The Big Screen always has the latest reviews of the latest video releases. You can count on us to remain completly impartial, and give you the hard truth on what's hot, and what's not. As with our reviews section, click on the photo of a film to visit its official site! If you disagree with our review, write your own by e-mailing us , or read other visitors at The Big Screen: Your Movie Reviews
Gladiator:
Starring
Russel Crowe (15). The Roman Empires greatest general, Maximus returns triumphant from winning his latest battle. He is tired of fighting, and dreams of retirement. The Roman Emperor, has other ideas, and shortly before death announces that Maximus will be the next Emperor. To prevent this, the Emperors son kills Maximus's family, and believes he has killed Maximus. Maximus however escapes, and is sold to Proximus, a gladiator trainer after he is found by nomads. This has an excellent if theatrical script, and very good acting, particularily from Crowe. It is an excellent insight into one of the most powerful empires on earth, and will certainly be one of this years great cinematic rollercoasters.
Scream 3:
Starring:
Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox (15). Filming has commenced on Stab 3, a horror film based on the original murders. All is going well, untill the actors begin to be killed off in familiar style. And so begins more terror for the surviving cast. This is Wes Cravens third, and supposedly last Scream film. This is an excellent way to finish the trilogy, as all the loose ends are wrapped up. Also, some what uniquely for this genre, it is difficult to guess who the killer is. Overall, a good film, even if the story is a little familiar by now.
Erin Brockovich:
Starring:
Julia Roberts (15). Julia Roberts gives her best performance to date, as Erin Brockovich. Brockovich is typical white trailer-trash, but she is disgusted to learn that the towns water firm has been poisonong the inhabitants. Casting aside her status in society, and her lack of education, she takes them to court, determined for the truth to emerge. What follows is not your average, boring legal drama, but a touching true story.
American Beauty:
Starring Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening, Mena Suvari (15). Kevin Spacey gives one of his most impressive asting performances to date, starring as Lester Burnham. Lester is in the middle of a mid-life crisis, rebelling against his dead-end job, bithching wife, his unloving daughter, and the onset of middle age. His wife Carolyn embarks on an affair with a co-worker, and his daughter begins to sleep with the delinquent boy next door. Meanwhile Lester has fallen deeply for Angela, one of his daughters teenage friends, and jacks in his job, starts bodybuilding, and starts taking drugs to try impress her. This is undoubtably the best film of 1999. It contains (as recognised by an Oscar) stunning cinamatography, brilliant acting, brilliant directing, and a story laced with humour and irony.
Being John Malkovich:
Starring John Cusack, John Malkovich, Cameron Diaz (15). This has got to be one of the most imaginative films released from Hollywood for a long time. John Cusack takes a job as a clerk, in a decidedly weird New York office, and by accident, discovers a small door, behind a filing cabinet, leading into the actor, John Malkovich's mind. After falling for a co-worker, Cusack and his lover begin to sell trips to see the inside of Malkovich's mind. This is a highly original satire, which is deserved of its Oscar nominations (Best Director, Spike Jonze), and contains excellent acting from all concerned, but in particular, John Malkovich.
Magnolia:Starring Tom Cruise (15). This film is very similar to Short Cuts, a collection of short stories loosely linked together. The comman theme, dysfunctional families, is now a bit overdone in Hollywood, but this is better than most. However, this pales in the light of American Beauty, which shares a similar theme. This film is very funny, but a bit long at more than three hours.
The Hurricane:Starring:Starring Denzel Washington (15). Based on a true story, Washington stars as Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, the favourite to take the 1967 world middle weight boxing championship. However, his aspirations are cut short when he is convicted for the murders of three people. The conciction was based on severly racist evidence, but was not quashed for a further twenty years. This film tells of how Carter was proved innocent by the efforts of a black teenager. An excellent adaptation of a true story, and Washington is deserved of his Oscar nommination.
End of Days:
Starring:
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Gabriel Bryne (18). Schwarzenegger stars as faithless Jericho Cane, an ex-cop who, by accident stumbles across a plan to bring about the birth of the Antichrist. Every 1,000 years, on the eve of the millenium, Satan walks the earth, searching for the "Chosen One". This woman will bear him a son, the Antichrist. If this happens, armageddon will occur, and so it is down to Cane to prevent the Devils plan by utilising a large selection of automatic weaponry, and nuclear devices. Nice. This film is a very violent return for Schwarzenegger, and although it is not as original as other films he has starred in, it is very entertaining, particularily if you don't expect to much serious religion, or a substancial plot.
Deep Blue Sea:
Starring:
Samuel L. Jackson, Thomas Jane, LL Cool J, Saffron Burrows (15). Burrows stars as Dr Susan McAlester, who, financed by a huge multinational pharmaceutical company, leads a group of scientists in experimenting on sharks in an underwater laboratory. However, these sharks have been genetically engineered in the hope that their brain tissue will help find a cure for alzheimers disease. Unfortunatley for the scientists, this also means they are smarter, and after a major hurricane hits, they break free, and begin hunting the survivors. Although this film is filled with action, most of it has simply been regurgitated from Alien and Jaws, leaving a film that is hardly original. Bad acting and poor one-liners also lower the standard.
EDtv:
Starring:
Matthew McConaughey, Woody Harrelson (12). McConaughey stars as Ed, an average video-store worker. His life is nothing special, he drinks, shoots pool, and watches movies, until he is chosen by a producer, who is desperate to boost her stations appaling ratings, to appear in a 24 hour a day documantary. When Ed falls for his brother's girlfriend, the nation becomes hooked, and chat shows begin to debate his decisions, leaving Ed, and the people who know him over night celebrities. This is very similar to The Truman Show, as they are both about the people whos lives are public property. However, in this film, the subject knows he is being filmed, and although this is less poignant, it is easier to laugh at.
The World Is Not Enough:
Starring:
Pierce Brosnan, Robert Carlyle (12).
Pierce Brosnan again stars as James Bond, in this, the 19th Bond movie. Once again, the worlds most famous spy is left to stop a diabolical villain, this time in the shape of Renard, who, due to a failed assaination attempt has a bullet lodged in his brain, and is unable to feel pain. Unfortunatley, in this Bond film, the villain is less diabloical then hoped. Indeed, most people will end up feeling sorry for him. Despite the predictable plot, this is a very entertaining film. In particular, the opening speed boat chase down the Thames reminds you why the Bond films are so popular. Also of worthy note is the late Desmond Llewelyn's final performance as Q.
The Sixth Sense:
Starring:
Bruce Willis, Haley Joel Osment (15). Never in this history of cinema, has such an entertaining film had such an unexpected twist. Bruce Willis stars as a child psychologist, who is determined to rectify earlier failures, by helping nine-year-old Cole Sear (oscar nominated Haley Joel Osment), over come his belief that he has visions of the dead. Both the actors are superb, and this film will have you rewatching to see if the final twist makes sense. This has become the tenth most successful film of all time, and quite deservedly so.
The Blair Witch Project:
(15).Going down in history, as the worlds most profitable film, this was shot for a measly $35,000, and has sinced grossed over $130,000,000 world wide at the box office. Telling the story of three film students that disappear in woods near Maryland, whilst shooting a documentary on a local legend, the Blair Witch. This film uses camcorder footage through out, to portray the characters fear. It is rumoured a prequel is to be produced, but not by the original films director. Very original and sure to be endlessly imitated.
Fight Club:
Starring:
Brad Pitt, Helen Bonham Carter (18). This film generated wide spread outrage apon release, owing to the bare-knuckle fights, in which the blood truly flows. This films tells the tale of a young, emotionless office worker, who discovers, after attending a cancer self-help clinic, where people are suffering, that he has no emotion. However, Tyler (Pitt) attempts to remedy this situation by introducing him to the fight club, where young men beat each other up to relieve their frustration. Although this was hailed by many as a celebration of violence, it holds a valid message, that the youth of today are being turned into emotionless consumers, who have no wars to fight, and nothing to achieve.
The Matrix:
Starring:
Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss (15). What can we say that hasn't been said before? Keanu Reeves stars as Neo, a reclusive computer hacker, who is desperate to find out what "the matrix" is. After being contacted by the elusive Morpheus, he learns the shocking truth. The world as we see it is actually virtual reality. In fact, civilisation was destroyed by a race of machines, who now keep humanity enslaved, and used as a power supply. Together with Trinity, and Morpheus, Neo sets out to discover if he is "the one", who can destroy the matrix. It is no exaggeration to say that this is one of the most breath taking films in recent years. The lobby scene alone places The Matrix as one of the best science fiction films in history. With jaw dropping, gravity beating, slow motion kung-fu fighting, a brilliant sound track, and an intelligent plot, The Matrix really is one of the best and most original films for a long time, and certainly the biggest leap in special effects since Terminator 2. It also almost certainly saved Keanu Reeve's career after Brad Pitt turned down the role of Neo.
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