The Ice Storm (1997)

Ang Lee's The Ice Storm, based on a book by Rick Moody, does for the 70s what The Big Chill and Grand Canyon did for the 80s and 90s - present middleclass America in a moment, here an era of nuclear families contending with post-Vietnam War sexual liberation - and while the movie might have benefitted from a few more laughs as 70s upheaval is paraded in the form of packaging peanuts, Jesus Christ Superstar, est training and key parties, the sombre drama is redeemed by affecting endscenes suggesting the inexorable thaw and moving forwards of Time...and along the way compelling evidence is provided that Tobey Maguire and Elijah Wood are not, in fact, the same person.

★★★☆☆

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The Pink Panther (2006)

Steve Martin steps into the role that Peter Sellers made his own over seven of nine previous Pink Panther instalments and he is not any more or less funny - the entire series is a bit wet - but despite yourself you'll laugh at the daggy dad-jokes as the bungling Inspector Clouseau somehow manages to track down a murderer and the legendary jewel, The Pink Panther.

★★☆☆☆

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