The stories are (1) "A Whole New Day" with James Gandolfini; (2) "Euston Road" with Paul Bettany; (3) "Standing Room Only" with Hugh Jackman, Michael Gambon, et al.; (4) "New Year's Eve" with Keira Knightley and other more interesting people; (5) "Sniper 470" with Billy Boyd; (6) "Bangers" with Cate Blanchett.
These are all made very well, but they are pointless. When each ends, you ask, "But what was that all ABOUT." I can see a case for "Sniper 470" and for "Bangers." In "A Whole New Day," Gandolfini's character wakes up with a hangover, in his own apartment that's been emptied of family, furniture, and decoration. His cell phone works, but he can't call his wife, because she, in their stuffed home with screaming kids, is calling around looking for him. The story looks like it will turn Twilight Zoney, but very soon we learn the boring reason for it all.
In "Euston Road," con man Bettany invites a gullible mark to make seven guesses as to why the con man has no money. The mark bites, the con man wins, the end.
"Standing Room Only" has no dialogue. You see people line up for a stage show, and one character gets in a snit because she can't get one of the last tickets. Later, after the show, the people who were in line meet up outside the backstage door, and take pictures of each other. A trick is revealed. You will know what the trick is long beforehand, because of the heaviness of heavy makeup.
In "New Year's Eve," a shallow man gets a comeuppance. However, others deserving the same are not touched.
"Sniper 470" is a long piece, or at least it feels long, with Billy Boyd as the title character and no one else is in view. He is a sniper in space during an interplanetary conflict, and most of the short shows what he does during his actionless days in weightless space. The boredom leads nicely into a terrifying (for him) ending.
"Bangers" shows a Cate Blanchett's character preparing bangers and mash for herself and her mother, all the while talking to the cat and showing that she is coming apart at the seams. I would give Ms. Blanchett an award for this one - she is utterly convincing.
These are all made very well, but they are pointless. When each ends, you ask, "But what was that all ABOUT." I can see a case for "Sniper 470" and for "Bangers." In "A Whole New Day," Gandolfini's character wakes up with a hangover, in his own apartment that's been emptied of family, furniture, and decoration. His cell phone works, but he can't call his wife, because she, in their stuffed home with screaming kids, is calling around looking for him. The story looks like it will turn Twilight Zoney, but very soon we learn the boring reason for it all.
In "Euston Road," con man Bettany invites a gullible mark to make seven guesses as to why the con man has no money. The mark bites, the con man wins, the end.
"Standing Room Only" has no dialogue. You see people line up for a stage show, and one character gets in a snit because she can't get one of the last tickets. Later, after the show, the people who were in line meet up outside the backstage door, and take pictures of each other. A trick is revealed. You will know what the trick is long beforehand, because of the heaviness of heavy makeup.
In "New Year's Eve," a shallow man gets a comeuppance. However, others deserving the same are not touched.
"Sniper 470" is a long piece, or at least it feels long, with Billy Boyd as the title character and no one else is in view. He is a sniper in space during an interplanetary conflict, and most of the short shows what he does during his actionless days in weightless space. The boredom leads nicely into a terrifying (for him) ending.
"Bangers" shows a Cate Blanchett's character preparing bangers and mash for herself and her mother, all the while talking to the cat and showing that she is coming apart at the seams. I would give Ms. Blanchett an award for this one - she is utterly convincing.