New York Metropolitan Opera: La Rondine (PG) (Graham Vick. ltaly'. 2008) Fernando Portari. lr'iorenza Cedolins. Sandra Pastrana. l40min. Puccini‘s l8th century Parisian tale of bittersweet love filnted live at the Met and brought to the big screen in digital clarity. (‘ineworld Ren/rew Street. Glasgow; Cameo. lidinlnugh. Ninotchka (lf) ooeo (l-Zrnst Lubitsch. L’S. I939) Greta Garbo. Melvin Douglas. Bela Lugosi. Sig Ruman. l 10min. ‘Garbo laughsl‘ proclaitned the posters and indeed she does in this sparkling vintage Hollywood comedy romance. itt which she plays a stern Russian diplomat worn down by Melvyn Douglas‘ inestintable charm and the attractions of Paris into an eventual. grudging. touching. emotional submission. Acerbic one-liners betray the hand of the great Billy Wilder. who worked on the script. Part of Short-Sighted ()scars season. I’ilmhouse. Edinburgh. Ninth Configuration ( )5) see (William Peter Blatty. CS. 1980) Stacy Keach. Scott Wilson. Jason Miller. 1 18min. An unorthodox doctor is posted to a psychiatric hospital within an imposing gothic castle which has been set up to determine a wave of mental disturbance amongst American ex-military men. Writer and director Blatty's self-confessed sequel of sorts to The Ift‘oreist (which he wrote) is a bizarre and brooding comedy of terrors. Part of Outer Limits! Glasgow I-‘ilm Theatre. The Orphanage (15) oooo (Juan Bayona. Spaitt. 2007) Belen Rueda. l-‘ernando Cayo. Roger Princep. |05min. First-time director Bayona and producer Guillermo del Toro create the best ghost story of the year so far. Laura (Rueda) was raised in an orphanage and on returning to her childhood home with her son Simon (Princep) things start to get creepy. The key to the success of this film is the edge-of—the-seat suspense. and there's even a brilliant sting in the tale. Part of BBC Four World Cinetna Awards 2009. Film/rouse. Edinburgh. 05$ 1 17: Cairo Nest of Spies (12A) .0. (Michel Hazanavicius. France. 2008) Jean Dujardin. Bérenice Bejo. Aure Atika. 99min. Silly and quite funny l-‘rench James Bond spoof. Glasgow I’iltn Theatre. Passenger ( (5) cos (Andrzej Munk/Witold Lesiewicz. Poland. I963) Aleksandra Slaska. Anna Ciepielewska. Janusz Bylczynski. b2min. An ex-SS officer meets a former concentration cantp inmate on a cruise. unleashing a flow of overwhelming memories. If the film feels somewhat disjointed. it's because it was completed Using stills and commentary when the director was killed in a car crash during shooting. lz‘dinhurgh I-‘ilnt Guild. Patti Smith: Dream of Life (PG) 0.. (Steven Sebring. CS. 2008) Patti Smith. Jay Dee Daugherty. l’lca. 109mm. The singer. poet and ‘godmother of punk‘ bares her soul in an intimate self-portrait. Rarely has a film been so indulgent. pretentious and moving all at once. Cameo. lidinlmrgh. Quantum of Solace ( DA) on (Marc Forster. l'K/tTS. 2008) Daniel Craig. ()lga Kttrylenko. Mathieu Atnalric. 105mm. Quantum of Solace starts with a trademark action sequence involving cars burning rubber around narrow roads and then proceeds to jump from one thrill to another. while moving through locations like pages in a travel brochure. A major plus is Amalric's turn as the villain Dominic Greene. head of art organisation which exploits energy resources for financial and political gain who are behind an American approved coup in Bolivia. Although the overarching themes are intriguing. some of the plot points don‘t make much sense. Selected release. The Reader ( IS) oooo (Stephen Daldry. l'S/Germany. 2008) Ralph Fiennes. Kate Winslet. David Kross. 123mm. In a West German town at the end of the l950s. 15-year-old Michael (Kross) starts a passionate affair with Hanna (Winslet). a tram conductor more than twice his age. But after a few months. Hanna suddenly disappears. and it's almost a decade before Michael sees her again. By this time he is a law student -- and she is standing trial for war crimes. General release.
Ride the High Country (PG)
0... (Sam l’eckinpah. CS. 1962)
52 THE LIST 8—22 Jan 2009
Randolph Scott. Joel McCrea. Mariette Hartley. 93min. Nostalgic take on the deteriorating West featuring two old Iawmen fallen on tough times and striving to retain their dignity when a tempting gold shipment comes between them. Peckinpah's debut feature is a delight. Part of Peckinpah season. I’ihnhouse. lidinlnugh.
Role Models ( l5) 0. (David Wain. LS. 2008) Christopher .‘vlintz-Plasse. Bobb'c J. Thompson. lilizabetlt Banks. 91min. Two excitable energy drinks reps. Danny (Rudd) and Wheeler (Scott) are forced to mentor troubled youths or face jail for reckless driving. Danny looks after a teenager who is into medieval role playing (Mintz-Plass) whilst Wheeler has his fun with a foulmouthed l0-year-old Ronnie ('l'homson). Cue puerile and lewd behaviour. General release.
The St Kilda Tapes (PG) (Various. [7 K. 2008) 90min. Singer/songwriter and acoustic guitarist extraordinaire David Allison. plays live over footage from the Scottish Film Archive. Glasgow Film 'I‘heatre.‘ I-‘ilmhouse. Edinburgh.
Seven Pounds ( IZA) oo (Gabriele Muccino. LS. 2008) Will Smith. Rosario Dawson. Woody llarrelson. l25min. See review. page 47. General release/root I’ri If) Jan.
Sex Drive ( l5) 0 (Sean Anders. CS. 2009) Josh Zuckerman. Amanda Crew. Clark Duke. Katrina Bowden. 109mm. See review. page 45. General release.
The Silence of Lorna ( 15) see (Jean-Pierre & Luc Dardenne. Belgium/l'K/l-‘rance/ltalyKiermany. 2008) Arta Dobroshi. Jeremie Renier. l‘abrizio Rongione. 105mm. A young Albanian woman (Dobroshi) dreams of opening a snack bar with her boyfriend. To raise the money she participates in a scam organised by petty criminal l‘abio (Rongione). With its Bressonian themes of guilt and redemption. the concentration on symbolic objects. and the hardscrabble milieu in which a lonely soul rediscovers their humanity - there is no question that this is a Dardenne brothers' film. See interview. page 45. Glasgow I-‘ilm Theatre; I‘iltnhouse. Iz‘dinhuigh. Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants 2 (12A) 0. (Sanaa llamri. LS. 2008) Amber 'l'amblyn. Alexis Bledel. America l‘errera. 1 17min. The girls with the adaptable pair of jeans return with an unsurprising retread ()f the lirst lilm. (‘lltl’lt‘nl'ltl Reltfreii' Street. Glasgow: Showcase Cinema. Paisley.
Slumdog Millionaire ( 15)
0... (Danny Boyle. CK/l'S. 2008) lrfan Kaltn. Anil Kapoor. Dev Patel. l20min. See feature. page l8 and review. page 46. General release.
Space Chimps (If) .0 (Kirk De
Micco. CS. 2008) Voices of Andy Satnber. Cheryl llines. Jeff Daniels. 80min. ()n the whim of a sinister senator (Tucci). llam lll (Satnberg) - the circus performer grandson of one of the first chimpanzees iit space is sent into orbit to retrieve a missing satellite. With endless monkey and banana puns and bog-
Alexam
on the big screen. Matinees only.
standard animation. Space Chimps is strictly for easily pleased little monkeys. Selected release.
Space Station 30 (t') (Toni Myers. Canada/CS. 2003) 47min. Narrated by Tom Crttise. this big screen [MAX presentation follows real astronauts into the big blue. Impressive. but not as awesome as it should have been. [MAX Theatre. Glasgow. Speed Racer ( PG) ooe (Andy Wachowski/Larry Wachovvski. LS. 2008) limile llirsch. Nicholas lilia. Susan Sarandon. l3-lmin. A live action though CG- heavy adaptation of a l9b0s Japanese television anitne about a futuristic family of racecar designer-drivers who are pitted against a corporate fat cat. The film's message is: business had. family good. winning best of all. Not that this matters in a film with migraine-inducing race sequences and stomach-churning thrill-rides. [:‘mpire
( 'lvdehank.
The Spirit ( 12A) .0 (Frank Miller. LS. 2008) Gabriel Macht. Samuel 1. Jackson. Scarlett Johansson. l02min. Disappointing adaptation of Will liisner‘s legendary superhero comic serial. It looks good bttt it‘s fairly incomprehensible and the dialogue is really lame. pltts phoned in [K‘i‘ltirlilltllCCs froin Jackson and Johansson really don't help. Newcomer Macht makes a fair stab at impersonating the iconic tnasked hero however. General release.
Standing in The Shadows of Motown (PG) .0. (Paul Jttstman. CS. 2002) l08min. Standing in the Shadows “l- .ttotown is hardly the definitive tnovie about Detroit's musical gift to the world (tltat film is still to be tnade) but for the moment Paul Justman‘s half-concert half-memory lane stroll is going to have to do. Willi subject matter like this you can hardly go wrong. Edinburgh I-‘ilni Guild.
Sweet Smell of Success ( IS) ”.0. (Alexander Mackendrick. l'S. I957) Bttrt Lancaster. Tony Curtis. Susan llarrison. 96min. Clifford ()dets and lirnest Lehman scripted this brilliant study of the destructive effect of power. Sweet Smell of Sueeess tells the story of Sidney lialco (Curtis). a slimy publicist worming his way to the top via venomous newspaper colutnnist J.J llunsecker (Lancaster). The two leads are brilliantly cast against type; James Wong llowe‘s photography of Broadway at night is as evocative as film noir ever got. while lilmer Bernstein's crime jazz score (with contributions from the Chico llamilton Quintet) completes the impression of a filthy. corrupt city. Astonishingly. the whole film was pulled together by Scotsman Alexander Mackendrick. who until this time was best known for whimsical lialing comedies. Cameo. Iidinlmrgh.
The Tale of Despereaux (l') ooo (Sam Fell/Robert Stevettltagen. l'K/l'S. 2008) Voices of Dustin llofftnan. Matthew Broderick. [Emma Watson. 93min. British animated feature about the medieval adventures of a mouse. a rat and a servant girl. General release.
Last chance to see Russian master Alexandr Russian Ark Sokurov’s lyrical and moving Chechnya set drama
I Cameo.Ed/nburgh from Fri 9- Thu 75 Jan.
Tis Autumn: The Search for
Jackie Paris ( IS) oooo (Raymond De l-‘elitta. CS. 2006) l00min. See Also Released. page 47. Glasgow Film Theatre: Film/rouse. Iz'dinlmrgh. Transporter 3 ( IS) oo (()livict‘ Megalon. LS. 2008) Jason Stathatn. Natalya Rttdakova. l-‘rancois Berleand. 103mm. Jason Strathatn returns as the people carrying action hero Frank Martin. This time he's delivering the kidnapped daughter of a L'krainian government official. An unpretentious no-brainer. Selected release. “twilight ( 12A) .0 (Catherine llardwicke. LS. 2008) Kristen Stewart. Robert l’attinson. Taylor Latttner. l2lmin. This adaptation of Stephanie Meyer’s vumpire-romance novel tells the coming of age story of Bella Swan (Stewart ). l'nltappily decanted from Arizona with her dad Charlie (Burke). Bella's humdrutn existence is transformed when vampire lidward‘s (Pattinson) superpowers save her from getting squished by a truck. She subsequently falls under lidward's spell attd ittto conflict with various vampire sects. General release. Vertigo (PG) .0000 (Alfred Hitchcock. LS. I958) James Stewart. Kim Novak. Barbara Bel Geddes. 128mm. Detective Stewart. a man afraid of heights. falls in love with a woman who apparently commits suicide. When he meets her double. lie becomes obsessed with the possibility that she is still alive. lixtraordinary plotting in this undervalued Hitchcock study of romantic mania. with Stewart memorably cast against type as the distinctly on-thc-edge cop. ’l‘hc Bernard llerrmann score is simultaneously lttsh and disturbing. Part of Short-Sighted ()scars season. Film/rouse. Ifdinlna'gh. Villu (PG) (Prabhu Deva Sundaram. India. 2009) \'ijay'. Nayantara. l52min. 'l‘amil action/comedy. Clnetvm‘ld Renfreit' Street. Glasgow. WALL-E (l') O... (Andrew Stanton. CS. 2008) Voices of l‘red Willard. Jeff (iarlin. Ben Burtt. 103mm. Inspired by sci-ft classics from the mom and 70s. Pixar have created a post-apocalyptic story set in a future in which the liarth has been abandoned by humankind. where a solitary robot named WALL-ii executes his now pointless trash collecting programme. At its heart this is a very sweet romantic comedy. attd that's what provides the emotional clout. Selected release. Waltz with Bashir( l8) oooo (Ari l-‘olman. lsrael/(iermany/lirance. 2008) Voices of Ron Ben-Yishai. Ronny Dayag. Ari liolman. 90min. 'l‘his animated feature about war. selective amnesia and the hideous genocide committed by Christian militiamen on Palestinian refugee camps in Sabra and Sliatila dttring the I982 Lebanese War is more optimistic than it sotittds. liliciting rare and painful truths. l-‘olman's illustrated memoir makes for a brave. damning and riveting piece of cinema. Cameo, ladinhurglt. War or The Buttons (PG) oo (John Roberts. l'K. 199-1) Colm Meaney. Gregg l‘itzgerald. John Coffey. 94min. 'l‘ltc rivalry between two villages in the south west ()f Ireland is played otit in childish skirmishes between local school children. but soon their battles escalate. Colin Welland‘s script oo/cs lrish charm and a love of childhood. btit the repetitive structure begins to wear thin. Cineworld Par/(head. Glasgow. Whisky Galore (PG) .0... (Alexander Mackendrick. l'K. I949) Basil Radford. Joan Greenwood. Jean Cadcll. 82min. Mticlt-lov ed Iialing comedy by the late Sandy Mackendrick. A ship carrying a cargo of whisky is shipwrecked off a Scottish island during wartime. so the locals decide it's time to quench their thirst. Full of wit and charm that others can only hope to emulate. Cameo. lidinhurgh.
The Wrestler ( )5) aces (Darren
Aronofsky'. LS. 2008) Mickey Rourke. Marisa 'l‘omei. livan Rachel Wood. 109mm. See preview. page ~14 arid review. page ~17. Glasgow I'ii/In Theatre: l'ilmhuuse. Iidinhurgh. Yes Man ( IDA) ooo (Peyton Reed. LS. 2008) Jim Currey. Zooey' Deschancl. Sasha Alexander. 104mm. linjoyable if totally inane comedy based on British writer Danny Wallace's book about a year spettt saying ‘yes‘ to everything. General release.