The Rest of November's Movie Releases

Here's the rest of the reviews for November for the movies Pitch Black, Memento, The Golden Bowl and Duets. Check it out.

Pitch Black @ UGC, Ipswich

STARRING: Vin Diesel, Radha Mitchell, Cole Hauser, Rhiana Griffith

PLOT: A transport spaceship runs into an asteroid belt and crash lands on a remote planet killing nearly all on board it. Of the few survivors one is a dangerous and psychopathic convict Riddick (Vin Diesel) and people are starting to die, only at night. Thing is it isn't Riddick and there's a full eclipse lasting years about to happen and that's a bit of a problem when the killer only comes out in the dark.

ANY GOOD?: Yeah not bad, the real revelation, of this film though, is Vin Diesel, who is excellent as the action (anti) hero Riddick and really steals the show. He is bloodthirsty and ruthless but incredibly cool with it, kinda like an Arnie for the 21st century, with all the great one-liners and action sequences coming from his direction. The film is scary in places and extremely claustrophobic as the permanent darkness draws ever nearer. Definitely worth a watch if you like being scared.

INTERESTING FACT: Radha Mitchell played Catherine, Mal Kennedy's girlfriend, ages ago, in Aussie soap Neighbours.

LIKED IT, TRY: Alien, Starship Troopers or Enemy Mine.

RATING:

Memento @ UGC, Ipswich

STARRING: Guy Pearce, Carrie Ann Moss, Joe Pantoliano, Mark Boone Junior,

WHAT HAPPENS: Where to begin? This film is really, really complicated, but it's worth it. Leonard (Pearce) is an insurance investigator, who's memory has been damaged following a head injury he sustained after intervening on his wife's murder. He's out for revenge against the killer but he can now only live a comprehendable life by tattooing notes on himself, and taking pictures because of his memory problem. However, when someone has this kind of problem, people can and will take advantage, and even Leonard may play tricks on himself.

ANY GOOD?: Absolutely excellent, this is an amazing film and one that will make you think so hard both during and after you've left the cinema. Pearce is excellent as usual, the supporting cast are excellent and the ending will leave you with your heart in your mouth and in unbearable disbelief as the truth is revealed.

INTERESTING FACT: Another Neighbours one, Guy Pearce use to play Mike, Scott/Jason Donovan's rival for Charlene's/Kylie Minogue's affections

LIKED IT, TRY: The Usual Suspects, L.A Confidential or Twelve Monkeys

RATING:

Duets @ UGC, Ipswich

STARRING: Gwyneth Platrow, Huey Lewis, Maria Bello, Scott Speedman, Andre Braugher, Paul Giamatti

WHAT HAPPENS: Duets is a road-trip movie with a twist, as it revolves around world of karaoke and some of the weird and wonderful characters that inherit it. These include the struggling singer (Bello), a 'cheated-on' loser cabbie (Speedman),  a frustrated salesman (Giamatti) on the edge of insanity who teams up with an escaped convict (Brauger) with the voice of an angel and a useless sleazy father (Lewis) and his long lost and forgotten daughter (Paltrow). All are on the road to Omaha, site of a national karaoke competition, but who will win the prize and what will happen to them?

ANY GOOD?: Not really, quite an unusual idea for a story, with three different plots going on at the same time, all connected by the common purpose of getting to a Karoke final, which is not as bad as you may think. However one of the plots, concerning the businessman on the edge of insanity and rallying against capitalism is great, but the other two are over-sentimental rubbish. Paltrow proves she can hold a tune but this film really ain't anything to 'sing' about.

INTERESTING FACT: The film was directed by Gwyneth's dad Bruce.

LIKED IT, TRY: Magnolia, Short Cuts or My Private Idaho

RATING:

The Golden Bowl @ UGC, Ipswich

STARRING: Uma Thurman, Nick Nolte, Kate Beckinsale, Jeremy Northam, Angelica Huston

WHAT HAPPENS: Quite simple, the usual period drama by Merchant Ivory detailing unrequited love and repressed urges. In a nutshell, a poor women marries an American millionaire but is actually in love with the millionaire's son in law, an Italian Prince and is best friends with daughter and wife to Prince. All of which is set with the backdrop of the early 1900's when exposing your ankle was frowned upon. Yeah you know this one ain't going to be happy for all the parties concerned.

ANY GOOD?: Surprisingly yes, I  felt like I'd just had the biggest Roast Dinner and was siting down on a rainy Sunday in front of the TV to watch a period drama, but there's nothing wrong in that. Well apart from the fact it wasn't a Sunday, so don't go on a weekday when you're full of energy, leave it to nod off to on a Sunday afternoon.

INTERESTING FACT: Actors Beckinsale and Northam were period drama regulars in the UK before going off to Hollywood.

LIKED IT, TRY: The Remains of the Day, Dangerous Liasons or Sense or Sensibility

RATING:

by ChrisM