La Rabbia (the) (Pier Paolo l’asolini. ltaly. 1963) 95min. Italian director Pier l’aolo l’asolini's reactionary compilation of documentary footage from the late 1950s. focusing mainly on the Algerian War and the reign of Pope Jolm. A series of newsrecls. strategically employed as a Marxist denunciation of the offenses of Western ctilttire of the time. are accontpanied by l’asolini‘s poetic commentary tread by Giorgio Bassani and Renato (iuttuso). 1.a Rabbia is the first of a two—part film that provides contrasting analyses of the human condition and ntodern society. Part of the l’asolini season. I'ilnihuuyc. Edinburgh.
La Ricotta (PG) (Pier l’aolo l’asolini. ltaly/l‘rance. 1963) Orson Welles. Mario Cipriani. Laura Betti. 37min. l’asolini's Ia Ricotta represents a key moment in his highly acclaitned career as one of the greatest poets in Italian history. This story of a film extra working on a Biblical epic in Rome (tneant as an outcry against the betrayal of religion). was perceived as blasphetnous and landed Pasolini on trial. According to the prosecution. l’asolini presented his hero as the ‘new Christ'. and he was subsequently charged with ‘insulting the religion of the state'. llis four month imprisonment was later suspended but his alluring film of social satire. neo-realism and earnest charm was banned nationwide. Part of the l’asolini season. l’illttlmll.\(’. It‘dinburgh.
The Last Kiss (L’Ultimo Bacio) (18) O. (Gabriele Muccino. Italy. 200l) Stefano Accorsi. Giovanna Mel/ogiorno. Stefania Sandrelli. 1 15min. lilaccid boy to adulthood transft)rmation piece of part whimsy part machismo wish fulfilment. Carlo (Accorsi) has got his girlfriend pregnant. his fear for the future is accentttatcd by his best friend Adriano (l’assoti) bickering constantly about how the arrival of a baby has led to seven months of sexless and loveless marriage. Carlo yearns for an idealised single life. See rey iew. page 24. I'iltnhouse. Edinburgh.
The Lion King tt‘) Disney's first animated feature to get the lMAX treatment. l.tI.-\.\'. Glasgow.
Looney Tunes - Back in Action (PG) 0. (Joe Dante. LS. 2003) Brendan l-‘raser. Jenna lilfman. Steve Martin. Timothy Dalton. Heather Locklear. ()0min. Bugs Butmy and the gang return for this feature length tnixture of live action and animation. Loads of in-jokes but no genuine laughs beleaguer the usually reliable Dante‘s attempts to pay respect to the cartoon heroes and animators of yore. Selected release.
The Lord of the Rings: The “no Towers ( 12A) 0... (Peter Jackson. l'S/.\'ew Zealttittl. 2002) lilijah Wood. Viggo Mortensen. Liv Tyler. l7‘lmin. The second part of Jackson's ambitious three- part adaptation of JRR Tolkien's epic fantasy adventure might lack the storytelling verve of the first film. bttt in terms of spectacle it takes blockbuster filmmaking to the next level. Continuing where The I'ellmvxhip of the Ring left off. without any recap of the story so far. The Two Timers follows tftrce separate plotlines: l'it‘odo's trek to Modor to destroy the ring. his fellow llobbits‘ meeting with the lints (walking. talking trees) and the ltuman/elf/dwarf combo Aragon. Legolas and (iimili‘s part in the siege of the human stronghold Helms Deep by the evil wizard Sauraman's l().000-strong army. The latter provides the hour—long clitnax to the film. and it‘s an awesome thing to behold. Btit l’rodo's meeting with the rings previous owner. (iollum. also impresses here's a fully computer animated character that generates as much emotion as any of the living performers. The filtn suffers from being the second act of Tolkien's tale. but for Jackson‘s three hour film vision. there's no way around that. I'ilntltult.y‘('. Edinburgh. Lord of the Rings: Return of the King ( 12A) 0.... (Peter Jackson. l’S/.\"/.. 2003) lilijah Wood. Billy Boyd. Ian McKellen. Cate Blanchett. ()rlando Bloom. Viggo Mortensen. Christopher Lee. 210mm. A remarkable end to a remarkable series of
films. the journey of Frodo. Sam and
Gollum is the piece de resistance of the trilogy. The tension-filled journey forces both Gollum and Sam to show their true
colours as Prodo suffers under the burden of
the ring. All around is war as Aragorn fights to reclaim what is rightfully his. Jackson's vision is awesome. Tlte Return of the King is sortie kind of beautiful. some kind of masterpiece. Unmissable. Selected release. Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Subtitled) ( l2A) A remarkable end to a remarkable series of films. the journey of lirodo. Sam and Gollum is the piece de resistance of the trilogy. The tension-filled journey forces both (iollum and Sam to show their true colours as l‘rodo suffers under the burden of the ring. All around is war as Aragorn fights to reclaim what is rightfully his. Jackson's vision is awesome. The Return oft/1e King is sortie kind of beautiful. some kind of masterpiece. L'nmissable. Eilnihouse. Edinburgh.
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (PG) .0000 (Peter Jackson. New Zealand/lIS. 2001) Ian McKellen. lilijah Wood. Liv Tyler. Cate Blanchett. Viggo Mortensen. l78min. At long last. a sword and sorcery adventure that really delivers the goods. JRR Tolkien‘s great achievement was to create an English mythology. located in a fantastical yet believable world. Jackson's great achievement is to bring the author‘s l()()() page totne to life. not merely realising the fantastic elements with special effects spectacle (though they are very spectacular). but through storytelling flare and marvelloUs performances from his cast. Visceral and breathtakingly dramatic. The fellowship of the Ring is an inspired labour of love and a monumental achievement. Film/louse. Edinburgh.
Lost in Translation ()5 ) 0000
(Sofia Coppola. L'S/Japan. 2003) Bill Murray. Scarlett Johansson. Akiko 'l‘akeshita. Kat/.uyoshi Minamimagtm. l()Smin. Bill Murray plays it straight as an ageing movie star forced to shoot advertisements iii Tokyo because they are so lucrative. This culture clash. fish out of water. pan-faced pseudo comedy marks Sofia Coppola's second outing as director. Part love story. part oddball lost weekend drama. Lost in Translation underlines the continuing leftfield talents of Murray and Coppola and. of course. the precocious Johansson. Selected release.
Mamma Roma (18) secs (Pier Paolo Pasolini. Italy. 1962) Anna Magnani. littore (iarofolo. Franco Citti. 1 10min. l’asolini's superb second film »— after the grimy. hoodlum tragedy Accatone - stars Magnani as a prostitute escaping a cycle of
’4
poverty and despair. only to have her past reappear in the shape of a blackmailing pimp. The film encapsulates a dootned human condition by marrying high art and then-influential ltalian neo-realism. Part of the Pasolini season. (ii-"I. Glasgow-.- I-‘ilmhouse. Edinburgh.
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (12A) oooo
(Peter Weir. US. 2003) Russell Crowe. Paul Bettany. James D‘Arcy. Edward Woodall. Chris Larkin. l38min. Ship Surgeon Stephen Maturin (Bettany) and Navy Capt Jack Aubrey (Crowe) get caught up in a battle of wits with a French Naval destroyer during the Napoleonic Wars in Weir's first film as director since The Truman Show in “)98. Based on the high seas adventure novels of Patrick ()‘Brian. this a rare and stirring treat which boasts great performances and some truly awe inspiring action sequences. Vue Edinburgh. Edinburgh.
Masti ttbc) (Indra Kumar. lndia. 2004) Ajay Devgan. Aftab Shivdasani. Vivek ()beroi. Ritesh Deshntukh. Tara Shanna. Atnrita Rao. Genelia D'Souzalnspired by Billy Wilder's The Seven- Year Itch. Ma.in is a musical comedy that sets out to describe the three different stages in the life of immature boy/men: youth. pre-marriage and post-marriage. For these different phases. the boys sport distinct and unusual looks. Choreographer Ganesh Acharya has done a great job adapting his performers to the tunes composed by Anand Raaj Anand. Masti has been vaguely controversial in its home country became of its slightly modish attitude. UCI. Edinburgh.
Medea ( l5) 0.. (Pier Paolo Pasolini. Italy. 1969) Maria Callas. Giuseppe Gentile. Massimo Girotti. l 18min. ()pera diva Callas was a brave choice for the lead in Pasolini‘s version of Euripides. but as the high priestess wreaking her revenge on the lover who betrays her. the expected sparks fail to fly. Still. the director's trademark barren landscape adds immensely to the film's distinctive visuals. Part of the Pasolini season. (iI’T (Ilasgmv; I’ilmhousc. Edinburgh.
The Missing ( 15) 0... (Ron Howard. [S 2003) Tommy Lee Jones. Cate Blanchett. livan Rachel Wood. Jenna Boyd. Aaron lickhart. l30min. Maggie (Blancltett) is a healer and fartner in the American Southwest ISXS. Her two daughters Lilly (Wood) and Dot (Boyd) work the family smallholding under the tutelage of her live- in partner Brake (Aaron lickhart). One day Maggie‘s estranged father wanders back into her life. having left her mother when she was young to go native with American Indians. At first hostile. Maggie soon
index Film
realises she needs his help when Lilly is abducted by a murderous group of Apaches. Pretty fine take on the classic Western (noticeably The .S'earchers) from Ron Howard and undoubtedly the best film he has ever tnade. (i171: Glasgow.
Mona Lisa Smile ( I2A) as (Mike Newell. US. 2003) Julia Roberts. Kirsten Dunst. Julia Stiles. Maggie Gyllenhaal. Ginnifer Goodwin. Dominic West. ll7min. In 1950s conservative America. Katherine Watson (Roberts) is a free-spirited graduate teacher from Califomia who accepts a teaching post at Wellesley Girl's College. The students are torn between the traditional wife bouttd repression and a longing for intellectual freedom. Dead Poet's Society for girls. Yawn. Nice costumes though. General release. Mondays in the Sun (Los Lunes Al Sol) ( l5) (Fernando Leon De Aranda. Spain/ltaly/i'rance. 2002) Javier Bardem. Luis Tosar. Jose Angel Egido. Nieve de Medina. Enrique Villén. 1 13min. Very popular in its homeland. Monday's in the Sun follows the misadventures of five recently unemployed dockers. all of a similar age (40/50). A sort of cross between AufHeidersehen l’et.’ And Ken Loach's Dockers. this film won five awards at the Spanish Goya awards. Film/rouse. Edinburgh.
Monster (18) O... (Patty Jenkins. US. 2003) Charlize Theron. Christina Ricci. Bruce Dem. Scott Wilson. Pruitt Taylor Vince. 109mm. Well made. if bleak and harrowing drama detailing the troubled. exploited life and death of US serial killer Aileen Wuornos. Theron is remarkable as Wuornos. who is learnt strong support from Ricci in a unshowy role as friend Selby. Patty Jenkins' measured grim control of this dyspeptic tale pays ultimate dividends. See review. page 24. Selected release.
Mystic River ( IS) 000 (Clint liastwood. CS. 2003) Sean Penn. Tim Robbins. Kevin Bacon. Laurence Fisbbume. l37min. Three boys from a small suburb in Boston see things in their childhood they maybe shouldn‘t. Years later the past comes back to bite them on the arse. Seamless. slightly wonhy'. version of Dennis Lehane's bestseller. bttt as ttsttal liastwood delivers something that is both timeless and issue led. Showcase Cinema. Coatbridge.
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