Film index
Since Otar Left ( IS) 0... (Julie Bertucelli. France/Belgium. 2003) Esther (iorintin. .\'ino Khornastlridle. Dinara Drukarova. Temur Kalandad/e. Rusudan Bolqvadze. Sasha Sarishvili. Dtita Skhirtlad/e. l03min. Grandma. daughter and granddaughter all live in a Georgian townhouse together. All they ever talk abottt is beloved l'ncle ()tar. who lives and works in Paris anti then one day news of his death arrives. unfurling a remarkable amottnt of deceit and emotion. Beautifttlly played and structured character study that manages to be uplifting. despite its rnaudlin themes. (IG(‘. Edinburgh.
Spare Parts ( IS) 0000 (Damian Kolole. Slovenia. 2003) Peter Mtisevski. Aljosa Kovacic. Primo/ Petkovsek. 87min. ()n the border between Slovenia and Croatia. speedway champ Ludvik (Musevski) makes his living ferrying illegal immigrants across the border into Italy. llis boss sends youngster Rudi (Kovacic) to be his assistant and the latter soon learns that in their trade ‘having a guilty conscience is a waste of time'. (billing and poignant street level political thriller with some great action sequences. ((24. Glasgow:
Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter and . . . Spring ( IS) 0000 (Kim Kt- Duk. Sotith Korea/Germany. 2004) ()h Yeong-Su. Kim Ki-Duk. Kim Yeong-Min. l02min. A monk living with his elderly Buddhist master on a tioating temple on a beautiful lake experiences the various stages of life. from childhood to adulthood. lcaming important lessons along the way and eventually acquiring a young disciple of his own. Set theatrically against the tnetaphorical. painterly changing seasons. and featuring splendid performances. this filtn is so stunningly beautiful that it's liker to continue resonating in the memory for a long time. in fact. throughout spring. summer. autumn. winter . . . and spring. Eilrnhouse. Edinburgh.
Starsky & Hutch (15)... (that) Phillips. LS. 2004) Owen Wilson. Ben Stiller. Vice Vaughn. l()lmin. (‘omic duo Wilson and Stiller take the leads in this big screen pastiche of the classic l970s American cop show. Wilson's lackadaisical charms work perfectly as the workshy lltitch. and Stiller excels again as an uptight. but loveable dooftis. and the pair do perform some real buddy movie magic. Snoop Dog plays their snitch. lluggy Bear. and originals David Soul and Paul Michael later both make catneo appearances. A smattering of corny moments aside. it's smartly played and skilfully acted. and for once you don't leave the cinema vv ishing that your beloved originals had never been resurrected. Gr‘trsl‘erttrr: Glasgow. Strange Gardens (Effroyables Jardins) ( 15) 00. (Jean Becker. France. 2003) Jacques Villeret. Andre [)ussollier. Thierry Lhermitte. Benoit Magimel. Suzanne l‘lon. 97min. Provincial France during WW2 two middle-aged friends. Jacques (\r'illeret) and Andre ([)ussollier) are in love with local bartender
FTH
Falktrk Town Hall
CONTROL ARMS CAMPAIGN EVENT In association with Oxfam Thur 77th June
Inc City of God (18) 7:30pm Mon 2 (st lune Infernal Affairs (15) 7:30pm Tues 22nd June Under the Tuscan Sun (12a) 7:30pm
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40 THE LIST ‘0 21‘. Jun 200A
Louise (('andelier). Inspired by a Free French radio broadcast to strike against the occupying army. and keen to impress Louise with their heroics. Jacques and Andre carry ottt an act of sabotage. Arrested and placed under armed guard with two other hostages Emile and Thierry (Magitnel and Lhermitte) in a quarry-pit. they all face execution unless somebody in the community confesses to the bombing. More light hearted than it sounds. this easy to watch resistance drama has little depth btit does plenty to entertain. I’ilrrrlrouse. lz‘dinburglr.
Stuart Little (t') 0.. (Rob Minkoff. LS. 2000) Michael J Fox. (ieena Davis. lltigh Laurie. 92min. Live action with a computer generated talking mouse \oiced by Michael J Fox. Minkoff's adaptation of EB White's classic children's book sees the sweet wee rodent orphan being adopted by affluent Manhattanites the Little family. Stuart's problems begin with a new nemesis. the mean-spirited. inappropriately-named family cat Snowbell. The message of the film is clear little guy discovers the meaning of family. loyalty and friendship btit of more interest to viewers both small and large will be the loot And Jerry-style antics. Grosvenor: Glasgow". Talk to Her ( IS) 0... (Pedro .-\lmodt’)var. Spain. 2002) Javier (’amara. Dario (irandinetti. Rosario Flores. Leonor Watling. 1 12min. Benigno ((‘zimaral and Marco ((irandinetti) are in love with two women . . . both of whom are hospitalised in comatose states. Benigno became a nurse so that he could care full time for his beloved once aspiring ballerina Alicia (Watling). In the hospital rootn next door Marco visits Lydia (Flores). a female bullfighter who was butchered in the ring. Out of these tragic circumstances a friendship forms between the two men. lit/l; to Her is mature Almodovar: Spain's most famous filmmaker on top form. describing complex characters and complicated emotional states in expert storytelling fashion. From the gorgeous photography. design and music to the script and remarkable performances. 'litlk to Her is a fiawless film and a treat for cinema lovers. ('arneo. Edinburgh.
Tess (PG) 0.. (Rotnan Polanski. l'K/France. I979) Nastassia Kinski. Peter Firth. Leigh Lawson. l70min. Sumptuous adaptation of Thomas Hardy's tragic story of ill-fated love set in Victorian England where social circumstances conspire with unforseeable misfortunes to break the spirit of an innocent heroine. Handsome. evocative and absorbing. with a marvelloUs performance from Ms Kinski. Part of Polanski retrospective. I'ilrnhouse. Edinburgh.
A Touch of Spice (Politiki Kouzina) ( 15) (Tassos Boulmetis. Greece. 2003) (ieorges ('orraface. leroklis Michaelidis. Renia Loui/idott. Stclios Mainas. l()Xmin. Bittersweet tale of the embattled Greek minority in Istanbul. The highest grossing film in (ireek history. l’ilrnhouse. Edinburgh.
Touching the Void ( IS) 0000
(Kevin Macdonald. ('anada. 2003) Nicholas Aaron. Brendan Mackcy. Simon Yates. .loc Simpson. l()omin. Brilliant cliff-hanging reconstruction feature documentary of the terrible events that overtook mountaineers Joe Simpson and Simon Yates when they tried to climb a Peruvian mountain in I985. Macdonald pulls every trick ottt of the bag to make this as heart-churningly scary as a real climb in blizzard conditions. It is. as they say. quite a ride. ('arneo. Edinburgh. Troy ( IS) 0.. (Wolfgang Petersen. LS. 2004) Brad Pitt. Brian (‘ox. Orlando Bloom. Julian Glover. 162mm. Within
Troy ‘s towering walls lovers Paris (Bloom) and llclett (Kruger) fiee to avoid the attentions of her husband Mcnelatts ((ileeson) and his all conquering brother Agamemnon ((‘ox). To make things worse Paris' brother llector (Bana) and father Priarn (()"l‘oolel turn otit to be less than enthused by the young prince‘s choice. Epic complications can only ensue. The real star of Troy is. of course. Brad Pitt as the warrior's warrior Achilles. Agamemnon‘s
weapon of tnass destruction. Pitt ctits a homoerotic dash as he slices and dices his way through the Trojan armies. He‘s a super-soldier whose bravery is harnessed to the corrupt yolk of a greedy king. Like its hero. Troy is not without flaws - the range of accents on show is sitnply bewildering. the action is schematic at best and any story which revolves around the construction of a large wooden horse isn‘t about to spring many surprises on anyone. But Pitt and the super-sized set pieces are superb. a worthy successor to Gladiator in the epic action stakes. General release.
True Crime ( I5) 00 (Clint Eastwood. LS. 1999) ) (‘Iint Eastwood. Denis Leary. Isaiah Washington. l27min. Eastwood‘s 2lst filtn as a director is an enjoyable. quietly involving thriller with some annoying. if forgivable. shortcomings. .\'ow nearly 70. Eastwood brings his years of experience to the role of Steve Everett. a washed-up journalist who is asked to write a routine piece about a black Death Row prisoner‘s last hours. ()deori at the Quay. Glasgow:
The Nilight Samurai (12A) mo (Yoji Yamada. Japan. 2004) Hiroyuki Sanada. Ric Miyazawa. Ncnji Kobayashi. Ren ()sugi. l29min. Superb adaptation of Shuuhei Fujisawa's novel about a 19th century Samurai who tries to protect a battered wife. Not a lot of sword play. though. if that is what you are looking for. This is. however. a deeply touching and sensitive tale of one man's attempt to do the right thing. Film/rouse. lz'dinhurgh.
Under the Tuscan Sun (12A)
0. (Audrey Wells. L'S/ltaly. 2004) Diane Lane. Sandra Oh. Lindsay Duncan.
1 l3min. An unfaithful adaptation of Frances Mayes' autobiographical book about her summers spent with her new lover renovating a house in the Tuscan hills. Wells does little to disguise the fact that the inspiration for Lane is (iiulictta Massina in the Fellini classic .\'ights ofC'abiria. The Fellini references do not stop there: Duncan even takes a dip in a fountain a la Anita Ekberg in La Dolee l'ira. L'nfonunately. Wells gives us Fellini as seen through the eyes of a Mills and Boon novel. Whereas Fellini essayed the troubled internal conflict of a woman in a heartless world. Wells delivers only artifice and cliche. GI-"II Glasgow:
0 Uzak (Distant) (15) secs (Nuri Bilge (‘eylan. Turkey. 2002) Muzaffer ()zdemir. Etnin Toprak. Zuhal (iencer Erkaya. Nazan Kirilrnis. I l()min. Moving and quite effortlessly touching account of two men‘s slow. frustrating friendship - one that is always tempered by distance and distrust. Mahmut is a 40-year-old independent photographer who lives in Istanbul. After his wife leaves him. he falls into an existential crisis. Then his cousin Yttstif turns tip looking for work because the local factory in their hotne town has closed down. This intimate drama was filmed in the director's apartment in Istanbul. Using his own belongings as the props. and stars non-professional actors. A remarkable achievement from the gifted up and coming Turkish director Nuri Bilge ('eylan. GE'E Glasgow: I’ilrrthouse. Edinburgh.
Van Helsing ( 12A) .0. (Stephen Sommers. LS. 2004) lltigh Jackman. Kate Beckinsale. Richard Roxburgh. David Wenhatn. Shuler Hensley. Will Kemp. l45min. Summer's first bona fide blockbuster. reimagincs Van Helsing as litiin Jackman in ftill quick witted Wolverine mode. A Victorian Jatnes Bond. the Vatican's very own Batman kicking ass for God. Jackman gets to take on a selection of famous monsters from filmland: Frankenstein's Monster. the Wolfman and. of course. Dracula. In terms of plot that really is it. with pretty much the entire running time taken tip with one big fight spun out for over two hours. Dumb bttt pretty thrilling tiick. as franchises go (and you can tell from the word go they want this to run and run). this is a great start and then there‘s the rest of L'niversal’s cellars to plunder for foes. General release.
Victor/Victoria ( (5 ) “0 (Blake Edwards. UK. I982) Julie Andrews. James Gamer. Roben Preston. Lesley Ann Warren. l34min. Paris I934: English singer Andrews is persuaded to revive her fiagging career by pretending to be tnale. The aplomb with which she does so wins her public acclaim and the bemused admiration of Garner. a heterosexual who can't understand what he finds so attractive about this ‘man‘. This is a relaxed. rather endearing musical comedy. with the androgynous Andrews particularly effective. GilrnorehillGlZ. Glasgow.
Vizontele Tuuba (12A) ( Yilmaz Erdogan. Turkey. 2004) Yilmaz Erdogan. Tuba Unsal. Tarik Akan. Dernet Akbag. lclal Aydin. (‘ezmi Baskin. llltnin. Turkey‘s highest grossing native blockbuster concerning the arrival of a new library director and his disabled daughter in a small. rural town obsessed with television. l-‘ilrnhouse. Edinburgh.
Welcome (PG) (Camcorder (iuerillas. Scotland. 2004) 20min. Weleome is a documentary telling the stories of asylum seekers and refugees who live in Glasgow. Usually under extremely difficult circumstances. Many are being evicted from their fiats. with no benefits or right to work. This film was made by Camcorder Guerillas and includes a Q&A session with a panel of refugees. the filmmakers and campaigners. Part of a season of films for Refugee Week. GI'VI: Glasgow.
West End Festival Scottish Archive Fllm Presentation (the) Very early footage of life in the West End and around Scotland. A treat not to be missed. Grosvenor, Glasgow:
West End Festival Scottish Shorts Selection (the) A selection of the best new Scottish short filtns. Shorts include Face of Scotland. .S'eaw'ards‘ the Great Ships. Glasgow‘s Yesterdays and The Grand Match. Please call the cinema for more details. Courtesy of Scottish Screen. Grosvenor; Glasgow.
What? ( l5) (Roman Polanski. ltaly/France/ West Germany. 1972) Sydnc Rome. \rlarcello Mastroianni. Hugh Griffith. Romolo Valli. Guido Alberti. Rotnan Polanski. l 13min. Satirical film from Roman Polanski as an American innocent is placed in the middle of a droll sex comedy in Italy. Part of the Polanski retrospective. I’ilrnhouse. Edinburgh.
The Whole Ten Yards (12A) 0 (Howard Detttch. 2004) Bruce Willis. Matthew Perry. Amanda Peet. Kevin Pollak. Natasha Henstridge. 98min. See review. page 28. General release.
Wild Chimpanzees (tbc) Get up close and personal with the wild Gombe chimpanzees in this big screen IMAX presentation. [MAX (I‘lasgow:
Wondrous Oblivion (PG) 0..
(Paul Morrison. UK. 2003) Sam Smith. Delroy Lindo. Emily Woof. Stanley Townsend. Angela Wynter. l()(imin. David (Smith) loves cricket. but isn't any good at it. making him unpopular at school. His loving. but put-upon parents -- workaholic retailer father Victor (Townsend) and shy young mother Ruth (Woof) — aren‘t much help. Then. the West Indian Samuels family move in next door and man of the house Dennis (Lindo) erects a cricket net in the back garden. It‘s not long before David‘s taking lessons and making new friends. much to the chagrin of the xenophobic neighbours. who view the (‘aribbeans with similar (though more scornful) suspicion previously heaped upon the Jewish Wisemans. Heart- warming issue-led period drama that has been deservedly compared to Billy Elliot. Lindo gives the performance of his career. GEE Glasgow:
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