Friday, March 1, 2002
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Friday, March 1, 2002 |
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Movies By MICHAEL
BOYLAN Opening Friday 40 Days and 40 Nights Josh Hartnett stars as a young man who decides to give up sex for Lent. His friends start to wager that he can't do it. Hartnett falls in love with a young girl, because he doesn't rush into intimacy with her. Everybody learns a lesson about life and love and why gambling on human emotions is a bad idea. Rated R. Monster's Ball Halle Berry and Billy Bob Thornton star in this film about a guard on Death Row and the girlfriend of a recently executed man. I hear the performances are amazing. Rated R. We Were Soldiers Mel Gibson stars in this film based on one of the first battles in the Vietnam War. Parts were filmed in Georgia. Greg Kinnear, Chris Klein and Barry Pepper also star. Rated R. Now Playing A Beautiful Mind This film has been nominated for several Oscars and is a strong contender for Best Picture. Russell Crowe, last year's Best Actor, could win his second straight with his portrayal of the brilliant but troubled John Forbes Nash Jr. Jennifer Connelly and Ed Harris also star in this terrific film directed by Ron Howard. Rated PG-13. A Walk to Remember Mandy Moore stars as a social outcast at school who befriends and falls in love with a bully. This is based on Nicholas Spark's bestselling novel and is a tear-jerker. Rated PG. Big Fat Liar Frankie Muniz (Malcolm in the Middle) stars as a kid who gets a paper stolen by a movie executive. When his story becomes a Hollywood hit, Muniz goes to La-La Land for revenge on the executive. This one is for the kids. Rated PG. Black Hawk Down Ridley Scott's film about U.S. troops caught in Somalia in an attempt to take out a warlord. This is based on a true story. Ewan McGregor and Josh Hartnett star in this film, which garnered several critic's awards This held the number one spot for weeks. Rated R. Collateral Damage Originally slated for an October release, this film deals with bombs and terrorists. Arnold Schwarznegger stars as the normal Joe who stops the terrorist known as "The Wolf" from killing again. Rated R. Crossroads This was not as bad as I thought or hoped it would be. I wanted a laughably bad film and instead got a B -/C+ film. Britney is a decent actress and the soundtrack was pretty good too. Rated PG-13. Dragonfly Kevin Costner plays a man whose wife died and is trying to send him a message from beyond the grave. This looks freaky and could be fun. Rated PG-13. Hart's War Bruce Willis stars as a high ranking Army official captured by the Nazis and placed in a POW camp. He and his men plot a daring escape. Rated R. I Am Sam Sean Penn plays a mentally handicapped man fighting for the custody of his 7-year-old daughter. Michelle Pfeiffer plays his attorney. Penn's performance is astounding but the rest of the film plays like a TV movie of the week. Penn was nominated for Best Actor. Rated PG-13. In The Bedroom Nominated for a number of Academy Awards, this independent film should win them all. It is brilliantly acted and directed. Sissy Spacek is almost a shoo-in for the Oscar for Best Actress and Tom Wilkinson could be a dark horse for Best Actor. The plot revolves around a couple dealing with their son's murder. Rated R. John Q A prediction: Denzel Washington will give yet another Oscar worthy performance in a film which is not Oscar worthy. The plot revolves around a man who takes a hospital hostage when his son is refused treatment due to a lack of the correct medical insurance. Rated PG-13. Lord of the Rings Nominated for 13 Academy Awards, this epic fantasy gives audiences a solid cast and amazing special effects. This film, directed by Peter Jackson (The Frighteners) is a little long and too intense for the younger children, but is an excellent film overall. The performances are great, especially Viggo Mortensen's as Aragorn. This feels like a Best Picture. Rated PG-13. Queen of the Damned Based on Anne Rice's third novel in the Vampire Chronicles series, this story starts with Lestat becoming a rock star and waking up the queen of all vampires. Aaliyah plays Akasha, the queen. This was the final film she made before her death. Rated R. Return to Neverland Peter Pan and friends return in this sequel to the Disney classic. Usually these unnecessary sequels go straight to video. I wonder what makes this different? Rated G. Return to Neverland Peter Pan and friends return in this sequel to the Disney classic. Usually these unnecessary sequels go straight to video. I wonder what makes this different? Rated G. Snow Dogs Cuba Gooding Jr. stars as a man who inherits sled dogs and races in a race similar to the Iditerod. This is from Disney, so it should be good natured and fun for the family. Rated PG. Super Troopers This comedy about a bunch of misfit Vermont state troopers is very entertaining. The jokes hit their mark and the cast was very likable. There were a few slow parts but all in all, Super troopers is more "Police Academy" then "Car 54, Where Are You?" Rated R. The Count of Monte Cristo Jim Cazaviel and Guy Pearce star in this film based on Alexandre Dumas' novel. It is a story about betrayal and revenge. I loved the book and the movie could be very good as well. Rated PG-13. Also Playing Ali Will Smith stars as Muhammad Ali in this biopic directed by Michael Mann. This did not do great at the box office but got good reviews across the board. Rated R. Behind Enemy Lines Owen Wilson stars a pilot trapped behind enemy lines. This film is action packed and looks like a lot of fun. Rated PG-13. Black Knight Martin Lawrence stars as a man who travels back to the middle ages, causes a ruckus, saves the day and has a lot of fun. This looks silly but good enough for a dollar. Rated PG-13. Domestic Disturbance John Travolta stars as a father who is the only one who believes his son's claims that his step dad is evil. Vince Vaughn plays the evil step dad. This looked like a pretty generic thriller and did not do well in the big theaters. Rated PG-13. Joe Somebody Tim Allen stars a man who gets beat up and decides to become somebody. This did OK at the theaters and wasn't hated by critics. It must be worth a dollar. Rated PG. Kate and Leopold Meg Ryan stars as a woman who falls in love with a gentleman from the 1800s. This looks a charming romantic comedy. Rated PG-13. Not Another Teen Movie This spoof of teen comedies is a real mixed bag. Some scenes are very funny and inspired and others are disgusting and stupid. It is worth a dollar though. Rated R. Orange County This comedy about a kid who wants to get into Stanford was pretty funny. Jack Black is great as the young man's brother and the cameos from comedy legends like Chevy Chase,
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