DVD Reviews8: September2

What's Eating Gilbert Grape? - Johnny Depp, Leo DiCaprio, Lasse Hallstrom [D]
Drama - A beautiful film, with lush and homely sets and locations. Excellent subtle direction keeps the story the focus of attention and the terrific performances from Depp and DiCaprio. Also Johnny Depp is really, really good looking!..wow. 3.5 Stars

Brazil - Terry Gilliam [D]
Black Comedy - Featuring a motley ensemble cast including Robert Deniro, Michael Palin and Bob Hoskins in minor roles, a film that has dated badly. Imaginative sets and costumes furnish a fantasy future where beauracracy has taken over all aspects of life and thus stifled it. 2 stars

The Fisher King - Jeff Bridges, Robin Williams, Terry Gilliam [D]
Drama, Comedy - Continuing my foray into the Gilliam backcatalogue I was again unimpressed. People criticise movies these days, but modern movies are visually spectacular and have ignited peoples imaginations and pushed the bar of expectation to the farthest limits yet. I wasn't a fan of Monty Python however, and that is the cruicible of Gilliam's work. While entertaining to a degree, I wasn't enthralled, and the 'imagination' has been bored with many similarities to the sets of Brazil (pipe, pipes, pipes...). It appears Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and 12 Monkeys were the high water mark... and the reviews for The Brothers Grimm bode poorly. 2 stars

Finding Forrester - Sean Connery, Rob Brown, Gus Van Sant [D]
Drama - Van Sant's most successful movie, Good Will Hunting, was of the same vein - a lower class person's struggle to overcome adversity and build a successful middleclass life. The story by nature is comfortable in its appeal without being overbearing, unrealistic, or offending/challenging to the viewing public. Rob Brown, who also starred in Coach Carter, is very good. The only problem with the movie I found was the sudden launch into their odd couple friendship which I considered too brief and dubious. 2.5 stars

A Midsummer Nights Dream - Stanley Tucci, Kevin Kline, ensemble
Shakespeare - Large ensemble cast with no A-listers but plenty of 2nd and 3rd tier actors including Michelle Pfieffer, Calista Flockhart, Christian Bale and Rupert Everett. Once I was taken with Shakespearean prose, but having watched this movie without knowledge of the text, I don't think it will be my approach. A decent retelling and semi-modernisation with some clever play on new circumstance. Decent costuming, however the almost random style of casting and tv quality sets take away from the final product. 2 stars

Hostage - Bruce Willis, Florent Emilio Siri [D]
Thriller - Kevin Pollack also features in this tightly written thriller based on a novel. Entertaining movie held up by Willis' performance. A return of sorts to dark and violent films, but remains within the frame of the story. 2.5 stars

XXX 2 - Ice Cube, Samuel L. Jackson
Action - Mindless Drivel. Ice Cube is too chubby and cleanfaced to be fearsome. Why did Jackson sign on to this series in the first place? Some questions will never be answered. A product of the American teens who massed to the first and far more entertaining film. Good with a pizza and coke. 2 stars

The Basketball Diaries - Leo DiCaprio
Drama - Based on the autobiographic novel of Jim Carroll (DiCaprio), deals with drug addicted youth in lower class New York. A powerful story with an equally powerful performance from DiCaprio. Mark Wahlberg co-stars too. Direction is suitably filthy, but the ugly film quality sometimes detracts. 3 stars

Confessions of a Dangerous Mind - Sam Rockwell, George Clooney [D + actor]
Drama, Comedy - An ordinary man's American Psycho - suitably ambiguous, but more threateningly realistic with its short documentary interview interludes of real witnesses to the main charachters. Sam Rockwell appears to be one of Clooney's 'go-to' men and expect him to appear in future collaborations. Very entertaining, and also features Julia Roberts and Drew Barrymore. 3.5 stars

Cellular - Chris Evans, William H. Macy, Kim Basinger, Jason Statham, David Ellis [D]
Thriller - A very decent chase film. The cover art is decieves into thinking this might be a gritty and dark indy style film, but is in fact a bright summer season thriller/action flick. David Ellis will probably get even higher profile work following this success however his direction was decidedly indecisive, and the story which promised often to dive into clever situations never does more than test the water. Additionaly the lack of violence, expecially early in the film, in addition to the super crisp and well lit summer exteriors fails to truly generate the tension required for a film of this ilk. Chris Evans, Johnny Storm in Fantastic 4, is too good looking to not be seen again and in ever increasing roles. Jessica Biel also appears but in a minor role. Entertaining. 2.5 stars

About Schmidt - Jack Nicholson, Alexander Payne [D]
Drama - Another work based on a novel, and as usual, these films have very decent story and solid scripts. WARNING: Kathy Bates gets NAKED in this film. This really ought to be on the dvd cover in bold red flashing letters with a loudspeaker. A good film about later life crisis. Payne is on a roll with Election, then this, then last year's American hit Sideways. 2.5 stars