A - Multiple Viewing Possibilities
B - Deserves Another Look
C - Once Should Suffice

GALAXY QUEST
With Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, Tony Shaloub,
Sam Rockwell
Directed by Dean Parisot
Quite funny (and deliberately silly) spoof about a Star Trek style show called Galaxy Quest. The ex-actors from the series still pitch up for convention appearances and store openings, their fans still religiously loyal even after its cancellation (re-runs still circulating). They get taken to another galaxy by a civilization that’s under the impression that their shows are historical documents, thinking their heroic squashing of planetary injustice is real. They need to help them against a brutal tyrant. At first their reluctance is obvious, but they get to realise they might as well go out with a bang and put their various differences behind them and do some good. Fine FX, great laughs and overall spanking entertainment.
4 / B
- PB

GAME OF DEATH 2
With Bruce Lee
Directed by n/a
Shame upon shame! Even more drips & drabs footage of the real Bruce Lee with a thin plot woven around it with (yes) shameless full frontal shots of a double trying to pass off as The Dragon himself. Shame, shame, double shame!
1 / C
- PB

GANDHI
With Ben Kingsley, Candice Bergen, Edward Fox, John Gielgud, Trevor Howard, John Mills, Martin Sheen
Directed by Richard Attenborough
One of the truly great figures of our recent history comes to life in this delicately crafted epic, highlighting the most influential parts of Mahatma Gandhi's life. Under Imperialist British rule, the population of India saw hope in the small, modest figure of this peace loving man of reason and wisdom. Drawing in many of the Western characters who had influenced and affected this phenomenal man and his quest (both in a positive and negative way), Attenborough balances the liberal with the despotic (as in his later Cry Freedom). He also manages to shrink and expand the focus from small & tender but significant moments and events to more ultra-elaborate scenes, literally utilizing a cast of thousands (before digital cheating was even an option). In the role of his life, Ben Kingsley delivers one hell of a performance, the uncanny physical and verbal replication a first class accomplishment. It his hardly surprising that this huge movie walked off with 9 Academy Awards after its release in 1982. When I thought that The Last Temptation Of Christ didn't have space for any extras, I noticed that Gandhi's 183 minute running time still crammed in quite a bit. There is the theatrical film trailer, a featurette on Ben Kingsley reminiscing on his career-making role, filmographies, a photo-montage "making of", a weblink, original newsreel footage and quotes called "The Words of Mahatma Gandhi". So what are the DVD producers' excuses for leaving that Scorsese picture so naked by means of the format's extra capabilities? Many never had the privilege of experiencing this film on the cinema's large screen around 20 years ago. On video the cropped pan & scan transfer chopped away at least a third of the film's production value and epic, vast scope. This 1:2.35 widescreen picture perfect version justifies this film to the maximum, its additional material enhancing the experience even more.
6 / B
- PB

GANG RELATED
with James Belushi, Tupac Shakur
Written & Directed by Jim Kouf
What seems to be a typical South Central-style flick delivers quite a few surprises and twists - even the title is misleading. What we have here is a tale of two cops embroiled in their own domino effect set off by their own greed. Their dual monetary needs differ, but the means of attaining it boils down to selling evidence to dealers, killing them and re-selling the product. Simple, straight forward and they're ridding society of scum in the process...until they happen to whack a DEA undercover agent. Slowly but surely they spin themselves into a tighter spot when they try to pin the murder on anyone possible, them being the investigating officers! That's until the bum, Joe, seems the perfect scapegoat. The plot twists don't end here, they're just getting warmed up. Belushi is surprisingly good while Tupac delivers a brooding, honest performance (the last of his short lived, promising life). I preferred Shakur's thespian career to his musical one, but fans would like to know this movie features 4 previously unreleased tracks by him. I (as many others) thought Gridlock'd was his last role, but this one seemed to slip by us (unless you have a Laserdisc player, of course). Dennis Quaid, whose career seemed to have floundered during this period, is on top form in a fine change of character in the role of the boozed-up bum on trial.
4 / C
- PB

GANGS OF NEW YORK
With Daniel Day Lewis, Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz, Liam Neeson
Directed by Martin Scorsese
With both Scorsese and his film missing out on the anticipated Oscar nod for 2003, this does not diminish its cinematic impact in the least. By fusing historic facts and artistic fiction, Scorsese offer the viewer a glimpse at the birth of his beloved city that is everything but glamourous and sugar coated. Set in the mid-1800s, we get to see the foundation of a nation and the dark sides of this world depicted in most of the films Scorsese has made since the 1970s. Clashing factions fought the streets for control of areas as they still do to this day. Daniel Day Lewis excels as the ferocious glass eyed native leader Bill The Butcher - the man who slain the father of Amsterdam (DiCaprio), the boy grown up to seek revenge. These pivotal characters meet amid the growing city of immigrants who find harsh resistance from those considering themselves natives while those with political aspirations are as criminal as the street thugs. The Butcher runs the five points and had little (if any resistance) since the killing of the priest. The return of his orphaned son, now a young man, has him infiltrating Bill's ranks as a friendly in order to exact his revenge at the right time. The female interest comes in the shape of Cameron Diaz. Gangs Of New York goes beyond a mere tale of vengeance, but also calls for tolerance and unity with so many different nationalities coming together to build a new nation. Opportunity, rivalry, religion, greed, criminality and identity all clash within a meticulously constructed framework spun by Scorsese, with both actors and sets creating a believable historic realm with very little detraction from its authenticity. While I feel Scorsese's previous efforts surpass this very admirable one, an Oscar for something like Taxi Driver or Raging Bull would've felt more deserved. A fine film that is not as heavy going as it seems, though long enough to give some hard couchers butt-cramp. Gangs Of New York is one of the biggest and grittiest period pieces you're likely to see for some time and while the shrinkdown to video loses some of the film's grand scope, it is still an important film to see and enjoy for all the right reasons.
An additional disc takes you deeper into this collosal visual task.
5 / B
- PB

GET CARTER (in Afrikaans)
Met Sylvester Stallone, Rachel Lee Cooke, Mickey Rourke, Miranda Richardson, Michael Cain
Regisseur: Stephen Kay
Diegene wat steeds mal is oor die klassieke 1971 Britse “gangster” riller met Michael Cain in die hoofrol, sal teleurgesteld wees met die hantering van hierdie verhaal oor ‘n tawwe krimineel wat huis toe kom om sy broer se moordenaars sy unieke weergawe van wraak te laat proe. Kykers wat nie eens bewus is van die oorspronklike rolprent nie, sal die aksie en drama egter na hul asems laat snak.
3 / B
- PB

GHOST
With Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, Whoopie Goldberg
Directed by David Zucker
Nobody would've thought that the slapstick comedy director behind films like Flying High, Top Secret and Hot Shots would try his hand at a serious subject. Not only did he surprise everyone but the film even earned a couple of Oscars (including Best Supporting Actress for Whoopie Goldberg & Best Screenplay). The life of a couple is torn apart when the man is murdered in what seems like a street mugging. When the dead man's spirit hesitates to cross over to the other side, he is trapped in the land of the living. This places him in the torturous situation to witness the grief of his wife, advances of his best friend and inability to protect her from harm. But it seems as though there might be hope when he manages to communicate with a medium (Whoopie). Demi is mostly teary while Swayze surprised in this change from his usual macho roles. Tender, touching and sad, Ghost also has more tense dramatic moments as well as comedic turns (especially from Goldberg), without transgressing its essence. The DVD contains a retrospective documentary as well as a duet commentary from director and writer highlighting the trials & tribulations of getting the film made & tricks or anecdotes related to the execution of scenes.
4 / B
- PB

THE GHOST AND THE DARKNESS (in Afrikaans)
met Val Kilmer, Michael Douglas, John Kani
Regisseur: Stephen Hopkins
Dit is die 1800's en Engeland wil op die voorpunt wees met die bou van 'n spoorlyn deur Afrika. Val Kilmer is 'n inginieur wat aangestel word om 'n brug binne 5 maande te bou in 'n area genaamd Sabu. Die gladde verloop van sake word omver gewerp wanneer twee bloedfdorstige leeus chaos veroorsaak en die werkers aanhoudend verskeur en wegdryf. Kilmer se reputasie en trots is op die spel en saam met 'n grootwild jagter (Michael Douglas) word die jagtog om die leeus te skiet amper 'n obsessie, selfs 'n vendetta. Buiten dit regverdig hulle hul aksies omdat die leeus blykbaar onnatuurlik wreedagtig optree...hulle moor die mense vir pret. Die pragtige fotografie van die Afrika natuurskoon wat hier naby ons Suid Afrikaners verfilm is, handhaaf 'n goeie balans met die spanning en donkerte van die leeus wat op enige oomblik kan aanval. Hierdie blykbaar ware legende laat my wonder waar die gehoor se simpatie sal le: by die leeus wat natuurlik optree in hulle eie omgewing of die imperialistiese kapitaliste wat Afrika wil oorwin...?
3 / C
- PB

GHOST IN THE SHELL
Directed by Mamoru Oshii
Admittedly a great influence on the Wachowski brothers' Matrix series, this ultra stylish Manga milestone started a whole new era for Anime and adult animation in general. With a convoluted plot we're taken on an amazing visual trip as a female cyborg tracks an information hacker in a futuristic Asian city. Fantastic animation and graphic scenes with incredible music and tense moods add to the many outstanding points of this modern classic. A must-see.
6 / A
- PB

GHOST SHIP
With Gabriel Byrne, Juliana Marguiles, Isaiah Washington
Directed by Steve Beck
If you can have a haunted house (take your pick), haunted car (Christine), haunted space ship (Event Horizon), why not a cruise ship? That's obviously what Robert Zemeckis and Joel Silver thought when they backed this spooky tale to be preserved on celluloid for posterity…or to gratify cheap-scare freaks at least. A salvage team gets handed the find of a lifetime. A pleasure boat missing for decades. Nobody has a claim on the multi-million salvage, bringing it down to finders-keepers. As the title suggests and the gruesome opening sequence show, the passengers did not go voluntarily, or neatly. Apparitions and freaky events slowly start to cast doubt on the whole scheme as the past events also start to unfold. Spooky scares and cheap tricks are thrown in equal measures. There are many red herrings as well as very obvious motifs in this thrill ride which uses elements of personal weaknesses and fears being preyed upon like in a Red Dwarf TV episode and the aforementioned Event Horizon. Ghost Ship is fleeting fun that doesn't require much more that sitting back and munching your popcorn.
3 / C
- PB

THE GIFT
With Cate Blanchet, Greg Kinnear, Keeanu Reeves, Giovanni Ribisi, Hilary Swank
Directed by Sam Raimi
Raimi has definitely outgrown his Evil Dead days, which is actually sad. A very 'normal' effort from the man who used to make his leading man saw off his own arm. The "surprise" ending is no surprise at all and the pace is slow. All is not lost though: The leading lady is yum yum yummy. Did she play "Elizabeth"?
3 / B
- Francois Blom
...the 2nd opinion...
THE GIFT
Good to know that Raimi (creator of the marvelous Evil Dead trilogy) hasn’t lost his touch, what with lengthy weepy baseball love stories like For Love Of The Game & all. Billy Bob Thornton as one of the co-writers creates a backwater white trash Southern atmosphere as backdrop with its humid presence a striking one. Blanchett, with a well-simulated accent, convincingly portrays the role of a widow (with three sons) who has a clairvoyant gift, doing readings for people in their quiet town. One client is a troubled young man (wonderfully played by Ribisi) and an abused wife (by Oscar winner Hilary Swank). The redneck husband (Reeves) finds out and starts to threaten her. Things get eerie when our “fortune teller” gets premonitions and one of her boys’ teacher’s fiance turns up missing. Murder and dark secrets ooze out of the swamp as she “sees” where the body might be found. So, you can expect the killer not to leave her be. Some red herrings and cheap shock tactics are sparsely, but well executed throughout the film while its incorporation of suspense-, dramatic-, thriller-, horror- as well as who-dunnit elements on top of the moderate to fine performances blend well, regardless of some predictable results.
4 / C
- PB

GIMME SOME TRUTH
- The Making Of John Lennon's "Imagine" Album
Any John Lennon fan that hasn't seen Imagine probably cannot lay that claim of allegiance. If you have, however, this documentary will be of great interest. Clips from this documentation of the Imagine album's recording process made it into that film, but here you can experience it in its entirety - from the happy moments to the uncomfortably nasty ones. Producer Phil Spector's presence will also be more ominously curious with the recent fatal shooting incident at his home. The intimate presence of the camera sometimes feel like an intrusion when John gets bitchy with the sound engineer while the everyday process of recording cannot be expected to go without hitches. The scene of the hippie lad who camped out on the Lennon estate is shown in full. Yoko's omnipresent figure will no doubt be a bone of contention for some, but the fact remains, she was a part of the man. The songs from the album that sprinkle the documentary include Imagine, Oh Yoko!, Jealous Guy, Gimme Some Truth, How? etc. An 8-page booklet contains rare photos and details on the making of the documentary. Extras include an unedited interview with John & Yoko and a complete discography. Just like Imagine was an important album for music in general, so is seeing its conception.
5 / B
- PB

GINUWINE - The Videos
As far as modern R&B goes, they are hard pressed to innovate the genre, Ginuwine no different. What does make him stand out more is the fact that he thinks he's really got the moves. His terrible dance routines has him thinking he's the shit, while he is, in fact just plain shit. Always sex obsessed, trying to be the romantic player like R.Kelly, you're inundated with what he thinks everyone perceives as being damn sexy. Sorry G, not the case. Constantly mulling over cheating partners or begging forgiveness for cheating, Ginuwine's big head is not as active as his little one, hence the same old terrible lyrics about the same damn subjects. All the sad, base, physical and materialistic fixations get plenty of coverage in the 9 videos on display. They incl. Difference, There It Is, None Of Ur Friends Business, Pony, Only When Ur Lovely, What's So Different, I'll Do Anything / I'm Sorry. Bonus videos include Hell Yeah and In Those Jeans. Those crap gear shifts mid song that isn't even creatively blended with the main body of the song always feature Ginuwine pulling his best moves out of the box, most often totally hilarious and idiotic poses resulting in a spastic amalgamation of Michael Jackson and MC Hammer. Amid the cliché flash there is one creative video, the rest a bunch of typical bull. You also get lyric sheets, a biog and info.
2 / C
- PB

GIRLFIGHT
With Michelle Rodriguez, Jaime Tirelli
Directed by Karyn Kusama
This impressive debut by Rodriguez zipped her straight into the limelight and bigger pictures like The Fast And The Furious (a small role) and bigger parts like the new Resident Evil movie (based on the amazing game - Please don't let them screw it up, taking into account the bad video game-to-movie end results over the years…!!) Here she not only tried her hand at acting for the first time, but also boxing. A young, frustrated urban schoolgirl aimlessly searching for something, finds boxing when seeing her brother at the gym. He's more intellectual and soft and doesn't want to do it. She goes in his place (without their bitter dad knowing). Her rough exterior doesn't mean she's not a woman with the potential to fall in love. Girlfight is an inspiring, yet sometimes depressing film about a young girl finding herself and a new life in an unlikely place. Besides being yourself and standing up for what you believe is right without selling your soul in the process, the film also breaks many stereotypes, while launching it with a few.
PS. How the hell could the video cover designer slip up like this, spelling the star's name "MICHELLE R ODRIGUEZ" with a space between the R & O?? Crikey!
4 / C
- PB

GIRL, INTERRUPTED
With Winona Ryder, Angelina Jolie, Elisabeth Moss, Brittany Murphy, Whoopi Goldberg
Directed by James Mangold
Susanna Kaysen, a 17 year-old girl in the late ‘60’s, is sent to Claymore Hospital, a psychiatric institution. This is after she chased a bottle of aspirin with a bottle of vodka. She doesn’t seem to fit into life’s regular laid out patterns, expectations and pigeonholes. She is intelligent but confused. At Claymore she meets a variety of patients, each with their own view on what ails them. The wild one of the bunch, Lisa, latches onto Susanna, showing her how to bypass many of the regulations and expectations of the institution. Most patients believe there’s nothing wrong with them, and we want to believe them too. Their relationships have extreme highs and lows, leading to many conflicting as well as funny scenes, almost making it a female version of One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest. But, it is by no means a carbon copy with a gender twist, since it is based on Susanna Kaysen’s memoirs on her experiences at Claymore. This film might well be tragic, heart rending and intense, but knowing it’s not fiction makes it so much more of a personal experience. We not only get to questioning exactly what “sanity” is, but the amazingly convincing honest performances from Ryder and Jolie (who walked off with the best supporting Oscar) really suck you in, making you a part of their process. The film’s trailer unfortunately seems to try and reflect a light hearted, even funny tale of misfits - not so. It’s not over-sentimentalized or a deliberate tearjerker. Girl, Interrupted is a passionate drama that invigorates the spirit while still entertaining as you choke back a tear or two.
5 / B
- PB

GIRLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN
With Helen Hunt, Sarah Jessica Parker, Lee Montgomery
Directed by Alan Metter
Oh, my word. Bad 80’s style and the almost Footloose approach of a girl who wants to dance-dance-dance (leading up to a competition) with a militant daddy who keeps on spoiling her fun. To say that the best part of the film is the Cindy Lauper’s hit song would be rude. So let’s be just that.
2 / C
- PB

GLADIATOR
With Cuba Gooding Jr., James Marshall, Robert Loggia, Brian Dennehy
Directed by Rowdy Herrington
Crappy boxing movie taking ludicrous turns as ruthless promoter muscles young guys in underground betting fights. Poop.
2 / C
- PB

GLADIATOR
With Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Oliver Reed, Richard Harris
Directed by Ridley Scott
Scott’s well handled Gladiator epic is filled with drama, action and passion with a sweeping, lovely soundtrack and powerful performance by Crowe. Very well executed and entertaining. This Oscar winning period piece with Crowe playing Maximus, the betrayed war general whom gave his all to the glory of Rome has timeless elements. Phoenix is the over-ambitious, patricidal Caesar who took power from his father, who intended to give the honourable Maximus the reigns in order to restore its former glory without tyranny. Caesar orders his death as well as that of his family. The attempt on Maximus fails, but his family isn’t spared. Wounded, he finds himself bought and forced to fight in gladiator battles. Fate leads him back to Rome where his destiny is to be fulfilled. A great spectacle with marvellously brutal battles, a throbbing score and just enough hert plucking to make it a well rounded slab of entertainment. (Siskel & Ebert probably had a field day with the “thumbs up & down”).
4 / B
- PB

GLAM ROCK The DVD
This stellar collection of Glam Rock related bands were all taken from the German Musik Laden TV-show that was especially popular in the 70s and 80s. With the straight audience often a bit staggered at some of the bands and the set hardly ever changing (except for occasional psychedelic blue screen FX), it's a bizarre time-capsule. The Orange amp, pot plants and manually rotating board logo is usually a give-away that you're watching Musik Laden ! Some of the better tracks come from Roxy Music (with 2 tracks: Virginia Plain & Do The Strand, in classic glitter outfits), Glam frontrunners T.Rex (20th Century Boy & Jeepster) and Sweet (Teenage Rampage). Shock-rocker Alice Cooper still in his drinking days is bombed out of his mind (Public Animal #9), Nazareth delivers their fantastic rock ballad Love Hurts quite statically and Mungo Jerry rocks (Alright Alright Alright). Tossers Showaddywaddy is a lame Sha-Na-Na imitation and Bay City Rollers are dorks but gave us the memorable Bye Bye Baby. Smokie is hilarious, especially because of their haircuts and the drummer (acting all coy and shy at the camera - a laugh riot). Steve Harley thinks he's the man (while looking like a butch female office woker) doing an inferior cover of Here Comes The Sun, in his ladies' sunglasses, baggy trousers, tight little jacket and wig-like ladies' hair. The 20 clips also include Suzi Quatro, Medicine Head, David Essex, David Cassidy, Rod Stewart and Lulu. Not all exactly Glam Rock, but from the same 70s era. A lovely flashback, though.
3 / A
- PB

THE GLASS HOUSE
With Leelee Sobieski, Stellan Skarsgard, Diane Lane, Bruce Dern
Directed by Daniel Sackheim
This passable thriller places two children in the foster care of old family friends (in a modern house rich in glass architecture) when their parents die in a car crash. The teenage daughter is not happy with the situation, especially when she starts suspecting something is not right. Cheap scares and forced moments of tension is not enough to give you any reason to want to see this film again while its action, violence and close calls add to this. This is suspense by numbers to a certain extent and feels a lot like a TV movie turned into big screen fodder. And, yes, the owners of the house in question's surname is...Glass...
2 / C
- PB

GLASTONBURY ANTHEMS - The Best Of Glastonbury 1994-2004
This DVD covers some of the musical highlights of the last decade in this festival's popular lifespan. The track listing is random, but you can view them in chronological year order as well. From 1994 you get a smooth Blur and krusty, tripped-out didgeridoo-strapping Levellers. '95 saw Elastica and '96 was either below par or the fest was cancelled that year! 1997 was great with both the Prodigy and Radiohead included. Placebo acts as a counter balance for popster Robbie Williams in '98. For 1999 Manic Street Preachers and Fun Lovin' Criminals were selected. The year 2000 sees the most choices, Travis, Moby and the Chemical Brothers (while I love them, I just can't help but smile at the superstar DJ thing of two guys basically standing around in front of a wall of electronics, mixing desks, FX modules and wires, pretty much just looking like their nodding to their CD…). 2001 is also omitted, but Faithless, Ash, and Coldplay had the crowd raving in 2002. Both Supergrass and Primal Scream proved in 2003 that they were still entities on the music scene and last year (2004) gets a bit of an anti-climax, but a cult one at that with Paul McCartney doing Hey Jude. Basement Jaxx represent the modern sound and in contrast with Chemical Brothers have a full band with singers. Franz Ferdinand were meant to be included but clearance problems had them removed from the track listing. The opening titles of the DVD contain a riff from The Hives, but they're not to be seen unfortunately. Extras include a look at the old trippy hippie Glastonbury Fayre film from 1971, an aerial view of the fest (which is only of significance if you've ever actually been there), a tour of the various green earth themed areas and an interview with the original organizers in 1995 (Michael & Jean Eavis).
5 / B
- PB

GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS
With Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, Ed Harris, Alan Arkin, Kevin Spacey, Alec Baldwin, Jonathan Price
Directed by James Foley
When told there’s a movie out about real estate agents, actual real estate agents will probably think it’s the most boring possible subject to put on the screen. When David Mamet is involved, that’s hardly the case. In fact, this entire cast should’ve been given an accumulative Oscar for their outstanding performances. Based on Mamet’s play, a bunch of real estate agents with crappy leads and few sales get a visit from the big man who tells them the top seller gets a car, the worst loses his job. The dog eat dog survival instincts, human weaknesses, strengths and cruelty come out in full force. This must-see is an absolute tour de force with superb dialog, plot and a great twist.
6 / A
- PB

GO FOR BROKE!
With Van Johnson, Lana Nakano
Directed by Robert Pirosh
During WWII, Rooseveldt and others supported the idea to assemble a regiment of soldiers consisting of Americans of Japanese descent. Seeing as being American is meant to be a state of mind and not one of race. After training, one such regiment is sent to Italy. The culture clashes are evident resulting in some funny scenes while the battle sequences are actually quite well executed. Camaraderie and victory is a triumphant and exhilarating element true to this 1951 era’s war films.
4 / C
- PB

GOAL!
With Kuno Becker, Alessandro Nivola, Marcel Iures, Stephen Dillane, Anna Friel, David Beckham
Directed by Danny Cannon
Certainly cashing in on the global soccer popularity, this well-worn rise-to-success-against-the-odds-tale gets another outing as a disadvantaged young man has big dreams of becoming a soccer star. He is opposed and put down by his father who wants him to know his place and stick to his role as garden service worker. Illegal Mexican border jumpers, they get by, but the boy has bigger dreams. A visiting Englishman spots him at a community game and convinces him to fly to the UK (on his own steam) with the remote chance of being given an audition by a big club. The ups and downs, opposition and hardships, are classic clichés balanced out with the happy moments (like friends, wins, girlfriend etc.), faith and determination. Soccer fans won't find much fault, except wanting to see more real games, but the cheesy, cheap sentimentality and the obvious overcoming of the odds and heroic triumph was not forgotten. Also features some real player cameos. I found it relatively watchable even though I'm no soccer fan.
3 / C
- PB

GODSEND
With Robert DeNiro, Greg Kinnear, Rebecca Romijn-Stamos
Directed by Sam Hamm
The Duncans lose their 8-year old son (the aptly named) Adam in a freak road accident. They're devastated. Hope comes in the shape of the wife's old lecturer, Dr. Wells, a brilliant medical researcher who suggests cloning, a second chance to have their identical son back again. It is illegal, but they eventually look past the moral dilemmas and agree. Everything is great until after (the new) Adam's 8th birthday. He has horrible nightmares and suffers from terrifying flashbacks of a life he never lived. With the parents at a loss, things escalate, becoming deadly, the sweet affable boy becoming the opposite. While it all starts out interestingly enough, the narrative seems to lose steam midway. With the topical subject matter that can keep you in a debate for much longer than the film's running time, it eventually boils down to a basic thriller with some cheap scares that at least sees DeNiro getting a little closer to what he's good at - not lame comedy.
The title's syllables can obviously also be adjusted to infer the more obvious 'God Send' of a child returning to its parents and 'God's End' when it comes to dabbling in matters some believe to be in the hands of the higher power.
3 / C
- PB

GOLDENEYE
With Pierce Brosnan, Famke Janssen, Sean Bean, Izabella Scurupco
Directed by Martin Campbell
The man everyone rooted for finally dons the tux, delivers the quips and displays the flair of the world's favourite bashing/bonking spy. Brosnan is capable and looks the part. M gets a gender swap and the Bond of old is put in his place in order to move with more liberated times. But we all know that deep down Commander Bond is a randy kid who just wants to have a blast. And, male or female, we love him for it, no matter how womanising or arrogant he might seem. Completely modernized, Bond is up against technology not even HIS wise-ass can snuff without hard labour. Tina Turner gets back to the old style theme tune unlike the more poppy renditions of Duran Duran or a-ha. With Brosnan's satisfactory adoption of the 007 persona, let's hope another swap won't occur too soon. A Bond film defies rating of any kind as its authentic, timeless brilliance and savvy make each one a masterpiece in one way or another. The entire Bond series (excluding the current big screen Tomorrow Never Dies, of course) is distributed by Nu-Metro and if you don't rush out right now to get the whole shebang, at least build up your collection piece by piece. It's a worthwhile slice of history with a great re-view ratio that is guaranteed to satisfy.
4 / B
- PB

GOLDFINGER
With Sean Connery, Gert Frobe, Honor Blackman, Shirley Eaton
Directed by Guy Hamilton
Switzerland and the USA as its main locations, we have the ultra wealthy Goldfinger attempting to blow up Fort Knox in order to corner the gold market. Not if JamesBond can help it ! Besides the great Shirley Bassey theme song, this one also features the classicly named Pussy Galore as the Bond girl. This particular movie established the 007 character as it continued until today. M, Q (STILL played by Desmond Llewelyn) and Moneypenny have also become permanent fixtures.
4 / B
- PB

GOLDFRAPP - Wonderful Electric
Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory's collaboration gave birth to two varied, but distinctly enjoyable albums, the loungy, trippy far-out easy listening electronic and analogue Felt Mountain, and the modern electronic pop of Black Cherry. On this double disc DVD you get their fabulous songs on two separate live shows, one at the outdoor Somerset House, and the other at the Shepherd's Bush Empire. Each disc also contains a separate documentary with pre-show footage as well as in studio interviews, getting a bit of more of an understanding of the talent players' headspace. Their fresh alternative to the basic commercial pop world is an appealing one that goes its own way, whatever the flavour of the month. This was released just before their third album Supernature.
5 / B
- PB

THE GOLD RACKET
With n/a
Director n/a
Silly little film of gold smugglers in Mexico and the lawman who wants to bust them. Throw in a dame who sings and need to con the pilot for the racketeers into giving her info, some slap-dash comedy and you have a typical ‘40’s film with stiff acting and lines being declared in stead of delivered.
2 / C
- PB

THE GOOD GIRL
With Jennifer Aniston, John C. Reilly
Directed by Miguel Arteta
It's small town Texas. Aniston plays a pretty, but plain woman working at the cosmetics counter of a large retail store. Her dead-end life seems even more frustrating as she's having difficulty in conceiving with her house painter husband who mostly sits around smoking weed with his vacant partner. When she befriends a young cashier who is a frustrated youth and aspiring writer, the mold of her stagnant existence gets a crack. Their attraction becomes physical and though she feels it's wrong, pursues it. This low-key film takes a few interesting and dark turns making it one for the Adam Sandler clan to avoid.
3 / C
- PB

THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE UGLY
With Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, Eli Wallach
Directed by Sergio Leone
Oh, mercy. This 1967 masterpiece, together with another Leone spectacular, Once Upon a Time in the West (who’s opening scene alone outclasses any western made to date), has to be the best films made in this genre. This unforgettable, meust-be-in-everyone’s-collection gem has Clint and Eli Wallach teaming up as a conman duo. Clint turns Eli in for reward and then frees him as he’s about to get hung, rather unconventionally shooting the rope! Far fetched? No way, these guys never miss. Things get a bit hairy, though, when Civil War Gold becomes the obsession of Clint (The Good), Eli (The Ugly) and a returned Lee Van Cleef (The Bad). The Final draw sequence is absolutely chilling, orgasmic and absolutely mindblowing. All three of these films boast the phenomenal soundtracks by Ennio Morricone. Absolutely unbelievable and unforgettable, especial Good, Bad & Ugly’s theme got lifted by a certain cancer inducing product. These three films not only set the precedent, but changed the way films are made today…Just ask John Woo and that Tarantino twat.
6 / A
- PB

GOODBYE LOVER
With Patricia Arquette, Don Johnson, Dermot Mulroney, Ellen Degeneres
Directed by Roland Joffe
A fresh near-Noir thriller with the astoundingly sensual Arquette as the femme fatale who plays up against everyone from her husband, to his brother, both their lovers and the cop investigating those who mysteriously drop dead in various ways. The whole impetus being money and more money. Enjoyable, quirky characters across the board are all well written, well acted, well executed and well worth watching. A strange and amusing comedic slant separates it from your regular thriller.
4 / B
- PB

GOOD WILL HUNTING
With Matt Damon, Robin Williams, Ben Affleck, Minnie Driver
Directed by Gus Van Sant
Hollywood success story of the late ‘90’s. Damon & Affleck’s award winning screenplay got picked up and shot them into the A-list from being virtual unknowns. Damon plays a young, self studying genius loafer, who gets discovered by a mathematical professor at the university where he’s a cleaner. His anti-social behaviour constantly gets him in trouble and to ensure him getting utilized in a positive way, he has to see a psychologist. The two of them grapple at first but slowly get to know one another and establish an open relationship of trust. Funny, sad and uplifting, Good Will Hunting has many layers culminating into a fine, unexpected hit.
5 / A
- PB

GOSFORD PARK
With Alan Bates, Charles Dance, Stephen Fry, Richard E. Grant, Emily Watson, Michael Gambon, Helen Mirren, Ryan Phillippe, Maggie Smith
Directed by Robert Altman
The respected indie filmmaker Robert Altman has always had a star pull - this film is no different with a fine ensemble cast from a range of generations and nationalities contributing to this interesting, yet drawn out yarn. The film is set in the English countryside during the 1930s, where the weekend at a wealthy man's home becomes the voyeuristic peek into the social structures and different lives (and lack thereof), all coming to a head when a murder occurs. Each of the numerous guests has a designated servant and the probing into these two vastly different worlds is an intriguing one and you can easily get lost in the layers of characters if you don't pay attention. Secrets, scandal and disgrace come to the surface, some of it already there without much attention paid to it, accepted as the norm. It's not as much a who-done-it as a look at social structures and its consequences. Earned Julian Fellowes a Best Screenplay Oscar®.
4 / C
- PB

GOTHIKA
With Halle Berry, Robert Downey, Jr., Penelope Cruz
Directed by Mathieu Kassovitz
After a road detour, a psychologist at a female penitentiary smashes her car when a girl appears in the road. The girl bursts into flames as she tries to help her. Three days later she wakes up at the other side of the glass. Not remembering anything, it is made known that she has murdered her husband three days prior and is under observation. The ghostly girl returns and our rational woman tries to make sense of it all while trying to hold onto her sanity - or what she believes it to be. There are deep dark secrets that slowly get uncovered. Some good scares and nice camera work makes this a slick shocker, which ultimately fails to linger. It almost has that Sixth Sense thing going for it in a way, but not quite, its predictability one of the key factors. The film's title would've suited an entirely different picture better - one which many viewers might be expecting, had they not seen the trailer.
3 / C
- PB

GOYA IN BORDEAUX (Goya en Bordeos)
With Francisco Rabal, Jose’ Coronado, Daphne Ferna’ndez, Maribel Verdu’, Eulalia Ramon, Joaquin Climent
Directed by Carlos Saura
Stark, vivid and richly textured Spanish look at the renowned artist Goya, reflecting on his life in his twilight days, living in France with other Spanish exiles. The darkness of his latter work comes to the fore as we get glimpses of his earlier life, the loss of his hearing, his migraines and his one true love Cayetana. The utilization of innovative lighting, among other things, behind transparent wallpapered rooms gives the film a whole other dimension. Projected images of his work is also incorporated and executed in a dreamlike fashion. Mostly shot on sets, some of the scenes are staged with painted backdrops, looking like large-scale opera house productions. An amazing and deeply artistic painting of a passionate artist’s life.
5 / B
- PB

A GRAND DAY OUT
Directed & Animated by Nick Park
Tea time is an event at the Wallace/Gromit household - but, when there is no cheese for the crackers, something has to be done ! Where is the best source ? The moon of course ! After building a bright orange space ship, our heroes set off in search of the perfect lunar picnic with cheese galore. The moon is not all they expected, including a rather grumpy coin-operated custodian. Hilarious with so much to look at you can't just view it once.
6 / A
- PB

GREATEST HITS OF THE 70's
This is another period that is not easy to cram into 18 songs. So, the best would be to have bits from all over the era. The opener is one hell of a surprise - Peter Tosh with Mick Jagger on guest vocals! I know very little about the rock group The Babys, but the song on here is brilliant. Hot Chocolate's soul rock mix in Emma is still quite fresh in my memory. Dr Hook's semi-country rock ballad is quite recognizable, as is the particular SKA touch of The Specials. Racey's retro boogaloo rock is energetic and hilarious with Dr. Feelgood adding a more gritty rock edge to proceedings. Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel's Make Me Smile was recently utilized in the Glam Rock flick Velvet Goldmine. The Knack deliver their classic My Sharona as does The Hollies with a live medley of He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother. Natalie Cole, Tavares, Pilot and the superb Kate Bush round the collection off. Some great songs (and equally measured bad videos) across many genres, but as usual too few to satisfy. It's probably economics, but with the DVD storage capacity the fans will be rewarded far greater if they got twice the amount on one disc.
4 / A
- PB

GREEN JELLŸ
These guys were supposed to be the world's first video-only band. But, after the popularity of their cool Three Little Pigs song, they had to sell out to the disc. By using their own rock style and deliberately stealing some from others, the band created some hilarious music videos with low budgets and high hilarity. Stop animation, hokey sets, rubber masks and cheesy set-ups take the viewer through a monster-, freak- and weirdo-fest with songs like the abovementioned pork-tune, the beefy Obey The Cow God, psychedelic Trippin' On XTC, stinky Misadventures Of Shitman, cheese-rock Electric Harley House (Of Love), freezing Flight Of The Skajaquada, a dance club tune rip-off House Me Teenage Rave, a Flintstones take on Anarchy In the UK, and warped Rock-N-Roll Pumpkin. With some of the band members in the TV business, they created this as a self-satisfying party that turned out to be a global blast.
PS. I still believe some, if not all of Green Jellÿ is in fact Gwar, the ultimate horror rock band.
5 / A
- PB

THE GREEN MILE
With Tom Hanks, Michael Clark Duncan, Michael Jetter, David Morse, Sam Rockwell, James Cromwell, Barry Pepper, Bonnie Hunt
Directed by Frank Darabont
Hanks plays a prison warden in the 1930’s, in charge of the death row cells adjacent to the electric chair. This moving story based on a horror-free Stephen King tale has many trails. The major ones include a snotty little family-connected guard on the team; Hanks and his urinary tract infection (telling the tale in long flashback as an old man in a frail home); a head warden with a dying wife; a hell raising psychopath; the contentious issue of capitol punishment and the most significant, a gigantic black man brought in, accused of killing two girls, condemned to die for it. But this man has a special gift of healing. This changes everything for everyone in that cellblock, behind, and on the other side of the bars. Though its running time is significantly long, The Green Mile is an inspiring, wonderful experience filled with passion, pain and joy.
5 / B
- PB

GROOVE
With Mackenzie Firgens, Rachel True
Directed by Greg Harrison
Since the rave nation struck planet earth, it had (for the most part) been largely a European phenomenon, with Superstar DJs being either British, Dutch, French... The same goes for new millennium party movies. This American take on the new style party phenomenon is a valiant effort to instill what different levels there are to these type of gatherings. There is the organizer and his motley crew team, doing it for the spirit of the whole thing, even if it made one person happy to be there, it's enough for him. Then there's the first time E virgin, the old school raver looking for new meaning, the friends conflicting with the whole new culture and the couple whose relationship faces a crisis. You get the new DJ who struggles to get the knack of his craft, the Superstar DJ he idolizes, the young idiot who gets totally wasted and stupid, the gay couple who get the wrong directions to go celebrate their anniversary and an array of colourful, fun loving partygoers, lights, lasers and music. These characters all have their own direction but act as a unit in their communal quest to have the greatest night of their or lives - that's if the cops don't raid the warehouse. The replication of many events, feelings and atmospheres at an event like this are very well replicated, not just the feeling of the lights and music, but also the ability of the actors to reflect that, for instance a drug rush coming on, meaningless waffling and mannerisms fuelled by chemicals. Groove was selected for Sundance, but regardless, it's an enjoyable look at a part of our culture we might look back on and smile at…or shake our heads over.
3 / B
- PB

THE GRUDGE
With Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jason Behr, Clea Duvall, Bill Pullman, Ted Raimi
Directed by Takashi Shimizu
With his Spider-Man success Sam Raimi hasn't forgotten his horror roots. Here he produces Takashi Shimizu's English remake of his own original Japanese film. With that same creeping horror style as Ringu (also remade as The Ring), he milks the most chilling of scenes with an hypnotic pace from the premise of a curse (JU-ON) befalling all who encounter the angered spirit of someone who died in the grips of an intense grudge, its slow, meticulous fury unstoppable. Gellar is a caregiver in Tokyo who has to check in on a homebound patient whose original nurse didn't seem to arrive for work. Slowly she gets sucked into a disturbing black hole of an angered ghost who does not discriminate between its victims, Shimizu's sequences, devices and techniques absolutely effective in scaring the hell out of you. A spirit or ghost that rushes at you with noise is not very terrifying for the viewer - a slow moving horror with unstoppable intent (and a spine tingling low croaking moan) is a total freak out! While modern and stylish, it seems to be the Japanese who are re-educating the world on how to manage and unleash real scares. While the apple pie demeanour of Sarah-Michele Gellar has seen her becoming a commercial horror favourite (from the Buffy TV series to I Know What You Did Last Summer), this time round she's part of something with substance and true nail-biting terror. Pullman is great in the small role, which has a huge narrative significance. If you love a good scare, don't miss this one.
5 / B
- PB

GUESS WHO?
With Ashton Kutcher, Bernie Mac, Zoë Saldana, Judith Scott
Directed by Kevin Rodney Sullivan
Kutcher is quite funny in That '70s Show, but most of his movies are limp comedies. Here, Guess Whose Coming To Dinner? with Spencer Tracy and Sidney Poitier gets re-hashed with a racial switch. Bernie Mac plays his wise-ass self as the father of the girl who wants to marry a white boy. Mac and his wife are renewing their vows and they meet the daughter's boyfriend for the first time. The cheap jokes, jabs and racial stereotypes flow freely as Kutcher and Mac go head to head. By no means a classic, but light entertainment attempting to add an issue and extract some reconciliation.
2 / C
- PB

GUNFIGHT AT RED SANDS
With Richard Harrison, G.R. Stuart
Directed by Richard Blasco
Sun bleached cliché western with a white man (Gringo) who was adopted by Mexicans as a child. Racial trouble, card games turning rough, gold, bar & barn brawls, the sexy bar singer, the sheriff (who seems compassionate but inadvertently works against the good guy), horse chases and gunfights all make up part of this jumbled affair. Gringo’s family ranch gets raided by gold thieves, killing his dad - he’s tired of fighting (having returned from a war) but he doesn’t plan to leave it at that…But things get more hefty when Gringo’s Mexican stepbrother Manuel takes the gold back from the highly placed crook (shooting him in the process).
2 / C
- PB

GUNS N' ROSES
- Use Your Illusion I & Use Your Illusion II: World Tour, Tokyo '92
Crikey, has it been over a decade that these rock gods hit their peak (and sunk with a steady thud?). This lengthy live show from their Use Your Illusion tour in 1992 is split onto two separate discs (remember, the record was released as two separate double albums). Each of these DVDs clock in at about 90 minutes a piece and covers close on two-dozen tracks. The prancing, pose striking Axl Rose is hilarious in his attempts at being cool, with several costume changes, each time involving a crotch crunching pair of hot pants (red, black and white respectively). Running across the huge stage, the boy has a lot of energy. With all of his cringe-worthy traits, it's still a ball to watch and listen.
Vol. I contains Nightrain, Mr. Brownstone, It's So Easy, Bad Obsession, Pretty Tied Up, the great Welcome To The Jungle, Civil War, tender Patience and epic November Rain as well as their cover versions of Live And Let Die, Attitude and Wild Horses.
Vol. II includes You Could Be Mine (used in Terminator 2), the ever popular Sweet Child O' Mine, So Fine, Rocket Queen, Estranged and the rousing closer Paradise City. You can't go without a drum- & guitar solo segment. The covers on this disc includes that of The Godfather theme and Knockin' On Heaven's Door. The audio is not enhanced for 5.1 Surround and sounds like the basic live mix used on the original release of the video. While lackluster at times, as part of rock history the band cannot be denied, these DVDs testimony to a time and place many will never forget.
4 / B
- PB

GUNS N' ROSES - Welcome To the Videos
With inflated egos and artistic differences preventing this hard rocking band to become even bigger than their astronomic rise to fame, fortune and notoriety, we can at least look back on their R&R triumphs with fond memories. This DVD flashback throws 13 of their hit videos together for a raucous (and sometimes soppy) experience, transporting you back to late '80s / early '90s glory of sleazy American rock. You cannot but start with Welcome To the Jungle, Sweet Child O' Mine and Paradise City. There's the acoustic Patience, Don't Cry and the Wings cover from the Bond movie Live And Let Die. You get to re-experience the elaborate video for the lengthy November Rain - an MTV favourite of its time. There's The Garden, Dead Horse and the cool speedy single shot video with karaoke bouncing lyric ball, Garden Of Eden. Not to forget Yesterdays, Estranged and Since I Don't Have You. They could've thrown in the soundtrack numbers from Terminator 2 and Interview With The Vampire. With their distinct image, sound and obnoxious behaviour (especially from Axl Rose), they made the best of their success while throwing it all away. Regardless, a great bit of nostalgia that still rocks with many memories attached - a full 75 minutes of them.
5 / A
- PB

GUNSHY
With Liam Neeson, Oliver Platt, Sandra Bullock
Directed by n/a
Cool little film that didn’t get much publicity, just like Thick As Thieves. Neeson is an undercover cop who is totally spooked after a botched sting. His stomach is a mess and he’s very nervous when he has to continue with the assignment. His visit to group therapy and a nurse played by Bullock in a small role, showing her face for pull (being one of the producers), help him to face the psychotic gangster whose trust he has to win. Its comedic angle is pretty unusual, Platt outshining all performers. Neeson was a bad choice, but he doesn’t wreck it, tank goodness.
4 / C
- PB

THE GURU
With Jimi Mistry, Heather Graham, Marisa Tomei
Directed by Daisy Von Scherler Mayer
The Bollywood fad must blow over now. If you want to experience it, watch the real thing, not diluted Westernised rip-offs of the culture, style and music. Ramu leaves India for America to become a star. It's not easy though, as he works crappy jobs, eventually landing a chance to play in a low budget porno movie. He has trouble getting it up and his co-star (Graham) gives him advice. Circumstances force him to impersonate a guru at a snob party and the pretentious girl (Tomei) falls for his act hook line & sinker. Not quite what he planned, but she starts to market him to the high society types as a sex guru. His wisdom in fact comes from Graham, who is about to get married (her fireman fiancé not aware of her moonlighting porn job). She thinks the advice is to help him get into the porn movie business, but he uses it to make money from rich idiots who find use for his unorthodox sexual advice. While banging the disillusioned girl, we all know who he's really falling for - the sweet porn star with a heart of gold blah-blah. The nauseating "you lied to me" factor comes in and makes you want to switch off, knowing exactly where it's heading. It's not all bad, with several funny scenes saving it from being just another tacky romantic comedy with a cultural shift.
3 / C
- PB