REVIEWS
Listed below are the latest reviews added to our site. For a complete list of reviews, in chronological order, click here or browse MOVIE SEARCH from the menu below.

LATEST ADDITIONS:
The latest films reviews added of films new and old alike.
Zatoichi (2003)
JAPAN; dir: Takeshi Kitano;
'Beat' Takeshi Kitano
The King returns to show how a samurai film should be made. (Limer)
Dawn of the Dead (2003)
US; dir: Zack Snyder;
Sarah Polley, Ving Rhames
Allegedly reverent remake of the Romero classic. (Limer)
Irreversible (2002)
FRA; dir: Noe;
Vincent Cassell, Monica Bellucci
Disturbing. Challenging. Brilliant. (Limer)
Under Suspicion (1999)
US; dir: Stephen Hopkins;
Gene Hackman, Morgan Freeman, Minoca Bellucci
Overlooked stagey potboiler that intrigues until the very end. (Limer)
A Mighty Wind (2003)
US; dir: Christopher Guest;
Eugene Levy, Parker Posey, all the rest
Light-hearted mockumentary from the creator of Spinal Tap & Best In Show. (Limer)
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003)
US; dir: Stephen Norrington;
Sean Connery
Ridiculously OTT literary dreamteam join forces to save the world from WW2. (Limer)
Underworld (2003)
US/UK/Germany/Hungary; dir: Len Wiseman;
Kate Beckinsale
Not even the tight black leather cat-suit can save this vampire vs werewolf farce. (Limer)
Auto Focus (2002)
US; dir: Paul Schrader;
Greg Kinnear, Willem Dafoe
More golden age of TV bubble bursting as Bob Crane alternates between Hogan's Hero & sex-swinging voyeur... (Limer)
The Last Samurai (2003)
US; dir: Edward Zwick;
Tom Cruise, Ken Watanabe, Billy Connolly
I'm Spartacus! Decent period drama but with gory battle scenes & decapitations. (Limer)
Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
US/NZ; dir: Peter Jackson;
Viggo Mortensen, Sir Ian McKellan
Guess what happens in this one? (Limer)
Audition (2002?)
Japan; dir: Takashi Miike;
Highly recommended Japanese horror: one part comedy drama, one part gory snuff movie. (Limer)
Felicia's Journey (1999)
UK/Canada/Eire; dir: Atom Egoyan;
Bob Hoskins
Egoyan's disturbing tale of cooking, immigration, first love & serial killers.
Scratch (2001)
US; dir: The Hughes Brothers;
DJ Shadow, DJ Qbert, Mixmaster Mike
Hughes Bros. return with an excellent peek in to the world of the turntablist. (Limer)

SHORT & CURLIES:

The SHORT & CURLIES section of this page is where you'll find our more succinct opinions, reviews of 50-100 words dedicated to those with that charismaticly cool & contemporary MTV attention span.
(If you click a film & nothing appears in the drop down menu, REFRESH the page and try again)

Buffalo Soldiers (2003)US; dir: Gregor Jordan; Joaquim Phoenix, Scott Glen

"War is hell. But peacetime is fucking boring." Beatific slice of Gen X black comedy set on a US Army base in West Germany circa the fall of the Berlin Wall. Joaquim Phoenix's black market hustle is scuppered by the arrival of psychotic chief Scott Glen and the deal of a lifetime jeopardised as he falls for daughter Anna Paquin. Sharp satire with a cracking cast that straddles a whole spectrum of generic elements. The fact US critics labelled it "unpatriotic" make it even more of a must see.

(Limer)

The Transporter (2002)US/France; dir: Cory Yuen; Jason Statham

A very silly slice of Franco-European action adventure that fits together way too neatly. Produced by Luc Besson so we get the manic car chases, nymphonic martial arts choreography, playful humour & plenty of indecipherable continental accents. Still, it has it's moments although Jason Statham's faux pas American accent isn't one of them. Bring on the single currency.
1/2
(Limer)

The Hunted(2003) US; dir: ; Benicio Del Toro, Tommy Lee Jones

Ridiculous rehash of First Blood sees director Friedkin (once again, in vain) tries to recapture his 70's glory days. This is a nasty little tale of state-sanctioned killing machines that ultimately suffers from the breakneck editing employed to pull the whole thing in under 90 minutes (a sure sign of studio interference!?). Ends up running when it should be walking & vice versa which is a shame as Jones & Del Toro compete nicely in trying to outdo each other in terms of talent & the chemistry is obviously there (despite Jones being typecast), sadly cut short before it could mature.

(Limer)

Equilibrium(2002) US; dir: ; Christian Bale, Taye Diggs

Nice, if confused, blend of 1984, Farenheit 451, The Matrix & Gattaca. As you might expect, very stylish & unafraid to break the odd HW taboo, even boasts it's own martial art (gun-kata). Loses train of thought half way through, unsure whether it should stick with Orwellian drama or Hong Kong hysterics but regains its footing for a highly entertaining conclusion. Sean Bean adds another dead-before-you-can-blink cameo to his amazingly short big screen stamina of late but I for one am not grumbling.
Another movie destined for cult status.
1/2
(Limer)

About Schmidt(2002) US; dir: Alexander Payne; Jack Nicholson

Another film whose success is due entirely to its lead's reputation. Perhaps the most down-beat, depressing film ever, the film is as maudlin as its subject and although this offers a triumph of sorts, it hardly makes for great viewing. Expected more from the director of Election.
1/2
(Limer)

Daredevil(2003) US; dir:; Ben Affleck

Some nice touches but its major weaknesses are the done-to-death, recycled Marvel plotlines (revenge, radioactive mutation); the "fuck the choreography, just make eveything too fast & furious to actually figure out what is happening" fight scenes & the fact that it needed to be at least 1/2 hour longer. It wouldn't be unfair to describe Daredevil as Batman with the middle hour chopped out (plotline, church bells 'n' all). Good, if criminally underused, casting though & nice tip o' tha' hat cameos to Stan Lee & Kevin Smith. Jennifer Garner is a fox.

(Limer)

The Recruit(2003) US; dir: Roger Donaldson; Colin Farrell, Al Pacino

Vague espionage thriller with little espionage & few thrills. Doesn't seem to know whether it wants to be GI Jane (never thought I'd using THAT comparison) or Mission: Impossible & so settles for neither. More watchable than The Bourne Identity but largely due to engaging leads - Farrell demonstrates that despite the hype he does have screen presence (which is more than can be said of his wavering accent) & can play more than just the off-screen rogue... Brings nothing new to the genre (except embarrassing Al Pacino).
1/2
(Limer)

XXX(2002) US; dir: Rob Cohen; Vin Diesel

A film so incredibly dumb, so over the top & so laughably unbelievable it's actually enjoyable. Hail the new Arnold Schwarzenegger! Move over Bond! Etc etc etc...
1/2
(Limer)

The Royal Tennenbaums(2002) US; dir: Wes Anderson; Gene Hackman, Angelica Huston, Gwyneth Paltrow

Every now & then a film comes along which makes sitting in theatres watching tripe for 11 months of every year worthwhile. A film which is new, original, exciting & downright funny. A film which gives an old cynic like me hope about the future of filmmaking. The Royal Tennebaums is that film.

(Limer)

Roberto Succo (2001) France; dir: Cedric Kahn; Stefano Cassetti, Patrik Dell'Isola, Isild Le Besco

Without Henry (Portrait of a Serial Killer)'s melancholic brooding or Man Bites Dog's dark humour, Roberto Succo remains an unremarkable statement. Whereas the real Succo provided a morbid inspiration in light of the fascinating variations & motivelessness of many of his atrocities & his seemingly humane normality fused to his murderous instincts, the film never really conquers its subject in any convincing style despite decent performances from it's leads (including the Vincent Gallo-alike Stefano Cassetti). It is neither character study (see Chopper), love story (see Henry), detective thriller (Manhunter) or bizarre oddity (Ed Gein). In fact the only remarkable thing about Succo the film is the critical applause it seems to have garnered on the arthouse circuit for what is essentially an effort lacking in style & devoid of originality.

(Limer)

D-Tox(2002) US; dir: Jim Gillespie; Sly Stallone, Charles S. Dutton, Kris Kristofferson

Re-edited & re-cut for UK release this is run-of-the-mill slasher stuff pitched as a kind of The Thing meets House on Haunted Hill by way of Scream with well-trodden results. Entertaining enough with snazzy opening credits but Stallone is unbelievable as 'normal guy having a beer with his buddies' & Tom Berenger is criminally underused.
Nothing new Saturday night beer'n'curry fodder.

(Limer)

Battle Royale(2001) Japan; dir: Fukasaku Kinji; Takeshi Kitano

Ultra-violent Japanese Lord of the Flies meets The Running Man satire but with school kids. Fiercely uncompromising but loses it's bloodthirsty comicbook humour in light of current political events. Worth a look for the storm of controversy it caused at home. Nobody in the US would touch it with a bargepole even before 9-11 and received a limited release in the UK. A future cult classic.
1/2
(Limer)

Ed Gein(2001) US; dir: Chuck Parello; Steve Railsback, Carrie Snodgrass

An oddly rational attempt to desensationalize the myth of celebrity serial killer and inspiration to the stars (Jason to Hannibal), Ed Gein. B-Movie veteran Steve Railsback turns in a grade A display of creepiness but with said sensationalism removed & the dark humour of modern horror absent the film plays like the severed head of Merchant Ivory in the backwoods of smalltown USA - albeit dressed in the skin of dead people & hooting at the moon.
Succinct & disturbing but lacks the bite of Gein himself.

(Limer)

Swordfish(2001) US; dir: Dominic Sena; John Travolta, Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, Vinnie Jones

Competent second attempt from the director of the appalling Gone In 60 Seconds. We're firmly in Joel Silver territory here so out go plot and reason and in come crash, boom, bash. I never though I'd say this but Travolta, (Jackman) & Berry are excellent in their roles. Some great action sequences and few new plot devices for HW to plunder but the whole thing is ultimately good, forgettable, fun that subliminally reflects the new right wing political era in the States - Rambo 4 here we come...
1/2
(Limer)

Along Came A Spider(2000) US; dir ; Morgan Freeman, Monica Potter

Sequel to Kiss the Girls with Freeman reprising his role as celebrity skrink from bestselling novel. Like it's predecessor, a poor attempt to rival Se7en lacking in story, character, panache and performance. Sacrifices a potentially good, if tried and tested, beginning to a transparent plot not even Morgan Freeman can rescue. Freeman's worst film.

(Limer)

The Hit(1984) UK; dir: Stephen Frears; John Hurt, Tim Roth, Terence Stamp

A forgotten gem of Brit/Road Movie cinema featuring an all-star cast tracing the plight of two hitmen attempting to deliver former gangland grass Stamp from his Spanish retreat to final retribution in Paris. The film unfolds against a flamenco backdrop as the increasingly bemused pair are unsettled by Stamp's fearless spiritual fortitude as he gingerly skips toward his ultimate Parisian fate. A timely reminder of how good British talent CAN BE and why great figures like Frears, Hurt, Stamp & Roth are just that.
A subtle masterpiece..

(Limer)

THX 1138(1970) US; dir: George Lucas; Donald Pleasance

1984 style sci-fi masterpiece Lucas made before embarking on a life of Star Wars. It was labelled avant-garde at the time and the groundbreaking sound & vision have stood the test of time despite the dated technology on display. The ideas remain intact though, making it compelling viewing more so than ever today. An incredible piece of filmmaking highlighting what a waste of talent Big George has become (THX sound and SFX developments accepted).
1/2
(Limer)