MEET BILL
Comedy/drama. 2007. 89 min. With Aaron Eckhart, Elizabeth Banks and Jessica Alba. Directors: Bernie Goldmann and Melisa Wallack. 13PGL.
Rating: 3/5
Reviewer: Willem Möller
Bill (Eckhart) hates his life: he’s financially dependent on a dead-end job at his father-in-law’s company where he’s given menial tasks to do, his smug brother-in-law treats him like dirt and his wife (Banks) is cheating on him with a minor celebrity. To top it all he’s developing a boep thanks to a chocolate addiction.
Then he’s ordered to mentor a precocious 15-year-old boy (Logan Lerman) from his old high school. But The Kid (as he’s known) takes a liking to Bill and - along with his friend, a cute lingerie salesgirl (Alba) - decides to bring some light into his life. Slowly Bill gains the confidence to set out on his own.
This enjoyable comedy with dark undertones is held together by an excellent performance from Eckhart, who brings an understanding, laced with humour, to his portrayal of a man in the throes of a midlife crisis. It’s (almost) on a par with Kevin Spacey’s Oscar-winning turn in American Beauty, and if you liked that film this is a must-see.
THE NANNY DIARIES
Drama/comedy. 2007. 101 min. With Scarlett Johansson, Laura Linney and Nicholas Reese Art. Directors: Robert Pulcini and Shari Springer Berman. PGL.
Rating: 3/5
Reviewer: Haidee Muller
Recently graduated Annie Braddock (Johansson) is considering a career in anthropology when she meets a yuppie from Manhattan’s Upper East Side, Mrs X (Linney), who offers her a job as a nanny.
In this film version of the book by former nannies Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus, four-year-old livewire Grayer (Reese Art) gives Annie uphill while his mom shops and eats in fancy restaurants. He gets even less attention from his businessman dad (Paul Giamatti) - to the Xes Grayer is no more than just another designer item.
Although this light-hearted flick is rather predictable the cute kid tugs at the heartstrings. And check out the costume party - Condoleezza Rice has a miniature George W Bush on her arm.
PLANET TERROR
Horror/comedy. 2007. 98 min. With Rose McGowan, Josh Brolin and Marley Shelton. Director: Robert Rodriguez. 18VL.
Rating: 4/5
Reviewer: Luke Stone
This film was originally released with Tarantino’s Death Proof as Grindhouse - a double-feature tribute to ’70s B-movies. Whereas Death Proof focused on car chases Planet Terror tackles another popular theme: flesh-eating zombies. But as in Death Proof the heroes are female, scantily dressed - and deadly. Of course the zombies aren’t really scary: even the most horrific scenes are full of humour, the dialogue is a hoot and to make the fleapit experience authentic the films look scratched and the reels are mixed up.
If you have nostalgic memories of a misspent youth hanging around dodgy cinemas rent both films and watch them in sequence.
Special features: lots, including one of Rodriguez’s Ten-Minute Film School doccies.
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