Thrillers

EYES WIDE SHUT

WHO IS IN IT : In case you have been on another planet during all the hype, this movie stars Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise as Dr and Mrs Hartman, just your average (?) New York wealthy married couple.
WHAT IT IS ABOUT : Basically, Alice Hartman (while stoned) tells her husband about a fantasy she had about another man. This seems to send Dr Bill off the rails, seeking out prostitutes for casual encounters and ending up with a very dangerous group of sexual deviates.
WHAT I THOUGHT ABOUT IT : I found this overly long plotless mish mash of naked bodies, with its poor editing, annoyingly repetitive and intrusive music, and myriads of superfluous characters and stories (all based on sex), to be rather tedious and pointless. In some ways it was eerie, and at times interesting, giving glimpses of the much touted genius of director Stanley Kubrick. However, on the whole it did nothing for me. Nicole Kidman proved once again that she can indeed act, but (due to direction I imagine) she was annoyingly drunk, drugged or tearful at all times.All the characters have absolutely no dimension apart from their sexual persona, making the whole movie very shallow and one dimensional itself.
ROUNDUP : Honestly folks, I would give it a miss. The sex scenes are soft porn and the rest of it is even more of a waste of film. Oh, and the only bit of Tom you see is his shoulders, sorry girls!

THE GAME A must see psychological thriller!

WHO IS IN IT:Michael Douglas leads the cast as a confirmed bachelor businessman, who leads an impersonal and lonely (if extremely comfortable) life, of work and more work. His younger, easygoing and footloose brother is played by Sean Penn.

WHAT IT IS ABOUT: It's a little bit difficult to explain without giving it away actually. On his 50th birthday, Michael Douglases brother presents him with a telephone number of a firm which he promises will organise him a wonderful "game" to play. Well, talk about interactive! This game turns out to be the ultimate in virtual reality! So is it really a game, or is his brother trying to kill him and what has it to do with his father's suicide years ago?
WHAT I THOUGHT ABOUT IT: I sat on the edge of my seat with my heart absolutely POUNDING for the majority of this movie. It is the best thriller I have ever seen. Great acting, fantastic plot with myriad twists and turns, and a hectic pace throughout.
ROUNDUP: Make sure the kids are settled, and that you have your drinks and eats so you can watch this one uninterrupted. You wont want to leave it for a second, and in fact interruptions would spoil it. Sorry I missed it on the big screen.Five stars!

PRIMAL FEAR THRILLER

WHO IS IN IT:Richard Gere leads the cast as a slick Chicago criminal defence lawyer who chases the worst type of criminal to defend.He is ably supported by an excellent Edward Norton as a tormented young man accused of murder, Frances McDormand(FARGO) as a psychologist, and a variety of other familiar faces.
WHAT IT IS ABOUT: Richard Gere is a master of manipulation of the legal system, thinking only of his own glory, and with total disregard to justice. He races to represent a young man arrested for a horrendous murder of an archbishop, and stops at nothing to prove him innocent. The plot has many twists and turns, as he pits his courtroom tactics against his ex-lover who is prosecuting, and uncovers various criminal activities aong the top echelon of Chicago society.
WHAT I THOUGHT ABOUT IT: I found Primal Fear to be fast paced and gripping. I loved the plot twists which keep you guessing right until the end. The acting is good, especially Norton, Gere is his usual smooth, easy on the eye self.
ROUNDUP: Four and a half stars for a terrific thriller, also a bonus if you like courtroom scenes as I do.