Film
Puccini for Beginners I 1‘) 000 IMarIa Maggenti. IS. 3006) lull/abeth Reaser. (iretchen Mnl. JUsIIn Kirk HlIrIIrI Allegra chascr) has lust been dumped by her lesbian ln\er when in stalks l’hIle IKirk). a dapper ('nlIIIIIbIa prnlessnr uhn. against her better Judgment. lights her lire .‘s‘leanyshrle. she lalls InIn bed viIIh Irresistibly gorgeous (Brace IMnl) Allegra's lile has neser been so complicated An articulate. cross sexuality. lnye triangle Ilate lllI)\ Ie lrntii the dIrecInr nl Illt' /IlI It'l/l/’/\ lrue xllll‘l’lllllli' n/ [no (in/I Ill lwie l’art nl (ilasgay' 2007 (i/Iixemi I'r/ni 'IIII'IIIII'. (/lrlwmi
Queer 'l‘ltls t'\clll leatures .t screening Iil lie/(Ire XIIIHI'HII/l. which examines the build up In the l‘lti‘) Stnneysall rints In News ank. lnllnysed by l/ImiIiru/uu. a short film critiquing ‘heteinnIiriiiatiyIIy‘ set In the lIIIure-present. chrnnIclIng a grnup nl radical queers dedicated In expnsing the Irnuble with gay iiIarrIage. 'l'he esentng cnncludes \\ Ith .S‘IIIIi/uku lint \. a documentary lnlltmtltg three drag kings vsnrkiiig as hosts It) a 'l‘nkyn club. .l( ‘I:. larlmlmrg/I.
Ouilombo Country l l',) I I t't)ll.’tl'(l Abrams. IS) 7 1mm. An exploration nl cnnIeinpnrary lira/than cnIiInIunIIIes. made up nl Ihnsc who escaped ni rebelled against slayery and fled to the untamed hinterlands l’ai'I nl anunrent 5, ('(Il (I'llHIg'lHL Raging Bull I lb’) 0.... (Martin Scorsese. ['S. I‘lh'll) Rnbcl’l tlc NII‘I). (‘ttllly Moriarty. Jne l’esci. ll‘hnin. .‘yliddleyseight bnxrng chairip Jake l,a Mntta finds it dillicult In sustain his early success and as his career lades he declines Into a Irayesty nl his lnrntei sell. l)e Nirn‘s stunning physical presence tlI)IIItIltlle Scut‘sch sayagely bleak study nl~ selli-destructiye inachIsInn. (i/mgmi' l'ilm 'I‘lieurre. (ilmgmi:
Rain in my Heartili) Il’anl Watsnn. l'K. 2005) l00nnn. This liliii l'nllnws four patients as they struggle In I)\'Cl'CI)lllL' alcoholism in the (iillInghaIn Hospital and in their hnrues. under the care nl‘ their doctor (iray Smith l.aIng. l’art nl Document 5.
(Y I". (i/rlagmii
=1; Ratatouille (ll) oooo (Brad IIII-Ii. l’S. 2007) Voices of Pattan ()swalt. Brian Dennehy. Brad (iarrett. l 10mm. The latest l’l\£tl' masterpiece l‘nllnws Reilly the rat Iyniced by ()sysalt) as he chases his dream nl becoming a gourmet chel. lllls Is l’Ixar at Its best. Ullcl'lng audiences bnlll three dimensional Images and storytelling With Its Ihnughtltil consideration oi. the relationship between the creative process and l'riendship. Yet Bird's cnlnurlul prleucIIniI neyer stints on last. l'urInIis tun, Wllll plenty ol‘ sight gags and chases through the streets. \s'ater'ys'ays. sewers and dinner tables nl~ l’aris. (ieneml release.
Razzle Dazzle: A Journey into Dance (l’( I) .0 (Darren Ashton. AtisIralia. 200m Kerry Armstrong. Ben Miller. Nadine (Earner. 05min. See .-\|.sn Released. page ~10. ('ineit'nrlr/ Edinburgh. [CI/inlmrgli.
The Reef Ill) 0 (Kyttnghn l.ee. Howard Ii Baker. US. 3007) Voices of Freddie l’rin/e Jr. Rob Schneider. than
l l
Falkirk Town Hall
Hallam Foe (18) 1008 :19 Oct
1 1:00am, l:3t’)pn ,
l.I|kIIk ( IIIItIcIl
ARON/7) Distant Voices/Still Lives (15) WOdS 274 Oct
7:80pm
Tickets and further information from The Steeple Box office or on the day
from the hall
(01324 506850)
48 THE LIST 18 Oct—l NOV 2007
Rachel Wood “hirIIn Another nibesh cartoon about a plucky lItIle lish and his adsentures In the deep blue (in. nor/I1 I’Iirk/ii m1. (iluxgmi (incisor/I1It‘linlriug/I Itrltltbiire/i Rendition I 15) O. I(ia\In llnnd. l‘S/Snulh Alrica. 3007) ()trial Metysally. Reese WitherspImn. .-\rairiIs Knight. Jake (iyllenhaal IZIIIIIII See resiess. page K (it'lti'l'tl/ re/I‘IIH' Reprise I IS) 0.. IJnachiiii 'lrIei. Nnrysay, 200i») Anders l)alletlsen lac. lispcn KlnuIrIan-llntner. Viktnria \Vinge 107mm llree/Ily anIbiIInus cnnteinimrary inelixlrarria. which chronicles the highs and lIMs nl a pair nl 20~snniething IIIIIldle-class best lriends 'l'rier tries In balance Inn many subplots. yet cnnlidently irIaIches style and content the rapid editing and nnn linear storytelling. vshtch Incnrrwrates an unnarrred itttrralnr and tIllttgtned \crstnns nl eycnls. rellect the turbulent Inner ytnrlIls nl the film's creatiye characters (ilriieon l‘l/Ill III/Ir'ull'e. (lltlkk’lflt. Resident Evil: Extinction I IS) .. lRItssell Mulcall). l‘ttlllL‘L‘/.‘\ll\lr£lllit/( ierinany/l 'K/l 'SA. 2007) Mtlltt .lI)\I)\'tcll. ()Ilctl l'eht. All latter 70mm. The third instalment nl' this cnrrrputer gttlllt'llttst‘tl science fiction thriller linds Jmns Ich's gun InIIng babe kicking Inmbie butt lit the Nesada desert l‘nr hnrny lanbnys nnly. (ieneru/ release, >'# Return to Goree I l5) 0.. Il’Ierre»Y\es llnrgeaud. trance/Senegal. 3007) llllinin. Mtistcal road name about the Alrican singer Yntissnur N'Dnur‘s epic Journey lnllossing the trail lelt by slases and the tall intisic they Invented. See prey text, page 37‘ Pan nlAl'rIca )0 Motion I’I/mlmim'. [film/Hugh. Rize Il’(i) 0.. Il)a\'id l.a( 'hapellc. l‘S/l K. 3005) MI (I 'l'nnttny the (limit. Dragon. Xtiniin. Documentary following the development nl‘ ‘('lnwning' and ‘KrIiirIpIng' radical dance forms which emerged as a reaction In the LA riots of l‘NZ. l’art nl' Dance: liesl. I-‘ilmlrome. Edinburgh. Ross Noble Iii) MK. 2007) Ross Nnblc. ISSIIIIII. lixclusiye \"ue ('inenias lll) screening nl‘ the stand-up cornedian's gig liye l‘rnni l.i\'erpnnl linipire. 'l‘ickets L‘lt) (£8). Vllt' [filth/ring}: ()r‘eun. Ifrlinhurg/i. Run, Fat Boy, Run I IZAI .0. (David Schwiininer, llK/lTS. 2007) Hank A/aria. Simon l’egg. Dylan Moran. 95min. Predictable. .seiiIiIiIenIaI and fairly brnad comedy about one man's attempts In win back the ex he jilted at the altar by running a marathon. A pacy and funny screenplay and some great enrnic [X'rloriiiaitces mean this looks .set It) be title (if Illnst sttccesslitll l-eel- gnnd rnmcnms nl the year. (ienerul re/eme.
Daishiiewl'lave
Film fans know all about the Danish films that formed the spearhead of what came to be
Sambizanga I I<I “0. Isaiah \laldnrnr. .~\ttgnla. W72) llnrrringns dc ()lryeira. l‘lisa -\nIlr.IIle. Jean \l'\nndn llliriin Set during \ngnla's struggle Inr liberation lrnm l’nrtugtiese rule. MINI/mime.) tells the story nt Maria \.I\ Ier's search Inr her husband. \shn has been IIrIprIsnned by the secret police l'nllms ed by Sci/II; a shan Ilrxunientary nt daily We III \Vest .-\IrIca
See pres Ieys. page V l’art nl I-‘strIca lll MnIInn l-i/nr/ruuu'. lI/m/imeh
Saw WI lh') 0.. Illarrcn l yrin linIisnIan. IS. 2007) 'l‘anII llell. I yrIg llent. (‘nsIas \landylnr. Scott l’attersnn ‘L‘niin See Alsn Released. page 40 Item II1/ release from In If) (h!
Seachd - The lnaccessible Pinnacleil’(ii ISIIIInn .\lI|ler. l‘ls'. 2007) .-\nnghas l’adrarg ('airnbetil. l)nlina Maclcnnan. ('rIsdean |)ninhnallach ‘Nlllltll In the first Scottish (iaelic Iiliri In .Ichiese iriainstreain distribution. rich layers nt' rnrnanlic tnlklnre are cnIanneIl \\ ith the more IIrIIIIeIliaIe Iiasails n) .I IanIIly trying In adiust In one another. with the legendary lnaccessible l’tnnacle standing as a metaphor tor the challenges ahead lite lit/lllhltlt’h ()I um. lit/Ill/tlll'u/l
The Shining I I8) 000. (Stanley Kubrick. l'S. Willi) Jack Nichnlsnn. Shelly l)u\'all. l’hIle Stnne l-ltiinin. Kubrick‘s nyerysrnught. nserlnng hnrrnr lilin dispenses \s iIh inuch oi the psychic apparatus nt Stephen King‘s nny el In concentrate nn the deeper hnrrnr III a lainily turning It) on
Ilscll Ntchnlsntt. \ch all the stnps ntit. Is buggy ed and dernnnIc as the ss rIIeI cracking tip \‘Inlently Ill an Isolated hotel. and the liiial scenes are. literally. chilling. Seolxmun .S'I'reemng Room. Iii/inhirre/i Shinjuko Boys I I8) IKIIII LonginnlIn/Jann WIlliains. l'ls'. NUS) 53min. The team that brought tis “rerun (iirlx turn their aIIenIInns In three drag kings In a 'l'nkyI) club. who wnrk as ltnsls In women discontented \sith biologically anII Irieii. leasing nut snine rescaling cnnlessInns. xlt I-jrlinliurgli.
Shrek the Third Il') O. I( 'hris Miller. [’8, 2007) Voices nli Mtke Myers. liddie Murphy. ('aniernn l)Ia/. JIiinn 'l'imberlake. liddie Murphy. Antonio Banderas. 92mm The green ngre (VOICCIl by Myers) runs away lrnm parental and royal responsibility In go on a inurney with lnyal companions Donkey I.\lurphy) and Miss III Boots Illanderas) In seek nut another heir In the Ihrnne I'l‘irnberlake ). The third instalment nl‘ this blnckaIster phennnrennn feels a bit formulaic no“ but there are enough low-brim Jokes In keep under educated children entertained. Selected release.
l called the Dogme 95 film movement, notably Festen and The Idiots, but since then Danish cinema has gone from strength to strength. If you want to catch up with recent developments this short season of recent Danish tare includes Niels Arden Oplev’s sweet-natured coming of age drama We Shall Overcome; Christoffer Boe’s impeccably clever exercise in playful metaphysical cinema Allegro; Per Fly’s dour age gap relationship thriller Manslaughter and Ole Christian Madsen's high octane drug drama Angels
in Fast Motion (pictured).
I Fi/mhouse, Edinburgh from Sat 20 Oct.
5’; Sicko I I:-\I ooo IsiIt-iIat-l slant; (‘8. ZIIVI ll ‘~IIIIn See res Iess. page 40 (i/Ixsc'Im l‘ir'm Theatre. (iI'IneIm Sideways I l‘) O.” I -\le\anIler l’ayne. [N Hungary. 300-1) l‘aul (iiamatti. l‘hnnias lladen t‘hurch. \ IrgInI.) \l.IIlsen. Sandra Oh l37rnin l‘ssn temper.IIIIenIally nppnsed middle aged triends heaIl nlt on .I sseek‘s break It) (‘alitnrrrian \sIne Inuntry. betnre nne nl IherrI gets married (lire Is a sell prtytng Ili\nrcee and \s ine snob \liles I(iIaIIIaIII ). the other hIs IanIIer tnllege roommate Jack I(‘hIirch) .I \\.I\llt‘tl up l'\ actnr. \shnse looks are taIling. but \shn's still enthusiastIcally chasing alter Iresh romantic conquests In the \seek nt hIs nxsn \seIlIlIIIg l'nInIIlIng at .I rela\ed tempo. and unobtruster edited. Milt-um I Isa \selcnine thrnssback In the N ‘0s .'\lllt'll\.|ll cinema nI Bob Ralelsnn and Jerry SclIat/berg. In part simply because It reIIIiIIIls Its l‘l sshat tun it can be In hang nut \\ IIh guy s like Jack and Miles tnt a couple nt hours (I’I'\\("ll’/. (i/Inguu The Simpsons Movie I l’( I) 0.0 (DIR id Silyerinan. [8. 3007) Voices nI llan ('astellaneta. lulIe Kayner. Nancy ('artssright Hoinin It's not going In change the “odd and. at 00 minutes. It slightly runs nut nl~ steam but this Is nonetheless a lairly entityable big screen nIIIIng lni eyerynne‘s lasnurite lanuly lhc plot. as eyer. Is secnndary llnmet accidentally pnllules the Springfield water supply and caIIses a mass exndIIs. While the strong political satire oi the early episodes has long been replat ed by pop culture releiences_ this \\ Ill still be nne oi the surelire hIIs n) the summer M {I I In! release if The Sparrow l l i) .... l‘ltll|\\t'l (‘hahine. ligypI/.»\|geria. l‘l72).\1alIIIInIIIl el-Mellgtty. Salah Kabtl. .-\|i el Scheril llSIiIin (‘hahine sketches a \ IsInII nt lite in cnnteriirxrrary ligypt agaInsI the backdrop oi the Six Day War, at the centre nt sshich are two young men a reporter and a pnliceiiian who begin a lrIendship as each cnnlrnnts the legacy nl his lather See prey Ieys. page i7. l’art nl Al‘rica In MnIInn l-I/mlmuu'. lit/lIl/lllf‘flh. Stardust (W i) O. I Marthe-II Vaughn. l'K. 2007) (‘lIarlIe ('ns. ('laIre Danes, Rnbert l)e Nun. Sir Ian McKellen l30rnin. See resiess. page ll) (ieneml I'i'li'(l.\(’. Superbad I IS) 0000 II tit-g Morinla. l‘S. 2007) lnnali lltll. Michael ('era. Martha Maelsaac, llZmIn ('racking autnhIIIgraphical teen lanlasy IysI'IIIen by Knocked Up star Seth Rngen) that harks back In the glory days nl Risk) [firmness and l'errii [fuel/era [My 0/], It‘s nutragenusly rude and crude. yet snrnehnvt remains bnth sophisticated and cnIrIpassInnaIe lll its consideration nl what makes teenagers tick Selected release, Surt's Up (PG) .0 IAsh Brannon/('hris Buck. l'S. 3007) \‘nIces ol Jell~ Bridges. ShIa Lallenut. [oney [)eschanel. 85min. A reasonable improvement on the heas y-handed em Irnnmentalisrn nl' last year‘s hit Hap/n l-eei. Brannan and Bucks anIIrIaIInn Is a cnlourlul parody ol surler irIoIIcs. lintenaining and cheerlul but not quite good ennugh to make seeing another ('(il penguin Inoer an appealing prospect (ienem/ release. T-Rex 30 It?) Illrett Lennard. l'S. |‘)‘)X) 40min. Ania/mg looking [MAX Inner about a father and daughter in danger lrnm a yicInUs carnivorous dinosaur. (ireat lun. IMAX Theatre. (ilmgoir The Thief of Baghdad ll’( i) 0.00 ILudwig Berger/Michael l’Imell. lTK. I940) Sabu. ('nnrad Veidt. Rex Ingram, l55mtn. This super Arabian Nights fantasy has naIiye boy Sabu outwitting L'\'ll (lrand VI/ier (‘onrad Veidt with the help nl a magic carpet and a rather splendid genie Iplayed by silent director Ingram). The blend of l'antasy. thrills and spec‘Ial ellects has rarely been bettered. and children wrll absolutely adore it. Edinburgh I’l/m (Jul/d. Edinburgh. Those Left Behind, The Glasgow Girls and The Children who Disappear IE) IVarIous. UK. VarIoUs) l2/30/30min. Three shan films about child asylum seekers who successfully Integrate Into their local school communities. only to