Wednesday, July 18, 2001
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Wednesday, July 18, 2001 |
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Movies By MICHAEL
BOYLAN Opening Today Jurassic Park III Spielberg isn't directing and Jeff Goldblum isn't in the picture. Then, why am I so excited to see this third installment of the series? Because dinosaurs are awesome and William H. Macy is in the film. Look for big thrills and chills in this one and get in line early for tickets. Rated PG-13.
Opening Friday America's Sweethearts What a cast! Billy Crystal, Catherine Zeta-Jones, John Cusack and, "America's Sweetheart" Julia Roberts all star in this film. The story revolves around a high profile couple's breakup and the assistant (Roberts) falling in love with the brokenhearted guy. This should be a smash hit. Rated PG-13.
Now Playing A.I.: Artificial Intelligence A visually compelling and beautifully acted film about a robot boy that is programmed to love. Haley Joel Osment is incredible and Spielberg out-does himself as a director. This is dark in places but well worth the price of admission. Rated PG-13. Atlantis: The Lost Empire The newest Disney animated feature. This story focuses on a group of scientists who find the lost city of Atlantis. The animation looks like classic Disney. Enjoy. Rated PG. Baby Boy John Singleton directed this film about a young man who learns responsibility after years of mooching off of his mom and fooling around. Ving Rhames, Omar Gooding and Snoop Dogg star in this film, which was also written by Singleton. Rated R. Cats and Dogs Cats and dogs are mortal enemies. I guess we knew it all along. In this film, cats and dogs battle for supremacy and world domination. The movie has A-list actors doing the voices for their furry friends. This looks very amusing. Rated PG. crazy/beautiful The lower case letters are on purpose, though I have no notion of why. This movies deals with a troubled rich girl, played by Kirsten Dunst, who falls for a Hispanic boy at her high school. It's a star crossed love type of thing. Rated PG-13. Dr. Doolittle 2 The animals can talk and Eddie Murphy as Dr. Doolittle can hear them. The first film had many great comedians doing animal voices, including Norm MacDonald, Chris Rock and Albert Brooks. Expect more of the same. Rated PG. Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within The computer animation in this film looks incredible. The story revolves around an alien race invading the planet in the year 2065. That means there will be flying cars, right? And Spacely Sprockets and Cogswell Cogs? Rated PG-13. The Fast and the Furious When you are part of a gang that races muscle cars illegally in L.A., you should never fall in love with the sister of the gang leader. At least, not in this movie. There will be lots of car chases, explosions and shouted declarations of love. Rated PG-13. Kiss of the Dragon Jet Li stars in this action thriller about a man sent to protect somebody, only to have to kill him later. At least that's what I get from the preview. I don't think the plot really matters. Jet Li is in it and he's awesome. Enough said. Rated R. Legally Blonde Reese Witherspoon stars as blonde bombshell out to get her man back after he dumps her and goes off to Harvard Law School. This looks really cute and Reese Witherspoon is one of the more impressive young actresses out there right now. Rated PG-13. Pearl Harbor A love triangle between two men in the armed forces and a nurse, set against the backdrop of World War II and the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The film cost $135 million and stars Jon Voight, Cuba Gooding Jr., Ben Affleck, Alec Baldwin and more. Rated PG-13. Scary Movie 2 This is a funny movie but it has lots of adult themes and gross out humor. Anna Farris is once again excellent as Cindy and performances from James Woods, Andy Richter, David Cross and Chris Elliot really bolster the film. This is not for kids, contrary to what some terrible parents thought when I saw this film. Rated R. Shrek The voices of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz and John Lithgow are featured in this computer-generated, fairy tale. I found it lacking a little, though I can't place my finger on exactly what. There were very funny parts and Eddie Murphy was terrific, but they didn't carry some jokes far enough and others were carried too far. The kids will love it and don't let this review stop them. Rated PG. The Score Robert Deniro, Edward Norton and Marlon Brando all star in this film. Do you really need to know the plot? OK. Norton convinces Deniro to return to the criminal life-style one last time and Brando plays Deniro's fence. Three generations of incredible actors in one movie directed by Frank Oz, whom we all know as the voice of Miss Piggy. Rated R. Tomb Raider Angelina Jolie stars as Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. Yes, this is based on the video game and it looks pretty cool. I just wonder if there is a plot and character development and dialogue. If so, we may be in for a treat. Rated PG-13.
Also Playing Angel Eyes A Chicago cop is haunted by a mysterious man that has suddenly come into her life. This film, which stars Jennifer Lopez, did surprisingly well in the theaters and was fairly well received by critics. Rated R. A Knight's Tale This was a great summer movie. A squire replaces his dead master in jousting tournaments and becomes a knight. This film had wonderful action scenes, a lot of humor and a good heart. Rated PG-13. Along Came A Spider Another film based on the books about Detective Alex Cross, played by Morgan Freeman. This film, like "Kiss The Girls," pits Cross against a brilliant serial killer. I'm sure this is a great way to escape the summer heat. Rated R. Blow A film about the boom of the cocaine trade in California. I hear this film is a lot like Goodfellas. Johnny Depp and Ray Liotta star in this film. Rated R. Cast Away Tom Hanks stars as a man obsessed with time. That is, until his plane crashes and leaves him on a deserted island for four years. This is an amazing film and Hanks is awesome. Rated PG-13. Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles "That's not a knife, this is a knife." It's still funny after all these years. If you are looking for a family oriented comedy, this is your best bet. Rated PG. Kingdom Come This film, based on the play "dearly Departed" deals with a family going through the ordeals of a funeral for the nasty family patriarch. The play is hysterically funny and the movie, which stars Whoopi Goldberg, ll Cool J and more, should be too. Rated PG. Joe Dirt David Spade plays a redneck with a mullet in search of his long-lost parents. This comedy did not get good reviews and for good reasons. It is pretty gross and really not very funny. I am getting very tired of potty humor and there is a lot of it in this film. Rated PG-13. Recess: School's Out More appropriate now than it was originally released in March. The kids from the Disney cartoon are on summer vacation and one of them must solve a mystery going on at the school. Rated G. Save The Last Dance A girl's mother dies and she is forced to attend an inner city school. Her dream is to dance professionally and through the help of a young man, she achieves her dream. Rated PG-13. The Forsaken This is a vampire movie that treats vampirism like a virus (again?). It did not last long in the big boy theaters and has no real stars. It must be worth a dollar or 50 cents though, right? Well, that's what I thought about "Tomcats" and "Joe Dirt" and I was wrong. Rated R. The Mummy Returns If you liked 'The Mummy' you will enjoy this sequel. It has the same brand of action and the same sense of humor that made the first film a hit. Brendan Fraser stars. Rated PG-13.
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