Film
ALSO RELEASED
Eragon (PG) 103min O.
Fairly nonsensical fantasy adventure for young people based on the Successful novel by Christopher Paolini —- the first book in the young author's epic Inheritance Trilogy'. Set in some distant Nordic age. Eragon tells the tale of one boy's relationship with a dragon called Saphrra. and their attempts to stop evil King Galbatorix (John Malkovichi invading their homeland of Alagaesia. The special effects are impressive (they should be -- this is the directorial debut of Visual effects legend Stefan Fangmeierl but otheniVise this is a fairly Iarne opener for this muted fantasy franchise. Jeremy Irons. Sienna Guillory. Robert Carler and newcomer Edward Speleers also star. See profile. listings. General release from Fir I :3 Dec.
Black Christmas (15) 84min .00 Interesting remake of Bob Clark's Cult but possibly overrated 1974 yuletide sorority house horror. Veteran genre hack Glen Morgan (Final Destination 3. The One. Willard) takes the reins with a surety of touch. General release from Fri (5 Dec.
Grounded (PG) 89min 0. Forced. brash subHughes-ian drama about a bunch of divorce victim latch key kids stranded in an airport the day after
\‘.’AH l. PIC FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS (15) 132min 000
At 76 years of age, Hollywood living legend Clint Eastwood crowns his glorious career with his most ambitious film to date. Flags of Our Fathers is not his best film, but it’s an impressively epic endeavour, the first of two grand scale films shot back-to-back that recreate the battle for the Pacific island of lwo Jima, which marked a turning point in America’s war with Japan. Letters From Iwo Jima, which is released next year, tells the story from the point of view of the Japanese; Flags of Our Fathers, which is adapted by Eastwood’s Million Dollar Baby Oscar-winning screenwriter Paul Haggis from James Bradley’s book about his father’s involvement in lwo Jima, focuses exclusively on the American military experience. The conflict is portrayed at length, and with the same
back home in America, where three soldiers (including Bradley’s father Doc, played by Ryan Phillippe) lead a fundraising effort to finance the rest of the war.
The juxtaposition between the ethical minefield experienced by the soldiers doing their patriotic, but as they see it, morally bankrupt duty back home and the simple, brutal reality of lwo Jima makes for thought- provoking cinema. And it’s quite provocative given the current climate of America’s overseas military engagement in Iraq (despite the fact that African American soldiers, a large contingent at lwo Jima, do not figure in the story at all). But these twin narrative strands are also something of a problem for Eastwood. The constant cutting back and forth between the frontline and home make for confused plotting, and the pinball like bumping from action to talking eventually undermines the effect of both. Worse, the fates of the veteran Doc Bradley and his
Christmas. The young cast do. however. do their best with a fairly feeble script. This film was called Unaccompanied Minors when it was released in the US. General release from Fri 75 Dec.
Night At The Museum (PG) 108min 000 Broad. imaginative and actually guite fun adventure comedy about a bumbling seCLirity guard (Ben Stiller) who lets loose an ancient curse at a Natural History Museum. which allows the exhibits to come to life. The 7any supporting cast includes Steve Coogan. Dick Van Dyke. Robin Williams and Picky Gervais. General release from Tue 26 Dec.
It’s A Boy Girl Thing (12A) 90min 0. Teenagers Nell (Samaire Bedworth) and Woody (Kevin Zeggers) just don't get on. In fact they hate each other. When they find themselves in each other's bodies they set about trying to ruin each other's lives. Intriguing British variation On your typical life swap comedy. which sadly never really delivers on its promise. General release from Tue 26 Dec.
It’s A Wonderful Life (U) 131 min 0... Frank Capra's Christmas classic gets a new print for the season of goodwill. GFT. Glasgow from Thu l 4 Sun 24 Dec only.
64 THE LIST 14 Dec 2006—4 .Jan 2007
horribly exhilarating detail that made the first 30 minutes of Saving Private Ryan so eye-opening. But beyond the battle itself the film tells the story of the iconic photograph of the US servicemen who raised the Stars and Stripes in victory on a mountaintop on lwo Jima. To that end, Flags of Our Fathers dodges back and forth between the frontline on the black sandy beaches of the island and
scr Fl ADVENTURE. THRILLER JA VU
(12A) 126min 00
A massive explosion. a slow—mo on our hero arriving on the scene of a terrorist attack. and Within the first ten minutes it's clear that we've entered the destructive cinematic world of Tony Scott. But. unlike with the abysmal Domino and the lacklustre Man on Fire. Scott has actually realised that some semblance of a story amidst the car crashes and gun shooting helps hold audience interest. The far fetched plot set in post Katrina New Orleans pitches Den/el Wasl’iington (teaming up wrth Scott for a third trmei as Alcohol. Tobacco and Firearms iATFi agent Doug Carlin. When investigating a crime scene. Carlin is introduced to a new
technological innovation known as ‘Snow White'. which allows the FBI to watch events in real time from four and a half days ago. The resulting investigation involves time travel (or more accurately a hotchpotch of the time space continuum ideas nicked from Back to The Future. The Terminator) mixed With the pie-crime investigation technology of Minority Report. If you can suSpend yOur belief Dem Vu is fairly enjoyable. but the crass Hollywood ending is appalling.
(Kaleem Aftabi
I General release from in (:3 Dec.
[)OCUMFNIARY DEEP WATER (PG) 93min on
This cogent and authoritative documentary feature recounts the sad. regrettably true story of a British eccentric and loser. In 1008. amateur sailor Donald Crowhurst decided that he would take part in The Sunday Tiiiies' first Golden Globe Race. a sailing competition designed to encourage the first non stop round the world single handed voy age. l’itted against eight other experienced sailors. Crowhurst. a rnarrne electronics specralrst who put his family's financial welfare on the line to enter the race.
buddies are crammed into the last few minutes of what feels like an overlong film. Still, it’ll be interesting to see how Eastwood handles the Japanese experience of lwo Jima; that film has however had its release date brought forward so it may be considered for an Oscar after this film totally stiffed in the US. (Miles Fielder)
I General release from Fri 22 Dec.
was the dark horse contender, The British public. ever a sucker for a plucky eccentric. took him to their hearts. But when Crowhurst and the other competitors went over the l‘ori/on and into oblivion (satellite technoéogy was very basic Il‘. l968i. a story of madness. rnendacity. fear and true grit unfolded. Directors Louise Osmond and .Jerry Routhwell clearly had fantastic access to Crowhurst and the other sailor's survwing families and records for this frlrn. Using original 10mm footage shot during the contest. 'lll(?l‘v’!(}‘.‘.’8 and stylised recreations. this conventional but gripping documentary is a perplexing slab of true horror from an age when Sir Francis Chrchester ruled the waves. iPaul Dale) I Selected release from Ti/ 75 Dec