Film Screening 8th June, 1999

Poster for Two/Out

Two/Out 

8:00 PM, 8th June, 1999

  • M
  • 15 mins
  • Unknown
  • Kriv Stenders
  • NULL
  • Tony Ryan, Richard Green

Jack and Tom are cellmates. Their fragile bond begins to unravel when Jack falls in love with a black plastic bag. Fear and jealousy drive Tom, who is unable to understand or accept Jack's dementia, to a brutal confrontation. This was an AFI winner for best short film.

NULL

Poster for Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels

Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels 

8:15 PM, 8th June, 1999
No Guests

  • MA
  • 105 mins
  • Unknown
  • Guy Ritchie
  • Guy Ritchie
  • Jason Flemyng, Dexter Fletcher, Nick Moran, Jason Statham, Steven Mackintosh, Vinnie Jones, Sting

This has been described as "the British entry into Tarantino territory" for the combination of razor-sharp wit and deadly gun battles, but for my two pence this film is better than anything Tarantino has made. The plot revolves around Eddy, who has a special knack for cards. Eddy and three of his buddies pool their cash to get the ((pound))100,000 required to sit at Hatchet Harry's card table. But Harry has rigged the game to settle an old score, and the gang soon find themselves with a week to settle a debt of ((pound))500,000. Harry thinks that they won't be able to get the cash and so will be forced to convince Eddy's dad (played by Sting) to cancel the debt by handing over his bar lock, stock and barrel. The boys come up with a plan to get the cash when they overhear their neighbours planning to rumble the local drug dealers. Of course, the plan goes awry and all sorts of fun ensues. To say any more would give away a fantastic plot.

The interplay between the drug dealers, the drug baron, Hatchet Harry, his various minions and our heroes is quite brilliantly done. The film is very fast paced, and the high level of tension is maintained throughout. The film has been criticised on the grounds that it did not allow time for character development, but such arguments are unconsidered - the film stands on its plot and the characters are developed sufficiently to allow the plot to work, and work well. A cool soundtrack rounds out what must surely be one of the most under-rated films of 1998.

Tauri Gregory