Angel Eyes (R) Much more and much better than those misleading and terribly trite trailers would indicate. Jennifer Lopez is a convincing presence as the tough but vulnerable Chicago cop who finds herself falling in love with a mysterious stranger who saves her life (Jim Caviezel). J-Lo's enigmatic love interest spends the movie walking around in one of those dark overcoats favored by supernatural beings in movies like Wings of Desire and City of Angels, and a strong sense of mystery lingers throughout. Angel Eyes doesn't resolve things in a particularly interesting way, but the film is watchable chiefly on the merits of its atmosphere and Lo's and Caviezel's performances. Also stars Sonia Braga and Terrence Howard.
The Animal (PG-13) Rob Schneider stars as Marvin Mange, a wannabe cop who develops animal urges after an experimental operation. Don't ask for details on the switch; there are none. But then again, this isn't the kind of movie where you really need scientific explanations. What you would hope for, though, is some better jokes. The movie meanders through roughly 80 minutes of Shneider's slapstick animal impersonations, with a shoestring plot tied in loosely. Former Survivor loser Colleen Haskell takes her first stab at the silver screen and comes up empty. Her spotty performance makes Schneider look like an Oscar candidate. Also look for John C. McGinley (Platoon, Office Space) and Guy Torry (American History X), two respectable actors who really don't belong in such a ridiculous flick.
—Dustin Dwyer
Along Came a Spider (R) Morgan Freeman returns to the role of Dr. Alex Cross in this follow-up to Kiss the Girls (1997). Cross is a renowned profiler, or psychological detective, chosen by a serial killer who wishes to gain crime-of-the-century status for his kidnapping of a senator's daughter by luring Cross into the case.
—Cooper Cruz
Atlantis (PG) Disney's latest animated feature is a Jules Verne-ish looking adventure about a group of explorers who discover a civilization beneath the sea. Michael J. Fox, who seems to enjoy this sort of thing, supplies the hero's voice. Opens June 15 at local theaters.
(Not Reviewed)
Blow (R) A rise and fall yarn about an ordinary guy who avoids poverty by selling pot in the '60s, graduates to dealing coke and then winds up falling as far as he can fall, while getting screwed by pretty much everyone on the planet. Johnny Depp delivers yet another outstanding performance as our contraband-dealing hero.
Bridget Jones's Diary (R) An English everywoman in the limbo between youth and middle age, Bridget Jones is single (although not by choice), slightly overweight, smokes and drinks too much, doesn't get on that well with her nagging mum, and finds herself constantly falling for the wrong sort of man (like her sexy scoundrel of a boss, impeccably played by Hugh Grant), while soundly rejecting the ones who might just turn out to be Mr. Right. There's an undeniable charm to this pleasantly droll comedy, but for all the humorous winks, nudges, quirks and buffoonery, there's an inescapable blandness to it all, something formulaic and compromised that makes it difficult to completely give ourselves over to Bridget Jones's Diary.
The Brothers (R) Four successful black men ponder life, love and friendship while on the brink of marriage. Sound familiar? It should. This is the third in a string of such films (including The Wood and The Best Man) and is by far the worst of them. Morris Chestnut (The Best Man, Boyz 'N the Hood) plays the compassionate one who thinks he's finally met the right woman — until he discovers that she used to date his father (Oops!). Also stars Bill Bellamy, Shemar Moore and D.L. Hughley.
—Dustin Dwyer
Chocolat (PG-13) Free-spirited Juliette Binoche opens a chocolate shop in a repressed village, setting up a didactic conflict of indulgence vs. denial. The French locales, food and faces are lovingly photographed (the disarming ensemble includes Judi Dench, Johnny Depp and Alfred Molina), but the film cannot equal the comparably themed but richer Babette's Feast. Chocolat melts in your hands, not in your heart.
—Curt Holman
Driven (PG-13) Having apparently graduated (for lack of a better word) from directing popcorn movies to making feature-length music videos, Renny Harlin offers up this annoying little time-waster about the lives and loves of some very boring race car drivers. Stars Sylvester Stallone, Burt Reynolds, Kip Pardue, Til Schweiger and Gina Gershon.
Exit Wounds (R) Steven Seagal, cops and corruption. And Tom Arnold. What more do you need to know? Also starring DMX, Isaiah Washington.
(Not Reviewed)
Evolution (PG-13) Check your indie-loving, art-house attitude at the door. Ivan Reitman's latest comedic opus is full of plot holes, mindless sidetracks and middle-of-the-road directing, but it's funny as hell. The film takes an almost evolutionary track as it winds its way through a dull first half, finishing up with such classic cheese-ball humor you'll be choking on your popcorn. Perhaps most entertaining of all, you get to see Julianne Moore (Boogie Nights) and David Duchovny, two normally serious actors, ham it up alongside the shamelessly hokey Orlando Jones (7-Up commercials) and Seann William Scott (Dude Where's My Car). The quartet teams up to battle rapidly evolving alien creatures threatening to take over the world. What else do you need?
—Dustin Dwyer
Fantasia 2000 (G) A perfect choice for Channelside IMAX, Fantasia 2000 was designed for that format. The seven animated segments here are basically all over the stylistic map. Amid several attractive but somewhat disposable segments are the movie's two, unmitigated success stories: a depression-era fantasy set to Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue and peopled with wonderfully stylized Al Hirschfield drawings; and a reprise of the original Fantasia's Sorcerer's Apprentice segment.
House of Mirth (PG-13) Terrence Davies reins in his more abstract impulses to offer up a surprisingly faithful, no-nonsense rendering of Edith Wharton's century-old tale of secrets and lies in New York high society. The truth of the matter is that the film could almost certainly have used an infusion of nonsense — or at least something that feels alive — because Davies' The House of Mirth, faithful though it may be, is a dry and bloodless affair, not to mention a depressing one. Gillian Anderson stars as Lily Bart, a bright and attractive young woman who winds up ruined by a destructive network of untruth and gossip.
Into the Deep (G) If your eyes have already darted down to the extravagant number of planets awarded this film, bear in mind that the rating owes as much to the phenomenal IMAX 3-D experience as it does to the movie itself. Into the Deep is an extremely well-made 40-minute documentary on underwater creatures, but in 3-D, it becomes an absolutely breathtaking experience. At Channelside IMAX.
Journey into Amazing Caves (PG) Two young scientist/teachers, Nancy Aulenbach and Hazel Barton, are our passionate and personable guides in this expedition, taking us from caves in Arizona to the frozen expanses of Greenland to the Yucatan Peninsula in search of super-hearty, cave-dwelling microorganisms (called extremophiles) that may hold the key to curing any number of diseases. Playing at IMAX Dome Theater.
Kingdom Come (PG) Soul Food was just an appetizer for this African-American family comedy that brings a dysfunctional brood together to bury their patriarch. The actors and most of the script make up for technical shortcomings in the funniest funeral since Chuckles bit the dust. Stars Whoopi Goldberg, Loretta Devine, LL Cool J, Vivica A. Fox and Jada Pinkett Smith.
—Steve Warren
A Knight's Tale (PG-13) Who needs historical accuracy when you've got rock ballads? Jousting participants probably never stomped out We Will Rock You before a match, and the crowd wouldn't really do the wave, but who really cares about stuff like that? Writer/director Brian Helgeland certainly doesn't. The Academy Award-winning screenwriter of L.A. Confidential put together this entertaining story about a Medieval peasant who tries to sneak into knighthood in the jousting arena. More comedy than action, A Knight's Tale has a surprisingly strong cast led by soon-to-be-superstar Heath Ledger. By now you've probably heard that newcomer Paul Bettany (as Geoffrey Chaucer) has generated buzz as a show-stealer, and he's great, but the real story is Alan Tudyk (Wonder Boys), who does nearly as much as Bettany in half as many lines. Also stars Rufus Sewell, Mark Addy and Laura Fraser.
—Dustin Dwyer
Lara Croft Tomb Raider (PG-13) This is looking more and more like a possible guilty pleasure, at least for this sensation-starved summer viewer. Based-on-a-videogame projects are never the smartest idea on the block, but at least this one had the good sense to secure Angelina Jolie in the in-your-face lead role. Expect lots of Goth darkness, lots of bad behavior and no apologies. Opens June 15 at local theaters.
(Not Reviewed)
The Luzhin Defence (PG-13) A well-intentioned but not terribly interesting adaptation of Nabokov's obscure novel about the intersection of chess and unlikely romance. John Turturro plays a Russian Grandmaster whose obsession with chess is so complete he is utterly unable to function in the real world. Emily Watson plays the woman with whom he falls madly in love during an important match. It's all fairly watchable, but the chemistry between the two leads is never completely believable and the story, without the benefit of Nabokov's gracefully soaring prose, feels more than a bit stuffy and dated, infused with a surplus of rather simplistic psychology. Director Marleen Gorris proves again she's far better working from her own material (Antonia's Line) than from others (Mrs. Dalloway). Also starring Geraldine James and Stuart Wilson. At Tampa Theatre and Beach Theater. Call to confirm.
Memento (R) A haunting film about a man who can't trust his own memory. Our hero, Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce), has a bizarre condition that makes it impossible for him to remember anything more recent than the night of his wife's brutal murder. Consequently, he travels from place to place searching for her killer, tattooing upon his own body the clues that he uncovers, clues that he would instantly forget if not for the fact that they were indelibly imprinted on his skin. Memento actually tells its story in reverse, but the movie isn't so much a radical experiment as it is a crime thriller in the classic film noir vein — all brooding atmosphere, paranoia and treachery. Also stars Carrie-Anne Moss and Joe Pantoliano.
Moulin Rouge (PG-13) The nominal stars of Moulin Rouge are Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman, playing a star-crossed pair who fall in love, experience sublime happiness and meet inevitably tragic ends while putting on a big show at the legendary old Montmartre cabaret. But the real star of Moulin Rouge is its sense of style: the astonishing sets, the costumes, the choreography, the how'd they do that? camera moves. There's hardly a second in Moulin Rouge where we're not given something to look at that takes our breath away — and which then, just as quickly, disappears. Moulin Rouge barely sits still for a moment, pulsing and churning ahead like a thing pumped-up on a double-dose of Ecstasy. It's all staged as a musical, with the wisp of a story told largely through song, and characters constantly breaking into pop tunes (mostly from the '70s and '80s). Like most postmodern exercises, there's something a little too self-congratulatory and maybe even masturbatory about the whole process. All of which makes Moulin Rouge something of a dead end street, albeit possibly the most gorgeous and wildly cinematic dead end we may ever see. Also stars John Leguizamo, Jim Broadbent and Richard Roxburgh.
The Mummy Returns (PG-13) More is more in this relentlessly bombastic sequel to the 1999 blockbuster. Returns basically recycles all the main selling points of the original, minus any vestigial attempts at humor or pacing. There's little for star Brendan Fraser to do but bounce from one spectacular (and spectacularly artificial) computer generated effect to the next, like an Indy Jones-lite in an all-consuming digital sea.
One Night at McCool's (R) An unemployed bartender (Matt Dillon), an obnoxious lawyer (Paul Reiser) and a God-fearing, jumbo-size detective (John Goodman) are all fatally attracted to the same woman. She's Jewel (Liv Tyler), a long-legged, baby-faced sexpot, who makes the bartender turn to a life of crime and entangles the lawyer, the cop and one or two other hapless males in the same sticky web.
Pearl Harbor (PG-13) The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor is the pivotal event looming over, and then descending upon, two ace fly boys and best pals (Ben Affleck and Josh Hartnett) in love with the same beautiful nurse (Kate Beckinsale). Almost everything about Michael Bay's new movie is epic — from its jumbo-size emotions to its battle sequences to its three-hour running time. It's not really strictly a war movie, either, with much of the film simply devoted to evoking a sweet nostalgia for a more noble and wholesome bygone era, where heroism, patriotism and strong personal and communal values ruled the day and folks danced to Cole Porter by night. Balancing human drama and unabashedly cornball romance with balls-to-the-wall action — and told in big, stirring, simple (occasionally simplistic) strokes — Pearl Harbor is nothing if not a clear attempt to out-Titanic Titanic; the film fairly begs the question: Why just sink one boat when you can sink a whole bunch? Featuring a series of virtual cameos by the likes of Cuba Gooding Jr., Dan Aykroyd, Tom Sizemore and Alec Baldwin.
Shrek (PG) If Shrek is any indication of what the summer of 2001 is going to be like, then bring it on. Dreamworks' animated fantasy is a deliciously irreverent bit of make-believe, a classic bedtime story tinkered and toyed with in as tasty a manner as any fractured fairy tale we can recall. Mike Myers supplies the voice (and personality) for the titular lime-green ogre, who embarks upon a quest to rescue an enchanted princess from the castle of a fire-breathing dragon. The 3-D-like digital animation is also a treat, but the real star here, for once, is the writing. Shrek is loaded with wonderful wit and great gags, both verbal and visual, including an assortment of delightfully nasty little jabs at everything from the Lords of the Dance to The Matrix to the competition over at Disney. The kiddies will be in heaven, but it's possible that adults may like it even more. Also featuring the voices of Cameron Diaz and John Lithgow.
Spy Kids (PG-13) Antonio Banderas and Carla Gugino (Nic Cage's gal-pal from Snake Eyes) play a couple of married-with-children ex-spies who come out of retirement and join forces with their adorable offspring to save the world from an army of multicolored mutants and pint-size androids. Robert Rodriguez's thoroughly kid-friendly project makes up for a fairly forgettable storyline by offering lots of crowd-pleasing eye-candy, some clever gags, a couple of highly watchable performances (Banderas is fine, although not on screen enough, and Alan Cumming, as the villainous Fegan Floop, is excellent) and sheer momentum.
Swordfish (R) Form blows away content in this extremely stylish, fast-paced but (although you'll hardly have a chance to notice) fairly ordinary thriller about a high-tech heist. John Travolta stars as master cyber-criminal Gabriel Shear, a slicker cross between two or three of the excessive villains he's portrayed over the last decade. Hugh Jackman (Wolverine from X-Men) supplies the human interest as the hacker who reluctantly hooks up with Travolta's character, and Halle Berry shows plenty of skin as an enigmatic gang member who may or may not be what she seems. The movie's individual elements are mostly solid, although far from inspired, but the real show here is in the elaborately orchestrated chaos of the chases, explosions and other scenes of mass destruction. Good fun while we're watching it, but a day or two later it's hard to remember much about Swordfish. Also stars Don Cheadle and Vinnie Jones.
The Tailor of Panama (R) Pierce Brosnan stars as a morally dubious secret agent stationed in Panama, who blackmails a transplanted English tailor (Geoffrey Rush) into helping him with a nasty little get-rich scheme — a master plan that plays on everyone's greed, paranoia and unblinking jingoism, culminating in a fiasco of monumental proportions. Brosnan's character is the dark and greasy side of James Bond, a 007 without the charm, mystery, class or basic common decency. He's also a wonderfully compelling anti-hero.
What's the Worst That Could Happen? (PG-13) A punch line waiting to happen. Danny DeVito is a rich target for bungling criminals Martin Lawrence and John Leguizamo.
(Not Reviewed)
The Widow of Saint-Pierre (NR) A gorgeously mounted period piece with lush cinematography, big themes, a rising international star (Juliette Binoche) and romantic attitude to burn, The Widow of Saint-Pierre is the latest movie from acclaimed French filmmaker Patrice Leconte. The film takes place in 1850 on a remote island off the coast of Newfoundland, where a condemned murderer waiting to be executed (Emir Kusturica) is taken under the wing of the local military commandant and his wife (Daniel Auteuil and Binoche). The film is powerfully acted and beautiful to look at, but Leconte is less enigmatic and ultimately satisfying here than usual. There are sublime moments to be found, but the essence of the film, with all its well-intentioned ragging on the death penalty, winds up feeling just a little too close to a Dead Man Walking in period drag.
With a Friend Like Harry … (R) In the tradition of Claude Chabrol and The Vanishing (the original Dutch version, not the lame-o Hollywood remake) — all modeled after the darker side of Alfred Hitchcock — comes this creepy, densely atmospheric Euro-thriller from first-time director Dominik Moll. Sergei Lopez stars as Harry, an enigmatic figure from out of the past who shows up one day and proceeds to insinuate himself into the life of his old school chum Michel (Laurent Lucas), now firmly settled into a spectacularly unexceptional life dictated by the responsibilities of providing for his family. Beginning with a chance encounter between the two former classmates in a public restroom, With a Friend Like Harry … finds intrigue and suspense in the unlikeliest of places, turning the ordinary into the ominous and piling on the sense of inevitable dread. Also stars Mathilde Seigner and Sophie Guillemin.
—Reviewed entries by Lance Goldenberg unless otherwise noted
This article appears in Jun 14-20, 2001.