Film Listing II

Distributors Blurb

 

"Imagine if you could make anyone love you, look more beautiful, or punish your enemies just by casting a spell...

Sarah (Robin Tunney - Vertical Limit) is a 17-year old with a troubled past. Uprooted by her parents and moved to L.A. where she begins the final year at St. Benedict's Academy, Sarah is a lonely stranger - until she meets a brigade of black lipstick and nails: Nancy (Fairuza Balk - American History X), Bonnie (Neve Campbell - Scream) and Rochelle (Rachel True - Groove).

These girls may never be in with the in-crowd - they're barely in with each other, but recently they have been dabbling in the strange world of witchcraft and the occult. With the addition of Sarah, their union is finally powerful enough to make their wishes come true...and dangerous enough to make their enemies very sorry!"

 

Review

 

Probably one of the best portrayals of modern Wicca from an American viewpoint. Goth music and a Dianaic approach may tend to pin it to a particular time period but the themes being explored go beyond that and avoid this being just a teen witch movie.

Deals mainly with wish fullfilment and the attendant problems. It is the latter which lends the dramatic impact and depth. When they discover new powers the girls are faced with new responsibilities and the consequences of their actions range from the comic through to the life threatening. Love or sex, revenge or justice, personal advantage or social responsibility, you choose and you live with the results of your choice. It's only a matter of time before the group starts to turn in on itself. Since there are four women necessary to activate their powers I tend to associate them with the four elements though as far as I am aware this is pure conjecture.

The movie deals almost exclusively with the girls and there are no strong parts for the mature or the male. Whilst that may be a criticism it may also go some way to explaining the outcome. The girls lack the experience that comes with age and the balance of female and male. There is no doubt that there is a need to redress the gender inequalities of the past but feminism should be seen as a means to acheive balance and not as an end in itself.

I even like the ending since it ties up the story nicely but darkly. They should think of making a twentieth anniversary sequel showing the women that the girls become. Perhaps they could call it "Disparate Witchwives".

 

Grate Scot rating : 5/5

Distributors Blurb

 

"If someone thrust a new born baby into your arms and told you to look after it, what would you do? Suppose you had a sneaking suspicion it was no ordinary baby? And suppose again, you were Granny Weatherwax - the most practical and pragmatic of a trio of ill-assorted witches?

But once even this problem is solved, a greater one takes it's place. After murder and skulduggery in the royal palace, the land - now ruled by a corrupt Duke - cries out for a new leader. Not the people, but the very land itself is calling for help, and the Wyrd Sisters must listen.

It's time for Granny and her two companions, Magrat and Nanny Ogg to get involved in matters both magical and regal, and give the land the King it deserves...."

 

Review

 

Yes, I know that this is not a film, it's a six-part animated television adaption of Terry Pratchett's novel. An animated graphic novel. A cartoon. Given what is involved in the plot this is probably the only visual medium which would be commercially viable.

The three witches are beautifully observed archetypes of modern pagan witchcraft - maiden, mother, crone. Magrat is the innocent young new-ager with a serious dependence on frocks and props, Nanny Ogg is the life-loving midwife in midlife, and Granny Weatherwax has little use for material possessions after her journey to becoming a wise woman.

If you are not familiar with Wicca, the triple goddess, Shakespear's MacBeth, or if you suffer from an in-grown sense of humour then you will miss a lot. Otherwise it's a hoot.

 

Grate Scot rating : 5/5

Distributors Blurb

 

"Hotshot attorney Kevin Lomax's 64-0 case record has brought him a tempting offer from an elite New York firm. But the job Lomax accepts isn't what it seems. The Devil is in the details.

In this gleeful, modern gothic fable, Keanu Reeves plays eager Lomax and Al Pacino is the charasmatic firm founder who knows there are cases to be won...and souls to be lost. From Lomax's court triumphs and skyrocket rise to its double-twist ending, The Devil's Advocate is red-hot entertainment. Lomax's life, wife (Charlize Theron) and soul are on the line. He's landed a job that's Heaven on Earth...which can lead him straight to Hell."

 

Review

 

In Devils Advocate the main character is tempted by his sin of vanity in order to achieve success as a defence lawyer. During the course of the film this is slowly revealed by his choices but subtly enough that it may only be psychological. Perhaps it is only the pressure of the sudden change in their lives that is leading to his wife having a nervous breakdown. If he follows this path he will be successful and win all his cases but in the process criminals will not be convicted and there will be no justice. If that weren't bad enough it then transpires that his previously unknown father is the charismatic head of the legal firm which has recently employed him by offering many and varied forms of material success. It would be safe to assume that, his father being called John Milton, paradise is indeed lost.

The basic suggestion is that legal firms have become the earthly church of the devil. Several references to free will and the whole plot revolves around choice so that, intellectually, we know where we are again. I think that the storyline loses it's effect with the idea that the central character is not just an ordinary human with choices to make but is the biological son of the devil.

The tension builds slowly from hints through to revelation accompanied by effective visual effects and soundtrack. The climax comes with the inevitable confrontation between father and son. It's well over-the-top but with subject matter like this what do you expect ? The film ends with a neat double twist with the outcome mercifully unstated.

A few blatantly violent scenes but they are pretty much in keeping with the timbre of the plot. Various scenes involve female nudity and the sex scenes are relatively subtle but necessary to the suggestion of unlimited material pleasure. Strangely, the closing number by The Rolling Stones is Paint it Black while I would have thought that Sympathy for the Devil would have been more appropriate.

Whilst special effects have improved I couldn't help thinking that I'd seen the plot before. It is not a bad film but I suppose that, with a cast like this, expectations are high and it leaves a feeling of disappointment.

 

Grate Scot rating : 3/5

Distributors Blurb

 

"Before Excalibur, before the knights of the Round Table, before Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot and Galahad, there was a sorcerer shrouded in the mists of Avalon...and this is his tale.

In a time long past, when magic was fading from the world, the wicked sorceress Mab, the Queen of Darkness (Miranda Richardson), summoned forth a mighty wizard to keep the power of the Old Ways alive. The wizard's name... was Merlin (Sam Neill).

When his heart is touched by the love of the beautiful Nimue (Isabella Rosselini), Merlin turns away from Mab's dark enchantments. In anger Mab allows Merlin to be captured by Lord Vortigern (Rutger Hauer) and imprisoned with Nimue.

When Arthur is born, Mab immediately puts a curse on him. Allying himself with the young warrior who will rise to become the legendary King Arthur, Merlin pledges his mystic skills to Arthur's visionary cause: bringing peace and justice to a realm haunted by monsters and ravaged by war - and setting the stage for the ultimate clash of Good against Evil.

With spell-binding performances from an all-star international cast and spectacular special effects conjures up an epic Golden Age of Merlin wondrous magic, supernatural passions, and unforgettable adventure!"

 

Review

 

Yes, I know that this is not a film, it's a television mini-series but look at the cast list. A different take on the legends of Arthur and Merlin.

Some characters are added and some have their roles changed in much the same way that the spoken version of the tales would have adapted to the times and circumstances. In the character of Queen Mab we have a counterpoint to the Lady of the Lake and a deliciously dark adversary. Uses the concept that if man does not remember them then the immortals will fade which is a bit contradictory but leads to the interesting idea of man creating god in his own image.

Likewise the plot varies from the traditional with various mythical creatures making an appearance. Spectacular and magical.

 

Grate Scot rating : 4/5

Distributors Blurb

 

"Roman Polanski, acclaimed director of Rosemary's Baby returns to the realm of the supernatural in this tale of one man's struggle with evil. Johnny Depp stars as Dean Corso, a shady New York book dealer who is hired to locate the last remaining copies of "The Nine Gates of the Kingdom of Shadows", a demonic manuscript written in collaboration with the Devil. What started out as a job soon becomes an obsession as Corso becomes embroiled in a conspiracy involving murder, theft and satanic ritual as he discovers that the book's nine engravings could unlock the gates of Hell..."

 

Review

 

Yet again, the distibutor's blurb is somewhat inaccurate in so far as Corso is not hired to locate the books, their location and owners are known, but rather to compare the books in order to trace the authentic copy.

Corso is initially portrayed as utterly materialistic, thoroughly sceptical of spiritual matters and quite happy to employ dubious methods to get what he wants so I didn't really think that this was "one man's struggle with evil". As the story develops, along with the body count, he seems to be less struggling with evil and more trying to survive the experience with an enhanced payment for his trouble. It feels like more of a seduction of the character both in material and spiritual terms.

A slow paced mystery thriller with plenty of atmosphere and interesting characters. I enjoyed the fact that there is not one authentic book but rather the engravings which hold the key are spread over the three copies. The use of the engravings is a cunning ploy which is, fortuitously, well suited to a cinematic interpretation allowing the audience to play spot the difference.

I frequently have a problem with the endings of these movies. If Corso has unlocked the gates of hell then how come I am living in a modern educated western society ? On second thoughts, perhaps that is not such a ridiculous notion.

 

Grate Scot rating : 4/5

Distributors Blurb

 

"Johnny Depp stars as Ichabod Crane, a man who has to confront the legend of the axe-weilding headless horseman in order to win the heart of Katrina Van Tassel (Christina Ricci).

Set in 1799, "Sleepy Hollow" is based on Washington Irving's classic tale The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Faithful to the dreamy custom-bound world that Irving paints in his story, the film mixes horror, fantasy and romance and features an extraordinary cast of characters who dabble in the supernatural."

 

Review

 

This movie is great fun in a ghoulish sort of way. Although there are various references to witchcraft this does not form the main thread of the story nor is it particularly informative about such and that is the reason for the comparitively lowly rating. In a way it seems to be a story about the move to a modern rational world leaving behind its connections with what could be referred to as the supernatural. At the same time the thread of the old ways still weaves its way through the culture of society and this can be unsettling when you no longer have the reference points to deal with it.

Some of the actors who appear in this also appear in other movies in the list; Johnny Depp (The Ninth Gate), Christopher Lee (The Wicker Man and Wyrd Sisters), and Miranda Richardson (Merlin).

Put your feet up and enjoy it for what it is.

 

Grate Scot rating : 3/5

Distributors Blurb

 

"A remarkable fantasy adventure film quite unlike any other. Spirited Away tells the story of Chihiro, a headstrong 10-year old girl, unhappy that her family are moving house and that she will have to make new friends.

As they make their way to the new home, Chihiro's father takes a detour to explore a mysterious tunnel in the woods. On the other side is what seems to be a deserted theme park but is in fact a ghostly town. Unwittingly, they have strayed into the land of the Spirits, a world of dreamlike scenery inhabited by ancient gods and magical beings, ruled over by the sorceress, Yubaba. With her parents held captive and Yubaba set on enslaving them forever, Chihiro must use all her energy to survive in this strange new place. With the help of Haku, a brave young spirit, she is forced to overcome her fears and join an epic battle for her family's freedom.

Winner of the 2003 Oscar for Best Animated Film and the Golden Bear at Berlin, Spirited Away is a visionary work from Hayao Miyazaki (Princess Mononoke), which sets the benchmark for all animation to come. The most successful film of all time in its native Japan. It's a thrilling and enchanting adventure for adults and children alike."

 

Review

 

This film can be a bit of a challenge for western audiences. The first time that I watched it I was rather confused. A basic understanding of Shinto helps to make sense of what is going on, though I only discovered this after I had heard an introductory talk on the subject. Various of the characters are nature spirits, for example a river spirit, depicted in human form and may well transform into another being, for example a dragon.

The artwork is beautifully well observed and is probably the easiest way of depicting the spirit world where most of the action takes place. There are some weird and wonderful creatures and characters. The basic story of Chihiro trying to recsue her parents is relatively straightforward but there are many deviations into smaller episodes. Perhaps I'm trying to read too much into it.

There are various ideas which appear in this film which seem familiar. When the family stray into the land of the Spirits the difference in action between Chihiro and her parents is that they have something to eat at a food stall and this seems to condemn them. It also transforms them into pigs to demonstrate the change which seems vaguely familiar, Circe in the Ancient Greek Odyssey. This idea of eating being a way of becoming part of another world appears in the Greek myth about Persephone, amongst others and the prohibition about eating in the otherworld is used in Pan's Labyrinth. There are references to being on the wrong side of the river and crossing the bridge without taking a breath and getting to the destination before dark, all small tasks to be completed in pursuit of the larger objective.

 

Grate Scot rating : 4/5

Distributors Blurb

 

"John Constantine sees demons walk the earth, and he aims to do something about it: send them back to hell!

As Constantine, The Matrix's Keanu Reeves fights a new otherworld foe in this eye-opening supernatural action thriller based on characters from the DC Comics/Vertigo Hellblazer Graphic Novels and set in a City of the Angels where spirit-world bounds have broken...and all hell is breaking loose.

Holy water. A dragon's-breath flamethrower. A shotgun crafted from a crucifix. Armed with these and assisted by an intrepid cop (Rachel Weisz), John Constantine is a spiritual warrior gone to apocalyptic war. Be glad he's on your side."

 

Review

 

Christian demonology, specifically Catholic. If you commit suicide you are committing a mortal sin which means that you can't go to heaven and if you can't go to heaven you go to hell. The plot goes something like the following. Due to a somewhat illogical set of circumstances Constantine died in medical terms but was revived however his soul is debarred from heaven as it was considered suicide. The female cop has lost her sister who committed suicide so the two team up to right the wrongs when they discover that there is a shady deal being brokered between those in heaven and hell.

At the beginning of the movie we see the long lost Spear of Destiny being discovered and the awesome power that goes with it having drastic effects as it starts to make its way to the City of the Angels. As far as I can remember that is the last we hear of it though a bit of digging suggests that it does indeed make a return as the instrument with which to create hell on earth. Odd. I know that this movie is based on a graphic novel but that shouldn't preclude it from being interesting or intelligent. Working in that format should allow complete freedom in terms of story line and imagery but all we get here is re-hashed Catholic dogma. To cap it off there seems to be a complete lack of badly needed humour.

As far as I am concerned this movie is dire. Don't get me wrong, it looks good with impressive visual effects. For me, it is just the story line. Perhaps I missed something?

 

Grate Scot rating : 2/5

Distributors Blurb

 

"From the visionary director of the modern cinema classics Nikita, The Big Blue, Subway and Leon comes a compelling romantic fable set in Paris, the world's most beautiful city.

Angel-A begins when two strangers meet on a bridge one morning. Looking to escape his past Andre (Jamel Debbouze) accepts the help of the mysterious Angela (Rie Rasmussen) and sets in motion a chain of events that will change his life forever. Beautiful in its simplicity, Angel-A is a striking, supernatural love-story and the first film Besson has directed for over seven years."

 

Review

 

There's a clue in the title. No, it's not very subtle but remember, that's a French title so some of us English speakers might not get it.

She's got wings, supernatural powers, chain smokes, and wears stilletos and a short skirt so it is obvious that she is an angel and she may well have fallen. When she teams up with lovable loser Andre it becomes difficult to tell who is trying to save whom.

Shot in black and white the images of Paris are more like a moving photographic study than cinema. Likewise they didn't seem to waste much on costumes. Sort of minimalist and slightly unreal which fits with the story line.

Beautiful to look at with a good dose of adult humour. A different take on angels.

 

Grate Scot rating : 3/5