Reviews

Never Mind The Ballads

Mouthy agit-rock trio trade spiky bombast for mellow elegance

Death In Vegas – Satan’s Circus

Rewarding diversion into Krautrock, plus bonus live CD

All Roads Lead To Land

Incredible String Band banjoist wanders up the garden path

The Toolbox Murders

Texas Chainsaw creator directs poor horror remake

Bad Company

Vivid, polemic documentary about the unchecked greed of modern capitalism

Ronin: Special Edition

John Frankenheimer's ruthlessly constructed, hugely entertaining actioner is essentially three stand-out car chases (Paris by night, Nice, and Paris by day) surrounded by a heist movie, a silver McGuffin suitcase, a sassy Provo pin-up (Natascha McElhone), an ex-CIA hitman (De Niro), the Russian Mafia, Sinn Fein and the Northern Ireland Peace Process. Naturally.

Fahrenheit 9 – 11

Kerry has a long face. At the time of writing Bush leads in the polls by 10 per cent. Despite everything. If only the volatile, human Howard Dean hadn't scared the Democrats into playing safe. Moore's documentary mostly doesn't, but if it can't swing the election, history might deem it a failure, a rebel yell forgotten at daybreak. We live in interesting times, which sucks. Considering all the Vietnam literature/cinema, Moore isn't doing anything new. He's doing necessary protest for the 21st century. He manipulates our emotions brilliantly, and is certainly a force for good.

The Fearless Vampire Killers

Although panned on its 1967 release, Roman Polanski's third English-language movie, a horror comedy, is a delightful oddity. There's a dream-like, gothic quality to it as Prof Abronsius (Jack MacGowran) and assistant Alfred (Polanski) root out a nest of the undead in wintry Transylvania. The climactic Vampire's Ball is strikingly mounted, and it's easy to see how Polanski fell for leading lady Sharon Tate.

Creature Comfits

Twenty-one-track greatest hits from Welsh genre-hopping psychonauts

Various Artists – Funk 45s Box Set

Irresistible compendium of funk drops and breakbeat chops
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