FILM index
FILM index continued
Jack Frost (l’(i) i‘l‘roy .‘vfiller. US. I998) Michael Keaton. Kelly Preston. Mark Addy. It): mins. Neglegent husband and father Jack l-‘rost chooses to go on a road trip with his band rather than a holiday with his family and is killed in a car accident. However. he gets a chance to begin afresh when he is reincarnated as. erin . . . a snowman. Despite cloying sentiment and obvious humour .lm /. Frost has a simple. puerile charm that eight-year-olds will enjoy. See review. (ilasgovs: ()deon ()uay. Virgin. lidinburgh: ABC Multiplex. ()deon. liast Kilbride; l‘Cl.
A Kind Of Hush (Brian Stirrier. UK. l997) Harley Smith. Marcella l’lunkett. Ben Roberts. 95 mins Six teenage boys unite to become v igilantes in an attempt to articulate the pain they suffered as v ictims of child abuse. Heartfelt drama presented here in association with Kirkcaldy' Area Abuse Survivors l’roiect. Kirkcaldy: Adam Smith. The Kingdom i )8) ilars Von 'l‘rier. Denmark. I994) Kirsten Rolffes. (ihita Norby. lirnst-Hugo Jaregard. l33/l-lo mins. lf David Lynch directed four episodes of ER. then the result might be along the lines of this subverted hospital soap opera. Visually striking. densely plotted and hauntingly scored. it's an extraordinary fttsioii of the comfortably tiuotidian and disturbingly weird. lidinburgh; l.umiere. The Land Girlsr I2) (David Leland. t'ls'. l998) Anna l7riel. Rachel Weisz. Catherine i‘ylcCormack. l l l mins. A film that reminds trs of times passed. Set during the confusion of World War ll. the human story it describes proves curiously affecting 'l‘hi‘ee contrasting young women ioin the Land Army. only to find themselves knee-deep in rustic accents and bad vv eather on a remote Dorset farm. l;dinburgh: Cameo. (ialashiels: Pavilion. Kelso: Roxy.
Laura (PU) (()tto l’reminger. LES. I944) (iene 'l‘ierney. Dana Andrews. Clifton Webb. Vincent Price. 88 mins. As much an investigation of the mar genre as the investigation of a murder. l.uiim is ftill of perverse characters including a would-be necrophiliac cop. Classic film-making. lidinburgh: l~ilmhouse
Letter From An Unknown Woman ( I 5) (Max ()piillls, l‘S. l9-18).loaii l-‘ontaiiie. Louis Jourdan. Mady Christians. Art Sitiitli. 9() mins. Superny wrought tale of doomed love between concert pianist Jourdan and infatuated former girl-next-door l-‘ontaiiie. whose brief. disastrous yet inevitable union is explored in awesomely profound and painful detail. A masterpiece of early psychological filmmakmg lidinburgh: Filmhotise
Little Voice ( l 5) (Mark Herman. UK. l998) Jane Horrocks. Brenda Blethyn. Michael Caine. 97 mins. 'l’he sensational Horrocks recreates her acclaimed performance in Jim Cartwright‘s I992 liit play as a repressed Northern girl who reveals a remarkable gift for impersonating great pop divas. l.ittle Voice's astonishing talent is discovered and exploited by her brassy. man-hungry mother’s latest Iov er. failed talent agent Ray Say. (ieneral release.
Living Out Loud i I5) (Richard l.a(iravenese. liS. l998) Holly Hunter. Martin Donovan. Danny i)c‘\“llt). 99mins. l.a(ir‘avenese. whose screenwriting credits include: The lav/in Killt‘. The Bridges ()f Min/inn) ('uii/m and The Home Whisperer. directs this ‘adult. character—driven comedy" in which Hunter is dumped by her hubby. wealthy New York doctor Donovan. and discovers ti iendship and a fresh start in life with elevator operator DeVito. See review (ilasgow: Showcase. lidinburgh: UCl.
Lost Highway ( l8) (Dav id Lynch. US. 1996) Bill Pullman. Patricia Arquette. Robert Loggia. I“ mins. l‘urther out than even the celluloid version of 'Iii'iii l’ctiks.’ I’ire Hit/ks li'iI/i :ile. Lynch‘s latest r'adicaltsation of the film IlUII' traditions concerns ia/I. saxman l’ullman. his wife . a mystery man . a garage mechanic anda crime kingpin but in typically Lynchian non-linear plotlines that exist within the logic of dreams. Haunting. provocative. and a genuinely personal undertaking. lidinburgh; Cameo.
Lost In Space (PU) (Stephen Hopkins. US.
28 THE “81' 4-18 Feb 1999
1998) William Hurt. (iary ()ldman. Matt l.e Blane. l()9 mins. 'l‘he cult 'l‘V series for the 60s gets a 90s make-over and. despite the state-of—the-art special effects. it's every bit as cheesy as the original. Professor John Robinson (Hurt) and his family are sent to colonise the distant planet of Alpha Prime. but an act of sabotage causes them to spin into the stratosphere. Certain performances are so irritating that most viewers will sympathise with ()ldman's craven villain. (ilasgow: UCl Clydebank. liast Kilbride: UCl.
Madeline (U) (Daisy \i'on Scherlei'. US. l998) l-‘ranees McDormand. Nigel Hawthorne. l'latty Jones. 89 mins. Madeline is a hybrid of the ‘adorable’ pre-teen childrens‘ heroine. As intelligent as Matilda. she's also as precocious as Pippi l.ongstocking and. like Annie. she's an orphan. She lives in a Parisian hoarding school with eleven other girls and is tutored by Sister Clavel. Made in the spirit of childrens‘ films of bygone times. this well- intentioned film is nevertheless desperately dull. See review. Selected release.
Mandi (The Market Place) (PU) (Shyam Benegal. liidia. I983) Shabana Azmi. lo7 mins. New Indian Cinema icon A/mi stars as a brothel madame in this boistrous comedy about moral preiudice. Coincides with an illustrated talk on Indian film by film historian l.alit Mohair on Tue 9 l-‘eb. lidinburgh: l‘iliiilititise.
Man Of Aran (P(ii (Robert l‘laherty. liK. I934) Colman King. Maggie Dirrane. Michael Dillane. 75 mins. Director l‘laherty puts his subjects — Aran fishermen »- in fictional situations. thus heightening the drama (and here heroism). while remaining true to life. lidinburgh: lidinburgh l’ilm (itiild at l-ilmhouse.
The Mask 0i Zorro ( l’(i) (Martin Campbell. US. l998) Antonio Banderas. Catherine Zeta Jones. Anthony Hopkins. l37 mins. As a piece of old-school matinee hokum. The Mask 0/ Zorro flashes its blade with the best of them. btit it's also clever enough to draw iii a new audience by plundering every manifestation of the action-adventui‘e formula. Banderas is perfectly cast - an lirrol l-‘lynn for the 9()s (ieneral release.
Matilda (P(i i (Danny De Vito. US. l99o) Mara Wilson. Danny l)e \v'ito. limbeth Davidtz. 98 mins. Capturing the delicious
wickedness of Roald Dahl's vv riting. director
De Vito fully exploits exaggeration and playful camera work to tell the tale of a gifted child who uses her super brain to outwit her neglectful parents. ()ffsettiiig the lovable Matilda against a series of horribly inflated bad characters. the film‘s empowering message for children will appeal to the mischevious kid in everyone. Stirling: Allanpark.
Ma Vie En Rose ( l 3) (Alain Berliner. France/Belgium/UK. I997) Georges l)u iir'esne. Michele l.aroque. Jean-Philippe licoffey. 93 mins. Happy seven-year-old l.udovic loves cross—dressing and is convinced he w ill grow tip to become a girl. His parents hope it's a passing phase. but hostility from their neighbours causes problems. The child's eye world is visually striking. the message of accepting the ‘difference' of others worth repeating. the performances by all trememdous. lidinburgh: l-‘ilmhouse.
Mean Streets t )8) (Martin Scorsese. US. I973) Harvey Keitel. Robert de Niro. David Proval. l 10 mins. 'l'ony's Bar is the base for four young ltalian-Americans. whose
increasingly illegal activities lead to tragedy.
Vi vidly observed character study which combines breathtaking technique with a pervasive sense of corruption. Keitel and de Niro give of their very best. lidinburgh: Cameo.
Meet Joe Black (Martin Brest. US. l998) (l2) Brad Pitt. Anthony Hopkins. Claire Forlani. l8l mins. Shortly before his (iSth birthday. old-fashioned media tycoon William Parrish suffers a heart attack. However. the (irim Reaper turns out to be an enigmatic young man who. in return for some insights into the way that humans live. offers Parrish a few more precious days of life. Despite the best efforts of the cast. this sumptuoust realised adult fantasy movie is an over-inflated vanity piece. (ieneral release.
Nasty girl: Christina Ricci in The Opposite Of Sex
Men With Guns ( l8) (John Sayles. US. l998) Federico l.uppi. Damian Delgado. Dan Rivera. l28 mins. Maverick writer- director John Sayles has never been afraid of dabbling in political themes: and Men
H'ii/i (inn v. for all its magic realist trappings.
is no different. Set in an unnamed Latin American country. it follow s Dr liucntes on a journey from political naivete to a despairing state of know ledge about his homeland. Stirling: MacRobert.
Metallica Unlimited ( I 5) (Wayne lsham. US. I998) 140 mins. Rocktimentary covering the l99(i/97 world tour in which the spectacular stage shows were upstaged. as it were. with a series of disasters including a collapsing stage and roadie on fire. Part of the NMl-I On Tour season. Kirkcaldy: Adam Smith.
Metropolis (PU) (l-‘ritz Lang. (iermany. I936) Brigitte Helm. Alfred Abel. (instav lirolich. Ill mins. ()ne of the greatest films of all time. Although the allegory against totalitarianism is a bit naive. the cityscapes remain unsurpassed. ()perring film in The Dark City season. part of(ilasgow I999; UK City of Architecture and Design with live piano accompaniment and introduction by Professor Schetmemann of the (ierman department at l-Idinburgh University. (ilasgow: (il’l‘.
The Mighty (PU) (l’eter Chelsom. US. l998) Sharon Stone. (iena Row lands. Harry Dean Stanton. 99 mins. Adults may be drawn by the heavyweight acting talents. but will then be left agog as the two nippers combining to become one chivalrous champion of the oppressed called break the Mighty — foil abusive thugs with little more than water pistols and integrity. Younger viewers. on the other hand. will tap into the boys' imagination. btit might be disturbed by the heart-reading scenes towards the end. lidinburgh: l.umiere.
Mr Magoo (P(i) (Stanley long. US. I997) Leslie Nielsen. Kelly Lynch. Matt Keeslar. 87 mins. When a priceless stolen gem falls into the hands of bumbling millionaire Quincy Magoo. who keeps on emerging unscathed as chaos ensues around him. This live action version of the short cartoons relies on broad physical slapstick for its comedy rather than verbal jokes. lidinburgh: ABC.
Modulations ( I5) (lara Lee. [78. I998) 75 mins. With a good two decades of pop to its name. the history of electronic music — in all its diverse forms. from ‘sy nth to house to drum & bass and beyond ~ has been a long time in the telling. Which is _|lt\i what documentary filmmaker |.ee does vs ith this story of the evolution of the techno sound. first seen as part of the the lidinburgh International l‘ilm liestrval's Mirrorball section. the film now highlights the NMl-I On Tour season. (ilasgovv; (ll-'l'. lidinburgh: liilmhouse.
Mulan (U) (Barry Cook. ’l’ony' Bancroft. US. I998) The voices of Ming-Na Wen. Donny Osmond. liddie Murphy. 89 mins. After Disney's tastily designed venture into
(ireek mythology with Hercules. the studio has brought its lens to bear on the rich and colourful possibilities of Chinese legend. Details of character. movement and expression are as fine as should be expected from the world‘s best known cartoon studio. btrt the stunning large-scale set pieces are trulyastonishing. lidinburgh: ABC Multiplex. ()deon. Ay r: ()deon. Kilmarnoek: ()deon.
My Name IS Joe i l5) (Ken l.oach. UK. l998) l’eter Mtillaii. l.ouise (ioodall. David McKay. l()5 mins. My Name Is Joe's blend of comedy. social drama. love interest and tense thriller makes for a more accessible movie than we'd normally expect from l.oach. Recovering alcoholic Joe Kavanagh meets and falls in love with health visitor Sarah. but his well intentioned scheme to get a young friend out of the grip of a vicious drug dealer looks likely to backfire on everyone he cares for. l7a|kirk1 l’l‘ll.
The Negotiator ( l5) Samuel l.. Jackson. Kev in Spacey. ll. Walsh. Ht) mins. When Danny Roman. the best hostage negotiator in Chicago. is framed for murder by his fellow boys in blue. he takes hostages and seals himself off in an office high-rise. As at) extra safeguard. he demands that negotiations are handled by his peer from another precinct. lake a deep breath at the beginning. because you won't let it out until the final credits roll. St Andrews: Picturehouse.
The Opposite Of Sex (Don Roos. US. l998) Christina Ricci. Martin Donovan. l.i.sa Kudi'ow. l()5 mins. Dedee Train. a sisteeii-year-old super-bitch. runs away from Louisiana to live in lndiana with her half-brother Bill. swiftly steals his new dishy but-dim boyfriend. announces her pregnancy and flees the state with $l().()()() of her brother's money. A dark comedy flawed by a wilfully un-l’C treatment of sexual politics and unneccessary dallyiiig with postmodern narration. (ilasgovv; ()deon Quay. lidrnburgh: Cameo.
Out Of Sight ( l5) (Steven Soderbergh. US. W93) (ieor‘ge Clooiiey. Jennifer l.opez. Ving Rhames. II} mins. lliis stylish adaptation of lilmore Leonard‘s novel teams Clooney's batik robber Jack l’oley with Jennifer l.opez' chic. Chanel-wear'ing cop. Soderbergh catches perfectly Leonard‘s sly. deadpan wit. while infusing it with a wistful melancholy. Smart. sexy and deliciously bitter-sweet. Kirkcaldy. Adam Smith. Wishaw: Arr'ovv.
The Parent Trap iU) Dennis Quaid. Natasha Richardson. litidsay l.olian. l35 mins. 'l‘his updated version of the Hayley Mills original casts l.olian in the dual role of identical tvv ins coriipletely unaware of each others existence until they discover the truth at summer camp. Never having met the other parent. American Hallie and linglish Annie agree to swap identities. Sweet natured. well meaning story containing elements of farce and slapstick. (ieneral release.
Paulie: A Parrot's Tail (PU) (John Roberts.