B.A.PS
Two clueless Georgia homegirls with big hearts and even bigger
hair travel west to Beverly Hills in search of fame and money
(B.A.PS stands for Black American Princesses). Stars Halle Berry,
and Martin Landau (who seems out of place here); guest stars
include Dennis Rodman, "Downtown" Julie Brown, LL Cool J, and
Heavy D. It's hard to believe Robert Townsend directed this weak
exploitation flick.
Director: Robert Townsend. Stars: Halle Berry,
Martin Landau. CC, (MPAA rating: PG-13, 90 min.), Comedy,
1997, Box office gross: $7.240 million, (New Line 4413), No
SRP, Priced for rental, Available:
9/30
ENGLISH PATIENT,
THE
Intrigue and passion come to the fore in a monastery in Italy at
the end of World War II as an unknown English patient, taken in
by a nurse, recounts the history of a prewar African desert
expedition that traverses past and present, revealing secrets,
deceptions and torrid passions. Winner of nine Academy Awards.
Stars: Ralph Fiennes, Kristin Scott Thomas, Juliette Binoche,
Willem Dafoe. Available in pan-and-scan and widescreen.
Director: Anthony Minghella. Stars: Ralph
Fiennes, Kristin Scott Thomas, Juliette Binoche, Willem Dafoe.
CC, (MPAA rating: R, 162 min.), Drama, 1996, Box office gross:
$77.208 million, (Miramax 12047), No SRP, Priced
for rental, Available: 9/23
FATHERS' DAY
Robin Williams and Billy Crystal team up for the first time ever
in this remake of the French comedy "Les Comperes" (1984),
about a woman (here played by Nastassja Kinski) who cons two men
into thinking they're the father of her boy, now grown up and a
runaway. With their paternal instincts fired up, the two men --
one a successful attorney, the other a struggling writer -- try
to get their "son" back to find out who's the real daddy. Despite
the work of well-seasoned director Ivan Reitman, Crystal and
Williams never click with each other or the screenplay. Co-stars
Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
Director: Ivan Reitman. Stars: Robin Williams,
Billy Crystal, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Nastassja Kinski. CC, (MPAA
rating: PG-13, 99 min.), Comedy, 1997, Box office gross:
$28.530 million, (Warner Bros. 15386), No SRP,
Priced for rental Available:
9/9
KOLYA
On the eve of the 1989 "Velvet Revolution" in Czechoslovakia, a
middle-aged bachelor is thrust into unwilling fatherhood when the
woman he marries as a favor for a friend departs for Germany,
leaving behind her 6-year-old son, Kolya. What should have been
an easy business deal -- a marriage signature for a woman in need
of citizenship paper in exchange for cash -- turns more
complicated when the bachelor must take care of the young boy,
bringing the turmoil of the streets into his small apartment. In
Czech with yellow English subtitles. Winner of the Academy Award
for best foreign film.
Director: Jan Sverak. Stars: Zdenek Sverak,
Andrej Chalimon, Libuse Safrankova. CC, (MPAA rating: PG-13, 105
min.), Drama - Czech, 1996, Box office gross: $5.352 million,
(Miramax ), No SRP, Priced for rental,
Available: 9/9
LEO TOLSTOY'S
ANNA KARENINA
Tolstoy's classic love story, set in Russia in the 1880s, about
married noblewoman Karenina whose love for a dashing soldier
brings tragedy to several lives, brought to the big screen with
sweeping, romantic, lush vistas, and workmanlike acting by
Sophie Marceau, Sean Bean, Alfred Molina. Filmed on location,
with an impressive score of works by Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff
and Prokofiev performed by the St. Petersburg Philharmonic
Orchestra, conducted by Sir Georg Solti. A romantic must-see.
Director: Bernard Rose. Stars: Sophie Marceau,
Sean Bean, Alfred Molina. CC, (MPAA rating: PG-13, 108 min.),
Drama, 1997, Box office gross: $0.822 million, (Warner Bros.
15354), No SRP, Priced for rental
Available: 9/9
LIAR LIAR
I've never much liked Jim Carrey, so right off the bat that puts
me in a minority since most of his movies ("The Cable Guy"
excluded) have been mega hits. "Liar Liar" is no exception: it
grossed upwards of $170 million and is sure to be a hit on video.
Carrey again plays the rubber faced, slightly smarmy character
that has endeared him to millions. This time he's a lying lawyer
and divorced dad whose upward bound career gets in the way of him
spending time with his 5-year-old son. Apparently there's just
not enough time in the day to be both a conniver and a good
father, so Carrey constantly disappoints the boy ... until he
wishes "for just one day, dad couldn't tell a lie." And that's
when (if you're a Carrey fan) the fun begins.
Director: Tom Shadyac. Stars: Jim Carrey, Maura
Tierney, Jennifer Tilly, Swoosie Kurtz, Amanda Donohoe. CC, (MPAA
rating: PG-13, 86 min.), Comedy, 1997, Box office gross:
$170.000 million, (Universal 82926), $22.98 SRP,
Priced for rental, Available:
9/30
MCHALE'S NAVY
Cast is adrift in this remake and updating of 1960s TV sitcom
about PT boat commander and his wacky crew. Tom Arnold stars as
the redoubtable retired Navy Lt. Commander Quinton McHale, whose
brand of free enterprise on the tiny Caribbean base of San
Ysidro makes life enjoyable for the lucky sailors stationed
there. Until a nasty Russian wants to invade the island, and the
by-the-books Captain Binghampton and his nosy Ensign Parker take
command, forcing McHale to come out of retirement. Tom Arnold is
totally out of place as an actor. Co-stars David
Allen Grier, Tim Curry, Dean Stockwell.
Director: Bryan Spicer. Stars: Tom Arnold,
David Allen Grier, Tim Curry, Dean Stockwell. CC, (MPAA rating:
PG, 109 min.), Comedy, 1997, Box office gross: $4.307
million, (Universal 83213), No SRP, Priced for
rental, Available: 9/9
SAINT, THE
This debasing of the great British mystery novel detective
played to perfection by Roger Moore on TV stars Val Kilmer
(acting as if he just left the set of "The Doors") as Simon
Templar -- The Saint -- a master thief and man of many disguises
who helps a young scientist (Elisabeth Shue) elude a Russian
billionaire who wants the secret to "cold fusion" so he can
crown himself the Czar of a new Russian empire. Where the
novel/TV Saint was sophisticated and suave, Val Kilmer's Saint
is cold and cynical; where the original's action revolved around
wit and intelligence, the new version revolves around brashness
and deception. Lest it appear that we're disgruntled and
disappointed, we are: they've stripped the character of his
heart and exploited his heritage. This is a Saint in name only.
Director: Phillip Noyce. Stars: Val Kilmer,
Elisabeth Shue. CC, (MPAA rating: PG-13, 118 min.), Action,
1997, Box office gross: $61.041 million, (Paramount 325363),
No SRP, Priced for rental, Available:
9/16
SELENA
This is a by-the-numbers biography of Selena Quintanilla Perez,
the 23-year-old Tejano singer who was on the cusp of crossing
over to mainstream musical stardom when she was murdered by her
fan club president after an argument over irregular business
activities. Though fairly predictable in its glowing admiration
of the singer as she grows from a little girl with a strong voice
to a mature young woman with a great voice and a savvy stage
presence, the film nevertheless captures her essence and gives
viewers -- even those not familiar with the singer - a sense of
the loss of a talent whose time was just about to come. Great
performance by Jennifer Lopez as Selena; boisterous soundtrack of
Selena's work (especially in stereo). Co-stars Edward James Olmos
as Selena's ambitious but doting dad.
Director: Gregory Nava. Stars: Jennifer Lopez,
Edward James Olmos. CC, (MPAA rating: PG, 128 min.), Biodrama,
1997, Box office gross: $35.198 million, (Warner Bros. 14909),
No SRP, Priced for rental, Available:
9/23
VOLCANO
Los Angeles gets toasted as a volcano bubbles up from under the
city's La Brea Tar Pits in the mid-Wilshire District. Tommy
Lee Jones, as head of the Office of Emergency Management, must
struggle to find a way to stop the flow of lava pouring down
Wilshire Blvd., heading west and threatening to destroy half the
city as it marches to the sea. Anne Heche stars as a seismologist
who helps Jones fight the molten mess. It would have been good if a
fresh idea had erupted during this one. For us, lava is still a
deodorant soap.
Director: Mick Jackson. Stars: Tommy Lee Jones,
Anne Heche, Gaby Hoffmann. CC, (MPAA rating: PG-13, 105 min.),
Action, 1997, Box office gross: $47.067 million, (FoxVideo ),
No SRP, Priced for rental, Available:
9/30
WARRIORS OF
VIRTUE
This young boy's fantasy film revolves around a youngster who is
transported to the land of Tao to help defend the Lifespring
wells from the evil warlord Komodo who is sucking the wells dry
to maintain his youthful demeanor. The combination kids adventure
and kung-fu actioner even throws in a dollop of Eastern
philosophy and religion for good measure: the fighting and
escapes lead up to the realization of one's inner strength based
on virtue.
Director: Ronny Yu. Stars: Mario Yedidia,
Marley Shelton. CC, (MPAA rating: PG, 103 min.), Kids action,
1997, Box office gross: $6.515 million, (MGM 506284),
$19.98 SRP, Priced for rental,
Available: 9/23
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