Fleder. L'S. I995 ) Andy (iarcia. Christopher Walken. (iabrielle Anwar. ll5 mins. When a final job for The Man With The Plan goes badly wrong. Jimmy The Saint is given 48 hours to get otit of town. btit sticks around to help save his associates. (iarcia‘s calm presence balances with a host of colourfully eccentric character parts in a modern noii' that’s a million times more mature than the comic book gunplay of Pulp lat-lion or the clever- clever twist (if ']./I(' I'wtttll Sits/terry. One of the most literate scripts the genre has seen. (ilasgow: (it'osvenor.
Trop Belle Pour Toi! 'Ioo limit/1):)! I-‘or i'ott’ ( IS) (Bertrand Blicr. France. I989) Gerard Depardieu. Josiaiie Balasko. ('arole Bouquet. 9| tiiitis. Massive l'reiich hit offers a characteristic twist on the old eternal threesome scenario. Depardieti play s the succesful ow ner of a car show room. env ied by all for his beautiful wife (Bouquet). who falls iti love with his dumpy secretary (Balasko). A film of comttiendablc openness about the needs of the senses and men's facility for emotional expression. its true achievement is how it turns the sttiff of farce into an intense hybrid of wistftil comedy and romantic passion. (ilasgow: (il’l‘.
True Blue ( 15) (Ferdinand Fairfax. l'ls. I996) Dominic West. Johan l.ey'sen. Dy laiid Baker. llts‘ tiiiiis. A film about the l9S7 'mutiny” of the ()xford Boat Race crew hardly a vital episode of sporting history. American values clash with old-fashioned British traditions iii a story with limited suspense. The film seems unable to grasp the idea that. just because events are factual. they 're not necessarily interesting. lrv inc: .‘vlagntim.
Turbulence ( I.s‘) (Robert Butler. ('5. 1996) Ray l.iotta. Lauren Holly. Hector lili/ondo. l()(l tiiiiis. When murderous serial killer Ryan Weaver ( l .iotta) takes over a plaiie during a storm. terrified air hostess Teri (Holly) realises she is the only remaining crew member and has to take on the frightening responsibility of landing the plane. Although it is packed with thrills and suspence. this air-disaster movie is so predictable. it could have been made on auto-pilot. See review. (ieneral release. Twister (P(i) (Jan De Boiil. VS. (9%) Helen Hunt. Bill Paxton. Jami (iertz. ll.‘~ mins. A meteorologist and his estranged scientist wife get together again while chasing the biggest tornado to hit ()klahoiiia in decades. The plot is slight. btit the characters are interesting and. of course. the special effects are amazing. Btit the structure is too repetitive — each storm is a little bigger. each encounter a little closer — for this to be something really special. lidinburgh: Cameo.
The Umbrellas 0f Cherbourg (PG) (Jacques Demy. France. 1964) Catherine Deneuve. Anne Vernon. Nino (‘astclnuoso 92 mins. Romance between a shopgirl and a garage attendant is rekindled when they meet again after years apart. Delightful screen operetta using only sting dialogue.
Craven imagery: Skeet Ulrich and Nev C
mbell in Scream
with deftness of camera movement and delicious production design maintaining the interest when the plot creaks. Stirling: MacRobert.
Walking And Talking (15) (Nicole Holofcener. US. I996) Catherine Keener. Anne Heclit. 86 mins. The friendship between two childhood pals is sorely tested when one decides to get married. a decision that leaves her chum feeling very solo indeed. As this parade of neuroses and insecurities passes before our eyes. what's remarkable is not the slickness of the otte- lincrs. bttt how much everyone gets under the skin of these characters. Truly vivid and alive. lidiiiburgh: l‘TllilltOllSC.
When We Were Kings (U) (Leon (iast. l'S/Africa. I996) Muhammad Ali. George l-‘orman. Norman Mailer. 84 mins. An ()scar-w inner in the Best Documentary category. this splendid account of the historic 'Rumble in the Jungle' boxing match between Muhammad Ali and (ieorge l-‘orman gets beyond the punches thrown in the ring to convey the sense of black pride being born. Amazingly dramatic. Glasgow: ()deon Quay. lidinburgh: Cameo.
c:
CI EMA
FROM FRIDAY 30 MAY Big Night (15) 1.20, 4.10, 6.40, 9.20pm
Kolya (15)
1.10, 3.45, 6.35, 9.00pm
When We Were Kingsw) 1.50 (not Sun), 7.10pm Mon Homme (18)
4.00 (not Sun), 9.15pm
FROM FRIDAY 6 jUNE CRAS H (13, 1.40, 4.05, 7.00, 9.30pm Big NightUS) 1.20, 4.10, 6.40, 9.15pm
Kolya (15) 1.10, 3.45 (both not Sun), 6.35pm
Mon Homme (18) 9.00pm
SEE LISTINGS FOR LATE NIGHTS AND MATINEES
30 May-12 Jun 1997 THE U8T35