The Player

Career threatened movie exec Griffin Mill (Robbins) unintentionally kills a writer he believes has been sending him threatening letters. A tampon wielding cop (Goldberg) interrogates the edgy and only selfishly regretful Mill as he strives to distance himself from his crime and save his career. When the threatening letters begin again, and are this time accompanied by a rattlesnake, Mill's flashy lifestyle in Hollywood looks set to end in ruin. Portraying the cutthroat industry of Hollywood, and enjoying an incredible cast in both scale and diversity - with Bruce Willis, Julia Roberts, Cher and even Columbo making small appearances – director Robert Altman's popularity and clout in the industry he is critiquing is very apparent. Although his slow pace, long takes and lengthy conversations aren't for everyone, The Player shows that with a strong story and an intriguing ending, he knows better than most in this ruthless industry what it's all about. [Kieran Westbrook]