Shrike-10

While the "Short Cuts" comparisons are justified (LA setting, multi-story structure, climax with a freak of nature) Magnolia is still a fine film in its own right. Anderson has followed up "Boogie Nights' with an ever better film. While some may call Magnolia sentimental, its a refreshing change from most recent American art movies, which seem to regard any human feeling whatsoever as lamentably unhip.

Whatever else happens to him, Anderson can claim that he succeeded where the late Stanley Kubrick failed, by getting something resembling acting out of Tom Cruise. While Cruise's Goebbels of the sex wars is the flashiest example, Magnolia features several other against-type castings. Most notably, Philip Seymour Hoffman finally gets to show that he can play competent and dignified.

The only unfortunate thing about the film is the soundtrack. The Aimee Mann songs aren't bad, but the incidental music is some of the most annoying and intrusive I've ever heard, often detracting from the action rather than complementing it.

Incidentally, if you want to know what the opening narration and the frogs are about, keep a careful eye on the books Stanley reads in the library... then head to your local "cult" bookshop.

Being John Malkovich undoubtedly has some marvellous ideas, but there's a frustrating incongruity of tone. The first half of the film is perfect, sophisticated comedy, but as Craig starts to really lose it the laughs drain away to leave what is one of cinema's few philosophical horror films. The ending seemed one of the most sinister in living memory...

Overall, I'm left with the same disturbing feeling as I had when watching Terry Gilliam's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - that if the film-makers expected to create this sensation the film is marvellous. If, however, Jonze intended this as a pure comedy (and a great deal of reviewers seem to have taken it this way) then I feel as if I'm dealing with people whose armour of hip cynicism has grown so thick as to rob them of all human sympathy for their characters. Still worth seeing, though.

Sure, it's not a faithful adaptation of Highsmith and Ripley is made far too much of an accidental murderer. Remember, though, this is the woman whose first novel was too dark for Alfred Hitchcock to adapt faithfully. I don't think we'll ever see undiluted Highsmith on screen, but if you take the film on its merits it's a fine piece of work. Matt Damon is surprisingly good, Law's excellent, Paltrow is embarassingly bad at times but who expected anything else. See it, but don't expect to see Patricia's Ripley on the screen - that'll have to stay in your head.