The General l l5i tJnhn llnniinan. UK. lWS’i llieiidan (ileesntt. Adrian l)unbar. Jnii
Vniglit IIJ niins. ('nntrnyersy and ambiguity
surrnunds the stnry nl nne nl' li'elaiid's' iiinst nnlniinus gangsters. Martin (‘ahill ()ii niie hand. he's a Rnbin llnnd tigure ys lin shares will the spniis (it his thelt; «iii the nther. he is
i. i. inus. biutal and amnral. (ileesnii‘s [x-ttniniaiiee is enintwlhng. yyliile the black and v. lute plinlngraphy Iiardens the edges til the lush landscape by making yery simple iltllt‘.‘\ stail. and beautilul l;dinbutgli: l'iliiihnuse
George Of The Jungle llil lSam \y‘eisman. l'S. I‘N'Ii lheiidan liraser. l.L‘\lIC Mann. llnllaud 'lay lni. ‘ll iiiiiis. l,ninc|nth-clad hern (ieinge ll iasei i sayes Saii l'iansiean sncialite l'isual '.\l;ttlit i. btit lns tiip tn the urban lung'le is shnithyed \yheii he hears til the kidnap nt his hairy sidekick. .'\pe ly'niced by him ('leesei lhe plnt is the usual blend nl' lltiilt‘ iltl. at tinii. slapstick. adyenture and. nl unuse. lUlllillle'. while the knnyy'iiig atid punchy script is easily tip with the best nl nindeiu lhsiiey. (ialashiels: l’ayilinn.
Girls Shorts l IS) ‘IU units. A package nl nine slinrt lilins yy itli a certain leniale sharpness. including // IltI/i/it-iit't/ /II '/‘/it' Slur/u, a spnnl' library innianee l’ait til the lesbian and (iay l'ihii l-estiyal. lzdinburgh; l'lllltlttHht‘. Godzilla ll’lii «Rnland linimerich. L'S. I‘Nb'i .\lallliex'. Ilindei'ick. Jean Renn, Maria l’itilln. l-lll iniiis. Nuclear testing catises a li/ard tn ginys in all ennimnus si/e. ieprndticc .ise\ually and head In New Yni'k tn lay snnie eggs When the military lake the Ullt‘llsiyc. it‘s time tni' the rampaging reptile tn deinnlish .\lauhallan. (fulfill/ti gnes beyniid insulting its audience arid makes the grave eiinr nl tnieing nur sympathy ayyay l'rnni the iiinnstei and niitn the iinn-desei'ipt humans. When a liliii like this latls tn thrill \y itli its elleels it‘s .lHI‘t/Htt’ I’urk all ny er agaiti ~ it can truly lall llat nti its n\eI‘-si/ed llnllyyynnd .iss See teatiii‘e. prey It‘\\’ and i'e\ieyyy (ieneral lk‘lk'1l\‘4\‘.
Good Will Hunting t t5) tt itls Van Sant. l‘S. I‘Nfi .\latt l)amnn. ls’nbiii Williams. Minnie lhixei Iln nuns .\ ynung cnllege ianitnr tliainnni \‘.llll a liistniy nl abuse is giy en the nppnituiiity tn l'ullil his pntenlial as a maths genius by a kindly therapist (Williams). lint- slint llaninii and en-star lien .'\lllcck \y-nti the ()seai lni liest ()iiginal Screenplay. biil it's \\illi.uiis man understated tx‘il'nrniance \y‘lin steals the \llti\\. .r\n insighttul script. tendeily atted. last Kilbiide Arts ('enlre.
Grease t|'( ii tRatidal chtsei‘. l'S. l‘)7S) .Inhn liaynlta. ()h\ in \eyytnn Jnliii. Stnckai‘d (‘Iianiiing I lit turns. ‘1 he enlnurl'ul gnirigs-nii at Rydell High p.‘ii'ticulai‘ly the i'nmaiice nl snuaie nut nl tnyyner Sandy and tntigli guy Danny es. .ipisin. In additinn tn a pint \y hieli grnaiis yy itli tiustiated passinn. bristles \\lll1 gaiig lensiniis .iiid syy iiigs yyith leeii yery e. the sniigs are the snuudtrack lnr a geiieratinii. lyseiitj. years nii. (inth is still the mud. and still the \yaj. \s e are feeling. (ieneral
t\ the slttll til. classic ttiny it‘
Hairspray r t'( i) tintm Waters. US. 1987) ls’i. ki lake. lhyine. Debbie Harry. Snniiy' llniin "9 turns llaltiiiinie. l‘lbl. l'pinar breaks will an the Dance ('nuiietl nl' tnp ‘|‘\" pnp e\lia‘.a;‘an/a i/lit' ('uiiri (hill/UH .S/inii' xylieii hetty teen queen .\ls lake depnses the it :niei star nt the slimy. and begins tn make liiends \y itli tgulpi black penple. tlitis breaking dnyyn the pingraiiiiiie's strict racial segregatinn l'nllagging entertainment as lniniei liash king \\aters dnes his nyyii bi/aiie \t‘l‘littl nt uiainstieani enniedy'. (ilasgnyy (il'vli. '
The Hanging Garden t ISi l t'tinm lit/geiald. (Kiiiada. 1097) (‘hris l.eay ins. ls'ei‘iy ln\. ‘ll uiiiis. When Syy eel Williams. an npenly gay man. returns In his hnnie iii .\'nya Sentia l'ni the \sedding nl' his sister. he reunites \y itli his dy stunelinnal latiiily and has \ isinns nt his childhnnd. Directed \y'ith datk humnui. the anguish nl' William's stnry is lightened by mud play and t‘lnral ' syiiibnhsm Intelligent atid lltti\lllL‘. (ilasgtm (il'il. ‘
Happy Together l IS) (\Vntig Kat-\Vai. llniig ls'nng. I‘NT) l.eslie (‘heutig. 'l'nny l.eung. (‘haiig ('hen W» iiiiiis. 'lyyn gay guys linm llnng Knng try in make a l'resh start in lltienns .'\II'L‘\ and disrupt their rnutitie nl breaking up and getting back tngether again. Narratiy'ely' simpler than Wnng's pt‘L‘\’ltill\ tnnyies “Virtue/tine lit/ire“, I'll/It'll Ange/y").
but certainly tint deynid nl' tllSlllieliu' directnrial style. l/u/i/ii low/w teatuies a cnlnurl‘ul cnllage nt amazing cinematography. A truly thrilling piece nt cinema. lidinbiirgh; Caiiien.
Hard Eight t 16’) tl’aiil 'l'hnmas .»\ndersnii. US. l‘)‘)(i) l’hihp Baker llall. Jnliii (7 Reilly. (iwy'neth l’altrnyy. Samuel l._ .lttekstitt. ill) niiiis. Andersnn's debut didn't eateli the same bull as its l'nllnyy ~tip. Burieit' .\'ie/:I\. btil ll shnuldii't be igiinred. Brilliant perlnriiiaiiees are at the enre nl‘ this stnry nl an aging gambler yy'hn tries tn pass nn his skills in a hapless tieyy'cnttier. .'\lni'e a character study than a straight-nu mnderii nnii'. it's \snitli checking nut. lidinburgh: l~ilnilinuse
Home Alone 3 tl’(i) tRaia (insiiell. l'S. l‘)‘)7) Alex I). Luv. ()Iek Kitipa. Rya Kihlstedt. ()5 tiiitis. ltislead nt' Macaulay ('ulkiii. here enmes Alex 1). law i.\lielielle l’l‘eil'l‘er's kid iii One line l)u\ i. but this trim is iint a patch nn the unl’(‘ slapstick and reckless stunting nl the nrigitial. Stuck at linnie Will) the chicken pm. :\le\ disenyeis a gang nl hi-tech internatinnal criminals trying tn locate a tnp secret niiei‘neliip. sn he sets up increasingly elabnrate and sadistic traps. :\y l. ()denn.
The Horse Thief 1 IS) t'l'iati /hiiaiig/litiarig. China. 1986) 'l‘sehang Rig/in. l)aii Jiii. .\‘.\‘ triitis. libel. l‘)33. 'I‘n prnyide lni‘ his pnyeity< stricken family. Nnrbu steals linrses linni yyandering nnmads and nl'ternigs iesery ed tni the gnds. His actinns‘ earn him the ennteinpt (it his village atid. ultimately. espulsinii than his tribe. An episndic narratiye. neeasinnally lacking iii pace. The llurw 'I‘lin‘l lingers nn the rituals (if the tribe. \y Hit a steely gave that renders their strangeness all the nitric striking. lidinburgh: l’ihiihniise.
The Ice Storm l IS) (Ang Lee. 175'. lW?) Kevin Kline. Jnan Allen. Signtirney \Vezn er. Ill mins. lii Niynn era ('nnnectieul. ls'hne's dying allair yy'ith neighbnur Werner pushes yyil‘e Allen l’urther iiitn a numbed trigidity.
_]ll\l as' both laiiiilies' teenage children me
making their lirst sesual l'nrays. Lee's satii ie eye may be acute btit he has a ennipassiniiate \‘isintt nl' human yyeakiiess. and beneath the liuiiinur is a sense nt' prnl'nuud unease Scene after scene. del'tly' directed and beautil'tilly acted by the cast. sends a fill!“ iiitn the heart lidinburgh: l'lllltlltillxc.
In The Company Of Men l m ifs‘eil tattme. US. 19%) Aarnn liekhait. .\latt Slnllny. Stacy lidyyards. U7 iiiitis. 'l’lie niisanthi'npy nl American eniiimerce is right up there nii screen. titty feet high. as ('had and llnyyaid plan tn date the same \‘itltiet'able \snnian and dtiiiip her yy ithnut \yarning. It's enipnrate America's strnngest-yy ill-sury l\ e ethns \Vliie'lt is the real target in this pnysert'ul indeimident that's full nt' sucker punches. ladiiibuigh. (_‘amen.
Jackie Brown t l5) (Quentin 'l'ai'aiitinn. l'S. 1907) Pam (irier. Samuel 1.. Jacksnn. Rnbert l)e Nirn. |54 iiiins. 'l‘ai‘aiitiiin‘s blasplnitatinn hniiiage is prnnl‘ that the diieetnr |tisl lny es tn hear his characters run their iunutlis nil. llnwey'er. the dialngue is pure pleasuie in this sprawling. l‘uiik'y'. triple-crnssing Iieist mny ie abnul a Federal Agent sting tn trap a gun runner. A classic llnllyyynnd thriller in the sense that it is abnul the eniny iiient nl' the mnment. rather simply t'inding nut \yhndunit lidiiibiirgh: ('amen. l-‘ilnihnuse. l'(‘l. Kirkealdy; Adam Smith.
Junk Mail ( l 5) tl’al Sletaune. Nniyyay. l‘NTi Rnbert Skyttestad. Andrine Stether. l’er Itgil Aske. SI lttttis, Rny is a pnsne linni ynur \ynrst nightmare; he yy ill prnbably iead ynur letters bel'nre ytill dn. When he stnps deal dry cleaning yy-nnian. lane. ll‘nttt killing hersell. he ends tip embrniled in crime. A sly listh grungy delight. \y itli ()sln painted as a city washed in a cnnstaiit. sickly -enlnuied dill/1e. penpled almnst eseliisiyely by pasty -taeed malcniitetils’. Stirling: MacRnbert
Killer Tongue l IS) t.-\|bertn Seiaiiiiiia. l'S. 1906) Melinda Clark. Jasnn l)urr. Rnbeit lingltind. 95 mins. ’l'his ealculatedly nutragenus mi\ nl inkey' hnrrnr. i'nad iiiny ie cliches and tacky camp certainly leay es a nasty taste in the iiinutli. but iint in the \yay intended. liyerynne slinuts a Int and seems tn be‘eiijnyiiig tlienisely es. but alter abnul half an hnur nt their nnisy. Vitiy’enile antics. you just want In slice nut I/lt'll' tnngues and put them in a blender. lidinburgh: l‘iliiilitiiise.
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