Thursday, May 01, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Mercury

Film shorts

Agent Cody Banks

2 stars (PG, 95 min.) Frankie Muniz (Big Fat Liar) again fails to achieve big-screen stardom as a miniature 007 trained by the CIA. Harald Zwart's sad Spy Kids/James Bond hybrid completely lacks humor and stylistic charm.--BG

Anger Management

1/2 star (PG-13, 101 min.) Adam Sandler is sentenced to anger therapy with a patently certifiable Jack Nicholson. Cue sophomoric jokes. Director Peter Segal isn't mediocre; a mess of this magnitude requires total incompetence. With Heather Graham, Woody Harrelson, Marisa Tomei.--JC

Basic

3 stars (R, 95 min.) After Samuel L. Jackson is killed during a Special Forces exercise, John Travolta and Connie Nielsen investigate. John McTiernan's drama will have viewers struggling to follow its labyrinthine plot. But Travolta is a swaggering dream of hip-swinging narcissism. With Harry Connick Jr., Giovanni Ribisi.--JC

Bend It Like Beckham

1 star (PG-13, 112 min.) Call it "My big formulaic Sikh soccer romance." London teen Parminder Nagra ignores preparations for sister Archie Panjabi's wedding to join a women's soccer team coached by hunk Jonathan Rhys-Meyers. With it's "worthy" multicultural theme, Gurinda Chadha's feel-good mix of sports flick and culture-clash satire is the painful epitome of "crowd-pleaser." With Keira Knightley, Juliet Stevenson.--AA

Better Luck Tomorrow

3 1/2 stars (R, 98 min.) Writer-director Justin Lin triumphantly debunks Asian-American stereotypes with a cohesive, multilayered picture of SoCal youth cracking under pressure. Featuring a breakthrough performance by Parry Shen as an overachieving high schooler seeking to escape his exhausting routine with diversions including money, drugs, sex and violence, this entertaining, enlightening film provokes the kind of open-ended plot questions that Hollywood discourages. With John Cho.--MP

Bringing Down the House

1 1/2 stars (PG-13, 105 min.) Steve Martin and Queen Latifah can't save Adam Shankman's insulting mess about a tight-assed lawyer helping an ex-con clear her name. All sorts of warm and fuzzy racial slurs are thrown in our faces.--BG

Bulletproof Monk

1 star (PG-13, 103 min.) Chow Yun-Fat presents protege Seann William Scott with an age-old philosophical conundrum: Why do hot dogs come in packs of 10, while buns come in packs of eight? Like the rest of Paul Hunter's cut-price martial arts adventure, the answer isn't worth waiting for.--AA

Chasing Papi

No stars (PG, 80 min.) "We deserve better than this," says Roselyn Sanchez in Linda Mendoza's unfunny sex comedy. And how. Sanchez, Sofia Vergara and Jaci Velasquez learn that Eduardo Verastegui is three-timing them. This farrago, cynically targeted at the Hispanic demographic, is nothing short of a sexist, racist insult.--AA

Chicago

4 stars (PG-13, 113 min.) Rob Marshall brings the Bob Fosse/John Kander/Fred Ebb musical to the big screen with 14 brilliantly envisioned song-and-dance numbers. Renee Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Richard Gere might not be ready for the stage, but their voices shine within the constructs of a motion picture. Maybe too slick and tidy, but always entertaining. 6 Oscars: picture, supporting actress Zeta-Jones, art direction, costumes, editing, sound.--MP

City of God

3 1/2 stars. Rated R. 130 minutes. [Cidade de Deus] Fernando Meirelles and Katia Lund's film about gangs in a Rio de Janeiro shantytown tells a grim tale of ghetto escape as seen through the eyes of amateur photographer Alexandre Rodrigues. This impoverished world of drugs, guns and homicidal tendencies is ruled by menacing kingpin Leandro Firmino da Hora. A film that panders to short attention spans but whose shock value isn't diminished, thanks to its strong moral center. Portuguese dialogue, English subtitles.--MP

Confidence

2 stars (R, 97 min.) What's Dustin Hoffman doing in James Foley's plodding con trick drama? The mere Method twitch of his eyebrow is enough to overpower a film that remains watchable thanks to Ed Burns' affable presence as a grifter ripping off shady banker Robert Forster. Doug Jung's convoluted script is contrived, formulaic and over obvious. With Morris Chestnut, Andy Garcia, Luis Guzman, Rachel Weisz.--AA

The Core

Not reviewed (PG-13, 135 min.) Aaron Eckhart and Hilary Swank journey to the center of the earth to avert doomsday in Jon Amiel's disaster pic. With Delroy Lindo, Stanley Tucci.--AA

Daredevil

3 1/2 stars (PG-13, 96 min.) Ben Affleck plays Matt Murdock, compassionate lawyer by day, vengeful vigilante in red leather by night. Managing to avoid sucking while staying true to the story of the blind Marvel comic superhero, Mark Steven Johnson's film can sit on the shelf beside Spider-Man without embarrassment. With Michael Clarke Duncan, Jennifer Garner.--FMC

Dreamcatcher

3 1/2 stars (R, 134 min.) Damian Lewis, Thomas Jane, Timothy Olyphant and Jason Lee face strange things in the snowy Maine woods. From Stephen King's novel, Lawrence Kasdan and co-writer William Goldman have made half a good thriller that quickly degenerates into a bloody mess. With Morgan Freeman, Tom Sizemore.--AA

Ghosts of the Abyss

2 stars (G, 59 min.) James Cameron coasts on past glory with a 3-D large-format documentary charting multiple 12,000-foot dives to "excavate" the Titanic's corpse, using high-tech aquatic cameras. Plenty of belief-defying shots, but the subject has become so uninteresting. Narrated by Bill Paxton.--MP

The Good Thief

4 stars (R, 109 min.) Neil Jordan's big bet (remaking Jean-Pierre Melville's revered casino heist classic Bob le flambeur) pays off handsomely, thanks to granite-faced, gravel-voiced Nick Nolte as a junkie who joins Gerard Darmon's scheme to rob a Monaco casino. Only marred by weird editing (distracting freeze frames) and zero chemistry between Nolte and love interest Nutsa Kukhianidze. A richly nuanced portrait of the French Riviera's melange of Mediterranean sparkle, fading glamour and seething underbelly of drugs, prostitution and illegal immigration. With Ralph Fiennes, Tcheky Karyo, Emir Kusturica.--AA

Grand Canyon: The Hidden Secrets

2 stars (NR, 40 min.) Kieth Merrill's 1984 Imax movie mixes spectacular footage with a brief history lesson about early explorers John Wesley Powell and Garcia de Cardenas.--AA

Haunted Castle

Not reviewed (PG, 38 min.) Aspiring rock star Jasper Steverlinck visits dead mom's spooky English mansion and learns that rock 'n' roll really is the devil's music, in this 2001 3-D Imax horror flick from Belgian director Ben Stassen (1999's Alien Adventure).--AA

Head of State

No stars (PG-13, 95 min.) Instead of sticking with standup, Chris Rock insists on inflicting unfunny films on us, like his directorial debut, about an unlikely presidential candidate. With Tamala Jones, Bernie Mac.--AA

Holes

3 1/2 stars (PG, 117 min.) Shia LeBeouf digs big holes at a Texas juvenile detention camp run by Sigourney Weaver and Jon Voight. Andrew Davis brings Louis Sachar's 1998 teen novel to the screen with its charm, teasing plot and sardonic humor miraculously intact. Satisfyingly weird. With Patricia Arquette, Eartha Kitt, Henry Winkler.--AA

House of 1000 Corpses

Not reviewed (R, 88 min.) After their car breaks down, two couples are stranded in a creepy old house. Murder, cannibalism and satanic rituals ensue. Shock rocker Rob Zombie makes his writing-directing debut with a schlock horror gorefest starring Karen Black, Sid Haig and Michael J. Pollard.--AA

How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days

2 stars (PG-13, 116 min.) Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey are a decent screen couple, but Donald Petrie's romantic comedy is confused and corny. The screenplay craps out and becomes your average stupid Meg Ryan romance.--BG

Identity

1 1/2 stars (R, 90 min.) Don't John Cusack, Ray Liotta, Amanda Peet and seven other dimwits know you never check into a lonely Nevada motel during a thunderstorm? James Mangold's mangled attempt to mix Psycho with And Then There Were None goes horribly wrong because Michael Cooney's script undermines the suspense by revealing a big plot twist after an hour. With Rebecca DeMornay, Alfred Molina, Pruitt Taylor Vince.--AA

It Runs in the Family

Not reviewed (PG-13, 109 min.) Nepotism rules as Michael Douglas emulates Jane Fonda (who reconciled with Henry in On Golden Pond) by acting with dad Kirk on screen for the first time. Fred Schepisi's "comedy," also starring Mike's mom Diana, son Cameron and Bernadette Peters, follows the attempt by members of a dysfunctional New York family to reconcile their differences.--AA

Laurel Canyon

4 stars (R, 103 min.) Kate Beckinsale moves in with uptight fiance Christian Bale and his carefree mom Frances McDormand who's living with a gang of musicians led by seductive Brit Alessandro Nivola. The rift between the San Fernando Valley and west L.A. serves as allegorical scenery for the relationships in High Art writer-director Lisa Cholodenko's L.A. movie, which succeeds thanks to its vibrant soundtrack, emotionally compelling script and Cholodenko's sensitivity toward her characters. With Natascha McElhone.--MP

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

5 stars (PG-13, 179 min.) While this reviewer has a few "geek" quibbles, this continuation of Tolkien's grand adventure still qualifies as the best film of 2002. Further proof that director Peter Jackson is the right man for the job. With Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen and outstanding CGI effects. A terrific cinematic achievement. 2 Oscars: sound editing, visual effects.--GS

Malibu's Most Wanted

Not reviewed. (PG-13, 80 min.) Wannabe rapper Jamie Kennedy's hip-hop persona threatens dad Ryan O'Neal's bid for governor, so spin doctor Blair Underwood hires actors Taye Diggs and Anthony Anderson to teach him a lesson. Bo Derek, Snoop Dogg and Regina Hall co-star in John Whitesell's "comedy."--AA

A Man Apart

2 1/2 stars (R, 109 min.) After his cat is apparently kittynapped, DEA superhero Vin Diesel unleashes a kick-and-awe campaign on bad guys Timothy Olyphant and Geno Silva. F. Gary Gray's moody drug-war drama isn't exactly French Connection III.--AA

Phone Booth

3 stars (R, 81 min.) In a Manhattan phone booth, a voice informs Colin Farrell that if he hangs up, he's dead. Joel Schumacher's flimsy thriller whizzes along with surprising energy and focus. Farrell is believably terrified and as a cop, Forest Whitaker lends substance to a generic role. More fun than it deserves to be. With Katie Holmes, Radha Mitchell.--JC

The Pianist

4 stars (R, 148 min.) Holocaust survivor Roman Polanski is a natural to film the story of concert pianist Wladyslaw Szpilman (brilliantly played by Adrien Brody). Focuses on Szpilman's survival in the Warsaw ghetto, his dedication to living and his muse. With Thomas Kretschmann. 3 Oscars: actor Brody, director Polanski, adapted screenplay Ronald Harwood.--MP

Piglet's Big Movie

Not reviewed (G, 75 min.) Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Rabbit and Eeyore help to find Piglet, in Disney's animated follow-up to The Tigger Movie, featuring A.A. Milne's beloved characters.--AA

The Real Cancun

(R, 90 min.) Rick de Oliveira directs a "Real World" spinoff charting the spring break adventures of a bunch of gringo college kids. As ratings fall, the moneygrubbing purveyors of "reality" TV think real people are dumb enough to pay for more.--AA

Space Station

2 stars (NR, 47 min.) Though the 3D footage in Toni Myers' Imax film is spectacular, Tom Cruise's anodyne narration glosses over the fact that the $28 billion international space station is proving to be NASA's costliest white elephant ever.--AA

Spider

3 1/2 stars (R, 96 min.) Ralph Fiennes gives a haunting performance in David Cronenberg's film of Patrick McGrath's novel, as a shuffling schizophrenic reliving childhood memories involving mom Miranda Richardson, dad Gabriel Byrne and a trashy blonde (also Richardson). A perfectly designed meditation on the reverberations of childhood trauma that lacks Cronenberg's signature, stomach-churning style: This time, the horror is on the inside.--JC

What a Girl Wants

1 star (PG, 95 min.) New York teen Amanda Bynes disrupts English dad Colin Firth's stuffy social scene. Dennie Gordon's remake of The Reluctant Debutante makes a bad satire worse. Not even Firth's charisma can rescue this schmaltzfest. With Oliver James, Kelly Preston, Jonathan Pryce.--AA

Reviews by: AA: Anthony Allison; BG: Bob Grimm; FMC: Full Metal Critic; GS: Geoff Schumacher; JC: Jeannette Catsoulis; MP: Mike Prevatt