David MacKenzie's second film Young Adam is a far more mature and measured effort than The Last Great Wilderness. Essentially a mood piece based on the Glasgow 'beat' novel by Alexander Trocchi, it shows the romantic misdeeds of the Camus-like antihero Joe (played with compelling force by Ewan McGregor, in what is probably the best performance he's ever given) in his past and present. Working on a barge with husband and wife Les and Ella he discovers a dead body that turns out to be a former lover of his. We watch Joe effortlessly seduce Ella (Tilda Swinton on typically fine form) in the present and the now-dead Cathie (Emily Mortimer, doing her best with an underwritten role) in the past. MacKenzie infects the film with a fitting sense of roughness and griminess and overall manages to engross the audience even though really very little happens. The sex scenes (and they are numerous) are certainly not glamorous, particularly a segment destined for notoriety where Joe douses Cathie with custard and ketchup and beats her with a spoon. But MacKenzie and the great performances (Peter Mullan is a suitably pathetic but decent Les) lift the film beyond scandal. One of the best British films of recent times.

**** 1/2

A second viewing of Punch-Drunk Love affected me as much as the first viewing did. It's quirky, it's odd, and sometimes it relies on visual style rather than deep characterization, but I still think it's one of the most uplifiting and beautiful films of this new century. Adam Sandler seems to be limited to a certain schtick, but he gives his all in this movie and delivers a great performance as Barry Egan, equally adorable and disarmingly odd. Beautifully shot by Roger Elswit, it is delivered in a jarring, indeed 'punch-drunk' style, which coupled with Jon Brion's chaotic score puts us straight inside the mess that Barry's head. Paul Thomas Anderson shows us the confusing state love can put you in, but by the end how Barry has been empowered by Lena (Emily Watson, on great form) and her love, and can defeat the vindictive, pathetic figure of Dean (Philip Seymour Hoffman, terrifically nasty). Filled with wonderfully quirky moments, it bears Anderson's signature and is his most touching movie. My #4 of 2002.
*****

I have read many opinions dismissing The Usual Suspects as an exercise in the perfect twist ending, where everything you see is meaningless as it's all a set-up. But the movie is the masterpiece others hail it to be--the ending may leave you reeling and wondering "what was the point of it all?" but look again and you'll see the five leads (even Stephen Baldwin) are all suitably mysterious and bounce off each other perfectly. The writing is hard-edged, funny and crisp, John Ottman's brooding, ominous score and skillful editing create a fantastically dark atmosphere, and Singer's direction is startlingly good. He perfectly presents one of the most hard-boiled, well constructed stories with a barrelload of cinematic style. Kevin Spacey is the standout here, who is a masterclass in slimy deadpan style, but all of the cast are well suited to their roles. The ending is perfectly executed, and if you watch it without knowing the twist it will send shivers up your spine. A masterclass of the 90s.
*****

SHE WAS ROBBED!

"Matchstick Men" is a far more jovial, small-scale affair than director Ridley Scott's last three pictures, yet all the more entertaining. Another genial crime movie from screenwriter Ted Griffin (who, with his brother Nicholas, seems to be making a career in this kind of thing after "Ocean's Eleven"), it moves along at a snappy pace, propelled by Nicholas Cage's constant tics and squeaks as the 'con artist' hero Roy. Roy could easily just be an excuse for an actor to show off the obsessive-compulsiveness and lose the character, but Cage handles it well and makes for an endearing protaganist. Meanwhile Sam Rockwell, as his partner Frank, barely registers at all. What really lifts the film up is the utterly charming, sweet portrayal of Roy's daughter Angela by Alison Lohman. She makes a great pair with Cage, and in their hands the film becomes much more enjoyable and (dare I say it) meaningful. The final twist (which is pretty easy to see coming) almost devastates the entire film, but Scott, Cage and Lohman just manage to salvage it. Worth seeing for the central pair alone.
*** 1/2

First impressions on Robert Altman's The Player: Truly terrific, one of the best 90s movies I've seen. The 'Hollywood insider satire' genre is one that is often fun, but Altman succeeds brilliantly in making it far more than a simple biting comedy. There are moments of sheer cinematic brilliance here, from the opening shot (apparently entirely improvised) which apes Touch Of Evil, to the great murder sequence, to (my personal favorite scene) Mill's interrogation at the police station, where the 'player' is being 'played' himself (I felt Whoopi Goldberg was perfectly cast in her role). By the end, I wasn't really sure if what had just played was fiction, fact, or a movie. As of now, my favorite Altman film.
*****

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Saw The Magdalene Sisters last night. Very striking, powerful, brutal movie, the best I've seen this year. Peter Mullan's excellent screenplay and thoughtful direction mean that it is never too in-your-face, yet still extremely affecting indeed. I thought the three lead girls (Anne-Marie Duff, Nora-Jane Noone, Dorothy Duffy) were all wonderful, and Geraldine McEwan gave a terrifying yet complete performance as the tyrannical Sister Bridget. Eileen Walsh was also excellent as Crispina. I didn't expect to be as stuck by this film as I was. Terrific.

*****


I have also recently seen Swimming Pool (****) an excellent meditation on the sexual power games of two women (Charlotte Rampling and Ludivine Sagnier) by Francois Ozon. The two leads made the movie, Rampling especially, and it was constantly engrossing. The ending was a real mindfuck, something I'm still turning over in my mind, but it's definitely worth seeing.