FILM listings FILM LISTINGS continued
The Flintstones In Viva Rock Vegas (PG) it (Brian Levant, US, 2000) Mark Addy, Stephen Baldwin. 9] mins. This prequel shows Fred (Addy) and Barney (Baldwin) in their bachelor days when they first court Wilma (Johnston) and Betty (Jane Krakowski). They are abetted in this by a little green alien called Gazoo (Alan Cumming), but are hampered by the rival attentions of Wilma's slimy aristocratic chum Chip Rockefeller (Thomas Gibson). And they all live happily ever after, without a trace of originality, zip or zest. General release.
The 400 Blows (Les quatre cents coups) (PG) *iii (Francois Truffaut, France, 1959) Jean-Pierre Léaud, Claire Mauruer, Albert Rémy. 94 mins. Truffaut, a harsh critic for influential French film journal, Cahier's Du Cinema, was challenged by his father-in- law and movie producer to make a film of his own. Truffaut did, and with The 400 Blows launched the Nouvelle Vague film movement and one of the most respected careers in filmmaking. The spontaneous energy of this tale of a 12-year-old Parisian boy who bunks off school and indulges in petty crime is now pure, recognisable Truffaut. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
Galaxy Quest (PG) **** (Dean Parisot, US, 2000) Sigourney Weaver, Tim Allen, Alan Rickman. 102 mins. In the film, Galaxy Quest is a Star Trek-style series which ran for a short time years ago and has subsequently developed cult status. To earn a crust the miserable cast make personal appearances at conventions and shopping mall openings. But a naive bunch of aliens mistake them for real heroes and enlist the cast‘s help in battling a real-life evil enemy. What follows is, on the surface, an entertaining display of straightforward, fish-out-of-water comedy, but underlying it is a gently scathing attack on fan culture, and America's pathological need for heroes. Stirling: Carlton, MacRobert. Gangster No 1 (18) iii (Paul McGuigan, UK, 2000) Malcolm McDowell, David Thewlis, Paul Bettany. 103 mins. Mr McDowell is the eponymous Gangster, an
abominable, irredeemably evil thug who is prompted to recount his 30-year rise to infamy when old rival Freddie Mays (David Thewlis giving it ‘suave') is released from prison. From there we flashback to 1968 when young Gangster (Paul Bettany) is hired as muscle for Freddie. Stylish, funny and shocking in (mostly) the right places, McGuigan's follow- up to The Acid House is reminiscent of late 605 films such as Performance. Glasgow: Odeon. The Girl On The Bridge (15) *** (Patrice Leconte, France, 2000) Daniel Auteuil, Vanessa Paradis. 90 mins. Gabor (Auteil), a middle-aged knife-thrower, rescues a suicidal young woman Adele (Paradis) from drowning and whisks her off to the South of France, where she proves a willing target in his stage act. At last, good fortune appears to be favouring the protagonists, but can their relationship remain on a purely business footing? An enjoyably playful modern fairytale, which coasts along on the strength of its two lead performances, some witty dialogue, and the verve of Leconte‘s direction. Edinburgh: Lumiere.
Gladiator (15) HM: (Ridley Scott, US, 2000) Russell Crowe, Richard Harris, Joaquin Phoenix. 150 mins. Just before dying Caesar Aurelius (Harris) charges General Maximus (Crowe) with cleaning up his beloved, but politically corrupt Rome. Aurelius‘ son, Commodus (Phoenix), doesn‘t take kindly to this and has his rival executed. But Maximus survives and, as a gladiator, works his way back to Rome intent on revenge. Parallels must be drawn with Sparricus and Ben Hur; we've not seen a Roman epic in a long time. Scott‘s is a handsome spectacle and exciting enough, but that's all it is. General release.
Gone In 60 Seconds (15) by (Dominic Sena, Us, 2000) Nicolas Cage, Angelina Jolie, Vinnie Jones. 118 mins. A re-working of H. B. Halicki's 1974 cult car-chase movie which, despite its flashy paint-job and hip-hop in-car stereo soundtrack, lacks grunt and growl beneath the hood. Forced out of retirement when his kid brother, Kip (Ribisi), crosses some heavy duty criminals, legendary car thief ‘Memphis’ Raines (Cage) must reunite his old crew and steal fifty cars in one night, or kiss
Traquair Fair 2000
Traquair House lnnerleithen Peeblesshire Saturday 5th & Sunday 6th August 11am - 6pm ALL ENTERTAINMENT FREE WITH voun TICKET
STREET ENTERTAINMENT TRADITIONAL ENTERTAINMENT CHILDRENS ENTERTAINMENT SCOTTISH BEER TENT & TRAQUAIR’S OWN FAIR ALE
DELICIOUS FOODS FROM AROUND THE WORLD FREE BALLOONS TO UNDER 58
NO DOGS PLEASE: CAMPING LIMITED AND MUST BE BOOKED IN ADVANCE
THEATRE DANCE MUSIC
COMPLEMENTARY - THERAPIES
CRAFT STALLS & DEMONSTRATIONS
is TIIE usr 3-10 Aug 2000
. «(.11
Vinnie Jones makes his Hollywood debut playing the strong silent type alongside
Nicolas Cage's master car thief in the screeching wheels heist movie. Gone In 60 Seconds
his sibling's ass goodbye. The original had too many car chases and not enough plot or characterisation; this has too much plot, too many characters and not enough metal- crunching, tyre-squealing action. See review. General release.
A Goofy Movie (U) tit (Kevin Lima, US, 1996) With the voices of Bill Farmer, Jason Marsden, Jim Cummings. 74 mins. After a school prank backfires, Goofy decides to take troublesome son Max off on a bonding fishing trip. Max is trying his best to be cool, but that isn‘t easy when your dad‘s this particular Disney star. An incident-packed journey provides plenty of laughs which should keep restless kids and accompanying adults amused. Glasgow: Odeon.
Hercules (U) *tti (John Musker & Ron Clements, US, 1997) With the voices of Tate Donovan, James Woods, Danny DeVito. 91 mins. British cartoonist Gerald Scarfe's designs marry his customary grotesquery with Uncle Walt‘s softer characterisations. Hades (a magnificently spIenetic James Woods) wants to exact revenge on Zeus by destroying his son Hercules, but luckily our hero has Pegasus as his steed and Phil the grumpy satyr (Danny DeVito) as his coach. Classical purists might grumble, but this is one of the studio's most dynamic and entertaining features. Edinburgh: Odeon.
High Fidelity (15) *tti (Stephen Frears, US, 2000) John Cusack, lben Hjejle, Jack Black. 113 mins. Nick Homby's story of a vinyl junkie who‘s more interested in his music collection than his relationships with women is practically a British institution. Yet, Cusack — and co-writer/producer pals D.V. Dthncentis and Steve Pink — have drawn on their own pasts to make a film that's as funny and profound as the book. But the great script, cast and music wouldn't have meant a thing without a filmmaker of Frears‘ calibre taking charge. General release.
High Heels (15) iii (Pedro Almodovar, Spain, 1991) Victoria Abril, Miguel Bose, Marisa Paredes. 115 mins. More melodramatic frolics from Spain's finest, this time in the shape of a murderous triangle between a mother, her daughter and the latter's husband. While Almodovar isn't quite at his best, Abril excels as the TV news presenter who admits on air to her hubby's killing. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
The Hunger (18) (Tony Scott, US, 1983) Catherine Deneuve, David Bowie, Susan Sarandon, Cliff De Young. 99 mins. Hugely stylish but somewhat abstruse adaptation of Whitley Strieber‘s novel, in which Deneuve plays the last survivor of a race of vampires, whose sexual partners enjoy an extended lifespan, followed by a rather sharp decline. Bowie (who looks rather more healthy in his second century than he does now) and Sarandon are her victims. Beautiful and erotic, but pretty darned confusing. Edinburgh: Lumiere.
Kadosh (15) i'ttt (Amos Gitai, Israel/France/ltaly, 2000) Meital Barda, Ya‘l Abecassis, Yoram Hattab. 1 12 mins. Both a respectful study of the milieu, and a critique of the damage it does to women's lives, Gitai details, but never allows us to comprehend the Hassidic experience. Certainly the knowledge of Gitai's earlier work (Field Diary and A House In Jerusalem), and also of the director's left wing stance will point the viewer in a particular direction. Nevertheless, this is as subtly effective as one-sided cinema is likely to get. Glasgow: Gl’l‘.
Kikujiro (12) *it* (Takeshi Kitano, Japan, 2000) ‘Beat‘ Takeshi, Yusuke Sekiguchi. 122 mins. Kitano plays the title role (interestingly,
also his father’s name), a small-time criminal who finds himself the surrogate father to nine- year-old Masao (Sekiguchi) when the boy sets off in search of the mother he has never met. In a departure from the gangster films his European reputation is built on, Kitano's sharply observed comic road movie shows the Japanese director/actor in more slapstick mode, giving his offbeat wit a freer rein. Edinburgh: UGC Cinemas.
Land And Freedom (15) smut (Ken Loach, UK/Spain, 1995) Ian Hart, Rosana Pastor, Iciar Bollain. 109 mins. A magnificent, moving, politicised epic on the Spanish Civil War by Britain‘s most committed director on the Left. An unemployed man (Ilart) leaves 305 Liverpool to fight with the POUM Militia, and sees first hand the betrayal of his cause by the Stalinists. His story is told in flashback, as his granddaughter reads his hidden letters home — a link to the present day that proves these events have a strong relevance to today. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
Lone Star (15) **** (John Sayles, US, 1996) Chris Cooper, Elizabeth Pena, Kris Kristofferson. 135 mins. When a modem-day Texan sheriff investigates a decades-old murder, past clashes with present and local mythologies have to be re-examined. Sayles's various sub-plots don't distract from each other: in fact, they re-inforce and counterpoint, building a complex social, historical and political backdrop to the riveting thriller on the surface. Another masterpiece from America's greatest independent director. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
The Long Good Friday (18) ***** (John McKenzie, UK, 1980) Bob Hoskins, Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan. 114 mins. Harold Shand (Hoskins) is an unforgettable creation, at once the perfect embodiment of his time and place (London, 1980) and a throwback to the monochrome gangsters of the thirties - Muni, Cagney, and Edward C. With lloskins as its driving force and to-die-for dialogue its fuel, the film motors along from one set piece to another. The violence, though shocking (even now) and brilliantly staged, is never allowed to overwhelm the characters, leading this minor classic to its subtle but devastating climax. Falkirk: FTH Cinema.
le-2 (15) iii (John Woo, US, 2000) Tom Cruise, Thandie Newton, Dougray Scott. 124 mins. Evil ex-super spy Sean Ambrose (Scott) has stolen a lethal chemical weapon, and he wants big bucks not to unleash it. Ethan Hunt (Cruise) is charged with retrieving it and enlists beautiful cat thief — and Ambrose's ex- lover — Nyah Hall (Newton). Ms] 2 works best and is most faithful to the spirit of the original .‘Ilission: Impossible while the operation remains covert, but Woo blows it with a clumsy all-out action finale. General release Mulan (U) *tii (Barry Cook, Tony Bancroft, 1998) Voices of: Ming-Na Wen, Donny Osmond, Eddie Murphy. 89 mins. After Disney's tastin designed venture into Greek mythology with Hercules, the studio has brought its lens to bear on the rich and colourful possibilities of Chinese legend. The most striking aspect of this romantic epic is its magnificent animation. Details of character, movement and expression are as fine as should be expected from the world's best known cartoon studio, but the stunning large-scale set pieces are truly astonishing, while the design team stirs in an authentic flavour of China. Glasgow: Odeon At The Quay.
My Life So Far (12) ** (Hugh Hudson, UK, 2000) Robert Nomian, Rosemary Harris, Malcolm McDowell, Colin Firth. 98 mins. Everything in Hugh Hudson's film is about to change. Fraser Pettigrew (Norman) is about to