ANALYZE THIS
Very funny film about a powerful New York crime lord (Robert De
Niro) who's having trouble with emotional outbursts, and the
hapless psychiatrist (Billy Crystal) recruited to turn him back
into a happy-go-lucky gangster. A New York Mafia Don, having
problems keeping his empire together, turns to the shrink to
make him strong again, bringing him into the family, so to
speak, ruining his marriage plans and complicating his practice.
Great chemistry between De Niro and Crystal; some wonderful
sight gags. Any film that skewers both the Mafia and psychiatry
gets our nod.
CC, (MPAA rating: R, 103 min.), Comedy, 1999, Box office
gross: $104.000 million, (Warner), No SRP, Priced for rental,
Available: 8/17, DVD: Day & Date.
Director: Harold
Ramis. Stars: Robert De Niro, Billy Crystal, Lisa Kudrow, Chazz
Palminteri. CC, (MPAA rating: R, 103 min.), Comedy, 1999, Box
office gross: $104.000 million, (Warner), No SRP,
Priced for rental Available: 8/17, DVD: Day
& Date.
CELEBRITY
Woody Allen's latest, a black and white diatribe that attacks
our culture's fascination with fame and infamy, starring Kenneth
Branagh as a writer (Allen's alter ego) going through a mid-life
crisis, leaving his wife (Judy Davis) to pursue greener pastures
among the cultural elite, including aborted trysts with assorted
stars and models. If you can stand another Woody Allen mid-life
crisis film -- it seems that he's had the longest-running mid-
life crisis in the history of film and man -- then this is for
you. Co-stars Melanie Griffith, Winona Ryder, Joe Mantegna.
Director: Woody
Allen. Stars: Kenneth Branagh, Judy Davis, Melanie Griffith,
Michael Lerner, Winona Ryder, Joe Mantegna. CC, (MPAA rating: R,
112 min.), Comedy, 1998, Box office gross: $5.032 million,
(Miramax), No SRP, Priced for rental
Available: 8/10, DVD: Day &
Date.
CRUEL
INTENTIONS
A modern updating of the classic novel of sexual deception and
betrayal, "Les Liaisons Dangereuses," here with a hip young cast
featuring Sarah Michelle Gellar and Ryan Phillippe as bored rich
siblings-by-marriage who get their kicks manipulating others.
The plot turns on a challenge to the stepbrother: that he
deflower the daughter (Reese Witherspoon) of their school's
headmaster. The prize -- his stepsister. Money and snobbery
come to the fore here but, as in any moral fable, love conquers
all. Sexy and wicked.
Director: Roger
Kumble. Stars: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, Reese
Witherspoon, Selma Blair. CC, (MPAA rating: R, 97 min.), Drama,
1999, Box office gross: $37.623 million, (Columbia TriStar),
No SRP, Priced for rental, Available:
8/3, DVD: Day & Date.
EDTV
In order to offset a ratings slide, a local cable channel comes
up with the idea of putting one ordinary person's life -- a
thirtysomething video store clerk (Matthew McConuaghey) -- on TV
24 hours a day. Dubbed EDtv, the show becomes a hit. But what at
first seems like a good idea -- Ed enjoys the celebrityhood --
soon turns sour as the young man's family life begins to
deteriorate. Directed by Ron Howard and co-starring Jenna
Elfman, Woody Harrelson, Dennis Hopper, Ellen Degeneres and
Sally Kirkland.
Director: Ron
Howard. Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Jenna Elfman, Woody
Harrelson, Ellen Degeneres, Sally Kirkland. CC, (MPAA rating:
PG-13, 123 min.), Comedy, 1999, Box office gross: $22.362
million, (Universal), No SRP, Priced for
rental, Available: 8/17, DVD: Day &
Date.
GO
Edgy comedy about a group of young Los Angelenos whose lives
collide in one 24-hour period surrounding a botched drug deal;
misadventures involve sex, partying, Las Vegas antics,
multi-level marketing, with four separate -- but related --
stories told using overlapping time frames. The Rashomon-like
gimmick actually works here as you follow these kids' descend
into a labyrinth of wrong turns and bad choices. Somehow it all
works out in the end. Director Doug Liman ("Swingers") needs a
little seasoning -- his immaturity still shows. Overall, though,
it's a very interesting black comedy. Stars Scott Wolf, Katie
Holmes, Sarah Polley, Jay Mohr, Desmond Askew and Taye Diggs.
Director: Doug Liman. Stars: Scott
Wolf, Katie Holmes, Sarah Polley, Jay Mohr, Desmond Askew, Taye Diggs.
CC, (MPAA rating: R, 102 min.), Comedy, 1999, Box office
gross: $16.551 million, (Columbia TriStar), No SRP, Priced for
rental, Available: 8/24, DVD: Day & Date.
MESSAGE IN A
BOTTLE
Lackluster romance about a lovelorn journalist (Robin Wright
Penn) who tracks down the writer (Kevin Costner) of a romantic
note she finds in a bottle washed up on the beach, setting off a
long-distance romance. Costner grieves over his departed wife
and writes love letters to her, putting them into the sea in
empty bottles. Wright swoons for Costner, and the pair
eventually get to know each other -- and fill in the voids of
their lives. A love story for the fortysomething set.
Director: Luis
Mandoki. Stars: Kevin Costner, Robin Wright Penn, Paul Newman,
John Savage, Illeana Douglas, Robbie Coltrane. CC, (MPAA rating:
PG-13, 126 min.), Romance, 1999, Box office gross: $52.799
million, (Warner), No SRP, Priced for rental,
Available: 8/3, DVD: Day & Date.
MOD SQUAD, THE
Updating of the 1960s-70s TV cop drama about a group of hip
teens (Claire Danes, Giovanni Ribisi and Omar Epps) in trouble
with the law who are given the opportunity to escape their
sentences by working as undercover cops. The trio track down
dopers for their mentor, Captain Greer (Dennis Farina), until
he's suspiciously murdered, then go on their own, running from
both the cops and the bad guys. Unbelievable story line is
exacerbated by off-the wall, overly theatrical acting by the
youngsters. Wasn't very cool then and certainly isn't cool now.
Director: Scott
Silver. Stars: Claire Danes, Giovanni Ribisi, Omar Epps, Denis
Farina. CC, (MPAA rating: R, 92 min.), Action, 1999, Box
office gross: $13.249 million, (MGM), No SRP,
Priced for rental, Available: 8/10, DVD:
Day & Date.
OFFICE SPACE
A stressed out office worker goes in for therapy and comes out
with a new philosophy: work sucks. Intent on becoming an
unemployed slacker, he shows up to work late (if at all), plays
computer games, destroys property, tells off his boss -- and
promptly gets a promotion for his efforts. He finally gets
involved in a high-tech embezzling scheme as a one-way ticket to
easy street. Sheer fantasy starring Ron Livingston and Jennifer
Aniston.
Director: Mike
Judge. Stars: Ron Livingston, Jennifer Aniston. CC, (MPAA rating:
R, 90 min.), Comedy, 1999, Box office gross: $10.824 million,
(Fox), No SRP, Priced for rentalx
Available: 8/17, DVD: Day &
Date.
SHAKESPEARE IN
LOVE
What a wonderful idea: take the greatest writer in the English
language, give him writer's block, have him fall in love with an
aspiring actress, and viola, he writes "Romeo and Juliet." With
great direction and acting, this light-hearted revision of
history -- with wonderful literary allusions and asides and a
ribald rivalry between acting companies of the Elizabethan stage
-- is a delightful viewing experience. Winner of seven Academy
Awards including Best Picture. Stars Gwyneth Paltrow, Joseph
Fiennes, Geoffrey Rush, Colin Firth, Judi Dench and Ben Affleck.
Director: John
Madden. Stars: Gwyneth Paltrow, Joseph Fiennes, Geoffrey Rush,
Colin Firth, Judi Dench, Ben Affleck. CC, (MPAA rating: R, 122
min.), Comedy, 1998, Box office gross: $100.000 million,
(Miramax), No SRP, Priced for rental,
Available: 8/10, DVD: Day &
Date.
SIMPLY
IRRESISTIBLE
A beautiful restaurant owner (Sarah Michelle Gellar of TV's
"Buffy the Vampire Slayer") whose establishment is on the skids
goes after Mr. Right, a hard-working executive (Sean Patrick
Flanery), also in the restaurant business, who doesn't know she
exists until he falls under her tantalizing spell, thanks to a
mysterious fairy-godfather and some sensuous cooking. Despite
pleasant stars, there's very little momentum -- nor magic -- in
the story.
Director: Mark Tarlov. Stars: Sarah Michelle
Gellar, Sean Patrick Flanery. CC, (MPAA rating: PG-13, 100
min.), Romantic Comedy, 1999, Box office gross: $4.394
million, (Fox), No SRP, Priced for rental,
Available: 8/17, DVD: Day &
Date.
SIX WAYS TO
SUNDAY
Inventive, clever, stylish indie film about an 18-year-old man (Norman Reedus)
who discovers his true calling in life: as a small-time hood unafraid to bash
some heads and spill some blood for his job. Based on the 1962 novel "Portrait
of a Young Man Drowning," the story begins with confused Harry (Norman Reedus)
joining his boyhood pal Arnie (Adrien Brody) on a shakedown. Harry ends up
pummelling the mark, and gets a job with the local mob. Harry exalts in his new
found status as a shakedown artist supreme, along the way falling for the boss'
maid (Elina Lowensohn). Unfortunately the boy-man has a strong Oedipal Complex,
and his mother will do anything to keep him by her side. This is a notch above
most other examples of this genre ("Pulp Fiction"--"GoodFellas" clones), with
well-rounded performances by Reedus, Brody and Lowensohn. Throw in the Jewish
mob in Youngstown, Ohio, and the wildly way-too-possessive mom (Debbie Harry)
and you have one cockeyed black comedy -- with a real surprise ending. Director: Adam Bernstein. Stars: Debbie Harry, Adrien
Brody, Norman Reedus, Isaac Hayes, Jerry Adler, Elina Lowensohn. CC, (MPAA
rating: R, 95 min.), Thriller, 1999, (A-Pix), No SRP, Priced for
rental, Available: 8/24, DVD: Day &
Date.
TRUE CRIME
Clint Eastwood directed and stars in this thriller about a
down-and-out journalist who must prove that a man on death row
is innocent -- with only hours to go before his lethal
injection. Eastwood plays his typical antihero -- a boozing
womanizer -- to perfection, though he's getting a bit too old
for some of his conquests. Although the story is full of holes
and silly plot contrivances -- Eastwood outsmarts the cops, the
DA and the defense attorneys in uncovering the truth -- the
direction has enough momentum to keep you excited until the end.
Director: Clint
Eastwood. Stars: Clint Eastwood, Isaiah Washington, Lisa Gay
Hamilton, James Woods, Denis Leary, Diane Venora. CC, (MPAA
rating: R, 127 min.), Drama, 1999, Box office gross: $16.635
million, (Warner), No SRP, Priced for rental,
Available: 8/10, DVD: Day and
Date.
200 CIGARETTES
Ensemble comedy set on New Year's Eve 1981, about the planning
and events leading up to a big party in Manhattan (held by
Martha Plimpton). The story focuses on Christina Ricci, Courtney
Love, Gaby Hoffman, Kate Hudson, Janeane Garofalo, Ben Affleck,
Casey Affleck, Jay Mohr and others and their adventures on the
way to the blow out. There's the requisite jousting for bed
partners, party crashers from Long island, yuppies, artists and
more. Despite the talented cast, the dialogue and script
smother the actors, forcing viewers to wander as aimlessly as
the story line. There's not enough strength afoot to care about
the various treks -- and problems -- leading up to the party.
Director: Risa Bramon Garcia. Stars:
Martha Plimpton, Christina Ricci, Courtney Love, Kate Hudson,
Dave Chappelle, Janeane Garofalo. CC, (MPAA rating: R, 101
min.), Comedy, 1999, Box office gross: $6.851 million,
(Paramount), No SRP, Priced for rental,
Available: 8/17, DVD: Day &
Date.
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