Reviews ...

Reviews

Townes Van Zandt – Absolutely Nothing

Posthumous live and studio collection from legendary Texan troubadour

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.

The Detroit Cobras – Seven Easy Pieces

Full-throttle rock'n'soul mini album. From Detroit, obviously

Sole – Selling Live Water

Absorbing countercultural rap

Danny Barnes & Thee Old Codgers – Things I Done Wrong

Singer in Texas punk bluegrass band The Bad Livers in strong new start. Bill Frisell guests, Marc Bolan's covered

Psychedelicacies

Lazer-Guided Melodies for the laptop generation

The Joe Jackson Band – Volume 4

He's The Man again
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