Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 20th, 2003
Synopsis
Catherine Keener and Emily Mortimer are the neurotic daughters inevitably produced bytheir neurotic mother Brenda Blethyn. Keener is trying (unsuccessfully) to sell her art (tiny chairsmade of twigs). Mortimer is a desperately insecure actor. Blethyn is about to undergo liposuction,which isn't going to help with the body image of her young, African-American adopted daughter.All the men these women are involved with are jerks, but Keener's life takes an unexpected turnwhen, ...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 20th, 2003
Synopsis
Keith Carradine plays an independent director who has come to Cannes, hoping to sell hismovie (to which he has devoted two years of his life). French Customs seizes the film and won'tlet him bring it into the country. He is helped out by Monica Vitti, wife of a powerful Italianproducer. Before long Carradine and Vitti are in each other's arms. While we are constantlyaware of Vitti's guilt and worry about cheating on her husband, all references to Carradine'sgirlfriend back ...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 17th, 2003
Synopsis
Following the death of a legendary folk music impresario, his son organizes a tribute concertwith the acts the father made famous. Through interviews and rehearsals, we see the groups (TheFolksmen, Mitch and Mickey, and The New Main Street Singers) prepare for the big show. Thecast is talented and funny, and the music is a well-nigh perfect pastiche. The creative team seemsa bit too close to the music, however, and so the comedy lacks the bite it could have. The wholeprotes...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on September 10th, 2003
Synopsis
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 7th, 2003
Synopsis
Parminder Nagra is at odds with her family, who want her to follow the traditional path foran Indian woman. She wants none of that, and dreams instead of becoming a professional soccerplayer. Kiera Knightley is already playing on a female team, but has her own familial issues, witha mother (Juiet Stevenson) who despairs of what she perceives as her daughter’s lack offemininity. Knightley sees Nagra playing soccer in a park, and recruits her for the team. Thoughthis i...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 6th, 2003
Synopsis
As a child, Nancy (Linda Blair, who played “Regan” in the original -- get it?) was possessedby the devil, but was saved by Father Leslie Nielsen. But now she has been repossessed, and thebattle begins anew. Repossessed adopts the approach of the Airplane andNaked Gun films, but has none of their skill. There are a couple of okay chuckles, butmost of this plays like a bad high school sketch show. Writer/director Bob Logan forgot thatwhat made Niel...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on August 27th, 2003
Synopsis
Steve Martin plays a tax lawyer who has let his job consume his life. This has already costhim his marriage, and might soon cost him his children. He engages in some chat room romance,but the woman he meets isn’t the blond lawyer he was expecting, but escaped con Queen Latifah,out to clear her name. She turns his life upside down, but all for the better, naturally. A good-natured, but hardly side-splitting comedy, with most of its big laughs given away in the trailer....
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on August 27th, 2003
Synopsis
Adam Sandler plays Dave Buznik, an introverted executive who internalizes all of his anger.His life spins out of control when, on a business flight, a simple request for headphones leadsto his being charged with assault. He is obliged to submit to anger management therapy, underthe direction of the deeply unorthodox Jack Nicholson, whose role in life seems to be to makeSandler as miserable as possible. The set-up is extremely promising, the two leads clearly havegrea...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on August 26th, 2003
It’s hard to imagine that it’s been 20 years since the Griswald family packed up the Family Truckster and stumbled their way halfway across the country to Wally World.Truth be told, I am not much of a Chevy Chase fan. I often find his buffoon act trying and old, but the Vacation films are a notable exception. With today’s political correctness it’s doubtful that the family dog would meet such a horribly funny end (Before you write to tell me how cruel I am, I own a Siberian husky who is loved no matter how much trouble she gets into).
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on August 25th, 2003
Synopsis
The time is the 60's. Renée Zellweger is Barbara Novak, freshly arrived in New York Citywith a barnstormer of a book about to be published. The book is Down With Love, and itturns into an instant bestseller, turning gender relations on their heads. Womanizing CatcherBlock (Ewan McGregor), hotshot writer at Know Magazine, is determined to bring downthe woman who has spoiled his skirt-chasing lifestyle. In disguise, he sets about seducing Novak.Neither ch...
