Film
Film Live 81mm 2 (E) (Various. UK. 2007)A mixed bill of shorts. workshops and talks about mainstream filmmaking. training and funding opportunities in Scotland. Part of the Leith Festival. The Granary. Edinburgh.
The French Connection (l8) .0... (William Friedkin. US. 197i) Gene Hackman. Fernando Rey. Roy Scheider. 99min. A pair of NYC cops (Hackman and Scheider) in the Narcotics Bureau stumble onto a drug smuggling job with a French connection. Very influential. gritty police drama that contains one of the greatest chase sequences in cinema history. Scotsman Screening Room. Edinburgh. Friday Night Lights (12A) 0”
(Peter Berg. US. 2004) Billy Bob Thornton. Lucas Black. Garrett Hedlund. Derek Luke. I l7min. American football flick detailing the story of economically challenged Permian High School's 1988 drive to the state final. Some great action scenes and the gritty ‘based on a real story‘ edge make this a flavoursome example of a typically bland genre. There is too much nasty rock music on the soundtrack however. Cameo. Edinburgh.
Future Shorts (E) (Various. Various. Various). The Arches. Glasgow.
OMAC Mini Film Festival (E) (Various. UK. 2007) l20min. A showcase of short films made by and about the refugee and asylum seeker communities. Features the world premiere of the latest Little Pictures short. Part of Refugee Week. GMAC. Glasgow.
Grow Your Own (PG) 00 (Richard Laxton. UK. 2007) Benedict Wong. Eddie Marson. Omid Djalili. 97min. See review. page 40. Filmhouse. Edinburgh. Help! I'm a Fish (U) coo Hegner. Stefan Fjeldmark. Denmark/Germany/lrcland. 2001) Voices of Alan Rickman. Terry Jones. Teryl Rothery. 78min. This cheerful offering involves three kids. After sneaking out of the house they come across a professor (Jones) who‘s created a formula to turn humans into fish. Lo and behold our junior heroes are soon
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Six of the Best They Might Be ems
swimming with the fishes. trying to find an antidote and doing battle with an evil pilot- fish (villainous Ricktnan). Younger children should enjoy it. but if you‘re looking for humour or any real moments of high drama. you'll be disappointed. (‘ineworld Par/(head. Glasgow.
The Hired Hand (12) .0” (Peter Fonda. US. 1971) Peter Fonda. Warren Oates. Verna Bloom. 90min. Fonda‘s directorial debut sees his character leave his life as a cowboy. roaming with his best friend (Oates) to settle down with his wife (Bloom). but small town gossip and cattle rustlers get in the way. Dreamy. bucolic and deeply moving. Recommended. Part of Six of the Best: They Might Be Giants: ()ther Voices of New American Cinema. Filmhouse. Edinburgh.
The Hitcher ( 18) 0 (Dave Meyers. US. 2007) Sean Bean. Sophia Bush. Zahary Knighton. 83min. See Also Released. page 42. General release.
The Holy Mountain (18) 00000 (Alejandro Jodorowsky. Mexico/US. 1973) Alejandro Jodorowsky. Horacio Salinas. Zamira Saunders. 120mm. The weird and wonderful follow-up to El 'Iopo goes beyond its excesses to put forth a parade of surreal and absurd imagery that might just fry your brain. This needs to be seen to be believed. Glasgow Film Theatre. Glasgow.
Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade (PG) coo (Steven Spielberg. US. 1989) Harrison Ford. Sean Connery. Alison Doody. Denholtn iilliot. 127min. The third instalment of Spielberg's blockbuster series. in which the archaeological adventurer is joined by his father (Connery) for a romp through the Middle East in search of the Holy Grail. hotly pursued (as ever) by the Nazis. A rather dodgy quasi-Christian morality and a more-of—the-same-ish plot are offset by strong performances f rorn Ford and (‘onnery and technical bravura. Part of the West End Festival. Hunterian Museum. Glasgow. Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom (PG) .0 (Steven Spielberg.
US. 1984) Harrison Ford. Kate (‘apshaw. Kc
Huy Quart. Amrish Puri. l 18min. Again the foreigners find it hard going keeping up with the Joneses. as master entertainer Spielberg piles on the action sequences. This time. however. the frantic pace has even less credibility than Raiders had. Part of the West End festival. Iluttterian Museum. Glasgow. Jindabyne ( 15) 0... (Ray Lawrence. Australia. 2006) Laura Linney. Gabriel Byrne. (‘hris Hatwood. 123mm. Based on the Raymond (‘arvcr short story. So Much ll'ater So ('lose lo Honu’. this fascinating. emotionally truthful drama shows how one boy‘s fishing trip brings on the complete erosion of (‘laire (Linney) and Stewart's (Byrne) already troubled tnarriagc. The third film iii 20 years from the feted AUstralian director is a beauty titath Glasgow l-ilm Theatre. Glasgow; ('anteo di- l’ue ()mni. lz‘tlinburgh.
Joe Strummer: The Future is Unwritten ( 15) O... (Jttlieti Temple. UK. 2007) 124mm. From diplomat’s son to hippy to punk revolutionary through to his untimely death aged 50. Temple strings together a phenomenal cast list of faces. archive interviews and archive footage to tell the story of the (‘lash frontman. This loving film by a passionate filmmaker is a fascinating trove of unseen nuggets for fans that manages to capture Strummer's ragged. free flowing energy. Glasgow l-‘i/m Theatre. Glasgow; ( ‘ameo. Edinburgh.
The Last Detail ( I8) (Hal Ashby. ('8. 1973) Jack Nicholson. ()tis Young. Randy Quaid. 104mm. Two hardened naval petty officers escort a young recruit charged with theft across country to jail. Perceptive and profanity-filled screenplay by Robert (Chinatown) Towne powers a magnificent outing by Nicholson that lies at the heart of this downbeat melodrama. Part of Six of the Best: They Might Be Giants: ()ther Voices of New American Cinema. Glasgow l-‘ilm Theatre. Glasgow; Film/rouse. Edinburgh. The Last Mimzy (I’(i) 000 (Robert Shayc. LS. 2007) Jocly Richardson. Timothy Hutton. Rairm Wilson. (‘hris ()‘Neil. ()Jmin. A brother and sister develop special powers after they find a mysterious
Very welcome small selection of films from last year’s superb 1970s Edinburgh International Film Festival
retrospective - They Might Be Giants: Other Voices From American Cinema. If you like your films quirky and inspired then it’s all here, from tough arsed New York thrillers Across 110th Street (pictured) and Busting to Peter Fonda’s dreamy, stunning directorial debut western The Hired Hand. Or how about foul-mouthed Naval Guard road movie The Last Detail starring Jack Nicholson? Perhaps least well known is the film that the retrospective takes its name from, in which mental patient George C Scott takes a certain Dr Watson (Joanna Woodward) through New York at night as he tries to convince her that he is Sherlock Holmes. If you can, try
and catch one of these great films.
I Filmhouse. Edinburgh from Fri 8 Jun (Across 110th Street).
48 1’". LIST 7—21 Jun 2007
box of toys. Soot) they find themselves dragged into a strange and terrifying world. Above average children's adventure which keeps things nicely incongrous and odd. Glasgow" I'll/n 'I‘ltt'ttlrt'. Glasgow.
Led Zeppelin: Live at the Royal Albert Hall ( 15) 0000 (Peter Whitehead. 1S. 1070) 102mm. Let‘s rock w ith l.cd Zep‘s consciousness expanding music. including a l3 minute drum solo by John Bonham. recorded on 9 Jan 1070. Showing with short Pink Floyd. includes the first ever footage of Syd Barrett and his band. shot in Alexandra Palace. London iri 1067. Part of the Peter Whitehead season. Glasgow l‘illtt llllt'tlll't'. Glasgow:
Lights in the Dusk (Laitakaupungin Valet) (P( i) 00.. (Aki Kaurismiiki. l‘inland/(iermany/l‘rance. 2006) Janne llyytiainen. Maria Jervenhelmi. Maria lleiskanen. 78min. The final part of Kaurismaki's ‘l.oser’1‘rilogy‘ is a dour minimalist treat. This time night watchman Koistinen (llyytiainen) meets blonde ferntne fatalc Aila (lleiskanen) and is invciglcd into Mr Big's (llkka Koivula) criminal platis. But through the deadpan comedy. stunning visuals and directorial trademarks the ending does point to a newfound optimism on Kaurisniiiki's part. ('ameo. Edinburgh. Love Wrecked (PG) 0 (Randal Kleiser. 1S. 2007) Amanda Bynes. ('hris ('armack. Jonathan Bennett. 86min. Pitifully bad romantic comedy about what happens when hideous tccn Jcnny (Byncs) becomes marooned with her rock star idol Jason Masters ((‘armacki while on a (‘aribbean cniisc. This unfunny nonsense was directed. sadly. by Randall Grease Kleiser. General release.
Magicians ( IS) 00 (Andrew O'Connor. PK. 2007) Robert \Vcbb. David Mitchell. 89min. Peep Show stars Mitchell and Webb hit the big screen in this disappointing comedy of rivalry and the black tilts. St'lt’t‘lt’tl I't’lt'llM’.
The Man without a Past (Mies Vailla Menneisyytta) ( 15) .00.
(Aki Kaurismaki. l"inland/(iermany/l’rance. 2002) Markku Peltola. Kali ()utinen. 07min. A man is mugged and disappears. only to mysteriously reappear with no recollection of his previotis lifc. lie creates a new life for himself amongst the homeless community. and falls in love with one of his soup servers. A comic depiction of a man's journey to tnake setise of himself and the world. this love-story is from one of Finland's best-known filmmakers. (amen. Edinburgh.
Meet the Robinsons (l') 0.. (Stephen Anderson. l'S. 2007) Voices of Angela Bassett. Daniel Hansen. Jordan liry. 101 mitt. Lewis. an orphan. dreams of finding a family. When mysterious stranger Wilbur Robinson takes him to the future. maybe he will find one. linjoyably referential screwball animated comedy with good voice work. St'lt't‘lt’tl I't'lt'ttst’. Monster House (1') 0000 ((;i1 Kenan. IS. 2006) Voices of Steve Buscetni. Maggie (iyllenhaal. Mitchel Musso. 01min. 'l'rouble-making ty'kes investigate the creepy house in this film. which is wicked fun for all ages. ('(il production in which not only is the titular house a personable villain. it actually tears itself up from its foundations iii the climax of Kenan's skilfully realised family film. ('ineworld l’arkhead. Glasgow; (‘ineworld Edinburgh. Edinburgh.
Mr Bean’s Holiday (PG) .0
(Steve Bendelack. PK. 2007) Rowan Atkinson. Willem Dafoe. 89min. \‘l'ordless misfit Mr Bean (Atkinson) goes to the French Riviera and becomes ensnarcd in a broad liuropean adventure. A silly. occasionally funny. mildly xenophobic slapstick feature. Jacques Tali did it so much better. St’lt‘t‘lt'll I't’l('(1.\'(’.
My Best Friend ( 12A) 000 (Patrice l.econtc. France. 2006) Daniel Autcuil. Dany Boon. Julie Gayct. 04min. in this contemporary Parisian buddy moy ic arrogant antiques dealer Francois (Auteuil) is teamed with the gotxl-natured. trivia- spotiting taxi driver. Bruno (Boon) after being challenged to provide a ‘mcillettr ami' by the end of the month. An amiable if formulaic divertissement. l-i/mhouse. Edinburgh.