New flicks light up big screen this weekend
The new motion pictures scheduled to open today at a theater near you include: – “The Father, The Son”: City of Brotherly Love actor Sal Mazzotta plays the offspring of a Philadelphia mob boss (Robert Costanzo) who must take drastic measures against his family’s enemies after an attempt is made on his father’s life. Mazzotta also directed the unrated gangster tale, which co-stars Leo Rossi and Johnny Williams.
– “Frida”: The life and loves of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, who was famous for her surreal self-portraits, stormy marriage and fiery affairs, comes to the screen in this biography about a woman considered a political and sexual revolutionary. Salma Hayek (“Desperado”), who also produced, plays the title role, and Alfred Molina (“Species”) co-stars as her mentor and husband, Diego Rivera. Julie Taymor, whose credits include the Broadway production of “The Lion King” and the striking film “Titus,” directed the R-rated tale, based on the book by Hayden Herrera.
( “I Spy”: Eddie Murphy (“Beverly Hills Cop”) and Owen Wilson (“Behind Enemy Lines”) star in this very loose PG-13 adaptation of the NBC-TV series (1965-68) with Bill Cosby and Robert Culp who worked as government agents and operated under the cover of professional sports. Murphy plays a champion boxer drafted to help a clumsy government agent (Wilson) locate a stolen state-of-the-art military jet, which will be sold to the highest bidder by an international arms dealer (Malcolm McDowell of “Gangster No. 1”). Betty Thomas (“Private Parts”) directed.
( “Naqoyqatsi”: In this PG-rated sequel to “Koyaanisqatsi” and “Powaqqatsi,” director Godfrey Reggio provides a visual extravaganza spotlighting imagery designed to show how the world has changed from being organized by nature to a planet dominated by potentially destructive technology. Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh (“Traffic”) served as executive producer for the production, which is the third part of Reggio’s “Qatsi” trilogy and features a score by Phillip Glass, who also provided the music for the first two installments.
( “Roger Dodger”: During the R-rated modern morality tale, a cynical Manhattan advertising executive (Campbell Scott of “Dying Young”) agrees to help his 16-year-old nephew (newcomer Jesse Eisenberg) lose his virginity. The misguided adult then deals with two dancers (Jennifer Beals of “Flashdance” and Elizabeth Berkley of “Showgirls”), who prove far too smart for his stale lines, and also encounters his lover (Isabella Rossellini of “Blue Velvet”), who decides to dump him for a much younger man. Dylan Kidd made his directing debut with the jaded story about a deeply unhappy guy who believes that all men are becoming irrelevant.
( “The Santa Clause 2”: Tim Allen returns as St. Nick in this G-rated sequel to the 1994 hit. In the happy-go-lucky follow-up, Allen’s character discovers a contract stipulation that requires him to be married by Christmas Eve or stop being Santa forever. He also learns that his son, Charlie (Eric Lloyd), is causing trouble at home and landed on the naughty list. TV director Michael Lembeck, whose credits include more than 200 episodes of sitcoms such as “Friends,” “Mad About You” and “Everybody Loves Raymond,” made his big-screen filmmaking debut.
At the buck$ office
The 10 highest-grossing films last weekend were:
Coming soon!