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Look Back in Anger (15) (Tony Richardson, UK, 1959) Richard Burton, Claire Bloom, Gary Raymond. 100min. Burton is the archetypal ‘angry young man’ in the film version of John Osbourne’s ground-breaking play. He storms his way through the dialogue, delivering blistering diatribes against the middle-classes and the world in general. Of course, much of it is dated now, but we can still tap into the passion. Part of Social Realism in British Cinema. Glasgow Film Theatre. Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (PG) ●●●●● (Eric Darnell, US, 2008) Voices of Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, Sacha Baron Cohen. 89min. Alex the lion (voiced by Stiller), Gloria the hippo (Smith), Melman the giraffe (Schwimmer) and Marty the zebra (Rock) are put on an flight back to their zoo home, only to crash land in Africa. The going native theme is expanded, with good-time fascist lemur (Cohen) getting the best lines and the penguins the best laughs. With clever riffs and unexpected poetry, this is a welcome prospect. Vue Omni, Edinburgh. Mamma Mia! (PG) ●●●●● (Phyllida Lloyd, UK/US, 2008) Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth. 108min. A bride-to-be tries to find out the identity of her real father in the lead up to her wedding on a Greek island. Faithful film adaptation of Broadway and West End ABBA song musical mega hit with all star cast. Empire, Clydebank. Mesrine: Killer Instinct (15) ●●●●● (Jean-François Richet, France, 2008) Vincent Cassel, Cécile De France, Gérard Depardieu. 113min. The early career and criminal gestation of France’s most notorious bank robber and gangster Jacques Mesrine circumscribed in the first of two films telling his remarkable story. Tracing a line from Mesrine’s disillusioning military service during the Algerian war to the beginning of his notoriety in 1972, the first instalment of this epic crime tale is derivative, energetic and hugely enjoyable. Selected release.
✽✽ Mesrine: Public Enemy Number One (15) ●●●●● (Jean-
Francois Richet, France, 2008) Vincent Cassel, Ludivine Sagnier, Mathieu Amalric. 133min. See review, page 30. Selected release.
✽✽ Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (15) ●●●●● (Paul Schrader, US, 1985) Ken Ogota, Kanji Sawada, Yasosuke Bando. 120min. Fascinating examination of the life and work of controversial Japanese writer, director and militarist Yukio Mishima. Stylised sequences from his novels are placed alongside documentary-style re- creation, with the action swept along by a powerful Philip Glass score. A masterpiece. Glasgow Film Theatre. Monsters vs Aliens 2D (PG) ●●●●● (Rob Letterman, US, 2009) Voices of Reese Witherspoon, Seth Rogen, Hugh Laurie. 94min. Can a self-doubting but individualist team of monsters overcome a mob of self- confident, mass-produced aliens? Eye- popping to watch, leavened with self- referential humour that makes it easy to digest, but also playing things so painstakingly safe that any resonance evaporates the moment the end credits roll. Selected release. Monty Python’s Life of Brian (15) ●●●●● (Terry Jones, UK, 1979) Graham Chapman, Terry Jones, John Cleese, Michael Palin, Eric Idle. 93min. The Gospel According to Monty Python offended a whole host of religious dominations upon its initial release, which rather obscured the fact that behind the controversy lay their most sustained humour to date. A host of very funny setpieces and smart cameos from all the team climaxes in a rather fetching musical crucifixion. Glasgow Film Theatre. Moon (15) ●●●●● (Duncan Jones, UK, 2008) Sam Rockwell, Kevin Spacey, Dominique McElligott. 97min. With this cleverly conceived, evenly paced and consistently intriguing old-school science fiction piece Jones eschews special effects and action-oriented clatter, instead delivering a cerebral adventure that’s as thought-provoking as it is thrilling.
Rockwell plays a mining engineer working for a corporation that’s found a new source of energy for the clapped-out planet Earth, but as he nears the end of his three-year contract, cabin fever begins to take hold. Cameo, Edinburgh. Night at the Museum 2 (PG) ●●●●● (Shawn Levy, US, 2009) Ben Stiller, Amy Adams, Owen Wilson. 104min. Silly but enjoyable sequel to 2006 comedy. Ben Stiller’s night watchman joins characters from the first film in a battle to save the Smithsonian museum. Selected release. Nighthawks (15) (Ron Peck, UK, 1978) Ken Robertson, Stuart Craig Turton, Rachel Nicholas James. 113min. The first British gay feature to deal unapologetically with homosexuality, Peck’s 1978 film centres on the life of a gay teacher living in London. Part of Glasgay! and London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival On Tour. Glasgow Film Theatre. Noah & the Whale: The First Days of Spring (15) (Charlie Fink, UK, 2009) 68min. Lo-fi London band Noah & the Whale present the accompanying film to their second album The First Days of Spring. This screening will be introduced by lead singer and director Fink and followed by a Q&A. Glasgow Film Theatre. The Omen (18) ●●●●● (Richard Donner, US, 1976) Gregory Peck, Lee Remick, David Warner. 111min. The young son of the American Ambassador to Britain and his wife turns out to be the Antichrist in this dated but effective and gory horror piece that was popular enough to spawn a succession of sequels. Jerry Goldsmith’s Oscar-winning score certainly helps the mood of unease. Cameo, Edinburgh. Once Upon a Time in The West (15) ●●●●● (Sergio Leone, US, 1968) Henry Fonda, Charles Bronson, Claudia Cardinale, Jason Robards. 165min. Probably Leone’s best film, this classic western details in operatic fashion the drive of crooked railroad magnate, Fonda, to cheat widow Cardinale out of her land, until lone stranger Bronson comes to town. Brilliant Morricone score, achingly slow pacing, and an enthusiastic use of the wide screen mark this out as an idiosyncratic gem. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Orphan (15) ●●●●● (Jaume Collet- Serra, US, 2009) Vera Farmiga, Peter Sarsgaard, Isabelle Fuhrman. 122min. Diverting evil child horror from House of Wax director Collet-Serra. Grieving parents Kate (Farmiga) and John (Sarsgaard) decide to adopt a child from a local orphanage and soon wish they hadn’t bothered. General release. Orphan (15) ●●●●● (Jaume Collet- Serra, US, 2009) Vera Farmiga, Peter Sarsgaard, Isabelle Fuhrman. 122min. Diverting evil child horror from House of Wax director Collet-Serra. Grieving parents Kate (Farmiga) and John (Sarsgaard) decide to adopt a child from a local orphanage and soon wish they hadn’t bothered. Cameo, Edinburgh. A Perfect Getaway (15) ●●●●● (David Twohy, US, 2009) Steve Zahn, Timothy Olyphant, Milla Jovovich. 97min. Honeymooners Cliff (Zahn) and Cydney (Jovovich) backpack to a remote beach in Hawaii where they come across a group of frightened hikers. Commendably pulpy and entertaining B movie horror with an able cast, tight script and sure handed direction. General release. The Proposal (12A) ●●●●● (Anne Fletcher, US, 2009) Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, Mary Steenburgen. 107min. Odd- couple comedy follow-up to 27 Dresses with a plot that blatantly reworks Peter Weir’s considerably superior Green Card. Bullock plays a bullish publisher who faces deportation to Canada. Her only route to remaining in her swanky job involves bullying her put-upon assistant Andrew (Reynolds) into a fake marriage. Soulless, manipulative fare. General release. La Regle Du Jeu (PG) (Jean Renoir, France, 1939) Marcel Dalio, Nora Gregor, Jean Renoir. 113min. A weekend shooting party for assorted bourgeoisie results in a welter of romantic intrigue and a hint of tragedy. Suppressed during the war because
Index Film
Orphan This recent and unfortunately overlooked horror offers plenty of dark thrills and genuinely creepy moments, and makes a nice addition to the ‘evil child’ subgenre. Perfectly paired with the ultimate diabolical kiddie movie The Omen (the classic 1976 Richard Donner original, not the far less effective 2006 remake) for a scary Sunday double bill. ■ Cameo, Edinburgh, Sun 30 Aug.
censors objected to its portrayal of French moral degeneration, Renoir’s celebrated comedy can now be seen as a triumph of bleak satire and fluid cinematic technique. Part of Jean Renoir season. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. School for Scoundrels (U) ●●●●● (Robert Hamer, UK, 1960) Ian Carmichael, Alastair Sim, Terry-Thomas. 97min. Cads, rotters and honourable chaps are the order of the day in this quintessentially English comedy based on Stephen Potter’s once in vogue self improvement books. Thomas was born to play the role of utter scoundrel Raymond Delauney. Part of Alastair Sim season. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Scottish Shorts (PG) (Various, UK) 50min. Programme includes Lynne Ramsay’s Gasman and Small Deaths, Margaret Tait’s A Portrait of Ga and Hugh MacDiarmid – A Portrait, and Norman McLaren’s Neighbours. Part of Festival of Spirituality and Peace. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Shank (18) ●●●●● (Simon Pearce, UK, 2009) Wayne Virgo, Tom Bott, Marc Laurent. 90min. Devoid of the usual coming of age trappings, this gritty film chronicles 18-year-old Cal (Virgo) and his struggles to come to terms with his sexuality. Part of Glasgay! and London Lesbian and Gay
Film Festival On Tour. Glasgow Film Theatre. Sherrybaby (15) ●●●●● (Laurie Collyer, US, 2007) Maggie Gyllenhaal, Brad William Henke, Sam Bottoms. 95min. ‘TV movie of the week’-style social drama about a white trash jailbird who tries to reclaim her old life and child on release. A powerful lead performance from Gyllenhaal makes it almost worth the ride. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Shorts (PG) ●●●●● (Robert Rodriguez, US, 2009) William H Macy, Jimmy Bennett, Jake Short. 88min. 11-year-old Toe Thompson (Bennett) gets hit on the head by a mysterious rainbow-coloured rock, and soon his neighbourhood is swarming with tiny spaceships, crocodile armies and much more. Slyly anti-corporate kiddie caper with an able cast and fun digital effects. General release.
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