Film Dictionary

April 4, 2001

Weapon Of Choice (2001) ****

Another one-of-a-kind music video by Spike Jonze, starring Christopher Walken.

The Accountant (2001) ***

Oscar-nominated short about two brothers, their farm and an accountant.

Slaughtered Pigtails (2001) ***

"Cul de sac" is a story about a man who tries to end his life unsuccessfully. Unhappy father of a draining family, he has no control whatsoever over his life. Paul doesn't see any other way but to commit suicide. All the suicide attempts comically bump up against the demands of each family member. He also loses control of his own death. Wishing to free himself more firmly, he locks himself into dependance and a lack of power. A Canadian short film directed by Vincent Egret.

Camping With Camus (2001) **

Lust lands him in trouble. Can philosophy get him out? A New Zealand short directed by Alan D'Arcy Erson.

Una Mujer con panuelo (2001) **

Directed by Isaias R. Jimenez, it's a Spanish short about a refugee from Eastern Eurpoe who talks about the chilling experiences in the "New War".

Killing Time (2001) **

Claudia Ferri and Frank Scorpion star in this enigmatic short film directed by Tara Johns.

Soother (2001) **

Interesting short film about rivalries among young schoolgirls. Directed by Jennifer Kierans.

Ismaël (2001) **

Stylish, cryptic and artsy little film.

Meska sprawa (2001) *

Depressing film about physical abuse.

Give Up Yer Aul Sins (2001) ***

A hilarious re-telling of the story of John the Baptist. This 5-minute cartoon, nominated for an Academy Award, is part of a series of 8 films produced by Brown Bag Films. They use old recording by little children in their religious studies classes in Dublin back in the 1960s. Their teacher introduced a cassette recorder as an incentive to the children to learn the Bible stories with the suggestion that they'd be on the radio if they did a good job. The recordings were forgotten for thirty years before being discovered again. Excerpts were played on Irish radio, touching a cord with listeners, and Brown Bag Films begin to animate the collection.

Strange Invaders (2001) ***

Wacky cartoon about an extra-terrestrial baby. Directed by Cordell Barker. Nominated for an Oscar and a Genie Award.

For The Birds (2001) ***

Oscar-winning Pixar cartoon about birds on a wire.

Stubble Trouble (2001) **

Entertaining, but weird cartoon about a caveman who tries to impress a cavegirl who rejects him because of his beard. The caveman attempts to shave his face, but his hair grows back instantly. Nominated for an Oscar.

Fifty Percent Grey (2001) *

Irish cartoon about a soldier who finds himself in heaven, in purgatory and finally in hell. Nominated for an Oscar.

March 3, 2001

24: Season 1 (2001) ****

Phylactère Cola (2001) ***

Kabaret Olgi Lipinskiej: Wielkie otwarcie (2001) ***

Piosenki:

"Festi Nativitatis Christi laudes czyli pochwala Bozego Narodzenia" ("I po balu") **

"W grudniu" *

"Entliczek pentliczek" **

"Wielkie otwarcie dla motlochu" **

"Hold i uwielbienie" ("Don't worry be happy") **

"Byle do wiosny" *

Kabaret Olgi Lipinskiej: Odprawa poslow (2001) ***

Piosenki:

"Kozakiewicza gest" ("Bedzie jak byc musi") **

"Puszka z Pandora" ("Kulig w strusich jajach") **

"Polska czwarta nam sie uda" **

"Wlos stanal na glowie" *

"O wdziekach Maryni" *

Kabaret Olgi Lipinskiej: Same dobre wiadomosci (2001) *

Piosenki:

"Dziura" *

"Na wyspach Bambuko" ("Miejmy nadzieje") **

"Malo nas" ("Kabina cieni") **

Kabaret Olgi Lipinskiej: Sprawa otwarta (2001) ***

Piosenki:

"Od Polski zrobic sobie wczasy" ("Wczasy od Polski") **

"Czerwiec" **

"Geografia" ("Epidemia sukcesu") *

"Poszedl rozum w sina dal" **

"Pa pa pa Festiwal" **

Kabaret Olgi Lipinskiej: Zupa a la kacza (2001) *

Poczatek konca Kabaretu Olgi Lipinskiej. Piosenka "Dwie sierotki" z tego programu jest prawdopodobnie najbardziej zenujaca z calego repertuaru tego cyklu, zwlaszcza pod wzgledem choreograficznym. Piosenki:

"Zjezdzanie endekow" ("Dajmy sie zwariowac") **

"Dwie sierotki" *

"Europa prosze czekac" ("Placowka for ewer") **

"Dziwny kraj" *

"Od Bugu do rzeki Odry" *

Further Tales Of The City (2001) ***

A marked improvement over "More Tales Of The City" (1998). Directed by Pierre Gang.

Kabaret Olgi Lipinskiej: Tyle zlego co dobrego (2001) *

Piosenki:

"Ciele placze" ("Kto kogo w konia") *

"Piknik pod wulkanem" *

"Parawaniki" ("Kabina cieni") **

"Nieslychanie mi przyjemnie" *

"Lustereczko" *

The Sopranos 3 (2001) ***

Six Feet Under: Season 1 (2001) ***

Kabaret Olgi Lipinskiej: Nowe perspektywy (2001) *

Piosenki:

"Adam i Ewa" ("Premiera") **

"Nie donos na mnie" ("Kto kogo w konia") *

"Przeziebiony apolityczny" *

"Zuzanna w kapieli" ("Skok w Nowy Rok") ***

"Tenorow wielkich trzech" *

Aria (2001) ***

Fade To Black (2001) ***

Kabaret Olgi Lipinskiej: Popiol i sledzik (2001) ***

Piosenki:

"Nasz rzad" ("Zeby jaja byly swieze") *

"Jedna wielka rodzina" ("Dziady na czatach") **

"Piekna nasza Polska cala" **

"O zalosnym krolu Stoleczku i o wszetecznej krolewnie Madlence" *

"Pada snieg" ("Epidemia sukcesu") **

"Oddajcie takze mnie" *

Kabaret Olgi Lipinskiej: Karnawałowy przerywnik (2001) ***

Piosenki:

"10 limerykow" ("Strus") **

"Slunicko" ("Strus") **

"Bylo slawne wesele" **

"2-aj maturzysci" *

"Karczma na rozstaju" *

February 2, 2001

Millennium Actress (2001) **

Animated film about a great Japanese actress.

The Deep End (2001) **

A great performance from Tilda Swinton, but otherwise a routine murder-and-cover-up story set in Lake Tahoe.

Legally Blonde (2001) **

Everything you ever wanted to know about blonde lawyers but were afraid to ask.

Shipping News (2001) **

Quiet drama set in Newfoundland.

Sexy Beast (2001) **

Vanilla Sky (2001) **

Tom Cruise. An empty Times Square. A forgettable film.

Pearl Harbor (2001) **

Spectacular recreation of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941.

Ocean's Eleven (2001) **

A remake of Frank Sinatra classic.

The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) **

The first film from Wes Anderson's middle (and least interesting) period, to be followed by "The Life Aquatic" (2004) and "The Darjeeling Limited" (2007).

Black Hawk Down (2001) **

Tense war drama about the Battle of Mogadishu.

In The Bedroom (2001) **

Interesting drama about revenge.

A Beautiful Mind (2001) **

Oscar-winning film about intelligence, autism and paranoia.

January 1, 2001

Hannibal (2001) *

Very disappointing sequel to "The Silence Of The Lambs" (1991).

Artificial Intelligence A.I. (2001) *

A schizophrenic, but interesting clash of two very different artistic visions: Stanley Kubrick's, who prepared the film shortly before his death (and whose vision clearly dominates the first half) and Steven Spielberg's, who ended up directing it (and whose vision clearly dominates in the second half). The results are quite disappointing.