Film Index
The Secret Life of Bees (12A) ●●●●● (Gina Prince-Bythewood, US, 2008) Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Hudson, Queen Latifah, Alicia Keys, Sophie Okonedo. 109min. Based on Sue Monk Kidd’s best selling novel and set in South Carolina in 1964, this is the moving tale of Lily Owens (Fanning) a grief stricken 14 year-old girl who finds solace for her dead mother in the arms of the local caregiver (Hudson) and the fiercely independent bee keeping Boatwright sisters (Latifah, Keys and Okonedo). Cineworld Renfrew Street, Glasgow; Cineworld Edinburgh, Edinburgh. The Silence of Lorna (15) ●●●●● (Jean-Pierre & Luc Dardenne, Belgium/UK/France/Italy/Germany, 2008) Arta Dobroshi, Jeremie Renier, Fabrizio Rongione. 105min. See review, page 55. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. The Simpsons Movie (PG) ●●●●● (David Silverman, US, 2007) Voices of Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright. 86min. It’s not going to change the world and, at an hour and a half, it slightly runs out of steam but this is nonetheless a fairly enjoyable big screen outing for everyone’s favourite family. The plot, as ever, is secondary: Homer accidentally pollutes the Springfield water supply and causes a mass exodus. The strong political satire of the early episodes has long been replaced by pop culture references. ACE, Edinburgh. Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants 2 (12A) ●●●●● (Sanaa Hamri, US, 2008) Amber Tamblyn, Alexis Bledel, America Ferrera. 117min. See Also Released, page 56. General release. Sling Blade (15) ●●●●● (Billy Bob Thornton, US, 1996) Billy Bob Thornton, Dwight Yoakum, J.T. Walsh. 135min. Thornton plays a slightly retarded man just out of prison, who returns to his small Southern hometown only to witness the same pattern of abuse that triggered his earlier murderous attack. Moving without being sentimental, with a morality that’s far from simple-minded. A Monorail Film Club presentation. Glasgow Film Theatre, Glasgow. Slumdog Millionaire (15) (Danny Boyle, UK/US, 2008) Irfan Kahn, Anil Kapoor, Dev Patel. 120min. Modern-day India set feature chronicling a young boy’s attempts to become a millionaire on a TV game show in order to win the heart of his love. Previews only. Reviewed next issue. Glasgow Film Theatre, Glasgow. The Sound of Music (U) ●●●●● (Robert Wise, US, 1965) Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Richard Haydn, Eleanor Parker, Peggy Wood. 173min. In the late 1930s, vivacious nun Maria (Andrews) introduces the Von Trapp children to the joys of music, and their widowed father (Plummer) to the joys of love as Nazism begins to sweep Austria. And this popular sugar-coated family musical is all based on a true story. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Space Chimps (U) ●●●●● (Kirk De Micco, US, 2008) Voices of Andy Samber, Cheryl Hines, Jeff Daniels. 80min. On the whim of a sinister senator (Tucci), Ham III (Samberg) - the circus performer grandson of one of the first chimpanzees in space is sent into orbit to retrieve a missing satellite. With endless monkey and banana puns and bog- standard animation, Space Chimps is strictly for easily pleased little monkeys. Cineworld Parkhead, Glasgow; Cineworld Edinburgh, Edinburgh. The Spirit (12A) (Frank Miller, US, 2008) Gabriel Macht, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson. 103min. See interview, page 54. Reviewed next issue. General release. Stranded: I Have Come from a Plane That Crashed on the Mountains (15) ●●●●● (Gonzalo Arijon, France, 2007) 130min. Arijon documents the trials of the survivors of a plane crash in the Andes in 1972 who had to resort to cannibalism in order to stay alive. Featuring simple yet considered accounts of their moral struggles and first hand accounts from the survivors. Part of Illuminations documentary festival. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. A Streetcar Named Desire (15) ●●●●● (Elia Kazan, US, 1951) Vivien Leigh, Marlon Brando, Kim Hunter. 125min. 64 THE LIST 11 Dec 2008–8 Jan 2009
Cineworld Parkhead, Glasgow; Cineworld Edinburgh, Edinburgh. Waltz with Bashir (18) ●●●●● (Ari Folman, Israel/Germany/France, 2008) Voices of Ron Ben-Yishai, Ronny Dayag, Ari Folman. 90min. This animated feature about war, selective amnesia and the hideous genocide committed by Christian militiamen on Palestinian refugee camps in Sabra and Shatila during the 1982 Lebanese War is more optimistic than it sounds. Eliciting rare and painful truths, Folman’s illustrated memoir makes for a brave, damning and riveting piece of cinema. Selected release. Westworld (15) ●●●●● (Michael Crichton, US, 1973) Yul Bryner. 89min. Excellent action thrills set in a futuristic theme park where every human whim is catered for by robots, be it sex, romance or violence. Unfortunately, the robots malfunction and rebel against their makers, and Yul Bryner’s haywire gunslinger is intent on revenge. Michael Crichton memorial screening. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. What Just Happened? (15) ●●●●● (Barry Levinson, US, 2008) Robert De Niro, Bruce Willis, Stanley Tucci. 102min. Lame Hollywood insider drama about the travails of De Niro’s film producer. Selected release. When The Whales Came (U) ●●●●● (Clive Rees, UK, 1989) Paul Schofield, Helen Mirren, Max Rennie. 100min. The Scilly Isles in 1914, and history repeats itself when a school of narwhals attempt to beach themselves on the shore one night. It’s left to the eccentric old Birdman (Schofield) and two children to persuade the villagers to avoid a repetition of events that sixty years ago resulted in slaughter. Reasonably intelligent children’s fare starring a very convincing fake whale. Glasgow Film Theatre, Glasgow. White Christmas (U) ●●●●● (Michael Curtiz, US, 1954) Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, Vera-Ellen. 120min. See Also Released, page 56. Selected release. The Wizard of Oz (U) ●●●●● (Victor Fleming, US, 1939) Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr, Jack Haley, Margaret Hamilton, Toto. 102min. Miserable Dorothy runs away from home but is soon whisked up into a magical land where her adventures teach her that happiness is to be found in her own back yard. Classic stuff indeed, just chockful of great songs, characterisation and memorably garish design. Perhaps marginally less enjoyable for the curmudgeonly element rooting for the Wicked Witch of the West though. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Yes Man (12A) ●●●●● (Peyton Reed, US, 2008) Jim Carrey, Zooey Deschanel, Sasha Alexander. 104min. See Also Released, page 56. General release. Young @ Heart (PG) ●●●●● (Stephen Walker, UK, 2008) 108min. Shedding a new positive light on the potential fate of the aged, Walker’s documentary features ‘Young@Heart’, a chorus of seniors from Massachusetts which has been charming audiences since 1982. Providing no leisurely stroll towards oblivion for the singers, their director Bob Cilman pushes them all the way with tunes from Radiohead, Sonic Youth and the Ramones. A genuinely life-affirming treat. Glasgow Film Theatre, Glasgow. Zack and Miri Make a Porno (18) ●●●●● (Kevin Smith, US, 2008) Elizabeth Banks, Seth Rogan, Craig Robinson. 101min. Rogan and Banks give ebullient performances as the auteur lovers of the title who’ve been best friends since school, but their shifts in a local café aren’t paying the bills. They’re inspired by a former classmate and a YouTube escapade to try porn with hilarious results. Great dialogue, real emotions and laugh-out-loud adult humour. Selected release. La Zona (15) ●●●●● (Rodrigo Plá, Mexico, 2007) Daniel Giménez Cache, Maribel Verdú, Daniel Tovar. 95min. The titular area is an Eden-like gated community in Mexico City with barbed wire atop the perimeter walls, CCTV cameras, and a stretch of surrounding barrios. This taut and visually accomplished thriller from Uruguayan-born director Plá explores what happens when these two polarized worlds collide and an attempted burglary goes fatally wrong. Filmhouse, Edinburgh.
Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde The British Film Institute’s restored print of Rouben Mamoulian’s 1931
version of Stevenson’s novella arrives in Scotland. Still the best and most faithful of all the versions of this much adapted classic, Mamoulian’s film is one of only a couple of adaptations (among them Stephen Frears’ underrated 1996 film Mary Reilly) to properly trace Jekyll’s chemical induced schizophrenia back to his sexual repression. ■ Filmhouse, Edinburgh from Fri 26-Tue 30 Dec.
Brando takes the acting honours and, with this film, sets the style for method acting for years to come. Tennessee Williams’ steamy sex romp seems a little tame by today’s standards, but the realism of the drama remains intact and the performances are to be savoured. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Strictly Ballroom (PG) ●●●●● (Baz Luhrmann, Australia, 1991) Paul Mercurio, Tara Morice, Bill Hunter. 94min. Dancefloor hopeful Scott Hastings incurs the wrath of the Australian Dance Federation by using his own steps in competition, loses his partner and his friends, but finds love and artistic integrity with the local wallflower. The ultimate feelgood movie, it is crammed with colour, glitter, music and spectacle. Part of Dance-o-Rama. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Summer (15) ●●●●● (Kenny Glenaan, UK, 2008) Robert Carlyle, Steve Evets, Rachel Blake. 82min. Shaun (Carlyle) looks after wheelchair bound Daz (Evets) in an impoverished ex-mining community in Derbyshire. Daz is mouthy, bitter and demanding while Shaun is silent, subservient and guilt-ridden – they clearly share past secrets. When Daz’s health deteriorates, Shaun is forced to confront his past and his future with Daz’s troubled son Daniel (Socha) and old girlfriend Katy (Blake). A grim but humourous portrait of platonic friendship. Glasgow Film Theatre, Glasgow; Cameo, Edinburgh. The Tale of Despereaux (U) ●●●●● (Sam Fell/Robert Stevenhagen, UK/US, 2008) Voices of Dustin Hoffman, Matthew Broderick, Emma Watson. 93min. See Also Released, page 56. General release. To Get to Heaven First you Have to Die (15) ●●●●● (Jamshed Usmonov, Russia/France/Tajikistan/Germany/Switzerla nd, 2006) Khurshed Golibekov, Dinara Drukarova, Maruf Pulodzoda. 95min. See review, page 53. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Top Hat (U) ●●●●● (Mark Sandrich, US, 1935) Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Edward Everett Horton. 100min. A bout of mistaken identity makes Fred and Ginger’s path to true love via London and Venice a little more circuitous than they might have liked, but there are plenty of classic Irving Berlin numbers along the way to help them keep their spirits up. Splendid stuff. Part of Dance-o-Rama. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Transporter 3 (15) ●●●●● (Olivier Megaton, US, 2008) Jason Statham, Natalya Rudakova, François Berléand. 103min. Jason Stratham returns as the people carrying action hero Frank Martin. This time he’s delivering the kidnapped daughter of a Ukrainian government official. An unpretentious no-brainer. General release. Triage: Dr James Orbinski’s Humanitarian Dilemma (15) ●●●●● (Patrick Reed, Canada, 2007) 90min. Humanitarian Dr James Orbinski, who accepted the 1999 Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of Médecins Sans Frontières, and was a field doctor during the Somali famine and the Rwandan genocide, here returns to Africa to explore the dilemmas of triage. Part of Illuminations documentary festival. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Trouble Sleeping (12A) ●●●●● (Robert Rae, UK, 2008) Hassan Naama, Alia Alzougbi, Waseem Uboaklain. 102min. The first feature film from Edinburgh Theatre Workshop chronicles Halla (Naama), who has put her life in Palestine behind her and forged a new one in Edinburgh. Things become complicated when a figure from her past reappears. Amnesty International screening. Glasgow Film Theatre, Glasgow. Twilight (12A) ●●●●● (Catherine Hardwicke, US, 2008) Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner. 121min. See review, page 53. General release. WALL-E (U) ●●●●● (Andrew Stanton, US, 2008) Voices of Fred Willard, Jeff Garlin, Ben Burtt. 103min. Inspired by sci-fi classics from the 1960s and 70s, Pixar have created a post-apocalyptic story set in a future in which the Earth has been abandoned by humankind, where a solitary robot named WALL-E executes his now pointless trash collecting programme. At its heart this is a very sweet romantic comedy, and that’s what provides the emotional clout.