Uplifting fantasy to ring in new year for video viewers
An uplifting fantasy (“Signs”), a comedy hit (“Barbershop”), a modern romance (“About a Boy”), a blaxploitation spoof (“Undercover Brother”), a smart thriller (“The Bourne Identity”), a teen tale (“Blue Crush”) and a buddy picture (“The Banger Sisters”) will brighten the first month of 2003 for video viewers. The following capsule reviews, listed alphabetically, will give you an idea of the caliber of films coming soon to a video store near you. The films are graded as follows: Very Good, (A); Good, (B); Fair, (C); Poor, (D); Turkey (F). Those with (NP) have not been previewed.
ABOUT A BOY (Universal; $99.99, tape; $26.99, DVD; Jan. 14; B): A happily self-centered London single (Hugh Grant of “Two Week Notice’) pretends to have a son so that he can meet more women. He then finds himself becoming attached to a 12-year-old boy who comes into the man’s shallow life. Toni Collette (“The Sixth Sense’) and Rachel Weisz (“The Mummy’) co-star in the topical romantic comedy, which is based on the novel by Nick Hornby and allows Grant to play another charming cad. Harsh four-letter profanity, adult themes. (PG-13)
THE BANGER SISTERS (Fox; $99.99, tape; $27.99, DVD; Jan. 28; B): Screen favorites Susan Sarandon and Goldie Hawn comprise 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 (MGM; $99.99, tape; $26.99, DVD; now available; B): The young owner (Ice Cube of “Ghosts of Mars”) of a Chicago barbershop controlled by his family for four decades 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. Profanity, sexual innuendo, brief drug references. (PG-13)
BLUE CRUSH (Universal; $99.99, tape; $26.99, DVD; Jan. 14; NP): During this romantic adventure, a young woman (Kate Bosworth of “Remember the Titans’) moves to Hawaii to follow her dream of living as a surfer. She then finds riding the waves isn’t so important once she meets a handsome football player (Matthew Davis of “Legally Blonde’). Michelle Rodriguez (“Resident Evil’) co-stars, and John Stockwell (“crazy/beautiful’) directed. Sexual content, teen partying, profanity, brief violence. (PG-13)
THE BOURNE IDENTITY (Universal; $99.99, tape; $26.99, DVD; Jan. 21; B+): With his ability to crawl up walls, swing across rooftops and zoom along streets, Jason Bourne (Matt Damon of “Ocean’s Eleven’) could really go by the code name “amazing spy-derman.’ In this fun-to-watch espionage thriller, the title character is a lethal CIA operative/assassin who loses his memory and suddenly finds himself being chased by assorted deadly characters. Despite a rather ordinary story, this old-fashioned popcorn picture proves quite a cinematic ride with Damon behind the wheel. The enjoyable spy thriller, based on the novel by Robert Ludlum, co-stars Franka Potente (“Run Lola Run’), Chris Cooper (“American Beauty’), Julia Stiles (“Save the Last Dance’) and Clive Owen (“Croupier’). Doug Liman (“Go’) directed. Strong violence, harsh four-letter profanity. (PG-13)
FEAR DOT COM: (Warner; $22.99, tape; $26.99, DVD; Jan. 14; 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. Stephan Rea (“Interview With the Vampire’) co-stars with cult favorites Jeffrey Combs (“Re-Animator’) and Udo Kier (“Shadow of the Vampire’). William Malone (“House on Haunted Hill’) directed. Grisly images of torture, nudity and harsh four-letter profanity. (R)
THE FOREIGNER: (Columbia TriStar; $99.99, tape; $24.99, DVD; Jan. 28; D+): Martial-artist-turned-actor Steven Seagal (“Under Siege”) stumbles through this no-frills, direct-to-video title in which he plays a freelance agent hired to deliver a secret package from France to Germany. Even Seagal’s most devoted fans won’t find many action thrills. Strong violence, harsh four-letter profanity. (R)
THE GOOD GIRL: (Fox; $99.99, tape; $27.99, DVD; Jan. 7; B): 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)
MARTIN LAWRENCE LIVE: RUNTELDAT: (Paramount; $99.99, tape; $29.99, DVD; Jan. 7; NP): Lawrence performs his popular stand-up act. Expect some no-holds-barred material as the comic discusses the ups and downs in his life. Strong crude sexual elements, harsh four-letter profanity. (R)
THE MASTER OF DISGUISE: (Columbia TriStar; $99.99, tape; $26.99, DVD; Jan. 28; D+): In this lame comedy, a meek waiter (Dana Carvey of “Wayne’s World’) at an Italian restaurant learns that he comes from a family whose members are famous for creating brilliant disguises. He then uses that gift after an enemy kidnaps his father (James Brolin of “Westworld’). Jennifer Esposito (“Don’t Say a Word’) and Brent Spiner (“Star Trek: Nemesis’) co-star in the misguided work that wastes the talents of the performers and the time of the viewers. Production-designer-turned-filmmaker Perry Andelin Blake made his directing debut. Mild language, crude humor. (PG)
SERVING SARA (Paramount; $99.99, tape; $29.99, DVD; Jan. 28; C-): A married woman (Elizabeth Hurley of “Bedazzled’) is shocked when her two-timing Texas husband (Bruce Campbell of “The Evil Dead’) wants a divorce and plans to cut her out of their fortune. She convinces a New York process server (Matthew Perry of TV’s “Friends’) to help her by serving her spouse instead and getting $1 million for his trouble. The misguided picture suffers from too many lame slapstick scenes and corny jokes. Gross gags, sexual elements, profanity. (PG-13)
SIGNS (Touchstone; $22.99, tape; $29.99, DVD; Jan. 7; 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. He then learns that the formations may be a map for an attack by space invaders. Joaquin Phoenix (“Gladiators’) 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)
SIMONE (New Line; $99.99, tape; $26.99, DVD; Jan. 21; C): A desperate director (Al Pacino of “Insomnia’) agrees to allow a computer whiz to digitally create a synthetic replacement (Canadian model-turned-actress Rachel Roberts) for his leading lady after the major star (Winona Ryder) endangers the project. The public never realizes that the character only exists inside a computer, and the filmmaker fears revealing the truth will destroy his career during the highly uneven Hollywood satire. Andrew Niccol (“Gattaca’) directed. Sexual elements. (PG-13)
UNDERCOVER BROTHER: (Universal; $99.99, tape; $26.99, DVD; Jan. 14; B-): During this spoof based on the Urban Media’s Web site series, a black agent (Eddie Griffin of “The New Guy’) must trade in his leather slacks and platform shoes for khakis and penny loafers. The preppie clothes will help him to infiltrate a sinister underground movement headed by The Man (Chris Kattan of TV’s “Saturday Night Live’), a mysterious racist devoted to stopping the campaign of a black presidential candidate. Dave Chappelle, Denise Richards and Billy Dee Williams co-star in this often funny spoof of blaxploitation favorites from the 1970s. Harsh four-letter profanity, sexual elements and violence. (PG-13)