At The Cinema: 2001

PLOT: Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) is entrusted by wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellan) to destroy the One Ring of power before the evil Dark Lord Sauron captures it and takes over the lands of Middle-Earth...
REVIEW: Rip-roaring adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's classic works of fantasy is escapist cinema at its best. Breathlessly condensing the first part of the trilogy into 3 hours, director Peter Jackson has fashioned a beautiful, colourful, poetic, artistic, action-packed, moving and thrilling epic that is easily the best fantasy film..., well, probably ever. Besides its great special effects and production values, it is well acted too. Must-see! 5/5

PLOT: A New Yorker (John Cusack) and a Brit (Kate Beckinsale) find love one Xmas, then seperate, leaving fate to decide if they should be reunited or not...
REVIEW: Pleasant, fluffy romantic comedy is a good date movie with ponderings about love, fate, relationships, etc. Cusack is as reliable as ever, Beckinsale less appealing; their lack of chemistry is a slight downer. Eugene Levy (American Pie) has a very funny cameo. 3/5

PLOT: A U.S. drug dealer (Samuel L. Jackson) comes to Liverpool to peddle his new pills, and hitches up with a small-time crook (Robert Carlyle) after he becomes targeted for assassination...
REVIEW: Foul-mouthed crime caper is an enjoyable action comedy thanks to the amiability of its two leads, and a couple of good action sequences. Lightweight and disposable. See it with yer mates. 3/5

PLOT: Dim-witted, ageing male model Derek Zoolander (Ben Stiller) tries to thwart an evil assassination conspiracy...
REVIEW: Dumb, unfunny comedy that tries hard to emulate the success of the Austin Powers franchise but fails badly, despite the best efforts of Stiller, who writes, stars and directs. An occasional good laugh, but nowhere near enough. 2/5

PLOT: Veteran CIA agent Robert Redford tries to diplomatically (or not) free his protege (Brad Pitt) from a Chinese prison...
REVIEW: Entertaining thriller with the always reliable Redford and Pitt giving good performances. Told partly in flashback as Redford remembers training Pitt in hotspots around the world over the last twenty years or so, director Tony Scott (Top Gun) delivers a slick, though slightly unbelievable tale of action/intrigue. 3/5

PLOT: Orphan Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) learns on his 11th birthday that he is descended from two great wizards, and that he is to become a pupil at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
REVIEW: Enjoyable, colourful adaptation of the first installment in the international literary phenomenon that is Harry Potter. A great cast (Robbie Coltrane, Richard Harris, Maggie Smith, Alan Rickman, John Cleese and many more) and decent special effects can't hide the fact that this is a by-the-numbers exercise, trying to cram as much of the book as possible into 2 and a half hours. As a result, the plot of the book tends to get sidelined. But the exciting finale makes up for it, and children will love it. 4/5

PLOT: Ghostly goings-on in the old mansion belonging to Grace (Nicole Kidman) and her two children in Jersey in the aftermath of World War Two...
REVIEW: Excellent old fashioned ghost story, concentrating on story and atmosphere, anchored by a simply fantastic performance from Kidman. As good as 'The Sixth Sense', if not better. 4/5

PLOT: Comedy set around nice-but-blonde Elle's (Reese Witherspoon) attempts to win back her Harvard law student boyfriend by enrolling at the same place...
REVIEW: Very enjoyable comedy reliant more on its performances (Witherspoon is excellent, supported by a good cast) than its 'Clueless' style script. Highly predictable but highly amusing all the same. 4/5

PLOT: Sequel to smash hit 'American Pie' reunites the entire gang one year on during their summer break after their first year at college...
REVIEW: Enjoyable follow-up to the 1999 hit that spawned countless recent imitations. The secret here is the good chemistry between the cast, thankfully still evident, and writers who know when not to take the gross-out gags too far. Good fun. 3/5

Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman are on top form in Baz Luhrmann's latest extravaganza, a reworking of the opera La Boheme set in Paris around 1900 at the Moulin Rouge nightclub. Visually and musically stunning, this is a musical with a difference. It mixes old songs with more modern hits - think of men in top hats and tails dancing to Kurt Cobain's Smells Like Teen Spirit! And that's the least bizarre thing you'll find. McGregor plays Christian, a penniless writer seeking inspiration in Paris, when he is accidentally roped into a theatre production in the nearby titular club. Mistaken for a duke who could finance the club, Christian falls instantly in love with Satine (Kidman) who has orders to seduce the duke. When the mistake is realised, 3/5

The classic 1968 sci-fi parable gets an updating and reworking under the guiding hands of Tim Burton (Batman, Edward Scissorhands, Sleepy Hollow) and the result is an entertaining mix of old and new. Retaining only the bare bones of the original setup (astronaut accidentally flung far into the future, crashlanding on a planet where the dominant species is the ape), new version stars Mark Wahlberg as astronaut Leo Davison in the year 2029, on a space station overseeing new ships being test-piloted by chimpanzees. When a powerful electrical cloud descends on the station, and his chimp and craft disappear, he goes after them, and also disappears. Swept through time and space in a matter of seconds, he crash lands on an unfamiliar planet where he quickly learns apes are in charge and men are the savages. The murderous General Thade (Tim Roth) wants to wipe out mankind once and for all, so when Leo starts to unite the tribes of men into an opposition, aided by renegade ape Helena Bonhma Carter, he quickly seeks to destroy them. This new version is not nearly as ground-breaking or thought-provoking as the original. However, the make-up is fantastic, the special effects excellent and there is a brand new cool twist ending, that is also, sadly, completely unintelligible! Still, enjoyable stuff that proves just how superb the original concept was. Well done to Burton for making a remake that is not entirely pointless. 3/5

Daft comedy adventure about the secret war being waged between man's most popular pets. However, this is not a cartoon, but a live action adventure like Babe, where the animals actually talk. Well, appear to talk anyway. Hollywood's favourite scientist Jeff Goldblum is at it again, this time developing a cure to allergies to dogs. This is unacceptable to the cats though, who for generations have been plotting to take over the world (one of the most amusing moments comes when the history of the war is shown as beginning in ancient Egypt where, contrary to human interpretaions of hieroglyphics, cats actually enslaved men). Unbeknown to humans, the dogs have secret technology that allows them to carry on their war with cats with hi-tech gadgets and spy organisations. Puppy Lou, who previously knew nothing of all this, has been given to Goldblum's family, and he must work with other dog agents to protect Goldblum and the formula he is working on from cat attacks. There are some good laughs here, especially from the villainous leader of the cats, but it can't disguise the fact that this is a one-joke movie that occasionally sags in places. Still, it's goodnatured fun. 3/5

Steve Coogan, creator of the now classic comedy character Alan Partridge, here tries to broaden his range by branching into cinema with this very amiable comedy. Coogan (who also co-wrote the script) plays Simon Garden, a probation officer who's not very good at his job. In fact, he's only sucessfully rehabilitated three criminals in his entire career. When he learns that a police officer at his station is involved in dodgy dealings with local criminals, one of whom he murdered, Garden is forced to keep quiet and leave or face the consequences. To clear his name, he must retrieve a CCTV tape that recorded the murder. However, that tape is locked in a seemingly impregnable bank vault. So he decides to recruit the three former convicts he rehabilitated into helping him steal it. Obviously not the most original plot (a sort of British spin on Mission: Impossible) but this nevertheless is a pretty good comedy, with Coogan giving a good performance that keeps things amusing and good support too from the other cast (including Stephen Dillane as the corrupt copper and East is East's Om Puri). Enjoyable stuff. 3/5

The sequel to the 1998 hit Rush Hour (natch), RH2 re-unites its winning pairing of motormouth Chris Tucker and chop-socky expert Jackie Chan for more of the same quickfire comedy and highly enjoyable action. When we last left them, Detectives Carter (Tucker) and Lee (Chan) were about to fly to Hong Kong. We rejoin them there, as Carter tries to enjoy his leave and Lee is out solving cases. When a bomb explosion rocks the U.S. embassy there, the bickering duo start to close in on the culprits, a chase that takes them from Hong Kong to Los Angeles and then Las Vegas, all the while beating up bad guys and getting beaten up by bad guys. How much you enjoy this movie will probably depend on how much you can take of Chris Tucker, who occasionally verges on being incredibly annoying. Nevertheless, there's good chemistry between the stars and some good action and good laughs along the way. The Rush Hour franchise looks like it could the new Lethal Weapon. Oh, and don't forget to sit through the credits at the end: there are some hilarious out-takes to watch out for. 3/5

John Travolta toplines a great cast in this enjoyably overblown thriller from director Dominic Sena (last year's Gone in 60 Seconds). Travolta is Gabriel, a leader of a gang of thieves who is aiming to recruit the best hackers in the world to steal billions of dollars from a government bank account. So he gets hold of Stan (Hugh Jackman), a former top hacker just released from prison and anxious to get custody of his daughter from his alcoholic, drug using wife, to hack into the highly protected account with the promise of $10million dollars for his trouble. However, as with all these things, there is more to Travolta's activities than he is letting on, involving a U.S. Senator who seems to be working with (or against) the FBI. The convoluted plot is not allowed to get in the way of the fast and frenetic action set pieces though, as streets are rocked by bomb explosions and all sorts of vehicles and buildings get trashed. Travolta is fine as the baddie who is not what he seems, Jackman confirms he is one of the coolest actors around after breaking out as Wolverine in last year's X-Men, and good support comes from Halle Berry as Travolta's mistress and Don Cheadle as the copper on their trail. 3/5

Far better than one might expect, JP3 is a very enjoyable entry in the dino franchise that started with Speilberg's 1993 classic. New episode sees the return of Sam Neill as Dr. Alan Grant, having been left out of the first sequel (1997's The Lost World) when Jeff Goldblum's Ian Malcolm character took centre stage. Grant continues to carry on his traditional dinosaur digs, but due to the extraordinary work at Jurassic Park, and the Site B island where dinosaurs have been allowed to continue their existence, funding has almost dried up for his work. However, big money is offered to him by couple William H Macy and Tea Leoni, who want a guided tour of the island from a plane as an unusual day out (!). Initially reluctant, but spurred on by his student Billy (Alessandro Nivola), Grant agrees. However, all is not what it seems - Macy and Leoni are just a divorced couple wanting to find their son who is stranded on Isla Sorna (Site B) after an ill-judged paragliding trip. When their own plane crashes, Grant must guide his fellow survivors off the island. From there, it's business as usual, as people get picked off one by one by the large, mean beasties. Unlike Tomb Raider, this film's story is entertainingly told, combining moments of armrest-gripping tension with moments of genuine wonder. It was all done far better in the original film, of course, but JP3 is still an enjoyable summer blockbuster, and Neill is fantastic as always. 3/5

Angelina Jolie leaps onto the screen as definitive cyber-babe Lara Croft in the adaptation of the highly popular computer game series. And although she does a great job as Ms Croft, the film is sadly rather lacklustre. Lara is of course the titular adventurer who would much rather be out there dodging ancient curses and recovering artefacts than fulfilling her aristocratic duties, much to the consternation of her butler (Red Dwarf's Chris Barrie (Rimmer)). The plot is something to do with an ancient stone that has the power to control time itself, which can be used only when the planets are in alignment, which of course is just about to happen. An ancient secret society, the Illuminati, wants this stone (which is broken into two halves at opposite ends of the planet) for its own sinister purposes. Lara gets involved at the request of her late father, Lord Croft (Jon Voight), who left instructions before he died that his daughter must stop the Illuminati from getting to the stones first. So off she jets to Cambodia and then Iceland, rescuing the pieces not only to stop the villains but also to try and use the power of the stones to see her dad again. Well, plot was never going to be important here. What was going to be absolutely crucial was the execution - and it is here the pic falls down. Director Simon West fails to create any real excitement or danger (a fatal error in an adpatation of a computer game), laiden down with a rather suspect script and wasting opportunities for great action. It also shows signs of having been hastily re-edited, lending a feeling of incoherency to proceedings. The result is a mildly entertaining film, but one which could and should have been so much more enjoyable. 2/5

The latest ground-breaking computer-generated animation to come along is also a hugely enjoyable one. Based on a children's book, Shrek, like the Toy Story movies, is a film that anyone can get a kick out of, with daft jokes for the young and satirical jibes (aimed mainly at Disney) for the more discerning cinema goer. Shrek, incidentally, is a huge green ogre (voiced by Mike Myers), living in the land of fairy tales, minding his own business, when all of a sudden every fairy tale creature under the sun is run out of the enchanted forest and onto his doorstep. Evil Prince Farquaard (John Lithgow) has evicted them all, you see: Snow White and her Dwarves, Little Red Riding Hood, Pinnochio, the 3 Little Pigs and the 3 Blind Mice - even the Gingerbread Man is being tortured in his castle. Shrek, quite annoyed at this intrusion into his loneliness, seeks out the Prince, who agrees to give back Shrek's land if he rescues the fair princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) for him. And so off he sets, with only a talking donkey (Eddie Murphy) for company. Not only is this a rollicking good adventure yarn, it is also a sweet natured romance that doesn't get icky, a fairy tale that isn't too childish, and a much needed poke in the eye for Disney. The visual gags as well as the witty script will keep you highly amused all the way through - highly recommended. 4/5

The werewolf movie makes a sublime but welcome return in this Canadian production that is easily as good as John Landis' An American Werewolf in London (1981). The story concerns two sisters on the brink of puberty, fed up with their mundane suburban existence and obsessed with death. Outsiders at school, the bonds between Ginger (Katharine Isabelle), the babe-to-be, and Brigitte (Emily Perkins) are stronger than any friendship - they have sworn to leave town by 16 or kill themselves. Amid reports of a strange animal killing pet dogs, the two girls seek revenge on a snotty classmate one night when Ginger is suddenly attacked by a werewolf, barely escaping with her life. When the wounds heal within hours, followed soon afterwards by hair growth in odd places and her sudden animalistic interest in the opposite sex, Brigitte's suspicions about her sister are aroused. It is this clever fusion of the insecurites of puberty and the gradual transformation of Ginger into the beast that makes this film more intelligent than most others of its ilk: the relationship between the two sisters is funny and touching, helping to make the thing damn scary at times. As the changes continue Brigitte and her new ally Sam (Kris Lemche), the local cannabis dealer and school gardener who ran the original werewolf over in his van, work to try and figure out how to stop Ginger from changing before it's too late for everyone. Witty, dark and bloody scary (with the emphasis on blood), Ginger Snaps is a great watch. 4/5

Essentially Ghostbusters with aliens instead of ghosts, director Ivan "Ghostbusters" Reitman revisits familiar territory in his latest special effects comedy. David Duchovny stars as Ira Kane, ex-government scientist turned school teacher who tags along with teaching buddy Harry Block (Orlando Jones) when the latter goes to investigate a meteor that fell near to the town the night before, 'discovered' by firefighter wannabe Wayne (Seann William Scott). It soon becomes apparent that the meteor carried something with it: an alien virus that is evolving at a fantastically accelerated rate. It's not long before lifeforms begin to emerge, at which point the army gets involved, assisted by boffin Allison (Julianne Moore). When the creatures start to rampage out of control, Allison joins Kane, Harry and Wayne to help stop the menace. Although it aspires to be a Ghostbusters for the millennium, it is never as entertaining, exciting or funny as that eighties' classic. That said, it remains an enjoyable, amusing affair, with plenty of goop to keep everyone happy. 3/5

Chris Rock stars in this mostly enjoyable comedy as a black stand-up comedian struggling to break into the bigtime in Brooklyn. Just when he's starting to get some new material together for the final show at the famous Apollo Theatre... he gets run over. D'oh! However, all is not lost. When he gets to heaven, the angels realise he has accidently been taken some forty years too soon, and so they offer him a deal: return to Earth in the body of someone who is about to shuffle off the mortal coil, and live out their life. He agrees to do so in the body of a rich white millionaire, because this greedy, nasty, overweight git has dealings with a girl he had his eye on in his original body. Thus the situation is set up for much hilarity... or so you might think. In truth, it's only sometimes funny, but it just about gets by thanks to the likeable performances of the stars and the occasionally hilarious line. However, it's also instantly forgettable and very lightweight. But hey, at least it's no 'Brady Bunch Movie'... 3/5

This film has come in for a lot of bad reviews and it is easy to see why: the makers of trashily fun films like Armageddon (1998) and Bad Boys (1995) tackling a serious historical event was always going to be treated with, at best, scepticism. Combined with excellent, stirring trailers, the letdown was inevitable. But of course, it isn't all that bad. It's the familiar 'Titanic' formula (major historical disaster forms backdrop to romantic triangle amid bank-busting special effects), but it just about works. Ben Affleck is Rafe McCawley - U.S. pilot, life-long best friends with Danny (Josh Hartnett), and boyfriend to forces nurse Evelyn (Kate Beckinsale). He volunteers to go to Britain as part of the U.S. Eagle squadron, because he feels it is his duty to save our limey asses or something, and after a while is reported missing, presumed dead. A distraught Evelyn and Danny are left to grieve in each others arms, which after a few months blossoms into romance. Rafe then returns alive and well. Oops. That's the first hour and a half, which then leads into the show stopping attack on Pearl Harbor itself: a well-executed, jaw-dropping dramatisation of the Japanese attack that finally got the Yanks into World War Two. Think Saving Private Ryan's opening D-Day re-enactment, only with more planes but less intensity. Clearly no expense was spared on the amazing special effects; together with the fantastic sound, this is a film that can only be seen at the cinema. After the attack, the love triangle thing comes to a head, together with the U.S. retaliatory raid on Tokyo. The script does occasionally suck, but for the most part it's an acceptable, if slightly cheesy romance story. Acting isn't really the film's strong point either: only Alec Baldwin's Colonel Doolittle makes any real impression. It would seem director Michael Bay is out of his depth when dealing with real people and real emotion. But taken for what it is, 'Pearl Harbor' is OK. Pity it cost so much money ($140million) to make an average movie though. 3/5

I do have to admit the first film, for all its faults, has become a firm video favourite of mine. Its mixture of myth and fantasy, romance and adventure, epic battles and narrow escapes has grown on me a lot since it was first released in 1999. OK, so the attempted humour failed miserably sometimes, and the script could have been better, and it ripped Indiana Jones off a lot - but where else can you go for old-fashioned adventure yarns about lost temples, ancient curses and dashing heroics with resorting to Lara Croft nonsense? And so I have anxiously awaited this sequel - and I wasn't disappointed. After a brief prologue detailing the curse placed upon the warrior known as the Scorpion King (WWF wrestler The Rock), story picks up nearly ten years on from the events of part one: Rick (Brendan Fraser) and Evy (Rachel Weisz) are married with a son, and are carrying out archeological work in Egypt. At the same time, followers of Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo) have recovered his remains and intend to revive him, not only to reunite him with his lover Anck-Su-Namun, but also to give him immortality by reviving the armies of the Scorpion King (which you can only do every 5000 years, apparently). They need a special bracelet to do that however - which Rick and Evie have taken back to London with them. From there, its business as usual - epic battles, narrow escapes, lost temples, curses, etc. The action (and there's a lot of it) is directed well by Stephen Sommers, writer-director of both films; he certainly pushes the story along at a break-neck pace, but the characters are fleshed out just enough for you to care about them. Of course it's not meant to be taken seriously, and again it lacks the true suspense and thrills of its inspirations (chiefly Indy Jones), but as entertaining boyish hokum, it's good fun. 3/5

This hugely likeable comedy comes from Australia, but don't let that put you off. Based on a true story, The Dish is set in a remote part of Australia in 1969, a few days before the Apollo 11 moon landing. Located there, in Parkes, is a huge satellite dish, contracted to do work for NASA on occasions. As Neil Armstrong and crew prepare to take-off on their historic journey, the mayor of the small town is contacted by Australia's prime minister, who in turn has just been told by President Nixon that Parkes has been selected by NASA to transmit communications from Apollo to Houston, and consequently to beam televison pictures of the lunar landing around the world. This enormous task falls to the four men who man the station, led by Cliff (Sam Neill). But are these smalltown people, unused to such pressure and international attention in their quiet little backwater, really up to the job? Especially when fate plops massive obstacles in their paths, like power cuts and high winds? The charm of this comedy lies in its carefully sketched characters, with everyone putting in good performances (especially Neill), and its wry sense of humour. If you're not rooting for the blokes to pull it off at the end, then you're not human. A lovely little film. 4/5

Based on the best selling book, CCM is a very good romantic wartime drama, that just stops short of being excellent. It is 1940, and the Greek island of Cephallonia is happy in its isolation from the rest of the world, but aware that Hitler's armies, in alliance with Mussolini's Italian forces, have designs on their part of the world. Pelagia (Penélope Cruz) is the loving daughter of seasoned village doctor Iannis (John Hurt), training to follow in her father's footsteps. She is engaged to Mandras (Christian Bale) a boisterous, handsome but naive young fisherman. He and the other local men volunteer to go abroad to fight the Italians on the mainland. When the Greek army loses, Italians are stationed through the Greek islands, at which point the titular Captain (Nicolas Cage) makes his first appearance. He immediately makes an impression on Pelagia, saluting her as his troops march past, and carrying a mandolin over his shoulder instead of a rifle. Corelli, it soon becomes apparent, is not your usual occupying forces commander: he is friendly to the locals, despite obvious initial tensions, and enjoys sharing the finer things in life, particularly playing the mandolin. Corelli and Pelagia start to develop feelings towards each other, but the war turns the island upside down when Italy surrenders to the Allies and German troops (having previously left the occupation mostly to the Italians) are forced to impose their own ruthless methods of rule. It's an oft-told tale of love set against the backdrop of war, but well told by director John Madden. Performances are all good: Cage's Italian accent has been criticsed a lot, but it's actually not too bad. He certainly makes for a good romantic lead. Cruz is very good as the local girl torn between her fiance and the man she feels she should hate, and of course Hurt is splendid value as always. Not too much on the musical side of things, despite what the title implies, yet some of the film's best moments are when Corelli strums away. However, the film just isn't as moving or exciting or dramatic as you feel it should be. All the ingredients are there: great cast, good director, good music, good script, great cinematography (though you can hardly go wrong with the stunning natural scenery they have there). So why isn't it brilliant? But never mind; it remains a good quality film, well worth seeing. 4/5

Morgan Freeman reprises his role of Dr. Alex Cross, first seen in 1997's 'Kiss the Girls', for this new enjoyable thriller. Forensic psychologist Cross is in a self-imposed retirement from work after blaming himself for the death of his colleague. However, several months later he is forced to return when a brilliantly executed kidnapping of a senator's daughter takes place, and Cross himself is invited by the mastermind to investigate. Wanting to ensure he is remembered among the great criminal geniuses by playing an intellectual game of cat-and-mouse with the estimable Dr. Cross, Soneji (Michael Wincott) swipes the girl from under the nose of Secret Service agent Jezzie Flannigan (Monica Potter). Jezzie, feeling guilty and seeing her career in ruins, wants to make amends, and so partners with Cross to try and follow the clues without falling into any traps. However, the game is about to get much more complicated... It might all sound a bit over-familiar, but this is still a well-executed thriller, with a great plot that twists and turns fast enough to banish any thoughts of boredom. Freeman can do this sort of thing in his sleep (best of all in 'Seven'), but his performance holds the film together superbly, lending class to a project that might otherwise be banal. Other turns are all very good. There might be one or two plot holes which stop it from being really good, but if you're looking for a thinking man's thriller before the summer no-brainer, popcorn-muncher blockbusters arrive, you've found it. 3/5

Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts star in this whimsical comedy thriller that, without ever being great, is still an enjoyable film. Pitt stars as Jerry, a small time guy involved with the mob, but who can never do a job right. To pay for his last mistake, he is asked to do one last job: retrieve a valuable (and supposedly cursed) antique pistol from Mexico, the titular Mexican, and deliver it to the boss. Samantha (Roberts), Jerry's girlfriend, is not happy at this, thinking the last job WAS the last job, and she takes off to Las Vegas as they had originally planned, while Pitt heads south to Mexico, fearing the wrath of the mob more than the wrath of Sam. Naturally, the retrieval of the Mexican does not go according to plan: when the pistol falls into the hands of some local crooks, Jerry is faced with certain death at the hands of his employers. Meanwhile, Sam gets taken hostage by a gay hitman (James Gandolfini) as insurance on behalf of the mob, and they are suddenly targeted by a mysterious second hitman. The double-crossing plot is well paced, a little too long perhaps, but very entertainingly told, augmented by a great score and photography. Pitt delivers a nice performance as the luckless Jerry, Roberts is OK as Samantha, and Gandolfini puts in an excellent supporting turn as Roberts' sensitive abductor. Slight, but enjoyable. 3/5

'The Hole' is a horror film with a difference: it's British. And it actually works quite well. Four students studying at a British public school try to evade a Geography field trip (and yet not have to go home) by hiding in a secret abandoned World War Two bunker that lies hidden in the school grounds. The plan is to party for three days and then emerge at the end of the weekend with no-one the wiser. It all goes pear-shaped though: three weeks later, Liz (Thora Birch) is the only one to come out alive. Her initial tale points the finger of blame at her supposed best friend Martin, who may or may not have locked them in. However, when Martin is arrested, his tale offers a different view of events. How did the other three students die, and who is telling the truth? In the film's favour is a decent story, a twisty-turny plot and some good work from director Nick Hamm (whose last film was romantic comedy Martha, Meet Frank, Daniel and Laurence), who gives us some creepy cinematography and the occasional chill. However, it does occasionally lapse into the unbelieveable, and one or two of the upper class accents are a tad overdone (or just plain annoying). Thankfully, it does not spoil the overall effectiveness of the film, and at least it is an attempt at a serious horror, rather than being yet another dumb American slasher. 3/5

A romantic comedy very much in the vein of 'Four Weddings and a Funeral' and 'Notting Hill', BJD, adapted from the best selling book, forms a Brit romcom trilogy with these two earlier efforts: all three were written (or co-written in this case) by writing god Richard Curtis, and all three star Hugh Grant. And this one is every bit as good its predecessors. Bridget Jones has become something of a generational icon, representing thirty-something single women everywhere, who want to find a 'nice man', lose weight, stop smoking and drinking, and basically find a happier life. The not-unattractive Renee Zellwegger stars as the heroine who starts to keep a diary chronicling a year in her life. She starts by meeting Mark Darcy (Colin Firth), an old childhood friend who seems nice at first, then comes across as rather aloof and haughty. Suddenly her boss Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant) starts to notice her at work, and before long he has whisked her off her feet and life finally seems wonderful for our Bridget. But appearances can deceive... The winning formula here is not only the very good script (using a story as old as the hills), but the acting from the three leads. Zellwegger makes the role of Bridget her own, making you sympathise and root for her all the way. Firth of course played Mr. Darcy in the 1995 TV adaptation of Pride & Prejudice, to winning effect, and in a clever bit of casting (the book based the character on Firth's interpretation of Mr. Darcy), plays Mark Darcy in a very similar way, to equal success. Hugh Grant is fanstastic, getting the biggest laughs as the effortlessly charming but bit-of-a-cad Daniel. Not having read the book, I don't know how faithful it is, but the film stands perfectly well all by itself for men and women alike. Great fun. 4/5

Based on the true story of the first black American navy diver, Men of Honor is an enjoyable but predictable addition to Hollywood's legion of "inspiring" true-life movies. Cuba Gooding Jr. stars as Carl Brashear, who is born into a poor farming family, but aspires to join the navy despite its extreme hostility to coloured recruits. Working firstly as a kitchen hand, he bends the rules to prove he is a powerful swimmer, and gets promoted, which in turn allows him to transfer to the diving school. There he encounters the rascist attitudes of the navy and its officers in all its force, principally from the training officer in charge, Master Diver Billy Sunday (Robert De Niro). The story follows Brashear's determined efforts to overcome the bullying and victimisation of the system in order to achieve the highest rank possible: Master Diver. However, he must also deal with a serious injury that threatens to cut short his career. It may sound fairly trite, but thanks to the polished production and the performances of the two stars, and despite the odd wince-inducing cliche, it is very enjoyable. 3/5

A World War Two film set in the Battle of Stalingrad when Hitler's Third Reich was at the peak of its power, EatG is an occasionally gripping, occasionally tedious affair, armed with an outstanding cast and impressive visuals, but not much else. Jude Law (making no attempt at a Russian accent) stars as a Russian peasant boy, pressganged into service by Stalin along with millions of other countrymen to defend their nation against Nazi Germany's invasion of the capital. One of the few who isn't killed upon entering the battle that rages in the bombed out ruins of the city, he survives alone, relying on his skills as an excellent shot. He is noticed by Joseph Fiennes' propaganda officer, who seeks to make a hero out of him to rebuild morale amongst the troops, and to further his career under the eye of Krushchev (a suprisingly good Bob Hoskins). The two become friends as Law's success as a sniper furthers his heroic status. Things take a downward turn however when Germany sends out their best sniper (Ed Harris) to remove Law's thorn in Hitler's side, and a battle of wits ensues between these two. A wedge is also driven between Fiennes and Law in the shape of Rachel Weisz, a local girl helping the war effort, but who wins the hearts of both men. The scene is set for a thrilling and moving war film, but it strangely isn't. There are some very good scenes, particularly those that depict the personal battle between the two snipers as they wage their silent campaigns. But these are too few and far between: the romance story is mostly ineffective, while Law fails to create a hero to root for. Not bad, but could have been so much more. 3/5

A very good dramatic retelling of the Cuban missile crisis, focusing on the political manoeuvres of the Kennedy administration, Thirteen Days is the movie that reminds one that Kevin Costner is actually a decent actor. He plays Kenny O'Donnell, a presidential aide through whose eyes we see events unfold. Beginning with the spy plane photos that captured evidence of the Russians arming Cuba with nuclear warheads, that would end the stalemate the Cold War had reached, the film explores the moral and political dilemmas that faced the young John F. Kennedy. Faced with giving in to his aggressive military advisors and start the countdown to armageddon, or be accused of appeasement and allow the Russians to gain an unassailable upperhand in the Cold War, the film shows the delicate path trodden by JFK (played by Bruce Greenwood), and his brother Bobby (Steven Culp). To the film's credit, he is not shown as the hero many make him out to be; the decisions he makes are once or twice quite clearly shown to be wrong. The script is an intelligent one and all of the cast give excellent performances, with none allowed to hog the limelight or to dominate proceedings, not even Costner. The solid, unshowy direction of Roger Donaldson allows the tension to build up unforced, resulting in a very involving film. 4/5

Sandra Bullock stars as an FBI agent going undercover in a beauty pageant in this amiable comedy that represents a return to form for her after a couple of years in the doldrums. Gracie Hart (Bullock) is the most unfeminine female ever: taking no pride in her manners or appearance, she would much rather work than go on a date. So it is with great reluctance that she is forced, as the Bureau's only available appropriately aged female agent, to go undercover to a Miss America beauty contest in order to foil a terrorist's plot to plant a bomb there, much to the amusement of her work colleagues, especially womaniser Eric (Benjamin Bratt, aka Mr Julia Roberts). With only two days until the pageant, fashion consultant Victor (a rather camp Michael Caine) is called in to makeover Gracie and refine her manners and talent routines so that she can progress to the finals, in order to stop the mystery bomber. But who is the villain? And can Gracie make it to the final? The comedy is amusing, occasionally laugh-out-loud, as we follow Gracie's futile attempts to become glamorous, all the while berating the stupidity of these type of contests and longing for a pizza and beer. Michael Caine and William Shatner both turn in amusing performances that help things along, while Bullock herself is on safe ground and game for anything. Enjoyable but forgettable. 3/5

Adapted from Joanne Harris' best selling novel, and directed by Lasse 'Cider House Rules' Hallstrom, 'Chocolat' is a very satisfying fable set in rural France in 1959. Tale begins with the arrival of a cold north wind in the village of Lansquenet, bringing with it (a la Mary Poppins) Vianne Rocher (the rather gorgeous Juliette Binoche), an unmarried mother of one daughter who sets up a chocolate shop on the eve of Lent. Unchanged for centuries, and maintaining strong Christian traditions overseen by the mayor and self-appointed moral guardian, the Comte de Reynaud (Alfred Molina), the village is initially wary of their newest inhabitant and her oh-so-tempting goods and brightly coloured shop. It doesn't take long for Vianne's wares and warmth to start percolating through the town, however. Miserable-looking Armande (Judi Dench), sceptical as the rest to begin with, soon becomes her first regular customer, to the horror of her estranged daughter (Carrie-Anne Moss). A sexually dead marriage is re-awakened, an old codger is given the courage to woo an old bird he has fancied for ages, and a battered wife rebels against her no-good husband. But will Vianne find happiness of her own in the form of river-rat Johnny Depp? OK, a stranger's arrival in a town causing changes for the better has happened before, but this is a delightful, heart-warming confection all the same, with charming performances all round. Guaranteed to make you leave with a smile on your face. 4/5

Russell Crowe and Meg Ryan, the talk of the tabloids last year during the filming of this hostage drama, fail to reproduce on screen any chemistry they might have had off it, though fortunately the film just about scrapes by regardless. Crowe plays former SAS soldier turned freelance hostage negotiator Terry Thorne, who gets called in when Peter Bowman (David Morse), an engineer in an obscure South American country building a bridge to support an oil company's new pipeline, is kidnapped. After initially meeting up with his wife Alice (Ryan) to explain the usual procedures, Thorne is forced to take the case on by himself when his company pulls out of the case. As the negotiations with the abductors slowly inch forward, Terry and Alice find themselves increasingly attracted to each other. Peter meanwhile, after being trekked around the continent, starts to go about breaking free. Despite the lack of chemistry, which damages the film a fair bit, both the leads put in appealing performances, while the final act, featuring Crowe and a team of allies breaking into the terrorist camp to forcibly retrieve hostages, is excitingly staged. And if you still feel you haven't had your money's worth, there's some stunning photography of Latin American locations over the closing credits! 3/5

'The Sixth Sense' meets 'What Lies Beneath' in this vaguely supernatural suspense yarn set in the deep South of America. Cate Blanchett (Elizabeth) plays Annie, a widowed mother of three who does an eerie line in premonitions - the titular gift. Locals pay good money to get their fortunes read by her, including one (Hilary Swank) who is getting beaten up by her violent redneck husband (a suprisingly convincing Keanu Reeves). When a girl (Katie Holmes) engaged to the local headmaster (Greg Kinnear) is suddenly found dead, the finger of suspicion is pointed at Reeves - but what does Annie's gift say about all this? Directed by Sam Raimi ('A Simple Plan'), this is a well played, thoughtful and occasionally spooky tale that, while not as edge-of-the-seat scary as 'What Lies Beneath' or even 'Sixth Sense', does keep you entertained and intrigued through to its climax. Blanchett puts in a very strong performance that anchors the picture emotionally, while the rest of the ensemble cast are all very effective. 3/5

Although very similar in theme to his earlier 'Good Will Hunting', director Gus Van Sant has nevertheless concocted a more pleasing take on the boy-genius-tutored-by-gruff-old-goat story. In the earlier film, Matt Damon and Robin Williams played the roles; here newcomer Rob Brown (in an excellent debut) and Sean Connery take the leads. Connery plays William Forrester, an author who wrote one novel in the 1950s, had it hailed as a modern classic by critics, and never published another again. Living a reclusive life in a shabby flat in Harlem, he spends his days spying on kids playing basketball or cleaning his windows. That is, until Jamal (Brown) turns up in his flat, on a dare from his friends to steal something, and accidentally leaves his schoolwork behind in his haste to get out. Forrester returns his rucksack the next day, having marked Jamal's work as excellent. Jamal posts terrific test results at school you see, despite his reluctance to be acknowledged because of what his friends might say. When Jamal twigs who he has met, he agrees to keep mum, on the condition that Forrester tutors him further. Thus begins the tale of a mutually benficial relationship, uneasy at first, but later blossoming into friendship. A little predictable perhaps, but it is very well told and engagingly played by both leads: indeed, Connery has rarely been better. 4/5

Anthony Hopkins returns to the role that launched him to Oscar glory and stardom in 'Hannibal', the sequel to 'Silence of the Lambs'. Opening to record-breaking ticket sales around the world, audiences have certainly been eager to see more of Hannibal 'the Cannibal' Lecter after his menacing 28 minutes in 1991's SOTL. It's fair to say that many of them will be disappointed with director Ridley Scott's (Gladiator) follow-up, which although quite wisely avoids being a retread of the original, is lacking in scares and thrills to the point that it cannot be classed as a thriller. Instead, it is more of a suspense drama, that sees Lecter ten years on from the events of SOTL living in Florence, Italy, under an assumed name, enjoying the finer things in life and employed as a museum guide. What draws him out of this quiet existence is an Italian cop who recognises and tries to snare Lecter, with the hope of claiming a million dollar reward put on his head by Lecter's only surviving victim, Mason Verger (Gary Oldman). Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster in the original, now played by Julianne Moore) in the meantime gets reassigned to the Lecter case, eventually being used as bait to draw Hannibal into a trap. What this lacks in tension and plot twists it almost makes up for with intrigue and atmosphere, as the reunion between Lecter and Starling creeps closer. Yet this does not compensate for the fact that Lecter is simply not as menacing here as he was in his cages in SOTL. The story also meanders a fair bit, resulting in a loss of suspense generated (mostly in a couple of very good scenes with Hannibal in Italy). Never mind; Hopkins is on excellent form, as usual, while Moore is a good replacement for Foster, and the film remains an entertaining and involving sequel. 3/5

Mel Gibson is on winning form in a rare romantic comedy outing, 'WWW', a very enjoyable piece of whimsy about a chauvinistic "man's man" forced to see life from a female perspective to mend his ways. Gibson plays Nick Marshall, an advertising executive, expecting to be promoted to an ultra-high position, only to be beaten out by a woman: Darcy McGuire (Helen Hunt). Asked to come up with marketing ideas for women's products (the booming market) in one evening, he ends up electrocuting himself (don't ask). He wakes up the next day to find he can hear precisely what women near to him are thinking. Initially, this scares him witless, but after chatting with psychiatrist Bette Midler (in a brief cameo) he realises the potential of this miracle, and he's soon stealing ideas from the opposite sex to further his career (and his libido). However, complications arise when he starts to fall for Darcy. Although the film begins to lose its comic touch towards the end, this nevertheless remains a pleasingly old-fashioned laffer that never forgets its raison d'etre: Mel. Thanks to his star charm and game-for-anything attitude (even being dressed up in tights and a bra), Gibson proves he should do this comedy thing more often. 4/5

Tipped as the main Oscar candidate this year (against Gladiator), Traffic emerges as a thought-provoking drama that chronicles the no-win battle against drug addiction and the drugs trade. Director Steven Soderbergh (last in cinemas with Erin Brockovich, another Oscar candidate) surpasses that film with ease in terms of story-telling verve and skill to deliver a realistic look at how governmental drugs policy is brought about and carried out, and ultimately how effective it is. Three separate story strands make up this tale: one follows Mexican cop Benicio Del Toro and his struggle to stem the flow of drugs across the US border against cartels and corrupt officials. The second concerns Michael Douglas, who, as US Drug Czar, is responsible for government policy. Only thing is, his daughter has become an addict. The last strand features Catherine Zeta-Jones as a wife of a businessman who is on trial for drug smuggling. She is forced to compromise her views in order to extricate herself from the mess she finds she has been left in. Each of the three stories is filmed in different ways: the Mexico story is told in burnt yellows, the Douglas story is in cold blues and the Zeta-Jones tale in warmer peach colours. The film offers no magic solutions or sentimental victories. It simply tells it as it is; a struggle where the battle lines are not easily visible. As Douglas' character remarks at one point: "How do you wage war on your own family?" The acting is all of a high calibre, especially Del Toro, and though it is a long-ish film, Soderbergh's to-the-point, stylish direction ensures you never get restless. 5/5

Cameron Crowe, director of 1996's 'Jerry Maguire', returns at last to deliver another highly entertaining film. An affectionate semi-autobiographical account of his youth spent working as a journalist for Rolling Stone magazine during the 1970s (touring with Led Zeppelin), 'Almost' follows William Miller (Crowe's alias here) as he grows up listening to rock music from records given to him by his big sister, who leaves home because of their over-protective mother (Frances McDormand). Writing for the school magazine, William (newcomer Patrick Fugit) manages to firstly get a job on a magazine with music critic Lester (Philip Seymour Hoffman), who becomes his mentor, and then on Rolling Stone, who do not realise he is only 15. His assignment is to cover up-and-coming band Stillwater on tour, as their fame slowly grows. It is 1973, and William is suddenly thrust into the world of sex, drugs and rock'n'roll. The band are having a wild time, none more so than lead singer Russell Hammond (Billy Crudup), who is having an on-off relationship with groupie Penny Lane (Kate Hudson, daughter of Goldie Hawn). William meanwhile, inbetween reassuring his mother that he is staying off drugs and falling in love with Penny, is having real difficulty in actually getting the band to let him interview them. Filled with music and references to bands of the time, 'Almost Famous' is a very well-acted, funny, poignant coming-of-age tale that is vastly enjoyable. 4/5

In 1922, German director F.W. Murnau made the first attempt to film Bram Stoker's Dracula, without the permission of Stoker's estate. The result was 'Nosferatu', universally regarded as a landmark movie. Although silent and inevitably dated, it still stands up well today, thanks to some eerie camerawork and inventive direction. The story is pretty much the familiar Dracula tale, but the names changed a little: for instance, Count Dracula became Count Orlock, played by Max Schreck. That's the background to 'Shadow of the Vampire', a wonderful blend of fact and fiction that tells the tale of the making of 'Nosferatu'. It purports that Schreck (a superb Willem Dafoe) was in fact a real vampire, employed by Murnau (John Malkovich), a bit of an eccentric, to bring a palpable feel of terror to his film. Even his cast and crew (among them Eddie Izzard, Cary Elwes and Catherine McCormack) are not let in on the secret, until mysterious incidents on the set and Schreck's obsessive efforts to stay in character during filming lead them to suspect something is not quite right... The performances of all are great (including Izzard), and the film provides a interesting insight into how films were made back then. Except the vampire bit of course. Humorous, eerie and very entertaining. 4/5

Anchored by a strong central performance from Tom Hanks, 'Cast Away' is Robert Zemeckis' second film in three months to arrive on these shores ('What Lies Beneath' opened in October last year) but is no less welcome for it. This is a thoroughly absorbing tale of a man totally reliant on clocks and modern day gadgets to carry out his job who is suddenly forced to re-learn how to live with practically nothing. A Fed-Ex employee, Chuck Noland (Tom Hanks) is suddenly required to make a delivery to Russia over the Christmas period, but promises his girlfriend/almost-fiancee Kelly (Helen Hunt) that he'll be back for New Year. However, in a pretty scary sequence, his plane is forced to ditch in the middle of the Pacific Ocean during a violent storm, but he somehow manages to stay alive until he wakes up on a very small uninhabited island the next day. After initially waiting for a rescue, Chuck slowly starts to fend for himself in order to survive. But the struggle for survival is a long hard road. The majority of the film is taken up with observing Chuck's struggle to solve problems such as food, clothing and even loneliness. Wisely, Zemeckis chooses to keep the audience with him instead of cutting away to search and rescue efforts. There is only a little dialogue, and no music, enhancing the atmosphere of the film enormously. And Hanks is on top form as the average Joe who chooses to keep on trying despite the odds stacked against him. A long film, but a good one. 4/5

Bruce Willis re-unites with 'Sixth Sense' director M. Night Shyamalan and 'Die Hard With a Vengeance'/'Pulp Fiction' co-star Samuel L. Jackson for this slow-burning thriller with supernatural overtones. Willis is David Dunn, a security officer whose marriage is falling apart and is looking for a job away from his family. His train ride home is tragically involved in an accident however, out of which he alone survives, miraculously unharmed. This grabs the attention of one Elijah Price (Jackson), comic-book fanatic and sufferer of a brittle bone disease, who offers a bizarre explanation for Dunn's mysterious survival. Unlike 'Sixth Sense', which used the familiar trappings of a ghost story to tell its tale, I had absolutely no idea where 'Unbreakable' was taking me, right up to the final scene. This is a curious film, using the world of comic books as its backdrop to spin a yarn that would probably not have worked in anyone else's hands. Indeed, the thought that this was an incredibly silly movie did occur once or twice. As it is, Shyamalan directs his own script with great skill, creating another unsettling atmosphere, and he is helped enormously by his two leads: Willis is as good as he can be, but Jackson in particular is excellent. 4/5

An astonishing film to look at, Ang Lee (Sense & Sensibility, The Ice Storm)'s historical Chinese epic is a wondrous, romantic, thrilling fable that already has much Oscar talk surrounding it. Set in Western China, but taking in fantastic locations elsewhere, the story concerns Yu Shu Lien (Michelle Yeoh - Tomorrow Never Dies) and Li Mu Bai (Chow Yun-Fat), both members of an ancient group of warriors who can perform amazing feats of physical agility as part of their training: running up walls and jumping over entire houses are at the lower end of their range. The unspoken love between the two friends takes a backseat to the theft of Li's powerful sword, leading to a search for the thief, further complicated by the mysterious appearance of an assassin. A second romance is slowly unveiled as a result, and the story strands begin to come together as the fate of these two very different romances become intertwined. There are gripping swordfights, kidnaps, princesses, deserts, mountains, forests, potions, true love and death. But it is all told with real heart - what more could you want? Michelle Yeoh is a revelation by the way - a former Bond girl with real acting talent? Believe it. If you want your breath taken away, look no further. 4/5