Films screening this fortnight are listed below with certificate, star rating, credits, brief review and venue details. Film index compiled by Paul Dale
0 Aenograd (tbc) (Alexander Dovzhenko. USSR. 1935) Stepan Shagaida. Sergei Stolyarov. Yevgeniya Melnikova. Stepan Shkurat. (i Tsoi. 83min. Dovzhenko‘s first film made outside his native Ukraine may be a supreme piece of Stalinist propaganda (as it tells the story of an epic construction of an entire modern Soviet city) but just look at these images. Part thriller. pan Frontier epic. Aerograd needs to be seen to be believed. It is also beautifully shot by liisenstein‘s long time collaborator Eduard Tisse. See preview page 23. (CA. Glasgow; Eilnlhouse. Edinburgh.
Afterlife (PG) 0... ( Hirokazu Koreeda. Japan. 1998) Takashi Mochizuki. Shiori Satonaka. Satoru Kawashima. ll8min. The after life of the title is a civil service bureaucracy that people go to when
they die. We‘ve seen this before in A Matter
of Life and Death arid the films of Frank Capra (which Koreeda acknowledges with the film's title in Japan — llr’onder/id Life). but here fiction is interwoven with documentary in the most imaginative way. Glasgow Film Theatre. Glasgow:
0 Aileen (15) secs (Nick Broomfteld. UK/CS. 2002) After twelve years Broomfield returns to the scene of the crime of his I992 film Aileen ll’uornos: Tlle Selling of a Serial Killer. to see her be executed by the very people that were happy to condone her exploitation in the state of Florida. Moving and incredibly low key for Broomfield and his co-director Joan Churchill. See interview. page 23. and review. page 27. Selected release
Allen: the Director’s Cut ( 18) C... (Ridley Scott. L'SA. 1979/2003) Tom Skerritt. Sigotirney Weaver. Veronica Cartwright. Harry Dean Stanton. John Hurt. lan Holm.Yaphet Kotto. l 17min. Commercial towing vehicle Nostromo is heading back to Iiarth when it intercepts an SOS signal from a nearby planet. the crew are under obligation to investigate. but by landing on the hostile planet they manage to invite a whole heap of trouble into their vessel. Ridley Scott revisits his classic sci fi horror movie and cleans it tip a bit and adds a few new scenes. noticeably scenes of the east eating and arguing. It‘s great to see this old friend again. In the (sort of) words of John Lennon: ‘Mother you left us but we never left'. Selected release.
Almost Peaceful (Un monde presque paisible) ()5) (Michel Deville. France. 2002) Simon Abkarian. Lubna Azabal. Zabou. Clotilde Courau. Vincent Elbaz. 93min. Charming ensemble piece set amongst the Jewish community of post-war Paris. Part of the French Film Festival. Gi'asgoit' Film Theatre. Glasgow; Film/louse. Edinburgh.
Anna Sanders Films (tbc) (Various. Various. 1999—2001 ) tbcmin. A selection of films from Anna Sanders Films SARL. a film production company created in 1998 by Charles de Meaux. Philippe Parreno. Pierre Huyghe. Franck (iautherot and Xavier Douroux. The films retain a cool distance from their subjects and create space for the viewer to become immersed not only in the beauty of the images. but also in their meaning. Highlights include some great shorts from Japan. China. Portugal and France plus screenings of the excellent Shim/cent Hotel and Meath and Parreno's The Sorter 's Bridge. C(‘A. Glasgow.
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28 THE LIST 13—27 Nov 2003
Bad Boys 2 (15) 000 (Michael Bay. CS. 2003) Martin Lawrence. Will Smith. Jordi Molla. Gabrielle L’nion. Peter Stormare. l47min. Miatni Pl)‘s renegade narcotics agents Mike Lowrey (Smith) and Bennett (Lawrence) are back. this time on the trail of a huge shipment of ecstasy. Lotid. overlong but likeable sequel. with a few memorable comic set pieces mostly involving Lawrence. Selected release.
0 Battle for Soviet Ukraine (Bitva 2a Nashu Sovietskuyu Ukrainu) (tbc) (Alexander Dovzhenko. l'SSR. 19-13) Simon Abkarian. Lubna Alabal. '/.abou. Clotilde Courau. Vincent lilbaz. 80min. Impressive anti-Nazi documentary from I)ovzhenko detailing the brave efforts by his home boys to stop the invasion of his native L'kraine. See preview page 23. Eibnhouse. Edinburgh.
Belleville Rendez-Vous ( 12A) 0... (Sylvain Chomet. France. 2003) 80min. Diminutive. club-footed Madame Souza prepares her orphaned grandson Champion to be a world-beating cyclist by personally supervising his arduous training regime. But during the mountain stage of the Tour de France. Champion is kidnapped by black-suited men frotn the French Malia and whisked across the Atlantic to the city of Belleville. lt‘s tip to granny and Champion's beloved dog Bruno to perform a daring rescue. although they can rely on assistance from the elderly Belleville Sisters. a song-and-dance trio who once performed with Fred Astaire. Rather special kooky canoon from France. that shows Disney the door to real inspiration. Film/louse. Edinburgh.
The Big Animal (Duze Zwierze) (tbc) (Jerzy Stuhr. Poland. 2000) Jerry Stuhr. Anna Dymna. Dominika Bednarczyk. Blazej \Vojcik. 75min. Most recent film from the Polish actor/director Jerry Stuhr is a quirky black comedy adapted from a script by a very young Kry/stof Kieslowski. Any film that contains camels. mountains and town councils has got to be worth a peek. The film is shot in crisp black and white. Glasgow Film Theatre. Glasgow; Film/louse. Edinburgh. Big Stories/Small Flashes (tbc) (Various. CK. 2002) 75min. Nine outstanding shorts that were produced under the [7K Film Council's New Cinema Fund Digital Shorts Scheme. The programme includes BAFI'A-nominated short Bouncer featuring Ray Winstone and Five llavs John ll’avne Didn 't l)ie featuring Jarvis Cocker and the voice of Ricky 'l'omlinson. Film/louse. Edinburgh.
Aileen in chains, the life and deah of a serial killer
A Birch Tree Meadow (La Petite Prairie Aux Bouleaux) ( t8) (Marceline Loridan lvens.
France/( icrmany/Poland. 2003) Anouk Aimee. August l)iehl. Marilu Marini. Zbigniew Zamachowski. ()lmin. An Auschwitz-Birkcnau survivor returns to the camp ()0 years later. The story follows her visit. her reactions and her mood swings. Touching. disturbing. harrowing. simple and painful drama that was co-written by actress Jeanne Moreau. Part of the French Film Festival. Glasgow Film Theatre. Glasgovt'.‘ I-"ibnhouse. Edinburgh. Blackball ( IS) .00 (Mel Smith. lfK. 2003) Patil Kay. Johnny Vegas. Alice livans. Vince Vaughn. James Cromwell. ()(imin. Cliff Starkey (Kaye) is a bowling genius from the wrong side of 'l‘orquay. His heart is set on representing his country against the world-renowned bowlilig champs. but he's a maverick who refuses to conform to the pompous rules laid down by the governing old fogies. American spon agent Rick Schwartz (Vince Vaughan) makes Starkey his pet project. intent on transforming him ilito a worldwide phenomenon. Standard sport comedy movie formula that sweetly lampoons the vacuous corporatisation of sport. If you can see past Kaye's dislikeable characterisation Vaughan. Vegas and Cromwell provide amusing relief. Ster Century Cinema. Edinburgh.
Body Snatch (Corps a corps) ( IX) (Francois llanss. France. 2003) limmanuelle Seigner. Philippe Torreton. l0l min. Sinister. baroque suspense drama. Showing with short La changa. Part of the French Film Festival. Glasgow I-‘ilm Theatre. Glasgow; Film/louse. Edinburgh. Bollywood Queen (PG) .0
(Jeremy Wooding. CK. 2003) Preeya Kalidas. James McAvoy. Ciaran McMenamin. Kat Bhathena. Ray Panthaki. [an McShane. 89min. Inferior home-grown Bollywood caper about girls. boys and parents obsessed with arranged marriages. that houses the good and the ugly from British television. The fusion doesn't really work despite all the best intentions and what emerges is something of a weird hybrid that seems slightly disingenuous. Glasgow Film Theatre. Glasgow. Bowling for Columbine ( IS)
0... (Michael Moore. CS. 2002)
l l‘lmin. The all-conquering Moore asks this question about America: ‘Arc we a nation of gtili nuts'.’ ()r are we just iitits'." Provoked by the events of 20 April 199‘). the day l3 people were shot dead by two
pupils at Columbine High School in Littleton. Colorado and the day the CS condticted its largest bombing action in the Kosovan War. the inquisitive filmmaker and renowned satirist looks far and wide to find the answers to some pretty tough questions. ()li the way he meets (iolli rock ligurchead Marilyn Manson. members of the Michigan Militia who argue that ‘being armed is an American responsibility". and finally president of the .\’RA. Charlton Heston. Some may find his shock tactics and use of dark humour reprehensible. btit as 20 April 1999 showed. desperate times call for desperate measures. ()deon. Edinburgh. The Boy David Story (PG) 00
(Alex McCall. CK. 2003) 95min. You are bound to have read about the boy David’s touching story of disfigurement in the jungle arid his recovery and reconstruction at the hands of Scottish plastic surgeon [an Jackson. It's a moving story that has been rendered here into a pale sketch. McCall started filming this back in the early 80s and he has picked up various awards for it along the way. Btit impinged liberal guilt and whining [)ougray Scott narration do not a cinema doctmientary make. Film/louse. lz'dinblo'gh.
Bright Young Things ( IS) 000 (Stephen Fry. CK. 2003) Stephen Campbell Moore. Dan Aykroyd. Jim Broadbcnt. Simon Callow. Stockard Channing. Richard F Grant. limin Mortimer. l0-lmin. Adapted from livelyn Waugh‘s cortiscating social satire. l'ile Bodies. Fry’s long-cherished pet project scales the di/ly heights atid pltiiiibs the grubby depths of a set of wild and well- hecled partygoers. who the press have nicknamed the ‘Bright Young Things‘. Among these tinllagging liedonists is aspiring writer Adam Syme (Stephen Campbell Moore) who. llat broke and poorly connected. strtigglcs frantically to scrape together the readies required to marry his hopelessly fickle flapper girlfriend .\'ina (limin Mortimer). Compromised. if likeable. debut from Fry. this tries way too hard to appeal to an American audience. Fenella \‘v'oolgar as dotty. well-meaning Agatha and Michael Sheen as the outrageously effete Miles steal the show. Dominion. Edinlno'gh.
Buffalo Soldiers ( IS) .000 ((iregor Jordon. (icrmany/l'S/l'K. 2001 ) 98min. A cool movie with a cool cast arid a great soundtrack. The Berlin wall is about to fall. and iii a CS base in West (iermany a misfit soldier (Joaquin Phoenix) polishes his Merc by day alid cooks tip crack cocaine by night to sell on the black market. A scathing and amusing portrayal of the LS military a In Three Kings. Selected release.
Bugs 30 (t') (Mike Slee. t'K. 2003) 40min. Dame Jtidi Dench narrates this giant screen 3i) film which focuses on the life cycles of a praying mantis and a butterfly from their birth to their inevitable demise in the tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia. IMAX Theatre. Glasgow.
The Butterfly (Le Papillon) (PU) (Philippe Muyl. France. 2003) Michel Serrault. Claire Bouanich. .\'ade l)ieu. Francoise Michaud. 85min. Charming bucolic drama about an old Parisian bloke who takes young girl along on his hiking trip to find a rare mountain butterfly. Part of the French Film Festival. Glasgow I-‘ilm Theatre. Glasgovi'.‘ Film/louse. Edinlmrgh. Cabin Fever ( 15) 0000 (till Roth. CS. 2002) Rider Strong. Jordan Ladd. Joey Kern. Ccrina Vincent. James l)chl|o. 94min. The true terror in this savvy horror movie is psychological. What's most frightening is not the symptoms of the necrotising fasciittis-like disease. htit the way the fear it creates sets a btinch of college friends at one another throats. As each member of the group succumbs to selfish paranoia. it's not the gore that scares you. it's the kids' grim will to survive. This delightfully sick hysterical return to the heyday of llesh eating horror boasts a great pedigree as it pays homage to among others. David Lynch. llerscliell (iordon Lewis. David Cronenbcrg and George A Romero. Plus. Angelo Badalanicnti's score is one of the best things he has done it) years. Selected release.