Change Your Image
benwalsh29
Reviews
Holy Smoke (1999)
It's impossible to take seriously an organisation that makes Braveheart best picture
It's impossible to take seriously an organisation that makes Braveheart best picture (in any shape or form) or passes over Goodfellas for Driving Miss Daisy (recently consigned to an afternoon slot on Channel 5). However, it never ceases to amaze me how the Oscar committee (the shadowy academy) consistently overlook the best performances every darn year. Kate Winslet is astonishing in this otherwise quite ordinary film from auteur Jane Campion. While Keitel does his obligatory grimacing and Winslet's accent and performance are faultless. "arse shot", Winslet is luminous as Ruth, an Australian who has found comfort in an Indian guru, Baba. Her dysfunctional urban family (a little too many stereotypes here) hire American Exit Counsellor PJ Waters (Keitel) to free their little girl from the clutches of Baba and "deprogram" her back to "normal". However, poor PJ faces deprogramming himself as he falls helplessly for his avenging angel. Stunning turn.
Purely Belter (2000)
Like Herman's previous features, Purely Belter is laced with bittersweet comedy
"You take after your granddad. No words, just dribble and puke." A grandmother tells her teenage daughter's baby "Shearer". Mark Herman's follow-up to his excellent Brassed Off and Little Voice, is a gritty slice of contemporary Geordie life. This Four Film production introduces newcomers Chris Beattie (looks like a miniature Shearer) as Gerry and Greg McLane as unemployed Sewell. They're on a seemingly impossible mission to raise the £1000 for season tickets to see their beloved Newcastle United. While they think up increasingly outlandish money-making schemes - from selling household junk to shoplifting and the odd bit of housebreaking - real life begins to inferere. Gerry's violent and alcoholic father (Tim Healy of Auf Wiedersehn fame putting in a memorable 'orrible performance) forces his way back into his family's life. Like Herman's previous features, Purely Belter is laced with bittersweet comedy and some stunning dialogue ("No Alan [Shearer], not Celine f***ing Dion"), but it somehow lacks the emotional cohesion.
Some Voices (2000)
A disturbing and rewarding film, but don't expect any belly laughs or easy answers.
Some Voices centres on Ray (Craig) and his release from a psychiatric hospital. His rehabilation starts fairly well, with Ray working for his protective brother Pete (Morrissey) in a restaurant. However, when Ray falls head over heels in love with Laura (McDonald), a wild Scottish girl, and stops taking his medication, matters spiral out of control. Directorial debutant Simon Cellan Jones has effectively captured the colour (mostly grimy) and energy of Shepherds Bush. However, this is an actors piece and as such Craig and McDonald shine. Especially, McDonald who brings a natural warmth to a difficult role. Ultimately, both a disturbing and rewarding film, but don't expect any belly laughs or easy answers.
Maybe Baby (2000)
"I'm doing Shakespeare for the distant learning program," wimpers weedy Lucy (Joely).
"I'm doing Shakespeare for the distant learning program," wimpers weedy Lucy (Joely). The first fifteen minutes of this luvvies love-in could easily be mistaken for an Open University lecture. Or worse BBC Choice. Which is appropriate given that Ben Elton's first directorial effort was funded by the esteemed Beeb. Based on Elton's own experiences of IVF treatment, Maybe Baby is an overlong romantic comedy, with very little charm. Sam (Lawrie) and Lucy long for a baby, but poor Hugh is firing blanks. So, they turn to the test tube. Oh and poor Hugh is impotent in the writing department too. Until, that is, he steals Lucy's thoughts from her diary to use for a script. Bored yet
Gone in Sixty Seconds (2000)
A couple of eight-year-olds in any playground across the world could have thought up this plot
Jerry Bruckheimer films purport to be full of bombast, crunching violence and big shooters (see The Rock, Con Air), but in actual fact they are the most comforting pictures you could ever find. No surprises, an obligatory rogue hero (invariably Nicolas Cage) and comic-book violence that reeks of the A Team with knobs on. A couple of eight-year-olds in any playground across the world could have thought up this plot - which of course is always Bruckheimer's point. Master car thief Cage needs to steal fifty smart cars in the space of 24 hours to save his hapless brother from certain death at the hands of the statutory dastardly Brit (in this case Christopher Eccleston, doing a very poor job on the psycho front). So, he goes and enrols the services of some motley thieves, including Duvall (he is EXACLTLY how you'd imagine. Ever seen the execrable Days of Thunder?), Jolie (blonde, big lips, no discernible character) and Vinnie Jones. Yes, the Welsh midfield maestro who stole Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, steals the show here too. As a mute. No brain fare, which is always watchable.
Magnolia (1999)
"How To Fake Like Your Nice and Caring," preaches Frank Mackey (Cruise), television guru of female seduction.
"How To Fake Like Your Nice and Caring," preaches Frank Mackey (Cruise), television guru of female seduction. Director Paul Thomas Anderson's (Boogie Nights) mammoth film (200 minutes long) illicits the very best out of his sprawling entourage (12 main characters). Cruise has simply never been better, mocking his narcisstic image mercilessly. The terrifically ambitious Magnolia presents us with a microcosm of American society through nine intertwined stories that each take place on one clement day in Southern California, during which all manner of torrents are unleashed. Obviously, much like Robert Altman's Short Cuts, with so many tales, some characters will grab your attention more than others. An astonishing turn from Stanley Spector as a child genius turned quiz show star stands-out. As does Anderson favourite John C. Reilly as a bumbling LAPD officer. Ultimately, Magnolia is patently too long, but because of its staggering invention it must be forgiven.
Keeping the Faith (2000)
Age-old love triangle
Keeping The Faith is an-old fashioned yarn involving Stiller (There's Something About Mary) and Norton (Fight Club) as two men in love with the same girl. The twist in this age-old love triangle being that the participants are a priest (Norton), a rabbi (Stiller) and a dynamic executive (Jenna Elfman). Occasionally charming and sometimes rather amusing, Ed Norton's first directional effort never really rises above the average Woody Allen film. However, Keeping The Faith should score well in video stores. Ultimately, a pleasant diversion.
Hanging Up (2000)
Take Diane Keaton out of a Woody Allen film and you get this schmaltzy goo
Take Diane Keaton out of a Woody Allen film and you get The First Wives' Club, Baby Boom and, arguably, worst of all this schmaltzy goo. Keaton directs this tale of three sisters, who spend most of their time communicating on the blower. Pretty dull premise. However, Hanging Up's one saving grace is the jowlly-legend Walter Matthau. Never anything less than memorable, Matthau puts in the only remotely effective performance as a deranged old man who is admitted to hospital. His daughter Eve (Ryan) obsesses over the malcontent's every move and tiresomely plays the good egg. Her sisters Maddy (irritating Kudrow playing a soap opera actress) and Georgia (Keaton doing Tina Brown) are self-obsessed, but of course, (cue sick bag), they come good in the end. Hang everyone (bar Walter) involved with this drivel.
High Fidelity (2000)
Ultimately, there are no complaints about this extremely likeable and watchable comedy romance
The locale has shifted from North London to Chicago, but the same writing team that gave us the sublime Grosse Pointe Blank have cleverly captured the essence of Hornby's book. Cusack plays Rob Gordon, an indolent record store owner who works with two enormous muso-bores (played with perfect cringe-worthiness by Louiso and Black) and has just split from his sensible laywer girlfriend Laura (Danish-born Hjejle, whose American accent is little too stern). Gordon greets us (to camera - which remarkably works) with the words "What came first music or misery?" and then proceeds to run through his "top five breakups of all time". Using flashback (another technique that rarely works) to good effect, we are treated to a couple of memorable cameos from Catherine Zeta Jones and Lili Taylor (both making up for their appearances in The Haunting). Ultimately, there are no complaints about this extremely likeable and watchable comedy romance, which is also that very rare beast - laugh-out-loud funny.
The Ninth Gate (1999)
Never in the slightest bit scary, The Ninth Gate even veers into Allo Allo farce.
"Some books are dangerous, not to be opened with impunity," utters yet another creepy character in Roman's Polanski's ponderous film adaptation of Arturo Perez-Reverte's novel The Club Dumas. The "great director" himself describes The Ninth Gate as a "cross between Chinatown and Rosemary's Baby." However, this devilish concoction never comes close to matching either of his previous masterpieces. Depp plays Dean Corso, a young book dealer whose pursuit of two demonic texts lands him a satan-worshipping quagmire. Depp sleepwalks (at one point his character actually falls to sleep - is that the audiences' cue as well?) through this, but still miraculously keeps his screen presence. Never in the slightest bit scary, The Ninth Gate even veers into Allo Allo farce - thanks to the performance of Polanski's other half Emmanuelle Siegner ("I like books, do you?"). Ultimately, this is far too plodding to be thrilling, but probably owing to Polanski's direction it still holds an odd fascination. Peculiar.