Reviews

Sigourney Weaver and Bebe Neuwirth are best friends in this short and sweet coming-of-age tale. Weaver is married to John Ritter and is stepmother to Aaron Stanford (first film). Stanford, 15 years old, has a crush on his stepmother and plans to let her know on his Thanksgiving break from prep school. Things don't go as planned and he ends up in the bed of someone else. This may sound like a sleazy immoral tale, but Stanford's character is a bright mature young man. His superb performance makes this film rise above most films of this type. Robert Iler (son of Jas. Gandolfini on the Sopranos) is Stanford's closest friend and confidant. Weaver and Neuwirth both bring that special something to their roles. Coincidentally, both are in real life relationships with younger men (no, not that young). When the film has run its short 78 minute course, you'll wish it weren't over.

Tommie Lee Jones and Will Smith reprise their roles as Agents J & K in Barry Sonnenfeld's sequel to the enormously successful Men in Black of 5 years ago. This time their roles are reversed. Will Smith portrays the veteran anti-alien agent and Jones is the naive postal worker whose knowledge of aliens has been neuralized (wiped out). When the earth is threatened by Lara Flynn Boyle (as the new alien villain), Jones is brought out of "retirement" and restored to partnership with Smith. It sounds like it should work, but it is only fitfully amusing and not very exciting. However, the special effects are even more elaborate than in the original, but it isn't enough. The only thing that saves the film is a canine alien agent who has a leaning towards singing songs like "I Will Survive" and "Who let the dogs out?" He steals the show from the stars. The movie itself is mercifully short (88 minutes, with about 10 minutes of credits making the body of the film only 78-80 min. long, or short, as it were). So if you liked the original, you might enjoy this one. It just isn't fresh or original, just a money-making rehash.

Brett Morgan and Nanette Burstein have put together a fascinating portrait of Hollywood mogul, Robert Evans. The documentary skips over his childhood to his short career as a rising star in films. He was discovered poolside by Norma Shearer who chose him to play her wunderkind husband, Irving Thalberg, in "Man of a Thousand Faces". He went on to the colorful role of the bullfighter in Hemingway's "The Sun Also Rises." Darryl Zanuck cast him against the desires of Hemingway, Ava Gardner and Tyrone Power who wanted a name actor in the role. When Zanuck filmed his first scene in the bullring he liked what his saw. Hence, the famous line: "The kid stays in the picture." Evans knew from that day on what he really wanted to do was what Zanuck was doing, make films, not act in them. His next role in "The Fiend that Walked the West" just solidified his resolve to drop the acting career and move into the behind the scenes part of movie making. The middle part of the story relates his rise to fame as the head of Paramount studios (Love Story, Romeo and Juliet, Harold and Maude and The Godfather) and as independent filmmaker (Chinatown). His subsequent fall from grace is the final third of the tale. The film is creatively told using constant music, film and newsreel clips, and photographs all ingeniously intertwined. Of course, the best part is the narration which is provided by Robert Evans himself. The voiceover is derived from Evans audio book of the biograpphy from which the film is adapted. I went in expecting to be bored. I was riveted for an hour and a half to this classic story of the rise and fall of a Hollywood legend.

This film won't win any awards, but you will walk out of it feeling good. It has lots of ethnic humor and stereotypical characters, but they all have good hearts. Of course, if you're of Greek extraction give it an extra star. Lanie Kazan and Michael Constantine portray the parents of Toula (Nia Vardalos, who also wrote the screenplay). Toula is 30 and not yet married to a nice Greek boy. They are all losing hope when Toula meets Ian (John Corbett, Aidan from Sex and the City) who is not Greek. Romantic complications ensue, but the characters are charming if loud. Andrea Martin is particularly good as an aunt. A fun romantic comedy that will not disappoint.

The fifth in the Star Wars galaxy blasts into that faraway long ago continuing the tale of the Skywalker clan. The Force strikes back in the extreme. In this the 2nd prequel we are introduced to Anakin Skywalker, the future Darth Vader, in his young adult incarnation. His romance with the lovely former queen and present Senator Padme Amidala and his journey to the dark side improve on the juvenile shenanigans of the child in Episode I. The silliness of Jar Jar Binks in the earlier film is also kept to a minimum here.

George Lucas, always pushing the envelope technologically, again does so here, filming the entire movie digitally. Visually the images are sumptuous and eye filling. The variety of environments on different planets keeps the viewer engaged and delighted. The story returns to the city planet of Coruscant, the desert planet of Tatooine, and introduces a rain-swept planet where the clones of the title are being grown.

Here Lucas begins filling in the gaps leading up to the 4th episode, the original Star Wars film. The relationship between R2D2 and C3PO develops humorously. We find out the genesis of the character, Boba Fett. However, the high points of any space adventure are its action sequences. These are thrilling and more frequent than in the Phantom Menace. A fantastic chase through the skyscrapers of Coruscant gives you the feeling that these characters are really zooming and swooping between the canyons of this throbbing metropolis. A later sequence in an arena that dwarfs those in Gladiator or Ben-Hur pits our protagonists against fearsome creatures which are indescribably ugly and vicious. A final light saber duel brings the audience to applause because. . .no, I won't spoil it.

John Williams score is an integral part of Star Wars lore. Here he interweaves themes introduced in the first three films, Leia's theme, the Imperial March and others, with the new music for this opus. In particular, the love theme for Anakin and Padme is moving and effective. It really supports the actors' tentative performances during these scenes. Lucas has never been much of an actor's director. It's in this one area that he has left his two main characters out in the cold. Han Solo and Princess Leia had a perfect chemistry that is not as natural here. Ewan McGregor is evolving smoothly into Alec Guinness' Obi-Wan. Yoda is now completely in the CGI domain. Samuel L. Jackson has more to do than in Menace and always adds that something special to his roles. He even gets to wield a light saber. Wonderful Christopher Lee is the evil Count Dooku. Interesting that his counterpart in so many Hammer horror films, Peter Cushing, was a villain in the first Star Wars film.

Star Wars fans will not be disappointed. The romance in the tale will also make the tale much more accessible to women. The film builds to a rousing conclusion making the audience wish that they would not have to wait another three years to find out what events will bring the saga full circle.

Pierce Brosnan portrays an anti-007 type spy in John Boorman's film of John LeCarre's novel, `The Tailor of Panama'. Boorman has filmed a rich and exciting tale peopled with complicated characters. Brosnan is the antithesis of James Bond as Andy Osnard, exiled to Panama after a romantic indiscretion. He chooses Harry Pendel, superbly portrayed by Academy Award Winner Geoffrey Rush, as his paid informer, the tailor of the title. Pendel is married to Louisa (Jamie Lee Curtis) who works for the head of the Panama Canal Authority. Now that the U.S. no longer controls the Canal Zone, the future of the canal is up for grabs among the nations of the world. The complex interrelationships of the characters is sometimes confusing. However, Boorman has used creative cinematic techniques to move his story along quickly drawing the viewer into its vortex of betrayal and greed. In particular, Boorman uses music and intercutting of a romantic dance with a love-making scene between Andy and Francesca (Catherine McCormack), a colleague at the British Embassy. It was quite courageous of Boorman to show Brosnan's character as quite reprehensible and yet charming. Brosnan pulls it off winningly. The intelligent filmgoer will not be disappointed by this adult look at modern espionage.

When we imagine the epic film as a genre, 3 films immediately come to mind: The Ten Commandments, Spartacus and Ben-Hur. Of the three, Ben-Hur is probably the most honored. It won 11 Oscars including Best Picture, Actor (Heston), Supporting Actor (Hugh Griffith), and Director (William Wyler). The only Oscar it didn't win was for Screenplay (Karl Tunberg). The reason probably had something to do with the fact that several other authors, including Gore Vidal, had a hand in its re-writing. What makes Ben-Hur a great epic? First, the sweep of its locations and settings. Giant sets were constructed on the grounds of the great Cinecitta Studios in Rome. State of the art special effects enhanced the two great action sequences (the sea battle and the chariot race). Next, the larger than life performances of the principals brought to life these imagined characters of novelist, Lew Wallace. Stephen Boyd is perfect as the Roman centurion, Messala, who has returned to Judea (Israel) to assume his place as military leader anxious to suppress the Hebrews who are ruled by the Roman Empire. Boyd never again had a role to equal this. He was a fine match for Heston who embodies the princely Ben-Hur whose friend he was in their childhood. It is their enmity that lies at the core of this tale. The underlying story of Christ parallels the journey of Ben-Hur intersecting at two crucial points in the film. Wyler wisely does not show the face of Christ. Instead, he shows people's reactions to him. In one scene, a Roman soldier is trying to prevent Ben-Hur (now a prisoner) from drinking water. After Christ lets him drink the soldier tries to stop him (`I said no water for him'). His reaction to the hidden face of Christ is worth a thousand words. No discussion of Ben-Hur would be complete without mentioning the towering musical score composed and conducted by Miklos Rozsa (Academy Award). Finally, it is many qualities such as this that give Ben-Hur the stature of more than just a sword and sandal epic, but transform it into a personal drama. Its characters are living, breathing beings swept into events that make for exciting cinema. Jack Hawkins is fine as the Roman general whose life Ben-Hur saves (`We keep you alive to serve this ship. Row well and live.'). Hugh Griffith earned his Oscar as the humorous Sheik Ilderim who supplies Hur with the Arabian steeds that he will race against Messala in the great circus of Jerusalem (`There is no law in the arena. Many are killed.'). It all comes down to the chariot race that is the center of the second half of the film. There are no special effects here. The race is real. Heston and Boyd actually drive the chariots in almost all the scenes. No doubt, the chariot race is one of the greatest actions sequences in any film.

Ben-Hur has just been released on DVD in a superb new transfer with a new Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack. The epic was filmed in Camera 65 an ultra-wide process that is almost completely revealed on this disc. It would be something to see these classics projected on an IMAX screen. With the success of `Gladiator' someone in Hollywood should re-release the grand epics of the 50's and 60's in their original 70mm splendor. Ben-Hur could then be fully appreciated as the classic it is (one of AFI's greatest 100 films of the 20th century).

When we imagine the epic film as a genre, 3 films immediately come to mind: The Ten Commandments, Spartacus and Ben-Hur. Of the three, Ben-Hur is probably the most honored. It won 11 Oscars including Best Picture, Actor (Heston), Supporting Actor (Hugh Griffith), and Director (William Wyler). The only Oscar it didn't win was for Screenplay (Karl Tunberg). The reason probably had something to do with the fact that several other authors, including Gore Vidal, had a hand in its re-writing. What makes Ben-Hur a great epic? First, the sweep of its locations and settings. Giant sets were constructed on the grounds of the great Cinecitta Studios in Rome. State of the art special effects enhanced the two great action sequences (the sea battle and the chariot race). Next, the larger than life performances of the principals brought to life these imagined characters of novelist, Lew Wallace. Stephen Boyd is perfect as the Roman centurion, Messala, who has returned to Judea (Israel) to assume his place as military leader anxious to suppress the Hebrews who are ruled by the Roman Empire. Boyd never again had a role to equal this. He was a fine match for Heston who embodies the princely Ben-Hur whose friend he was in their childhood. It is their enmity that lies at the core of this tale. The underlying story of Christ parallels the journey of Ben-Hur intersecting at two crucial points in the film. Wyler wisely does not show the face of Christ. Instead, he shows people's reactions to him. In one scene, a Roman soldier is trying to prevent Ben-Hur (now a prisoner) from drinking water. After Christ lets him drink the soldier tries to stop him (`I said no water for him'). His reaction to the hidden face of Christ is worth a thousand words. No discussion of Ben-Hur would be complete without mentioning the towering musical score composed and conducted by Miklos Rozsa (Academy Award). Finally, it is many qualities such as this that give Ben-Hur the stature of more than just a sword and sandal epic, but transform it into a personal drama. Its characters are living, breathing beings swept into events that make for exciting cinema. Jack Hawkins is fine as the Roman general whose life Ben-Hur saves. Hugh Griffith earned his Oscar as the humorous Sheik Ilderim who supplies Hur with the Arabian steeds that he will race against Messala in the great circus of Jerusalem. It all comes down to the chariot race that is the center of the second half of the film. There are no special effects here. The race is real. Heston and Boyd actually drive the chariots in almost all the scenes. No doubt, the chariot race is one of the greatest actions sequences in any film.

Ben-Hur has just been released on DVD in a superb new transfer with a new Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack. The epic was filmed in Camera 65 an ultra-wide process that is almost completely revealed on this disc. The DVD also has a fine hour-long documentary about the making of the film. It would be something to see this classic projected on an IMAX screen. With the success of `Gladiator' someone in Hollywood should re-release the grand epics of the 50's and 60's in their original 70mm splendor. Ben-Hur could then be fully appreciated as the classic it is (one of AFI's greatest 100 films of the 20th century).

Ashley Judd stars in `Someone Like You', a pleasant romantic comedy that lets her stretch her acting chops. Judd's recent films, `Eye of the Beholder' and `Double Jeopardy', placed her in mortal danger and were deadly serious, to say the least. Her current project gives her a lighter air portraying a young working woman charged with the task of getting interesting guests for a morning talk show hosted by Diane (Ellen Barkin). In the film's humorous introduction, Jane (Judd) explains the Old cow/new cow theory that she applies to men and their relationships with women. Basically, The theory says that once a bull mates with a cow (old cow) subsequently he only wants another Cow (new cow). At the job she falls for Ray (Greg Kinnear). She is the new cow to him. Meanwhile, she shares an apartment with Eddie (charismatic Hugh Jackman, recently of X-Men). Complications ensue and the finale is predictable. Performances are on the mark and the settings in Manhattan are real (not faux Toronto) adding to the film's charm. In addition, the men are treated fairly, not making this a total chick flick. There is also a sparkling performance by Marisa Tomei as Jane's best friend. The costumes are also what a $40,000/yr. salary could afford, as opposed to Armani and other designer duds. As directed by Tony Goldwyn (the bad guy in `Ghost') `Someone Like You' is a delightful way to spend a couple of hours. There are no surprises, some smiles and chuckles, and you'll feel good because the characters are basically nice folks.

Ann Hu‘s first directorial and writing effort is an ambitious project that belies her 2 month apprenticeship at the film school at New York University. `Shadow Magic' is a fictitious tale built around the introduction of the infant film industry in China of the very early 20th century. Raymond Wallace (Jared Harris) comes to Beijing to introduce the simplest of motion pictures to its natives. Liu (Yu Xia) portrays a youthful Chinese apprentice photographer who helps him encourage the locals to attend the show he calls `Shadow Magic'. The clashes of cultures form the backbone of the conflict. Filmed beautifully on location, acting, cinematography and music coalesce magically to draw today's audiences into its story, just as its characters are instantly charmed by the movies they come to see in filmdom's first theaters. This is a movie not to be missed by anyone who loves film.

`Pay It Forward' refers to the idea thought up by eleven year old Trevor (Haley Joel Osment) as the answer to a homework project given by his social studies teacher Eugene Simonet (Kevin Spacey). The repercussions of Trevor's acts are heartwarming and heartbreaking. Trevor's mother, Arlene (Helen Hunt) is trying to make ends meet as a single mom while raising her son in Las Vegas. Jay Mohr is a reporter trying to find out the origin of `pay it forward' so he can write an effective human interest article. Other seemingly unrelated characters finally fit into place as the tale winds to its powerful conclusion. Performances here are all top-drawer. The viewer will get drawn into the events which will provide an emotional reaction. It is only after the film, as you take it apart, that some of the flaws will become apparent. But by then it won't matter. Even though the final scene is a bit overdone, by then you will have been won over by the characters and the circumstances the writers have placed them in. Mimi Leder has directed the film so that the viewer can't thinking as he or she goes home of how to `Pay It Forward'. By the way, the title means to perform difficult acts of kindness for someone who needs help. Can you change the world? It certainly makes you think.

Robert DeNiro is developing into quite an entertaining comedic actor. In his latest comic opus, which he also produced, he is the future father-in-law of Greg Focker (Ben Stiller). Greg's girlfriend, Pam (Teri Polo) has brought him home to `Meet the Parents'. From the moment he drives up to the front door nothing goes right. Jay Roach (Austin Powers) has ably directed his actors getting just the right combination of humor and character without being too slapsticky.

Unfortunately, the trailer gives away many of the film's best gags. However, the characters are likeable so that you sympathize with their plight. Blythe Danner is the future mother-in-law and isn't given much to do. Of course, the end of the story seems to lead to the possible sequel, `Meet the Fockers,' Greg's parents. Who would be better to play them than Ben Stiller's own folks, Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara. Hire them, quick!

Boaz Yakin has directed a rousing true story drama. Not being a football fan, I entered planning to take a nap. However, this uplifting tale of the dawn of integration in Alexandria, Virginia in the early 70's, draws the viewer in and doesn't let up for a moment. Denzel Washington stars as Coach Boone who is brought in replacing Coach Yoast (winningly portrayed by Will Patton), previous coach of the all white T.C. Williams High School football team. The two local high schools are being integrated and so is the football team. Boone, not only has to contend with the divisiveness of the local community, but with the job of creating a black and white team that will work together to play and win on the football field. Washington's Knute Rockne-like orations to the teens are surprisingly straightforward and sincerely delivered. During a boot camp training period he gradually gets the boys to jell as a team and, more surprisingly as friends and equals off the field. In particular, a speech to the boys on the grounds of the Gettysburg cemetery is particularly moving. This carries over to the high school population in general when the team comes home, and helps the community at large deal with integration. Performances are top notch all around. Fine use is made of period music and the expanse of the wide screen. Even wise use of surround sound brings the audience right into the thick of the battles on the gridiron. Best of all, the film is rated PG. As beautifully written by Gregory Allen Howard, use of coarse language is at an absolute minimum, and it doesn't adversely affect the film one bit. All in all, this is so far the best of the fall releases; one the whole family can see and enjoy.

A new digitally spruced up version of the classic film, `The Exorcist', has been released to theaters. The soundtrack now has subtle and loud and scary sound effects. The visuals contain various subliminal Devilish faces flashed quickly at certain points and 11 minutes of material deleted from the final cut, but included in similar form on the currently available DVD release in a superb documentary. Otherwise, the tale still packs quite a wallop. Its impact is certainly greater on the big theater screen. The key to the film's class is the perfect performance of Max Von Sydow in the title roll. The iconic scene where he arrives at the home of the possessed Regan still sends chills up the spine. The gross out scenes are still there (pea soup, head twirling and rattling bed). In addition there is the cut cult scene of Regan scrambling spider-like down the stairs drooling blood. And, on it goes. If you've never seen it in a theater it is worthwhile. If you like a good scare and don't mind the gore, it's not as disgusting as some of the more recent slice and dice epics. Be sure to rent the DVD to hear William Friedkin (director) and William Peter Blatty (writer, also novel) heatedly discussing the deleted scenes which have been added to this version. The new ending slightly blunts the coldness of the original, but the optimism of the new millennium gives the added scene a definite resonance.

GLADIATOR

Over 30 years has elapsed since the heyday of the epic spectaculars of the ancient world. Ridley Scott, director of `Blade Runner,' `Alien,' and `Thelma & Louise,' has brought his fine sense of visuals to renew the genre in his latest film, `Gladiator.' The jumping off point in Roman history is very close to Anthony Mann's `Fall of the Roman Empire' (1964). Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris), Roman emperor, is trying to finish off the barbarian hordes who have been attacking at the northern edge of the empire at the Germanic border. Maximus (Russell Crowe), his top general, is ready to finish off the enemy and does in a brutal Saving Private Ryan-like battle. As a matter of fact, he does such a great job, Aurelius wants him to be his successor, passing over the emperor's own son, Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix). Of course, the overlooked son will have none of this and these circumstances set up the relationships and vengeance for the remainder of the saga. Connie Nielsen portrays Commodus' widowed sister and former lover of Maximus. The rest of the film continues from the northern empire to the north of Africa where Maximus is trained as a gladiator and ultimately back to Rome itself where the final conflicts play themselves out.

The film owes much to the epics of the 50's and 60's. The look and style of film is definitely current. However, the small gladiatorial arena in Africa is reminiscent of `Spartacus.' Later sequences in the great Roman Coliseum recall `Quo Vadis,' `Barabbas,' and even `Ben-Hur'. The performances are uniformly good, especially Oliver Reed as slave owner and gladiator trainer, Proximo. Reed died three weeks before filming was completed and computer graphics were utilized to scan his face on another actor to complete his scenes. Other computer-generated effects are unnoticeable for the most part, but some matte paintings are obvious as such, though quite effective.

Of course, most viewers have come for the action sequences seen briefly in the previews and talk show promotions. The action is fast with lots of quick cutting making some of the conflicts difficult to follow. However, they do have a visceral effect, as those early scenes in Private Ryan did. It is fortunate that the connecting dialogue material is smooth and not over-ripe as some of the similar exposition in the 50's-60's films. Phoenix is particularly fine in actually making the viewer sympathize with him. Christopher Plummer played the role way over the top in the earlier `Roman Empire' epic. Nielsen has some genuinely emotional moments with him as incest rears its ugly head, a topic not even hinted at in the earlier film. Sophia Loren and Stephen Boyd were quite wooden in the parts here played by Crowe and Nielsen. Loren always had trouble being natural in English-speaking roles in her early career. Her rare interior and exterior beauty often compensated for that.

Scott has created a realistic, though sometimes stylized, ancient world. Viewers hungry for the majesty and conflict of those classic films will not be disappointed. The magnificent widescreen cinematography, best viewed on a large screen, will surely help the 2 hours and 34 minutes seem faster moving than much shorter films today. Hopefully, this film will be a revival of a much-loved genre of years gone by.

Bruno Barreto has directed this charming and appealing romance, "Bossa Nova",set in the colorful city of Rio DeJaneiro. Amy Irving (Mary Ann) is an American living there and working as a teacher of English to eager Brazilians. When Antonio Fagundes (Pedro Paulo), an attorney in the process of his own divorce, sees her in an elevator, he enrolls in her course. This is just the beginning of a sweet relationship. The people around them (her best friend, his legal assistant, his father and brother, and an American e-mail pen pal) all become involved in a series of humorous and emotional incidents that will have you smiling. Barreto uses the magical music of Antonio Carlos Jobim to fine effect, as well as the various scenic wonders of Rio. It is a pleasure to see some middle aged characters finding romance and companionship in a contemporary film. Brad Pitt, Cameron Diaz, and Leonardo DiCaprio notwithstanding, everyone falling in love is not in their 20's and 30's. There is still hope for us all.

What a pleasure! Edward Norton's first directorial effort, `Keeping the Faith,' is a delightful pastiche which will entertain and amuse. Norton (Brian) also portrays a priest who is the lifelong friend of Ben Stiller (Jake), a rabbi. After many years, their boyhood friend, Anna, winningly portrayed by Jenna Elfman (Dharma & Gregg), returns to New York. She re-enters their lives as a vibrant, ambitious and charmingly sexy young woman. The rest of the plot is quite predictable. However, it is all in the execution here. Anne Bancroft is perfect as Jake's Jewish mother. Her wise words of advice and witty repartee light up every scene she's in. Eli Wallach is the president of the Temple in which Jake officiates. Milos Forman (director of `Amadeus') makes the most of a cameo appearance as Brian's senior priest. The rest of the cast is super. The young women Jake's congregationists try to match him with have hilarious encounters with him. Of course, the whole thing comes out as you would expect. And you will walk out with a big grin on your face.

Matthew McConaughey stars in this rousing submarine adventure, `U-571'. Using state of the art special effects and multi-channel surround sound, Jonathan Mostow directs the viewer into the World War II claustrophobia of American and German underwater battleships. McConaughy portrays the first officer of a U.S. sub that has been given the mission of capturing the German coding machine named `Enigma'. In the process of accomplishing their mission, he and his cohorts are stranded on a wounded German U-boat and are under attack from above by a German battleship. Harvey Keitel is his second in command. This is an unusually heroic role for Keitel who usually plays in quirky independent films. Bill Paxton as the American sub skipper, Jon Bon Jovi, and Erik Palladino (of TV's `ER') also acquit themselves well.

Mostrow uses the wide Panavision screen to draw the audience into this scary world where depth charges are dropped from above exploding loudly all around them (and us). These Dolby Digital explosions are deftly contrasted to the deadly silences. These are punctuated by the periodic sonar `pings' and the creaking of the aged sub as she plummets the ocean to levels where the crushing weight of the water above threatens to squash the steel like a weak tin can.

Like many World War II films of the past, `U-571' is a bit weak on characterization. However, that's not what this film is about. The action and adventure are the reason for this film, and here, the filmmakers have delivered!

Julia Roberts lights up the screen in this basically serious drama directed by Steven Soderbergh. Roberts is a single mother,"Erin Brockovich", struggling to raise three children of two failed marriages. She finally gets a job working for attorney Ed Masry, winningly portrayed by Albert Finney, and gets involved in a case involving a Love Canal-type suit with many plaintiffs and a Goliath-like defendant (Pacific Gas & Electric). The utility company is allegedly guilty of polluting the water in the plaintiffs' town causing a variety of diseases and tragedy and, of course, trying to cover it up.

Soderbergh has directed this piece with a fine combination of humor, romance and poignancy. The film is peppered with salty dialogue, an able supporting cast (Aaron Eckhart, Conchita Farrell, & Marge Helgenberger) and a satisfying ending. The filmmakers have succeeded in creating a movie that is both entertaining, enlightening and even has a social message.

Bette Midler's new movie, "Isn't She Great," hits mostly wrong notes. It can't decide whether it's a comedy, a biography (of novelist Jacqueline Susann), a tear-jerker, or a camp opus. One can't deny that there are a couple of laughs here. A movie with Bette, Nathan Lane and Stockard Channing can't be all bad. The best scene is shown over and over again in the TV and theatre ads. The cleaning woman is describing her opinion of Susann's first novel, "Valley of the Dolls," as filthy and salacious. Then when someone says "Oh! You hated it!", she replies, "no, it's the best book I ever read!" In a later scene, as Susann (Midler) watches the premiere of the "Valley" movie, she slinks down in her seat and says, "I hate this movie." She probably said the same thing to herself at the premiere of this one. Too bad, because "Bette is great!", just not here. Bette will do better next time.

Lasse Hallstrom has directed John Irving's screenplay of his own novel, "The Cider House Rules". Michael Caine delivers one of his best performances as a physician who acts as surrogate father to children in an orphanage in the years before and during World War II. Tobey McGuire is the key character who learns medicine informally under Caine's instruction. On becoming an adult he goes out into the world. The characters are interesting and sympathetic. The feel for the period is right on target. Even though some of the plot turns may be predictable, the scene by scene unfolding of the story is satisfying and touching. Delroy Lindo, Kathy Baker, and Charlize Theron should also be singled out as well-cast in their roles. Eryka Badu (the singer)is especially fine as the daughter of the boss of the itinerant workers (Lindo). This one deserves to be noted at award time.

The Disney animation unit has finally, after 60 years, fulfilled Walt Disney's original goal to add new selections to the concert feature, Fantasia.In "Fantasia 2000", they have retained "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" starring Mickey Mouse. The latter has stood the test of time and children and adults alike had broad grins on their faces when Mickey went through his paces in the Dukas classic. The film opens with a short abstract piece animated to Beethoven's 5th. It was somewhat reminiscent of the Bach "Toccata and Fugue" which opened the original. Whales are the key characters in the spectacular sequence drawn to the strains of Respighi's "The Pines of Rome". Probably the most imaginative piece is the Gershwin "Rhapsody in Blue" sketched in the style of Al Hirshfeld and set on the streets of New York during the Depression. To keep the momentum going, animators have cast Donald Duck (mericfully mute) as Noah's assistant in keeping the ark's animals in order (Pomp and Circumstance). The most humorous selection animates a group of flamingos becoming tangled in the string of a yo-yo (Saint-Saens' "Carnival of the Animals"). Hans Christian Andersen's The Steadfast Tin Soldier is set to Shostakovich. The last selection is underscored by Stravinsky' "The Firebird". It has some of the dark undercurrents of the original's Night on Bald Mountain. All of these swirling colors and images are magically magnified on the IMAX screen. The music is also spectacularly recorded. Only the old Mickey Mouse portion shows its age intermittently with grainy images. Disney's magic makers have again produced a film which may encourage youngsters to build an interest in classical music. It whetted my appetite over 40 years ago.

How wrong-headed can a filmmaker be? Mike Leigh (Secrets and Lies) has written and directed "Topsy-Turvy", this long production (2 hrs. 40 min.) about Gilbert and Sullivan (Jim Broadbent and Alan Corduner). He begins his tale toward the end of their careers. Actually, Sullivan is feeling that their operas have started to get stale, and they have begun to repeat themselves thematically and creatively. At this point, Gilbert and his wife visit an exposition of Japanese culture and custom. Of course, out of this comes their crowning achievement, `The Mikado.' It sounds wonderful, but too much time is spent showing boring rehearsals and scenes from their less successful productions.

The screenplay should have given more time to the performers' stories (which are hinted at) as well as the relationships between G & S and their wives. Two of the best scenes in the film are at the end. Here the two wives reveal their innermost longings and emotions. These should have been developed along the way to greater effect in this fine conclusion.

On a technical level the film is a fine recreation of the England of the late 19th century. The repressed emotions of the characters are mirrors of Victorian society and perfectly reflected in their conversations. It's hard to warm up to them, and one must sympathize with the manner of being so overly polite that one's true feelings can rarely be communicated. The scenes from `The Mikado' are the best part of the movie. Leigh would have done better to film the whole opera. It surely would have been much more entertaining.

Scott Hicks (Shine) has adapted David Guterson's novel, `Snow Falling on Cedars' into a beautiful film. His imagery is the visual equivalent of poetry. The story is set during and after the Second World War in the state of Washington. Ishmael Chambers (Ethan Hawke) is the son of the local newspaper owner, Arthur (Sam Shepard). He has returned to his hometown after the war and finds that a fisherman, Carl Heine (Eric Thal), has been found dead, mysteriously entwined in the netting of his fishing boat. A local farmer, Kazuo Miyamoto (Rick Yune) is arrested for his murder. Kazuo has been trying to buy some land from Carl. Kazuo's wife, Hatsue (Youki Kudoh) had a youthful romance with Ishmael many years before the war. It is through Ishmael's eyes that the murder trial is revealed along with flashbacks to the romance and the imprisonment of Hatsue's family in the concentration camps filled with Japanese citizens after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Simple plot descriptions can only give one an inkling of how Hicks has created his film. He moves back and forth in time fluidly and in the mind of Ishmael so that the rustic setting and wintry imagery become characters themselves in the telling of this tale. His superb use of widescreen cinematography is especially effective in giving his story an epic sweep without overwhelming the intimacy of the characters' relationships. If one had to complain about something it might be the sheer abundance of scenes showing his impressionistic scenes of the weather.

The actors are uniformly excellent. Max von Sydow portrays the lawyer defending Kazuo in another award worthy performance. Youki Kudoh must be singled out for her fine rendering of a woman who endures the pain of an impossible romance and having her whole family uprooted from their home just as the future seemed to be filled with hope and optimism. It's a pleasure to see a film which has such a fine balance of character, story-telling, visuals and social relevance (without being preachy). It's surely one the best films of 1999.

Arnold is Back! The local New York critics have been brutal to Peter Hyam's Arnold vs. Satan opus, "End of Days". Is it really as bad as they say? Not actually, but Arnold has done much better. Fans were probably hoping for a great return after his couple of year hiatus. They might be disappointed, but this fanciful tale moves right along and certainly carries the audience with it. Jericho Crane (Arnold) is an ex-cop who is hired to guard a wall street big wig, The Man (Gabriel Byrne), who has been taken over by Satan (yes, the devil himself). What Jericho doesn't know is his client's alter ego plans to impregnate a young woman (Robin Tunney) with his child within one hour of the new millenium. I guess Satan doesn't know that the real millenium is a year away. When Jericho finally realizes the mission of The Man, it becomes his mission to save her, and restore his own faith in G-d along the way. His partner, ably portrayed by Kevin Pollack, is not given enough to do, and his fate is quite predictable.

The action is spectacular and exciting. Special effects abound and the stunts are exactly what you would expect. It's all a bit over the top, but Mr. Schwarzenegger is in fine form, looking pretty good at 52 years old. The whole tale just borrows a bit too much from previous epics about the supreme Evil (Rosemary's Baby, The Omen, etc.) You feel you've been there before and with more enthusiasm and creativity. It's just a little too much by the numbers.