SILV3R

Die Another Day was shaping up to be the best Bond film ever. My favourite Bond by a mile was back. There was a director that you believed wanted to make a modern Bond, better than all its predecessors. You knew they had the locations. You had seen the bad guy with the diamonds in his face, and he looked too cool to be a disappointment - he was Bond's Darth Maul. The Bond girls looked better than ever. The title was crap, but you learn you live with it (Beyond the Ice always sounded better to me). The theme tune had caused controversy, only serving to increase the anticipation. Arriving at the cinema (where the queue was actually out of the building), it was almost impossible to not feel like a five year old on Christmas morning.

The opening is spectacular, just as you would expect. Not only that, but Bond seems somehow more human in it. There are the usual politically `safe' villain nation - North Korea chosen this time, probably on the grounds that they aren't likely to see the movie. The stunts have continued to grow exponentially, getting bigger and better than the last movie. The excitement levels have been suitably encouraged by the time the opening credits kick in. And blow me, Madonna's theme actually works. I'm not really sure why, but it does. The credits themselves have also grown up. Its not just naked women performing random acts of gymnastics in silhouette, although they are there. The credits themselves actually serve as part of the narrative, which is a blessing as far as I'm concerned. I have never enjoyed the opening credits of a Bond film until now. I was seriously optimistic about this movie.

Pierce Brosnan has finally grown into a rounded Bond. He has developed from the simple suave manner he had already perfected in Remmington Steel into a character with underlying insecurities about the people he works for and a contradicting loyalty to the country he would die for. For the first time since Brosnan took the baton you really want him to win, and to beat the bad guys in a way no bad guy has been beaten before. You also find yourself actually wanting him to get the girl, but not for one night as he inevitably will, but for good. As for the girls, Jinx (Berry) is essentially the American PC version of Bond. She, is black, is independent, is successful, sleeps with anyone she wants - Oprah would be so proud. She is also the first person to have reasonable graphic sex with Bond, although this is still a Bond film so its not that graphic. The main problem I had with Berry's character was her slightly boyish form (save for the two obvious differences): short hair, slim and muscular. This problem comes to light most during the aforementioned sex scene. The scene is all done in silhouette and, did we not know better, we could be convinced that it was a gay sex scene. The Bond girl crown is stolen in Die Another Day by Miranda Frost (Pike). She is far more feminine, sexier and an all round more convincing character.

The two/three main bad guys are also way above average. Colonel Moon (Will Yun Lee) is convincingly hard. We meet him as he practices his martial arts on a punch bag with human stuffing, and we are very glad we aren't in his bad books. His henchman, Zao (Rick Yune) is a modern Jaws. The pair of them are clearly psychotic, and completely perfect for Bond villains. Although the pair of them are outdone by the malevolent Gustav Graves (Stevens) and his Teflon diamond-fortune-funded lifestyle. He is the anti-Bond. He is English (although he admits it is an adopted nationality), suave, likes the finer things and is determined to win at all costs. He also looks like he might be the one guy who could beat James Bond, you believe he stands a chance of winning this fight. The rest of the cast, Judi Dench (as she is credited), John Cleese, Michael Madsen and the usual background characters, they hold their own. Dench is her usual brilliant self, possibly giving her most convincing M performance yet, and Cleese has taken on the role of Q (he received a promotion from R) and appears to have set himself up for as long a stint as Desmond Llewellyn's before him. Samantha Bond on the other hand serves as nothing more than a cheap joke at the end, a shame as I rather liked her interpretation of Miss Moneypenny.

The film itself looks somehow different from the traditional Bond visuals. There is a far more modern feel to the images. It is grainier and harsher and nowhere near as shiny as previous pieces in the oeuvre. There are also original (to Bond films) stylistic traits brought in by Lee Tamahori (Once Were Warriors) which will make this Bond film either unique amongst Bond films, or will make it age badly. Within the piece though they keep the pace fast and edgy. Tamahori also looks like he should actually be a Bond villain, a fact that we can assume has not escaped him, so has paid a lot of attention to the styling of his bad guys. He has also managed to use a script which could have been tacky in its nods to the past and made it sexy and amusing. It appears that as the twentieth in a series everyone involved has taken the best bits of the past and pulled them all together.

Die Another Day will be many peoples favourite James Bond movie, and certainly most peoples' favourite Brosnan Bond movie. Personally it comes in my top five, but I cant help feeling that there couple of minutes that the movie would have benefited from losing. Stood against any other pretenders to the crown (xXx, The Bourne Identity) this effort is head shoulders and bow tie above the rest. A modern movie, with more than a dash of Moore era narrative and plenty of jokes in there for the aficionado, Tamahori has directed a Bond movie that will be remembered as one of the better ones. And if the Broccoli family have any brains in their head they will get Brosnan and Tamahori back for another one, next time with them learning from their mistakes. As for the suggestion of a Jinx spin off series, it may have the face and the breasts, but I just can't see it having the legs.

For those of you who haven't heard about this movie, it's the acting debut (ignoring Da Hip Hop Witch Project and The Wash) of Marshal Mathers III. This is not another film with a singer wanting to play at acting, this is Eminem demonstrating that the last three years of switching between Slim Shady, Eminem and Marshal have taught him how to play at being someone else. And that is the last I intend on referring to Eminem (as he is credited) and his other career, not referring to him as an actor demeans him and this movie.

Not due out for a couple of months in this country, I will try not to spoil too much of the story for you. I will however, try to save you from a little of the hype - and there's going to be a lot of hype. This film is not a semi-autobiographical `Life of Eminem,' it has a couple of similarities and that's it. Set in Detroit in 1995, 8 Mile tells the story of Bunny Rabbit (Eminem), a white, working class rapper and his struggle against gangs, racism and his own insecurities. 8 Mile focuses on Rabbit's attempts to get a record deal or at least some respect for his skills as a rapper. At the start of the film we see Rabbit `battling' on stage at a rap venue, the only problem being that there are no words coming out of his mouth. Despite the directors (Curtis Hanson) pedigree, this is still an American movie and we can all see where the narrative is going. What Hanson does manage to do is guide us through the journey to its inevitable climax without us ever being too concerned with the fact that we know where we are going.

The supporting characters are well played by a mix of actors and rappers. Mekhi Phifer is probably the pick of the pack as Future, Rabbit's best friend, who hosts the battles and pushes Rabbit when he needs pushing, even at the risk of their friendship. Basinger as Rabbit's alcoholic trailer park mother is cast strangely. Her performance is perfect, but perhaps the make-up department could do with a few tips. If a poor single mother of two was living in a trailer park desperate for money to avoid eviction and she looked like Kim Basinger, she would be straight to Playboy. Basinger needed making-down, not up. Brittany Murphy, apart from looking eternally drugged to the eyeballs, was sorely underused, serving mainly as a shag piece for Rabbit just after he has defended a gay guy (the audience obviously needed reminding that Rabbit was open minded but heterosexual). The other performances are fitting, no one steeling the show and everybody contributing to the plot. We can only assume that Hanson directed them all well, as he has certainly directed the rest of the movie well. Locations are honest (especially as the whole movie was shot in Detroit) and the visually are realistic, at times seeming almost like a documentary. The final showdown battle feels like a climax to Faking It.

8 Mile is a portrayal of the individual following their dream and doing what they need to do to achieve it. The entire meaning of the film is captured by Eminem himself in the theme tune to the film: `Look, if you had one shot, one opportunity / To seize everything you ever wanted…One moment / Would you capture it or just let it slip?' The movie is uplifting in an unusual way. It would not be giving away the ending to say that it doesn't end exactly the way you expect, although you can't help but feel a little pleased for Hollywood for having made a film that satisfies the audience yet doesn't stick to all the rules.

Talks of Eminem being Oscars bound are probably a little premature. There is no doubt that he has what it takes to be an Oscar winner, but it seems unlikely that this will be the performance that will garner him the little golden genital free man. The film itself probably won't win too much by way of serious silverware, other than maybe for the soundtrack (which is itself integral to the film, in the most part). In terms of major drawbacks from enjoying 8 Mile there are only a couple. The same reason that most people will want to go an see it, Eminem, will be the main reason that lots won't. Those that aren't staunch Eminem haters should give this a chance, as he succeeds where so many singers fail, he convinces you that he is the character, you stop seeing him as Eminem very early on. The other problem may well be the language barrier. Large sections of the movie are rapped, not like a hip hop musical, but because the scene dictates this. The battles, where much of the character creation takes place, for example, requires a keen ear to catch every word, but you will be rewarded for your concentration with some insults of quite unbelievable grace.

This is a convincing debut from about the most famous man in the entertainment world and a good film that might suffer due to its inevitable hype. Worth seeing as soon as you get the chance, in the hope of avoiding the media attention 8 Mile will get. It is in parts amusing, tragic and painful, and will leave feeling hopeful although not completely euphoric as many an American fell good movie can do. This is intelligent entertainment, something the film world is often found lacking.

Mark: 8.5/10 Who to go with: Anyone, but not a first date.

Rating: 12 Stars: Piper Perabo, Jane McGregor Theme: Teen comedy Violence/Language/Nudity: Comedy violence and occasional strong language

Very few films these days have a title which deserve the applause this one does. Regardless of the quality of the movie, Slap Her.She's French is simply a brilliant, and completely unexplained, title. So after worshipping one of the funniest film titles of all time, is the movie any where near as good as the name promises. Well, no. But then the title is a lot to live up to, so its not to say that the film isn't any good at all. A French foreign exchange student comes to stay with a stereotypical hicksville Texan family and their beauty pageant winning daughter. The French girl, however, is not all that she seems. Essentially this film abuses the French and the Texans, so far its appealing to most Brits.

The story is pretty predictable, as are most of the jokes. The characters are all stereotypes, conforming to tried and tested formulae. Slap Her. sets itself up as an inferior version of Drop Dead Gorgeous. The narrative is slow to start and when it eventually does, has plot holes the size of the Lone Star State. Not all the jokes miss the mark though. For every couple of missed funnies, there is one laugh out loud moment. Some of the set pieces are neat and will appeal to the audience with a slightly more discerning tastes, but these moments are rare and unappreciated by the film's creators. You can't help but feel that had this been made by a British team the humour would have been that bit more subtle and consistent. The narrative itself is incredibly slow to start, something which could have been avoided had the director (Melanie Mayron) realised that we already knew everything she was telling us about her characters. A montage sequence would have been far more successful method of exposition.

The performances are varied. Perabo as the "obviously" French Genevieve is either wasted or just plain useless, we can only hope its the former. McGregor's Starla (even the name's obvious) is over the top but appealing. The supporting cast often fair better, but are hideously underdeveloped. The entire lesbian relationship sub plot of Starla's two best friends comes and goes without rhyme nor reason. Starla's mum (Julie White) and her alcoholic ice tea habit could have been a thread worth developing, but there is no reason for it being mentioned at all with the script the way it stands. Even Starla's consumption of an entire flask of her mum's favourite tipple fails to create any humour from her inevitable drunkenness. Starla's saviours are her brother (Jesse James) and school newspaper photographer Ed (Trent Ford). Neither of whom are used anywhere near as much as they should have been. These actors and their performances suggest that this movie could have been so much more than it is, had the actors been given the script that you get the impression could have existed.

Many of the movies problems stem from the sensation that there was originally a much larger and more complete script that followed through some of the story lines suggested in the final piece. It is almost as if the makers didn't want to offend anyone too much and therefore removed lots of the superior narrative. This all leads to an average movie that could have been so much more. Never quite reaching straight to video levels, this is never going to be a classic in the vein of Ten Things I Hate About You, which it easily could have been. As a Sunday night diversion Slap Her.She's French is acceptable. There are enough laughs to prevent you feeling cheated, and a slightly warm fuzzy feeling that you just can't help getting in your stomache. This is simply a teen comedy which missed the opportunity to be a classic of the genre, and you just can't help feeling that it really could have been a contender.

Mark: 5/10 Who to go with: Your girlfriend or younger sister