A comedy-drama about East Indian immigrants in England, focusing on women who are also subjected to sexism and racism within their own culture. Reviewed in this section today on Page W4. Not rated, probable R (violence, profanity, vulgarity, nudity). (Exclusive, Tower.)
LOVE AFFAIR - Warren Beatty produced, co-wrote and co-stars with real-life wife Annette Bening in this remake of the 1939 comedy-drama about a shipboard romance, which was remade in 1957 as "An Affair to Remember." Garry Shandling and Katharine Hepburn co-star. Reviewed in this section today on Page W3. PG-13 (profanity, vulgarity). (Century, Creekside, Gateway, South Towne, Trolley Corners.)THE PUPPET MASTERS - Donald Sutherland heads the cast in this sci-fi thriller based on Robert A. Heinlein's book about an invasion of extraterrestrial body snatchers. Wasn't Sutherland also in the second "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" picture? To be reviewed in Sunday's Arts section. R (violence, profanity). (Cottonwood, Flick, Gateway, Plaza 5400, South Towne, Reel.)
RADIOLAND MURDERS - George Lucas is co-writer and executive producer of this period farce, about murders occuring at a new radio network in 1939. Brian Benben (TV's "Dream On"), Mary Stuart Masterson ("Fried Green Tomatoes") and Christopher Lloyd head the ensemble comedy cast. Reviewed in this section today on Page W4. PG (violence, brief nudity, vulgarity, profanity). (Holladay, South Towne, Trolley Square.) TOO OUTRAGEOUS ANIMATION - A new collection of over-the-top, in-your-face, violent, obscene and disgusting short cartoons from around the world. Not rated, probable NC-17 (violence, profanity, vulgarity, sex, nudity). (Exclusive, Tower.) MIDNIGHT MOVIE LET'S SPEND THE NIGHT TOGETHER - * * 1/2 - Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones are great in this concert film, with Jagger all over the stage and all those great old hits reprised live - but the film of their 1981 American tour is little more than a celluloid greatest hits album, with 24 songs back-to-back. "Gimme Shelter" is better but fans should be pleased. PG (profanity). (Tower, 11:15 p.m., Friday.) (Feb. 20, 1983) CONTINUING FILMS THE ADVENTURES OF PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT - * * 1/2 - Three Australian nightclub performers - a pair of transvestites and a transsexual who lip-sync '70s disco music - travel in a pink schoolbus through the outback, shaking up the macho saloons along the way. Amusing, outrageous comedy in the "La Cage aux Folles" vein. R (profanity, vulgarity, partial nudity, violence, drugs). (Exclusive, Broadway.) (Sept. 16, 1994) ANGELS IN THE OUTFIELD - * * 1/2 - Fantasy-comedy about an 11-year-old foster boy whose prayers cause angels to begin helping out his favorite baseball team, the California Angels, in the pennant race. Good performances (especially by Danny Glover, Christopher Lloyd, Tony Danza and Brenda Fricker) and some razzle-dazzle special effects help this otherwise tepid, overly sentimental yarn. PG (violence, vulgarity). (Family Center, Kaysville, Sandy Starships, Sugarhouse, Valley Fair.) (July 15, 1994) BLANKMAN - * 1/2 - Mediocre, vulgar and sometimes obnoxious superhero farce, with co-writer/co-producer Damon Wayans ("The Last Boy Scout," TV's "In Living Color") starring as a nerdy inventor who battles the hoods in his hood with homemade gizmos. David Alan Grier and Robin Givens co-star. PG-13 (violence, profanity, vulgarity, sex). (Sugarhouse, Valley Fair.) (Sept. 7, 1994) CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER - * * * 1/2 - Harrison Ford is terrific in this sequel to "Patriot Games" (which was a sequel to "The Hunt for Red October"), reprising his role as CIA agent Jack Ryan. This time, he travels to South America to expose a drug cartel that has a link to the U.S. presidency. A bit too "Indiana Jones"-ish toward the end but quite thrilling. PG-13 (violence, profanity). (Cinemas 5; Murray, with "Corrina, Corrina"; Olympus Starships.) (Aug. 3, 1994) THE CLIENT - * * 1/2 - A young boy witnesses a suicide by a mob-related lawyer and finds himself in a tug of war between mobsters and the FBI in this adaptation of John Grisham's best-selling novel. Young Brad Renfro, who plays the central character, is just OK, but Susan Sarandon and Tommy Lee Jones are magnificent and make it well worth seeing. PG-13 (violence, profanity, vulgarity, drugs). (Family Center, Kaysville, Sandcastle, Sugarhouse, Valley Fair.) (July 20, 1994) CORRINA, CORRINA - * * * - Whoopi Goldberg is good as an educated woman in the late 1950s who takes a job babysitting a traumatized young girl, but Tina Majorino ("Andre"), as the girl, is a knockout. That story is very good but a tentative interracial romance in the second half is less successful. Uneven but enjoyable. Ray Liotta co-stars. PG (profanity, vulgarity). (Murray, with "Clear and Present Danger"; Sandy 9.) (Sept. 16, 1994) ED WOOD - * * * 1/2 - Director Tim Burton's eccentric, funny and oddly touching biopic of the "worst filmmaker of all time" ("Plan 9 From Outer Space") has Johnny Depp in the title role, playing Wood as an eternal optimist with a fondness for angora sweaters. Martin Landau steals the show as Bela Lugosi (look for him to get an Oscar nomination) and Bill Murray gets some laughs as an aspiring transsexual. In black and white. R (profanity, vulgarity, drugs, violence). (Sandy 9, Trolley Square.) (Oct. 7, 1994) EXIT TO EDEN - turkey - This dreadful whips-and-chains sex comedy is a sort of R-rated "Fantasy Island," with people vacationing at a Club Med for sexual deviates, ruled by dominatrix Dana Delany. Dan Aykroyd and Rosie O'Donnell are undercover L.A. cops who follow a pair of diamond smugglers to the island resort, mixing comedy with murder and warm-and-fuzzy romance. O'Donnell's wisecracks are the only saving grace. R (violence, sex, nudity, profanity, vulgarity). (Broadway, Cottonwood, Gateway, Plaza 5400; Redwood, with "Wes Craven's New Nightmare"; Reel, Sandy 9.) (Oct. 14, 1994) THE FLINTSTONES - * * - A great cast and terrific sets and special effects make for the most literal adaptation of a cartoon since "Popeye," with John Goodman as Fred, Elizabeth Perkins as Wilma, Rick Moranis as Barney and Rosie O'Donnell as Betty - and Elizabeth Taylor as Fred's mother-in-law. But it's basically a one-joke movie and wears out its welcome by the halfway mark. PG (vulgarity, one profanity). (Valley Fair.) (May 27, 1994) FORREST GUMP - * * * 1/2 - Tom Hanks gives a brilliant performance in this technically dazzling, episodic look at three decades in the life of a slow-witted man who inadvertently makes history and subtly affects the lives of those he encounters. An ambitious, sprawling comedy-drama with plenty to say and some huge set pieces, though at its best during quiet, reflective moments. Hanks should have a lock on another Oscar nomination. PG-13 (violence, sex, nudity, profanity, vulgarity, drugs). (Century, Cottonwood, Flick, Plaza 5400, Queen; Redwood, with "The Specialist"; Sandy 9.) (July 6, 1994) I LOVE TROUBLE - * * 1/2 - Two sparring reporters (Julia Roberts, Nick Nolte) from competing Chicago newspapers investigate the same story, becoming targets of gun-toting bad guys. This comedy-thriller starts off well, giving Roberts a terrific opportunity to show off her comic skills, then falls apart as it veers into "Lethal Weapon" territory. PG (violence, profanity, vulgarity). (Sugarhouse.) (June 29, 1994) IN THE ARMY NOW - * 1/2 - Lethargic, silly, overly familiar military farce that steals liberally from "Stripes," "Spies Like Us" and uncountable other service comedies, with tiresome Pauly Shore ("Son-in-Law") joining the Army Reserves and finding himself called up for a conflict in Chad. PG (violence, sex, profanity, vulgarity). (South Towne.) (Aug. 12, 1994) IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU - * * * - Funny, warm and surprisingly effective old-fashioned, low-key screwball comedy about a good-natured cop (Nicolas Cage) who tips an unhappy waitress (Bridget Fonda) with the promise of half his lottery ticket - then wins $4 million. The phrase "Capraesque" is overworked, but this one is truly in the spirit of Frank Capra's best work. The hilariously hyper Rosie Perez co-stars. PG (violence, profanity, vulgarity). (Family Center, Kaysville, Sandcastle, Sandy Starships, Sugarhouse, Valley Fair.) (July 29, 1994) LITTLE GIANTS - * 1/2 - Lame comedy for kids has has Rick Moranis ("Honey, I Shrunk the Kids") and Ed O'Neill (TV's "Married . . . With Children") as small-town brothers who compete with peewee football teams. Parents should bring a book and a flashlight. PG (violence, profanity). (Century, Cottonwood, Gateway, Midvalley, Reel, Sandy 9, Trolley Square.) (Oct. 14, 1994) THE LITTLE RASCALS - * * - Mediocre adaptation of the old shorts, modernized and updated (sort of) as nostalgic kiddie fare. Look-alikes impersonate Spanky, Alfalfa, Darla, Stymie, etc. - and some are better than others. But it's all rather forced and artificial, with a surprising number of recycled gags. Star cameos include Whoopi Goldberg, Mel Brooks, Donald Trump and Daryl Hannah. PG (mild vulgarity, comic violence). (Kaysville, Sandy Starships, Sugarhouse, Valley Fair.) (Aug. 5, 1994) THE MASK - * * * - The summer's wildest movie has wacky Jim Carrey ("Ace Ventura, Pet Detective") as a mild-mannered bank clerk who dons a mysterious mask and becomes a green-faced superhero, part Tasmanian Devil, part Bugs Bunny. Special-effects-driven comedy boasts hilarious computer animation but Carrey's performance makes it click. His dog Milo is also hysterical. PG-13 (violence, vulgarity, profanity). (Cinemas 5, Creekside.) (July 29, 1994) MAVERICK - * * * - Loud, bombastic but highly entertaining adaptation of the beloved '50s TV series, with Mel Gibson in the title role as the Old West rambling gambler and Jodie Foster as a con artist with whom he locks horns. The original TV Maverick, James Garner, is along as well, playing a U.S. marshal. Overblown but funny and gorgeously photographed (by Vilmos Zsigmond), especially the Lake Powell scenes. PG (violence, profanity, sex). (Sugarhouse.) (May 20, 1994) MILK MONEY - turkey - This dreadful, wrongheaded coming-of-age comedy is a real mess, with a trio of preteen boys pooling their savings and heading for the big city to see a naked woman. They are picked up by a hooker-with-a-heart-of-gold (Melanie Griffith) who moves into a treehouse while one of the boys tries to fix her up with his widowed father (Ed Harris). Ridiculous, tasteless, offensive and unfunny. PG-13 (sex, profanity, vulgarity). (Cinemas 5.) (Sept. 7, 1994) NATURAL BORN KILLERS - * 1/2 - Forget all the shouting that this is some kind of masterpiece - it's the ultimate in-your-face, style-over-substance movie, as Oliver Stone leaves Vietnam and JFK behind to go after the media and celebrity criminals. Woody Harrelson and Juliette Lewis are killers on the run, surrounded by victims and authority figures who are even more corrupt than they are. But all the snazzy camera work and overlapping film techniques can't hide the superficiality. R (violence, gore, sex, nudity, profanity, vulgarity). (Cinemas 5.) (Sept. 8, 1994) ONLY YOU - * * * - Enchanting romantic comedy from director Norman Jewison, who is obviously trying for another "Moonstruck." This one's not that good, but it's a most enjoyable yarn, as Marisa Tomei leaves her fiance at the altar to search for her written-in-the-stars true love in Italy. But is it really Robert Downey Jr.? The stars are very good, but Bonnie Hunt, as Tomei's wisecracking sister-in-law, steals the show. PG (violence, profanity, partial nudity). (Broadway, Century, Gateway, Holladay, Plaza 5400, South Towne.) (Oct. 7, 1994) PULP FICTION - * * * - Quentin Tarantino ("Reservoir Dogs") shows off his remarkable filmmaking skills with this arresting gangster yarn, a three-act melodrama (running 2 hours, 40 minutes) that is laced with dark humor and graphic bloodshed. It also features superb performances from Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, John Travolta, et. al. The big winner at the Cannes Film Festival in May - but be advised that the wall-to-wall foul language and gory violence are jarring. R (violence, gore, sex, nudity, profanity, vulgarity, drugs). (Century, Crossroads, Holladay, Midvalley, South Towne.) (Oct. 14, 1994) QUIZ SHOW - * * * * - Superlative filmmaking from director/producer Robert Redford, based on the true story of the television quiz show scandals in the late 1950s, focusing on contestants for the program "Twenty-One," who were given answers in advance. Knockout performances, especially from Ralph Fiennes, Paul Scofield and John Turturro. PG-13 (vulgarity, profanity). (Sandy 9, Trolley Corners, Villa.) (Sept. 23, 1994) RENAISSANCE MAN - * * - Uneven mix of slapstick and sentiment gets a boost from Danny DeVito's central performance, as an out-of-work advertising executive who takes a job tutoring "dumb" Army recruits and winds up teaching them Shakespeare. Directed by Penny Marshall, whose track record is better than this ("A League of Their Own," "Awakenings," "Big"). PG-13 (profanity, vulgarity). (Sugarhouse, Valley Fair.) (June 3, 1994) THE RIVER WILD - * * * 1/2 - This incredible thrill ride gets a major boost from Meryl Streep, playing a former guide who takes her family white water rafting, only to encounter desperate thieves (led by Kevin Bacon) who manipulate her skills to get them down river. Chilling fun, with terrific direction by Curtis Hanson ("The Hand That Rocks the Cradle"). PG-13 (violence, profanity, vulgarity, brief veiled nudity). (Century, Crossroads, Holladay, Midvalley; Redwood, with "Timecop"; Reel, Sandy 9, Trolley North.) (Sept. 30, 1994) SEX, DRUGS AND DEMOCRACY - This no-holds-barred documentary about Denmark, focusing in on that country's relaxed sex and drug laws, features interviews with nude sunbathers, live sex show performers and prostitutes, among others. Not rated, probable NC-17 (sex, nudity, profanity, vulgarity, drugs). (Exclusive, Tower.) THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION - * * * 1/2 - Offbeat, ethereal prison picture, with Tim Robbins as a banker who may or may not have killed his wife, sentenced to life and eventually befriended by another lifer (Morgan Freeman). Surprising plot twists and an unexpected sensibility help but it is the terrific performances by all concerned that really make this one work. Based on a non-horror Stephen King novella. R (violence, profanity, vulgarity, nudity, sex). (Broadway, Century, Holladay, Plaza 5400, Sandy 9, Trolley North.) (Oct. 7, 1994) THE SPECIALIST - turkey - Dour Sharon Stone seeks out brooding explosives expert Sylvester Stallone to get him to blow up three hoods who killed her parents. This amazingly awful thriller is like the Bad Acting Olympics, with Stone, Stallone, James Woods and Eric Roberts delivering over-the-top performances - but the winner is Rod Steiger as a Miami godfather, complete with ridiculous Hispanic accent. R (violence, sex, nudity, profanity). (Broadway, Century, Holladay, Midvalley; Redwood, with "Forrest Gump"; Reel, South Towne, Trolley North.) (Oct. 7, 1994) SPEED - * * * - Brainless but thrilling, this is indeed "Die Hard" on a bus . . . and on a high-rise elevator . . . and on a speeding underground train. Keanu Reeves is a Los Angeles SWAT cop out to save the passengers of these various modes of transportation after mad bomber Dennis Hopper rigs them with deadly explosives. R (violence, gore, profanity, vulgarity). (Sugarhouse, Valley Fair.) (June 10, 1994) TERMINAL VELOCITY - * 1/2 - Another bid by Charlie Sheen to achieve action stardom, this time playing an obnxious rebel skydiver who finds himself mixed up with spies and intrigue. Nastassja Kinski is a former KGB agent who dupes him and they exchange idiotic one-liners for the film's duration. Sheen seems to think this is "Hot Shots 3." PG-13 (violence, profanity, vulgarity). (Plaza 5400.) (Sept. 23, 1994) TIMECOP - * * 1/2 - Jean-Claude Van Damme exhibits some genuine charisma in this high-tech sci-fi thriller with some terrific effects and well-choreographed fight scenes. Van Damme is a cop in the future, where the government has time-traveling cops chasing criminals who try to profit from historical knowledge. Over-the-top violence, plot loopholes and exploitative sex mar the proceedings. R (violence, sex, nudity, profanity, vulgarity). (Cinemas 5, Olympus Starships; Redwood, with "The River Wild"; South Towne, Trolley Square.) (Sept. 16, 1994) TRUE LIES - * * * 1/2 - Overblown and somewhat coarse (and even a little mean-spirited), this James Cameron film is nonetheless frequently hilarious and loaded with stunts that will knock your socks off. Arnold Schwarzenegger does James Bond crossed with Clark Kent, as a high-tech spy who has domestic problems and inadvertently involves his wife (Jamie Lee Curtis) in his latest mission. A wild ride all the way. R (violence, profanity). (Family Center, Sandy Starships, Sugarhouse, Valley Fair.) (July 15, 1994) WES CRAVEN'S NEW NIGHTMARE - * * - Some amusing twists brighten this Felliniesque Freddy Krueger yarn, as writer-director Wes Craven crafts a tale of Freddy coming to life and harrassing the participants in the original "Nightmare on Elm Street" film. Despite the more elaborate trappings, however, in the end it's just another slice-and-dice Freddy flick. R (violence, gore, profanity). (Century, Creekside, Gateway, Midvalley; Redwood, with "Exit to Eden"; Reel, Sandy 9, Trolley Square.) (Oct. 14, 1994) WIDOW'S PEAK - * * * - Enjoyable combination of Agatha Christie and Merchant-Ivory set in a small Irish village during the 1920s. Joan Plowright is the town's dominant force, and it is her curiosity about a young widow (Natasha Richardson) that sets things in motion. Mia Farrow plays a quiet spinster who becomes uncharacteristically antagonistic toward Richardson. Great fun. PG (violence, profanity, vulgarity). (Avalon, Kaysville.) (June 10, 1994) WOLF - * * * - Intelligent, lushly romantic psychological thriller with werewolf trappings is great until it finally caves in to the genre conventions. Still, Jack Nicholson is so good as a Manhattan book editor bitten by a werewolf and watching himself gradually change that even the ending is palatable. Great support from Michelle Pfeiffer, James Spader, etc. R (violence, profanity, vulgarity, sex). (Sugarhouse.) (June 17, 1994)