NEW FILMS FRIDAY
BULWORTH - Shades of "Liar Liar." This comedy stars Warren Beatty (who also co-wrote and directed) as a depressed U.S. senator who hires a hitman to kill him, but he soon finds himself rising to prominence because of his truthful stances. Halle Berry co-stars as his love interest. Reviewed in this section on Page W5. R (profanity, vulgarity, drug use, violence, gore, racial epithets, nude artwork). (Century, Holladay, Midvalley, South Towne, Trolley North, Trolley Square.)
FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS - Johnny Depp stars as "gonzo journalist" Hunter S. Thompson in this adaptation of the infamous novel, a drug-culture comedy about his debauched journey to the gambling mecca. Directed by Terry Gilliam ("Twelve Monkeys"). Reviewed in this section on Page W4. R (profanity, drug use, vulgarity, violence, nudity, gore, racial epithets). (Crossroads, Holladay, Midvalley, Sandy 9.)
RE-RELEASES
ANTONIO GAUDI - Restored version of Japanese director Hiroshi Teshigahara's 1984 documentary on early 20th century architect Antonio Gaudi, whose designs incorporated organic shapes (i.e., a staircase that looks like a backbone). Aside from an interview with one of Gaudi's longtime assistants, the film features no dialogue and uses Catalonian folk music to convey atmosphere. In Spanish, with English subtitles. Not rated, probable PG (some violent images). (Exclusive, Tower.)
ENTER THE DRAGON - * * * 1/2 - The film that made martial-arts movies "acceptable" for worldwide consumption, this terrific 1973 action-thriller stars Bruce Lee as a mysterious fighter entered in a deadly combat competition. Includes some of the greatest Lee fights ever recorded, especially the tense finale set in a hall of mirrors. This 25th anniversary version features cleaned-up sound and visuals, as well as some additional footage. R (violence, gore). (Exclusive, Tower.)
SPECIAL SCREENINGS
MELVIN'S LAST BAPTISM - A quirky comedic short by local director Shirlee Wilson, which is her college master's thesis project. It's about the inhabitants of a retirement home that treats its occupants as if they were already dead until they are led to the "promised land" by one of their own. Also, Frederick Jones' short "Meritt Leming." This program is not rated but may contain some PG or PG-13 level material. (Salt Lake Art Center, Friday only, 8 p.m.)
THE NATURAL - * * * 1/2 - Robert Redford heads a top-notch cast - co-stars include Robert Duvall, Glenn Close, Wilford Brimley, Barbara Hershey, Kim Basinger and Richard Farnsworth - in this mystical fantasy about baseball and America. Funny, touching grand entertainment. A few silly contrivances should be overlooked in favor of old-fashioned, spirited style, gorgeous photography and sharp storytelling. PG (violence, profanity). (Avalon.) (May 11, 1984) - Chris Hicks
CONTINUING FILMS
THE APOSTLE - * * * 1/2 - Robert Duvall's long-overdue third film as a director is this drama about a disgraced preacher (Duvall) who rediscovers his faith when he's forced to flee Texas after viciously beating another man. Religion and faith usually aren't portrayed nearly as sympathetically and intelligently as they are here, and all the performances are very strong. PG-13 (profanity, violence, racial epithets). (Carmike 12.) (Feb. 13, 1998)
AS GOOD AS IT GETS - * * * 1/2 - Alternately dramatic and brutally funny, this comedy from writer/director James Brooks ("I'll Do Anything") wouldn't fly if not for the stellar performance by Oscar winner Jack Nicholson as a tactless romance novelist. Greg Kinnear is surprisingly subtle as a gay artist, but Oscar winner Helen Hunt is miscast as Nicholson's romantic foil. PG-13 (profanity, vulgarity, nudity, violence, racial epithets). (Kaysville; Redwood, with "Titanic"; Sandy Starships, Sugar House, Valley Fair.) (Dec. 26, 1997)
BARNEY'S GREAT ADVENTURE: THE MOVIE - * * 1/2 - Childless adults will find many reasons to run and hide and older kids will scoff, but this musical/comedy based on the PBS television show is a charming celebration of imagination. It helps that the movie gives the naysayers a voice. Featuring original songs written by Broadway composer Jerry Herman ("Hello Dolly," "Mame"). G. (Sandy Starships, Sugar House, Valley Fair.) (April 3, 1998) - Robert Philpot, Fort-Worth Star-Telegram
BLACK DOG - * - Try to imagine "Smokey and the Bandit" played for thrills and you might get an impression of what this silly action picture is all about. And pity poor Patrick Swayze, who's out-acted by musician Randy Travis, as the two play truckers duped into becoming illegal gunrunners. PG-13 (violence, profanity, gore, vulgarity). (Cinemas 5.) (May 3, 1998)
THE BORROWERS - * * 1/2 - Marred by some tasteless and vulgar jokes, this big-screen version of Mary Norton's beloved children books - about a clan of very, very tiny people trying to thwart an evil developer (John Goodman) - has some dazzling visuals and a brisk pace. But in the process, some of the charm is lost. PG (violence, vulgarity, mild profanity). (Kaysville, Valley Fair.) (Feb. 13, 1998)
CITY OF ANGELS - * * * - Loosely based on the 1987 art-house film "Wings of Desire," this romantic drama/fantasy stars Nicolas Cage as an angel who's torn between duty and the love of a heart surgeon (Meg Ryan). The story's fine until things take a turn towards weepy melodrama. Fine performance from Cage and Ryan, as well as co-stars Dennis Franz and Andre Braugher, though. PG-13 (profanity, violence, sex, nudity, hospital gore, vulgarity). (Broadway, Carmike 12, Century, Gateway, Holladay, Plaza 5400; Redwood, with "Quest for Camelot"; Sandy 9.) (April 10, 1998)
DEEP IMPACT - * * - Possibly the dullest disaster film ever made, this all-talk-and-no-action flick wastes an all-star cast - including Robert Duvall, Tea Leoni, Morgan Freeman and Elijah Wood, who try to survive when scientists discover that a huge comet is on a collision course with the Earth. Not worth sticking around for the 10 minutes worth of destruction, frankly. PG-13 (profanity, violence). (Carmike 12, Century, Cottonwood, Crossroads, Gateway, Plaza 5400; Redwood, with "Neil Simon's The Odd Couple II"; Reel, Sandy 9.) (May 8, 1998)
GODZILLA - * * - Despite the awesome computer graphics-created title character, which rampages through Manhattan rather than Tokyo this time, this sci-fi/thriller from the "Independence Day" filmmaking team is a too-transparent ripoff of the "Jurassic Park" movies. Kids will probably love it, but adults may find themselves wanting better-developed characters and situations. A few thrills and a couple of chuckles, but on whole pretty disappointing. PG-13 (violence, profanity). (Century, Cottonwood, Gateway, Midvalley; Redwood, with "Men in Black"; Reel, South Towne, Trolley Corners.) (May 20, 1998)
GOOD WILL HUNTING - * * * 1/2 - Well-acted, though also profane and vulgar, comedy-drama about a troubled 20-something mathematics genius (Matt Damon) who must undergo therapy (from Oscar winner Robin Williams, playing a down-on-his-luck college professor) as part of his parole. Damon and co-star Ben Affleck also wrote the Academy Award-winning screenplay. R (profanity, vulgarity, violence, sex, nude paintings, racial epithets). (Brewvies, Cinemas 5.) (Dec. 26, 1997)
HE GOT GAME - * * * - It wouldn't be a Spike Lee film if it weren't too long and extremely self indulgent, but the writer/director's latest features strong performances from Denzel Washington, as a prisoner who is temporarily paroled, and Ray Allen (from the NBA Milwaukee Bucks), playing his estranged son, a talented high school basketball player. R (profanity, vulgarity, sex, nudity, racial epithets, violence, drug use). (Broadway, Carmike 12, Creekside, Midvalley, Sandy 9.) (May 1, 1998)
THE HORSE WHISPERER - * * * * - A case of the movie actually being better than the book, Robert Redford's long-anticipated adaptation of the Nicholas Evans best-seller stars Redford as a horse trainer who helps heal a wounded animal, as well as its young rider and her mother (Kristin Scott Thomas, from "The English Patient"). Wonderfully low-key, with superb photography that makes great use of the beautiful Montana scenery. PG-13 (profanity, violence, gore). (Broadway, Gateway, Plaza 5400, Reel, South Towne, Villa.) (May 15, 1998)
HUSH - * - This dull thriller about an evil mother-in-law (Jessica Lange) has more problems than just a bad title (though several others, including "Kilronan," were rejected). Lange and co-star Gwyneth Paltrow are hammy and wooden, respectively, and the script's unintentionally hilarious. PG-13 (profanity, violence, vulgarity, gore, nudity, sex). (Sandy Starships, Sugar House, Valley Fair.) (March 6, 1998)
LES MISERABLES - * * * - This dramatic, not musical, adaptation of Victor Hugo's classic novel suffers from choppy pacing (due to studio-mandated cuts) and a lack of necessary melodrama. Still, the performances by Liam Neeson and "Shine's" Geoffrey Rush, as longtime antagonists Jean Valjean and Inspector Javert, are superb, as is Uma Thurman, playing the doomed Fantine. PG-13 (violence, gore, partial nudity, profanity, vulgarity). (Carmike 12, Creekside, Midvalley, Sandy 9, Trolley North, Trolley Square.) (May 1, 1998)
LOST IN SPACE - * * 1/2 - Neither as good nor as bad as you might think, this big-screen version of the cult '60s television series, a science-fiction take on "Swiss Family Robinson," is decent if unexceptional eye-candy. However, things bog down in the second half, with a time-travel storyline that makes no sense. PG-13 (violence, gore, profanity, vulgarity). (Carmike 12, Century, Midvalley, Olympus, Sandy 9.) (April 3, 1998)
LOVE AND DEATH ON LONG ISLAND - * * * - Great performances by British character actor John Hurt and TV star Jason Priestley as well as some odd humorous touches highlight this comedy/drama about a reclusive, technophobic novelist (Hurt) who becomes so obsessed with an B-movie actor/teen idol (Priestley) that he flies to America to be near him. R (profanity, vulgarity, sex, nudity, violence). (Carmike 12.) (March 27, 1998)
THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK - * * - Who says two Leonardo DiCaprios are better than one? The "Titanic" star is downright awful playing twin brothers - one the evil King of France and the other a sweet-natured prisoner - in this dimwitted adaptation of the Alexandre Dumas novel. Still, the dream casting of actors playing the Four Musketeers (Gabriel Byrne, John Malkovich, Gerard Depardieu and Jeremy Irons) almost saves things. PG-13 (violence, vulgarity, sex, nudity, profanity). (Cinemas 5.) (March 13, 1998)
MEET THE DEEDLES - turkey - In the "grand" tradition of the "Bill and Ted" movies comes this awful and unfunny Disney comedy (filmed partly in Park City), which follows two surfer-dude brothers who try to prove themselves to their millionaire father and wind up trying to save Yellowstone National Park from a deranged former park ranger (Dennis Hopper). PG (vulgarity, violence, bikini babes, sex). (Kaysville.) (March 27, 1998)
MEN IN BLACK - * * * - There are a few uneven moments, but this sci-fi/thriller comedy from the director of "The Addams Family" and "Get Shorty" is pretty amusing. In it, two dark-suited security agents (Will Smith and the scene-stealing Tommy Lee Jones) must stop an intergalactic terrorist from stealing a galaxy. Great special effects and audacious sight gags certainly help, but most of them have already been given away by the movie trailers. PG-13 (violence, profanity, gore, vulgarity). (Redwood, with "Godzilla.") (July 3, 1998)
MERCURY RISING - * 1/2 - Call this by-the-numbers Bruce Willis thriller "Who's Trying to Kill Gilbert Grape?" In it, he plays an outcast FBI agent hired to protect a 9-year-old autistic savant who's accidentally cracked a top-secret governmental military code. Not nearly exciting enough, and the plot is so ludicrous it's laughable. R (violence, profanity, vulgarity). (Sugar House, Valley Fair.) (April 3, 1998)
MR. NICE GUY - * * - Action star Jackie Chan's newest, a martial-arts comedy about a TV chef accidentally dragged into a turf war between a motorcycle gang and a drug lord, almost lives up to its advertised promise of having "more action than the last three Jackie Chan films combined." But its plot is too thin, the acting is abominable and the ending is pretty dull, frankly. PG-13 (violence, vulgarity, profanity, nude artwork). (Sugar House, Valley Fair.) (March 20, 1998)
NEIL SIMON'S THE ODD COUPLE II - * * - Call this badly thought-out sequel, which brings neat freak Felix Ungar (Jack Lemmon) and slob Oscar Madison (Walter Matthau) back together for the wedding of the children, "The Grumpy Old Odd Couple." Matthau actually brings some life to the weak script, but Lemmon is annoying and the duo's road adventures are pretty lame. PG-13 (profanity, vulgarity, violence). (Redwood, with "Deep Impact.") (April 10, 1998)
THE NEWTON BOYS - * * * - Star power helps bail out this uneven but factually based drama from writer/director Richard Linklater ("Before Sunrise") about four brothers (Matthew McConaughey, Ethan Hawke, Skeet Ulrich and Vincent D'Onofrio) who became the most successful bank robbers in U.S. history. Well-placed humor doesn't hurt either. PG-13 (violence, profanity, vulgarity, gore, torture, brief nudity). (Sugar House.) (March 27, 1998)
THE OBJECT OF MY AFFECTION - * * 1/2 - Not the romantic comedy the ads make it appear to be, this uneven comedy/drama stars Jennifer Aniston as a pregnant crisis counselor who asks her gay roommate (Paul Rudd) to raise the child with her and winds up falling for him. A stellar supporting cast (including Alan Alda and Nigel Hawthorne) helps elevate the material. R (profanity, vulgarity, violence, drug use). (Carmike 12, Century, Cinemas 5, Olympus, Sandy 9.) (April 17, 1998)
PAULIE - * * * - Here's the year's most pleasant surprise to date: a charming kids comedy about the title character, a parrot who learns to speak and comprehend the human language and who yearns to be reunited with his original owner. A great cast of human co-stars (Tony Shalhoub, Gena Rowlands and Cheech Marin) certainly doesn't hurt. Jay Mohr, from "Jerry Maguire," lends his voice to the character. PG (profanity). (Carmike 12, Creekside, Midvalley, Sandy 9.) (April 17, 1998)
THE PLAYERS CLUB - Rapper/actor Ice Cube makes his writing and directing debut with this comedy-drama about a struggling single mother (newcomer Lisaraye) who takes a job as a dancer in a thriving "gentlemen's club." Co-stars include Ice Cube and Jamie Foxx. R (profanity, nudity, sex, violence, vulgarity). (Midvalley.)
PRIMARY COLORS - * * - Proof that you can't judge a film by its casting, this political satire/drama (based on the best-seller by "Anonymous") suffers because it relies too heavily on John Travolta's unsuccessful Clinton impression and because of some very uneven pacing. It's also far too heavy-handed. The supporting cast (Adrian Lester, Billy Bob Thornton and Kathy Bates) almost makes it work, though. R (profanity, vulgarity, violence, racial epithets, brief partial nudity). (Sugar House, Valley Fair.) (March 20, 1998)
QUEST FOR CAMELOT - * * - Flat animation and unmemorable songs are just several of the many problems facing this dull animated musical, a feminist revision of the King Arthur legends that's based on a famous fantasy novel. In it, the daughter of a slain knight and a blind warrior, who try to recover King Arthur's mystical sword, Excalibur. Deadly dull. G (animated violence). (Creekside, Midvalley; Redwood, with "City of Angels"; Reel, South Towne, Trolley North, Trolley Square.) (May 15, 1998)
SCREAM 2 - * * - There are some very funny comedic moments in this sequel to 1996's surprise hit slasher/comedy, which picks up the story two years later and brings back surviving stars Neve Campbell, David Arquette and Courteney Cox). But the killings this time around are more gruesome and not nearly as clever as screenwriter Kevin Williamson intended. Still, the film-within-a-film parody of the first movie almost makes things worth it. R (violence, gore, profanity, vulgarity). (Brewvies, Redwood, with Species II"; Sugar House, Valley Fair.) (Dec. 12, 1997)
SLIDING DOORS - * * - A lack of chemistry between the leads seriously hampers this uneven comedy/fantasy, a variation on "It's a Wonderful Life," which follows what happens when a young woman (Gwyneth Paltrow, sporting a bad British accent) misses a London subway train, as well as what happens when she makes it to the train station on time. PG-13 (profanity, vulgarity, sex, brief partial nudity, violence). (Holladay, South Towne, Trolley Square.) (April 24, 1998)
THE SPANISH PRISONER - * * - Proof that playwrights don't necessarily make good filmmakers, this low-key thriller from David Mamet ("Oleanna") features clever plotting and decent pacing, but irritatingly robotic acting that robs it of life. Campbell Scott is at his most wooden, playing a young businessman unsure of whom to trust after he invents a revolutionary business strategy. PG (violence, profanity, gore, racial epithets). (Broadway, Sandy 9.) (May 8, 1998)
SPECIES II - Actually worse than the original, 1995' surprise hit, this sickening but at times laughable science-fiction/thriller reunites cast members Michael Madsen, Natasha Henstridge and Marg Helgenberger, as they try to track down a murderous astronaut "infected" with alien DNA. R (gore, violence, sex, nudity, profanity, attempted rape, vulgarity). (Redwood, with "Scream 2.") (April 12, 1998)
TARZAN AND THE LOST CITY - turkey - If not for the 1981 soft-core Bo Derek picture "Tarzan the Ape Man," this laughable adventure film, starring Casper Van Dien ("Starship Troopers") as Edgar Rice Burroughs' most famous character, would probably be the worst Tarzan movie in existence. Poorly acted, with cheesy dialogue and special effects. PG (violence, partial nudity, mild profanity). (Kaysville, Sugar House, Valley Fair.) (April 26, 1998)
TITANIC - * * * - Too long by at least 45 minutes, director James Cameron's romance/adventure epic - set aboard the ill-fated passenger ship - is also more passionate and thrilling than most of what we've seen lately. Things are helped enormously by stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, playing doomed lovers, and the fact that almost all of the reported $200 million budget seems to have gone to the dazzling historical recreations. Winner of 11 Academy Awards. PG-13 (profanity, violence, nudity, vulgarity, sex). (Broadway, Carmike 12, Holladay, Plaza 5400; Redwood, with "As Good as it Gets"; Reel, Sandy 9.) (Dec. 19, 1997)
TWO GIRLS AND A GUY - * 1/2 - Featuring one of the worst film performances in recent history (from newcomer Natasha Gregson Wagner, daughter of the late Natalie Wood), this wildly over-the-top black comedy about two women (Wagner and Heather Graham) who confront their "shared" boyfriend (Robert Downey Jr.) doesn't score with any of the points it tries to make. R (profanity, sex, vulgarity, violence, gore). (Brewvies.) (April 24, 1998)
U.S. MARSHALS - * * - There are some exciting stunts in this spinoff of the 1993 hit "The Fugitive," but they're obvious retreads of action sequences from the first film (as well as "Con Air" and others) and the plot's not up to snuff. Also, Tommy Lee Jones does a fine job reprising his role, even though Wesley Snipes isn't nearly interesting enough as the subject of his hunt. PG-13 (violence, profanity, gore, vulgarity). (Kaysville, Sandy Starships, Sugar House, Valley Fair.) (March 6, 1998)
THE WEDDING SINGER - * * 1/2 - Surprising chemistry from stars Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore helps save this silly but sweet romantic comedy, set in the mid-'80s, about a struggling musician and wedding entertainer who falls in love with a waitress who's engaged to be married. PG-13 (profanity, vulgarity, violence, partial nudity). (Cinemas 5, Kaysville, Sandy Starships, Sugar House, Valley Fair.) (Feb. 13, 1998)
*****
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