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Clerks
II
Cert: 18
Starring: Brian
O’Halloran, Jeff Anderson, Kevin Smith
,Jason Mewes, Rosario Dawson
Director: Kevin
Smith
Running Time: 97
minutes
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Director
Kevin Smith returns us to the characters of the original Clerks film.
Over 10 years later we find our main characters Dante Hicks (Brian
O’Halloran) and Randal Graves (Jeff Anderson) still doing the
same old thing, that is until the store they work at burns down.
Forced to find other work they both take jobs at the local Mooby
fast food chain, and carry on with life in there own inevitable style.
It’s Dante who is then faced with life changing events. On
the verge of moving to Florida, where his bride-to-be Emma (Jennifer
Schwalbach) has taken control of their future life and set him up
with a job in her fathers car wash company. His friend Randal is
then left to ponder with the idea of the loss of his best friend,
and the thought of the only replacement is that of fellow nerdy Mooby
employee, Elias (Trevor Fehrman), who’s main event in his life
is to have seen the ‘Lord of the Rings’ trilogy.
Even our favourite pavement stalkers Jay (Jason Mews) and Silent
Bob (Kevin Smith himself) have had some change! After time in re-hab
they have found God and no longer smoke ‘The Weed’, even
though they still manage to sell it. As we soon discover that there
is chemistry between Dante and his boss Becky (Rosario Dawson) and
he is left deciding what and who it is he really wants in his life.
As with most of Kevin Smith films, it’s not all about the plot
of the film, but more often the interaction between the different
characters and how they evolve in the movie, as well as the fondness
that you develop for them. As usual with Smith there are small references
and site gags relating to previous films that only fans of the director
will notice (but this only adds to the charm of the film). This movie
will not appeal to everyone, but it is still witty, and it’s
not essential to have seen the original film to find it something
you can chuckle at as you watch. If you are a fan of the Kevin Smith
type of movies you won’t be disappointed. |
The
Black Dahlia
Cert: 15
Starring: Josh
Hartnett, Scarlett Johansson, Aaron Eckhart,
Hilary Swank, Mia Kirchner
Director: Brian
De Palma
Running
Time: 120
minutes
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This
is Director Brian De Palma’s return to the big screen
with his adaptation of James Elroy’s novel of the same
name.
A story based on true events detailing the grisly unsolved
murder of Hollywood starlet in the late 1940s.
Elizabeth Short (played by Mia Kirsner) is a struggling actress
in tinsel town. But unfortunately for her fame comes to remember
her not for her acting, but for when her body is discovered,
cut in clean in half with all of her organs missing.
Lee Blanchard (played by Aaron Eckhart) and Bucky Bleichert
(Josh Hartnett) are the two detectives assigned to the murder
case. As the story unfolds we see how Blanchards marriage to
Kay (Scarlett Johansson) begins to suffer as he becomes obsessed
with the crime. At the same time his partner Bliechert is attracted
to the prominent socialite Madeleine Linscott (Hilary Swank),
but also discovers a disturbing link between her and the murder
victim.
This movie is obviously going to be compared with James Ellroy’s
other movie adaptation ‘L.A. Confidential’ which
almost instantly obtained classic status. But De Palma’s
approach is a little different, there are a series of twist
and turns in the story line, which although does give interest
to the film, does start leaving you confused at times. The
movie is well filmed, giving you that bygone age feel with
lots of moody atmosphere, but you do wonder at times if a little
too much attention was given to the filming, rather than the
feelings of the characters as there are points where they begin
to seem a little cold and unfeeling.
Regardless of that, all the actors do give good performances,
and the overall feel of the film is still entertaining. So
if you fancy watching a thriller with that nostalgic 40s feel
then it’s worth a look. |
Hoodwinked
Cert: U
Starring: Anne
Hathaway, Glenn Close, James Belushi, Xzibit,
Chazz Palminteri
Director: Cory
Edwards and Todd Edwards
Running
Time: 81
minutes
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This
is the first animated movie released by the Weinstein company,
and re-tells the Brothers Grimm story of little Red Ridding
Hood with a few new twists to the tale.
It begins where the original fable left off. The forest police
are sent to investigate a disturbance at Granny’s cottage,
where the each of character is asked (in ‘Unusual Suspect’ style)
to give their version of what happened. We have Red (voiced
by Anne Hathaway) a karate kicking ‘Goodies’ deliverer
who longs to escape the woods, Granny (voiced by Glen Close)
a ‘Goodies’ business owner, and extreme sports
enthusiast, The Wolf (voiced by Patrick Warburton) a tenacious
reporter chasing the story of the identity of the menace called
the ‘Goodie Bandit’, and the Woodsman (voiced by
Jim Belushi) a large bumbling would be actor preparing for
a role, and struggling to do his job.
The premise of the movie is great, but the only problem is
that the film-makers have then tried to add too much in the
way of sub-plots, and at times it becomes a little bit too
goofy.
Quite a few people have also criticized the animation as been
rubbery and unrealistic, but it is all too easy to try to compare
with companies the like of Pixar, and forget that this has
been produced by a much smaller company without the same resources.
Hookwinked does tend to have its own style, and while the script
could have been refined a little more, it does also have its
plus points.
The actors have obviously had fun with the roles, and there
are quips and references that will go over the kid’s
heads but will be funny for the parents. In all still not a
bad film to take the younger kids to see, and at the same time
give the smaller film companies a chance. |
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