Movie column offers brief reviews
THE ADVENTURES OF PLUTO NASH: (C-) Set in 2087, this misguided $90 million sci-fi comedy stars Eddie Murphy (“Doctor Dolittle”) as a businessman who opens a nightclub on the moon and then must defend his investment from mobsters. Pam Grier (“Jackie Brown”), Rosario Dawson (“Men in Black II”) and Randy Quaid (“Independence Day”) co-star and get lost in space along with the talented Murphy. Violence, sexual humor, profanity. (PG-13)BALLISTIC: ECKS VS. SEVER: (D) A former FBI agent (Antonio Banderas of “Spy Kids”) uses his detective skills to track down an international assassin (Lucy Liu of “Charlie’s Angels”) and then discovers that they’re fighting a common enemy. The bland and pointless action comedy was directed with neither style nor energy by Thai filmmaker Wych “Kaos” Kaosayananda. Strong violence. (R) THE BANGER SISTERS: (B) Screen favorites Susan Sarandon and Goldie Hawn seem like a cinematic dream team in this heartfelt comedy. The plot concerns two former groupies – nicknamed The Banger Sisters by late rocker Frank Zappa, who was impressed by their free-spirited attitudes – and their lives 20 years after lusting for band members. Sarandon’s character has become a snobby Phoenix suburbanite, while Hawn’s party-lover has been tending bar and living a wild life. The two cross paths, initially criticize each other’s lifestyle, embark on an emotional battle and then find they really haven’t changed that much. Strong sexual elements, brief nudity, harsh four-letter profanity, drug use. (R)
BARBERSHOP: (B) The young owner (Ice Cube of “Ghosts of Mars”) of a barbershop owned by his family for four decades on the south side of Chicago considers selling the struggling business to a loan shark (Keith David of “They Live”). Soon after, he discovers how important the place is to the people in the neighborhood. The fun-to-watch ensemble picture co-stars Cedric the Entertainer (“The Kings of Comedy”), Anthony Anderson (“Exit Wounds”), Sean Patrick Thomas (“Save the Last Dance”) and – in her screen debut – pop singer Eve. Rapper-turned-filmmaker Tim Story (“The Firing Squad”) directed. Profanity, sexual innuendo, brief drug references. (PG-13)
BLOODY SUNDAY: (NP) During this docudrama, set on Jan. 30, 1972, British soldiers shoot and kill 13 unarmed Catholic demonstrators in Northern Ireland. The tragic confrontation – dubbed Bloody Sunday – is considered the major turning point in the troubles of modern-day Ireland and fueled a long and deadly cycle of violence. James Nesbitt (“Welcome to Sarajevo”), a native of Northern Ireland, stars as civil-rights activist Ivan Cooper. Peter Greengrass (“The Theory of Flight”) directed. Violence, harsh four-letter profanity. (R)
BROWN SUGAR: (B) This old-fashioned love story has a whole new beat thanks to its emphasis on love blooming between two adults who met as children, discovered hip-hop music and never lost their love for its sound. Taye Diggs (“How Stella Got Her Groove Back”) and Sanaa Lathan (“love & basketball”) co-star as the two lifelong friends who go through various trials and tribulations with other romantic partners. They always look to each other for support and inspiration. Rick Famuyiwa (“The Wood”) directed the upbeat romantic tale. Sexual elements, harsh four-letter profanity. (PG-13)
CIRCUIT: (NP) Newcomers Jonathan Wade Drahos and Andre Khabazzi co-star in this picture about life in the wild gay nightlife scene in which the party never stops. Dirk Shafer (“Man of the Year”) directed. (Unrated)
CITY BY THE SEA: (C+) A veteran New York homicide detective (Robert De Niro of “Showtime”) finds his world shattered when his estranged, drug-addicted son (James Franco of “Spider-Man”) becomes the prime suspect in a murder investigation. The mild fact-based melodrama, which seems more suitable as a made-for-cable offering than a big-screen presentation, co-stars Oscar-winner Frances McDormand (“Fargo”) and features William Forsythe (“48 HRS.”) and George Dzundza (“Basic Instinct”). Violence, drug use, harsh four-letter profanity, adult themes. (R)
DAS EXPERIMENT: (NP) A poor cab driver (Moritz Bleibtreu of “Run Lola Run”) and some other young German men volunteer to participate in a 14-day psychological program inside a prison. They soon discover that violent methods are being implemented to obtain the results desired by the scientists in charge. Adapted from the novel by Mario Giordano, the European import is loosely based on a real-life experiment conducted by Stanford University three decades ago. Oliver Hirschbiegel directed. (Unrated)
8 WOMEN: (NP) In this comedy import, which mixes murder scenes, musical numbers and colorful costumes, the lone man living in a mansion filled with members of the opposite sex is killed and suddenly each lady is suspected of the crime. French actresses Catherine Deneuve (“Repulsion”), Isabelle Huppert (“Heaven’s Gate”) and Emmanuelle Beart (“Mission: Impossible”) co-star in the 1950s’-set tale. Francois Ozon (“Under the Sand”) directed. Sexual content. (R)
FEARDOTCOM: (NP) A hard-nosed police detective (Stephen Dorff of “Blade”) joins a hardworking health-department researcher (Natascha McElhone of “Ronin”) in an investigation of four people who each died within 48 hours after logging on to a mysterious Web site. Stephen Rea (“Interview With the Vampire”) and cult favorites Jeffrey Combs (“Re-Animator”) and Udo Kier (“Shadow of the Vampire”) co-star in the picture, which was not made available for reviews before the film was released. William Malone (“House on Haunted Hill”) directed. Grisly images of torture, nudity and harsh four-letter profanity. (R)
THE FOUR FEATHERS: (B for epic fans only; C+ for anyone else) Set in the late 1800s and based on the 1902 novel by A.E.W. Mason, this adventure tale concerns a respected young British officer (Heath Ledger of “A Knight’s Tale”) who is branded a coward. That occurs after he resigns his post just before England invades the Sudan. He finds redemption by disguising himself as a member of the enemy force and embarking on a rescue mission to save those who questioned his bravery. Wes Bentley (“American Beauty”), Kate Hudson (“Almost Famous”) and Djimon Hounsou (“Gladiator”) co-star in the beautifully mounted, dramatically challenged production, directed by Shekhar Kapur (“Elizabeth”). Battlefield violence, brief nudity, sexual elements. (PG-13)
THE GOOD GIRL: (NP) A married woman (Jennifer Aniston of TV’s “Friends”) finds herself trapped in a dead-end job at a Texas discount retail store. She becomes attracted to a young, artistically minded co-worker (Jake Gyllenhaal of “October Sky”) and struggles over whether to have an affair with him or remain faithful to her housepainter/husband (John C. Reilly of “Boogie Nights”). Miguel Arteta (“Chuck & Buck”) directed the slice-of-life melodrama. Sexual elements, drug use, harsh four-letter profanity. (R)
IGBY GOES DOWN: (B+) An upper-class Manhattan teen-ager (Kieran Culkin of “The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys”) must deal with a self-obsessed mother (Susan Sarandon of “Dead Man Walking”), a dismissive brother (Ryan Phillippe of “Gosford Park”), an attractive older woman (Amanda Peet of “The Whole Nine Yards”) and a suicidal father (Bill Pullman of “Independence Day”). Actor-turned-filmmaker Burr Steers made his directing debut with this brilliantly offbeat, extremely dark comedy. Strong sexual elements, nudity, harsh four-letter profanity, drug use. (R)
INVINCIBLE: (B-) This fact-based tale chronicles the journey of Zishe Breitbart (Finnish newcomer Jouko Ahola), a muscular Jewish blacksmith from Eastern Poland who travels to 1932 Berlin to perform strong-man acts in a nightclub, operated by a mysterious hypnotist (Tim Roth of “Reservoir Dogs”). Once in the decadent city, the outsider recognizes the rise of the hateful Nazi party and embarks on a journey to warn the Jewish people about the dangers they face from a vicious enemy that seeks to destroy them. Director Werner Herzog (“Nosferatu”) damages the film by using too many untrained actors in roles, but the daring filmmaker manages to create some stirring moments. Sexual content, adult themes. (PG-13)
KNOCKAROUND GUYS: (NP) Before Vin Diesel officially became a major star thanks to “The Fast and the Furious” and “XXX,” he co-starred in this ensemble tale. The story concerns the sons of some New York mobsters who travel to a tiny Montana town to locate a bag of money and then must deal with a corrupt sheriff. John Malkovich (“In the Line of Fire”), Dennis Hopper (“Blue Velvet”), Seth Green (“Austin Powers in Goldmember”) and Barry Pepper (“Saving Private Ryan”) co-star. Brian Koppelman and David Levien, who previously teamed on “Rounders,” co-wrote and co-directed. Violence, harsh four-letter profanity, drug use. (R)MOONLIGHT MILE: (B-) A middle-aged couple (Susan Sarandon of “The Banger Sisters” and Dustin Hoffman of “Rain Man”) adjusting to the senseless murder of their daughter invite her fianc’ (Jake Gyllenhaal of “October Sky”) to share in their shattered lives. Various secrets soon surface during this uneven but heartfelt tale about adjusting to grief. Brad Silberling (“City of Angels”) wrote and directed the melodrama, which is loosely based on a tragedy in his life. Harsh four-letter profanity, sensual elements, strong adult themes. (PG-13)
MOSTLY MARTHA: (NP) A single German woman (Martina Gedeck), who runs a fancy restaurant in Hamburg, finds her world turned upside down when she hires a demanding Italian chef and allows her feisty niece to move into her home. Sandra Nettelbeck wrote and directed the import. Mild profanity, some adult themes. (PG)ONE HOUR PHOTO: (B) A psychologically unbalanced photo-lab technician (Robin Williams of “Insomnia”) becomes obsessed with a suburban couple and their young son, starts to think of himself as a member of the family and then begins stalking its members. Connie Nielsen (“Gladiator”), Gary Cole (“American Gothic”) and Eriq LaSalle (TV’s “ER”) co-star in the genuinely creepy thriller, directed by Mark Romanek. Strong sexual elements, nudity, harsh four-letter profanity, violent elements, adult themes. (R)
POKEMON 4EVER: (NP) Celebi, the newest Pokemon character, travels to the future to meet favorites Ash and Pikachu and then is captured by enemies. Those evil creatures want Celebi to use his powers for destructive purposes. Jim Malone directed the American version of the Japanese import. (G)
RED DRAGON: (B-) This mildly involving, ultimately disappointing prequel to “The Silence of the Lambs” and “Hannibal” chronicles the early days of Hannibal “The Cannibal” Lecter (Anthony Hopkins). The brilliant madman pretends to help an FBI investigator (Edward Norton of “Fight Club”) track a serial killer (Ralph Fiennes of “The English Patient”) known as the Tooth Fairy. Emily Watson (“Gosford Park”), Harvey Keitel (“U-571”), Mary-Louise Parker (TV’s “The West Wing”) and Philip Seymour Hoffman (“Almost Famous”) co-star in the uneven $80 million production. Brett Ratner (“Rush Hour”) directed the thriller, based on Thomas Harris’ novel, and fails to provide much suspense. The best seller was previously made into the underrated “Manhunter” (1982), directed by Michael Mann. Very strong violence, sex, nudity, profanity. (R)THE RULES OF ATTRACTION: (NP) Based on Bret Easton Ellis’ 1987 novel, this controversial film had to be drastically cut to avoid an NC-17 rating. The grim story follows a cocaine dealer (James Van Der Beek of TV’s “Dawson’s Creek”) who becomes attracted to an innocent young woman (Shannyn Sossamon of “A Knight’s Tale”). She’s soon deeply involved in sex, drugs and a dead-end lifestyle. Roger Avary (“Killing Zoe”) directed. Strong sexual elements, drug use, harsh four-letter profanity. (R)
SECRETARY: (B) Two damaged co-workers – a young woman (24-year-old Maggie Gyllenhaal of “Riding in Cars With Boys”) who specializes in self-mutilation and a repressed attorney (42-year-old James Spader of “Crash”) who enjoys domination – embark on a sado-masochistic relationship that takes sex in the workplace to bizarre extremes. The picture ranks as an extremely twisted dark comedy with a master/slave theme that will intrigue some viewers and infuriate others. Steven Shainberg (“Hit Me”) directed the offbeat $2 million work, which won a Special Jury Prize for Originality at this year’s Sundance Film Festival and is based on a short story by Mary Gaitskill. Very strong sexual elements, nudity, unsettling violent images, harsh four-letter profanity. (R)SIGNS: (A+) Set in Bucks County, this simultaneously frightening and uplifting fantasy thriller stars Mel Gibson as a former minister who discovers 400-foot crop circles carved into his family’s corn field and learns that the formations may be a map for an attack by space invaders. Joaquin Phoenix (“Gladiator”) co-stars. M. Night Shyamalan (“The Sixth Sense”) directed this rare cinematic work that touches the heart and embraces the soul. Sci-fi violence, unsettling images, some intense moments for younger children. (PG-13)SPIRITED AWAY: (B) The worries of a 10-year-old girl named Chihiro are brought to colorful life during this Japanese import that deals with a child who’s whisked to a spirit world where she must overcome her fears and save her parents. The masterfully rendered animated work, which was named Best Asian Film at the 2002 Hong Kong Film Awards, is now the highest-grossing motion picture in Japan’s history. It earned $234 million and surpassed the previous record holder, “Titanic.” American performers Suzanne Pleshette (TV’s “The Bob Newhart Show”), David Ogden Stiers (TV’s “M*A*S*H”), Lauren Holly (“Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story”) and Michael Chiklis (TV’s “The Shield”) provide the voices for the American version. Hayao Miyazaki (“Princess Mononoke”) wrote and directed. Some intense moments for younger children. (PG)SWEPT AWAY: (NP) A spoiled socialite (Madonna of “Evita”) finds herself at the mercy of a Communist sailor (newcomer Adriano Giannini) after her yacht sinks near a remote island and she must follow the poor man’s orders to survive. The offbeat tale, which blends politics and romance, is based on the critically acclaimed 1974 Italian film by Lina Wertmuller. British filmmaker Guy Ritchie (“Snatch”), who’s married to Madonna, directed. Sex, nudity, harsh four-letter profanity. (R)
THE TRANSPORTER: (B- for thrill-starved action fans; C for anyone else) A no-nonsense getaway driver (Jason Statham of “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels”) breaks one of his rules by getting personally involved with a woman being pursued by a slave-trading crime syndicate. The former special-forces member must then use his lethal skills against his deadly employers. Famed French filmmaker Luc Besson (“Leon, The Professional”) produced and co-wrote the script. Hong Kong action specialist Cory Yuen (“Jet Li’s The Enforcer”) directed the picture, which far too often goes – circles and ultimately runs out of gas. Over-the-top violence, sexual innuendo. (PG-13)
UNDISPUTED: (B) After being convicted of rape and sent to jail, a heavyweight boxer (Ving Rhames of “Mission: Impossible”) soon finds himself pitted against a hard-hitting inmate (Wesley Snipes of “Blade”). The intense man is the reigning champion of the prison world and plans to defend his title against the flashy newcomer who looks down on his cellblock neighbors. Peter Falk (“The Princess Bride”), Wes Studi (“The Last of the Mohicans”) and Jon Seda (“Selena”) co-star in the hard-edged picture. Walter Hill, who’s famous for tough cinematic tales such as “Hard Times” and “Last Man Standing,” directed and provides plenty of punch in the climactic bout. Strong boxing violence, harsh four-letter profanity, brief nudity, sexual elements. (R)