FFWD Weekly
Copyright © 1997. All Rights Reserved.
Be Kind, Please Rewind
by Jane McCulloughSELENA
Directed by Gregory Nava
Starring Jennifer Lopez and Edward James Olmos
The sad but true tale of the Latin pop star who was shot by the president of her fan club. Performances are reminiscent of junior high attempts at Shakespeare, with nothing but corny events leading up to the "climactic" ending. Nava has created this film to look like a two-hour Selena rock video, interspersed with familial life lessons that are boring and trite.
KOLYA
Directed by Jan Sverak
Starring Zdenek Sverak, Libuse Safrankova and Andrej ChalimonA beautifully written exercise in catharsis, this year's winner of the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar tells of a Czech-bachelor-musician who gets stuck with a young Russian boy during the Russian occupation of 1988. Despite the language barriers and obvious tension, a simple relationship evolves that is rounded, believable and humorous. And the child is adorable.
THE ENGLISH PATIENT
Directed by Anthony Minghella
Starring Ralph Fiennes, Kristen Scott Thomas, Juliette Binoche and Willem DafoeThis sweeping epic is so grand in all elements, one might not believe that it was independently made. The film is long, lovely and while it is well adapted, takes a different focus from the novel. A love affair at the heart of war surrounded by interlocking lives provides the momentum for a series of flashbacks telling the story of the title patient. Lawrence of Arabia will suffice if this is unavailable - the two films even share a yellow plane motif.
SOME MOTHER'S SON
Directed by Terry George
Starring Helen MirrenA well acted drama based on the IRA hunger strike of 1979. Mirren is her usual, capable self, however very little about this film is superb. A number of films involving the Irish Republican Army have been churned out in recent years, yet few of them take a different approach to the subject matter. Other films from this creative team include My Left Foot and In The Name of the Father.
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