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| From zero to sex hero |
THE 40-YEAR-OLD VIRGIN
Directed by Judd Apatow, Certificate 15
NEXT to The Aristocrats, this is the summer’s funniest film
– a rip-snorting silly sex comedy directed by debutant Judd
Apatow (who also produced the film) and written by and starring
Steve Carell (the funny one in Anchorman, also in the American version
of The Office as well as a turn in Bruce Almighty).
Carell (pictured left) doesn’t play as much as inhabit his
invention Andy, a knitted-vest wearing techno-nerd outed as a virgin
by his clique of sex-damaged friends.
Called ‘crude’ by other reviewers, 40-Year-Old Virgin
is a non-PC laugh fest. The kind of American comedy where you may
not get all the jokes but where you’ll laugh all the same.
With additional support from Paul Rudd as David, Romany Laco as
Jay and Seth Rogen as Cal, Andy is taken from sex zero-to-sixty
in just a few easy-to-extremely painful lessons.
He learns how to pick up drunk women from wine bars – a lesson
which leads him to Trish (the ever-sharp Catherine Keener).
At the start, most of the jokes rely what Andy’s ‘experienced’
friends advise him, leading him well astray.
Of course, Andy’s friends aren’t the woman-tamers they
think they are – one is virtually stalking his old girlfriend,
another is unfaithful while another couldn’t hold a relationship
together with cement.
What makes Virgin even more successful as a comedy is that it feels
real.
The filmmakers interviewed many older virgins and, along with their
own tales of dating hell, this information gives Virgin a loving,
warm feel.
This is a gem of a comedy, a dream come true for those of us who
just like to laugh and don’t feel we have to be too clever
about it.
And the end sequence is pure magic too.
Terror at 30,000 feet from the horror
king
RED EYE
Directed by Wes Craven, Certificate 12A
Cillian Murphy and Rachel McAdams |
HORROR master Wes Craven knows a thing or two about building
tension.
With this superlative onboard thriller, he takes all the horror
film scare tactics and cunningly applies them to a domestic airplane
cruising at speed – exactly where you wouldn’t want to
be scared Rachel McAdams and Cillian Murphy star as prey and predator
respectively.
McAdams plays everyone’s favourite girl – a hotel manager
who has the experience and credibility to get anything done.
On her homecoming flight, she at first flirts with then is seated
next to the electric-eyed Murphy. Murphy gets to play all the baddies
these days.
What happens after the plane takes off is an example of an intellectually
precise game of ‘what if?’.
You can almost feel the script coming together as bit by bit the
full horror of McAdams’ situation unfolds. She’s the nice
girl with a secret while he’s the good-looking, smooth-talking
assassin who will kill her father (the ever stalwart Brian Cox)
with one phone call.
This is white-knuckle stuff that will keep you on the edge of your
seat. The story is laden with real life terror interspersed with
just enough coincidences to walk the fine line of credibility and
comedy.
Moreover, the characters are beautifully developed. From the start,
we’re not sure who they are or what they are underneath their
public personas.
Don’t expect sophistication or particularly deep sentiments.
Funny, fast-paced, lightly brutal and basically tons of fun.
Also showing
The Honeymooners
Based on the American sitcom that started the genre (and which also
forms the basis of The Flintstones) Cedric the Entertainer stars
as a cranky bus driver who dreams of a better life.
Mike Epps co-stars as his haplessly happy mate Ed while Regina Hall
steals the show as his wife Trixi. An American homage that doesn’t
travel as well as it might.
Last Days
A slow, elegiac take on the last days of Nirvana front man Kurt
Cobain sees Gus Van Sant punctuating his languid directing style
of late with some pithy dialogue which includes, “Have you
spoken to your daughter? Have you told her you are a rock cliché?”.
High production values aid this agonising descent into death.
The Business
While not another Sexy Beast, this take on a young criminal’s
education on the Costa Del Crime is a male fantasy bar none. Set
in the indulgent 1980s, there are enough women, guns, injurious
pranks, drugs, cars and f-words to keep any 15-year-old happy. Nick
Love knows how to make a gangster feel right at home with this glitzy
cautionary tale that is more than just surface.
The Sun
The third instalment of Alexander Sokurov’s five-part series
takes an intimate look at Japan’s former emperor Hirohito much
in the way the director’s previous works analysed Hitler and
Stalin.
Similar to Downfall in its tone, this is a challenging film that
is hard work to watch but delivers worthwhile historical payload.
Issey Ogata is brilliant in the leading role.
Born to fight
Made in the Thai tradition of amazingly choreographed fight films,
this is a simple tale of a grief-stricken cop who must stop a crime
boss from ruining a small village. This is a fight film made in
the old fashioned way – without doubles, strings or CGI. Real
athletes and astonishing motorcycle stunts keep the action spiralling
ever higher.
On a Clear Day
One of the high points of the Edinburgh Festival, this ode to rebuilding
one’s life rests on a fine script by Alex Rose and deft direction
from Gaby Delall. Frank, played by Peter Mullan, is an out-of-work
docker who becomes obsessed with swimming the English Channel.
A wonderful British film with amazing Scottish locations and a real
ship launch.
Pick of the indies
Born Into Brothels
A goodwill documentary, Born Into Brothels takes on a daring subject
in an unusual way.
Zana Briski, an American photographer and director, goes into Calcutta’s
brothels in order to offer the children there hope in the form of
photographic experiences. She also guides them to other educational
outlets for which the children would otherwise have no opportunities.
This award-winning documentary will remind some of City Of God in
its dire setting. The fact that the children have no idea how bad
their situation is will bring even the hardest heart to the breaking
point. Nevertheless, it is also an example of how merely offering
help to those we feel are impoverished or in need will not fix the
problem.
Along with her co-director Ross Kauffman, the film shows us just
how realistic and tough children can be, even if the conclusions
drawn from this beautiful, somewhat too lyrical documentary is ultimately
extremely depressing. |
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