John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars (R) Ice Cube in outer space. The Cube and company get to kick some non-corporeal butt when a ghostly, long-dormant Martian civilization begins taking over the bodies of humans. Also stars Natasha Henstridge and Pam Grier. Opens Aug 24 at local theaters
(Not Reviewed)
Island of the Sharks (PG) Another intriguing, typically beautiful IMAX underwater feature, this one taking us eyeball to eyeball with the denizens of the waters around the Cocos Islands off the coast of Costa Rica. Island of the Sharks is not all grim, fish-eat-fish stuff — there are also some fascinating glimpses of a symbiotic environment in which barberfish groom other, larger fish (including sharks); warm and fuzzy moments with creatures and their young; and amusing time-lapse sequences of starfish wobbling along the ocean floor like an army of underwater Charlie Chaplins. At Channelside IMAX. 
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (R) In which the New Jersey anti-auteur conjures up all the ghosts of his past, living and dead, and then bids adieu. Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back is billed as Kevin Smith's farewell to the so-called mythology he's been evolving (or, some might suggest, de-evolving) since Clerks, and it's quite probably one of the most self-referential movies ever made, loaded with nods to all of Smith's other flicks and stocked with characters and catch phrases from those movies. The movie's plot, such as it is, is simply a cross-country road trip taken by the drug-addled title characters (Smith and Jason Mewes) in order to stop a movie from being made that's based on comic book characters based on them (with me so far?). Along the way we get a lot of outrageous dialogue, cameos from virtually everyone from George Carlin to Matt Damon to Scooby-Doo (the last being one of the funniest comedy bits I've ever seen) and it all adds up to a rapid-fire, chaotic comedic style that's probably about as close as Smith will ever come to making a Naked Gun movie. Some of it's really wonderful, most of it's a lot of fun, but, all in all, the movie's not quite as fresh or as effortlessly rude as Clerks was way back when. Then again, that hardly matters since Jay and Silent Bob is completely critic-proof as well; in the ultimate act of slacker defiance, the movie provides a running commentary, consistently ragging on its own shortcomings before anyone else gets a chance to. Also stars Ben Affleck, Will Ferrell, Jason Lee, Chris Rock and a cast of zillions. Opens Aug. 24 at local theaters.
Jump Tomorrow (PG) This indie romantic comedy comes fresh from Sundance, featuring an ensemble of eccentric international characters looking for that elusive love connection in the sky. Starring Tunde Adebimpe, Natalia Verbeke, Hippolyte Giradot and Patricia Mauceri.
(Not Reviewed)
Jurassic Park 3 (R) Sam Neill, William H. Macy, Tea Leoni and a couple of other unlucky customers crash land on the island of the you-know-whats. The least plot-and-character-oriented of the Jurassic franchise, JP3 cuts right to the chase. That said, this is a much better and more exciting movie than we might have expected, with some expertly handled action sequences, almost no padding, and the best special effects of the series.
Kiss of the Dragon (R) A nasty little piece of work highlighted by some gloriously over-the-top action sequences, lots of blood and guts, firepower, flying fists and, of course, Jet Li. He plays a Chinese cop on the lam from an army of corrupt cops in Paris. Kiss of the Dragon is thoroughly satisfying summer fare, at least if you're open to having your action tempered by more intense violence and borderline nihilism than you'll see this side of a vintage spaghetti western.
Lakeboat (R) Even though it was written in 1981, three full years before Glengarry Glen Ross, there's reason to think of David Mamet's Lakeboat as Glengarry at sea. Mamet's play, and actor Joe Mantegna's directorial debut, shoves us head first into another deeply insular man's world, this one located on a steel freighter making its way up the Great Lakes to Canada. The language is pure Mamet — terse, eloquent, profane and often surprisingly witty. Mantegna, while showing lots of respect to the actors and to Mamet's words, ultimately calls undue attention to the fact that this is, at root, a play adapted for the screen. Stars Charles Durning, Peter Falk, Robert Forster, Denis Leary, Tony Mamet, Jack Wallace and George Wendt.
Lara Croft Tomb Raider (PG-13) Yet another reason why movies should not be based on video games. Angelina Jolie stars as Lara Croft, a busty, butt-kickin adventurer with a serious daddy complex. The movie is essentially just an excuse to fetishize Jolie and showcase some exotic locations and annoying digital effects. 
