BLOOD & WINE
This was the much ballyhooed reteaming of Jack Nicholson and Bob
Rafelson, a combo that, it seems ages ago, produced two
outstanding cinematic character studies, "Five Easy Pieces" and
"The King of Marvin Gardens." Unfortunately, this outing -- a
jewel heist gone sour suspenser -- only grazes the surface of
viewer interest with shallow characterizations thrown together
over haphazard plotting: Nicholson as a larcenous, adulterous
wine merchant; Judy Davis as a drunken, broken wife; Michael
Caine as a wheezing, nasty robber; Jennifer Lopez as a sexy
adulteress; and Stephen Dorff as a brutish, revengeful son. The
plot -- Nicholson, whose wine business is on the rocks,
conspires with safecracker Caine to steal a million dollar
necklace, resulting in betrayal and revenge when his cuckolded
wife and her son unwittingly take off with the hidden loot --
lumbers forward to a predetermined end, defying its own lack of
internal logic. There's just not enough here to care about.
Director: Bob Rafelson. Stars: Jack Nicholson,
Michael Caine, Stephen Dorff, Jennifer Lopez, Judy Davis. CC, (MPAA
rating: R, 100 min.), Suspense, 1997, Box office gross: $1.035
million, (FoxVideo 4171), No SRP, Priced for
rental Available: 5/6
CELINE AND JULIE GO
BOATING
Quite possibly one of the greatest films of all time, certainly
a modern classic, from Jacques Rivette, one of the founders of
the French New Wave. This 1974 light-hearted drama cum fantasy
explores the connections between reality and fantasy when two
women enter into a world one of them has created in a story. In
this dream world the women (Celine and Julie) enter a "haunted
house" in which "ghosts" act out a murderous love triangle;
Celine and Julie come and go in this story within a story, which
is constantly retold, until they understand how to alter the
fantasy world and make it real. At its release in 1974, in the
words of film critic David Thomson, the film was "the most
radical and delightful narrative film since 'Citizen Kane'"; its
images are enigmatic, ethereal and cinematically beautiful to
behold. As much a meditation on the structure of film,
filmmaking and storytelling as an involving tale in its own
right, "Celine and Julie," at just over three hours, may be
rough going for some ... but it's well-worth the investment in time
and energy. On two cassettes; in French with English subtitles.
Director: Jacques Rivette. Stars: Juliet Berto,
Dominique Labourier. (MPAA rating: NR, 193 min.), Drama, 1974,
(New Yorker 23897), $89.95 SRP, Available:
5/20
 DAYLIGHT
This action drama about a small group of people trapped in the
Holland Tunnel linking Manhattan and New Jersey is typical
Stallone fare. When an explosion closes off the tunnel,
threatening to inundate survivors with, alternately fire and
water, Stallone jumps to action to rescue them. "The Towering
Inferno" meets "The Poseidon Adventure," with corny homilies and
epiphanies as people face death and change their lives.
Director: Rob Cohen. Stars: Sylvester Stallone,
Amy Brenneman, Barry Newman, Claire Bloom. CC, (MPAA rating:
PG-13, 115 min.), Action, 1996, Box office gross: $32.885
million, (Universal 82828), No SRP, Priced for
rental, Available: 5/20
 EVENING STAR,
THE
Sequel to "Terms of Endearment" with Shirley MacLaine reprising
her role as Aurora Greenway again pulling out all the stops and
fighting for her family through one crisis or another. It's 15
years down the road since the original, and Aurora has three
grandchildren, one of whom wants to run away with Mr. Wrong; a
spinster housekeeper willing to give up domestic work for
matrimony; and a sexy shrink who wants to cross the
patient/client line. And no matter how hard she tries to arrange
it, Aurora finds that the world never quite goes as she planned.
Co-stars Juliette Lewis, Miranda Richardson, Bill Paxton, with a
cameo by Jack Nicholson.
Director: Robert Harling. Stars:
Shirley
MacLaine, Bill Paxton, Juliette Lewis. CC, (MPAA rating: PG-13,
129 min.), Drama, 1996, Box office gross: $12.537 million,
(Paramount 329023), No SRP, Priced for
rental, Available: 5/6
GET ON THE BUS
Spike Lee's intense chronicle of a group of Los Angeles men who
travel to Washington D.C. for the Million Man March. The
"fictional" group of pilgrims travels by bus from South Central
L.A. to Washington, starting out as strangers but arriving as
brothers, traversing a journey not only across America but
through their hearts. Stars Ossie Davis, Charles Dutton, Andre
Braugher.
Director: Spike Lee. Stars: Ossie Davis, Roger
Guenveur Smith, Andre Braugher, Charles Dutton. CC, (MPAA rating:
R, 121 min.), Drama, 1996, Box office gross: $5.731 million,
(Columbia TriStar 89543]), No SRP, Priced for
rental, Available: 5/6
JERRY MAGUIRE
This sleeper of a smash hit stars Tom Cruise as Jerry Maguire, a
high-powered sports agent who one day sees the light and decides
to get some morality in a decidedly cutthroat profession. But
loyalty in the fierce world of sports is short-lived and the
only client who joins Maguire in his quest to create an
honorable business is a mouthy second-tier football player
(Oscar-winner Cuba Gooding Jr.). Renee Zellweger plays the love
interest. Directed by Cameron Crowe, the film is almost
old-fashioned in its insistence on honesty and ethics,
accounting for its popularity, surprisingly, in a time when
moral values appear to be crumbling.
Director: Cameron Crowe. Stars: Tom Cruise,
Cuba Gooding Jr., Renee Zellweger. CC, (MPAA rating: R, 139
min.), Drama, 1996, Box office gross: $146.000 million,
(Columbia TriStar 82533), $19.98 SRP, Priced for
rental, Available: 5/29
MEET WALLY
SPARKS
Rodney Dangerfield's first widescreen outing in a couple of years
left something to be desired. Here he plays a randy, crude and
obnoxious trash TV icon whose show is facing cancellation. When
he gets invited to a party thrown by the Governor, he gladly
shows up to help boost his ratings. Plenty of cameos by the likes
of Burt Reynolds and Tim Allen, but the saving grace is the
earthy Debi Mazar. For Dangerfield fans only.
Director: Peter Baldwin. Stars: Rodney
Dangerfield, Debi Mazar. CC, (MPAA rating: R, 105 min.),
Comedy, 1997, Box office gross: $4.055 million, (Trimark ),
No SRP, Priced for rental, Available:
5/13
MIRROR HAS TWO
FACES, The
Romance about two emotionally-starved (and quite different)
professors (Barbra Streisand and Jeff Bridges) who come together
strictly for companionship. He's interested in friendship and
respect but no sex; she's looking for passion but trades
intellect for heat. Can it work out? Co-stars Mimi Rogers, Pierce
Brosnan, Brenda Vaccaro, Elle Macpherson. Directed by Streisand.
Director: Barbra Streisand. Stars: Barbra
Streisand, Jeff Bridges, Lauren Bacall. CC, (MPAA rating: PG-13,
127 min.), Romantic comedy, 1996, Box office gross: $41.000
million, (Columbia TriStar 82523), No SRP, Priced
for rental, Available: 5/27
ONE FINE DAY
This is a well-intentioned but uneventful romantic comedy about
two single parents desperately trying to juggle their
professional lives with parenthood. George Clooney is a divorced
newspaper columnist uncovering a scandal in the Mayor's office;
Michelle Pfeiffer is a divorced architect trying to cinch a big
deal; both are inadvertently thrown together to spend one crazy
day in New York City handling their jobs and their kids,
skirting disaster and each other, all the while setting the
stage for their eventual coupling. It's stereotypical,
predictable and corny -- particularly the use of cell phones as
a scene transition device -- but Pfeiffer and Clooney are
definitely fun to watch.
Director: Michael Hoffman. Stars: Michelle
Pfeiffer, George Clooney. CC, (MPAA rating: PG, 109 min.),
Comedy, 1996, Box office gross: $46.112 million, (FoxVideo
4102380), No SRP, Priced for rental,
Available: 5/20
RANSOM
Director Ron Howard scores again with this thriller about the
kidnapping of the son of a self-made millionaire (Mel Gibson).
When an FBI rescue operation fails, Gibson turns the table on
the bad guys by putting his son's life on the line and not
giving in to the bad guys' demands. There's plenty of twists and
turns here before the final retribution. Co-stars Rene Russo,
typecast as the perfect wife, mother, companion; Gary Sinise and
Lili Taylor. The opening sets the tone for the film: a distant
tracking shot of New York from a helicopter that then swoops
down into the penthouse of the rich entrepreneur. We're never
allowed to get close to either the father, the mother or the
kidnappers -- none are very likeable -- as the film needs its
distance to prevent you from questioning its slickness and
implausibility -- but who cares -- it's exciting.
Director: Ron Howard. Stars: Mel Gibson, Rene
Russo, Gary Sinise, Lili Taylor. CC, (MPAA rating: R, 121 min.),
Thriller, 1996, Box office gross: $134.974 million, (Touchstone
8285), No SRP, Priced for rental,
Available: 5/13
STAR TREK: FIRST
CONTACT
The Star Trek Next Generation crew face their most fearsome
enemy, the "hive mind" of the Borg, in this rousing installment
in the successful franchise. The Borg -- half flesh, half machine
self-perpetrating androids who assimilate all who stand in their way
-- decide that the best way to overcome the human race is to go back
in time, "Terminator"-like, and assimilate earthlings before they make
it into space and have their first contact with ETs. The Enterprise
follows them into the 21st century and destroys the Borg ship, but not
before the "queen" Borg and some drones beam onto the starship. Now
the crew must fight off the Borgs before they take over
the Enterprise, deck by deck, and destroy all of humankind. Basically
an extended TV adventure, transported (so to speak) to the big screen.
Still, it's a notch above what passes for sci-fi these days.
Director: Jonathan Frakes. Stars: Patrick
Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiker, Levar Burton. CC, (MPAA
rating: PG-13, 111 min.), Science Fiction, 1996, Box office
gross: $91.898 million, (Paramount 332431), No SRP,
Priced for rental, Available:
5/20
STEPHEN KING'S
THINNER
The bank account of prolific writer Stephen King certainly
won't be thinner because of this, his latest horror outing.
Despite its unimpressive showing at the boxoffice, this tale
of revenge and retribution is just what video horror-lovers
can look forward to for a cozy evening of fright. While out
driving with his wife, obese attorney Billy Halleck inadvertently
runs down a gypsy woman and gets cursed with one word: "thinner."
Much to his surprise -- and initial delight -- Halleck starts to
lose weight no matter how much he eats -- until he can't stop and
starts to fade away. Look out Jenny Craig.
Director: Tom Holland. Stars: Robert John
Burke, Joe Mantegna. CC, (MPAA rating: R, 92 min.), Horror,
1996, Box office gross: $15.255 million, (Republic 6296),
No SRP, Priced for rental, Available:
5/20
SWINGERS
Comedy about a group of friends and their tireless efforts in
picking up women and finding a way to make it in Hollywood. In
after hours night spots and coffee houses, bars and lounges, five
buddies look for employment during the day and troll for love at
night. When things turn too blue in L.A., they head out to Las
Vegas for more R&R. Back in L.A., its time to again obsess about
women and gripe. Male bonding and hipness at its best.
Director: Doug Liman. Stars: Jon Favreau, Vince
Vaughn, Heather Graham. CC, (MPAA rating: R, 96 min.), Comedy,
1996, Box office gross: $4.547 million, (Miramax 10483), No
SRP, Priced for rental, Available:
5/20
UMBRELLAS OF
CHERBOURG, THE
Catherine Deneuve stars in this lilting romance by Jacques Demy -
- an operetta in which every word of the dialogue is sung --
about a 17-year-old girl (the daughter of a widowed shopkeeper who
runs the umbrella store of the title) and her boy friend whose
plans for marriage are disrupted when he's drafted to fight in
Algeria. They spend one last night together before he leaves on his two year
tour of duty, resulting in her pregnancy. But time and distance come between the
two and, at the urging of her mother, and for the sake of the baby, she enters a
marriage of convenience. When the young man returns, he too marries out of
convenience; the two eventually meet again in a bittersweet ending. With its
lovely score by Michel Legrand and stunning color photography by Jean Rabier,
"The Umbrellas of Cherbourg" is a wonderful, gentle work of art. The
naivete of first love - pure love - and how it bumps up against
reality makes for a lovely tearjerker. I cried when I saw it in 1964;
I cried when I watched it again just recently. The haunting refrain,
"I Will Wait for You," permeates the film throughout. Not to be
missed. In French with English subtitles.
Director: Jacques Demy. Stars: Catherine
Deneuve, Nino Castelnuovo, Anne Vernon, Ellen Farmer, Marc
Michel. (MPAA rating: NR, 91 min.), Romance, 1964, (Fox Lorber
1197), $79.98 SRP, Available:
5/6
ZEUS AND
ROXANNE
Zeus is a rowdy little dog, Roxanne a delightful dolphin. What
happens when the two come together and learn to communicate with
each other -- and the effect they have on the people who love
them --is an unexpected tale of freedom, friendship and love. The
family film stars Steve Guttenberg as Zeus' human and Kathleen
Quinlan as a marine biologist studying Roxanne. Directed by
George Miller.
Director: George Miller. Stars: Steve
Guttenberg, Kathleen Quinlan. CC, (MPAA rating: PG, 98 min.),
Family, 1997, Box office gross: $7.069 million, (HBO 99480),
$19.98 SRP, Priced for rental,
Available: 5/13
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