films crossing all spectrums — animation. drama. documentary — are showcased in an attempt to answer the question: what is the future of film. Thu 25 only. (ilasgow: Cil-'I'. Reservoir Dogs ( I8) (Quentin 'l'arantino. US. I992) Harvey Keitel. 'Iim Roth. Michael Madsen. l()() mins. A gang of hoods. known only to each other by colour- coded nicknames. meets at an abandoned warehouse to figure how out their rigorously planned heist went so drastically wrong. The best debut in years from writer-director 'I'arantino. whose stylish violence seduces the audience into complicity. Brilliant in every sense of the word. lidinburgh: Cameo. The River ( l 8) ('I‘sai Ming-hang. 'laiwan. I997) Lee Kang-sheng. Miao 'lien. Lti Hsiao-Iing. IIS mins. This long and steadily paced film sees a Taipei family rent asunder by their total inability to communicate. When Xiao-kang falls ill after working on a film set. their lives teeter on the brink before caving in in more ways than one. At no time is The Rll't'l' a particularly comfortable experience. btit it is one which more than warrants patience and perseverance with its lush cinematography and heavy sense of dread. (ilasgovv: (ill.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show ( I8) (Jiiii Shannan. UK. I975) Tim Curry. Susan Sarandon. Barry Bostwick. Meat Loaf. l()() mins. 'I'lie cult film to end all others. this rock spoof on old horror movies has created a breed of Rocky Horror crazies. and packs them in at late shows everywhere. 'lIie film has its moments. and Curry is splendidly camp as the bisexual I-‘rank N. IRII’IL‘T. Glasgow: City Centre ()deon.
Romeo And Juliet ( l 2) (Ba). Luhrmann. Australia/US. I996) Leonardo DiCaprio. Claire Danes. Pete Postlethvvaite. 120 mins. 'Ihe S/rierly Ballroom director's treatment of the Shakespeare tragedy is a magnificent riot of colour. action and sexy teen romance. without any need to sacrifice the test. Lulirmann has completely grasped the issues at the centre of the play. An intoxicating. breathtaking mix of Catholic iconography. hiin camp and street violence that‘s both deliciously feverish and studiedly cool. Stirling: MacRobert.
Scream 2 (IS) (Wes Craven. US. I998) Neve Campbell. Courtney Cox. Leiv Sclireiber. l2() mins. Two years after the Woodsboro murders. Sidney Prescott (Campbell) is now a college student. trying to piece her life back together. Btit when an audience member is slashed to death during the premiere of horror movie Slab. the nightmare begins again. The film fails to fully integrate the many iii-jokey references to horror sequel conventions. btit it's still streets ahead of what passes for horror nowadays. (ieneral release.
Shine ( | 3) (Scott Hicks. Australia. I996) Geoffrey Rush. Noah 'I’ay'lor. Armin Mueller-Stahl. I05 niins. Winner of nine top awards at Australia's equivalent of the ()scars. Shore 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. 'lhe performances show real love. while the recital passages are presented with a conviction that underlines the quality of the film as a whole. Iidinburgh: Cameo.
Six Days, Seven Nights ( I 2) (Ivan Reitman. US. I998) Harrison Ford. Anne Heche. David Schwirnrner. ltll niins. liord is a dissolute pilot. content with island- lioppiiig jobs in the sotitli Pacific; Hcchc is the single-minded magazine editor with whom he unexpectedly ends tip stranded on a desert island. \\'ill bitchy comments and knockabout humour lead to i'omance'.’ The stars make a w inning screen couple. although the film itself settles for easier comedic options and light-hearted adventure. See review. (ieneral release. Slaves To The Underground ( IS) (Kristine Peterson. US. I996) 93 units. When Shelley is raped by her lover's best friend. she dumps him. joins an all-girl band and begins a steamy affair with the lead singer. Very hip. very sassy take on bisestial choices in the 90s. Part of the Lesbian and (Bay I'IIIII Festival. (ilasgow: (il’l‘.
Sliding Doors ( l5) (Peter Howitt. UK. I998) Gwyneth Paltrow. John Hannah. John Lynch. 99mins. Mousy-haired PR esectitive Helen gets fired and discovers her handsome
Irish boyfriend is a two-timer. Blonde PR woman Helen is more successful and dates a handsome Scot. 'l’his sharply observed romantic comedy splits Helen's life in two when she misses/catches a tube train. Utterly entertaining. and one of the best British movies of I998. (icneral release. Some Prefer Cake ( l S) (Heidi Arnesen. US. I997) 90 mins. 'l‘vs o friends —« one a wannabe stand-up who enjoys a string of one night stands. the other a chocoholic who wants to be a restaurant critic — go through six months of life and romance. Part of the Lesbian and Gay l’ilm Festival. Cilasgow: (ii-'l'.
Spice Girrrls ( IS) 9() mins. A rather inevitable name for a package of short films with a certain female sharpness. 'l'ii'isiei/ S/ieeis' follows Sue as she prefers the local lesbian bar to her es-boy friend. while ll Happened III The Star In is a spoof library romance. Part of the Lesbian and Gay Film Festival. (ilasgow: (il7l‘.
Star Kid (PU) (Manny Colo. US. I997) Joseph Manello. Richard ('iilliland. Corinne Bolirer. 100 mins. Shy. bullied Spencer (Juravsie l’ark‘s Mauello) discovers an alien Cy bersuit a voice and personality of its own. Climbing inside. he gets back at his school iiemisis. btit finds himself tip against a deadlier foe when he faces intergalactic tough nuts. the Broodwarriors. Clearly aimed at pre-adolescent boys who want to fill out their underdog fantasies. Star Kid is a better than average kids movie. (ieneral release.
Titanic ( l .7.) (James Cameron. L'S. I997) Leonardo DiCaprio. Kate Winslet. Billy Zane. I94 inins. Cameron tackles the story of the doomed ocean liner through a touching love story that isn't overwhelmed by the awesome special effects. Rich girl Rose (Winslet) is unhappily engaged to arrogant Cal (Zane) btit falls for third-class passenger Jack (DiCaprio): love blossoms as the ship hits an iceberg in the North Atlantic. In all its on-scr'een glory. 'l'ilanit' does indeed look like the most espensive film ever made. conveying both the scale of the disaster and the feeling of claustrophobia as the water rises. (ieneral release.
True Romance (18) ('I'ony- Scott. US. I993) Christian Slater. Patricia Arquettc. Dennis Hopper. I I9 rnins. Comic bookstore assistant Clarence meets. sleeps with and rnar‘ries novice hooker Alabama within a matter of hours. then the lovebirds find themselves on the run with an accidentally stolen case of cocaine. l.iinelight-stealing cameos and writer Quentin 'Iai'antino's verbal set-pieces fire this excellent movie. the epitome of disposable pop culture for the fast-food generation. Iidinbtirgl): Cameo. TwentyFourSeven ( l 5) (Shane Meadows. UK. I997) Bob Hoskins. Bruce Jones. l'i'ank Harper. 97 mins. A down and out (Hoskins) sets tip a boxing club to give the locals a sense of purpose. btit tragedy is always lurking. Shot in dazzling black and white. this is almost certainly the most notable portrayal of Nottingham since Albert I-‘inney refused to be ground down in .S'aIiirt/av Night. Sum/try .Ilorriiire. Hoskins is marvellous in this harsh and beautiful film. Iiast Kilbride: UCI.
Underground ( l5) ( Iimir Kustiirica. lirance/(ierrnany/Hungary. I995) .‘vliki Manoilovic. Lazar Ristov ski. Miriana
Jokov ic. l(\7 rnins. A black inai'kcteer cons a cellar ftill of refugees into believ ing that WW3 still rages overhead. and so becomes a top dog in the Yugoslav communist regime. Ktisttirica's meditation on 50 years of Balkan history is set against a background of national tragedy. but the tone is emphatically upbeat and one brilliant sct- piece follows another. A Palme D‘()r- winning celebration of the human spirit. (ilasgow; (il’l'.
Vertigo (I’(}) (Alfred Hitchcock. t'S‘. I958) James Stewart. Kim Novak. Barbara Bel (iedtles‘. I38 niins. Detective Stewart. a man with a fear of heights. IalIs III love with a woman who apparently commits suicide. When he meets her double. he becomes obsessed with the possibility that she is still alive. Iistaordinary plotting in this undervalued Hitchcock study of romantic mania. with Stewart memorably cast against type as the distinctly on-the-edge cop. 'l‘he Bernard Herrmann score is simultaneously ltisli and disturbing. (ilasgow; (iI‘()s\CtIt)I'.
Washington Square (PG) (Agnieszka Holland. CS. I998) Jennifer Jason Leigh. Albert Iiinney. Ben Chaplin. I ISmins. 'I'hroughout her life. Catherine Sloper (Leigh) has tried to w in the affection of her stern father (I-'inney); when impoverished Morris 'l‘owiisend (Chaplin) comes along. their love leaves her threatened with disinheritance. Holland's film has a style virtually interchangeable with any of the better 'I'\" adaptaions of this sort of sttiff — albeit with a more generous budget. fairly exquisite lighting and a remarkable cast. Edinburgh: l-‘ilmhouse.
The Wedding Singer ( 13) (Frank Coraci. US. I997) Drew Barrymore. Adam Sandler. Christine Taylor. 97 rnins After his bride dumps him at the altar. Robbie (Sandler) pills on a happy face at his day job —- singing at other people's vs eddings~ When his waitress friend (Barrymore) also suffers nuptual disappointinent. an unespected romance blossoms. Packed with a sublime 80s soundtrack. and featuring some of the most amusing fashions since Boogie i’v'iglirs. this is a genuine out-of-novvhcre delight. (ieneral release.
West Side Story (PU) (Robert Wise 8: Jerome Robbins. US. |9()l ) Natalie Wood. Richard Beymer. Russ 'I‘aniblyn. Rita Moreno. ISS mins. Romeo Am/ Julie! revisited against a background of New York gangs. (ireat songs of course. btit the playing of the stylised dancing against a realistic background contrives to make it all look rather camp these days. (ilasgow: (il’l‘. Western I I 5) (Manuel Poirier. I’rance. I997) Sergi Lopel. Sacha Botirdo. I36 mins. ()utsiders within their current environment. Spanish shoe salesman Paco and scruffy Russian .\'ino become unlikely friends when they drive from village to village iii Brittany. Combining the attractive countryside with a flamenco guitar soundtrack. Poiricr has created an amusingly cross-cultural backdrop for this dryly comic btiddy movie. Like a I-‘rcnch Il'iI/mail A3 Ion the road. but less eventful. Iidinburgh: l-‘ilnihouse.
When A Man Loves A Woman (I5) (Luis :‘vlandoki. US. I994) Meg Ryan. Andy (iarcia. lillen Burstyn. l2() mins. Casting Ryan against type as an alcoholic mother going through rehab hell and piecing together her domestic life does add welcome friction to Mandoki's follow-up to Born l’evleri/ay. btit otherwise it's a rather typical piece about forgiveness. inner strength and reinforced family values. 'Ilie romantic content and emotional manipulation.
how cv er. will please the hankie carriers in the audience. (ilasgow; ()deon Quay.
Wild Things ( IS) (John McNaughton. IIS. I997) Neve Campbell. Denise Richards. Matt Dillon. I I l niins. An 'eroiic thriller" that ci'ains in more plot twists than the Everglades Iias water courses. this effort from Henri: Portrait ()fA Serial Killer director Mci 'atighton has little to recommend it. Spoilt schoolgirl and goth outsider accuse teacher of rape. btit the frame is revealed in court — and further complications follow, This is commercial western cinema at its worst: glossy and crude. Iidinburgli: L'CI.
The Winter Guest i IS) (Alan Rickiiian. LIK. I997) Phyllida Law. Iimma ‘I'Iiompson. (iary Hollywood, I I() nuns. 'l'hcre‘s something about the way Ricknian's directorial debut moves from one pair of characters to the nest that suggests it's based on a play. btit that's not a criticism. The film works otit themes of loss and emotional dependency against a snow -cov ered Scottish landscape. weaving its icy metaphor through the characters' inner lives and the film‘s coniptilet-enhanced images. The cast is escellent. w ith Law
prov iiig herself one of the country 's hidden treasures, (ilasgow; (il-‘I'.
Wishmaster ( IS) (Robert Kurt/.rnan. US. I998) 'I'anuny Lauren. Andrew Divoff. Robert lingltind. 9t) inins. 'Be careful what you wish for.' the saying goes. 'for that wish might come true.' And that‘s not what you want if the evil I)_IIIIII has come out of the bottle. It's ancient monster versus w ide- eyed. all-American girl in a horror throwaway that falls short of edge-of-the- seat escitenicnt. although the over-the-top nature of it all suggests a long and popular
s ideo life. (ilasgow: ()deon Quay. Showcase. L'Cl Clydebank. Iidinburgh; L'CI. Iiast Kilbride; L‘CI. Paisley: Showcase.
index FILM
FROM FRIDAY 26TH JUNE
NHEJMEDDWMG SWWflfiflan
2.00 (not Sunday), 4.35, 9.40
THE BIG LEBOWSKI it.)
7.00, 11.55 (Fri. (Sat, Thu only)
PO N ENEWG)
1.40. 4.15, 6.40. 9.10
POINT BLANKuu
1.35, 4.05 (both not Sunday). 6.30, 9.20
FOR LATE NIGHTS AND MATINEES SEE LISTINGS
FROM FRIDAY 3RD JULY
For all films call Cameo Cinema 24 hour Infoline
0131 228 2800
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25 Jun — 9 Jul I998 THELIST 53