Films screening this fortnight are listed below with certificate, credits, brief review and venue details. Film index compiled by Miles Fielder.
Anastasia (U) (Don Bluth/Gary Goldman, US, 1997) Voices of Meg Ryan, Christopher Lloyd, John Cusack. 94 mins. With this widescreen romantic musical adventure, animator Don Bluth offers a film that rivals Disney. Rewriting history somewhat, evil magician Rasputin puts a curse on the Tsar’s family and causes the 1917 Revolution. The child princess Anastasia survives, but grows up as an orphan, unable to remember her past. With extraordinary action sequences, exquisite characterisations and beautiful songs. Paisley: Showcase. Another Day In Paradise (18) (Larry Clark, US, 1999) Vincent Kartheiser, James Woods, Natasha Gregson Wagner, Melanie Griffith. 122 mins. Bobbie is a teenager fending for himself in a cruel world of drugs and desperadoes. When an older more experienced criminal, Mel (James Woods), offers Bobbie the chance of escape there isn't another option the teenager can turn to. Clark’s (Kids) keen eye for psychological detail ensures that this is not run-of-the-mill heist/road movie. Glasgow: GFT. Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (12) (Jay Roach, US, 1999) Mike Myers, Heather Graham, Elizabeth Hurley. 96 mins. The Spy Who Shagged Me doesn’t really make any advances in what is surely, by now, a new film franchise —Austin Powers 3: Live And Let Shag, Austin Powers 4: The Man With The Golden Mojo, perhaps? — rather, it consolidates its three types ofjokery - 60$ kitsch, film references and sexual innuendo. General release. Bride Of Chucky (18) (Ronnie Yu, US, 1999) 89 mins. The dismembered corpse of the pint-sized homicidal maniac is exhumed for this knowing horror sequel to the Child’s Play series. The new edition offers diversion in the form of Jennifer Tilly as the once- human Chucky's vengeful ex-girlfriend Tiffany. Glasgow: Odeon Quay. Black Cat White Cat (15) (Emir Kusturica, Germany/France/Yugoslavia/Austria/Greece , 1998) 129 mins. Crazy film from the Yugoslavian director of Arizona Dream and Underground, set within a community of gypsy people and telling a tale of dodgy deals, family ties, young love and magical occurrences. A sensory overload delight. Stirling: MacRobert. The Borrowers (U) (Peter Hewitt, UK, 1997) John Goodman, Jim Broadbent, Celia Imrie. 86 mins. At a height of only four inches, the Borrowers hide in wall cavities and living beneath the floorboards of the Lender household. When a nasty lawyer tries to swindle the humans out of their inheritance, families big and small join forces. The design and effects create a strangely familiar, oddly unplaceable world, and children will have little difficulty suspending enough disbelief to be spellbound by the magic of the film. Glasgow: Showcase. Paisley: Showcase. Celebrity (18) (Woody Allen, US, 1999) Kenneth Branagh, Melanie Griffith, Winona Ryder, Charlize Theron, Leonardo DiCaprio. 113 mins. A not always successful dissection of the nature and price of fame. The film revolves around Branagh's philandering hack and wannabe screenwriter, Lee Simon (Allen's alter-ego), who is irresistible to a succession of dazzlineg attractive women. Kirkcaldy: Adam Smith. Stirling: MacRobert. Cruel Intentions (15) (Roger Kumble, US, 1999) . Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillipe, Reese Witherspoon. 98 mins. This teen remake of Dangerous Liaisons with horny high school kids taking the place of the sexual schemers is terrific fun. Kathryn (Gellar) and Sebastian (Phillipe) are two spoiled, wealthy step~siblings living in Manhattan who devise a wager: he must seduce the new school principal's daughter Annette (Witherspoon). If Sebastian fails, Kathryn gets his car; if he succeeds, he gets to have sex with his stepsister every which way. Glasgow: Showcase. Paisley:
Showcase.
The Debt Collector (18) (Anthony Neilson, UK, 1999) Billy Connolly, Ken Stott, Iain Robertson. 110 mins. Reformed and out of prison, ex-Ioan shark Nicky Dryden (Connolly) is a rich, happily married celebrity on the Scottish art scene, but policeman Keltie (Stott) is determined to crash his party. The lives ofJimmy Boyle and Hugh Collins spring to mind, but writer- director Neilson uses the tale to picks away at the nasty jealousies and small-mindedness that can fester beneath the surface of a small nation. East Kilbride: Arts Centre. Stirling: MacRobert.
Disturbing Behaviour ( 15) (David Nutter, US, 1999) James Marsden, Katie Holmes, Nick Stahl. 83 mins. Nutter, veteran director of all things weird out there on American television (The X -F iles, Millennium), assembles a young cast of new talent including Dawson '3 Creek’s Holmes for this eerie tale of all-too idyllic life in the small town, Cradle Bay. Among the teenagers success rate is high and there’s no drink and drug abuse to be seen. If that sounds familiar cast your mind back to The Stepford Wives. Glasgow: Showcase. Paisley: Showcase.
Doug's 1st Movie (U) (Maurice Joyce, US, 1999) 77 mins. The animated adventures of quirky adolescent Doug Funnie graduates from its popular Saturday morning slot on American television to big screen glory, courtesy of Disney. Movie no. 1 sees the twelve-year-old torn between taking action against environmental pollution and taking his beloved Patti Mayonnaise to the high school dance. Glasgow: Showcase, UCI, Virgin. Edinburgh: UCI. East Kilbride: UCI. Paisley: Showcase.
Entrapment (15) (Jon Amiel, US, 1999) Sean Connery, Catherine Zeta-Jones. 112 mins. Former ace cat burglar Robert ‘Mac' MacDougal (Connery) attracts the attention of sexy insurance investigator Gin Baker (Zeta-Jones). She is determined to find evidence connecting him with that opening sequence robbery, just as he is determined to not have that crime pinned on him. It’s all very To CatchA Thief, but not really in the same league. Glasgow: Odeon Quay, Showcase. Paisley: Showcase. Wishaw: Arrow.
Eternity And A Day (PG) (Theo
Angelopoulos, Greece, 1998) Bruno Ganz, Isabelle Renauld. 132 mins.1ypically elegant meditation upon life from the Greek auteur. Ganz plays a writer who is preparing to leave his lifelong home by the sea. Discovering a letter from his long dead wife, he becomes ensnared by his memories of her. Falkirk: FTH.
Flubber (U) (Les Mayfield, US, 1997) Robin Williams, Marcia Gay Harden, Christopher McDonald. 93 mins. This remake of 1961 Disney favourite TheAbsent Minded Professor casts a subdued Williams as a scientist who invents a gravity defying goo, but may well lose his fiancee in the process. Combining many of the worst, most annoying attributes of films designed to have ‘family appeal’, Flubber merely flops when it should fly. Glasgow: Showcase. Paisley: Showcase.
Get Carter (18) (Mike Hodges, UK, 1971)) Michael Caine, Britt Ekland, John Osborne. 112 mins. Get Carter stands out as a highlight in the artist formerly known as Micklewhite’s career. His superbly controlled performance as the relentless avenger on a score-settling trip to the North East of England only makes you wish Caine had played more villains. Hodges grimly effective direction proves that you don’t need to be as worthy as Ken Loach to make a document of social history. Glasgow: Odeon.
Get Real (15) (Simon Shore, UK, 1999)) Ben Silverstone Charlotte Brittain. 110 mins. Sixteen-year-old Steven who juggles the twin pressures of home and school life in Basingstoke, while coming to terms with his homosexuality. Comparisons with 1995’s feelgood comedy Beautiful Thing are inevitable. Falkirk: F'I'H.
Happiness (18) (Todd Solondz, US, 1998) Cynthia Stevenson, Lara Flynn Boyle, Philip Seymour Hoffman. 139 mins. Three sisters, two small boys, one psychologist and a phone-harrassment specialist. Out of these unlikely elements Todd Solondz has wrought pure cinematic gold, which veers from belly laughter one moment to stark pathos in another. Falkirk: F'I'H.
Human Traffic ( 18) (Justin Kerrigan, UK/Ireland, 1999) n Kerrigan. 95 mins. One of that rare breed - a good movie about contemporary dance culture. Set in Cardiff, although it could be anywhere, the film
index FILM
follows a gang of friends over a non-stop weekend of boozing, mobile phonecalls and drug-inpsired clubbing. Kirkcaldy: Adam Smith.
An Ideal Husband (PG) (Oliver Parker, UK, 1999) Rupert Everett, Cate Blanchett, Julianne Moore. 100 mins. When scheming Mrs Cheveley blackmails brilliant politician Sir Robert Chiltem behind his loving wife's back, loafing Lord Goring comes to his friend’s assistance in this fine adaptation Oscar Wilde’s play. The cracking cast do justice to the archetypal Wildean witticisms. Falkirk: FI'H. Kirkcaldy: Adam Smith. Indian Cinema A mini-retrospective of Indian cinema, looking back over the 52 years since the country attained independence. Films on offer range from Satyajit Ray ’5 classic, Devi to Deepa Mehta’s latest film, Earth. See preview. Edinburgh: Lumiere.
It All Starts Today (12) (Bertrand Tavernier, France, 1999) Philippe Torreton. 118 mins. The story of a nursery school teacher trying to cope in a northern French town of high unemployment and despairing poverty is told here by Bertrand Tavernier with his usual eye for detail. There's a feeling, however, that Tavernier believes he’s telling us something new. In fact, filmmakers have recently been tripping over themselves to tell us how prostrate the region has become. Glasgow: GFI‘.
Jaclt Frost (PG) (Troy Miller, US, 1998) Michael Keaton, Kelly Preston, Mark Addy. 102 mins. Neglegent husband and father Jack Frost 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, erm . . . a snowman. Despite cloying sentiment and obvious humour Jack Frost has a simple, puerile charm that eight-year-olds will enjoy. Glasgow: Odeon.
The King And I (U) (Richard Rich, US, 1999) Ian Richardson, Miranda Richardson, Martin Vidnovic. 87 mins. Animated version of the true story of Anna Leonowens and her experiences as a teacher for the royal family in 19th Century Siam. Cracking songs by Rodgers and Hammerstein and, being animated, the facility for more active roles to be taken by talking elephants, sentimental chimps and proud panthers. It's a cracking ride. Glasgow: Odeon At The Quay. Wishaw: Arrow Multiplex.
The Match (15) (Mick Davis, UK, 1999) Max Beesley, Laura Fraser, Richard E. Grant. 96 mins. In a Highland village, Wullie Smith carries the physical and emotional scars of a childhood tragedy. His only way to salvation seems to be through his childhood sweetheart, Rosemary who has returned from the Big City. Or he can manage Benny’s Bar football team to glory in their annual clash with Le Bistro, coached by the sleazy Gorgeous Gus. The result of all this is not exactly a tale of the unexpected. Glasgow: ABC, Showcase, Virgin. Edinburgh: ABC. Greenock: Waterfront. Paisley: Showcase.
The Matrix (15) (The Wachowski Brothers, US, 1999)) Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Lawrence Fishbume. 139 mins. In the future, reality is actually an illusion - the human race is enslaved by a computer virus which has taken over the world. Computer genius Neo (Reeves) is one of the few people who doesn’t believe his eyes, so it's up to him and a couple more cyber commandos to save the world. Glasgow: Odeon, Odeon Quay, Showcase. Edinburgh: Dominion, UCI. Paisley: Showcase. Mickey Blue Eyes (15) (Kelly Makin, US, 1998) Hugh Grant, James Caan, Jeanne Tripplehom. 102 mins. Four Weddings meets The Godfather in this funny though highly predictable romantic comedy. Grant plays an Englishman abroad with a girlfriend (T ripplehom) whose Dad (Caan) has dubious Mob connections. By comparison with the more staid Notting Hill, Mickey Blue Eyes is far more engaging. It may not play to the unconverted, but for those who like him already this tale will confirm Hugh as their blue eyed boy. See review General release.
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19—26 Aug 1999 THE U8T118