Film

Flushed Away (t') 000 (David Bowers. Satn Fell. l'K/l'S. 2006) Voices of

Kate Winslet. Hugh Jackman. lati McKellen.

84min. DreamWorks and Aardtnan Animation team tip for the first time for a slight but pleasing cotnedy. Pampered pet mouse Roddy (voiced by Jackman) tries to dispose of sewer rat Sid (Richie). but his plittt bitc‘klit'c‘s. (ieltel‘ul release.

For Your Consideration ( (2A)

0. (Christopher Guest. LS. 2006) Christopher (iuest. liugene Levy. Harry Shearer. 86min. See review. page 45. (i(’)l(’l'(ll release.

The Fountain ( IS) 0000 (Darren Aronofsky. ['S. 2006) Hugh Jaektnan. Rachel Weisr. Marcello Be/ina. 96min. This scaled down second incarnation of Aronofsky's film is a spiritual meditation on love and death about a man named 'l‘omasll‘ommy‘ (Jackman) who loves a woman named Isabel/[Hi (Weisx) through three millennia. A beautifully crafted piece of cerebral science fiction. it is reminiscent of genre classics such as 200]: A Spare ()dy‘xs‘ey‘ and Snluris. Seleeted release. Freedom for Us (A Nous La Liberté) (l') O... (Rene Clair. France. 1931) Henri Marand. Raymond Cordy'. Rolla l‘rance. Paul ()llivier. Jacques Shelly. Andre Michaud. (iermaine Aussey. l0-imin. Classic silent left-wing satirical comedy that explores the dehumanising effect of mechanised industry on factory workers. A huge influence on Chaplin’s [936 film .llodern 'Iimes. this is generally regarded as a perverse. anachronistic masterpiece of French cinema. lz‘diitburgh I-ilm (iuild. lz'dinlmrgh.

Save Money

see page 9 for details

Future Shorts (thc) (Various. Various. Various)Aiming to develop a wider audience for short film. Future Shorts returns. with another excellent international programme. The Are/res. (ilusgrm'.

Gabrielle ( 15) .0. (Patrice Chereau. France. 2005) Isabelle Huppert. Pascal (ireggory. Clattdia Coli. 90min. Adapted from Joseph Conrad’s ‘The Return‘. (iubrielle follows the disintegration of the marriage of a wealthy pre-WWl publisher Jean ((ireggory') and his socialite wife of ten years. (iabrielle (Huppert). Not your polite period. chatnber drama. this is a raw. unsettling and highly stylised affair. l'ilmhuuxe. lidinlmrgh.

Garfield: A Tale of No Kitties (t') (Tim Hill. CS. 2006) Breckin .Meyer. Jennifer Love Hewitt. Billy Connolly. Bill Murray. lan Abercrotnbie. Roger Rees. 80min. In his return to the big screen. the clever ginger feline (voiced by Murray ). takes a trip to Blighty'. and through a case of mistaken identity ends tip ruling over a rather flashy country pile. The nefarious Lord Dargis (Connolly) has other ideas though. ('ineimrld I’urkheud, Glasgow; ('ineimrld Edinburgh. lz‘diitbureh. Ghosts ( l5) .0. (Nick Broomlield. CK. 2006) Ai Qin Lin. ‘/.han Yu. [he Wei. ()6min. Documentary-maker Broomlield's first dramatic feature for 17 years. (ihos'ls traces the events leading up to the drowning of 23 Chinese cockle-pickers in February 2004 off Morecambe Bay. Shot digitally. the work blurs the distinctions between ’reality~ and fiction. with natural lighting. authentic locations and a noti- professional cast helping to contribute to the film’s verisimilitude. (i/uxgmv I'i/m 'l'heulre. (ilusgmv; Film/muse. lz'dinburgh. Goal 2: Living the Dream ( 12A) 0. (Jautne (‘ollet-Serra. CK. 2007) Kuno Becker. Alessandro .\'ivola. Anna l"riel. l lSmin. See Also Released. page 45. General release.

aerate oyaild'blejdi -. ' .fcliologuesffesttvot.org and www.fhequeensholl.nef

qfac’ror

16-17 February 2007

(ll-Ié'ii‘am

The Godfather ( (8) ooooo (Francis Ford Coppola. l'S. l‘)7l ) Marlon Brando. Al Pacino. James Caan. l75min. Malia epic that follows the collapse of the Corleone empire under the old Don (Brando) and the struggle for power this causes between rival families and his own sons. Al Pacino is magnificent as the good son who has to turn had in order to regain family honour. This hugely enjoyable. violent movie is a landmark in Atnerican lilmmaking. ('ineivurld Edinburgh. Edinburgh. Gridiron Gang (12A) 00 (Phil Joanou. LS. 2006) The Rock. X/ibit. L Scott Caldwell. l25min. See Also Released. page 45. (ienerul release.

Groundhog Day (PG) 0000 (Harold Ramis. l'S. l‘)‘)3)Bill Murray. Andie Macl)owel|. Chris lilliot. TV weathertnan Phil Conners (Murray) finds himself in the back of beyond. trapped in an ever-repeating single day. Partying and lube-chasing leads to serious romancing as he goes after his producer ( MacDow ell). Murray's cuddly sarcasm stops the movie from becoming the kind of moralising mush that surrounds so many of his contemporaries. A genuine rarity a Hollywood comedy that is really funny. Cameo. lz'dinburu/t.

Guru ( l2A) O... (Mani Ratnatn. India. 2006) Abhishek Bachchan.

Winter Bicycle Film Festival

Aishwarya Rai. {\ladhavan. 150mm. Loosely based on the rags to riches story of a Forbes top 500 entrepreneur. this may well be Bachchan’s defining role. A stellar star cast provides support in the telling of this exciting and turbulent tale. Told with all the flair and ingenuity of Ratman's epic but intelligent style. ()demi Furl Kimiuird. Edinburgh.

Hajj - Journey of a Lifetime (PG) (()vidio Salazar. ['K. 200i ) 55min. Three British pilgrims » a policeman. a neurologist and an undergraduate go on the Mecca of all journeys: to Mecca itself. Plus short The Furl/test .Unsqtu'. Part of Middle liast season. Film/muse. Edinburgh.

Hannibal Rising ( (8) .0 (Peter Webber. l’t'ance/l'K/l'S. 2007) (iaspard l'lliel. Li (iong. Helena Lia 'l'achovska. l20min. See Also Released. page 45. General release.

Happy Feet (t') 00. (George Millet'. Australia/LS. 2006) Robin Williams. Hugh Jackman. lilijah Wood. 109mm. A clumsily plotted bttt totally charming animated musical froin the makers of liube about tap dancing and singing penguins deep in Antarctica. With solid songs and some genuinely excellent voiceover performances. Hap/iv l‘ee! is probably the best of the Christmas family films. (ienerul release.

Now in its second year, this small but popular season of

films and documentaries with a cycling bent kicks off with thrilling stunt double bill of Bits 3, CKD (pictured) and Kranked 6: Progression. Also screening is Stephen Frears and Alan Bennett’s lovely 1972 film A Day Out about 3 Halifax cycling club’s trip to Bolton Abbey, plus We Are Traffic, 3 film chronicling the history of the Critical Mass bicycle movement. Visit www.cyclingedinburgh.wordpress.com for more

information.

. Muhammad: 0131 777 1007

I Fi/mhouse. Edinburgh from Sun 4 Feb.

52 THE LIST 1—15 Feb 2007