Reviews ...

Reviews

Rory Gallagher – Wheels Within Wheels

Much lamented Irish guitar hero's roots exposed

Hell Is For Heroes

Marvel strikes cinematic gold again with dark and exuberant superhero blockbuster No 3

The Importance Of Being Earnest

A polite, prissy take on Wilde which seems to think he wrote for children. Rupert Everett and Colin Firth are there, of course, as a playboy and a country mouse, both posing as "Earnest" while ducking scenery-munching from the tragically overrated Judi Dench and, in the token Gwyneth role, Reese Witherspoon. Muffs every joke as lamely as a fifth-form production.

Q&A

Made in 1990 but in a Serpico-style '70s tradition, Sidney Lumet's Q&A pits Nick Nolte's corrupt Irish-American cop against Timothy Hutton's idealistic assistant DA. Quality old-school fare, marred only by over-emphasis on a sub-plot involving Armand Assante's gang boss and Nolte's odd moustache and high-heeled shoes.

Van Wilder—Party Liaison

One of the last spasms from the gross-out "wave", this National Lampoon effort has—among the boobs, belching and frat-boy self-fingering—moments of comic charm from Ryan Reynolds. He has a knack for letting us know he's above it all while throwing himself into the stench. Bet he sleeps nights by telling himself Tom Hanks began his career in such muck.

Magical Misery Tour

Ten songs of dark and disturbing genius from Seattle singer-songwriter

MC Honky – I Am The Messiah

So-so solo album from E of The Eels

Doyle Bramhall – Fitchburg Street

Stevie Ray's soul brother still going strong

Joan Armatrading – Lovers Speak

Mature collection of new songs from pioneering '70s singer-songwriter

Cursive – The Ugly Organ

Concept album about sexuality from Nebraska quintet
Advertisement

Editor's Picks

Advertisement

PAgeskin