The Fayette Citizen-Weekend Page
Wednesday, August 12, 1998
Opening This Week

¥ Air Bud: Golden Retriever This sequal to Air Bud shows a dog that can play football even better than the professionals. Returning Kevin Zegers. Rated PG.

Already Playing

¥ Halloween H2O The hockey masked serial killer Michael Myers is back again stalking Jamie Lee Curtis in this squal in celebrating the 20th anniversary of the original film. Rated R.

¥ Snake Eyes Oscar winner Nicolas Cage stars as a corrupt cop who witnesses an assasination attempt during a boxing match. Co-stars Gary Sinise. Rated R.

¥ The Negotiator Two hostage negotiators played by Kevin Spacey and Samuel L. Jackson team up against corrupt cops. Rated R.

¥ The Parent Trap This classic Disney movie revisited stars Lindsay Lohan as the duo. The twins meet at camp and scheme how to get their divorced parents back together. Rated PG.

¥ Mafia! A parody of the Godfather type movies starring the late Lloyd Bridges in his next-to-last film. Produced by Jim Abrahams of Airplane. Rated PG-13.

¥ The Mask of Zorro Director Martin Campbell, who established Pierce Brosnan as the new James Bond, now tries the same magic with Zorro. The aging hero, played by Anthony Hopkins, seeks a replacement and finds one in a petty thief (Antonio Banderas), whom he then sets out to train. Rated PG-13.

¥ Lethal Weapon 4 Mel Gibson and Danny Glover are paired up again in this comedic-action series. Joe Pesci also returns and Chris Rock has also been added to number four's cast. Rated R

¥ Madeline The adventures of this French schoolgirl are finally coming to life in a motion picture starring Hatty Jones as Madeline and Frances McDormand as Miss Clavel. Rated PG.

¥ Armageddon Twisters, hot lava, comets. Have we run out of HUGE disasters yet? Guess not, because this new Bruce Willis vehicle gives us an asteroid "the size of Texas" and it's coming right at us!! Directed by Michael Bay (The Rock), it also stars Ben Affleck, Liv Tyler (dad Steven and Aerosmith help on the soundtrack), Billy Bob Thornton and Steve Buscemi. Rated PG-13.

¥ Mulan A Disney classic in the making, based on a Chinese legend about a teenage girl who disguises herself as a man and then takes the place of her sick father in the military. Rated G.

¥ Six Days, Seven Nights A magazine editor played by Anne Heche gets stuck on a desert island with Harrison Ford, an adventurous airplane pilot. Rated PG-13.

¥ Can't Hardley Wait A high school comedy starring "Party of Five's" Jennifer Love Hewitt, who plays the most popular girl in school. The movie centers around Ethan Embry's desperate attempts to get her attention. Rated PG-13.

¥ The Truman Show Jim Carrey plays a man who learns that his entire life is a television show and then he tries to escape. Rated PG.

¥ A Perfect Murder A remake of the classic Alfred Hitchcock Dial M for Murder. Michael Douglas tries to payoff his wife's lover to kill her. Starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Viggo Mortensen. Rated R.

¥ Almost Heroes In his last film before his death, Chris Farley plays a pioneer with sidekick Matthew Perry ("Friends") who are trying to beat Lewis and Clark on an expedition to the Pacific Ocean. Rated PG-13.

¥ Godzilla The classic gigantic lizard that attacked Tokyo so long ago, now attacks Manhattan. Starring Matthew Broderick. Rated PG-13.

¥ Bulworth Director, star and co-writer Warren Beatty plays a California senator who suffers a mental breakdown and then plans a public assasination for himself. Rated R.

¥ The Horse Whisperer Robert Redford returns to directing in this love story about a horse trainer (also played by Redford) who falls in love with a mother of girl who was in a riding accident. Starring: Kristin Scott Thomas, Scarlett Johansson and Sam Neill. Rated PG-13.

¥ Quest for Camelot The legends of Excalibur and King Arthur are revitalized with this animated version produced by Warner Brothers. A young girl and blind man try to prevent a man from stealing Arthur's sword. Rated G.

¥ Deep Impact An all star cast must face the possibility of the end of the world when an on-coming giant comet is about to crash into Earth. Stars: Tea Leoni, Morgon Freeman, Elijah Wood, and Robert Duvall. Rated PG-13.

¥ Woo Jada Pinkett Smith plays a woman who is so disgruntled with men, she sets out to prove her latest blind date is a pig too. Rated R.

¥ Louisa May Alcott's Little Men Riding on the coat tails of the successful Little Women, Little Woman 'Jo' and her husband run a school for boys. Starring Mariel Hemingway and Chris Sarandon. Rated PG.

¥ He Got Game Written entirely by Spike Lee (Jungle Fever), this movie depicts a prisoner played by Denzel Washington, whose parole depends on his son's decision to sign on to the governor's alma mater basketball team. Also stars: Ray Allen, Zelda Harris, Ned Beatty, Walter McCarty and John Turturro. Rated R.

¥ Les Miserables For those who can't stand musicals, here's your chance to catch Victor Hugo's classic story about Jean Valjean (Liam Neeson) a former convict who is being chased by Police inspector Javert (Geoffrey Rush). Rated PG-13.

¥ Sour Grapes Two cousins turn against each other when one hits the jackpot on a slot machine after borrowing a quarter from the other. Starring Steven Weber ("Wings") and Craig Bierko. Written by "Seinfeld" co-creator Larry David.

¥ Sliding Doors The rising star Gwyneth Paltrow plays an English executive whose life takes some unpredictable twists after a strange trip in a London train. Co-starring with Paltrow is John Hannah from Four Weddings and a Funeral. According to writer-director Peter Howitt, this film could be compared to It's a Wonderful Life and perhaps, Groundhog's Day.

¥ The Big Hit A Hong Kong action comedy starring Lou Diamond Phillips and Mark Wahlberg about a gang of hit-men who accidentally kidnap a mobster's godchild. Also starring: Bokeem Woodbine, Antonio Sabato Jr., Christina Applegate and China Chow.

¥ Nightwatch A young law student played by Ewan McGregor, takes a job as a nightwatchman in a hospital just as a serial killer sweeps the city. Also starring Patricia Arquette (True Romance).

¥ Paulie A parrot with an attitude (and a voice) and an indestructible attachment for his owner Marie. The parrot goes on a series of adventures looking for his owner after getting lost. Rated PG.

¥ City of Angels Nicolas Cage playing a guardian angel on duty vows to give up his wings after he falls in love with a beautiful heart surgeon (Meg Ryan). Also starring: Andre Braugher and Dennis Franz.

¥ My Giant A seven-foot-seven tall man trying to get into Hollywood turns to talent agent Billy Crystal for help. Stars Romanian basketball player Gheorghe Muresan.

¥ The Odd Couple II The classic couple from 1968 are teaming up again as Felix Unger and Oscar Madison, in this Neil Simon original sequel. Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon go through their usual crisis when their children marry each other and the two old men take a road trip that spells disaster. Starring: Jonathon Silverman, Lisa Waltz and Christine Baranski.

¥ A Price Above Rubies Jerry Maguire's Renee Zellweger plays a Hasidic Jew in Brooklyn who diverts from her culture through a string of affairs. Starring: Christopher Eccleston, Julianna Margulies, Allen Payne and Glenn Fitzgerald. Rated R.

¥ Lost in Space Based on the 1960's television show, this movie depicts the serious element of sci-fi as the show was originally written before turned ridiculous. Set in the 21st Century, Earth is sinking into an ecological disaster, thus a crew sets out to colonize a distant planet. Starring: William Hurt, Matt LeBlanc, Gary Oldman, Mimi Rogers, Heather Graham, Lacey Chabert and Jack Johnson.

¥ Mr. Nice Guy Jackie Chan, among the most favored modern kung fu stars, returns as a TV chef who gets caught between rivaling gangs. Rated PG-13.

¥ Primary Colors Leading actors John Travolta and Emma Thompson have been conspicuously quiet regarding this movie, an adaptation of Joe Klein's novel about a Clinton-esque presidential candidate, whose sexual extracurriculars take him down. Also stars Adrian Lester, Kathy Bates, Billy Bob Thornton, Larry Hagman and Larry King. Rated R.

¥ Grease Grease is the word. This hit-musical is back to capture another generation of girls, as John Travolta and Olivia Newton John swing to classic rock.

¥ The Man in the Iron Mask Leonardo DiCaprio, celebrating his new fame after Titanic, stars in a double role as both King Louis XVI of France and his twin brother (the man in the mask). Other cast members include Gerard Depardieu, John Malkovich and Jeremy Irons as The Three Musketeers.

¥ The Big Lebowski Written by the Cohens, if you liked Fargo and Raising Arizona, then you'll appreciate the off-the-wall humor of this one. Stars Jeff Bridges as "The Dude," a perpetually stoned freak and John Goodman as a Vietnam-vet psycho. Rated R.

¥ Twilight Paul Newman plays a lawyer who agrees to handle a case for an old friend, but discovers he (Gene Hackman) and his wife (Susan Sarandon) have ulterior motives. Also stars: Stockard Channing, James Garner, Reese Witherspoon and Liev Schreiber.

¥ U.S. Marshals Tommy Lee Jones returns as Sam Gerard, the deputy who hunted down Richard Kimble (Harrison Ford) in The Fugitive. In this sequel,he is searching for a convicted murderer played by Wesley Snipes, who has been implicated in two New York murders. Also starring Robert Downey Jr., Joe Pantoliano, Kate Nelligan and Irene Jacob. Rated R.

¥ Dark City Directed by Alex Proyas, The Crow, this thriller casts an underworld race called The Strangers who play with the minds of people. Leading man Rufus Sewell finds himself charged with a murder he has no knowledge of committing. Also stars: Kiefer Sutherland, Jennifer Connelly, William Hurt and Richard O'Brian.

¥ Krippendorf's Tribe An antropologist played by Richard Dreyfuss is nearly caught fraudulently using grant money to provide for his children. So he dresses his family up as the New Guinea tribe he was supposed to be studying and films them. Starring: Jenna Elfman (Dharma & Greg), Lily Tomlin.

¥ Dangerous Beauty Based on the biography of an Italian poet/prostitute in the 16th Century, the young woman attempts to raise her standing in society. Stars Catherine McCormack (Braveheart), Rufus Sewell, Moira Kelly, Jacqueline Bisset, and Oliver Platt.

¥ Palmetto A naive reporter and ex-con played by Woody Harrelson gets lured into a helping a rich Floridian woman (Elizabeth Shue) stage her stepdaughter's kidnapping. Also stars: Chloe Sevigny, Gina Gershon, and Michael Rapaport. Rated R.

¥ Senseless Marlon Wayons plays a pharmaceutical guinea pig vying for a post-graduate spot at a university. The experimental drugs give him supersensory powers, but later backfires when he takes an overdose. Co-starring David Spade as a wealthy frat boy and nemesis. Rated R.

¥ Sphere Dustin Hoffman plays a psychologist leading an expedition into an alien structure called the "Sphere" on the surface of ocean floor. Sharon Stone stars as a marine biochemist, while Samual Jackson plays a mathematician. Based on a Michael Crichton novel. Rated R.

¥ The Wedding Singer Adam Sandler leads us back into the eighties, parachute pants and all, as a wedding singer struggling after being left at the alter by Angela Featherstone. Sweet-faced Drew Barrymore plays a waitress who turns him around. Also starring: Allen Covert, Alexis Arquette and Billy Idol. Rated PG-13.

¥ The Borrowers John Goodman stars as an evil banker who is out to demolish the home of a family of four-inch-tall people, who live under the floorboards and in the walls. The family finally teams up with a normal sized kid who tries to outwit Goodman. Based on the children's books by Mary Norton. Rated PG.

¥ Blues Brothers 2000 A sequel to the classic, starring Dan Aykroyd of course as Elwood Blues and John Goodman, who will fill-in for the late John Belushi.

¥ Desperate Measures Typically good-guy Michael Keaton plays a serial killer who is the donor for a cop's critically ill son. Stars: Andy Garcia. Rated R.

¥ The Apostle Story of a Penecostal preacher who learns some hard lessons late in life. Starring, directed, and written by Robert Duvall. Also starring Farrah Fawcett and Miranda Richardson.

¥ Incognito An art fraud, played by Jason Patric, winds up getting blamed for stealing a Rembrandt, ironically after he decides to become honest. Rated R.

¥ Spice World Based on the lives of the music band Spice Girls, the story follows the group from concerts, recording sessions and public appearances. Aimed at the preteens. Rated PG.

¥ Fallen Denzel Washington stars as a homicide detective investigating a serial killer and then watches his execution. After his death. however, ensues a bizarre chain of murders following in the footsteps of the first killer. Also starring John Goodman. Rated R.

¥ Great Expectations The modern day portrayal of classic works seems to be popular these days (i.e. Romeo and Juliet). The Charles Dickens masterpiece will be cast in a modern light with Pip, now called Finn, played by Ethan Hawke and Miss Havisham, by Gwyneth Paltrow.Other starring actors include Robert De Niro, Anne Bancroft, and Hank Azaria.

¥ Good Will Hunting The usually funny Robin Williams plays a not-so-funny, no-nonsense therapist to a math prodigy, who has a mind for crime. Stars Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Minnie Driver, Stellan Skarsgard. Directed by Gus Van Sant. Rated R.

¥ The Postman Once again Kevin Costner (Waterworld) plays the hero in a futuristic, postapocalyptic setting, only this time he's on land. Costner plays an impersonating postman in the year 2013 in the Northwestern United States, where he faces a gang leader who tries to stop the mail. Rated R.

¥ Jackie Brown After the excitement following Pulp Fiction died down, the demand for a follow-up by Quentin Tarantino began. Jackie Brown is based on crime novelist Elmore Leonard's Rum Punch about a flight attendent, who gets mixed up with arms dealers and the FBI. The original and beloved cast member Samuel Jackson returns! Also starring Pam Grier, Bridget Fonda, Robert De Niro, and Michael Keaton. Rated R.

¥ Mr. Magoo Who else could play this classic cartoon character, but Leslie Nielson? Disney puts Magoo in the middle of a jewel heist and many other silly, but action-packed scenes.

¥ Titanic One of the costliest films in years at $285 million, Titanic is expected to rake in the crowds as this timeless account is given of the horrific sinking of the ship. Although there are few high profile stars, Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet may be able to boost their stardom a little higher. Other stars include: Bill Paxton, Kathy Bates Billy Zane and Francis Fisher. Directed by James Cameron (Terminator).

¥ Tomorrow Never Dies 007 returns to the delight of all James Bond fans, played by Pierce Brosnan. Bond plans to outwit a media mogul who intends to start World War III. Bond also gains a partner in this one, a beautiful Chinese spy (Michelle Yeoh), who is both smart and deadly.

¥ Scream 2 As Director Wes Craven puts it, "All murder and mayhem break loose again," in this gory sequel to the first horror success. The original cast returns, of course only the few remaining, in a setting two years later on a college campus. Filmed locally near Agnes Scott College in Decatur. Starring: Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, Jada Pinkett, David Arquette, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jerry O'Connell, Liev Schreiber, and Laurie Metcalf. Rated R.

¥ Amistad Expect some controversy to swirl around this story of a an 1839 mutiny aboard a Spanish slave ship near the coast of Cuba. After the 53 Africans take over the Amistad, they wind up steering to the U.S. where they are put on trial.Matthew McConaughey plays a familiar role (A Time to Kill) as the slave's lawyer. Also starring: Morgon Freeman, Anthony Hopkins, Djimon Hounsou and Nigel Hawthorne. Directed by Steven Spielberg (Oscar potential, here?) Rated R.

¥ Alien Resurrection Warrent Officer Ellen Ripley is back. Yeah, I know she's dead right? Thanks to the biological and technological advances of the future, Sigourney Weaver's character has been cloned and she has teamed up with an even nastier alien than before and a new action hero, played by the pale and meek Wynona Ryder. Rated R.

¥ Flubber The 1961 classic The Absent Minded Professor has been updated by producer John Hughs who seems to be fixed on dramatizing all the old Disney films after last year's release of 101 Dalmations. Robin Williams succeeds Fred MacMurray as the professor. Rated G.

¥ Red Corner Playing an entertainment lawyer in China, Richard Gere gets framed for murder in an elaborate conspiracy by the Chinese government. Leading Chinese actress Bai Ling co-stars with Gere. Rated R.

¥ Anastasia This is a long-awaited film about a long-lost Romanov princess' experiences accompanied by the comical villain-ghost Rasputin. Among the voices of the characters are Meg Ryan, John Cusack, Christopher Lloyd, Angela Lansbury, and Hank Azaria. Rated G.

¥ Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil Based on the fact-based book that takes place in Savannah, Ga., Kevin Spacey (Jim Williams) plays a gay anitiques dealer put on trial for shooting his redneck lover. Book lovers should anticipate the story to escape some from the original text.Directed by Clint Eastwood. Also starring John Cusack as the narrator John Kelso, and Clint Eastwood's daughter Alison as Cusack's girlfriend. Rated R.

¥ The Jackal Based loosely on the 1973 thriller"Day of the Jackal," about a Brittish assassin hired to kill Charles de Gualle, Richard Gere and Bruce Willis go head-to-head. Gere, an Irish Republican Army soldier helps capture the Jackal, a terrorist on a mission for a high-level hit. Idea behind the film was to take an action hero like Willis and make him a villian. Directed by Caton-Jones (Rob Roy and Scandal). Rated R.

¥ The Little Mermaid Listed among the Disney classics, this 1989 hit is back. The beloved Ariel, a princess mermaid, goes against the wishes of her father, King Triton, and falls in love with a prince she saves from a shipwreck. Excellent animation. Rated G.

¥ One Night Stand Written by Joe Eszterhas (Basic Instinct and Show girls), tell you anything? An L.A. advertising director (Wesley Snipes) spends an evening with a new acquaintance (Nastassja Kinski) and winds up spending the night with her. He returns home to his wife, after the one-night affair, only to run into the "other woman" a year later. Rated R.

¥ The Man Who Knew Too Little Another far-fetched, slapstick comedy starring Bill Murray, he plays an Iowa video store clerk who is mistaken as a hit man who is blackmailing British officials after he takes a trip to England to visit his younger brother (Peter Gallagher, While You Were Sleeping). Rated PG-13.

¥ Critical Care A dark comedy about a doctor dealing with the taboos facing the healthcare system, such as euthansia, insurance, etc. James Spader is the starring actor along with Helen Mirren, Kyra Sedgewick and Albert Brooks. Rated R.

¥ Mad City Filmed in a rush before John Travolta had to report to film Face/Off, Mad City (referring to Madeline, Calif.) uses the pressure to advantage. Travolta is a raging museum security guard who accidently shoots another employee after being fired. Dustin Hoffman is the TV reporter who sees opportunity in the situation and bonds with Travolta during the resultant hostage crisis. Also stars Alan Alda, Blythe Danner. Rated R.

¥ Starship Troopers Director Paul Verhoeven returns to sci-fi (after his 1995 detour to film Showgirls) in this man-versus-giant insect epic based on the classic novel by Robert Heinlein. Similar to a "War of the Worlds" premise, the futuristic setting is packed with $90 million worth of special effects, although inspired by "old bomber flicks of the 1940s" according to Verhoeven. Quite gory, better have a stomach to handle this one. An ensemble cast of unknowns, it stars Casper Van Dien, Jake Busey, Patrick Muldoon and Denise Richards.

¥ Devil's Advocate Al Pacino as the devil: unusual casting idea, he's so laid back. Yeah, right. He's over the top as head of a law firm who is also, well, Beelzebub. Director Taylor Hackford said, "People see lawyers controlling their lives. they seem to have the most power and to control the political system. That's why they're the villians in so many movies." Also stars Keanu Reeves as the new lawyer on the block, Charlize Theron as his wife, and Craig T. Nelson. Rated R.

¥ The House of Yes Parker Posey and Josh Hamilton star as twins who are unnaturally close in a dark satire that echoes the weirdness families endure, already brought to the screen in Home for the Holidays. Here, incest and comedy make strange bedfellows. Also stars Tori Spelling as Hamilton's fiance, Genevieve Bujold as the twins' out-there mother, and Freddie Prinze Jr. (yes, Chico's son). Written and directed by Mark Waters. Rated R.

¥ Kiss the Girls Ashley Judd and Morgan Freeman try to stop a "collector" who kidnaps, and occasionally kills, beautiful females, including Freeman's niece and Judd, the only one to ever escape. Judd wants to help Freeman, a forensics specialist, rescue the other women. Also stars Cary Elwes, Tony Goldwyn. Rated R.

¥ Playing God David Duchovny ("X-Files," Mr. Tea Leoni) is a doctor who gets mixed up with the mob. Also stars Timothy Hutton. Directed by Andy Wilson. Rated R.

¥ Boogie Nights They gave it an R rating. Unbelievable. The 2 1/2 hour story of a '70s porn star, played by Mark (Marky Mark) Wahlberg, gets into the behind-the-scenes of the lucrative business. Great soundtrack. Also stars Julianne Moore and Burt Reynolds. Rated R.

¥ U-Turn Oliver Stone directs a huge cast that includes Sean Penn, Nick Nolte, Jennifer Lopez, Billy Bob Thornton, Claire Danes, Joaquin Phoenix, Jon Voigt, Powers Boothe and Julie Hagerty. Based on John Ridley's novel "Stray Dogs," Penn plays a drifter in a desert town (shot in Arizona) where the locals try to drag him into their lives and schemes. "He's a pleasure-seeking character in a town with no pleasure," Penn said. "So every turn is a bad one." Rated R.

¥ Switch Back A tightly wound Dennis Quaid plays FBI agent Frank LaCrosse, whose son is kidnapped by a serial killer. He is aided in the rescue attempt by Danny Glover, as a former railroad worker, and heart throb Jared Leto as a mysterious hitchhiker. Jeb Stuart, The Fugitive's screenwriter, makes his directorial debut with a story he wrote as a graduate student 12 years ago. Rated R.

¥ Wishmaster Horrormeister Wes Craven is back with a vengeance, this time with an evil Djinn (genie, played by Andrew Divoff) who grants wishes, but each with a little twist. Robert "Freddy Krueger" Englund has a cameo. Rated R.

¥ The Peacemaker George Clooney and Nicole Kidman star as an Army intelligence officer and a terrorist expert, respectively, in the film debut for DreamWorks SKG (Spielberg-Katzenberg-Geffen). Talk about pressure to produce. The story involves stolen nuclear weapons and a plot to blow up the United Nations (does Ted Turner know about this?). Rated R.

¥ Wide Awake Following the death of his grandfather (Robert Loggia), a young newcomer Joseph Cross decides to search for God and make sure he's taking care of him. Also in the cast of this drama/comedy/kids' movie are Rosie O'Donnell (as a nun), Denis Leary and Dana Delaney. Rated PG-13.

¥ L.A. Confidential Curtis Hanson (The River Wild) directs a large cast in James Ellroy's police novel set in the Hollywood of the 1950s. Stars include Guy Pearce (Priscilla, Queen of the Desert), Russell Crowe (the bad guy in Virtuosity), Kevin Spacey (The Usual Suspects), James Cromwell (Babe), Kim Basinger and Danny DeVito. There are good cops, bad cops, a call girl and a tabloid journalist, murders and "a plot even its author admits some people can't follow." Rated R.

¥ Seven Years in Tibet Ahhh-hhh, Brad Pitt. And no more Gwyneth! Pitt plays Austrian mountaineer Heinrich Harrer whose life is changed by meeting the Dalai Lama. Filmed in a small town at the foot of the Andes in Argentina. Also stars David Thewliss as his climbing partner, Peter Aufschnaiter, and B.D. Wong. Rated PG-13.

¥ Gang Related James Belushi and Tupac Shakur (final role, he died 13 days after filming wrapped) as totally corrupt cops whose lives and money-making plans begin to unravel. Also stars Lela Rochon, Dennis Quaid, James Earl Jones. Rated R.

¥ A Thousand Acres Michelle Pfeiffer, Jessica Lange and Jennifer Jason Leigh star as the daughters of Jason Robards, a farmer who "gives" his land to the sisters and sets off a series of horrific events. Based on a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Jane Smiley, it is a tale of "child abuse, cancer, adultery and sibling betrayal." Rated R.

¥ The Game Michael Douglas and Sean Penn play siblings (Penn's role was once meant for Jodie Foster) in this story of the ultimate game for those with extra cash and lots of it. As a birthday gift for someone who has everything, Penn buys Douglas a part in a role-playing game that becomes so realistic even he can't tell what is part of the "fun" and what isn't, since real people are firing real bullets. Director David Fincher calls it "an incredibly complex story" and Douglas said he honestly did not know how the movie was going to end "because David was full of ideas and obssessed with doing things no one had ever done." Also stars Deborah Kara Unger and Armin Mueller-Stahl. Rated R.

¥ Fire Down Below Steven Seagal is back in action (and sings!!) as an EPA marshal exposing a plot to dump toxic waste in Appalachia. Also stars Harry Dean Stanton. Rated PG-13.

¥ Box of Moonlight John Turturro's view of life can't get much lower when he meets up with a mystical, life-loving oddity living in the woods. Directed by Tom DiCillo (Johnny Suede, Living in Oblivion). Rated PG-13.

¥ Kull the Conqueror Kevin ("Hercules") Sorbo really breaks out of his TV role and plays a king instead of a demigod. The movie traces Herc's, er, Kull's trials as he tries to find the lost weapon that will help him regain his throne. Based on a '30s paperback hero. Rated PG-13.

¥ She's So Lovely Sean Penn, Robin Wright (Mrs. Sean Penn) and John Travolta take over the screen as they try to get things straightened out: seems Wright was married to Penn, now free from jail, and is married with children to Travolta. She loves them both; they both love her. What a romantic dilemma. Written by the late John Cassavetes and directed by his son, Nick. Rated R.

¥ Dirty Dancing Re-releases have been popular this year (The Godfather, Star Wars, etc.), so why not revive the 1987 hit? It was a fun, escapist romance with music and dancing, Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze. Everyone walked out trying to dance and singing, "Now I've had the time of my life...". Rated PG-13.

¥ Mimic Mira Sorvino (Romy and Michele's High School Reunion and an Oscar winner for Woody Allen's Mighty Aphrodite) switches gears yet again, here playing a scientist involved in a genetic engineering experiment. The result of the experiment is a creature that can become mimic anyone or anything. Dark and violent. Directed by Guillermo del Toto (Cronos). Rated R.

¥ Leave It To Beaver Yes, that Beaver. Ward, June, Wally and the rest are back to show us how the perfect family operates. Janine Turner ("Northern Exposure") is the most recognizable star and gets to wear Supermom June's pearls. Rated PG.

¥ Steel Another fantasy flick starring pro basketball giant Shaquille O'Neal. Shaq stars as John Henry Irons in the action adventure based on the DC comic of the same name. Also stars Ray J. Norwood and Annabeth Gish. If O'Neal spent as much time practicing free throws as he does on his movie career, maybe he could help the Los Angeles Lakers win an NBA championship. Rated PG-13.

¥ Cop Land Not the Sylvester Stallone you're used to seeing. Weighted down with nearly 40 extra pounds, Stallone plays an honest sheriff battling police corruption in a New Jersey city. Heavyweight cast includes Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta and Harvey Kietel. Rated R.

¥ Conspiracy Theory On the heels of her still-playing hit My Best Friend's Wedding, Julia Roberts teams with box-office brute Mel Gibson for what may be one of the summer's biggest hits. In the comedy-thriller, Gibson plays a paranoid cabdriver who discovers an actual criminal conspiracy. Afraid of crying wolf one time too many, Gibson convinces a lawyer (Roberts) to help him investigate the matter further. Rated R.

¥ Free Willy 3: The Rescue Still riding the wave of the popular 1993 movie, this sequel returns Jason James Richter as Jesse, the whale's best friend. In round three, Jesse and Willy find trouble in the Pacific Northwest when they run across some ruthless whalers. Rated PG.

¥ 187 Samuel L. Jackson (Pulp Fiction, Long Kiss Good Night, A Time to Kill) stars as a high school teacher who ditches the East Coast for the West Coast after surviving a brutal attack by a student. Rated R.

¥ Air Force One Harrison Ford takes his turn at the helm of the country, with Glenn Close as his vice president. Gary Oldman (Bram Stoker's Dracula, The Scarlett Letter) is the vicious bad guy who hijacks the president's jet following, coincidentally, a speech on terrorism. According to director Wolfgang Peterson (Das Boot, In the Line of Fire), the 54-year-old Ford handled the claustrophobic, grueling, violent action scenes on board the plane with "bull-like proficiency." Rated R.

¥ Nothing to Lose I wish I could have seen the faces on the head honchos when someone suggested teaming Martin "He so crazy" Lawrence and Tim Robbins (writer and director of Dead Man Walking, for which his longtime love, Susan Sarandon, won the Best Actress Oscar). This Disney film (gosh, won't everyone be boycotting??) was written and directed by Steve Oederek (Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls), so think "broad, physical comedy." Robbins plays an ad-man who finds out his wife and his boss are having an affair, runs into carjacker Lawrence, and by the end is armed and dangerous himself. "This is not a change the world movie," he said. "This is the other side of entertaining, which I am totally into." Rated R.

¥ Shall We Dance The Japanese culture does not encourage physical contact (hence bowing instead of handshakes, for example), so the appeal of ballroom dancing, where couples actually hold each other, is obvious. Plus, middle-aged fathers are the object of some ridicule there, especially by the children. Whoa! Just like here! This comedy, which won 13 Japanese Academy Award, tells the tale of such a man with dreams of becoming a dance champion. Stars Koji Yakusho. Not Rated.

¥ George of the Jungle Hear those bongo drums? Can you sing the theme song? Then you're old enough to take your kids to see Brendan Fraser in the live-action version of the '60s cartoon. The well-muscled star of School Ties, Airheads and Encino Man is cast perfectly as the jungle hero. Also stars Leslie Mann. Rated PG.

¥ Contact Based on the best-seller by the late Carl Sagan, the drama is brought to the screen by director Robert Zemeckis as his follow-up to Forrest Gump. Jodie Foster is an astronomer who receives space travel instructions, apparently from extraterrestrials. Matthew McConaughey (A Time to Kill) is the government guy trying to keep peace between the factions warring over the idea of contact and help Foster get space-bound. Angela Bassett and James Woods co-star. Rated PG-13.

¥ A Simple Wish Fantasy about (and for) a 7-year-old, Mara Wilson, who wishes for a fairy godmother to help boost her dad's acting career. Instead she gets the increasingly strange Martin Short as Murray, whose powers leave a lot to be desired, but he's sincere and wants to be the good fairy, er, guy. Some good special effects, but mostly annoying overacting. Also stars Kathleen Turner as an evil witch. Where did her career go? Rated PG.

¥ Men in Black Will Smith rules the summer blockbusters. Last year it was Independence Day (which grossed $306 million); this year he teams with Tommy Lee Jones as government agents guarding earth and the rest of us mere mortals, this time keeping a watchful eye on the aliens among us. And Smith always seems to be having so much fun that he takes the audience with him. They're saying it's "The X-Files" meets Ghostbusters. Director Barry Sonnenfeld (The Addams Family, Get Shorty) said, "He reminds me of John Travolta because they both have that movie-star thing going on." Rated PG-13.

¥ Wild America Jonathan Taylor Thomas, the middle son on "Home Improvement" and forever the voice of Simba on The Lion King, stars as one of three brothers who went on the road in the 1960s to capture wild animals on film. PG-13.

¥ Face/Off According to Nicolas Cage, two days after co-star John Travolta reported to the set he was already mimicking Cage's walk and speech cadence. And clips of Cage (as Travolta's character) show how slight facial movements can make you recognize who is inside. The two bonded well they would finish a scene trying to kill each other, hear "Cut," and immediately start chatting and joking. This is Travolta's second time out with director John Woo (Broken Arrow), known for his "balletic" violence sequences. Cage too compared the choreographed action to dancing. The plot: to get into the life of the man he has spent years chasing, FBI agent Travolta has Cage's face lasered off and grafted onto his own. Cage of course gets loose, gets his hands on Travolta's preserved face and takes over his life, wife, kids and all. This all happens fairly quickly, so for the rest of the movie, it is the job of the actors to capture each other's nuances well enough to convince the audience. And they do...very well. Rated R.

¥ Batman and Robin By now, you've probably seen: constant repeats of the Hollywood premiere on E!, the making of..., and practically the whole movie on TV ads and through clips when the stars visit talk shows. The lack of controversy over yet another lead change shows how interchangeable many overpaid "stars" are. I enjoyed Michael Keaton and Val Kilmer; both brought their own personalities to the role. But George Clooney, with his reputation as a practical joker, and the addition of Alicia Clueless Silverstone as Batgirl, should up the fun level. Newlywed Chris O'Donnell returns as Robin and Joel Schumacher again directs. Also among the too-many-stars of this megamovie are Elle Macpherson as the eye candy, and Arnold Schwarzenegger (Mr. Freeze) and Uma Thurman (Poison Ivy) as the Bad Guys. Rated PG-13.

¥ My Best Friend's Wedding There was a survey not too long ago that actually tracked the success of Julia Roberts' movies based on how she wore her hair and how many times she smiled. Box office receipts backed up the results, proving once again that talent is secondary, looks come first. So Roberts fluffs up the piles of red curls and smilingly returns to comedy to give the public what they want. As Dermot Mulroney's best friend, the two have a pact to marry each other if they haven't found any one else by age 28. Well, of course, he finds someone and she can't handle it. Even after meeting Cameron Diaz, who wants her fiance's best friend to be her "sister" and maid of honor, Roberts' character tries to sabotage the relationship and make him see that she is the one he is meant to be with. How funny. Directed by P.J. Hogan (Muriel's Wedding). Rated PG-13.

¥ Speed 2: Cruise Control Jason Patric is The Reason I watched The Lost Boys three times within a 24-hour period when it first came out. He has picked up lots more fans since in Rush and Sleepers. Patric replaces Keanu (who?) Reeves in this sequel to the enormously popular bomb-on-the-bus movie. He joins Sandra Bullock and director Jan De Bont (Twister) for a Caribbean cruise disrupted by Willem Dafoe and fellow baddies. Look for $100 million worth of star action, special effects and spectacular stunts. Rated PG-13.

¥ Con Air Nicolas Cage (Leaving Las Vegas, The Rock, Raising Arizona) has already signed on as the new big screen Superman and this is a chance to see him flex his heroic muscles. Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer (also of The Rock), it also stars Ving Rhames (Rosewood), Steve Buscemi and John Malkovich. Cage is a good-guy paroled convict on a plane taken over by bad-guy convicts. Lots of slam-bang action. Rated R.

¥ Buddy Strange, but allegedly true, tale of a nice woman with too much money and time on her hands. Rene Russo (Tin Cup) plays Gertrude Lintz, who takes in all manner of animals, but develops a special attraction to a baby gorilla, Buddy. She takes on the task of training him in the ways of humans, including wearing clothes. Rated PG.

¥ 'Til There Was You Jeanne Tripplehorn (The Firm, Waterworld) isn't exactly a household name yet, but here she does get top billing in a story about fate and destiny and star-crossed love and everything (and everyone) that happens to get in the way. And her top billing puts her name in lights above Dylan McDermott, Jennifer Aniston and Sarah Jessica Parker. According to director Scott Winant, Tripplehorn worked hard for the money and has the bruises to show for it. PG-13.

¥ Brassed Off Ewan McGregor (Trainspotting) is the new darling of the "film" industry. He follows up his heroin addict success by starring with Tara Fitzgerald in a story so universal it could have been set anywhere, at any time: the local factory closes down, taking the spirit of the town with it. The movie, oops film, follows the efforts of a brass band as they attempt to regain that lost spirit. Writer Mark Herman also directs. Rated PG-13.

¥ The Lost World Destined to be another Steven Spielberg addition to the top moneymakers of all time (the top three are Star Wars, E.T. and Jurassic Park). This Jurassic sequel puts theorist Jeff Goldblum and researcher Julianne Moore up against the dinosaur experiments left to multiply on a nearby island. Based on the Michael Crichton book of the same name, although director Spielberg and screenwriter David Koepp took liberties with the plot. Cast includes Vanessa Lee Chester and Vince Vaughn. Rated PG-13.

¥ Addicted to Love Two of Hollywood's more likeable stars, Meg Ryan and Matthew Broderick, join forces to spy on their exes in very creative ways. Ryan, as an independent photographer/ artist, is the leading force here, unusual for her; Broderick is the mild-mannered astronomer she draws into her plans. Of course they end up together. Directed by actor Griffin Dunne, who said he tries to give a good feel for the after dark life in Manhattan and that "it starts off as a conventional romance, then gets playful, and then gets just plain perverse." Rated PG-13.

¥ Love and Other Catastrophes The Australian version of Singles brings us more tales of college and dating trials and tribulations. Many cast members were not paid for their work on this low-budget film about best friends seeking a roommate. Newcomers Alice Garner and Frances O'Connor star. Rated R.

¥ Night Falls on Manhattan Sidney Lumet (Network, The Verdict) directs hunky Andy Garcia as a district attorney in a story about conscience and loyalty and how to reconcile the two. Rated R.

¥ Father's Day After umpteen years of Comic Relief co-hosting duties with Whoopi, it's hard to believe that this is the first movie pairing of Billy Crystal and Robin Williams. But it required 13 agents to pull it off. This is yet another remake of a French movie (Les Comperes), and offers the story of a woman (Nastassja Kinski) whose son has run away. She allows both men to think they could be the boy's father so they will help with the search. Ivan Reitman said directing the improv kings was "both funny and frustrating. They'd go by the script for the most part but would also want to improvise." Rated PG-13.

¥ Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery Mike Myers (Wayne's World, So I Married an Axe Murderer) strikes again. Myers plays a 1960's superspy (think Dean Martin or James Coburn) and his evil nemesis who have both been on ice for 30-plus years and now thaw into a world where things have changed more than a bit. Takes "camp" way over the edge. Elizabeth Hurley (almost Mrs. Hugh Grant) helps with his acclimation, eventually falling for the time-warped hero with the bad teeth and worse accent. Hurley said Myers has a bit of an obsession with his bottom and he freely admits he likes his bum. So be prepared. Rated PG-13.

¥ Warriors of Virtue Braveheart's Angus MacFayden plays an evil warlord battling a boy (Mario Yedidia of Jack) in a fanatasy land. A movie for kids, with the forces of Taoism, martial arts, parallel universes and more. Rated PG.

¥ Romy and Michele's High School Reunion Three currently hot female stars help bring the nightmare of high school reunions to the big screen. Lisa Kudrow ("Friends") and Mira Sorvino (Best Supporting Actress Oscar-winner for Mighty Aphrodite) are happy with their slacker lives but decide to make changes for their 10th reunion. Janeane Garofalo ("Larry Sanders," The Truth About Cats and Dogs) stars as their old nemesis, Heather, who wants them exposed. Rated R.

¥ Paradise Road Not exactly escapist fare or a date movie. Glenn Close, Academy Award winner (Fargo) Frances McDormand, Julianna Margulies ("ER") and several other women are World War II prisoners of the Japanese. To escape the brutality of their lives they form a group and begin singing a cappella. Based on true accounts of female POWs. Directed by Bruce Beresford (Driving Miss Daisy). Rated PG-13.

¥ Volcano This latest $90 million disaster gives us hero Tommy Lee Jones as an emergency chief trying to save downtown L.A. from the eruption of the La Brea tar pits. Also stars Anne Heche (the significant other of Ellen Degeneres) and Gaby Hoffmann. Rated PG-13.

¥ Murder at 1600 Hollywood must be running out of ideas. Didn't we just witness this same plot in Absolute Power? Instead of Clint Eastwood we have Wesley Snipes, as a veteran homicide detective investigating a murder like this happens every day at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. (AKA the White House). Assisting him is Secret Service agent Diane Lane as they battle not-so-good Secret Service guys and search for missing documents. Rated R.

¥ Anaconda Is it real or is it computer-generated? Yes. Animatronic and real "flesh and blood" snakes were used to menace the good guys (Jennifer Lopez, Ice Cube, Eric Stoltz) and the bad (Jon Voight). A real in-your-face, "theme park" style movie designed to make you squirm. Rated PG-13.

¥ McHale's Navy Another '60s sitcom reincarnated. Some funny people and some funny moments, but mainly bilge water. Tom Arnold (True Lies), French Stewart ("3rd Rock from the Sun"), David Allen Grier ("In Living Color") and others try to keep this from capsizing but don't succeed. Tim Curry (Rocky Horror Picture Show, Clue, The Three Musketeers) sinks to the bottom as the villian. Rated PG.

¥ Grosse Pointe Blank John Cusack (who was also co-writer and co-producer) is Martin Blank, a professional assassin (nice work if you can get it) attending his 10th high school reunion in the Detroit suburb. Minnie Driver (Circle of Friends) is the ex you just know won't stay an ex for long. Also stars Dan Akroyd, Joan Cusack and Alan Arkin. Rated R.

¥ Double Team Jean-Claude Van Damme teams up with someone other than himself as his own twin for a change, and what a change it is: Dennis Rodman. Yes, that Dennis Rodman. He of the Chicago Bulls, the Rodman World Tour on MTV, varying hair designs, tattoos, earrings and wedding dresses and he does a respectable job here. Both are CIA (Van Damme an assassin, Rodman a weapons specialist) and they wind up working together to fight terrorists. I feel so much safer now. Rated R.

¥ The Devil's Own Harrison Ford and Brad Pitt in the same movie. Oy. Ford is a New York cop, Tom O'Meara, who opens his home to Frank McGuire AKA Rory Devaney (Pitt). He thinks Devaney is an Irish immigrant, but he's an IRA terrorist in town to purchase arms. One critic called them "two powerfully opposing heroes." Both believe in what they perceive as "right," so the showdown is inevitable. Alan J. Pakula keeps things fairly low-key, causing the explosive moments to blow off the screen. Rated R.

¥ Return of the Jedi Round three of "George Lucas takes over the world's movie theaters." This feel-good, wrap-it-all-up-neatly end to the Star Wars trilogy yanked audiences back away from the darkness of the second installment, The Empire Strikes Back. Fuzzy, helpful little Ewoks and the overly-sweet ending offended some fans and gave others cavities, but overall was a HUGE hit that many claim as the favorite of the three. Now we wait for the promised (and long time coming) trilogy prequel. Rated PG.

¥ Private Parts Few people are opinion-less as far as Howard Stern is concerned. Mention his name and more than likely you will get an in-your-face diatribe accusing the radio star of everything from on-air pornography to being an Anti-Christ sexist or you will hear that he is genuinely funny and talented and has done more to test the First Amendment than anyone in recent memory. The movie, directed by Betty Thomas (formerly of "Hill Street Blues" and the director of The Brady Bunch Movie), tells the story of how Stern became the media, er, darling he is today. Also stars many friends and co-workers as themselves, including on-air partner Robin Quivers. His real-life wife, Alison, is played by Mary McCormack. Rated R.

¥ subUrbia Director Richard Linklater (Slackers, Dazed and Confused, Before Sunrise) gives us more of the dazed and confused, only a few years later. The storyline follows a group of 20-year-olds as they drift through their non-lives into oblivion. The location could be anywhere there are suburbs, mini-malls and a dearth of ambition. A few try to break away, but only one returns with a "better" life: as a rock star. Since it's based on a play by Eric Bogosian, words are important and fly by in a blur. Stars a lot of those favored by independent film makers, including Steve Zahn and Parker Posey. Rated R.

¥ Donnie Brasco Based on the memoirs of former FBI agent Jospeh D. Pistone, the movie tells the story of how he infiltrated the Mob in the late '70s. Played by Johnny Depp, the agent works his way into the Mafia by becoming best buds with Lefty Ruggiero (Al Pacino). Said co-star Michael Madsen, "There's a built-in attraction to Al playing a character involved in organized crime." Also stars Anne Heche as the agent's wife. Directed by Mike Newell (Four Weddings and a Funeral). Rated R.

¥ Lost Highway An aging Robert Blake ("Baretta"), looking like the star of Powder, plays just one of the inexplicable characters to spring onto the screen from the mind of David Lynch ("Twin Peaks," Eraserhead). Even the cast of the mystery-horror-noir is having a hard time with the plot of this one, which apparently involves (at first) Bill Pullman jealous of brunet wife Patricia Arquette. They turn into Balthazar Getty and blond lover Patricia Arquette. Even Arquette said, "I don't think this is a movie for everybody." Also stars Robert Loggia. The soundtrack by Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails) will be a draw. Rated R.

¥ Waiting for Guffman Christopher Guest (Mr. Jamie Lee Curtis) co-wrote, directs and stars as the effeminate leader of a diverse small-town theater group. Also stars SCTV alums Catherine O'Hara and Eugene Levy. Rated R.

¥ The Empire Strikes Back Dum dum dum dum-da-dum dum-da-dum... Even the music sounds foreboding. You can just picture a really, er, mad Darth Vader preparing to exact revenge. For those theaters with the technical capability to present both (and eventually all three!?) at the same time, Star Wars and Empire will be drawing record numbers. Judging by the response so far, I think it's possible there are many who will see both. Again. The dark tone of this sequel is maintained throughout, even ending on a dire note not to be resolved until the "final" chapter, Revenge of the Jedi. Rated PG.

¥ Rosewood Director John Singleton said he likes to push people's buttons, make them aware, make them think, make them feel. While Rosewood is based on survivor acounts of actual events in a 1923 small black Florida town, the movie's central character is fictitious a drifter played by Ving Rhames (Pulp Fiction). A false accusation of assault leads to violent bloody action by the Klan, including lynchings and arson, and Rhames reluctantly steps in to help. Rated R.

¥ Fools Rush In Matthew Perry (Chandler, allegedly the "Friends" favorite) stars with gorgeous Salma Hayek (who got to share time with Antonio Banderas in Desperado). The couple share a one-night stand that results in pregnancy and marriage and all the horrors of trying to bring together two disparate families. Sounds like the next step for "The Nanny" on TV. Rated PG-13.

¥ Vegas Vacation They "did" Wally World, Europe and Christmas: Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo's prominently displayed bosom, and Randy Quaid return for yet more fun with the Griswold family, this time in Las Vegas. Chevy is looking a little, er, older and a bit bloated, but his expressions can still make you laugh. And Quaid's cousin character personifies low-rent humor. Rated PG-13.

¥ That Darn Cat Since I grew up wanting to be Hayley Mills, I had mixed feelings when I saw they were remaking another of her movies. Taking her place is Christina Ricci (Addams Family, Casper), and Doug E. Doug gets the thankless "try not to look stupid" Dean Jones role as the FBI agent who must use the eyewitness cat to track down kidnappers. The 1965 Disney original had lots of claw action and allergy references. Rated PG.

¥ The Beautician and the Beast Also known as The Nanny and the Spy. This plotline is fresh and complicated, so try to stay with me: Fran Drescher plays a New Yorker beautician mistakenly hired as a science tutor for the children of James Bond, er, I mean Timothy Dalton. Actually, Dalton plays the head of a foreign country with no time or temperament for fun, games or children. Think she'll help him see the light? Think he's happy about opening opposite the new Bond, Pierce Brosnan, in Dante's Peak? Watch for swipes at Evita and others. Rated PG.

¥ Dante's Peak In yet more weird coincidences with Beautician, Brosnan, Pierce Brosnan, teams up with Beauty of TV's "Beauty and the Beast," Linda Hamilton, and Brosnan's character's last name is Dalton. Anyway, the plotline: the volcano of the title decides to wreak havoc in the Pacific Northwest, and since no one will listen to the warnings, of course, (remember Mount St. Helens?) there is plenty of opportunity for special effects and acts of heroism. Rated PG-13.

¥ Star Wars As with the Borg and the Star Trek movies, it is futile to resist giving in to "The Force" of the Star Wars Trilogy. George Lucas has taken his classic and, with help from technologies not available 20 years ago, has tweaked picture and sound even closer to perfection. Beasties and creatures cut from the original have been restored to their rightful places back on the Big Screen. A young, cocky, gorgeous Harrison Ford is Han Solo; Carrie Fisher makes a great, very authoritative princess; and Mark Hamill is Luke Skywalker. The story of Good vs. Evil, but told with great lines and special effects. Rated PG.

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