Rank & Bile At The Movies - Notes On A Scandal Starring Judi Dench & Cate Blanchett

Last night Lulu and I went to see the new Cate Blanchett and Judi Dench movie Notes On A Scandal. What a great film and so good to see Dame Judi out of that “Lavender Girls” “Mrs Henderson” Dotty old lady rut she’s been stuck in for ages. This time Judi gets to play bad, in fact psycho lesbian from hell bad! And she’s great!

Cate Blanchett, not normally one of my favourite actresses, turns in a brilliantly underplayed and restrained performance and even that old ham Bill Nighy for once plays someone other than himself.

Judi’s usual fans however may find her portrayal of her a hard bitten, psychotic, spinster, school teacher a little hard to stomach but I loved it. Highly recommended this film goes on general release February 2^nd Go see it!

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Screen Queen-Some Of What I'm watching This Month

Little Miss Sunshine

Starring: , Greg Kinnear, Toni Collette, Paul Dano, Steve Carell

This film shouldn’t work but somehow it does. Despite thoroughly un-likeable characters, a heroin taking grandfather, suicidal gay uncle and sullen and silent son. This dysfunctional family headed by Toni Collette and Greg Kinnear slowly worm their way into your affections as they head off on a disastrous road trip to enter their talent-less chubby daughter in a child beauty pageant. The whole cast are a brilliant ensemble but Toni Collette as the put upon mother gives deserves special mention, delivering the best performances of her career.

Along the way mayhem death and disaster are thrown in their direction only for them to triumph and really bond as a family. This is definitely one of the best comedies I’ve seen in along time with a truly funny and warm script, without the usual Hollywood schmaltz that normally comes with it.

Highly recommended.

An Inconvenient Truth

Starring: Al Gore

Al Gore does for global warming, what Michael Moore did for 9/11 in this fascinating documentary examining the real implications of our continuing abuse of the environment. A documentary/slide show performed by a losing politician might not sound like good viewing but the information is riveting and Gore’s passion and delivery makes you wonder how on earth he lost the presidency to George W Bush. Gore has been presenting this “slide show” for years, to people all over the world and now his charismatic delivery now captured on film will ensure it is seen by millions. In the same way that Michael more changed global perceptions about 9/11, An Inconvenient Truth has the ability to shock people into taking action to save their planet. Al Gore may end up having done more for the environment than he ever could have done in The White House.

A must see documentary.

Brick

Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Emilie De Ravin

I watched this film on a recommendation but was slightly disappointed. Don’t get me wrong it’s a clever and stylish movie with a great script and I loved the idea of taking a teen mystery and giving it the look sound and feel of real noir thriller. My disappointment came because it just wasn’t as good as Mysterious Skin which also starred Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who was the main reason for my seeing this movie. As with Mysterious Skin, young Joseph completely dominates every scene he’s in. This charismatic young actor I predict is going to be a very big star indeed. I just dint think this was a vehicle worthy of his talents. I’m probably being too harsh, had I seen it before Mysterious Skin I’d have probably loved it! Judge for yourself just don’t expect it to rival Mysterious Skin.

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Rank & Bile At The Movies - Shortbus

John Cameron Mitchell's follow-up to his highly acclaimed debut, "Hedwig and the Angry Inch," is an entertaining dissection of the sexual mores of New York's hip crowd.

Whilst the film has gained notoriety as the most sexually explicit film put on general release, the sex aside, there is still an engaging story told through likeable characters.

The cast who are pretty much all newcomers (no pun intended!) improvised much of the dialogue, which gives it a realistic feel and despite the main character, James (Paul Dawson), plotting his suicide for most of the film, this is essentially a feel good movie that leaves you with happy endings all round.

Watch out for the fabulous Justin Bond (aka Kiki of Kiki and Herb fame) who only just avoids stealing the whole film with a bravura performance as himself.

Highly recommended but not one for the kids!

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Rank & Bile At The Movies - Pan's Labyrinth

Pans Labyrinth is a fairytale but most definitely not for children! It’s like the wizard of oz meets Rosemary’s Baby and whilst horror and fairytales may sound like a strange mix in the capable hands of director Guillermo del Toro it actually works.

The somewhat gruesome tail of renegades fighting in the Spanish civil war is the backdrop for the story of Orfelia (marvellously played by Ivana Baquero) a child torn between the brutal realities of the war which surrounds her and a fairytale world almost as brutal in the woods nearby.

Beautifully shot this dark and brooding tale grips you from the start and despite its orgy of violence is as uplifting as it is gory. Pans Labyrinth has been hailed as the best film of the year, whilst I wouldn’t go that far I would highly recommend it.

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Crazy Cruise To Serve Up Turkey?

Tom Crusie announced his lucrative new production deal with United Artists just a few months ago and the world wondered what masterpiece will Tom put into production first? Well… wonder no more!

In a surreal piece of type-casting Victoria Beckham is set to star in Tom Cruise’s new Scientology film as an alien bride! “The Thetan” is based on the bizarre sci-fi cult, which believes in alien life forms and it’s founder Ron L Hubbard’s sci- fi writings. Victoria is said to be “thrilled” about getting her big Hollywood break.

Hmm Tom before putting “The Thetan” into production, you might wanna think back to "Battlefield Earth" the last scientology flick that was so dire, it almost destroyed the career of fellow cult member John Travolta and while your at it you might want to rent a copy of spice world and check out your leading lady’s disastrous lack of acting abilities!

How appropriate for the holiday season as this one has turkey written all over it!

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Screen Queen-Some of what I'm Watching This Month

The Island

Starring: Ewan McGregor, Scarlett Johansson
Director: Michael Bay

What a load of tosh. I am amazed Scarlett Johanssen and Ewan Macgregor let themselves get anywhere near this appalling bit of sci fi nonsense. Once you got past the almost, clever twist and premise for the story, which was obvious long before the director gave the audience credit for. The whole thing just turned into a rather bad re-make of Logan’s Run. Although Organs Run might be more appropriate as the plot entailed Ewan and Scarlett as clones bred as organ donors for their rich doppelgangers only to escape from a lab and go in search of their “originals”. What is it with Hollywood films set in the future and this assumption that we will all be wearing white jump suits? I’m sorry white is not a good colour to pull off and is totally impractical whatever century you happen to have landed in!

Formulaic nonsense for boys, with chase scenes and lots of explosions….yawn!

Mistress Of Spices

Starring: Aishwarya Rai
Director: Gurinder Chadha

Why can’t someone give Ishwarya Rai a decent English Language part? The Queen of Hollywood’s follow up to the dreary Bride and Prejudice is an equally dull adaptation of Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s novel of the same name. The story about a San Franciscan shopkeeper who sells spices and uses their power to influence the lives of her customers with a somewhat predictable love story as its subplot.

Aishwaya is badly shot and totally wasted in the central role opposite a hopelessly mis-cast Dylan McDermott and whilst the book created an exotic world of mystery and dreams the film is a formulaic clunky love story.

For goodness sake when will Hollywood wake up to Rai’s potential apart from being one of the most beautiful women in the world she’ also an excellent actresses and is not likely to ever make it in Hollywood if continually cast in this kind of dirge. If she has any chance shell get back to Bollywood as soon as possible at least there, they know how to capitalise oh her talents and give her the kind of starring roles that she deserves.

That Man: Peter Berlin

Starring: Peter Berlin, Robert Boulanger
Director: Jim Tushinski

Fascinating documentary about iconic 70’s porn star photographer and model Peter Berlin who despite only having made 2/3 films managed to create a persona and image so strong that he remains a gay icon and symbol of the 70’s to this day. You may not know his name but the image he created is almost as recognisable as that of Warhol screen prints or studio 54 in defining the 1970’s and it’s influence can be seen in the work of people as diverse as Tom of Finland, John Paul Gaultier, Pierre et Gilles and The Village People. As well as interviews with contemporaries the documentary is built around extensive interviews with the man himself who despite his now advanced years is still striking and even more interesting than the personae he created.

Highly recommended for anyone who remembers this iconic man and the indelible image he created.

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Rank & Bile At The Movies - LFF Premiere Hollywoodland

So Last night Mike and I went to the premiere of Hollywoodland starring Diane Lane, Bob Hoskins, Adrien Brody and Ben Affleck. The evening started well as we got to schlep down the red carpet just behind Ben Affleck and Matt Damon and in front of Adrien Brody, tres glamorous!

Unfortunately that’s were the excitement ended, as the film itself was an overly long leaden turkey.

The story of George Reeves US TV’s Superman and the mystery surrounding his death, it was beautifully photographed but far too long and far too boring. The only saving grace was Affleck who for once turned in a semi decent performance and Lane who delivered her usual efficient, if not dynamic, turn.

After the showing Adrien, Ben Bob and the Director took questions from the audience and it appears Mr Brody (who I used to really like!) felt we just hadn’t been bored enough and proceeded to answer every question at such length audience members were slipping into comas. You can justify rambling on about your motivation for eons if you’re playing Shakespeare but not some dreary B movie thriller.

At least Mr Affleck, when he had the chance to speak, was amusing and self effacing but given the turkey just served up to the audience, it was only appropriate! He started his speech by saying he was surprised there were so many people still left in the audience when the lights came up! Never a truer word said….as I hear at another festival they booed! Wisely the film had a late showing ensuring the audience were exhausted and bored into submission and relatively un-hostile.

Am I being to harsh on Hollywoodland …quite possibly it was overlong and I was tired make up your own minds when it’s released on 24^th November.

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Rank & Bile At The Movies - The LFF Premiere Of Infamous

Thursday Lulu and I saw the London Film Festival's premiere of there totri=oduced the film and it't mor life in Capote'second half.premiere Infamous, directed Doug McGrath who was also there to introduce the film and its stars.

The film follows the same route taken by last year’s Capote, telling the story of Truman capote’s writing of “In Cold Blood” in Kansas. But unlike last years Capote this film successfully illustrates the contrast between Truman’s life pre Kansas and after and the effect it wrought on his life and career. The opening scenes are of Truman’s glittering and gossipy life in New York and are very amusing which make the contrast with his 5 years researching the gruesome murders in Kansas, so marked, in fact the film veers so violently from light to dark it’s almost like two separate films.

Had Infamous been the first version of the story to be filmed, it might have been regarded as triumph—in no small part because of Toby Jones's performance, which is much closer to the Capote we all know, the impish troublemaker, storytelling partygoer, who always seemed larger than life. The likelihood though, is that Phillip Seymour Hoffman despite being physically all wrong for the part will be the performance that’s remembered; especially now he has the Oscar under his belt.

The start of, Infamous is its strength its witty and stylish and it plays like a gossip column, glossy and star-spangled, with Isabella Rossellini as Marella Agnelli, Gwyneth Paltrow as Kitty Dean, Sigourney Weaver as Babe Paley, Peter Bogdanovich Bennet Cerf and Juliet Stevenson (brilliant) as Diana Vreeland.

The second half treads the same ground as Capote and to be honest maybe not as well and the contrast with the first half is so great it sucks all the life out of the story even Sandra Bullock as Harper lee can’t lift it back up and Daniel Craig as Perry is a particularly bleak performance.

On the whole a more enjoyable film than Capote but just too dark in its second half. I’m not sure the events in Kansas warranted a second film but there’s a lot more mileage in Capote’s life beyond the writing of “In Cold Blood”

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Rank & Bile At The Movies - The Devil Wears Prada

Friday night we went off to Islington to see the Devil Wears Prada, given that Lauren Weisberger’s book was one of my favourite trash novels of recent years, I was really looking forward to the big screen version. Well! What a huge disappointment! Whilst Meryl Streep tried her best with a script as flimsy as Tom Cruise’s grasp on reality even she couldn’t save this yawn-a-thon. Whilst the book had a bit of bite and edge and served up Miranda Priestly as one of the most dastardly characters put on paper the saccharine film version made her more like Mary Poppins with shades.

It didn’t help that knowing the book was based on the real life character of Anna “nuclear” Wintour I’d had a picture of her in my head as I read it, only to see Meryl look as unlike Ms Wintour as possible, presumably this was to prevent any more ire from the formidable Ms Wintour and her lawyers.

Why is it Hollywood just can’t do bitchy and bad? They always bottle out and soften things up and what a terrible waste of Miss Streep’s talents, do yourself a favour skip the film and buy the book instead. ** Stars

See The Trailer Below

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Liza with a Z - In Person

So it was off to The Vue Cinema inLeicester Square last night for a special screening of the newly remastered Liza with a Z ! The legendary Liza Minnelli concert directed by Bob Fosse, first shown on US television in 1972 and now available on DVD. The film received a rapturous reception and rightly so, it is Liza at her peak and is testament to her colossal talent.

The screening in aid of Crusaid was packed out and the highlight of the evening was the appearance of Liza herself! She introduced the film and then answered questions from an audience almost entirely consisting of delirious queens.

Not only was it great to see Liza up close and in the flesh she was looking pretty good for a woman of 60 held up by two new hips. She was also lucid and far saner than recent reports would have us believe.

Many of the questions verged on the reverential and Rank & Bile resisted the urge to ask about recent rumours about herpes and alcoholism (If slimeball ex husband David Gest is to be believed!) though she was forced to turn down a proposal of marriage, guess there must be limit to the number of gay men even Liza can marry!

Best of all was the news that Liza is planning to do a concert over here next year. She may be an old ham but Rank & Bile will be first in line for tickets!

Do yourself a favour and go get the DVD at:
Rank & Bile Recommends US
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Rank & Bile At The Movies - The History Boys

A huge thank you to 20th Century Fox and Centurion for the tickets to The History Boys preview at the Century Cinema in Soho Square.

The story of an unruly class of history students cramming for their entrance exams for Oxford and Cambridge might not sound like much fun but this has to be the best British film I’ve seen for a very long time. The witty Alan Bennet script was brilliantly played by a bevy of newcomers especially young Dominic Cooper and Samuel Barnett (who does a hilarious Celia Johnson impression!) and there is Stirling support from the superb Richard Griffiths and immensely watchable, Frances de La Tour.

What a pleasure to not, have to leave my brain at the door of the auditorium for a change.

For those of you who caught the play at the National or on Broadway (were it swept the boards at both the BAFTAs and the Tonys) you won’t be disappointed as the film stays lovingly true to its staged original.

A superb film that I can’t recommend highly enough, make sure you catch it when it goes on general release on October 13th in the UK and November 24th in the US. (Or get tickets to the Royal World Charity Premiere on 2nd October)

***** Stars

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Rank & Bile At The Movies - The Queen

Today it was off to The Barbican to see The Queen. Stephen Frears tackles one of England’s most awkward weeks in history, told from the perspective of those who shaped it. The death of Diana Princess of Wales sparked a national mourning the likes of which had never been seen and plunged The Royal Family into a crisis they couldn’t comprehend. Helen Mirren plays The Queen at perhaps her most vulnerable point in her long reign, out of touch with her people and struggling to make sense of an England that has moved beyond the protocols she knows and upholds.

Mirren is fantastic as the beleaguered sovereign managing to portray just the right mix imperious and vulnerable. She is ably supported by the excellent Michael Sheen as Tony Blair and Sylvia Syms as a frail but mentally sharp Queen Mother.

This is a fascinating glimpse at a Royal family in crisis who are rescued by their newly appointed Prime Minister. Made more poignant by the real footage of Diana. Amidst the drama there is also a great deal of humour but not necessarily all at The Royals expense. In fact both Blair and The queen come out of it rather well and The Queen’s observation that one day Tony Blair will find himself unpopular with the public too is both a topical and ironic close to the film, given current circumstances.

Definitely worth seeing. Mirren’s is a tour de force performance though it’s probably for the best she has already been made a Dame!

See The Trailer

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A Few Of My Favourite Things - 1970's Disaster Movies

No not raindrops on roses or whiskers on kittens! This monthly random post is about some of my favourite things. Some I'm passionate about others just tickle my fancy and make me laugh.

What do you do with a Hollywood star who hasn’t had a hit since 1954?
Well in the 1960’s buoyed by the success of Whatever Happened to Baby Jane you cast them in Grand Guignol shockers and turned them into Scream Queens. In the 1980’s you cast them in soap operas like Lana turner and Jane Wyman in Falcon Crest but in the 1970’s you cast them in Disaster Movies.


They were big block busters with a host of legendary stars. Who can forget Ava Gardner and Chuck Heston swaying about on wobbly sets and showered in papier mache rubble in Earthquake! Or Fred Astaire, William Holden and Steve McQueen covered in fake soot for The Towering Inferno. Even classy Olivia De Havilland and Henry Fonda got in on the act, getting savaged by killer bees in The Swarm. Then Shelley Winters famously capsized and sank in The Poseidon Adventure and a whole slew of stars were hysterical at high altitude in Airport 1970 and its spin off’s Airport 75, Airport 77 and Airport 79 The Concord!

The Airport films are my personal favourites the plots got sillier as they went along and the calibre of stars smaller (From Gloria Swanson and Myrna Loy to Charo and Martha Raye!)But Airport 1975 is a gem of a disaster movie and my personal number one. It boasted Gloria Swanson (re-united with Sunset Blvd co-star Nancy Olson) Dana Andrews, Sid Caesar and Myrna Loy amongst it’s petrified passenger list, whilst the fabulously boss eyed Karen Black was the stewardess forced to land the plane with help from good old Chuck Heston on the ground. Who can forget Gloria Swanson (playing herself) screaming “The Mountains, we’re too close to the mountains” as a blatantly projected piece of footage wobbled past her window!

Olivia De Havilland in Hysterical Disaster Movie Mode!

Special mention should be made of Chuck Heston who almost single handed, saved the day in half of the 70’s great disaster films, or so it seemed! He landed the stricken plane in Airport 1975, stopped the sniper threatening a football stadium in Two Minute Warning, rescued Ava Gardner in Earthquake, saved the plane in Skyjacked (a poor man’s Airport) and was the only survivor after a deadly plague in the Omega Man. Not bad for a man who also found time to battle his way through the Planet Of The Apes franchise all in the same decade. Hardly a week in the 70’s went by, when he wasn’t found with jutted jaw, covered in fake blood/dirt/soot (toupee askew) and with his clothes in tatters.

So why were these films so popular? Well part of their success lay in their crowd pleasing plots. The people responsible were always killed and often horribly. Richard Chamberlains faulty wiring in Towering Inferno got him fried. There was also, always one of the cast favourites killed off, to ensure a tear-jerking reaction, like Shelley Winters in The Poseidon Adventure and finally there was always a chance for some “ordinary Joe” to become a hero. Like Fred Astaire as the con-man who saves the children in Towering Inferno and simple stewardess Karen Black manoeuvring the plane through the mountains, single handed, in Airport 1975.

The other reason people loved them, was the chance to see great stars in distress, in the same way they had loved them a decade before devoid of make up and as demented purveyors of horror in the 1960’s. In the 1970’s they got to see them dirty, wet, and bleeding, with their clothes in tatters and under duress and what fun it was. Add to this, huge special effects, outlandish scripts and high drama and you have a recipe for success that lasted a whole decade.

They sure don’t make em like that anymore! Mores the pity!

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Screen Queen-Some of what I'm watching this Month

East West
Starring:Sandrine Bonnaire Oleg Menshikov Catherine Deneuve Sergei Bodrov Jr. Meglena Karalambova Atanass Atanassov Erwan Baynaud Tatyana Dogileva Grigori Manukov Tania Massalitinova Bogdan Stupka Ruben Tupiero
Director:Regis Wargnier
Run time:120 mins

Despite having deneuve plastered all over the cover her’s is little more than a cameo. That aside, I loved this film with great performances by all of the main players and Deneuves presence just adding the icing on the cake. It is the story of a French couple deceived into returning to Stalinist Russia. the country of the husband's birth and their subsequent attempts to escape. Lushly photographed and acted this true story really brought home the reality of Russian under Stalin. Highly recommended.
**** Stars
Buy East-Westat Amazon.com

Hellbent
Starring:Dylan Fergus Bryan Kirkwood Hank Harris Andrew Levitas
Director:Paul Etheredge-Ouzts
Run time:80 mins

When will I ever learn? Gay films with cheap budgets equals crap! This one was particularly dire and despite the novelty value of being the first Gay horror film, it had little to recommend it. It’s plot centres around Halloween in West Hollywood as a group of friends go out to party but end up terrorised by a madman intent on killing them all. Think a Camp version of Scream but with a 10th of the budget. The only things that made it remotely bearable was a couple of decent looking men and its mercifully short running time of 80 mins. Don’t waste your time!
* Stars
Buy Hell Bentat Amazon.com

Fascination
Starring:Adam Garcia Jacqueline Bisset Alice Evans Stuart Wilson James Naughton Vincent Castellanos
Director:Klaus Menzel
Run time:99 mins

The only thing fascinating about this film is how the hell did Jacqueline Bisset get involved in this ghastly crap heap of a thriller. Can she really be that desperate for work? I can’t remember when I saw acting so bad and a plot so dire . The only thing that prevented me slipping into a coma of boredom or cutting my wrists was that the producers wisely making yummy Adam Garcia, wear less and less clothes as the film progressed. Obviously this last minute ploy was a vain attempt at preventing at least the gay members of the audience and teenage girls from stampeding to the exits! If you have the choice of root canal work or watching this film, book the dentist quick!
** Stars
Buy Fascinationat Amazon.com

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Screen Queen-Some of what I'm watching this Month

Superman Returns

A huge thank you to Lulu and Warner Bros for the preview tickets to Superman Returns. I have to say this isn't my usual type of film and I went along expecting to be bored silly but to my surprise the film is fantastic. Although at 154 minutes a trifle too long.

I wont give away the plot as it's not on release untill Friday! What I will tell you is that Brandon Routh is fantastic and quite by far the dishiest Superman ever, even young Tom Welling looks plain beside this guy. He also has the most perfect eyes and the most gorgeous lashes in fact he is far prettier than kate Bosworth who looked far too young and plain to play Lois Lane. Theres also a great (but far too short) cameo from Eva Marie saint, one of my favourite actresses and there's even an appearance by Marlon Brando!

I also have to say the special effects are superb especially in the aeroplane scene at the start of the film.

All in all a really enjoyable and much better than I expected. Welcome back Superman!

**** Stars

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Screen Queen-Some of what I'm watching this Month

The Anniversary (1968)
Starring: Bette Davis, Sheila Hancock
Director: Roy Ward Baker Rating
Finally this camp masterpiece gets a DVD release!

For those of you who appreciate Miss Davis more subtle early work, this is not the Bette Davis film for you. This is Bette in high camp mode; by this time a caricature of herself flinging the vicious dialogue out of her red slashed upside down mouth and with enough venom to stop an elephant in its tracks.

Mrs Taggart is a one eyed monster of a mother who tortures her children and their spouses with undisguised zeal, in this film of a battling family who gather on the wedding anniversary of their widowed Mother.

Davis without firm direction plays to the galleries and is a mass of eye popping and cigarette waving mannerisms that makes for delicious black comedy. Davis is armed with some spectacularly bitchy dialogue and revels in every minute of it and her supporting cast, especially the fabulous, Sheila Hancock give just as good as they get. Ironically when the original play was staged again this year, in London, it was Hancock who played Mrs Taggart. Much as I enjoyed Hancock in the role, Bette is Better.

They really don’t make these kind of star vehicles anymore and this one is fabulous, so do yourself a favour and go buy/rent this movie you won’t be disappointed.

**** Stars
The Anniversary Buy it at Amazon

See a Clip of Bette in Action as Mrs Taggart




Memoirs of a Geisha (2005)
Starring: Ziyi Zhang, Suzuka Ohgo
Director: Rob Marshall
Nitta Sayuri reveals how she transcended her fishing-village roots and became one of Japan's most celebrated geisha.

You really can’t find much to fault in this sumptuous adaptation. The story of one of Japans last and greatest Geishas. It has breathtaking photography, locations, costumes and make up, which all perfectly evoke pre-war japan and give this film a visual splendour.

Despite the controversy surrounding the casting of Chinese actresses in key roles Suzuka Ohgo is absolutely mesmerising as the Geisha and Ken Watanabe, always a very watchable actor, turns in another great performance. All in all an excellent film that is worth a couple of hours of anyone’s time.

Memoirs of a Geisha (Widescreen 2-Disc Special Edition) Buy it at Amazon

**** Stars

Cabaret (1972)
Starring: Liza Minnelli, Michael York
Director: Bob Fosse
We went to see this film at the open air cinema near Tower Bridge and armed with a picnic it turned out to be a very pleasant evening. It was also the first time I had actually seen this film on a big screen and with an audience. Yes dear readers I am too young to have seen the original theatrical release despite what people and the deterioration of my face may tell you!

I’d forgotten just how good a film this is, Liza is simply superb and the Bob Fosse’s direction is perfect. It was also good to hear people liked the humour as much as I always have and sung along with all the songs, like I always do. All that is except for my friend’s new BF who horror of horrors not only hadn’t seen the film he wasn’t a fan of Liza’s! I don’t understand these new fangled gays? Don’t they teach them anything in school?!

Go get yourself a Liza education and buy the DVD and while you’re at it start making your way through her Mother’s back catalogue.

Cabaret Buy it at Amazon

***** Stars

Shirley She Can Do Better Than This?

This week I watched a couple of particularly dreary chick flicks “In her shoes” and “Rumour has it” the thing that stood out about both these films apart from the ghastly scripts was that both films were about sisters who fall out, lost their mother at an early age and had a happy ending with a wedding. The other common denominator was that in both films the sisters had a quirky Grandmother and both of them were played by Shirley MacLaine.

Now it’s bad enough that MacLaine didn’t read the scripts cos if she had, she might have noticed they were exactly the same! Although this proved to be a plus for MacLaine as she obviously saved herself time and money by just phoning in the one performance!

Now don’t get me wrong I’m a huge fan of Miss MacLaine but when is she going to stop cornering the market in kooky grandmothers and actually tackle a role worthy of her talents and if it’s a case of her not being offered anything else, then shame on you Hollywood for leaving this great actress to stew in insipid crap like “Bewitched” and even worse as Miss Ellie in the new “Dallas” movie.

So come on Shirley enough already with the dodgy grandma cameos. Stop wasting your talent and get your hooks into another “Postcards from the edge” or “Terms of Endearment”

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