Film, TV, Theatre, Games, Music
This Issue: Maid in Manhattan, April Films,
Retro Replay: Oscar Special, Retro Replay: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest,
Rayman 3, The Sims, Super Monkey Tennis,
Hooper; Princess Ivona of Burgundy
Is Maid In Manhattan just another soppy film or is this a love story with a difference?
Maid In Manhattan is a modern day Cinderella fairy tale which loosely follows the storyline of Pretty Woman, however despite this the new Jennifer Lopez film holds the key to bring its audience something different.
Jen plays Marisa Ventura, an intelligent single mother who works as a maid in a top Manhattan hotel. Although she has made a good life for herself and her son, Ty (Tyler Posey) Marisa strives for something more in life. One Saturday morning Marisa brings Ty to work while she and fellow maid Stephanie complete their chores. While cleaning the rooms one of the snobby hotel guests asks Marisa to return some designer clothes for her, and once she has left Stephanie coxes Marisa to try on the outfit. In a twist of fate Marisa gets mistaken for a hotel guest by Christopher Marshall (Ralph Fiennes) a rich politician running for Senator, and also one of the cities most eligible bachelors! Chris is instantly attracted to her, but will he still feel the same way when he finds out who she really is?
Maid In Manhattan proves that even a fluffy romance can be taken seriously, this is a straight up no excuses fairy tale that doesn't pretend to be anything different or fancy. The storyline is structured well and J-Lo retains the audiences sympathy when it comes to her characters identity mix up. An additional bonus is Marisa's relationship with her son, being a loving single mother who dotes on her son gives Jen even more of a normal girl next door image.
In contrast to Two Weeks Notice with Hugh Grant and Sandra Bullock, Jen and Ralph concentrate fully on the romance of this film rather than trying to gain some laughs. The comedy value is left to the secondary characters including the posh guest, Caroline Lane who orders Marisa about and Marisa's colleagues at the hotel who provide the light hearted comic value which is however sometimes just a little too much.
This film is your typical feel good girlie flick and is defiantly one to see with the girls. Jennifer Lopez gives us her most memorable performance yet, and unless you have a very hard heart you are guaranteed to leave the cinema with a warm glow.
Claire Botwright
1. Maid In Manhattan (PG)
Jennifer Lopez, Ralph Fiennes
This film is Cinderella meets Pretty Woman, with J-Lo as a posh hotel maid and a single mum who is mistaken for a rich hotel guest by the most eligible bachelor in town. It is pure fluffy romance but defiantly a girlie flick to leave you with a glow!
*****
2. Just Married (12A)
Ashton Kutcher, Brittany Murphy
America was shocked when this film smashed all box office expectations with takings of over $55million. The two main characters hold an additional sexual energy as they became a real life couple during filming and they defiantly hold a comedy value, however if you have seen the trailer you have seen the best bits!
***
3. The Life Of David Gale (15)
Kevin Spacey, Kate Winslet
A professor who is found guilty of murder and rape is played with conviction by Kevin Spacey. As he breaks his silence by speaking to a TV reporter the events that lead to his death sentence are told in a series of twisting flashbacks, with an ending to leave you open mouthed.
****
4. Jackass: The Movie (18)
Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O
The quality threshold has been taken even further with this big screen adaptation of the MTV show. With a new collection of stunts, self harming exploits and general macho idiocy you will defiantly be entertained.
****
5. Chicago (12A)
Renee Zellweger. Catherine Zeta Jones
Not only does this film include all of the big Hollywood stars of the moment but this adaptation of the stage hit Chicago is a story of murder, greed, corruption, violence, exploitation and adultery. It is still in the top five, if you have not seen it yet, go and see it!
****
Naomi Watts, Martin Henderson
Seven days after you watch the videotapes weird images you die, however a brave journalist battles to stop the strange goings on before the power of the tape kills her. Maybe one to get on video!
**
7. Daredevil (15)
Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner
Ben Affleck plays Matt Murdock, who as a boy was left blind after being hit by a radioactive isotope. Although his eyes no longer function, Murdock's other senses become superhuman, especially a secret, radar-like ability he develops. Years later Matt becomes the New York super hero, Daredevil. Although slightly far fetched, the vision of Ben in his tight red leather suit is reason enough to watch this film!!
***
8. The Hours (12A)
Nicole Kidman, Meryl Streep
This Oscar nominated film staring a barely recognisable Nicole Kidman draws on the life and work of Virginia Woolf. The film follows the lives of three women, many years apart, who are all deeply affected by the same novel, one is writing it, one is reading it and one is living it.
****
9. Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind (15)
Sam Rockwell, Drew Barrymore
This directorial debut by George Clooney is an amazing story of American television creator Chuck Barris, the man behind The Dating Game, who claimed to be a CIA hit man. This adaptation of his memoirs makes you wonder if fact is really stranger than fiction.
***
10. Evelyn (PG)
Pierce Brosnan, Julianna Margulies
The fact that this film features Brosnan defiantly helps bring this b-list film to feature film standard. The plot is based on a true story, following a drunk but devoted dad who in 1953 fought to gain custody of his three children. The film also gives Brosnan the chance to develop as an actor rather than get type cast as Bond.
***
Remember the film Boxing Helena? It's an adult drama about a woman whose obsessively jealous lover cuts off her arms and legs to control her. Well, the French thought it was a comedy.
At least, that would explain why Rayman's French creators decided to rob their cartoon hero (generic platform character #347) of his limbs. Sick, eh? Still, what do you expect from the nation who celebrated a revolution by erecting a 1000 foot metal phallus. Architecture my arse - the Eiffel Tower is 10,000 tons of pure filth!
Ubisoft's Rayman has always enjoyed a love-hate relationship with the critics, but to deny that The Great Escape (probably named after some film or other) was anything less than one of the most thrilling platform games ever is just plain wrong. Sure it wasn't perfect, but in returning to it for research (I do prepare for these things y'know) it still made me yap like a puppy whose just found out how to lick himself. Visually resplendent (even today), inspired use of sound and exquisite pacing, Rayman 2 was a vital work in the battle against insipid Mario 64 clones.
And so it goes: The marvellously abstract worlds of Rayman 2 have been chucked for more rounded, Disney-style terrains - whose generic prettiness attempts to rob Rayman of its distinct French artistry. So too, the jazzy-cool beats of Rayman 2's multi-layered soundtrack have given way a far less dynamic score over which a host of Hollywood voice actors spout unfunny bullshit dialogue. Yep, those charming gobbledegook-speaking characters from the last game have been replaced by wisecracking, Yankee sidekicks [Remember kids: Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit].
I could also mention the oppressively childish humour, the unsatisfying level-design, the lazy power-ups system, the unnecessary self-parody, the advertisement which starts up before you've even played the game... (Arrgh!).
Thankfully, the second half of the game is much better. The crown-collecting section is unexpectedly fun, the wonderful snow level is a major turning point, and the lava level reconstructs Rayman 2's classic 'Precipice' stage to spectacular effect. It is no surprise that the game is at its best when the levels follow a classic 2D platformer aesthetic - indeed, the camera often switches to an unabashedly side-on perspective in the later, more exciting stages.
Technically, the game is ridiculously polished. Despite my personal disappointment at the slight stylistic deviation from its predecessor, Rayman 3 does look superb and the sound production is second-to-none.
At times however, it is all too obvious that this is a game created by people who assume they know what their audience wants. Rayman 2 was uniquely brilliant and its sequel is a testament to the fact that 'uniquely brilliant' is not a formula, not a genre and not something that can be improved upon by superfluous design touches.
The truth is that Rayman 3 has everything where it should be and is a fine game, but it's hard to enjoy it as anything more than just an above average platformer. And it's not alone. There has been a fundamental problem in even the best 3D platform games to tap into what made the 2D classics of yesteryear so captivating. And when even Mario's latest effort elicits cries of indifference and disappointment amongst many gamers, the genre's future begins to look shaky. So enjoy Rayman 3 while you can, it is of a dying breed.
Very well made, super spit-polished and lovely to play, Rayman 3 nevertheless lacks a certain je ne sais quoi. But it's still totally lush and one of the very best new platformers around. Not bad for a nation of perverts.
7/10
The Sims
Like all popular PC games, The Sims has taken years to find its way onto home consoles. And like all popular PC games, The Sims has been simplified and linear-ised for the mass market console gaming audience. But whereas so many so called 'legendary' PC titles simply don't work on traditional games systems and fail to impress console gamers (Half-Life, Deus-Ex, Command and Conquer), The Sims (being the most successful PC game ever) is so tailor-made for the PS2's wide demographic of gamers that the transition just couldn't fail, and it doesn't - EA simply wouldn't allow it. There's money to be made son.
6/10
Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance
The beat-em-up: It's fighting without all the pain and humiliation, but with all the blood and male-posturing. Huzzah! You may well lament yet another game series being endlessly strung out by its publishers, but you simply cannot deny that a lot of care and attention has gone into making Deadly Alliance a superbly rounded title in its own right. Quite a departure for the series, this is the best MK yet by long a way.
7/10
Super Monkey Ball 2
Two words: monkey tennis.
8/10
Impromattics presents Princess Ivona of Burgundy
@ The QEH Theatre, Clifton, 20 - 22 March 2003
Ivona, Princess of Burgundy had no such moral. It didn’t even have much of a beginning, middle or end. Written by Witold Gombrowicz, one of the 20th century's greatest playwrights and a forerunner of the Theatre of the Absurd, it is considered a modern European classic. I was sitting next to a lot of drama lecturer's, who were all nodding wisely and making me feel inferior. Well, I’m not ashamed to admit it. I didn’t understand much of the play. But I loved it all the same!
Princess Ivona is a strange fairy tale, charting the fortunes of a royal court. The action revolves around Prince Philip and his parents, the King and Queen. They live in a world full of social barriers and absurd etiquette. But when Philip falls in love with Ivona and makes her his princess, the ridiculous cocoon they have enclosed themselves in begins to unravel. Ivona’s quietly intrusive presence disrupts the court as she becomes a mirror reflecting their deficiencies and spiritual deformities.
The deeper meaning of the play is something that you can ponder over, but for those of us without a brain the darkly charming fairy-tale style of the performance provides a captivating atmosphere of menace.
Meanwhile, the acting from the small cast was flawless. Claire Strickland provided an almost angelic serenity to the title role (she only had one line, but didn’t need to speak to make her presence felt on stage). Adam Hodgson and Joanne Horstead as the King and Queen were suitably regal at the start and marvellously unhinged by the end, while the three ‘ladies of the court’ were magnificently choreographed by director Klaudyna Rozhin to emphasise the ridiculous nature of the court.
Anchoring the play however was relative newcomer Scott Suter as Prince Philip. While those around him were stylised and largely symbolic, Scott provided a more subtle characterisation of the plays’ central character. He impressed in Lysistrata last term and is obviously one to watch. Not bad for a computing student!
Another bonus of the play is that it was only 50 minutes long, meaning that cast and audience could be in the pub by 9:15. This however, sent me away feeling as if I hadn’t had time to savour the full worth of the production, and made me feel I would get a lot more benefit from a second viewing.
Princess Ivona has now finished its short run in Bristol, but the cast may reprise it elsewhere in this country and possibly even in Poland. Catch it if you can!
Richard Simmons
Gig @ The Fleece
7th February 2003
The band kicked off their set with the brilliant ‘Who’s Gotta Plan?’ - and after the first thirty seconds I knew I was in for a good night! Using an electronic box of tricks and a conventional rock band line up (drums, bass, two guitars and vocalist to you kids) they wowed the crowd with a delicious blend of soul / hip hop / rock and indie sounds. Even though their music is eclectic, Hooper have made their own inimitable style; ominous chords, memorable melodies and climactic choruses that everyone was moshing to. Thanks to the song writing skills of Matt Vowels and singer Joseph Grant, the audience loved every minute of it and nobody could take their eyes off Joe as he leapt around the stage in his snug fitting leather trousers!!! (I know my partner in crime was finding it very difficult to concentrate on taking photographs instead of just ogling him!) He was one of the most exciting front men I’ve seen in a long time and according to their website he sums this up by saying “Basically, I like kicking up hell in front of an audience.” I know he won’t mind when I say that his vocals reminded me of the amazing Skin from (the now sadly de-funked) Skunk Anansie, which in my book is a major compliment.
The whole performance was very polished and professional, with some of Bristol’s best session musos obviously enjoying the chance to play in such an innovative and crowd pleasing band. I talked to Joe after the gig and was somewhat surprised to hear that one of his favourite bands is Radiohead and if I have to say something negative (I’m trying to be objective here!) it might have been nice to hear a more vulnerable side to Joe’s voice akin to Thom Yorke. On the other hand, this could just be a sign that I’m getting old and needed a slower number to save me from all that moshing (I’d a severe neck ache the next day!). Nevertheless, Hooper are a fab band and I hope they can now cultivate a following as they have in London. I strongly urge you to check out their excellent website,
www.hooperspace.co.uk
and listen to some of their tracks, especially ‘Millionaire’, ‘It’s All About Me’ and the excellent ‘Who’s Gotta Plan’. Details of forthcoming gigs and their CD ‘The Observer’ are also available online.
Joe’s Words of Wisdom
to UWE students were:
“Live life in the fast lane, whilst sipping champagne.”
On a student loan? You must be joking mate - perhaps he’s getting us confused with our posh friends at Bristol Uni.