ScreenArchive
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 NAKED
KILLER With Chingamy Yau, Simon Yam, Carrie Ng Directed by Clarence Ford Written & produced by Wong Jing, this sexy mid-'90s Hong Kong action flick overflows with style, classy action and sizzling onscreen beauties who kick ass in all departments - especially in looks and actions. A ruthless hitwoman, cops, betrayal and vengeance intertwine to make this a sassy film guilty of the cinematic sin of making the violence and sex-appeal fusion one hell of an appealing prospect. As far as femme fatale movies go, this is way up there for sheer audacious bravura and outdoes most Western equivalents. 5 / B - PB  NAKED
LUNCH With Peter Weller, Judy Davis, Ian Holm, Julian Sands, Roy Scheider Dircted by David Cronenberg An amazing amalgamation of controversial writer Burrough’s book Naked Lunch as well as a slice of biographical seediness. Focussing more on the spaced out process of Burroughs actually writing the book in a haze of drugs, we’re hurled into his mind and a place called Interzone where paranoia, secret agents and mind altering chemicals abound. One amazing trip marking Wellers best role since RoboCop. Mind-blowing, shocking, surreal, entertaining and a totally amazing cinematic experience with reality and fantasy mixing effortlessly. The last good film Weller appeared in for years. 6 / A - PB  NAPALM
DEATH - The DVD Hailing from the same city as Metal pioneers Black Sabbath and Judas Priest, Napalm Death rose in the mid-80s from being an extreme musical force to be known across the globe (even doing a mini-tour of South Africa in 1993 where I played drums for V.O.D opening the Cape Town show). Having gone through so many line-up changes in their early years, there are hardly any original members left. But, their intense brand of ultra hardcore, borderline Death Metal sound of lightning riffs, blast beats and growling vocal attacks has become commonplace by today's standards. Still, you can more often than not identify a Napalm track amid a dirge of grinding bands from Australia to the Czech Republic and every nook & cranny in-be-fuckin'-tween. The DVD contains 3 live shows and all of the band's promo clips. The only footage with vocalist Lee Dorian (who moved on to start Cathedral) is an '80s BBC TV "Arena" special with two tracks, Scum and You Suffer (complete with subtitles!). The crude and extreme noise factor gets honed into a precision attack as the '89 and '90 shows reveal, cultivating their sound and getting new members - Barney replaced Lee and Jesse came in as new guitarist, riffing solo at the Nottingham Rock City show of 14 November 1989. The older and newer tracks blend well. Barney is skinny with a mullet and does this flicking-of-the-forehead thing that looks pretty daft. Many of the songs get repeated at the 1990 Salisbury Arts Centre show where second guitarist Mitch joined the band (both guitarists relocating from the States). Drummer Mick Harris (who moved on to projects like Painkiller and Scorn) is a madman and quite entertaining to watch as he thrashes those drums. XXXL Shane shreds his distorted bass with as much enthusiasm as he can muster. The crowd goes nuts, stage diving all over the place. You'll find most of their classic tracks here. The subject matter of Napalm songs always questioned and challenged, like punk used to, conscientiously addressing wrongs in this world and the social cesspool in which we find ourselves. Napalm Death are true pioneers, laying the foundation for many an extreme Metal genre to follow, which unfortunately ended up with them falling through the cracks at times. While many bands who rose up after Napalm prove to be stretches better, it cannot take away from the fact that they played an instrumental part in getting many of those bands to take up their instruments in the first place. The five video clips include Mass Appeal Madness, Suffer The Children and Greed Killing, all pretty well executed seeing as they didn't have the kind of budgets other more commercial bands on bigger labels received at the time (not to mention today). An 8-page booklet tells the story of Napalm Death, which is one to be secured in musical history forever. 5 / B - PB  NAQOYQATSI
With music by Philip Glass featuring Yo-Yo Ma Directed by Godfrey Reggio This last in Reggio's seriously incredible trilogy rounds off the intense visual trip wonderfully. Koyaanisqatsi (1983) started it all and still reigns as the king of them all. A journey of natural and man made phenomena, covering our place within its greater scheme, our modernization and ultimate negative effect with progress as its intention. The second chapter, Powaqqatsi (1988) places its focus on third world countries and is an equally accomplished piece of cinema, far surpassing any mere documentary. My sequence of the films were totally screwed, but didn't affect the impact - I caught Powaqqatsi first, on its original late 80's big screen release, at the old Oscar cinema in Adderley Street, Cape Town. Then I managed to borrow a video copy of Koyaanisqatsi from a friend in the early 90's, becoming an instant favourite. Then I taped Powaqqatsi in the mid-90s from BBC TV, then found Koyaanisqatsi at a second hand store in Cape Town in 2001 - lent it to someone who never returned it. And these bastards call themselves your friends! Finally the third chapter has arrived. Naqoyqatsi ventures into the modern age with digital media predominating. Processed digital footage and graphics look at how our structures are geared towards competition, opposites and destruction of the opponent, from sports and commerce to war. While you needn't read anything at all into the construction and juxtaposition of the amazing varied footage, you can merely sit back and get sucked into its visually mesmerizing world. The absolutely incredible soundtracks composed by Philip Glass is half the journey as these films are some of the best examples of visuals and sound co-operating to tell an actor- and dialogue-free story. Naqoyqatsi features the master cellist Yo-Yo Ma. All the film titles are taken from the Hopi language concerning life, its transformation and destruction. This is a trilogy you cannot miss, and if you haven't caught the first two, seek them out (it's not lying around in every video shop) - meanwhile, catch this third installment on the big screen while you can. 5 / A - PB  NARC
With Jason Patric, Ray Liotta, Busta Rhymes, Chi McBride Written & Directed by Joe Carnahan A taught cop thriller placing a dismissed undercover narcotics policeman in a serious predicament of doing the right thing, being reinstated, thinking about his family and perhaps redemption. Betrayal, secrets and lies come to the fore when he is asked to investigate the killing of a cop. Reluctant from the get-go, he hooks up with the ex-partner of the deceased. With a tactful eye and drab, dark atmosphere, Carnahan pulls the viewer into this edgy situation. Well worth the watch with gripping performances from the two leads. 4 / B - PB  The
Chronicles of NARNIA - The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe With Tilda Swinton, Jim Broadbent and the voice of Liam Neeson Directed by Andrew Adamson One may see this as a blend of Lord Of The Rings and Harry Potter, but Narnia certainly has a life of its own. With overwhelming digital effects and characters, including a wide range of speaking animals, the viewer is transported to a fantastic world where (as everywhere) the battle between good and evil prevails. It is WWII and many children are sent to the countryside for safety. Four such siblings (Lucy, Edmund, Peter and Susan) are relocated to an eccentric old man's mansion. Here, while playing hide and seek, Lucy the youngest, discovers a magical world inside a spectacular old wardrobe. At first her siblings think she's making it up until they all end up in there, having to save their brother and defeat the Ice Queen by siding with the Lion and the good guys. With talking animals, obviously it is laden with CGI fx, but a great deal of tangible sets, props, costumes, artifacts and prosthetic make-up add a realistic feel. Some viewers may be disappointed by the cliché and distorted grouping of 'good' and 'evil' animals (like wolves being baddies, when in fact they've never attacked a human being). While the build up to the wonderland may be a bit slow for younger viewers, the payoff will please them (and freak them out with some of the hectic moments of battle and killing when the two forces clash). Based on the writing of C.S. Lewis. 3 / B - PB  NATIONAL
SECURITY With Martin Lawrence, Steve Zahn, Eric Roberts, Colm Feore, Bill Duke Directed by Dennis Dugan Zahn plays a cop whose partner is killed on the job. Lawrence is a failed police recruit with a Black chip on his shoulder. When these two confront one another in a misunderstanding (involving keys locked in a car and a bee), a bystander's videotape comes across as a Rodney King assault. Zahn loses his job but still wants to nail the elusive cop killers. His suspension leads to his only related job prospect being that of security guard. It happens to be the same company Lawrence works for - their paths cross and a whole lot of hostility and slapstick ensues. Obviously they team up (grudgingly) to get the bad guys. A few of the best laughs are already old news since they were crammed into the trailer. B-guy Eric Roberts hands in another forgettable villain role with very little to savour after the tape is ejected. 2 / C - PB  NATURAL
BORN KILLERS With Woody Harrelson, Juliette Lewis, Robert Downey Jr., Tommy Lee Jones, Tom Sizemore, Rodney Dangerfield Directed by Oliver Stone Based on Quentin Tarantino's original screenplay, Oliver Stone and his co-writers actually turned it into something much better than it would've been - placing more focus on the warped social sensibilities of glorified stardom status granted serial killers and maniacs. The crumbling American family structure and the sensation-hungry media also get in the crossfire, as we can't help but cheer on the ruthless couple Mickey & Mallory as they cut an antisocial blood stained trail through Route 666. While some critics put the film down for its gratuitous nature and "MTV style", this was actually a brilliant stroke to depict its social criticism in the style that dominates the short attention span of TV zombies, scoffing down whatever the tube beams at them. all lead and bit parts are incredible, especially Downey Jr. Not shy about his political and social outspokenness, Stone made a landmark film which started a wave of similarly styled movies, of which the greater majority only focused on the stylized violent thrill and not the message behind it. Nine Inch Nails brainchild Trent Reznor put together a great soundtrack including everything from Diamanda Galas and Cowboy Junkies to Bob Dylan, Lard and L7. DVD extras include an enlightening Oliver Stone commentary, pointing out many subtle bits you may have missed, plus many other production details; behind the scenes documentary; deleted scenes & alternate ending; Charlie Rose interview. 6 / A - PB  NEAR
DARK With Lance Henriksen, Bill Paxton, Adrian Pasdar, Jenny Wright, Tim Thomerson Directed by Kathryn Bigelow Released the same year as the more publicized glossy Lost Boys (1987), this vampire flick has become a cult favourite for many. A gang of drifting vampires comprising many generations (its leader going as far back as the civil war), cause havoc wherever they go. When one girl in the pack falls for a young man and bites him without killing as she's supposed to, the struggle begins to incorporate him in the group. He is more than reluctant, especially when it comes to having to make his first kill to quench his burning thirst for blood. Amid the dramatic drive of the characters the action and bloody scenes are not neglected. All of the vampire myths get utilized with twists and alternatives. A very cool movie that deserved more publicity than it received. PS. Contains three cast members from James Cameron's Aliens. 4 / B - PB THE NEGOTIATOR With Samuel L. Jackson, Kevin Spacey, J.T. Walsh Directed by F. Gary Gray A hostage negotiator (Jackson) finds himself on the other side of his trade when a colleague with info on corrupt elements in their precinct gets murdered - the crime pinned on him. He inadvertently gets himself in a hostage situation in a government official’s office whom he thought might know what the hell’s going on. Knowing the ins & outs of negotiating, he insists on dealing with only one man (Spacey). As the heat gets more hectic (the bad cops wanting him dead), Jackson tries to find out who the culprits are and walk out both free and alive. Tense drama with bursts of action. 4 / C - PB  NEW
EDITION - The Best Of Everyone knows New Edition as the young post Jackson 5, pre-Boyz-II-Men boy group from the '80s that gave us a man called Bobby Brown (before he went solo, married Whitney Houston, going off the rails and making public spectacles). The very limited 5 videos come from their '84, '88 and '96 period with songs like Cool It Now, If It Isn't Love, Can You Stand The Rain, I'm Still In Love With You. Mr. Telephone Man was written by Ray Parker Jr. (of Ghostbusters fame). But whatever happened to Candy Girl? The soppy soul/R&B pop gets the cheesy '80s videos but also spills over into the '90s look. 2 / C - PB  THE
NEW GUY With DJ Qualls, Eliza Dushku, Zoey Deschanel, Lyle Lovett, Eddie Griffin Directed by Ed Decter While this is one of those totally cheesy skinny-nerd-becomes-cool-guy flicks, it has some merit. For one there are great musician cameos by the likes of Gene Simmons (Kiss), Tommy Lee (Motley Crue) and Vanilla Ice to add some extra hilarious flair. Our title character is the scrawny guy from Road Trip, constantly picked on - until he gets advice from a jailbird (Griffin) who teaches him the art of getting expelled and entering the new school as a bad-ass, demanding respect. With all the high school elements thrown in (football, popular cheerleader, jocks, nerds etc.), the romantic trip is also indispensable. Throw in some slapstick and you've got a disposable comedy which is worth it nonetheless - even if only for witnessing the bizarrely skinny DJ Qualls. 3 / B - PB  Best
Of NEW WAVE The 18 tracks on this collection bring back some fond, crazy and very 80's memories. While this may not be exactly what some people have in mind when it comes to New Wave, the majority of it does comply. There are some standout artists. Classic Nouveaux has an almost Goth feel with bald frontman Sal Solo camping it up in black leather with a Goth looking chick in a castle. Thomas Dolby is all mentally freaked out as usual while Duran Duran excels as they did at their peak. Duran Duran side-project The Powerstation (with Robert Palmer on vocals) was a breath of fresh air at the time. Arcadia, another Duran Duran project (from the other half of the band) gets added. Talk Talk's great song is presented in the shape of an horrendous video while the Adam & The Ants flavored Bow Wow Wow is amazing. Adam Ant is also here, albeit with his later Antmusic-free solo work. Human League, XTC and even Feargal Sharkey gets thrown in. Fun Boy Three and Bananarama's teamed up effort's video is as drab as the delivery of the song. Kim Wilde is marvelous with a typical studio based video quality clip that oozes 80's. Somehow Talking Heads also got included - which is not exactly a bad thing. This is an amazing flashback that sparks your thirst for more…that's why there is the More New Wave DVD! 5 / A - PB  More
NEW WAVE Many of the same artists from the Best New Wave DVD come back for more (more than likely because they're all EMI affiliated in some way - another reason you may be expectant of some groups that are excluded - Frankie Goes To Hollywood or Wham for instance?). China Crisis and Hue & Cry appear on both DVDs. Duran Duran, Human League, Thomas Dolby and Kim Wilde all return with different tracks - Save A Paryer, Human, She Blinded Me With Science and Cambodia. But, Spandau Ballet, Kajagoogoo, Ultravox, Marc Almond, Culture Club, Heaven 17, Go West and Living In A Box prevent it from being a rehash. Sure, while 36 songs and two discs from this tremendous period doesn't cover a fraction of the bands and songs that made the time what it was, at least it comes closer than nothing, especially if you don't have VH-1 to enjoy the So 80's show. Like the Best New Wave disc, there are zero extra features. 5 / A - PB  NICK
CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS - The Road To God Knows Where / Live At The Paradiso This release is great for Cave fans that probably have the VHS copies of both these releases, but can now get them in pristine quality in one single shot. The Road To God Knows Where is an intimate look at Nick Cave and his Bad Seeds (Blixa Bargeld, Mick Harvey, Thomas Wydler, Kid Congo Powers, Roland Wolf) as they tour across North America during February and March 1989. The focus is more on the bus and backstage moments ranging from humorous and tense to sometimes monotonous (as a lot of time is spent traveling and waiting). Extra material includes City Of Refuge and The Song - A Short Film By Uli M. Schueppel. If The Road To God Knows Where wasn't shot in black & white, it would have been a different experience altogether. This is contrasted by the more vivid colours of the classic Live At The Paradiso show. Here the songs are performed emotion and gusto, and include The Mercy Seat, Jack The Ripper, The Ship Song, Tupelo, Deanna, The Good Son, The Carny, Papa Won't Leave You Henry, The Weeping Song, In The Ghetto, From Her To Eternity, and New Morning. A great package by an important artist at the alternative end of the spectrum, offering quality value instead of a rip-off. 5 / A - PB  NICK
CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS - The Videos The Australian born suited cult figure and his Bad Seeds (including Neubauten's Blixa) are a league entirely unto themselves. Firmly settled into the alternative genre, their dark blues & demented gospel twist allows for fans from country lovers to Goths and a wide range in between. This DVD version of the '98 Best Of video release pack in all the classic grainy, minimalist clips (with new band introductions), and include gems like Red Right Hand, The Mercy Seat, Tupelo, Into My Arms, Loverman, Deanna, The Weeping Song, Do You Love Me?, Henry Lee (with PJ Harvey), covers of In The Ghetto and What A Wonderful World, plus the uncut Stagger Lee. A must-have. 6 / B - PB  NICKELBACK
- Live At HomeThe biggest Canadian rock band of recent years even made a considerable impact in this little market known as South Africa. With this DVD you'll get to know the band a little better. There are music videos & making-of's, behind the scenes footage and more (yes, How You Remind Me is also included!). Footage from their tour show them on & off-stage, checking out new countries in their separate time etc. A bit of arrogance also slips through eg. where they refer to their tour as something in the area of a mere jaunt to pop into different countries to collect yet another gold record… The creation, co-ordination, filming and vision mixing of the live show presented on the disc hold some enlightening pieces, especially for those interested in how something like this is put together. Nickelback ploughs through their set effortlessly. One of the highlights of the performance is the guest appearance by Alice In Chains guitarist (and now solo artist) Jerry Cantrell. 3 / B - PB  NIGHT
OF THE LIVING DEAD With Duane Jones, Judith O'Dea, Keith Wayne Directed by George A. Romero With rare exceptions (before the '70s), horror films were pretty much in the league of their drive-in B-movie Sci-Fi counterparts, being low budget filler fodder. In 1968 Pittsburgh based commercial moviemaker George Romero rewrote the horror book with his production of this classic black & white zombie flick. At a time of hippie disillusion, the impending Vietnam War and a film industry taking new daring chances, he transcended the mere visceral thrill with underlying political layers. The basic survival plot of a group of strangers holed up together in a farmhouse, trying to keep the (inexplicable) risen dead from getting to them, escalates to a struggle amid themselves. With its dark tone and classic scary movie elements, this time round the believability factor was stepped up way high, elevating it from a mere silly shriek-fest in the Herschell Gordon Lewis vein. With a very low budget, Romero managed to concentrate his drama and tension successfully in the one location, adding the physical horror to the psychological trauma. On top of this he made the brave choice of a black actor as his lead, with most performances (including the zombies) pretty good. Of course the film also features one of the coolest graveyard opening scenes. The movie was also released in a colourized version - avoid it or turn the colour down on your TV. Romero's future make-up FX partner Tom Savini's directorial debut was with the 1990 remake of this classic zombie-flick. 5 / B - PB  NIGHT
OF THE LIVING DEAD With Tony Todd, Patricia Tallman, Tom Towles Directed by Tom Savini Directed by master make-up FX artist Savini, this film stands as a great horror film on its own, but as a re-make doesn’t seem justified. The original is a classic shot in black & white on a miniscule budget. This colour FX filled film seems to take away a lot of the originals charm. But, as I said on its own it’s a cool horror with Todd a charismatic lead in this battle for survival against the living dead with a hunger for human flesh! 4 / B - PB  NIGHT
BREED With Craig Sheffer, David Cronenber, Charles Haid Directed by Clive Barker Horror writer Barker further expanded his directing repertoire after Hellraiser with this take on his own material. This tale of a man coming to terms with his inner beast (becoming part of a monster clan living below the radar), also throws in a serial killer plotline that adds some blood to the elaborate monster make-up FX on display. Based on his book Cabal, Barker merges the haunted underworld with that of our own. Enjoyable, but ultimately leaving you expecting more. Nice to see director Cronenberg in one of his rare acting roles. 3 / B - PB NIGHTWATCH With Ewan McGregor, Patricia Arquette, Nick Nolte Directed by Ole Bornedal When a student takes the nightwatchman job in a medical center (the morgue just down the hall) for extra money, things get creepy. A serial killer wants more blood and McGregor gets stuck in the middle. Those afraid of morgues will get chills down their spines with many freak out scenes thrown at the audience. Quite a thrill but perhaps a bit predictable. 3 / B - PB  NIGHT
WATCH (NOCHNOI DOZOR) With Konstantin Khabensky, Vladimir Menshov, Valery Zolotukhin, Maria Poroshina Directed by Timur Bekmambetov The only Russian films I've been exposed to over the decades were usually arthouse film festival fare with heady or heavy themes of struggles or history. While many of those films have been great cinematic works, imagine my surprise and joy when this first in a horror/fantasy trilogy made it to our shores. Centuries ago the forces of light and darkness made a pact to co-exist amoung normal human beings on earth. They have officials patrolling to keep an eye on one another. When the rules are broken, they're sorted out. Those born into this alternative world have the choice to succumb to their lust for blood and join the dark forces, or turn to those of the light. This classic effect-laden good & evil film follows the events erupting after a man is trapped between these two factions and a destructive force threatening to destroy everything. The fact that it wasn't dubbed into English is a bonus, giving the film an added dimension separating it from the regular American offerings (but, this will also prevent it from reaching Matrix box office potential, so I salute them for their non-Hollywood courage). Add to this the great action, non-familiar locations, lack of heroic big-name stars and innovative use of subtitles, and you've got a unique start to what is going to be a great trilogy. Classy, exciting and engaging. The South African distributors messed it up badly though. On its opening week it was released in one single cinema in the Cape Town area (!) - and in a very poorly chosen geographic location. Eventually the independent Labia cinema also got a print. We tried to get it hooked up with our annual South African Horror Festacular (www.SHADOWREALMinc.com) but got no reply. Hopefully all those who really wanted to see it on the big screen got the chance. If not, we hope the DVD release will be more successful. 6 / A - PB  Classic
NIK KERSHAW In the post-new romantic pop crossover of the 1980's many stars rose and crashed. Nik Kershaw made quite a European impact and also got good coverage in South Africa (and I'm sure across world). The 10 tracks on this DVD include some of most memorable songs like Wouldn't It Be Good, I Won't Let The Sun Go Down On Me, Wide Boy, and Dancing Girls, as well as Nobody Knows, Human Racing, Don Quixote, When My Heart Beats, Radio Musicola, and Elizabeth's Eyes. With no extras, a "where is he now" docy would've been cool. 3 / B - PB  THE
NINTH GATEWith Johnny Depp, Emmanuelle Seigner , Frank Langella, Lena Olin Directed by Roman Polanski The controversial and intense return of Roman Polanski after another long wait was well worth it. A book expert is given an assignment by a wealthy and powerful man. He wants him to verify whether the book he has (one of 3 in existence is in fact the authentic one - it is meant to be co-authored by Lucifer himself). Our cool book man slowly gets way over his head as people start dying and his life also becomes endangered. Seigner pops up at the most suspicious times (and what an absolutely stunning and smouldering woman she is - remember Bitter Moon?). Another stunner who is no longer a teenager burns up the screen in the form of Olin (Romeo Is Bleeding, The Unbearable Lightness Of Being - wow…). An amazing picture on the occult that doesn’t get too sci-fi or disappointingly Hollywood. 5 / B - PB  NIRVANA
- Live, Tonight, Sold Out! This project started by the late Mr Cobain was completed posthumously. The Gods of Grunge are reflected here at their peak and raw best, filled with humour, angst, you name it. This is a far cry from their glossy unplugged image (one they actively slam all throughout). They never intended their huge popularity - the media pounced and exploited. Many pieces illustrate their dissatisfaction - the best example being their raping of Smells Like Teen Spirit on Top Of The Pops. Besides a bunch of killer live tracks a stack of interviews also give you a better insight into this band. This video serves as a great piece of history to hang onto for frequent classic viewing. 5 / A - PB  NIXON
With Anthony Hopkins, Joan Allen, James Woods, Ed Harris, Paul Sorvino, Powers Booth Directed by Oliver Stone The rise and fall of Nixon, Stone style. Regardless of the director’s dislike of his subject and no doubt over-demonizing of an already sad, spineless world leader, the narrative, facts (and/or distortions of it) is masterfully executed in true Oliver Stone style. An amazing look at a not quite amazing man who carried around too many insecurities to be leader of a world power. 4 / B - PB  NO
DOUBT - The Videos 1992-2003 With the cheeky, youthful sex appeal of Gwen Stefani in front and the rock steady guys behind her, No Doubt has carved a niche for themselves over an exciting and often-tumultuous decade of ska-flavoured pop-rock (from suicides to inter-band relationships falling apart). This collection coincides with their Best Of CD release and features 16 vibrant videos of some memorable songs. There's the (2004) nominated video of their rendition of Talk Talk's It's My Life, the classic Don't Speak, Sunday Morning, Hella Good, Ex-Girlfriend, Excuse Me Mr., Bathwater, Just A Girl and their version of a Christmas song, Oi To The World. Also includes the less seen Trapped In A Box from their humble beginnings plus behind-the-scenes footage, live bits & interviews. 4 / B - PB  NORAH
JONES - Live In New Orleans The shy demeanour of Ms. Jones places you in a quandary of being more attracted to her non-superstar attitude or the whole bashful thing being a bit annoying. No matter how the exterior strikes you - and she is cute - here it's all about the music. The smooth avenues of blues, light jazzy touches and easy listening intersect at this intimate live performance at the legendary New Orleans House of Blues. This multi-Grammy Award winner and her "very handsome" band" deliver over a dozen tunes of mellow, melodic and lyrical beauty. Yes, Come Away With Me is included, and it's nice to see how she doesn't grab the songwriting credit for herself as she acknowledges her band members when playing their songs. Other tracks include both originals and a few covers: Cold Cold Heart, Nightingale, Comes Love, What Am I To You?, Lonestar, Bessie Smith and Tennessee Waltz. The extras are few and far between and only consists of an encore song and the (plane & should've-been-better) music video for her career breaking hit Come Away With Me. A sparkling talent none the less. 4 / B - PB  NORAH
JONES And Her Handsome Band - Live in 2004 I think by now Ms. Jones has more DVDs out than albums. The medium has truly become an integral part of the music industry especially when it comes to fans who can't afford to travel abroad to see their favourite artists performing live or whose geographic location makes a tour to those parts unlikely if not impossible. The 17-song disc opens with an empty rehearsal hall area version of What Am I To Do?, the same location later on used for The Prettiest Thing. The show starts with a fan favourite, Sunrise and flows through the likes of In The Morning, Tom Waits' The Long Way Home, Humble Me, Don't Miss You At All, Don't Know Why, Moon Song (which didn't make it onto her last album), Loretta and The Band's Life Is A Carnival. So, it's not a carbon copy of the first DVD. I do like the fact that Jones is not precious about her image, not claiming everything to be her creative genius, but always acknowledging her band members' songs. Guest artists include the evergreen Dolly Parton as well as Gillian Welch, David Rawlings, Richard Julian and Kevin Breit. The songs cover all their best-known cuts and a few extras. Additional bonus footage includes Gram Parsons' She, an alternate version of Creepin' In without Dolly, and footage from New Orleans in 2002. For those who flip at Come Away With Me's omission in the main show, you get it with the extras. Nice to see they try not to be too obvious at their shows. Two music videos are included: Those Sweet Words and What Am I To Do? Three mini-documentaries include a bit on how the Handsome Band got together (but not where they got their name, as they're not the hottest bunch of guys - with the exception of female backing vocalist Daru). There's a behind the scenes on the tour bus piece and a look at the two guitarists' instrument collections. No stage diving here, just a soothing blend of jazzy-country-bluesy tunes delivered in a subdued, heartfelt manner. 4 / B - PB  NOVOCAINE
With Steve Martin, Helena Bonham Carter, Laura Dern, Scott Caan, Elias Koteas Directed by David Atkins Finally Steve Martin gets a role other than something crap with Goldie Hawn or where he's a dad in some light comedic drivel. He's a successful dentist engaged to his prim & proper assistant. Life seems pretty well planned - until a wild girl comes in for emergency dental work - her urgency forces him to fit her in out of office hours. There's more to it. She has sex with him and makes off with a bunch of drugs. The cops find the viles with his name on it and he's in deep shit. He can't say he was banging this girl who stole it, can he? His bum brother arrives to get in the way, as does the girl's brother who makes a scene at his office after our doctor tracked her down in order to retrieve his drugs. People start to die and the poop gets deeper. Martin is the flip-side mild mannered dentist from his fantastic role as the sadistic one in Little Shop Of Horrors. Carter's character has many parallels with her Fight Club role while Dern is great. Novocaine is a dark comedy well worth catching, if only for the last scene's spine snipping moment. 4 / B - PB NOWHERE TO HIDE With Joong-Hoon Park, Sung-Ki Ahn, Don Kung-Jang Directed by Myung-Se Lee What an absolute cinematic experience. It's a given when saying that there are very few truly original stories left to be told. The really innovative director accepts that fact and takes a basic, straight forward tale and tells it to the viewer. The most crucial point is HOW he tells. Nowhere To Hide takes the viewer on a familiar journey through the struggle of two cops on the trail of a killer. It doesn't get more basic than that. But every shot and scene seems to have been approached from every angle and the most interesting and fresh depiction selected, be it action or a moment of reflection. A stake-out, chase sequence on foot, punch-up, murder or interrogation gets an almost magical feeling when the chemicals in the celluloid converts the light reflected into an image. The incorporation of digital FX, slow-motion, techno-metal soundtrack, humour and Manga influences seem to be at just the right time, enhancing the already engrossing experience to one of sheer brilliance. This is one of the best films I've seen this year and missing this will be an injustice. 6 / A - PB  NOW
That's What I Call Music - The DVD Music on VHS was never as readily available as it is today on DVD, even obscure Afrikaans artists pop up with one. The quicker access of tracks, the sound quality and durability of the DVD has become essential in our rapid demand information age. The Now That's What I Call Music pop compilations are a sure thing, and now you can get the visual equivalent (if you're not tired of many being rotated endlessly on the tube). Most videos on here come from the Now 40 compilation CD. The 23 vids include Backstreet Boys, Gwen Stefani, Coldplay, Akon, Bodyrockers, Natalie Imbruglia, Mario, Jay Sean, Gorillaz, Will Smith, Blue, Usher, and Avril Lavigne (with a different track to the CD). Tracks on the CD that are not on the DVD include Lebo, Westlife, Maroon5, Black Eyed Peas, Freshly Ground, and Nelly & Tim McGraw. Other songs not on the CD, but on the DVD, include 3 Doors Down, Chemical Bros., Britney Spears, Bowling For Soup, Ciara, Shapeshifters, The Lovefreekz, and Beverly Knight. A fun viewing for those who don't demand too much of their music and is fine with discarding it when the next compilation comes around - but some songs will inevitably stick to become a part of their life's memories. 3 / C - PB  N*SYNC
- LIVE AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN N*SYNC - MAKING THE TOUR When you look at a DVD like Pantera's 3 Vulgar Videos From Hell, you see how bands should treat their fans - they slapped all 3 of their home videos on a single disc and added extras!! In the moneymaking industry of pop on the other hand, they try to milk it for every buckeroo. As is the case with these two DVDs. While the Making Of The Tour DVD is more intriguing than the big budget show itself, this documentary should've been an extra on the DVD of the show. In stead they released them as two separate full-priced DVDs. Shame on them! Their fans have to part with twice the amount of cash (& the age group they target is hardly loaded with dosh!). A real hardcore fan shouldn't mind - but it just seems so unethical! Singing all of their hits, the boys strut their stuff at the live show with all of its props, strings, tricks, conveyor belts & goodies, showing how the rehearsals and other behind-the-scenes scenarios on the Making Of paid off. What docy does however illustrate is that Joey Fatone is the more tolerable of the bunch. But, no matter what I say here, nothing will convince the teeny boppin' fans that they are anything but dreamy. With not even production or direction credits on the covers, only the management gets mentioned - obviously. They also seemed so hasty to get it out that they dropped a "W" in the web address…nice one. 3 / C - PB  NURSE
BETTY With Reneé Zellweger, Morgan Freeman, Chris Rock, Greg Kinnear, Aaron Eckhart Directed by Neil LaBute With so many personality shift themes done in the past, this must be one of the more engaging. Betty is a simple but good, kind short-order waitress and wife to an asshole car salesman. She is totally immersed in her favourite TV hospital soap, A Reason To Love. While watching a tape of the show she missed while slogging away at work, Betty witnesses her unfaithful, unstylish and unsavoury husband getting whacked in their lounge by two hit men (Freeman & Rock) who believe he took something belonging to them. She spins out into a psychological hiding place where the soap opera is her reality. Betty's in love with one of the lead characters (Kinnear) and travels to meet him, believing he's her ex-fiancé and she's also a nurse. Some strange scenarios, misunderstandings and laughs result as the hit men follow her trail, thinking she might have the stuff and is in on the deal. Freeman starts obsessing while Rock gets more irate, the calm and collected older & wiser figure balanced by the younger, more manic and crass new crime generation. A fun movie with a refreshing slant. 4 / B - PB ...the 2nd opinion by Uncle Vinnie... NURSE BETTY With Morgan Freeman, Reneé Zellweger, Chris Rock, Greg Kinnear Directed by Neil LaBute "wickedly funny... a must see film". My arse! You've got Reneé Zweleger, an average actress that's only saved by her cuteness, Chris Rock, who succeeds only in irritating the viewer (funny how this wimp always tries to come off as a tough ass) and Greg Kinnear who we remember as the gay neighbour of Jack Nicholson in 'As good as it gets', having as much screen presence as a fly flattened by a steamroller. The only upper here is Morgan Freeeman who never disappoints with his great acting and all round appeal. This is a one-joke script that doesn't go anywhere. There is no character development and after 20 minutes you'll start shifting around in your seat, wondering why they talk so much shit on the back of the video box. Avoid this boring movie unless you are a boring idiot yourself. 2 / C - UV  NUTTY
PROFESSOR II - THE KLUMPS With Eddy Murphy, Janet Jackson Directed by N/A Incredible make-up and innovative, intricate multi-layered shoots places Murphy in the roles of the entire Klump family. The re-make of the Jerry Lewis classic spawned this sequel with the family in mind. The scientific genius Klump is going to marry the love of his life, but his alter ego from the 1st film’s Jekyll & Hyde potion wants to get out. In a crazy turn of events he materializes, out to steal a youth potion patent from Klump and ruin everything. Mad scenes and great character comedy as Murphy outshines in the multiple roles. The granny is the absolute best! Slapstick and a certain amount of bad taste add to the laughs. In a way it’s even funnier than its predecessor (not meaning the Lewis version). 4 / B - PB
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