In The Cut

[girl in a swing]

This Jane Campion thriller starring Meg Ryan in a decidedly untypical role was rather written off by the press at the time of release as I remember, but I watched it anyway because I love Campion. I wasn't at all disappointed by it, I think it got an unfairly rough ride due to Meg Ryan's brittle promotional interviews more than anything. It's a beautifully told story, unsettling more for its hallucinatory atmosphere than the subject matter, I find. New York has never looked more like a dreamworld. The opening sequence with the 'petal storm' in the gardens outside Franny Avery's apartment block is poetic, mythic and sinister at the same time. Campion never fails to surprise me with her way of seeing the world.

[sound world]

I liked The Piano a lot,but I haven't seen anything else (no time or money to take chances at the movies)...unless she made 'Orlando'? (which was brilliant).

[girl in a swing]

'Orlando' is by Sally Potter, another director with amazing visual/narrative style.

[sound world]

Oh yeah,of course.Sally P uses great music too.

[sound world]

Oh yeah,of course.Sally P uses great music too.

[girl in a swing]

(no time or money to take chances at the movies)

Me neither, well not enough time anyway. I signed up to Amazon UK's DVD rental scheme a while back, which is great value. I pay six quid a month for the basic package, which lets you rent 3 movies each month. You can keep them for as long as you like, there are no return-by dates. They arrive with a pre-paid envelope to send them back in so you just stick them in the postbox when you're finished with them, it's actually very convenient. Subscription also entitles you to a discount off any DVDs you buy from them. For me it's far and away the easiest and least expensive way to see movies.

[sound world]

Wow,what a good idea.I say I never go to the movies but I borrow enough DVDs from the library-mainly for Robin- at ?2 a throw and then inevitably forget to get them back a week later (so pay another ?2).
Hmm-do they do all sorts? I've been hunting all over for old classic comedies-Laurel and hardy,Marx Bros. etc; and arthouse stuff.

[girl in a swing]

I suspect you'll find a much bigger variety of films on Amazon than at the local library, anyway. Just do a search for the ones you're looking for. The arthouse/international section tends to be my most-frequented one.

[sound world]

So what's the catch? are you obliged to stump up 6 notes every month even if you don't take out 3 movies?
And how easily can you cancel the subscription? Is there a minimum period?

[x31eq]

I haven't seen anything of Campion's since The Piano either, and I do occasionally wonder what she's been up to. I saw An Angel At My Table on television, and liked that.

I'll also join in about this Amazon thing being a good deal. Except that it depends on being in the UK for a long time, which isn't my current plan. In Nantong there's a surprisingly good selection of foreign DVDs very cheap, which I presume to be pirated.

I prefer to see films at the cinema, but there isn't one here in Keynsham where my parents live. And it was 6 pounds last night to see one film in Bristol, on top of the bus fare. So one film a month and the rental would pay for itself, except for being on a teeny little screen.

Only 15 Yuan to see the latest Harry Potter on the big screen, but it was dubbed. Anyway, I'm rambling ...

[RobB]

And it was 6 pounds last night to see one film in Bristol,

Now you know why I only go to the cinema on a weekday afternoon .........its about two quid cheaper.

ps....there's also the additional bonus of only having about 15 other people in there with you so there's no problem changing seats and getting as far away as possible from the popcorn crunchers and the natterers.

[x31eq]

Now you know why I only go to the cinema on a weekday afternoon .........its about two quid cheaper.

ps....there's also the additional bonus of only having about 15 other people in there with you so there's no problem changing seats and getting as far away as possible from the popcorn crunchers and the natterers.

I don't think there were as many as 15 people there last night. And a couple were nattering at the start, but they were shut up.

Actually, I did see the Wallace and Gromit film in a mainstream cinema on a weekday afternoon, earlier in the year. I forget how much it cost. Also Shrek 2 last year when we might even have got student reductions. And Harry Potter was on a weekday afternoon as well and only 15 Yuan (about a pound) each. So I'm no stranger to the weekday afternoon trick, having gone from student to layabout.

Best avoided when the kids are on holiday though.

[RobB]

I watched the dvd of 'In The Cut' last night but its nothing really special to be honest. Its not going to linger in the memory like 'The Piano' does.
Long on dialogue,short on an original storyline and any form of action and this starts to hit yawnsville two thirds of the way through. Being able to work how 'whodunnit' half way through doesn't help either.

[witchy]

I haven't seen the movie but I was really interested in doing it, for it's the filming of a novel I also wanted to read and because Meg Ryan finally stepped out of her comfortable, typical roles.

[blue]

Sara, have a watch of a film called 'Flesh and Bone' if you ever come across it. It's one of Meg Ryan's first pictures, before Hollywood locked her into the light romantic comedy straitjacket, and it demonstrates that she was always a much better actress than most people give her credit for.