Wednesday, November 27, 2002 |
Movies By MICHAEL
BOYLAN Opening This Week Adam Sandler's Eight Crazy Nights An animated musical from Adam Sandler and friends. This is about a bad boy who learns about the holiday spirit from a little basketball referee named Whitey. Rated PG-13. Extreme Ops A group of snowboarders and skiers head to the Alps to film a commercial. They encounter a terrorist and must use their skills to bring him down and save the day. The visuals look great and the movie could be a lot of fun. Rated PG-13. Solaris George Clooney reteams with director Steven Soderbergh for this remake of a sci-fi film from the 1970s. Clooney's character goes to a space station where two crew members are crazy and one is missing. While trying to figure out what happened, he encounters his dead wife. Rated PG-13. Treasure Planet Disney updates Treasure Island by setting it in space. The story remains virtually the same, though Long John Silver is now a cyborg. This is one for the kids who have already seen Harry Potter 12 times. Rated PG. Now Playing 8 Mile Eminem stars as a young rapper, much like himself, in this film by Curtis Hanson. This was a pretty straight forward rap movie, and as rap movies go, it was great. As a regular movie, it is just good. It is well directed and well acted but it is probably not for everybody. Rated R. Brown Sugar A movie about a man and a woman in the hip hop community falling in love. I hear this is a decent romantic comedy. Rated PG-13. Die Another Day Beautiful women, fascinating gadgets, car chases, double entendres and one-liners. You will find all that in the latest James Bond movie. Pierce Brosnan returns as Bond and Halle Berry stars as the love interest. Rated PG-13. Friday After Next The first Friday movie was funny with a good heart, while the sequel was not as funny. As for the third installment, I'm not very optimistic. This film is set at Christmas and a burglar is dressing as Santa and robbing the hood. Until Chris Tucker can reprise his role as Smokey, this franchise is going down the tubes. Rated R. Ghost Ship The makers of "House on Haunted Hill" and "Thirteen Ghosts" bring audiences a new remake of an old horror movie. This one involves a crew that finds a ghost ship and lots of scary things. Rated R. Half Past Dead Steven Seagal and Morris Chestnutt star in this film about breaking into a prison to get details of where lots of money is stashed. Seagal plays a good guy who is undercover as a prisoner. Expect lots of bones breaking. Rated PG-13. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Yes! Finally! The new film installment of the story of the boy wizard hits theaters today (though we are still waiting for the next book). This film involves the chamber being opened at Hogwarts and bad things happening to the student body. Can Harry save the day? You know the answer if you read the book. Rated PG. I Spy Owen Wilson and Eddie Murphy team up for this action comedy loosely based on the hit television show starring Bill Cosby. Wilson plays a CIA agent and Murphy plays a boxer. They are trying to thwart the bad guys and save the day. They will obviously do it but I'm sure there will be a lot of laughs long the way. Rated PG-13. Jackass: The Movie Johnny Knoxville and his band of idiots perform nonsensical and dangerous stunts. The only difference between this and the show on MTV is that this is R- rated. Get ready for lots of male nudity in public places. Rated R. My Big, Fat, Greek Wedding This is the sleeper hit of the summer. It has enchanted audiences and stayed in theaters longer than The Scorpion King, Star Wars and Spiderman. The plot focuses on a girl from a Greek family marrying a WASP. All of the reviews from my friends and family say that it is hilarious. Enjoy. Rated PG. Red Dragon This is the story that precedes "The Silence of the Lambs." It was originally called "Manhunter" and starred Bryan Cox as Hannibal. This film features Sir Anthony Hopkins in the role he has made his own, as well as Harvey Keitel, Edward Norton and Ralph Fiennes. Rated R. Sweet Home Alabama Filmed around the state, including areas in Fayette County, this film focuses on a girl from the south who has found fame, fortune and love up north. She returns below the Mason-Dixon line to finalize a divorce so she can marry the son of the mayor of New York but finds she still is attracted to her first husband. This stars Reese Witherspoon and Candice Bergen among others. Rated PG-13. The Emperor's Club Kevin Kline stars as a teacher at a private school who befriends a student and helps him escape his father's shadow. It's Dead Poet's Society 2002 or at least, that's what it looks like. Rated PG-13. The Ring There is a video out there and if you watch it you will die seven days later. And no, it is not "Ernest Goes to Africa," though if you watch that you will feel nauseous. "The Ring" is a remake of one of the most popular Japanese movies of all time. It is a very creepy film and very effective as a thriller. Naomi Watts and Bryan Cox star. Rated PG-13. The Santa Clause 2 Tim Allen returns as the new Santa Claus, who finds out that he must get married if he wants to remain Santa. As he goes off looking for love, his Santa clone is preparing to take over the North Pole with toy soldiers. Rated G. Also Playing Austin Powers in Goldmember This movie is so funny. Mike Myers is a comedic genius, playing four roles and bringing in talent like Michael Caine and others for the best Austin of them all. Rated PG-13. Knockaround Guys This movie is about son of gangsters trying to become successful grown up gangsters and failing. Is it a comedy? Not really. is it any good? Not really. Vin Diesel and Seth Green star alongside John Malkovich and Dennis Hopper. Rated R. Lilo and Stitch The story of a little girl who befriends an alien. This is a Disney film with an Elvis soundtrack. It looks like a lot of fun. Rated G. Men in Black II Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones reunite to save the world from an alien invasion again. The jokes are good, the creatures look cool and the movie is fun. Rated PG-13. Spiderman The best movie of the summer, in my opinion. It had a little of everything, including humor, action and romance. I can't wait for the sequel. If you haven't seen this, you should go check it out this weekend. You won't be disappointed. Rated PG-13. Spy Kids II: Island of Lost Dreams The kids are back, now working as full time spies. This movie wasn't as magical as the first one but it was still a lot of fun. Great cameos from Steve Buscemi and Bill Paxton really added to the film. Rated PG. Swimfan "Fatal Attraction" set in a high school swimming pool, well, not all of it, but it doesn't really matter. Rated R. The Banger Sisters Goldie Hawn and Susan Sarandon star as former rock n' roll groupies reunited after one has grown up and moved on and one hasn't. Rated R. The Four Feathers A movie about a British soldier who goes undercover to win he war. His friends, who don't know about his undercover plan, believe he is a coward. I hear this is pretty good. Rated PG-13. The Master of Disguise Dana Carvey plays a waiter who learns he has a talent for disguises. He must use his talent to save his family and the world. Rated PG.
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