Video Releases

Fight Club

Directed by David Fincher Starring Edward Norton, Brad Pitt, Helena Bonham Carter

If you're at all interested in modern movies and popular culture, then you have to see David Fincher's flawed, brilliant satire on masculinity, violence and consumerism. It's not implausible to see Fincher as the next Stanley Kubrick, another master craftsman. He still has difficulty in making a completely coherent film, though, and Fight Club has its problems - particularly the rather clunky twist towards the end. But Norton is excellent, while Pitt is perfect for the role of the narcissistic, egocentric Dearden.

Election

Directed by Alexander Payne Starring Matthew Broderick, Reese Witherspoon, Jessica Campbell, Chris Klein

Delightfully spiky political satire, set against the backdrop of the campaign for "student government presidency" in a Midwest school, with Broderick as the nicebut-morally-flawed teacher, determined that Witherspoon shouldn't have it all her own way. Witherspoon, with her jutting jaw, fixed smile and unnaturally bright eyes, is a hellishly brilliant creation, and Campbell a sympathetic anti-heroine. But Broderick, as the hapless teacher, Jim McAllister, is the real revelation. The best American comedy of 1999.

The world is Not Enough

Directed by Michael Apted Starring Pierce Brosnan, Robert Carlyle, Sophie Marceau, Denise Richards, Robbie Coltrane

The Man from Navan has done a fine job in resuscitating the ailing Bond franchise, and he is suave and debonair as ever in this instalment, while there are some excellent set-pieces. Sophie Marceau's pop-psychology agonising proves rather a turnoff, and Robert Carlyle makes a humourless villain. Lara Croft look-alike Richards is more in tune with tradition as pneumatic physicist Christmas Jones, but director Apted seems to want to inject some seriousness into the mix, which can only be a bad idea.