Movie clips

AMERICAN PSYCHO

(Cert 18, 95 mins)

In adapting one of the most controversial novels of the last decade to the screen, Mary Harron has shifted the focus away from the gore and bloodshed and has concentrated on Bret Easton Ellis's pithy commentary on 80s materialism and greed. At its centre is handsome yuppie Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale), a coke-snorting, power-hungry social climber who judges success by the richness of the paper in business cards.

BIG MOMMA'S HOUSE

(Cert 12, 98 mins)

FBI agent Malcolm Turner (Martin Lawrence) is used to going undercover to get the bad guys, often donning elaborate costumes to ensnare his prey. Following another successful bust, Turner and partner John (Paul Giamatti) are assigned to capture serial killer and bank robber Laster (Terrence Dashon Howard) who has recently escaped from jail. Hidden beneath the layers of Francine Jamison-Tanchuck's rather fine costume, Lawrence is more bearable than usual, forced to forego his smug, wise-cracking antics in favour of physical comedy and the odd smart oneliner.

CHICKEN RUN

(Cert U, 80 mins)

The team behind Wallace and Gromit provides its first feature film in Chicken Run, starring a cast of claymation Yorkshire fowl.

The voice of Julia Sawalha steals the show as the strident heroine who lays her own life on the line to rescue the flock while Mel Gibson's boisterous wise-cracking matches the energy of Park and Lord's direction. Well-written, looks great, a bit of a curate's egg - but worth a watch.

DRIVE ME CRAZY

(Cert 12, 91 mins)

Melissa Joan Hart plays Nicole, a sassy high-school lassie who is very much part of the in-crowd and is almost single-handedly organising this year's gala celebration. Plunged into the fiery pits known as teenage depression, Nicole turns to her grungy neighbour Chase (Adrian Grenier) who has just been dumped by his girlfriend Dulcie (Ali Larter). Reluctantly, Chase agrees to be Nicole's date as part of a cunning scheme to win back Brad and Dulcie.

FREQUENCY

(Cert 15, 118 mins)

If you were given the opportunity to travel back in time, and change just one event from your past, what would it be? New York cop John Sullivan (Jim Caviezel) knows exactly which moment he would choose: the day his fire-fighter father Frank (Dennis Quaid) died in a blaze. Parallel universes and time travelling have been the subjects of countless films, and like many of its predecessors, Frequency is fatally flawed in its logic. However, Toby Emmerich's script does have its moments. Quaid has rarely been better; Caviezel is equally good, tapping into the anger, wonderment and joy of a man suddenly given a second chance to be close to his hero.

GLADIATOR

(Cert 15, 150 mins)

British director Ridley Scott's sword-and-sandals epic is a muscular and bold combat film threaded with scenes of gore. The hero of the day is Maximus (Russell Crowe), a popular general in the army of Emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris), who is adored as much by his men as he is by the Emperor. The Emperor's weasel-like son Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) is not best pleased by this show of family disloyalty and murders the old man. He assumes the throne and orders the immediate execution of Maximus, the sole threat to his rule. Barely escaping death, Maximus is forced into slavery and is trained as a gladiator by Proximo (Oliver Reed).

MAYBE BABY

(Cert 15, 104 mins)

Sam and Lucy Bell (Hugh Laurie, Joely Richardson) are bright, thirtysomething media darlings who want a baby but can't make one, so they deliver themselves into the hands of Dr James (Rowan Atkinson) who suggests sperm tests and possibly IVF as the way forward. Unfortunately, the endless medical tests soon take their toll on the couple's relationship. Writer-director Ben Elton strikes a pleasing balance between the comedy and drama, fleshing out Sam and Lucy in broad though intimate strokes and slowly gaining our affection and sympathy for them. The laughs are frequent and evolve from the couple's predicament.

THE NEXT BEST THING

(Cert 12, 109 mins)

Yoga instructor Abbie (Madonna) and gay gardener Robert (Rupert Everett) are best friends who do everything as a couple including one very drunken night sleep together, leaving Abbie pregnant. Were it not for the man from New Jersey and his bloated space turkey Battlefield Earth, this rom-com with a passing social conscience might have been a strong contender for worst film of the year. Instead, it's the next best thing.

SAVING GRACE

(Cert 15, 94 mins)

Grace Trevethan (Brenda Blethyn) has led a sheltered life, allowing her husband John to handle all of their business affairs while she gets on with the serious business of hosting tea parties for the Women's Institute. Her one real talent is gardening and after John is killed in an accident leaving her short of cash, her gardener Matthew (Craig Ferguson), advises that she starts growing marijuana to save the house from repossession. Blethyn is adorable as worldy unwise Grace, transforming herself into the most unlikely drugs dealer ever to frequent the south coast.

THREE TO TANGO

(Cert 12, 99 mins)

Oscar Novak (Matthew Perry) is a young architect frustrated by his bachelor lifestyle. He is handpicked by Chicago tycoon Charles Newman (Dylan McDermott), who believes that Oscar is gay and consequently assigns him to spy on his mistress, Amy (Neve Campbell). The setup of Three To Tango is reminiscent of the 70s sitcom Three's Company in which a would-be chef pretends to be gay in order to secure himself an apartment with two young women. Campbell is arguably the film's one saving grace, and far more than Oscar deserves.

THE TIGGER MOVIE

(Cert U, 77 mins)

The adorably spring-loaded Tigger finally gets his first ever film (as if we needed reminding of what a cheery chappy he is). Some 17 years since the last Winnie The Pooh film was released in theatres, as well made as The Tigger Movie is, it really would be better suited as a straight-to-video film, that families can settle down and dip into together.

U-571

(Cert 12, 116 mins)

When a German U-boat carrying one of the legendary Enigma code machines is disabled in the Atlantic, the US navy enlists Matthew McConaughey to captain a submarine (disguised as a Nazi vessel) and board the stricken U-boat. Unfortunately, McConaughey lacks charisma and never comes across as a potential leader of men, but strikes a convincing look of terror and fear when called for.