Video] DVD
Video] DVD
Tristar VHS and DVD rentali ‘ 1.. lHenry Northmorel
himself as a real filmmaker. wrth a serious film about a group of recruits as they train for the war at Louisiana's notorious Tigerland ta reconstruction of the jungles of Vietnam on American soil). The cast fill their roles excellently lpartiCuIarly the rebellious Colin Farrelli but it's just trying too hard to show the humanity and cruelty inherent in army life With a story and characters that are steeped in cliche. (Fox Pathe VHS and DVD rental)
(Henry Nortnmorei
video@list.co.uk
Tl-lRlLLER CROUPIER (15) 91 mins 0...
TEEN ROMCOM GET OVER IT (15) 87 mins 00.
Bey meets girl, girl dumps boy. boy is heartbroken. Boy tries to Win back girl, but meets new girl in process. Hardly the most remarkable of storyltnes. but this teenage high school love match is saved from Saved By The Bell tweeness by strOng performances and a laughs aplenty script.
“Amazing”
from the Columbians. Director Ted Demme succeeds in bringing the glamour. \‘.’ll(f parties and danger to life. using free/e frames and fast- moying shots. But this is
making WWII movies. More at home With big budget actioners (Batman 8. Robin. The Lost Boys etc). here he attempts to rehabilitate
An unusually mature thriller
FilmFour stumped up its stake in Croupier back in 1997, then refused to release it across the UK. In America, however, it lucked out as a sleeper hit. Thus FilmFour’s proud ‘re-release’, to great critical acclaim. And rightly so. Directed by Mike Hodges (Get Carter), who co-wrote the film with Paul Mayersberg (The Man Who Fell To Earth), Croupier is a thoughtfully-crafted thriller (a recommendation which may have been regarded as box office poison four years ago).
Clive Owen slides into the lead role with consummate ease. His Jack Manfred is an aspiring novelist who’s getting nowhere with his writing. But when his estranged father (Nicholas Ball) sets him up with a job in a West End London casino, lazy Jack comes to life, re- inventing himself as the wily hero of a book about, yep, a croupier. And when Manfred gets mixed up with a woman (ER’s Alex Kingston) and a crime, that too goes into his book.
Manfred is a thoroughly unlikeable protagonist, a man without scruples nor conscience who despises everyone around him. He admits (but only to himself) to merely ‘half— loving’ the woman he lives with (Gina McKee). Manfred’s an anomaly in these days of sanitised screen heroes, but it’s these traits which make him a compelling creation — a watchable ‘bastard’ like that other Jack, Carter.
By drawing parallels between Manfred’s dual professions — both entailing deception — Mayersberg and Hodges’ film becomes as much about the art of storytelling as the act of card dealing. An unusually mature thriller, and thus a welcome return to British screens.
(Miles Fielder) I /l'./.'ii/.'if/i’e on VHS and [JV/J 'e’,"2.'(17 t’ trig" faanot/f fro/ti Mon 75) i'
Lit/\f/l/x BLOW (18) 123 mins .00
si'iii'ggIei ext'aordii‘aiie who starts off selling
riiaiiJuat‘a to 'iippj, kids \l’lll'l‘,’ Depp stars iii N) California before Tl‘ s true-site liiopii: of
progresswig .:
;thel)ig
(nutty; .Jiirig. {li'iig tziiir: l)ll,i'll] of "()(litlllf:
indirect contrast to the plodding narrative — we certainly learn a lot about Jung. but it might haye been more :nteresting to skip a few episodes. Depp. Ray Liotta and Penelope Ci‘ti/ turn in x'xell-Judged perfoiiiiances. but this stop. siinii‘ers without reaching l)()llll‘() point. :Entertainment VHS and DVD rental.
«Louisa Pearsoni
GVWxL JOE DIRT (12) 87 mins 0
f-ioasting that it's from the saint;- <:r'c-ati\.'e team as [)eu'ce Riga/onus i'l/fa/e Gigolo and Big Daddy you're kinda knat'x '.'."hat your letti'ig yourself in for ‘.'.'lll) tins ‘.|(f. f‘l‘e story as it is. follows our (Bl)()."‘,lll()tif3 hero Dirt ‘Dit‘J-il Spader. a well meaning ‘.'.’ft!l(? ‘i'ash hick. on his guest to track (f<)‘.'.v'u his parents. Some real star‘s turn up (luring his “.‘xacky' adventures
(2hr stopher \"t’alken. Hosanna Ai'duette. Kid Hock IJust hope the p iy chedue auras large enough to coxer the eiiil)ari'assinent of appearing in this trash. to call this lowest common deno'iiinafor comedy is actually a coiiipl‘iiient. it's too stoopid and unfunny i:‘.ffl‘ for that. «(Joluinliia
Set amidst a school production of A i’yi’idsiimmer Night 's Dream. the crest-fallen Berke iBen Foster) finds emotional support from his best friend's sister iKii'sten Dunsti. Dunst is lumnious as the ersty/iile little sis. and add to that the irony- infested scenes. fantastical digressions. lashings of black humour and a goose- l)l'l‘l)f(?-|ll(fll(llll§) ending. and you haye a higth amusing. if untaXing. ramble through adolescent traumas. ilvloinentum VHS and DVD retaili
Maureen Ellisi
ANIlN'ir-Xl l()N HELP I’M A FISH (U) 80 mins 00
A fairly ayerz‘ige ai‘iinated adventure film in which three children get turned into fish and fate Just 3.8 hours to track down tl‘e potion that will render them human aga:n. The undersea scenes of swooping schools of fish are splendid and the whale that doubles up as the iitlllll)(}l' 88 bus is quite funny but the ‘paddies in the form a inachia\.'ellian pilot fish and his dumb shark sidekick aren't scary eniugh. In spite of the ".'()l(I(}f§ of Alan Rickman and REIT). Jones. it doesn't add up to much more than a series of '.'./:II ill(3j.’~‘.‘.’()li'l-llKEy’ get the potion cliffhangers. ilvleti‘odonie VHS i’entali ulane tillisi
Dl MMA TIGERLAND (18) 97 mins .00
.Joel Schuinachei‘ lumps on the Vietnam War bandwagon ltlfSl as (?\.'(}l\,()ll(? else starts
Absolutely Fabulous - Complete Series 3 Released: 12th November f'l Originally the 'last' srres and defriiitely the funniest! " The disc contains 1:”) mnutes of out-takes as an
extra bonus!
Baddiel 8. Skinner - Unplanned Live Released: 12th November
Released to coincide
.'.':tn Frai‘k Sk-iiner's nevi.“
TV
show This il‘~.’€3 ‘.'(}Ff§|()"i cf the Baddiel 8. Skri‘iner TV '31
programme was recorded over four nights in the
\"lest End.
Blackadder - Complete Released: 12th November All four series in one set. What ll‘.()i'(} can you ask for — a great Christmas stocking tiller? 3
Natural Born Killer’s
Released: 12th November _ Although never official y panned. )iyer Stone's serial
killer ep:c was < een‘ed toe
controxe."sial to release
in the nineties for its incrrxiihly violent. highly stylised 8. morally questionable nature. The tum has now
DOC” FC'OEtStXl LllKIilT.
Shrek
Released: 12th November A ll‘.()llt§t(}l' hit at the c-iien‘a and undoubtediy one of f the most anticipated releases this Christritas!
Appealing to chitdren and adults of t 9’ ages.
Massive Attack Released: 12th Novembe A con‘pilation of ‘. t \.:deos.
ftill :ecotn o‘ director's
cuts'. Includes the unseen Angei and an unedited
torsion of Be Thankful as v.
ell as their otner hits
such as UllfiliiSf‘titl Sy'iitimthy, Protection and
Teardrop.
Jamie Oliver - Happy Days - Live Released: 12th November
A specially staged late show
talents as a cook and l)tll)ll(
Only Fools and Horses
that features Jamie's
:tigiire.
- To Hull and Back
Released: 12th November
The Christiitas special i"()7‘i‘
1981‘ on disc.
‘8' N. ‘. THE LIST 107