Thursday, March 04, 2004
Copyright © Las Vegas Mercury

Film shorts

Against the Ropes

2 stars (PG-13, 111 min.) Meg Ryan is Jackie Kallen, who discovers street thug Omar Epps and crashes the male-dominated world of boxing management. Ryan blows the film's attention on "I am woman" speeches.--JC

Along Came Polly

2 stars (PG-13, 90 min.) John Hamburg's "sparkless" romantic comedy is as risk-averse and unamusing as Ben Stiller's overly cautious character, who falls for flaky free spirit Jennifer Aniston.--TM

Barbershop 2: Back in Business

3 1/2 stars (PG-13, 106 min.) Kevin Rodney Sullivan's sequel improves on Tim Story's 2002 talkfest, targeting the Starbuckization of the planet. With Ice Cube, Cedric the Entertainer, Queen Latifah.--AA

Broken Lizard's Club Dread

Not reviewed (R, 103 min.) The Super Troopers troupe returns with a spoof whodunit set in an island resort owned by has-been rock star Bill Paxton. With Jay Chandrasekhar, Kevin Heffernan, Erik Stolhanske.--AA

The Butterfly Effect

2 stars (R, 113 min.) Like the chaos theory concept (the flapping of a butterfly's wings in China might cause a hurricane in Florida), this is a mindbender about reality. But it suffers due to Ashton Kutcher's inadequacy.--TM

Catch That Kid

Not reviewed (PG, 92 min.) In Bart Freundlich's caper, Kristen Stewart and pals rob a bank to finance her ailing dad Sam Robards' operation.--AA

Cheaper by the Dozen

Not reviewed (PG, 98 min.) Steve Martin cares for his 12 kids when wife Bonnie Hunt leaves to promote her new book. Hilary Duff and Piper Perabo co-star in Shawn Levy's comedy.--AA

Cold Mountain

3 1/2 stars (R, 155 min.) Nicole Kidman's incipient romance with field hand Jude Law is interrupted by the Civil War. Anthony Minghella's beautiful film of Charles Frazier's novel balances the folksy and the horrifying.--JC Oscar: supporting actress Renée Zellweger.

Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen

Not reviewed (PG, 86 min.) New York teen Lindsay Lohan copes with the ultimate indignity: moving to New Jersey. With Adam Garcia, Carol Kane.--AA

Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights

2 stars (PG-13, 86 min.) Blushing WASP Romola Garai itches to dance with hot Cuban waiter Diego Luna. Guy Ferland's sequel is the nadir of Hollywood's efforts to rediscover the magic of the 1987 flick.--JC

EuroTrip

1/2 star (R, 90 min.) This weapon of movie denigration sends Scott Mechlowicz and friends around Europe. Assumes viewers will accept a hero so dumb he thinks his German e-mail correspondent (Jessica Boehrs) is a guy. Vacuous crud.--AA

Everest

3 1/2 stars (NR, 44 min.) David Breashears' superb 1998 Imax film chronicles the 1996 climbing season when eight climbers perished on the world's highest peak. Narrated by Liam Neeson.--AA

50 First Dates

1/2 star (PG-13, 96 min.) The problem is all inside Drew's (Barrymore) head, you see; Her short-term memory is screwy, can't take it logically; (Adam) Sandler's motto: it's lucrative to be crude, his non-character misconstrued; There must be 50 ways to leave this loser. Just avoid (Dan) Aykroyd; Make a new plan, (Sean) Astin; Don't need to be a slob, Rob (Schneider), just listen to me; Hop on the bus, (Lusia) Strus; Don't need to discuss much; Just channel E.T., and get yourself free.--TM

The Fog of War

4 stars (PG-13, 95 min.) With his portrait of Robert S. McNamara, Errol Morris attempts to unearth a conscience. The ex-defense secretary reiterates that we should have withdrawn from Vietnam in 1963, and passes the moral buck so slickly to JFK and Lyndon Johnson that even the skeptical may feel beguiled. A troubling, cautionary film.--JC Oscar: documentary feature.

In America

3 1/2 stars (PG-13, 103 min.) Irish immigrants Paddy Considine and Samantha Morton move to New York with daughters Sarah and Emma Bolger. The adults in Jim Sheridan's autobiographical story are great, but the Bolger sisters' heart-melting guilelessness sets this far above average.--AA

The Last Samurai

2 stars (R, 154 min.) After Edward Zwick's unoriginal sushi Western, with Tom Cruise as a disillusioned U.S. soldier learning the way of the Samurai in 1870s Japan, one wonders--will Tom now honorably commit career hara-kiri?--AA

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

3 1/2 stars (PG-13, 200 min.) Frodo and Sam (Elijah Wood, Sean Astin) are led to Mordor by Gollum (Andy Serkis); Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli (Viggo Mortensen, Orlando Bloom, John Rhys-Davies) awaken the Army of the Dead; and Gandalf (Ian McKellen) heads for Minis Tirith. With scandalously beautiful images, Peter Jackson's epic fantasy is an astonishing achievement.--JC 11 Oscars: picture, director, adapted screenplay, art direction, costumes, makeup, editing, sound mixing, visual effects, score, song "Into the West."

Lost in Translation

4 1/2 stars (R, 105 min.) Sofia Coppola's Tokyo drama observes the chance connection of two dislocated souls: fiftysomething actor Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson, wife of workaholic photographer Giovanni Ribisi. A film about how traveling alone encourages introspection.--JC Oscar: original screenplay.

Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World

3 1/2 stars (PG-13, 138 min.) Russell Crowe stars in Peter Weir's splendid maritime adventure. But not even his presence gives this shallow sea story depth. With Paul Bettany.--AA 2 Oscars: cinematography, sound editing.

The Matrix Revolutions

3 stars (R, 129 min.) Neo, Morpheus and Trinity (Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss) battle the Machines while Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving) continues his infestation, in the dull finale to the Wachowski brothers' trilogy. [Cut Imax version.]--JC

Miracle

2 1/2 stars (PG, 135 min.) In this lengthy crowdpleaser about the U.S. ice hockey team's bid to beat the Soviets at the 1980 Olympics, Kurt Russell passably impersonates coach Herb Brooks.--AA

Monster

3 stars (R, 108 min.) Charlize Theron's monstrous appearance, and her performance, steamroller everything in Patty Jenkins' film about serial killer Aileen Wuornos, including Christina Ricci's magnificent turn.--JC Oscar: actress Theron.

Mystic River

4 stars (R, 137 min.) A brutal murder forces a reunion between boyhood Boston buddies Sean Penn, Kevin Bacon and Tim Robbins, in Clint Eastwood's dark film of Dennis Lehane's novel.--JC 2 Oscars: actor Penn, supporting actor Robbins.

Ocean Wonderland 3D

Not reviewed (NR, 44 min.) Filmed in the Bahamas and Australia, this Imax doc features rays, sharks, dolphins and other marine life in glorious 3D.--AA

The Passion of the Christ

2 1/2 stars (R, 127 min.) Mel Gibson's exceedingly gory crucifixion drama, with blood-spattered Jim Caviezel, isn't apt to inspire; it must merely be endured. With the inevitable accusations of anti-Semitism, Mel must have known he was asking for trouble, and priceless publicity, and his pedestrian style only exacerbates the agony. With Mattia Sbraglia (Caiaphas), Hristo Naumov Shopov (Pilate), Maia Morgenstern (Mary), Monica Bellucci (Magdalene). (Aramaic and Latin dialogue, with subtitles.)--AA

Something's Gotta Give

3 1/2 stars (PG-13, 136 min.) After a heart attack, Jack Nicholson (masterfully sarcastic) is nursed by Diane Keaton, who proves there's hope for older actresses, in Nancy Meyers' comedy. With Frances McDormand, Keanu Reeves.--TM

Touching the Void

(NR, 106 min.) In 1985, Joe Simpson and Simon Yates tried to scale the west face of Siula Grande, in the Peruvian Andes. Kevin MacDonald's docudrama is a terrifying saga of snow, wind, willpower and transformation.--JC

21 Grams

4 stars (R, 124 min.) Alejandro González Iñárritu arranges strangers Sean Penn, Naomi Watts and Benicio Del Toro, around an obliterating car accident, juggling his scenes in random order. The actors are off-the-charts remarkable and Iñárritu's bravura is justified.--JC

Twisted

1 star (R, 97 min.) Hunting a serial killer, cop Ashley Judd discovers all the victims are her own, recent lovers. Philip Kaufman's thriller is so predictable it's enough to make your Hitchcock-starved hair curl. With Andy Garcia, Samuel L. Jackson.--AA

Welcome to Mooseport

2 stars (PG-13, 110 min.) In this lame political comedy, Maine hardware store owner Ray Romano battles retired U.S. President Gene Hackman in the mayoral race. With Marcia Gay Harden, Maura Tierney.--TM

You Got Served

Not reviewed (PG-13, 93 min.) In Christopher Stokes' musical drama, Marques Houston and Omarion set out to win a street dance contest.--AA

The Young Black Stallion

Not reviewed (G, 50 min.) Simon Wincer's Imax prequel to Carroll Ballard's 1979 adventure, set in postwar north Africa, stars Biana Tamimi as a girl separated from her family, who bonds with a wild horse.--AA

Razzie "winners"

The Cat in the Hat Worst excuse for an actual movie.

Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle Worst remake or sequel, worst supporting actress Demi Moore.

From Justin to Kelly Governor's Award for Distinguished underachievement in choreography, Travis Payne.

Gigli Worst picture, director Martin Brest, screenplay, actor Ben Affleck, actress Jennifer Lopez, screen couple Ben and Jen.

Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over Worst supporting actor Sylvester Stallone.

Reviews by: AA: Anthony Allison; JC: Jeannette Catsoulis; MP: Mike Prevatt; TM: Tammy McMahan