AMISTAD
Historical drama set in 1839, about the ramifications of a revolt
on a Spanish slave ship by 53 Africans. The ship, now helmed by
the ex-slaves, is caught off the coast of Connecticut by the U.S.
Navy and the men are tried in a U.S. court for the murder of the
crew. The film is another conscious-raising think piece from
director Steven Spielberg, with lots of opening action (the
revolt) followed by courtroom histrionics. Fine turns by Morgan
Freeman as an abolitionist and Anthony Hopkins as former
President John Quincy Adams, who comes to the aid of the ex-
slaves.
Director: Steven
Spielberg. Stars: Morgan Freeman, Nigel Hawthorne, Anthony
Hopkins, Djimon Hounsou, Matthew McConaughy. CC, (MPAA rating: R,
152 min.), Drama, 1997, Box office gross: $44.175 million,
(Universal), No SRP, Priced for rental,
Available: 6/30
FALLEN
Supernatural thriller about evil incarnate (a fallen angel that
has come to wreak havoc on Earth) that leaves the body of an
executed serial killer and is passed from person to person to
commit more crimes; Denzel Washington is the police detective who
tracks down the demon and tries to stop it from spreading evil.
Great supporting roles by John Goodman and Donald Sutherland as
cops, however, can't keep this thriller from slipping into an
unbelievable realm, especially its trick ending.
Director: Gregory
Hoblit. Stars: Denzel Washington, John Goodman, Donald
Sutherland. CC, (MPAA rating: R, 124 min.), Horror thriller,
1998, Box office gross: $25.188 million, (Warner 6434), No
SRP, Priced for rental, Available:
6/16
HALF BAKED
Three twentysomething slackers attempt to bail out a fourth bud
arrested for killing a diabetic police horse by feeding him too
much junk food. They have to come up with $100,000 to save their
friend, stuck in jail and threatened by inmates looking for a
"companion." What are three party boys to do -- why, start a
home-delivery pot service, of course. From that premise the plot
takes off in a wisp of smoke. There's plenty of silly comedy,
doper jokes and, of course, close calls before a happy ending.
For the young at heart.
Director: Tamra
Davis. Stars: Dave Chappelle, Guillermo Diaz, Harland Williams,
Rachel True, Tommy Chong. CC, (MPAA rating: R, 73 min.),
Comedy, 1998, Box office gross: $17.278 million, (Universal
83586), No SRP, Priced for rental,
Available: 6/30
HOME ALONE 3
Third in the series, not up to the previous two adventures but
still with its funny parts. This time around Alex (now played by
Alex D. Linz) is stuck home with the chicken pox and foils a
group of international criminals who are after a top secret chip
they thought was safely hidden in a toy car. Due to a mixup at an
airport, Alex gets the car and when the criminals come after it,
he retaliates by clobbering them with everything at the disposal
of an 8-year-old boy. War is hell. This franchise, we think, has
petered out.
Director: Raja
Gosnell. Stars: Alex D. Linz, Haviland Morris, Kevin Kilner, Olek
Krupa, Rya Kihlstedt. CC, (MPAA rating: PG, 110 min.), Comedy,
1997, Box office gross: $28.790 million, (Fox 2763), $19.98
SRP, Priced for rental, Available:
6/2
MIDNIGHT IN THE GARDEN OF GOOD AND
EVIL
A writer gets involved in a shocking murder in Savannah, Georgia
in this melodrama directed by Clint Eastwood and starring John
Cusack and Kevin Spacey. John Kelso (Cusack) comes South to do a
feature on the fabulous parties thrown by wealthy antique dealer
Jim Williams (Spacey) and becomes privy to all the wicked secrets
the city holds. This is sophisticated filmmaking at its best with
plumb roles for all involved. There's sex, transvestitism,
homosexuality, and old rich vs. nouveau riche in this oddball
tale.
Director: Clint
Eastwood. Stars: Kevin Spacey, John Cusack. CC, (MPAA rating: R,
155 min.), Drama, 1997, Box office gross: $25.078 million,
(Warner 14776), No SRP, Priced for rental,
Available: 6/2
MR. MAGOO
Leslie Nielsen brings to life the famous cartoon character of the
1950s and 1960s (voiced by Jim Backus) whose near-sightedness
gets him into one comedic predicament after another. Here a
stolen gem lands in his possession and a sinister plot is hatched
to steal it back, but Mr. Magoo manages to escape unharmed,
oblivious to the evil culprits after him and the dangers that
surround him. Plenty of sight gags, slapstick and action stunts,
from director Stanley Tong ("Rumble in the Bronx," Supercop").
Director: Stanley
Tong. Stars: Leslie Nielsen, Kelly Lynch, Ernie Hudson. CC, (MPAA
rating: PG, 88 min.), Comedy, 1997, Box office gross: $21.157
million, (Walt Disney 1469300), No SRP, Priced for
rental, Available: 6/9
POSTMAN, THE
Kevin Costner stars as a lone drifter who becomes an
inspirational force in uniting America after the Apocalypse. The
year is 2013, civilization is in trouble, the U.S. has been
devastated and Marauding horsemen terrorize the West Coast.
Costner plays a wandering entertainer who is transformed into a
savior of sorts when he dresses in the uniform of a murdered
postal worker: He starts delivering letters and becomes The
Postman, a symbol of a lost, strong America and a harbinger that
the country will survive and stop the anarchy. Despite plenty of
sweeping action and plenty of mythology, this three-hour
adventure died at the box office.
Director: Kevin
Costner. Stars: Kevin Costner, Will Patton, Larenz Tate. CC,
(MPAA rating: R, 178 min.), Action, 1997, Box office gross:
$11.000 million, (Warner 15519), No SRP, Priced for
rental, Available: 6/23
REPLACEMENT
KILLERS, THE
Action adventure in the vein of the great Hong Kong shoot'em ups,
starring one of the knights of Chinese action, Chow Yun-Fat. Here
he's a hit man who backs off from killing a cop when his
conscience gets the better of him. Now the target of an army of
other hit men for not fulfilling his contract, he's joined by a
killer of a female, played by Mira Sorvino, in a wild attempt to
leave the country. There's little dialogue but plenty of ruthless
and exciting action (taking place in a nameless, faceless city)
engendered by the well-matched Chow-Sorvino duo. A homage to the
genre -- not up to the best of Hong Kong but a heck of a lot
better than what normally passes muster for American entries in
the genre.
Director: Antoine
Fuqua. Stars: Chow Yun-Fat, Mira Sorvino. CC, (MPAA rating: R,
88 min.), Action, 1998, Box office gross: $19.011 million,
(Columbia TriStar 21623), No SRP, Priced for
rental, Available: 6/30
SCREAM 2
The crew from "Scream" return for more chills, thrills, and
bloody spills. It's two years later and the action moves from
high school to college. This time around there's a copy-cat
killer who shows up after a movie is made of the book about the
first set of "Scream" killings. And naturally everyone becomes a
suspect. Self-referential, anyone? Directed by Wes Craven and
starring Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Jada
Pinkett-Smith.
Director: Wes
Craven. Stars: Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Jada
Pinkett-Smith. CC, (MPAA rating: R, 120 min.), Thriller, 1997,
Box office gross: $96.297 million, (Dimension 1355303), No
SRP, Priced for rental, Available:
6/9
SPICE WORLD
Five days in the life of the Spice Girls in a girl-power version
of "A Hard Day's Night." The movie follows the five Spices as
they gear up for their first live concert, guided on a wacky ride
across London by their long-suffering manager (played by Richard
E. Grant). The Girls have alien encounters, a haunted castle
visit, boating mishaps, dance lessons and a modeling shoot. Also
stars George Wendt, Roger Moore and Meat Loaf.
Director: Bob
Spiers. Stars: The Spice Girls. CC, (MPAA rating: PG, 93 min.),
Musical, 1998, Box office gross: $26.000 million, (Columbia
TriStar 02018), $14.95 SRP, Priced for rental,
Available: 6/16
SWITCHBACK
FBI agent (Dennis Quaid) steps outside his job to find the
brilliant but nameless serial killer who has kidnapped his son.
For more than a year he's been tracking the murderer across the
country, but when the stakes get personal he's removed from the
case. Against orders, he tracks down a former railroad man (Danny
Glover) and a mysterious hitchhiker, both of whom nay hold the
key to the search.
Director: Jeb
Stuart. Stars: Dennis Quaid, Danny Glover, Jared Leto. CC, (MPAA
rating: R, 120 min.), Thriller, 1997, Box office gross:
$6.482 million, (Paramount 331203), No SRP, Priced
for rental, Available: 6/16
WINGS OF THE DOVE,
THE
This sensuous tale of romantic intrigue revolves around a young
woman, taken in by a wealthy aunt when her mother dies, who
enters the alluring world of fashionable London. When she has a
secret affair with a journalist, whose station in life is far
below hers, she must make an impossible decision between wealth
and position or love -- her head or her heart. Based on a Henry
James story. Stars Helena Bonham Carter, Charlotte Rampling,
Elizabeth McGovern, Alison Elliott and Linus Roache.
Director: Iain
Softley. Stars: Helena Bonham Carter, Charlotte Rampling,
Elizabeth McGovern. CC, (MPAA rating: R, 102 min.), Drama,
1997, Box office gross: $13.525 million, (Miramax 1354803),
No SRP, Priced for rental, Available:
6/16
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