Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on May 25th, 2004
Synopsis
In 1893, scientist Peter Cushing returns home with a remarkable find: a giant skeleton, whichturns out to belong to a being that was the very incarnation of evil. Where water touches thebones, flesh regenerates, and Cushing isolates the blood cells that contain evil. Obsessed withprotecting his daughter from the insanity that destroyed his wife, he attempts to inoculate her.His experiment goes horribly wrong, and also attracts the attention of half-brother and scientificriv...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on May 21st, 2004
Synopsis
Directed by Nick Broomfield and Joan Churchill, this is the follow up to Broomfield’sAileen Wuornos: The Selling of a Serial Killer. This summarizes some of what was dugup in that film, particularly the sleazy attempts by all and sundry to capitalize on theirconnections to Wuornos and her case, and the corruption of justice that ensued. The newnarrative picks up with Wuornos’ final appeal against the death penalty (which fails), and theninterviews her (and the people...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on May 14th, 2004
Synopsis
Charlize Theron doesn’t play Aileen Wuornos, she incarnates her. At the end of hertether, highway prostitute Aileen meets 18-year-old Selby (Christina Ricci) when she accidentlywalks into a lesbian bar. They click, and suddenly, Aileen has a reason to live. She tries to turnher life around, but with the implacability of Greek tragedy, her attempts end in failure and shereturns to turning tricks. One date goes turns ghastly, and she kills the brutal john in self-defense...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on May 7th, 2004
Synopsis
Samula Le Bihan is an ex-con trying to go straight. He and his partner are trying to have anormal life, and trying to have a child. Unfortunately, the old life won’t let go. His youngerbrother is a hot-head looking to make his mark in the organized crime scene, and his best friend(Samy Naceri), the local gang leader, is a little bit TOO attached to him, and is determined to pullhim back into the life.
The scene is very gritty, and the dialogue is extremely naturalis...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on May 3rd, 2004
Synopsis
Structured around 11 “life lessons” learned by former Secretary of Defense Robert S.McNamara, Errol Morris’ documentary takes us through McNamara’s life and concentrates onhis role in the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Vietnam War. Extensive war footage is intercut withMcNamara’s direct address to the camera, while off-screen we occasionally here Morris askquestions. Still incredibly vigorous and forceful in his 80s, McNamara is a compelling speaker.His descriptions of just h...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on May 1st, 2004
Synopsis
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on April 20th, 2004
What would prep school be like on December 7th, 1941? For those of you not historically savvy, 7/41 was the day of Pearl Harbor. December is about 5 prep school boys coming to terms with the patriotic and moral issues involved with the Pearl Harbor attack. I suppose the movie is timely in the sense that, ever since 9/11, people are still wrestling with the same questions. Unfortunately, the wrestling in this movie is more like tai chi.
Wil Wheaton (better known as Wesley Crusher Star Trek) is t...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on April 15th, 2004
Synopsis
Billy Crudup learns that father Albert Finney is dying, and returns home. He has feltalienated from his father because of the latter’s never-ending tall tales of his life. Crudup wouldlike to hear something true for once in his life, while Finney maintains that he IS telling the truth.Finney tells the tales again, mostly to Crudup’s fiancee, and his improbable life unfolds beforeus, with Ewan McGregor as his younger self. In his quest for his true love, he encounters amysti...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on April 12th, 2004
Synopsis
Sofia Milos has been widowed for years, but still refuses to start dating again. Her daughter(Emmy Rossum) tries to set her up, but with disastrous results. Jason Isaacs is a slightly seedybut charming-in-his-own way gambler who falls for Milos when he sees her sing. His clumsypursuit appears doomed to failure, until Rossum makes him a deal: if he teaches her how to countcards, she’ll help him win Milos.
Nothing in this film can really be said to be surprising. Once...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on April 11th, 2004
Synopsis
Vincent D’Onofrio plays Valentino, AIDS-stricken former porn star who is the centre ofa subcultural social whirl in NYC. He splits his affections between male prostitute Thomas Janeand in-your-face-and-then-some waitress Salma Hayek. As the disease takes its toll, Jane andHayek must overcome their differences to support D’Onofrio. Then there’s the fact that Hayekis pregnant...
The film is very affectionate toward its collection of flamboyantly non-mainstreamcharac...
