Reviews

Pillows & Prayers – Cherry Red

Shoehorned onto this page because there's now a parallel DVD, which means this compilation of Volumes 1 and 2 (Cherry Red 1982-84) counts as a soundtrack, okay? The label's reissue of its golden age revels in the courage to be slightly twee. It's the sound of Englishness, only without the mindless violence. Art-rockers like Monochrome Set and Fantastic Something stand up well, having first politely checked that nobody minds if they do. Morgan Fisher's version of "Un Homme Et Une Femme" shrugs coolly, while Felt's "Penelope Tree" carries a torch for Television.

Sixtoo – Antagonist Survival Kit

Third album from Canadian rapper

Anders Parker – Songs In A Northern Key

First UK release for NYC singer/guitarist/multi-instrumentalist responsible for immortal The Moray Eels Eat The Space Needle LP

Big Girls Don’t Cry

Veteran Louisiana-born country-soulster runs the gamut of musical styles and moods on her daring and dazzling follow-up to 2001's critically lauded Essence

Heavy Souls

Two discs including tracks from albums one to four and five to eight. Oh, and the best hard rock ever recorded

Denny And The Gents

From Airplane wannabes to folk-rock deities...

The Recruit

DIRECTED BY Roger Donaldson STARRING Al Pacino, Colin Farrell, Bridget Moynahan Opens March 28, Cert 12A, 114 mins When Colin Farrell signs up as a trainee CIA operative in Roger Donaldson's slick spy caper, he has more to deal with than weapons instruction, role-play exercises and psychological evaluation. He also has to cope with shameless grandstanding from Al Pacino giving another of those shouty, screen-hogging, over-the-top performances that have now become his trademark.

The Vikings

Enduringly popular epic, directed with vigorous panache by Richard Fleischer. Kirk Douglas and Tony Curtis are terrific as the feuding half-brothers, sons of hugely-bearded Viking warlord Ernest Borgnine, and there's an admirable amount of rowdy quaffing, hearty pillaging and general mayhem.

Spy Kids 2—The Island Of Lost Dreams

The sequel to Robert Rodriguez's maniacally good Spy Kids, with budding-Bonds Alexa Vega and Daryl Sabara up against a rival team of adolescent agents and the monsters of mad scientist Steve Buscemi's fantasy island. Suggesting a Ray Harryhausen movie invaded by the screwball surrealism of a Looney Tunes cartoon, it ups the first film's formula of candy-coloured cool stuff for kids and in-jokes for grown-ups. Quite fantastic.

Jacob’s Ladder

Tim Robbins is Jacob, a Vietnam Vet trying to adjust to civilian life in New York but suffering from horrific, nightmarish visions. The after-effects of a military drug experiment, or something more sinister and supernatural? Even if Adrian Lyne's film makes a lot of confused choices, it's still an interesting—and genuinely scary—ride.
Advertisement

Editor's Picks

Advertisement