The bad, the worse and the out of this world (From Western Telegraph)

The bad, the worse and the out of this world

Its a fairly well trodden path for the biggest popstars of the moment to bounce along and end up starring in a movie. The Spice Girls did it and of course most of All Saints tried it.

This week sees the release of the cleanest pin-up in pop, Britney Spears first (and perhaps last) movie. Crossroads for most of us Brits of a certain age, means the soap with Benny and cardboard sets. But Crossroads the soap is back without Benny and with better sets. Though I havent watched an episode of it, I still find it hard to believe that having the title of Britneys first film clash with that show is a good thing, and yet it has not been changed, though Im not entirely sure that Britneys debut is the one being harmed by the comparison.

The sale line for this movie (dreams change. Friends are forever) will give you an idea of how likely it is that youll feel some kind of nausea during its 94 minutes and long after. I know, I know, I know! This film isnt made for me. I have no idea Im afraid, whether her real fans will like this film, but Ill bet that a film that was universally respected would have been of greater pleasure to them too, So Crossroads:

Three high school girls, from a small Georgia town meet up on their graduation night to dig up a box they buried some time before, when they were best friends. Now they have very different personalities but they still decide to take a trip across the country to LA. (Why? Im not sure? ) One is a cheerleading, engaged to be married, prom queen. One is a straight A student (thats Britney!) and the other is a burn out, pregnant, outcast. (How you manage to burn out by that age is a mystery that never really gets solved). Along the way, they meet a musician who persuades them to go to Los Angeles to compete in a musical contest and Britney ends up falling in love, auditioning for a record deal or something. Ill be honest Id completely lost interest.

Also released, and a universe apart is the sequel Blade II, with Wesley Snipes returning. Blade and Whistler (Kris Kristofferson) are called upon to hunt down a new kind of vampire, the Reapers, who are just downright greedy when it comes to blood sucking. If you liked the first one, youll like this too. I admit to being only truly shaken by the appearance of Luke Goss, formerly of pop group Bros. Frightening, but not in the right way. Saving the best for last, its twenty years, would you believe, since ET landed, and ET phone home! became a household catch phrase. Twenty years! Well, to mark ETs birthday, Stephen Spielberg has re-released it with some unseen footage added, and the odd detail change or improvement (not noticeably though). Its without doubt one of the best films ever made, certainly one of the best that Spielberg has made. Its been copied so many times since but never bettered.

ET is the magical love story about a boy Elliot (Henry Thomas) and ET, the extra terrestrial who is accidentally marooned on earth while collecting plants. With the help of Elliot, and his little sister Gertie (Drew Barrymore before drink and drugs got her) and his older brother and friends on BMX bikes, ET manages to evade detection and survive the conditions he is unsuited to here on earth.

It has symbolism and images that are engraved on my psyche. John Williams score is one of the most famous film scores ever and rightly so. Films of such enduring appeal, such unending magic, are obviously best seen on a big screen with people all around you sharing the experience. This chance should not be missed. It could be quite some time before you get the chance to see ET in a cinema again.