Dates at the end of capsules indicate the film's initial review in the Deseret News.
NEW FILMS FRIDAY
BEETHOVEN'S 2ND - Charles Grodin and the cast of last year's unexpected hit return for this sequel, as Beethoven the dog finds true love and sires pups, only to have them threatened by the nasty woman who has custody of his lady love. Reviewed in this section today. PG (comic violence, vulgarity). (Century, Crossroads, Holladay, Midvalley, Reel, South Towne, Trolley North.)
FAREWELL MY CONCUBINE - Acclaimed Chinese film about two young boys who meet in a cruel training school for the Beijing Opera, become stars as adults and ultimately clash amid the tumultuous political and cultural climate that surrounds them. In Chinese, with English subtitles. Reviewed in this section today. R (violence, profanity, vulgarity, nudity, sex, drugs). (Exclusive, Tower.)
FORBIDDEN LOVE - Documentary about how lesbian women have, in the past, been forced to hide their relationships and sometimes their true feelings but are now coming out of the closet, despite disapproval by the general population. Not rated, probable R (language). (Exclusive, Tower.)
THE PELICAN BRIEF - Adaptation of John Grisham's popular novel about two U.S. Supreme Court justices being assassinated and the young law student (Julia Roberts) who comes up with a theory about who may have done it, and finds herself on the run when it proves to be true. Denzel Washington plays the reporter who tries to help her. Reviewed in this section today. PG-13 (violence, profanity, sex). (Cottonwood, Century, Midvalley, Sandy 9, Trolley Corners, Trolley North.)
SNEAK PREVIEW SATURDAY
GRUMPY OLD MEN - Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau star in this comedy about two curmudgeons living next door to each other in a Minnesota suburb who have been carrying on a grudge for years. They find something new to fight about when alluring - and eccentric - Ann-Margret moves in across the street. To be reviewed when it opens Christmas Day. PG-13 (profanity, vulgarity, comic violence, sex.) (Broadway, Gateway, Holladay, Plaza 5400, South Towne.)
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
A CHRISTMAS STORY - * * * 1/2 - Hilarious adaptation of Jean Shepherd's "In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash" (with Shepherd himself doing the narration), as a young boy in the 1940s begs his parents for a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas. Funny, charming and very well-cast. PG (profanity). (Murray, Sat., 1:15 p.m. and 3:15 p.m.) (Nov. 22, 1983)
SCROOGE - * * * - Albert Finney plays the title character in this rousing 1970 musical version of the classic Dickens tale, "A Christmas Carol." Alec Guinness plays a rather fey Marley. Not all the songs are great, but Finney is so energetic that he makes it an enjoyable ride all the way. G. (Avalon.)
CHILDREN'S MATINEES SATURDAY
HOME ALONE 2: LOST IN NEW YORK - * * - Macaulay Culkin and friends are back in this sequel about young Kevin once again getting separated from his family, this time finding himself in New York while Mom, Dad and the rest head for Florida for the holidays. In Manhattan he meets up with the same bungling hoods (Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern), sets up his booby traps and the film ultimately settles into a tired rehash of the first picture. PG (violence). (Sugarhouse and Valley Fair, 10 a.m., FREE with a can of food.) (Nov. 20, 1992)
SANTA CLAUS - * * 1/2 - Santa's origins are explained, and Dudley Moore as his chief elf, is corrupted by evil toy manufacturer John Lithgow in this enjoyable fantasy. Good family fun, though it bogs down somewhat in the second half. PG (profanity). (Trolley Corners, 11 a.m.) (Nov. 29, 1985)
CONTINUING FILMS
ADDAMS FAMILY VALUES - * * * - Hilarious sequel to "The Addams Family," with young Christina Ricci (as deadpan Wednesday) stealing the show. Everyone is good, however, as Morticia and Gomez (Anjelica Huston, Raul Julia) bring a new baby home and hire a nanny (Joan Cusack), who proves to be a "black widow," marrying wealthy men and killing them - and she has her eyes on Uncle Fester (Christopher Lloyd). Wonderfully morbid comedy in the Charles Addams tradition. PG-13 (comic violence, sexual innuendo, profanity). (Century, Creekside, Flick, Gateway, Plaza 5400, Sandy 9.) (Nov. 19, 1993)
THE AGE OF INNOCENCE - * * * * - If there is such a thing as the perfect movie, this may be it. Martin Scorsese proves himself one of America's most consistently innovative filmmakers, adapting Edith Wharton's story of an 1870s New York lawyer (Daniel Day-Lewis) falling for a scandalous countess (Michelle Pfeiffer), despite being engaged to her cousin (Winona Ryder). The cast is terrific, as is Scorsese's amazing attention to period detail. PG (mild profanity, nude art work). (Kaysville, Sandcastle.) (Sept. 24, 1993)
ANOTHER STAKEOUT - * * - Tepid comedy-thriller with Richard Dreyfuss and Emilio Estevez reteamed (along with director John Badham) in a sequel to 1987's "Stakeout." This time the Seattle cops go undercover as father and son, with an assistant district attorney (Rosie O'Donnell) along to play wife and mother. A few laughs. PG-13 (violence, profanity, vulgarity). (Sugarhouse.) (July 23, 1993)
THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES - * 1/2 - Silly, vulgar, stupid big-screen adaptation of the '60s TV sitcom is sluggishly paced and without any of the charm director Penelope Spheeris managed to bring to "Wayne's World." Jim Varney is generally effective as Jed and Lily Tomlin steals the show as Miss Hathaway, but laughs are sporadic. PG (comic violence, vulgarity, sexual innuendo). (Cinemas 5, Family Center, Kaysville, Sandy Starships, Sugarhouse, Valley Fair.) (Oct. 15, 1993) CARLITO'S WAY - * 1/2 - Al Pacino is good (though he never gets a handle on his hispanic accent) in this thriller about a former drug dealer released from prison in 1975 and determined to go straight. There's a great 10-minute chase through Grand Central Station at the end but the 2 hours leading up to it are sluggish, predictable and sappy. R (violence, sex, nudity, profanity, vulgarity, drugs). (Holladay, Sandy 9, Trolley Corners.) (Nov. 12, 1993) COOL RUNNINGS - * * * - Based on the true story of the 1988 Jamaican bobsled team, a foursome who managed to get into the Winter Olympics in Calgary, though none of them had ever seen snow or ice before. Some liberties have been taken with the truth but the result is a funny, ingratiating slapstick comedy. John Candy is their coach. PG (violence, profanity, vulgarity). (Cinemas 5, Family Center, Kaysville, Sandy Starships, Sugarhouse, Valley Fair.) (Oct. 1, 1993) DEMOLITION MAN - * * 1/2 - When a ruthless 20th-century homicidal maniac (Wesley Snipes) is released from a frozen state in a future without crime, authorities decide to bring back the 20th-century cop (Sylvester Stallone) who captured him before. Snipes is great and the film is more comic than you may expect. But it's just as derivative and brainless as most of this genre. R (violence, profanity, vulgarity, nudity, sex). (Cinemas 5, Family Center, Murray, Sandy Starships, Sugarhouse, Valley Fair.) (Oct. 10, 1993) FEARLESS - * * * - Fascinating, ethereal look at grief and trauma from director Peter Weir, with Jeff Bridges as a plane crash survivor who feels that he has become invincible and who reaches out to save a guilt-ridden fellow survivor (Rosie Perez) who lost her baby in the crash. Perez is a knockout but Bridges' character is ill-defined. Still, quite moving on its own terms. R (violence, profanity). (Sugarhouse, Valley Fair.) (Oct. 29, 1993) THE FUGITIVE - * * * * - Harrison Ford stars in this adaptation of the popular '60s TV series as Chicago surgeon Dr. Richard Kimble, convicted of killing his wife and set free in a freak bus-train accident. In pursuit is Deputy U.S. Marshall Gerard (Tommy Lee Jones), as Kimble searches for the one-armed man who really killed his wife. Ford and Jones are great but the real star is director Andrew Davis, whose action pacing and wild chases are perfectly structured. PG-13 (violence, profanity, sex). (Olympus Starships.) (Aug. 19, 1993) GEORGE BALANCHINE'S THE NUTCRACKER - * * * - Despite the controversy over Macaulay Culkin's presence in this New York City Ballet adaptation - he's not taking part in publicizing the film because his father objects to Kevin Kline's narration - this is a very straight-forward and satisfying production of the classic ballet, which should appeal to adults and children alike. G. (Trollye Square.) (Nov. 25, 1993) GERONIMO: AN AMERICAN LEGEND - * * * - Wes Studi (Magua in "Last of the Mohicans") has the title role here but it's really in support (as are the roles of Gene Hackman and Robert Duvall) of Jason Patric, as a tortured cavalry officer charged with capturing Geronimo and placing him on a reservation. Patric is weak but the film is still highly entertaining, and Studi, Duvall and Hackman are terrific. Filmed in southern Utah. PG-13 (violence, profanity). (Broadway, Century, Gateway, Holladay, Plaza 5400, Sandy 9.) (Dec. 10, 1993) IN THE LINE OF FIRE - * * * 1/2 - Clint Eastwood gives the performance of his career as an aging Secret Service agent playing a cat-and-mouse game with a would-be presidential assassin (John Malkovich) in this complex, multi-layered thriller. Everyone else also looks good and the direction, by Wolfgang Petersen ("Das Boot"), is first-rate. R (violence, profanity, vulgarity, sex). (Sugarhouse.) (July 9, 1993) JOSH AND S.A.M. - * * 1/2 - This partly made-in-Utah road picture has a 12-year-old boy convincing his younger brother that the lad is a "Strategically Altered Mutant" created by the Pentagon. Amusing road picture with something to say about the effects of divorce on children. Too bad the adults are such broad stereotypes. PG-13 (violence, profanity, vulgarity). (Sugarhouse, Valley Fair.) (Nov. 24, 1993) THE JOY LUCK CLUB - * * * * - This beautifully realized adaptation of Amy Tan's best-selling novel takes an ensemble look at four sets of mothers from China and their Americanized daughters, exploring how they have come to terms with each other and the generational conflicts that have made the relationships difficult. A superb cast, excellent direction by Wayne Wang and a terrific script by Tan and Ronald Bass ("Rain Man"). R (violence, profanity, vulgarity, sex, brief partial nudity). (Trolley Square.) (Oct. 1, 1993) JURASSIC PARK - * * * 1/2 - Eye-popping special effects and Steven Spielberg's skills as a horror director ("Jaws") combine for a thrill-a-minute roller-coaster ride. Adapting Michael Crichton's best seller about genetically engineered dinosaurs running amok on an island theme park, the film is a bit short on character development - but if you'll settle for action, this one certainly delivers the goods. PG-13 (violence, profanity, vulgarity). (Cinemas 5, Family Center, Kaysville, Sandcastle, Sandy Starships, Sugarhouse, Valley Fair.) (June 11, 1993) LOOK WHO'S TALKING NOW - turkey - Kirstie Alley and John Travolta reprise their roles for this Christmas-themed second sequel, this time with voice-over thoughts provided for their pet dogs (voiced by Danny DeVito and Diane Keaton). "Homeward Bound" meets "Miracle On 34th Street" . . . and it's not pretty. PG-13 (violence, vulgarity, profanity). (Valley Fair.) (Nov. 5, 1993) MRS. DOUBTFIRE - * * 1/2 - When it's funny, this Robin Williams vehicle is very funny. But it's also overly sentimental, far too long (more than 2 hours) and blatantly steals from "Tootsie." Successful San Francisco designer Sally Field divorces out-of-work actor Williams, so he masquerades as an elderly woman and lands the job of housekeeper in his own home. Uneven but with some hilarious moments. PG-13 (profanity, vulgarity, violence). (Century, Cottonwood, Crossroads, Midvalley, Reel, South Towne, Trolley North.) (Nov. 25, 1993) MY LIFE - * * * - A melodrama with mystical overtones, as Michael Keaton and Nicole Kidman play a couple expecting their first child when they learn Keaton is dying of cancer. A real showcase for Keaton's talent and some nice, thoughtful moments. Written and directed by Bruce Joel Rubin, screenwriter of "Ghost." PG-13 (profanity, brief nudity). (Broadway, Midvalley, Olympus Starships, Queen, South Towne.) (Nov. 12, 1993) THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS - * * * 1/2 - Dazzling, enchanting and imaginative musical-fantasy from Tim Burton ("Edward Scissorhands," the "Batman" films) - and who else would think to combine Christmas with Halloween? The king of Halloween Town stumbles upon Christmas Town and decides to replace Santa Claus on his gift-delivering rounds, then unwisely imposes his own Halloween sensibilities on the holiday. Great songs by Danny Elfman, who also sings the lead role. PG (comic violence, scary themes). (South Towne, Trolley Square.) (Oct. 22, 1993) A PERFECT WORLD - * * 1/2 - Clint Eastwood stumbles a bit as director of this thriller about an 8-year-old boy (Utahn T.J. Lowther) from a strict Jehovah's Witness family who is taken hostage by a prison escapee (Kevin Costner). Costner is OK, though he never quite gets a handle on his conflicted character and Eastwood spends too much time on broad comedy, undercutting the film's edge. Best is young Lowther, who delivers one of the year's best child performances, in a year when we've had an abnormal number of very good ones. PG-13 (violence, profanity, vulgarity, sex). (Broadway, Century, Gateway, Holladay, Plaza 5400, South Towne.) (Nov. 24, 1993) THE PIANO - * * - Though critics internationally are falling all over themselves over this one, it failed to move me. A mute Scottish woman (Holly Hunter) travels to 19th-century New Zealand with her 9-year-old daughter and her prized piano, for an arranged marriage with a man (Sam Neill) she's never met. Then an eccentric Englishman (Harvey Keitel) falls in love and compromises her. Hunter is superb and there are stunning visuals but the characters and story left me cold. R (violence, sex, nudity, profanity, vulgarity). (Exclusive, Broadway.) (Nov. 19, 1993) THE REMAINS OF THE DAY - * * * * - Superb, meticulously crafted look at social mores in pre-World War II England, as seen through the eyes of Anthony Hopkins, the head butler at an elaborate manor, and Emma Thompson, whom he hires as the housekeeper. Another stunning achievement from the Merchant-Ivory team ("Howards End," "A Room With a View"). PG (nothing offensive). (Broadway.) (Nov. 5, 1993) ROBOCOP 3 - * 1/2 - This second sequel to the witty original is devoid of any cleverness as it simply rehashes the same old material. RoboCop goes underground to join a group of rebels in futuristic Detroit and ultimately must battle a cyborg ninja. PG-13 (violence, profanity, vulgarity). (Family Center, Sugarhouse, Valley Fair.) (Nov. 5, 1993) SISTER ACT 2: BACK IN THE HABIT - * * - Whoopi Golberg returns in this rehash sequel, which lets the terrific supporting cast just stand around with nothing to do. This time she is asked by the nuns who protected her in the first movie to go undercover as a music teacher and help problem kids, eventually taking them to a state choir competition. PG (vulgarity, profanity). (Gateway, Plaza 5400, Reel, Sandy 9, Trolley Square, Villa.) (Dec. 10, 1993) SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE - * * * * - Charming, funny and intelligent romantic comedy, with Tom Hanks perfectly cast as a lonely widower whose young son calls a radio talk-show on Christmas Eve and says his dad is lonely. After the boy goads Hanks into getting on the phone, he is deluged with marriage proposals by mail. Meg Ryan is also terrific as a journalist who hears the program and can't get Hanks out of her mind. Unabashedly sentimental and compelling yarn about the "magic" of true love. PG (mild vulgarity, one profanity). (Sugarhouse, Valley Fair.) (June 25, 1993) THE THREE MUSKETEERS - * * 1/2 - This umpteenth remake of the classic novel stars Charlie Sheen and Kiefer Sutherland in what might be described as "Young Swords." Oliver Platt joins them as the third musketeer and Chris O'Donnell is D'Artagnan. Funny and fast, though a bit too contemporary in tone. Rebecca De Mornay, Tim Curry and Gabrielle Anwar co-star. PG (violence, sexual innuendo, brief partial nudity, profanity). (Cottonwood, Flick, Gateway, Plaza 5400, Reel, South Towne.) (Nov. 12, 1993) WAYNE'S WORLD 2 - * 1/2 - More of the same, with smug Mike Myers and goofy Dana Carvey back as Wayne and Garth in this sequel to the first film, based on a "Saturday Night Live" skit. They put on a rock concert - Waynestock - in their home town, Aurora, Ill., inviting Aerosmith, among others. Mostly, however, it's movie spoofs - of movies the core audience has likely never seen! PG-13 (vulgarity, profanity, sexual innuendo, nudity). (Century, Creekside, Gateway, Plaza 5400, Reel, Sandy 9.) (Dec. 10, 1993) WE'RE BACK! A DINOSAUR'S STORY - * * - Weak Steven Spielberg-produced animated feature lacks the wit and style of his "Tiny Toon Adventures" and "Animaniacs" TV series in dull story of dinosaurs magically showing up in modern-day Manhattan. Voice talents include John Goodman, Walter Cronkite, Jay Leno, Martin Short. G. (Cinemas 5, Sandy 9.) (Nov. 24, 1993)