Comedy, animated tale to light up silver screen
An action comedy (“Hollywood Homicide”), an animated tale (“Rugrats Go Wild”) and a gross prequel (“Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd”) are the top titles arriving in theaters for this Father’s Day weekend. The new motion pictures (with release dates subject to change) scheduled to open at a theater near you include:
– “Capturing the Friedmans”: The family fallout that occurred after a father and son from the affluent Long Island suburb of Great Neck, N.Y. were accused of sexually abusing young boys in 1987 is chronicled in this unrated documentary.
The critically acclaimed 107-minute picture won the Documentary Grand Prize at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. Andrew Jarecki, most famous for inventing the ticket-buying system MovieFone, made his directing debut.
– “Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd”: In this prequel to “Dumb and Dumber,” Eric Christian Olsen and Derek Richardson replace Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels, respectively. The story follows the two bumbling buddies through their high school years during which they accidentally uncover a scandal in the administration. Even if it included Carrey and Daniels, another “Dumb and Dumber” picture doesn’t seem like such a good idea, though young teens may turn out in droves if director Troy Miller (TV’s “Mr. Show”) can make it creatively gross within the confines of a PG-13 rating.
– “Hollywood Homicide”: After the dismal failure of “K-19: The Widowmaker,” which cast him as the somber captain of a Soviet submarine, Harrison Ford decided it was time to loosen up. In this PG-13 action comedy, he plays a Los Angeles detective who teams with a young partner (Josh Hartnett of “Pearl Harbor”) and investigates the murder of a rap star. No doubt Ford’s fans would like to see him play the type of ready-for-action characters he portrays in hits such as “Patriot Games” and “Air Force One,” and it’s hard to imagine that anyone is overly excited about seeing the superstar in a buddy comedy.
But it’s promising that Ford is willing to stretch his talents, and one can only hope that viewers will be laughing along with him. Lena Olin (TV’s “Alias”), Bruce Greenwood (“The Core”) and rapper-turned-actor Master P co-star, and Ron Shelton, whose credits range from the feel-good baseball tale “Bull Durham” to the downbeat police drama “Dark Blue,” co-wrote and directed.
– “Rugrats Go Wild”: Two Nickelodeon favorites – “The Rugrats” and “The Wild Thornberrys” – team in this PG-rated animated adventure tale that has the characters stranded on a desert island. Parents should be pleased to hear the voice of Bruce Willis, who performs the role of Spike the dog. Kate Boutilier, who previously wrote “Rugrats in Paris” and “The Wild Thornberrys Movie,” made her directing debut.
– “Sweet Sixteen”: In this gritty 106-minute import, rated R, a Scottish teen (newcomer Martin Compston) becomes involved in theft and then drug dealing in order to provide a home for his ex-con mother. Ken Loach (“My Name Is Joe”), a British filmmaker known for the realism in his films that often revolve around working-class families, directed.
– “Washington Heights”: Two friends – one Dominican (Manny Perez); the other Irish (Danny Hoch) – itch to escape from their neighborhood.
The two, however, find themselves trapped by circumstances after a shooting incident threatens the financial future of a bodega financially linked to both of their fathers.
Alfred De Villa (“Neto’s Run”), who shot it on video, directed the no-frills 80-minute slice-of-life melodrama, rated R.
At the buck$ office
Viewers felt the need for speed last weekend.
The road-racing sequel, “2 Fast 2 Furious,” easily took the No. 1 spot. “Finding Nemo” closely followed the PG-13 follow-up, starring Paul Walker and Tyrese Gibson.
According to the Associated Press, the top 10 films last weekend were:
1. “2 Fast 2 Furious” ($52.1 million)
2. “Finding Nemo” ($45.8 million)
3. “Bruce Almighty” ($21.7 million)
4. “The Italian Job” ($13.3 million)
5. “The Matrix Reloaded” ($9.1 million)
6. “Daddy Day Care” ($4.8 million)
7. “X2: X-Men United” ($3.05 million)
8. “Wrong Turn” ($2.65 million)
9. “The In-Laws” ($2 million)
10. “Bend It Like Beckham” ($975,000)
Coming Soon!
The major titles scheduled to open June 20 include: “The Hulk” with Eric Bana and Jennifer Connelly in the awaited adaptation of the Marvel Comic; “From Justin to Kelly” with Kelly Clarkson and Doylestown’s Justin Guarini from “American Idol” in a beach picture; and “Alex & Emma,” a romantic comedy with Kate Hudson and Luke Wilson.