Reviews

Ghost In The Shell

The year is 2029, the city is Hong Kong, and the subject is a semi-naked cyborg supercop Major Kusanagi (Atsuko Tanaka). She's an animé fanboy's wet dream with improbably pert buttocks, muscular breasts, pneumatic nipples and a penchant for quoting Corinthians while questioning the nature of 'self' and simultaneously pursuing a mastermind cyber-hacker. Sublimely realised, intellectual ponderous, cheesy fun.

Divide And Rule

First full review of 39-track follow-up to Stankonia from fractured hip hop duo

East River Pipe – Garbageheads On Endless Stun

Fifth from NYC's own pocket-Spector, Frederick McKinney Cornog

Kylie Minogue – Body Language

On her ninth studio album Kylie discovers coitus. Again

The Boggs – Stitches

Hillbilly punk from The Rapture's flatmates

The Byrds – Sweetheart Of The Rodeo

Deluxe two-CD pressing of massively influential '60's country classic

The Fall – The War Against Intelligence

Their major label period. Better than you remember

Taking Sides

Keitel struggles to enliven tepid war crimes drama

Born To Win

Beware: this re-release of Ivan Passer's neglected 1971 movie comes billed as "starring" Robert De Niro. In fact, Two Oscars Bob, then unknown, has little more than a bit part, as a cop hassling real star George Segal, in one of his best performances as a bottom-rung junkie stealing through a wintry New York to feed his habit. Czech Passers' first US movie combines black comedy with bleakness and a nicely shabby feel which, though not entirely successful, points toward his best film, Cutter's Way.

Nowhere In Africa

The 2003 Oscar-winner as Best Foreign Language Film, this sees a German-Jewish family flee to a farm in Kenya to escape the rise of Nazism. Naturally, problems abound as the rural life turns tough, relationships disintegrate, locusts swarm and so do anti-Semites. Viewed through a child's eyes, the importance of each event is intensified, making for a visually impressive and emotionally testing experience.
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