The Reviews . . .

Jackie Brown . . rating: $6

More of Quentin Tarantino at his best. Natural-sounding dialog, good use of camera angles and the soundtrack, with just a little too much violence and cursing. The premise is a little hard to believe sometimes, but this film makes you feel more like a fly on the wall than a patron in a theatre.
Trivia question: What was Winston's job?

Good Will Hunting . . rating: $7

This is a wonderful story, with a plot line that only wanders off course when it has something helpful to tell you. The dialog is reminiscent of Kevin Smith's style, alternating smoothly between clever, honest, and a certain wry wit. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck's first effort bodes of great things to come.
Trivia quiz: What was Will's response when Skylar asked him out for coffee?
Fun tip: Check out some other movies with music by Danny Elfman.

Tomorrow Never Dies . . rating: $4

I'm sorry, but the James Bond fantasy has simply worn out for me. The villain is okay (a media mogul bent on controlling world events), but the trademark 007 chase scenes and cheesy props are just way too unbelievable. This Bond's not even smart - he foils the villain's plot more by chance than intelligence.
For best results: Try to ignore the blatant product placement.

Palmetto . . rating: $3

Start with a predictable conspiracy, mix in some unconvincing acting (Odette in particular), then drag it out with only a few moments of inspiration. Palmetto is a decidedly lightweight thriller with a muddy ending, leaving one to wonder "why did Woody Harrelson make this?"
Best pick-up-line: "Are you wearing a wire?"
Oops: In the closing credits, the name of sponsor Anheuser-Busch is misspelled.

Dark City . . rating: $6

The aptly named "Dark City" is visually entracing, and the slow pacing only makes the shadows seem darker and the story more mysterious. The characters are intelligent and well-written, and the most of the acting is appropriately understated (except for Keifer Sutherland). Please note - I deducted one dollar because the film reminded me too much of The City of Lost Children.
Oops: Look for the stunt safety rope when Murdock falls out the door.
Trivia quiz: The actor who played "Mr. Hand" is best known for what role?

The Big Lebowski . . rating: $5

Oddly, the plot is almost identical to Palmetto - some elderly rich guy's wife/daughter is kidnapped for ransom, and they need some stooge to drop off/pick up the money. But Jeff Bridges' down-on-his-luck character is fun to meet and follow for a few days. I also liked Brant, Mr. Lebowski's obsequious assistant. This isn't as smart or edgy as the Coen brother's prior works, and I was disappointed with the epilogue, but it was entertaining.
Fun tip: Check the names on their bowling shirts throughout the film.

Primary Colors . . rating: $7

This poignant commentary about the media and the voting public seems right on the money. The story is especially well written, looking at the American political system through the eyes of the campaign manager, an ordinary guy that any movie-goer can sympathize with. And Kathy Bates puts in a strong performance as a trouble-shooter whose reality falls short of her expectations. I left wanting to see more, curious about how the next hour of the film would have proceeded.
Trivia quiz: What do the director and screenwriter have in common?

Grease . . rating: $4

Plot summary: Boy gets girl; boy loses girl by acting cool around his friends; boy spends rest of film trying to win girl back. A simple formula with some wonderful song and dance numbers thrown in for good measure. Grease has always been a fun movie, but this "remastered" release was a technical let-down, with muddy spoken dialog and a soundtrack too easily overwhelmed by the crooners in the audience.
Viewing tip: Avoid the crowds if you prefer to hear John and Olivia sing.
Overheard in the audience: "The woman behind me was having song-gasms."

Titanic . . rating: $7

James Cameron has created just the right balance between intriguing story and action by placing this fictional drama in an historical setting. It is grand in every way, with lavish reproductions, well-integrated effects, and a reported $400M budget (and not one bit of product placement). The "Princess Bride" story-telling style works well here, breaking the 3 1/2 hour film into reasonable segments.
Trivia quiz: Did anyone get punched that didn't deserve it?

Deep Impact . . rating: $6

This film actually has three plots, each with its own good and bad points: Tea Leoni has no emotional range but plays her one character well; Elijah Woods is your text-book, noble, star-crossed lover; and Robert Duvall is, well, I don't want to spoil it. The great news is that there are only a few special effects, included not for cheap thrills but because they are integral to the story.
Best line missing from credits: "No planets were harmed in the making of this film."

Godzilla . . rating: $4

The original Godzilla defined a whole new genre of monster films, complete with political messages and intelligent characters. Unfortunately, this one pretty much missed that fertile ground and relied almost entirely on the charm of Matthew Broderick and some special effects. Realism flaws (the helicopters in particular) only made it worse.
Fun tip: In any scene with a TV in view, watch what's on.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas . . rating: $7

Hunter S. Thompson's character is a tough translation to film, but Terry Gilliam (12 Monkeys, Brazil) and Johnny Depp (a bit hard to understand here) do an admirable job. The storyline is restless, the sets are stimulating, and you never really know what might happen next. Oddly enough, this won't be nearly as effective when it's released on video.
Fun tip: Just keep an eye on the carpets throughout the film.

The Truman Show . . rating: $6

Another insightful social commentary. Truman (Jim Carrey) is subtly manipulated by the cast around him for the benefit of the show's producer. Like us, he meets a few honest people who try to deliver the 'wake up' message - but is he willing to listen? The thoughful story should really make each of us question the shell we surround ourselves with.
Fun tip: Read the posters in the travel agency.

The X-Files . . rating: $6

X-Files creator Chris Carter is a master at weaving conspiracies, and every revelation in the movie is accompanied by a half dozen more questions. The story also gets right down to business, wasting little time with background that fans already know. Strong characters and dialog help a plot that weakens a bit during the second half.
If you don't watch the show: Ask a friend to explain who's who after the movie.
Fun tip: Check out Scully's shoes at the inquiry hearings.

The Mask of Zorro . . rating: $5

A nicely done action adventure. The good guys are charming and witty, and bad guys devious and overconfident. I could have done without the director's use of soft-focus on Elaina's close-ups, and some of the stunts are a bit unbelievable, but who cares - this wasn't meant to be taken too seriously. A great date-night choice.
Trivia question: The boiler gage is marked "kg/cm²" - is this an anachronism?

Whatever . . rating: $6

Another strong entry in the category of New Jersey independent films (Dollhouse, Clerks, Chasing Amy), Susan Skoog's script has few words but a lot of meaning. This film covers a lot of ground: drugs, sex, alcohol, divorce, and the stress of choosing your future while you're still in high school. Unfortunately I'm not part of the target audience: people who sneaked out of the house to attend keggers in the nearby woods, and people with kids who might.
Fun tip: Watch for the writer/director's cameo appearance.
Trivia question: Who plays the part of New Jersey?

Saving Private Ryan . . rating: $8

One of the most powerful movies I've ever seen. Speilberg has been criticized for some gory effects (this is not for the squeamish) but it very much sets the mood of this film, and allows the viewer to understand just what soldiers must endure in battle. More importantly, WW2 is just a setting for the insightful script, which introduces us to a good range of characters and lets us learn a little bit about their fears and motivations.
Viewing suggestion: See this on the big screen, and observe it's affect on the audience around you.

Something About Mary . . rating: $5

A simple, fun-loving summer matinee with all the tact of Weekend at Bernie's and Eight Heads in a Duffle Bag. The sharp humor is irreverent and yes, occasionally gross. Stiller, Diaz and Dillon fit their roles nicely, but I've never been a fan of Chris Elliott. And the musical interludes were distracting at best.
Trivia question: What was the name of Mary's leather-skinned neighbor?

Blade . . rating: $3

Producers seem to keep making shallow films out of decent comic books (see Spawn, The Phantom and Barb Wire). And oddly enough I keep letting people talk me into seeing them. Nice effects and action sequences are wasted in a predictable plot with little confrontational dialog. At least the opening 10 minutes was amusing.
A better choice: The vampire lifestyle on TV's Forever Knight is far more interesting.

Your Friends and Neighbors . . rating: $4

Despite it's initial glow, I found many of the characters didn't hold my interest. Only the unattached doctor (perhaps "detached" is a better word) was both fascinating and revolting. And I did like the art studio scenes. But would I like to spend more time with these people? Not really.
Trivia question: Can you name any of the characters?

Ronin . . rating: $4

Director John Frankenheimer assembled a strong cast, but failed to give them a captivating story to play (mercenaries stealing a well-protected case). The "catch" to Ronin was supposed to be figuring out each man's motivation, but after the second car chase I really didn't care any more.
A better choice: The Usual Suspects is a much better character study.
My favorite review: "Well, the scenery was nice."

Pleasantville . . rating: $6

Many movies rely on special effects (Godzilla , Waterworld) but this is one of that rare breed where the technical wizards are quietly supporting a strong story and interesting characters (Babe , Star Wars). Pleasantville is ambitious, and it's complexity leads to some inconsistencies in the "rules," but it does a good job challenging us about how things are and how we believe they should be.
Trivia question: What town was the opposing basketball team from?

John Carpenter's Vampires . . rating: $2

The director had only two neat tricks - burning vampires (already done last month in Blade) and some goofy looking weapons (pikes with flashlights). I didn't care for the misogynistic violence, the inexpensive special effects, the unsympathetic relationship between characters, or even the soundtrack (done by the director himself).
Fun tip: Rent John Carpenter's tension-filled The Thing instead.

The Siege . . rating: $4

The concept is fascinating - terrorism in New York leads to the declaration of martial law. But the movie mistakenly spends more time with the often-filmed "catch the bad guy" story, and practically ignores the stress and distrust between the public and the occupying army. And to top that off, the ending is pretty hard to believe.
Trivia question: How old is Annette Bening?

Elizabeth . . rating: $7

Elizabeth feels a lot longer that its two hour playing time, but that's a good thing. There is a lot of material here, lots of characters, and several angles to the intrigue - but it's all presented at a pace that's easy to follow. Beautiful costume work and cinematography help set the story, but be prepared for glimpses at the dark side of the Renaissance.
Trivia question: What is Joseph Fiennes' next film?

A Bug's Life . . rating: $6

Pixar's latest feature is an amazing technical achievement, but the story doesn't quite live up to the standard John Lasseter set with Toy Story. A lot of humor, a little tension, and a nice job casting voices makes this film enjoyable, but not particularly memorable.
Fun tip: Be sure to watch the credits.

Star Trek: Insurrection . . rating: $5

The crew of ST:TNG is back to the classic formula - investigating mysteries while mixing in some action and ethics lectures. Unfortunately the screenplay's foreshadowing reveals certain plot elements to alert viewers, which took the edge off later plot twists. Make-up effects for the Son'a are pretty amazing.
Glad to see: Anij (Donna Murphy) makes Picard's baldness sexy again.

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