The Reviews for 2000 . . .

The Whole Nine Yards . . rating: $6

For the most part, everyone fits nicely into their typecast roles - Matthew Perry play Chandler from Friends, Bruce Willis is the likeable bad guy, and Michael Clarke Duncan is just plain big. There are a few weak spots (Rosanna Arquette and some too-convenient plot developments), but the story moves quickly and the laughs are frequent.
Trivia question: What's wrong with Janni's private jet?

Drowning Mona . . rating: $3

A nice ensemble cast, but the dim-witted characters and slow-moving plot don't begin to pay off until the third act - by which time it's too late. Yeah, there are some laughs, but certainly not enough. Of course it is the writer's first feature film, and the director's first comedy, so I suppose I shouldn't have expected much.
Viewing tip: Double feature with John Goodman's straight-to-video, low-IQ adventure "The Stupids."

X-Men . . rating: $5

First of all - I haven't read the comic book so I didn't know the characters or their motivations, but the storyline was pretty easy for me to follow. The visual appeal is undeniable (nicely choreographed fights and good effects), but the plot seems a little sluggish. It appears the writers were more concerned about introducing the characters than telling a good story. Hopefully the inevitable sequel won't use too many flashbacks.
Trivia question: Where did Wolverine find Cyclops' visor?

Chicken Run . . rating: $7

Nick Park's first feature-length film has all the wonder and charm that made Wallace & Gromit such a big hit. Everything works here - characters, dialog, a good solid plot, and the animation of course (the overhead shot in the rain is simply amazing). Plus there's a lot more depth than you might expect, things like subtle jokes and details on the set. Oh, and the kids will like it too.
Fun tips: Adults should rent "The Great Escape" to fully appreciate the opening. And stay to the end of the credits.

Best in Show . . rating: $7

Director Christopher Guest has carefully followed the formula that made This Is Spinal Tap so effective. This mock-umentary about the dog show circuit is uncomfortable at times, but the intelligent humor is persistent. Strong casting and actual champion show dogs only add to the realism.
Trivia question: How many time zones are on the clocks at the hotel?

The Sixth Day . . rating: $3

Arnold Schwarzenegger's latest film asks a lot of good questions: can we clone spare body parts, should we clone animals, and what is the "six day rule" the title refers to? Unfortunately the answers are less important than the so-so special effects and predictable plot. Too bad. The only good news? Arnold is working on Terminator 3.
Brain teaser: If you met your own clone, what would you talk about?

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon . . rating: $5

Yin and yang are present not only within the characters and the story line, but in the film itself. For instance, the fight choreography is nothing short of spectacular, but the cinematography for the fight scenes is often too dim or edited like a hyperactive music video. The characters are quite detailed, but the plot moves at a slow pace I haven't seen since The English Patient. And while I'll probably enjoy seeing this film again on DVD, it certainly didn't live up to the media hype.
Trivia question: What's the name of the sword?

Hannibal . . rating: $5

Anthony Hopkins returns as Dr. Lecter, and he's up to his old culinary tricks. But director Ridley Scott rushes the pace and won't let us savor Hannibal's insidious mind games. The story line is also a bit weak, relying too much on coincidence and characters whose motives are unclear, especially Agent Starling's. Like most sequels, this one simply falls short of the target.
Trivia question: What kind of car does Clarice drive?

Shrek . . rating: $6

Shrek is an odd little fairy tale that incorporates lots of other fairy tales, including Mother Goose, the brothers Grimm, and Disney. The story is captivating, the action is plentiful, and the animation is pretty good. Eddie Murphy's character chattered a bit too much for my taste, and the ending was predictable (what did you expect from a fairy tale), but there are some very good laughs here for children and adults alike.
Trivia question: What are the final words in the story book?

The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring . . rating: $7

In one sense, the prologue set the tone of this movie - either you wait patiently for the story to unfold, or you're going to be bored. This epic is beautiful to look at, and it didn't take long for me to get absorbed in the adventure instead of admiring the special effects. Sure there are some weak spots, particularly the cut-n-paste editing of the swordfights. And there are a lot of characters to keep track of, but you'll see them all again next winter. FYI, I have only read "The Hobbit," and that was twenty years ago.
Fun tip: Watch the bags under Gandalf's eyes grow as the movie proceeds.
Trivia question: When did J.R.R. Tolkien finish writing the trilogy?

A Beautiful Mind . . rating: $8

I'm always pleasantly surprised when Hollywood spits out an intelligent movie. This one has a complex story, with dialog that's actually appropriate for it's college campus setting. The director cleverly portrays two very abstract concepts to the audience - Russell Crowe's brain and his misunderstood illness. Jennifer Connelly is a pleasure to watch in that rare movie role of the strong woman. Definitely worth a second viewing.
Trivia question: Is there a non-sequitor in Judd Hirsch's 1948 speech?

Ice Age . . rating: $5

I could draw some loose analogies to The Lord of the Rings - an odd collection of reluctant heros travel a long way to return something precious to it's rightful place. They meet fierce opponents (wolves/goblins) but their teamwork always triumphs and they give noble speeches about doing the right thing. Hmmm, the biggest difference is that Ice Age ends in 90 minutes while LotR continues next Christmas. Of course, Ice Age is just a light-hearted animated adventure which is enjoyable without being sophisticated.
Trivia question: What's the name of the little guy trying to bury his acorn?

My Big Fat Greek Wedding . . rating: $7

This film obviously doesn't look like a finely polished Hollywood production, but that's a good thing - it makes the movie feel honest and real. Sure, a few things are exagerated (the swarms of relatives, statues on the lawns, etc) but the family relationships are right on the money. I especially enjoyed watching Mama manipulate Papa, and the awkward moments scattered throughout the film. Pay attention to the background dialog, it's pretty clever too.
Trivia question: What spice does Dancing Zorba's use on their french fries?
Double feature: This could be a sequel to Welcome to the Dollhouse.

Spider-Man . . rating: $4

Nice casting and decent comic-book style action, but a let-down overall. The tempo was surprizingly uneven, fast one minute and crawling the next. Sometimes the effects were seamless, sometimes they looked like an old video game. Parker wasn't even smart enough to wonder who the bad guy really was. And minus $1 for the sequel plug at the end.
Fun Tip: Wait for the last song during the credits.

Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones . . rating: $4

As always, Star Wars looks good on the big screen, and the special effects and action sequences are top notch. The plot, however, is just a bridge to Episode 3. The dialogue is frequently delivered without enthusiasm, and the romance stuff is awkward. The story jumps around like it was edited by the folks who write Cliff Notes. Some scenes looked too familiar - the scooter chase from The Fifth Element, the Colosseum fight from Gladiator, even C-3PO's Schwarzenegger-style one liners in the Colosseum.
Patty's Fun Tip: Remember the "Chompers" scene from Galaxy Quest?

Minority Report . . rating: $8

Based on a short story by Philip K. Dick (so was Blade Runner), Steven Spielberg and Tom Cruise team up in this futuristic crime drama. There is a lot to this film - a nicely woven story line, the dilemma of "pre-crime", a plausible vision of the future, and some pretty good action sequences. I was especially impressed how the special effects added to the depth of the story instead of driving the plot. Even the after-film dinner discussion was stimulating.
Discussion Topic: Do you think target marketing will really get this bad?

Men In Black 2 . . rating: $5

Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones return to battle more nasty aliens in New York City. The protagonist isn't really that interesting, and the plot feels kind of recycled, but the joy of this film is in its creativity. Lots of silly aliens, too many newspaper headlines to read, and the same dry humor that made the first MIB so entertaining. Fun to watch, but you can wait for the video.
Trivia question: What does the video store owner pick up at the end of his scene?

Metropolis . . rating: $8

Arguably among the best science fiction films of all time, Fritz Lang's vision is remarkable even today. Kino's restoration of this 1927 classic added 20 minutes of footage, and explained the plot line when scenes were still missing. A new recording of the original score completed the experience. Don't miss it.
Viewing Tip: We chose the 1930's era, 1200-seat Ziegfeld Theatre in NYC. There were less than 50 people at our late showing, but the environment was just right. If you can't enjoy Metropolis on the big screen, then wait for the Kino release on DVD.

One Hour Photo . . rating: $5

Robin Williams is decidedly low-key as "Cy, the photo guy" in this stylish stalker movie. The story is well written -- creepy with some nice voice-over sequences -- but it seems to borrow ideas from The X-Files and Silence of the Lambs. And the director tries too hard to impress us with his Kubrick-style cinematography. Nice try, but it just wasn't effective for me.
Trivia question: How many photos do the detectives develop?

Spirited Away . . rating: $8

Hayao Miyazaki (Princess Mononoke) has created another treasure in a film genre that many American's don't even know about. The story is engrossing, although the ending was a bit sentimental for my tastes. And the animation is unbelievable - Miyazaki's creativity and attention to detail is breath taking. The biggest shame is that Disney has the distribution rights and they have made almost no effort to share this film with the large audience it deserves.
Viewing Tip: This film is too strong for young children, hence it's PG rating. Switch to sub-titles if there are little ones around. Running time is over 2 hours, about 50% longer than most animated features.

The Lord of the Rings - The Two Towers . . rating: $7

This is a big movie by any standard, from the sweeping vistas to the multiple story lines, and director Peter Jackson doesn't waste any time getting to the action. There were of course a few small items that didn't appeal to me (the dwarf was written as comic relief, and some guards at Helms Deep moved like The Sims) but on the whole this is a very well-executed film. Sets, costumes, actors, editing and effects are all quite impressive. And Gollum was truly remarkable, setting the standard for CGI-assisted characters.
Fun Tip: Notice any birds in the Tree Ent's beard?

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