Famous director advises his son to ‘keep it simple’
The new motion pictures opening today at a theater near you include: – “Beijing Bicycle”: A poor messenger boy (Cui Lin) newly arrived in the city from the countryside finds his world shattered when the bike he uses to make deliveries is stolen and the apparent culprit appears to be a student (Li Bin) at a private high school. Wang Xiaoshuai directed the PG-13 import from China.
– “A Chronicle of Corpses”: During this gothic horror story, some nobles turn to violence against their plantation workers after learning that their fortune has been lost. Andrew Repasky McElhinney wrote and directed the unrated work.
– “CQ”: A young American filmmaker (Jeremy Davies of “Saving Private Ryan”) is convinced to take the reins of a 1969 sci-fi film that’s being shot in Paris and having all sorts of production problems. Most of the woes result from a sexy leading lady (newcomer Angela Lindvall) who keeps taking people’s minds off their jobs. Roman Coppola, the son of famed filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, makes his directing debut with the R-rated satire about movies of the swinging 1960s.
– “Dogtown and Z-Boys”: This PG-13 documentary, set in the 1970s, studies the surfers from Venice and Santa Monica in California who transformed their moves on the waves to stunts on modified boards with wheels and invented skateboarding. Sean Penn (“I Am Sam”) narrates, and Stacy Peralta – one of the original Z-Boys – directed.
– “Murderous Maids”: During this fact-based French thriller, set in 1933, two sisters working as maids embark on a bloody rampage, which includes murdering their employer and her daughter. Jean-Pierre Denis directed the unrated import.
– “The Sum of All Fears”: Ben Affleck (“Pearl Harbor”) fills the shoes of Harrison Ford as he takes on the role of CIA analyst Jack Ryan, created by Tom Clancy in a successful book series. This time, Ryan helps to stop a war between the United States and Russia after the sudden death of a Soviet leader and then struggles to prevent a nuclear device from being detonated on American soil.
Morgan Freeman (“High Crimes”) and James Cromwell (“Babe”) co-star. Phil Alden Robinson (“Field of Dreams”) directed the PG-13 thriller. (As trivia buffs know, Alec Baldwin originated the role of Ryan in “The Hunt For Red October” and then Ford took it over for “Patriot Games” and “Clear and Present Danger.” All three films enjoyed huge box-office success.)
– “Undercover Brother”: During this PG-13 spoof based on the Urban Media’s Web site series, a black secret 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 (“Half Baked”), Denise Richards (“Wild Things”), Aunjanue Ellis (“The Caveman’s Valentine”) and Billy Dee Williams (“The Empire Strikes Back”) co-star in this spoof of blaxploitation favorites from the 1970s.
Malcolm D. Lee (“The Best Man”) directed.
At the Buck$ Office
Jedi Knights and Spidey dominated theaters over the Memorial Day weekend as “Star Wars: Episode II” and “Spider-Man” grossed almost $100 million between them.
Also showing strong numbers were “Insomnia” with Al Pacino, “Enough” with Jennifer Lopez and the animated epic, “Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron,” narrated by Matt Damon.
The top 10 films last weekend were:
1. “Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones” ($61.2 million)
2. “Spider-Man” ($36.5 million)
3. “Insomnia” ($26.2 million)
4. “Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron” ($23 million)
5. “Enough” ($17.5 million)
6. “About a Boy” ($10 million)
7. “Unfaithful” ($7.7 million)
8. “The New Guy” ($5.5 million)
9. “Changing Lanes” ($2 million)
10. “The Scorpion King” ($1.9 million)