2001 Video Reviews

CHASING AMY
(Kevin Smith)
MARTHA MEET FRANK, DANIEL AND LAURENCE
(Nick Hamm)
THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY
(Bobby and Peter Ferrelly)

The videos below are all available at CULT VIDEOTHEEK in Amsterdam who kindly lend them to me for reviewing purposes. The store specialises in art house movies, classics, horror, erotic, trash, sexploitation, underground, Russian cinema, martial arts, Asian cinema and the (better) modern-cinema as well as having collections by well-known directors and actors/actresses. They also have a large collection of very reasonably priced cult videos for sale.

CULT VIDEOTHEEK
Amstel 47 (by Waterlooplein)
Phone/Fax: + 31 20 6227843
Internet: www.cultvideo.nl

THE ADVENTURES OF PRINCE ACHMED (1926: restored 1999)
reviewed 16-10-01

The Adventures of Prince Achmed by Berlin avant-gardist Lotte Reiniger was one of the world's first feature-length animated films and premièred in 1926 (with Fritz Lang in the audience!). Employing her unsurpassed silhouette techniques, Reiniger hand-cut and crafted each individual image in this story based on The Arabian Nights. Assisted by husband, producer/photographer Carl Koch, and fellow animators Berthold Bartosch and Walter Ruttmann, the film took a painstaking 3 years and 300,000 camera shots to complete. Sadly, much of Reiniger's unique work, including the original negative of this film, was destroyed in Berlin at the end of World War II. However, a nitrate positive had been preserved in the archives of the BFI (British Film Insitute) and, in 1999, 100 years after the birth of Reiniger, new prints were made from it and the original film restored. Fortunately too, Wolfgang Zeller's original music score had been preserved in the Library of Congress, Washington and was re-recorded. To this day it remains timeless, classic, sophisticated, poetic, delicate, magical… a defining example of the unique art of animation.
Pip Farquharson
back to index

AMONG GIANTS (1998)
reviewed 01-10-01

Directed by Sam Miller (BBC TV series This Life) and written by Simon Beaufroy (The Full Monty, Blow Dry, The Darkest Light), Among Giants is about middle-aged, middle-of-the-road Ray (Pete Postlewhaite) who is hired to paint a 15-mile stretch of electricity pylons near Sheffield along with his small macho crew of unemployed misfits. Free-spirited Australian traveller, Gerry (Rachel Griffiths, Muriel's Wedding), happens to be passing through the area, is in need of a job and posseses mountain-climbing skillsŠ A typical independent British film (i.e. full of swearing), Among Giants, is a heartwarming and realistic film that essentially explores the complex dynamics that exist between friends and lovers. It realistically portrays northern angst, at times, paints mundane labour as something beautiful. And it is one of the few movies I have seen that captures the absolute essence of love on film. Not everyone's cup of Tetley, but it was mine. Oh, and much, much more enjoyable than The Full Monty.
Pip Farquharson
back to index

BOYS DON'T CRY
reviewed 16-02-01
Directed by Kimberley Peirce, Boys Don't Cry is based on the true story of Teena Brandon (a young woman who lived her life as a man). Following homophobic violence, Brandon leaves town and arrives as a newcomer in Falls City where "she" is accepted as one of "the boys", even starting a relationship with a woman called Lana (Chloë Sevigny, American Psycho). But the the secret is discovered…
For the most part, the film is dull. Don't expect too much: it's almost two hours long which is mostly spent painting a very grim, boring picture of an American small town where not much happens. But it's worth getting through that scene-setting for the last part of the film which is incredibly powerful and moving stuff which leaves you sick to the stomach. Peirce's handling of the subject matter was sensitive and insightful, and Hilary Swank who played Brandon deservedly picked up an Oscar for "Best Actress".
Pip Farquharson
back to index

Picture the scene: it's 10am in the morning. You awake and realise you have to fit 48 hours of work into just 24… (Absolutely nothing to do with this movie, just a regular day in the life of PiP…) So, not having time to watch a movie, I've just picked one of my all-time favourites: Blake Edward's charming 1961 romantic comedy with a bittersweet edge, based on the novel by Truman Capote.
The story is about the unfolding relationship between chic New York socialite Holly Golightly (Audrey Hepburn), and writer Paul Varjek (George Peppard). With a flawless soundtrack by Henri Mancini, including the wistful Moon River sung by Hepburn herself (which erroneously nearly ended up on the cutting-room floor), Breakfast At Tiffany's provides the perfect antidote to the 'mean reds' (winter blues).
Interestingly, Hepburn lived in Arnhem during Nazi wartime occupation, even delivering notes for the Dutch resistance. In 1945, she moved to Amsterdam to study under ballet dancer Sonia Gaskell (who was responsible for founding the dance company that later evolved into the Dutch National Ballet). And, apparently, it was Freddie Heineken, of the famous brewers family, who gave Hepburn her first tap-dancing lesson! (Which, incidentally, had nothing to do with beer.)
Pip Farquharson

GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER
reviewed 01-03-01

Inspired by a marvellous documentary on Katherine Hepburn recently screened on BBC2, I decided to review this old movie (editor's priority!) as I really wanted to see it. Guess Who's Coming To Dinner is especially poignant as Hepburn's real-life lover, Spencer Tracy, died just 16 days after the film was released and Hepburn herself hasn't been able to ever watch it. (She herself picked up an Academy Award® for best actress.) The daughter of a wealthy white family brings her black fiancé (played by Sidney Poitier) home to San Francisco to meet her supposedly "liberal" parents (played by Hepburn and Tracy). Then second set of parents fly in for dinner… and all are forced to confront their own prejudices, views on interracial marriage, and views on marriage in general. Superb acting and script and although dated (it was made in 1967) it remains relevant. Highly recommended.
Pip Farquharson
back to index

FAST FOOD, FAST WOMEN (2000)
reviewed 01-11-01

Written and directed by Amos Kollek, Fast Food, Fast Women is based in New York, and the story revolves around several people of different ages looking for love…
Central character, Bella (Anna Thomson), was one of the most shallow, underdeveloped characters I have ever witnessed on film and the only effect she had on me was to make me never want to put on a pair of stilettos again (as my friends know I'm wont to do), step up my daily Snickers intake and eat vast quantities of Ben & Jerry's (for her).
In fact the two main women characters, who could have been delightfully quirky (such as Brenda in Baghdad Café or Maude in Harold and Maude), simply came across as being completely mad… And the story (or lack of it) just developed into a farce by the time the film was over. If not before. Some relief was provided by the sharp 5 year-old kid. And the 60-something, Paul, and the two old farts he hung out with provided some of the most realistic moments.
And you could indeed discern that there were some great lines in the script just desperately trying to get out... But delivery was cardboard at best. At the end of the day the only thing that made it worth watching was the fish called Wanda...
Pip Farquharson
back to index

FOLLOWING
reviewed 01-07-01

Following was written, produced, directed and filmed (!) by Christopher Nolan (Memento) and is his first feature film even though he started at an early age: Nolan was making films using his dad's Super 8 when he was just 7 years old… An absolute gem of an independent film, it won the VPRO Tiger Award at the 1999 International Film Festival Rotterdam and the Ilford Black and White Award the same year at the Slamdance Film Festival. And it probably should have won more… Shot in black and white, film noir-style, it tells the story of a young, unemployed man's obsession with following strangers but that's all that I'll say… It should simply be put into the video player and watched. The plot evolves via flashbacks and through a series of ingenious twists and turns. Although the ending isn't exactly unpredictable it's doesn't detract from the enjoyment. Fab!
Pip Farquharson

HIGH FIDELITY
reviewed 16-04-01

Directed by Stephen Frears (Prick Up Your Ears*), High Fidelity is based on the cult novel of the same name by Nick Hornby. It opens with 30-something record store owner Rob (John Cusack) being left by his (rather gorgeous…) lover Laura (Iben Hjejle). This urges him to look back over his last "Top 5 Break-Ups" to try and work out what went wrong and find out why he's so miserable to have lost Laura whom he cheated on and was unable to commit to. Funnily enough, this is the perfect complementary movie to Love & Sex reviewed a couple of issues ago. They're both comedies and they both have very similar storylines and subject matter. Only this time the relationship soul-searching is from a "guy's" perspective. I loved it. Very funny. Very observant. And actually, pretty realistic. And Jack Black was especially brilliant as Barry the store assistant with attitude. An absolute must for all vinyl geeks (like me), music lovers, and commitment-phobes.
Pip Farquharson
back to index

IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE
reviewed 01-06-01

Written, produced and directed by Wong Kar-Wai (Chungking Express, Fallen Angels) In the Mood for Love, is well worth seeing even if you're most definitely not… The award-laden movie is set in Hong Kong in 1962. Journalist Chow Mo-Wan (Tony Leung) and secretary Su Li-zhen (Maggie Cheung) move in nextdoor to each other. Their respective spouses are mostly away so they start spending their evenings together…
Flippantly (I can do that…) In the Mood for Love is the Asian Brief Encounter. A romance. A slow, sumptouous and sensual exploration of desire crammed with tension for a couple whose morals forbid them to consumate their affair outside of marriage. Breathtaking cinematography, inspired slow motion scenes, a stunning soundtrack by Mike Galasso (and Nat King Cole singing in Spanish?), and with the kind of ending that makes your stomach drop and leaves you feeling lost. Highly recommended.
Pip Farquharson
back to index

KIKUJIRO
reviewed 01-02-01
Written and directed by Takeshini Kitano (Hana-Bi, Sonatine, Violent Cop), Kikujiro is a bittersweet road movie. Sensitive nine-year old Masao dreams of being reunited with his long lost mother and sets off to find her. His unlikely companion is small time gangster Kikujiro... Unlike previous Kitano movies which have always been ultra violent this - by complete contrast - is, sensitive and sweet even: a testament to the brilliance of this Japanese director. And enhanced further by the beautiful piano score by Joe Hisaishi. Funny, touching, and absorbing, this is a delightfully indulgent slow-paced movie. Rich and colourful, it is filled with some great characters (Kikujiro especially who is grouchy but endearing) and some beautiful touches - poetic dream sequences; moments of cinematographic excellence; and some hilarious slapstick humour. High enjoyable.
Pip Farquharson
back to index

LIES
reviewed 01-08-01
Lies (directed by Jang Sun-Woo) is controversially based on the book Tell Me A Lie by Jang Jung-II which was banned in Korea for being pornographic (and for which Jang Jung-II spent several months in jail). The "story" is about the developing consensual SM relationship between an 18-year-old student and a 38-year-old sculptor. "Story" as little attention was paid to any storyline, character insight or development: it was simply pure pornŠ One long authentic and graphic (definitely not erotic) series of sex scenes filled with brutal beatings which felt uncomfortably exploitative of the young female actress, Kim Tae-Yeon. Not least because of the unsafe sex techniques. (And gee, was it a relief to read somewhere that the scat scene was faked.) Despite a few interesting documentary-style quirks right at the beginning (the actors playing the parts discuss their concerns with doing the sex scenes) it was nothing more than an amateurish effort with the emphasis clearly on shock value. Quite why it was selected for screenings at film festivals from Venice to San Francisco and Rotterdam I can't imagine. Probably just by virtue of the director (A Petal) and because of the controversy of it being banned in Korea. A severe case of the emperor's new clothesŠ Don't get me wrong, though. There's nothing wrong with porn. But there is something fundamentally wrong with a porn film parading as high art.
Pip Farquharson
back to index

LOVE & SEX
reviewed 16-03-01

Written and directed by Valerie Breiman, Love & Sex, is simply about relationships. Kate Welles (Dutch actress and ex-Bond girl, Famke Janssen) plays a journalist who is assigned a piece on relationships by her editor. Her first draft (on blow jobs) is rejected and as she rewrites the article she reflects on her own love life - and especially her former longterm relationship with Adam (Jon Favreau). A nice, lightweight comedy (I giggled all the way through it) with astute observations on dating, commitment, love and sex. A great movie if you've just broken up with someone or feel a bit jaded and disillusioned by the whole dating game. Like me.
Pip Farquharson
back to index

ME, MYSELF & IRENE
reviewed 16-06-01

The Farrelly Brothers' (Peter and Bob) follow up to There's Something About Mary. Jim Carrey (yes, him again…) plays schizophrenic Rhode Island cop Charlie (and his alter ego Hank) who is given the job of escorting a woman, Irene (Renée Zellweger), back to New York. Both end up being pursued by a corrupt police officer and, whilst on the run, both Charlie and Hank start to fall in love with Irene… As would be expected from the Farrelly Brothers Me, Myself & Irene is borderline offensive, belly laughable, completely sick, and full of slapstick humour and crude jokes. If you have a sense of humour that never developed past your childhood then you'll love it. I do and I did. (Despite the weak plot and the irritatingly over-the-top performance by Carrey). Hank does what a part of us all wants to do and there are some truly hilarious moments such as the supermarket scene, the girl with a skipping rope, and the cow. Charlie's three triplet sons also provided some great humour. The best line for me was "It wasn't for me". Watch out for it.
Pip Farquharson
back to index

SHOOTING FISH
reviewed 01-05-01

Directed by Stefan Shwartz (who co-wrote it with Richard Homes II) and set in England, Shooting Fish is about two orphans turned con artists who are out to raise enough money (2 million in fact) to buy the house they've never had. Dan Futterman plays the suave, smooth-talking American Dylan and Stuart Townsend plays Jez the goofy English technology nerd. During one of their scams they meet Georgie (played by Kate Beckinsale) whom they convince they are simply latter-day Robin Hoods. However, when they land in jail they find out that 50 pound notes are imminently being recalled (because the Queen doesn't like her picture on them!) and need Georgie to dispose of their 2 million pound haul made up of the notes. And it is then that Georgie discovers the truth. But what will she do? A great witty British comedy with a equally great soundtrack ranging from Dubstar to Dionne Warwick. Highly recommended.
Pip Farquharson
back to index

STRANGE PLANET
reviewed 01-04-01

Written and directed by Australian filmmaker, Emma-Kate Croghan, who made her first feature movie (Love and Other Castrophes) when she was just 23. Strange Planet is a romantic comedy that takes place over the course of one year - opening and closing on New Year's Eve. It follows the lives of two groups of 20-somethings - three women who live together in Sydney and three male friends - who are all facing various crises in their love lives. Love and Other Catastrophes was sweet, hip, and humorous, but this follow-up lacks that same verve. Plot-wise there's not a lot going on generally speaking - just with each of the characters (maybe diverting the focus too much?). However, it's worth renting as it's pretty enjoyable and has a great cast. Shame about the horrible "happily ever after…" clichéd ending though.
Scrooge
back to index