Dates at the end of capsules indicate the film's initial review in the Deseret News.
NEW FILMS FRIDAY
CELESTIAL CLOCKWORK - Ariadna Gil ("Belle Epoque") stars as a young Venezuelan opera singer trying to make it big in Paris in this musical comedy from Fina Torres, which is actually a modern-day update of the fairytale "Cinderella." In French and Spanish, with English subtitles. Reviewed in this section. Unrated, probably PG-13 (vulgarity, profanity, sex). (Exclusive, Tower.)
THE CROW: CITY OF ANGELS - This sequel to "The Crow," with Vincent Perez in the role originated by the late Brandon Lee, takes place during Day of the Dead celebrations as resurrected Ashe continues to seek vengeance on those who murdered him. To be reviewed when it opens. R (violence, drugs, profanity, sex). (Carmike 12, Century, Creekside, Midvalley; Redwood, with "Supercop"; Reel, Sandy 9, Trolley Corners, Trolley North.)
FIRST KID - Comedian/actor Sinbad ("Houseguest") stars in this slapstick Disney comedy as a Secret Service agent assigned to watch out for the neglected son of the president. Reviewed in this section. PG (violence, profanity, vulgarity, partial nudity). (Carmike 12, Century, Cottonwood, Crossroads, Gateway, Plaza 5400; Redwood, with "The Hunchback of Notre Dame"; Reel, Sandy 9.)
THE STUPIDS - Veteran comedy director John Landis ("Coming to America," "National Lampoon's Animal House") guided this "dumb" comedy based on the popular children's books about Mr. and Mrs. Stupid, their children Buster and Petunia and their dog named "Kitty." Tom Arnold stars. To be reviewed when it opens. PG (violence, profanity, vulgarity). (Century, Creekside, Midvalley, South Towne, Trolley North, Trolley Square.)
THE TRIGGER EFFECT - If technology fails and all our modern conveniences crash, will chaos result? In this ensemble thriller, people in a small town are so dependent on telephones and automatic locks that a power outage disrupts social order. Elisabeth Shue, Dermot Mulroney, Kyle MacLachlan and Michael Rooker star. Reviewed in this section. R (profanity, violence, sex, vulgarity, racial epithets). (Exclusive, Broadway.)
SNEAK PREVIEWS
BOGUS - Director Norman Jewison ("Moonstruck") brings together Whoopi Goldberg and Gerard Depardieu in a comedy about a young boy's imagination. Whoopi plays an uptight mother who tries to get through to her foster son, who has a strange make-believe friend named Bogus (Depardieu). PG (violence, profanity, vulgarity). (Saturday: Midvalley, Sandy 9, Trolley Square.)
THE SPITFIRE GRILL - This light comedy-drama won the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival (under the title, "Care of the Spitfire Grill") and tells the story of a troubled young woman who is released from prison and tries to rebuild her life in a small, gossipy Maine town. Ellen Burstyn co-stars. PG (violence, profanity, sex). (Saturday and Sunday: Carmike 12, Century, Holladay, South Towne, Trolley Square.)
CONTINUING FILMS
THE ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO - * * * - The Disney cartoon will probably remain the classic version of Carlo Collodi's novel, but Martin Landau shines in this surprisingly watchable and faithful live-action adaptation. Landau is charming as ever as the lonely puppeteer Geppetto and Jonathan Taylor Thomas shows admirable restraint in his performance (he provides the voice of the title character, which was created by Jim Henson's Creature Shop). G. (Sugarhouse, Valley Fair.) (July 26, 1996) - J.V.
ALASKA - * 1/2 - This family adventure film features beautiful scenery and a scene-stealing polar bear cub but is doomed by a unbelievably pedestrian plot, a strictly TV-movie-of-the-week script and wooden performances. In it, two teens try to rescue their bush pilot father and befriend a bear cub being hunted by Charlton Heston, playing an evil poacher. Heston's son, Fraser, directed. PG (violence, profanity). (Cinemas 5, Holladay, South Towne; Valley Vu, with "Chain Reaction.") (Aug. 14, 1996) - J.V.
THE CABLE GUY - * * - Jim Carrey's back, this time playing the title character, who wants to be friends with an unsuspecting cable subscriber (Matthew Broderick). But when he's rejected, Carrey tries to destroy his life. This very dark comedy, a variation on "Fatal Attraction," is too mean-spirited to be funny, but isn't scary enough to be a straight thriller. It's a big disappointment coming from director Ben Stiller ("Reality Bites"), and it should probably be rated R. PG-13 (profanity, violence, vulgarity, sex). (Sugarhouse.) (June 14, 1996) - J.V.
CAR POOL - turkey - Tom Arnold stars in this awful slapstick comedy as a bumbling robber who accidentally kidnaps harried executive David Paymer and the carload of kids he's taking to school. There are various detours, none of which is even remotely funny. Plays with "Superior Duck," an inferior new Chuck Jones animated Daffy Duck cartoon. PG (profanity, violence). (Carmike 12, Century, Creekside, Midvalley; Redwood, with "The Nutty Professor"; Sandy 9, Trolley Square.) (Aug. 24, 1996) - J.V.
CHAIN REACTION - * 1/2 - Despite the presence of director Andrew Davis ("The Fugitive"), this action picture about an innocent Chicago man on the run after he is accused of murder (sound familiar?) is dumb to the max. Keanu Reeves is a student working with a scientific team on the verge of perfecting a cheap, pollution-free source of energy when the chief scientist is killed and the project destroyed. Morgan Freeman is the mysterious head of the foundation funding the project and Rachel Weisz is the woman on the run with him. PG-13 (violence, profanity, vulgarity). (South Towne; Valley Vu, with "Alaska.") (Aug. 2, 1996) - C.H.
COLD COMFORT FARM - * * * 1/2 - This low-key but witty comedy, which was actually made for British television by director John Schlesinger ("Midnight Cowboy," "Marathon Man"), is the perfect cure for this summer's overblown blockbuster season. Kate Beckinsale ("Much Ado About Nothing") plays a pampered young woman in the early '30s who finds herself penniless and moves in with her eccentric but delightful relatives on a cursed farm. PG (profanity, sex). (Avalon.) (June 14, 1996) - J.V.
COURAGE UNDER FIRE - * * * 1/2 - High-minded, mostly effective contemporary military drama (which tips its hat to the Japanese classic "Rashomon") about an Army colonel (Denzel Washington) recovering from a gulf war tragedy when he is assigned to review the career of a Medivac pilot (Meg Ryan) killed there. She's also the first female candidate for a combat Medal of Honor, but as he investigates, the colonel finds the witnesses' testimonies conflict. So, who's telling the truth? Cliched government-conspiracy subplot weakens the film somewhat, but most of the way it's first rate, with a shocking conclusion. Washington is excellent, as is Ryan, and Lou Diamond Phillips is also strong in a supporting role. R (violence, gore, profanity, vulgarity). (Cinemas 5, Murray, Olympus, South Towne.) (July 12, 1996) - C.H.
DRAGONHEART - * * 1/2 - Spectacular special effects by the "Jurassic Park" team and a sterling vocal performance by Sean Connery as a dragon save this glorified "buddy picture." Dennis Quaid, with a curious accent, stars as a knight who forms an alliance with a huge dragon named Draco (Connery) to overthrow an evil king in this fantasy-comedy-thriller. Bloody swordfights make it a bit rough for young children, however. PG-13 (violence, gore, vulgarity). (Kaysville, Sugarhouse.) (May 31, 1996) - J.V.
EDDIE - turkey - Whoopi Goldberg stars as the title character, a limo driver and rabid New York Knicks fan who is chosen to be honorary coach for a night - and then is given the job for real - in this unfunny and sometimes tasteless comedy. Even cameos from Mujibur and Sirajul from "The Late Show With David Letterman" and tons of NBA players (including Utah Jazz rookie center Greg Ostertag as a Knicks player) don't help. PG-13 (profanity, vulgarity, very brief partial nudity). (Sugarhouse, Valley Fair.) (May 31, 1996) - J.V.
EMMA - * * * 1/2 - Light, but very satisfying - and frequently hilarious - period romantic comedy adapted from the Jane Austen novel (which was updated last year as "Clueless"). Gwyneth Paltrow fairly glows in this starmaking role, as the meddling, matchmaking title character. Everyone else is good too, while the film nicely balances romance, humor and attention to period detail. A delightful film for all audiences. PG (nothing offensive). (Broadway, Century, Holladay, South Towne.) (Aug. 16, 1996) - C.H.
ERASER - * * - Excessive violence and gore (there are three separate impaling scenes!) rub out most of the fun from the latest Arnold Schwarzenegger vehicle. He stars as a federal marshal assigned to erase the identities of witnesses whose testimony puts them in danger and who is eventually framed as a traitor. There are some exciting, if illogical, action sequences, however. Vanessa Williams, James Caan and James Coburn co-star. R (violence, profanity, gore). (Family Center, Kaysville, Sandy Starships, Sugarhouse, Valley Fair.) (June 21, 1996) - J.V.
THE FAN - turkey - Frustrated knife salesman Robert De Niro first kills the major rival of baseball superstar Wesley Snipes, then stalks him in this unintentionally hilarious suspense film from Tony Scott ("Top Gun," "Crimson Tide"). The dumb premise is only one of the many problems with this violent, overly long and boring thriller. R (violence, profanity, gore, vulgarity, partial nudity). (Carmike 12, Midvalley, Sandy 9, Trolley Square.) (Aug. 16, 1996) - J.V.
FARGO - * * * - Alternately hilarious and shocking, this film noir thriller with homey, domestic Midwest trappings is as eccentric and artful as anything the Coen Brothers have done. But think "Blood Simple," not "Raising Arizona." Character actress Frances McDormand (Joel Coen's wife) stars as a pregnant police chief up to her neck in her first homicide case after a local car salesman's kidnap scheme goes awry. A few missteps, but the dark satire is sharply drawn most of the way. R (violence, gore, sex, nudity, profanity). (Tower.) (March 29, 1996) - C.H.
THE FRIGHTENERS - * * 1/2 - Here's proof that movie trailers can be really misleading. Michael J. Fox plays a con artist pretending to be a ghostbuster, but he's really in league with the spirits he's hired to evict in this special-effects-driven film, which starts off as a benign comedy in the "Ghostbusters" vein but soon turns into a pretty scary, violent thriller. R (violence, profanity, gore, sex, vulgarity). (Sugarhouse, Valley Fair.) (July 19, 1996) - J.V.
HOUSE ARREST - turkey - Dreadful "family" comedy about a bickering married couple (Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Pollak) locked in the basement by their children after they announce they are separating. Soon, schoolmates are luring their own parents into the same basement for similar reasons. The capable cast tries hard, but a mean-spirited tone undercuts the already weak comic material. PG (violence, vulgarity). (Trolley Square.) (Aug. 14, 1996) - C.H.
THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME - * * * 1/2 - A light, feel-good take on Victor Hugo's dark classic, though, as you might expect, it's gorgeously animated. Sincere performances and a surprisingly thoughtful adaptation help, with the usual silly touches for young children. But there are dark moments that may be a bit much for the very young in what is arguably the most adult Disney animated feature yet. Voice talents include Tom Hulce, sweet as Quasimodo; Demi Moore, feisty as voluptuous Gypsy dancer Esmerelda; and Kevin Kline, nicely ironic as the reluctant captain of the guard. G. (Cinemas 5, Flick, Murray, Olympus; Redwood, with "First Kid"; South Towne.) (June 21, 1996) - C.H.
INDEPENDENCE DAY - * * * 1/2 - This derivative but thrilling "Reader's Digest" mix of every seminal sci-fi thriller you can name has evil aliens systematically destroying the Earth's major cities. Great special effects offer a huge "Wow!" factor, but it's the quick pacing, sense of humor and eccentric characters that make it work, as resourceful Americans gather in the Nevada desert to try and find the enemy's Achilles' heel. Terrific performances by Will Smith, Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, Judd Hirsch, Randy Quaid and Brent Spiner. PG-13 (violence, profanity, profanity). (Carmike 12, Century, Cottonwood, Gateway, Midvalley; Redwood, with "Solo"; Reel, Sandy 9, Trolley Corners.) (July 3, 1996) - C.H.
THE ISLAND OF DR. MOREAU - * 1/2 - Veteran director John Frankenheimer updates H.G. Wells' novel about man's inhumanity but somehow leaves the message out until the very end. Marlon Brando hams it up as the title character, a mad doctor on a remote island experimenting with half-human/half-animal mutants, as does Val Kilmer, who plays his drug-addled assistant. The "manimal" makeup and costumes, designed by Stan Winston ("Jurassic Park"), are the real stars. PG-13 (violence, drugs, nudity, sex, profanity). (Broadway, Carmike 12, Gateway, Holladay, Midvalley; Redwood, with "John Carpenter's Escape From L.A."; Sandy 9.) (Aug. 23, 1996) - J.V.
JACK - * * - Robin Williams' goofy performance as an overgrown fifth-grader can't save this uneven comedy-fantasy from Francis Ford Coppola. The premise is promising - Williams' character suffers from a genetic disorder that causes him to age physically four times the normal rate - but the sometimes tasteless and vulgar script seems to have been written by 10-year-olds. Diane Lane and Fran Drescher co-star. PG-13 (profanity, vulgarity, violence). (Flick, Gateway, Plaza 5400; Redwood, with "Phenomenon"; South Towne, Villa.) (Aug. 9, 1996) - J.V.
JOE'S APARTMENT - * 1/2 - Affable Jerry O'Connell (of TV's "Sliders") plays the hapless title character, who travels from Ohio to New York City, only to find the rundown walkup he's rented is filled with 20,000 to 40,000 wisecracking, singing-and-dancing cockroaches (who sound like Alvin and the Chipmunks). A few amusing moments pepper MTV's first feature film, but more often it simply relies on cheap, gross-out gags and should probably be rated R. PG-13 (violence, vulgarity, profanity). (Sugarhouse, Valley Fair.) (July 30, 1996) - C.H.
JOHN CARPENTER'S ESCAPE FROM L.A. - * * 1/2 - Kurt Russell reprises his "Escape from New York" role as muscular, one-eyed felon Snake Plissken, an anti-hero in the post-apocalyptic United States, circa 2013. This time he's on the other coast, after an earthquake has severed Los Angeles from mainland America, making it a prison-island. The plot that is a carbon copy of the first film but wild effects and a zany, dark sense of humor make it work. Terrific supporting cast, most notably Steve Buscemi. R (violence, gore, profanity, vulgarity, brief partial nudity). (Carmike 12, Cottonwood, Flick; Redwood, with "The Island of Dr. Moreau.") (Aug. 9, 1996) - C.H.
LONE STAR - * * * * - An excellent, wonderfully textured, multiple-character drama by independent filmmaker John Sayles ("The Secret of Roan Inish"), about a modern-day sheriff in a small Texas border town who tries to solve a murder mystery that dates back to the late '50s. One of the aspects driving him is that his later father - the town's former sheriff and a legendary local hero - may have been involved. Great cast, nice sense of humor, intelligent approach to serious social issues and a shocking revelation at the end make this one of the year's best so far. R (violence, sex, profanity, vulgarity). (Exclusive, Broadway.) (Aug. 16, 1996) - C.H.
MATILDA - * * * 1/2 - Though it's not as dark as "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" and "James and the Giant Peach," Danny DeVito's version of the Roald Dahl fantasy book still has its blackly humorous moments. DeVito directed, produced and stars in this very funny comedy with his wife Rhea Perlman as the dumb parents of a genius child (Mara Wilson), who may or may not be able to move objects with her mind. PG (violence, mild vulgarity). (Carmike 12, Cottonwood, Gateway, Midvalley, Sandy 9, Trolley Square.) (Aug. 2, 1996) - J.V.
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - * * * - If you're looking for another "Twister"-like wild ride, this Tom Cruise vehicle is your E-ticket - but if you want story and character, look elsewhere. Cruise (who also co-produced) eschews the teamwork of the TV series, becoming a lone-wolf agent early on. (The film also deals a crooked hand to fans of the series with its treatment of a particular character.) But the action set-pieces are certainly worth your summer entertainment buck. PG-13 (violence, profanity). (Family Center, Kaysville, Sandcastle, Sandy Starships, Sugarhouse, Valley Fair.) (May 22, 1996) - C.H.
MULTIPLICITY - * * * - Flawed but frequently hilarious special-effects comedy, lifted by Michael Keaton's performances in four distinctive roles, as a harried businessman who allows a geneticist to clone him - twice. Then the clones get another clone (but you know how bad a copy of a copy can be . . . ). There are moments when you would swear Keaton had to be cloned to pull this one off. Sluggish in places and one sexual sequence is awfully raunchy for the PG-13 rating, but when it's funny, it's really funny. PG-13 (sex, profanity, vulgarity). (Cinemas 5, Olympus, Sandcastle, South Towne.) (July 17, 1996) - C.H.
THE NUTTY PROFESSOR - * 1/2 - Eddie Murphy is very good in this remake of the 1963 Jerry Lewis comedy, a variation on "Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde," especially as the title character, a 400-pound lonely science professor. He also plays six other characters, including the dashing, obnoxious romantic who springs from his potion. But the humor is all fat jokes, flatulence gags and sexual utterances from an elderly woman. A real waste of talent. How'd this one slip by without an R rating? PG-13 (vulgarity, profanity, violence, brief nudity). (Cinemas 5; Redwood, with "Carpool.") (June 28, 1996) - C.H.
OLIVER & COMPANY - * * * - Disney's 1988 animated feature, which places Charles Dickens' "Oliver Twist" in a modern-day urban setting with animal characters, isn't the studio's most artistic effort, but it's still a lot of rip-roaring fun as Dodger the mutt (voiced by Billy Joel) takes Oliver the kitten under his paw and shows him how to live on the streets of Manhattan. Bette Midler and Cheech Marin steal the show as, respectively, a prissy poodle and a feisty chihuahua. G. (Kaysville.) (March 29, 1996) - C.H.
THE PHANTOM - * * - This adaptation of Lee Salk's comic strip is actually based on the first two Phantom adventures, but the film is a punchless ripoff of the "Indiana Jones" adventures. This pale shadow of its source material is also nowhere near as campy as it should have
been. Billy Zane fills the purple spandex tights well, but Treat Williams and Kristy Swanson (as his nemesis and love interest, respectively) are just awful in supporting roles. PG (violence, profanity, mild vulgarity). (Sugarhouse.) (June 7, 1996) - J.V.
PHENOMENON - * * * - Reworking of "Flowers for Algernon" (filmed as "Charly") casts John Travolta as an ordinary Joe who finds himself thrust into the limelight when a strange blinding flash leaves him with remarkable "off-the-scale" intelligence and telekinetic abilities. Travolta plays it subtly and he's excellent, as are Robert Duvall, Forest Whitaker and Kyra Sedgwick. The film is too long and the windup is certainly protracted (there are at least three endings), but you'll have a great time. PG (profanity, vulgarity, brief partial nudity). (Broadway, Carmike 12, Creekside, Gateway, Plaza 5400; Redwood, with "Jack"; Sandy 9.) (July 3, 1996) - C.H.
THE ROCK - * 1/2 - Grotesquely violent, irritatingly directed "Die Hard" clone, set on Alcatraz Island where a disgruntled general (Ed Harris) and his commando team threaten to launch rockets armed with lethal nerve gas into San Francisco. Mild-mannered FBI agent Nicolas Cage and 30-year federal prisoner Sean Connery race to the rescue, though they mostly just gawk at fireballs and shattering glass. R (violence, gore, profanity, vulgarity, sex). (Family Center, Sandy Starships, Sugarhouse, Valley Fair.) (June 7, 1996) - C.H.
SOLO - turkey - Mario Van Peebles does a hilarious Arnold Scwarzenegger impression as the title character, a warrior android who is trained as an assassin, but begins to feel human emotions. Unfortunately for him, as well as the audience, it's supposed to be a futuristic action-thriller rather than a comedy. R (violence, profanity). (Century, Gateway, Holladay; Redwood, with "Independence Day"; South Towne, Trolley Square.) (Aug. 23, 1996) - J.V.
SUPERCOP - * * * - Jackie Chan in the third chapter of his "Police Story" film series (originally released as "Police Story III: Supercop"), but Michelle Khan is just as good - and maybe even better. The two play undercover officers trying to catch a Chinese drug lord in this action film, which contains some spectacular stunt work. Dubbed in English. R (violence). (Redwood, with "The Crow: City of Angels.") (July 26, 1996) - J.V.
TALES FROM THE CRYPT PRESENTS BORDELLO OF BLOOD - turkey - Horror-comedies are supposed to be both funny and scary and this tasteless nudie bloodbath, the second of three "Tales From the Crypt" movies, is neither. Dennis Miller plays a down-and-out detective who tracks a missing teen (the ever-irritating Corey Feldman) to a funeral home/-bordello run by a vampire maven (supermodel Angie Everhart). R (violence, gore, nudity, sex, vulgarity, profanity). (Carmike 12.) (Aug. 19, 1996) - J.V.
A TIME TO KILL - * * - Adaptation of John Grisham's first book tries to do too much, simply skimming across the surface of its many plots and characters. Sandra Bullock (top-billed but in a supporting role), Donald and Kiefer Sutherland, Kevin Spacey, Ashley Judd and newcomer Matthew McConaughey are all good, but Oliver Platt handily steals his scenes with much-needed comic relief, and Samuel L. Jackson is so strong you'll wish he had more screen time. The story has a pair of idealistic lawyers defending a black man after he kills two racist thugs who assaulted his 9-year-old daughter. Manipulative as all get out, and in the end it seems hollow. R (violence, profanity). (Carmike 12, Century, Crossroads, Gateway, Holladay, Plaza 5400, Sandy 9.) (July 24, 1996) - C.H.
TIN CUP - * * - Light-as-a-feather romantic comedy, with Kevin Costner as a professional golfer who has fallen on hard times and tries to pick himself up by winning the U.S. Open. Amiable, with some amusing moments, and a terrific supporting performance from Cheech Marin. But writer-director Ron Shelton (who worked with Costner on "Bull Durham") misfires by trying to turn the film into a golf version of "The Natural." Too long, and Costner and Rene Russo have no chemistry. Don Johnson has fun as the villain. R (sex, nudity, profanity, vulgarity). (Century, Holladay, Plaza 5400, Reel, South Towne, Trolley Corners, Trolley North.) (Aug. 16, 1996) - C.H.
TRAINSPOTTING - * * 1/2 - From the folks who gave us "Shallow Grave" comes this harrowingly dark comedy-drama, adapted from the infamous novel by Irvine Welsh. Set in the slums of Edinburgh, it tells a self-destructive group of heroin junkies who begin a steady downward spiral, eventually leading to death and double-crosses. There are some very good performances and some very funny parts, but these characters aren't sympathetic enough for us to really care about what happens to them. R (profanity, drugs, violence, sex, nudity, vulgarity). (Exclusive, Broadway.) (Aug. 9, 1996) - J.V.
TWISTER - * * * - Forget the silly story and just go with the amazing special effects and the thrilling, ridiculously implausible "Indiana Jones"-style narrow escapes. This thriller from Steven Spielberg's production company stars Helen Hunt (at her most charming) and Bill Paxton, who lead a team of on a tornado chase, as they try to catch the biggest storm to hit Oklahoma. Jan De Bont ("Speed") directed. PG-13 (violence, profanity, vulgarity). (Family Center, Kaysville, Sandcastle, Sandy Starships, Sugarhouse, Valley Fair.) (May 10, 1996) - C.H.
A VERY BRADY SEQUEL - * 1/2 - The cast of "A Very Brady Movie" (including Shelley Long and Gary Cole) is back again, stretching an already very thin joke - parodying the '70s sitcom - way too far. Tim Matheson co-stars as a man who may be Carol's long-lost husband, a complication that wreaks havoc at the tranquil (but groovy) Brady household. PG-13 (vulgarity, drugs, profanity, violence). (Carmike 12, Century, Cottonwood, Crossroads, Gateway, Plaza 5400, Reel, Sandy 9.) (Aug. 23, 1996) - J.V.