June 6, 1997
Robinson In Space (1997) **
A documentary about Britain, its industries and the owners of these industries. Pretending to be more naive than it really is, the film reveals many unknown facts about that country.
The Cockroach That Ate Cincinnati (1997) **
Funny stream-of-consciousness monologues enliven this Canadian film, reminiscent of "Swimming To Cambodia".
Winter Guest (1997) **
An unsuccessful attempt to recapture the mood and feel of an Ingmar Bergman film. All the right ingridients are there: a small town in Northern Europe, a cold winter day, psychologically complex protagonists, an episodic structure, lots of talk and even more silence. What's missing is a masterful director. Rent Bergman's "Winter Light" (1962) instead.
Floating Life (1997) **
A Chinese family struggles hard to stay together after moving from Hong Kong to Australia. The worst problems are caused by one of the daughters, who suffers from acute paranoia. Her quasi-fascistic ravings add a touch of black humor to an otherwise somber, often poignant and sentimental film.
The Van (1997) **
This film isn't as good as "The Commitments" (1991) and "The Snapper" (1993) - two other pictures based on a novel by Roddy Doyle.
The Assignment (1997) **
US and Israeli secret services are trying to capture the notorious terrorist, Carlos The Jackal.
Love And Other Catastrophes (1997) **
Directed by Emme-Kate Croghan. Frances O'Conner is excellent in this charming film about university students in Australia.
The Last Bus Home (1997) **
If you liked "The Commitments", you might like this one too, though it's not nearly as good. Once again, we've got an Irish band torn by internal bickering, splitting up just before their first big break. Performances are terrific, but the musical numbers are few, far between ... and not very good anyway.
The Disappearance Of Finbar (1997) *
The story is about an Irish youth's mysterious disappearance and its effects on his friends and relatives. The film tries very hard to turn this simple plot premise into some kind of obscure allegory. The result is odd rather than off-beat, bizarre more than whimsical. There is an ambitious film here, buried under a pile of clichés.
Oscar And Lucinda (1997) **
There are elements of "Fitzcarraldo" and "Titanic" in this Australian film about a gambling Anglican minister (Ralph Fiennes).
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