Reviews

Halle Berry's blubbing Oscar win shouldn't obscure the fact that this is a brave, harrowing film, echoing the intimacy of '70s cinema's heyday. Billy Bob Thornton is uncannily intense as a Death Row prison guard who cracks up when his son Heath Ledger can't handle his job. An odd coupling with convict's wife Berry may or may not redeem him. Inspirational.

Not as bad as they said, until you hit the magic realism. Lasse Hallström is safer on the brief establishing scenes, and Newfoundland is refreshingly unfamiliar Both sadsack Kevin Spacey and closed Judi Dench endure a near-Theban family history in rotten weather. Journalists will savour the local paper.

Chronological 73-track, four-CD anthology of avant-MOR avatars

Four-CD, 83-track box with 36-page booklet tries to summarise soul music

Lightly jazzy English pop spread thinly

Shotgun Willie recorded live in the country capital with a clutch of great names including Sheryl Crow, Ryan Adams and Emmylou Harris

Two surviving members of "No Scrubs" trio carry on without Lisa Left-Eye Lopes

Medway-raised ramalama from onetime '80s cult heroes

Retro '60s garage rock from Scandinavian quartet

While serving as a complete visual history of the Manics from their early days as glammed-up rock'n'roll agitators—with Richey-to their currently more statesmanlike demeanour, Forever Delayed also shows how perfectly video has suited their mix of music and protest. Live performance and increasingly sophisticated films and storyboarding are shot through with urgent messages, slogans, cut-and-paste docu footage and literary reference as the hits roll on.