The 50 Word Review

Superman emerges as the complete-American hero wrapped in the stars and stripes in SII. Clark Kent is on a come down from Superman the Movie - his emotions for Lois Lane get entangled with his superpowers - ‘damn you love’. Meanwhile a trio of unruly miscreants from Krypton nearly steal the show. Essential Eighties nostalgia with ’special effects’ pre-CGI.

JJ

MBN seems like it was built around a Starbucks’ album; an excuse to make a movie. Norah Jones stars as Elizabeth, meant to be introspective and sensitive but really just naïve. With a cast of overrated actors, Wong’s script was laughable and his direction was disjointed and distracting.

William Hildrebrandt

So here’s my five for Christmas - again in no particular order. This is it for ‘07- back with more bounce, derring-do and movie reviews in the near year. Happy Christmas y’awl - Ed.

• Some Like It Hot -1959 - Billy Wilder
• Tales from the Crypt - 1972 - Freddie Francis
• Little Miss Sunshine - 2006- Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris
• Sin City - 2005- Miller & Rodriguez
• Bananas or Bullets over Broadway - 1971/1994 - Woody Allen

More from contributors; Martin’s five to watch in the season of strategically placed mistletoe and multi-coloured woolly jumpers - in no particular order:

• The Departed - 2006 - Martin Scorsese
• Blood Diamond - 2006 - Edward Zwick
• Reservoir Dogs - 1992 - Quentin Tarantino
• Office Space - 1999 - Mike Judge
• Little Miss Sunshine - 2006 - Jonathan Dayton
  Valerie Faris

Ferris, played by Matthew Broderick, isn’t in class and neither is his best buddy nor his girlfriend. The principal correctly suspects they’re out playing hooky, but Ferris is too smooth and too lucky to get caught. After the St Paddy’s Day parade scene, FBOH was cemented as an 80s classic.

William Hilderbrandt

A Mexican Michael Jackson falls for Marilyn Monroe (Samantha Morton) married to Charlie Chaplin - all living in a Scottish commune along with the Queen, James Dean and Lincoln. ML is a strange tragic-comedy about the world of celebrity lookalikes from the writer of Kids. Watch it for Werner Herzog - oddly brilliant in the intermittent but inexplicable parallel drama as a Catholic missionary in South America. JJ

MGM announced today plans for two new hobbit films. Die hard fans will be thrilled to know that Peter Jackson is involved, though thus far only as an executive producer. Meanwhile Tolkien purists may concerned or enthralled to hear that there are plans to make a new film bridging The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Both films are expected to be larger than life blockbusters. Here’s a link to a forum and press release (via kottke), and read about the fascinating legal battle that led to this development here.

William Hilderbrandt

Seeing as December is all about compiling lists I asked contributors to name five films they would like to see or re-watch over ‘de Christmas’. Sabine’s five - in no particular order:

• Darjeeling Limited - 2007 -Wes Anderson
• Lie With Me - 2005 - Clément Virgo
• Labyrinth - 1986 - Jim Henson
• Death on the Nile -1978- and/or Murder on the Orient Express -1974 - both with Peter Ustinov best actor ever ever
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - 2007 - David Yates

Pierce Brosnan plays the eponymous mega millionaire art thief Thomas Crown - a suave gentleman who likes his paintings like his women: old. Renne Russo stars opposite in this re-made glitzy, romantic cat-and-mouse thriller. Next installment due in 2008.

JJ

To say this movie moved me is an understatement. MacCaulay Culkin and Seth Green’s absurd ‘gay accents’ made me pucker my arse, the tender moments between Culkin and Wilmer Valderrama led to me having acid reflux. This movie was so moving I couldn’t move fast enough to turn it off. William Hilderbrandt