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2 FAST AND 2 FURIOUS (PG-13) --
Actor Vin Diesel and director Rob Cohen are out and actor Tyrese Gibson and director
John Singleton are in for this sequel to the 2001 action hit that returns only
co-star Paul Walker. Vroom, vroom. AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC
Palace 20, Chalmette, Grand, Hollywood Cinemas 9
BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM (PG-13) --
B+ Gurinder Chadha's story of a British girl whose traditional Sikh parents
want her to learn to cook and find a good Indian boy to marry rather than follow
her talent and passion for soccer fails to break new narrative ground. But it
has a big, open heart and well-developed characters and introduces a luminous
new star in Parminder Nagra. (Barton) Canal Place
BRUCE ALMIGHTY (PG-13) -- B+
Jim Carrey and director Tom Shadyac reteam for this charming cosmic comedy about
a man fed up with what he perceives as God's indifference to his plight. When
he blasphemes once too often, God (in the form of Morgan Freeman) grants him omnipotence
and says, "Here, you do better." Needless to say, all hell breaks loose. Carrey
really sells this one with his peculiar -- and appealing -- mixture of vulnerability
and vulgarity, making a funny film with (considering the sources) a surprisingly
sacred heart. (Carlson) AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20,
Chalmette, Grand, Hollywood Cinemas 9
DADDY DAY CARE (PG) --
Dot-com bust victim Eddie Murphy tries his hand at a day-care center with his
buddies in this comedy directed by Steve Carr (Dr. Doolittle 2) and co-starring
Anjelica Huston and Louisiana's own Lacey Chabert (The Scoundrel's Wife).
AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20, Chalmette, Grand, Hollywood
Cinemas 9
DOWN WITH LOVE (PG-13) --
B- A female advice columnist (Renee Zellweger) goes against her better
judgment and falls for a swinging ladies' man (Ewan McGregor) in 1963 Manhattan
in this romantic comedy homage to the three Rock Hudson/Doris Day collaborations
of the same era. Director Peyton Reed gets all the atmospheric stuff right, and
McGregor adds to the breezy feel, but Zellweger is a disappointment, and after
awhile you wonder what's the point of all this. When you're coloring by numbers,
you rarely produce anything fresh. (Simmons) AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace
20, Hollywood Cinemas 9
FINDING NEMO (G) -- A
This Disney/Pixar collaboration about a little fish separated from his father
floats fantastically on the voice talents of Albert Brooks and Ellen DeGeneres
and a winning script penned by director Andrew Stanton. Technologically, Nemo
is stunning, but -- more importantly -- this fish tale has heart and humor akin
to its older sibling Toy Story. (Carlson) (Reviewed in this issue.) AMC
Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20, Chalmette, Grand, Hollywood Cinemas
9
HOLES (PG) --
B+ Adapted from Louis Sachar's prize-winning young adult novel, this Andrew
Davis film about a young teen in a stern Texas reform school mixes three narratives
over a 100-year period into an often magical brew about family, courage and friendship.
(Barton) AMC Palace 20, Grand
IDENTITY (R) --
Ten Little Indians gets the postmodern treatment in this murder mystery
thriller from director James Mangold, which stars John Cusack, Ray Liotta and
Amanda Peet. AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace 20, Grand
THE IN-LAWS (PG-13) --
Madcap adventures ensue when CIA spook Michael Douglas and foot doctor Albert
Brooks meet as their children are about to get married in this remake of the 1979
comedy starring Alan Arkin and Peter Falk. AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace
16, AMC Palace 20, Chalmette, Grand, Hollywood Cinemas 9
THE ITALIAN JOB (PG-13) -- B-
Forget stars Mark Wahlberg, Charlize Theron and Edward Norton (and the zinger-free
script, for that matter) and watch one of Hollywood's most shameless moments of
product placement as the Mini Cooper S car scoots all over the screen. Other than
that, it's one predictable-as-hell heist movie during a heat wave of heist movies.
(Simmons) (Reviewed in this issue.) AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC
Palace 20, Chalmette, Grand, Hollywood Cinemas 9, Prytania
THE LIZZIE MCGUIRE MOVIE (PG) --
Movie version of the TV series starring Hilary Duff as a junior high school student
on summer vacation in Italy who falls in love with an Italian pop singer. AMC
Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20, Chalmette, Grand
MALIBU'S MOST WANTED (PG-13) --
Jamie Kennedy tries to make it as a white rapper, much to the chagrin of his dad
(Ryan O'Neal), who's running for governor. Co-stars Taye Diggs. Grand
MATRIX RELOADED (R) --
A The badass Wachowski brothers are back with a sequel that's equal, as
Matrix Reloaded rejoins Neo (Keanu Reeves) on his quest for digital self-fulfillment.
Amazing choreography by Yuen Wo Ping and the ever-ingenious imaginations of the
Wachowskis fuel a film packed with unbelievable action and that now-familiar mystic
sensibility. (Carlson) AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20,
Chalmette, Grand, Hollywood Cinemas 9
A MIGHTY WIND (PG-13) --
A Christopher Guest's latest mockumentary pokes fun at folk music by staging
a reunion concert. The humor is smart, subtle and so rich you may want to see
it twice to pick up lines and insinuations that flew by you the first time. Co-writer
Eugene Levy gives the best performance of his life as a damaged singer whose best
moments come onstage. (Barton) Canal Place
NOWHERE IN AFRICA (R) -- A
Caroline Link's adaptation of Stefanie Zweig's autobiographical novel about Nazi-era
German-Jewish refugees in Kenya reminds us that the victims of the Holocaust included
the survivors as well as the murdered. Among the many reasons to admire this film
is its wise understanding that among the virtues possessed by our imperfect species,
love transcends. Winner of the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. (Barton)
(Reviewed in this issue.) Canal Place
THE PHILADELPHIA STORY (NR) -- A+
The Saenger's Summer Classic Movie Series begins with this 1940 classic comedy
starring Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn and James Stewart, all at their witty,
screwball best. As heiress Hepburn is poised to remarry, ex-husband Grant shows
up to lend his version of support, and reporter Stewart appears to cover the social
event of the season. Antics of the rich, famous and romantically challenged ensue.
Based on the Broadway play, this film version expertly captures the electricity
of live theater. Directed by George Cukor. Oscar winner for Best Actor (Stewart)
and Best Screenplay (Donald Ogden Stewart). 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Saenger
POKEMON HEROES (G) --
Pokemon 4Ever co-directors Jim Malone and Kunihiko Yuyama for this fifth
film installment of the popular Japanese animation series lifted from the equally
popular TV show. AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20, Grand
SHREK (PG) -- B
A chubby green ogre (Mike Myers) rescues a princess (Cameron Diaz) and learns
that pretty is as pretty does. The animation isn't quite as special as you may
have been led to believe, and the heavy reliance on bodily function jokes is unfortunate.
(Barton) 10 a.m. Monday-Friday at Hollywood Cinemas 9
SINGIN' IN THE RAIN (NR) --
The Saenger's Summer Classic Movie Series continues with a recently remastered
print of this 1952 musical, one of what some consider Hollywood's greatest dance-oriented
musicals, starring Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, Oscar nominee Jean Hagen, Debby
Reynolds and Rita Moreno and directed by Kelly and Stanley Donen. Didn't win an
Oscar. 3 p.m. Saturday at the Saenger
SPIDER (R) -- B
David Cronenberg's creepy tale of a psychologically damaged man revisiting the
scenes of his childhood achieves the chilling atmosphere it strives for and offers
fine performances by Ralph Fiennes, Miranda Richardson and Gabriel Byrne. For
Cronenberg fans, of which I have never been much of one, this will probably hit
the mark. But he didn't aim for my heart. (Barton) Canal Place
SWEET CHARITY (NR) --
The Country Club's poolside movie series continues with the screening of the 1969
film version of Neil Simon's Broadway musical, starring Shirley MacLaine and with
Bob Fosse in his directing debut. Preceded by an episode of the TV series Topper.
8 p.m. Thursday at the Country Club
VEGAS IN SPACE (NR) --
Special edition of the Country Club's poolside movie series includes costume party
for the screening of this trashy 1994 Troma Studios offering about male astronauts
taking gender-reversal pills to capture bad gals on an all-female planet. Drag
queens abound. 8 p.m. Friday at the Country Club
THE WIZARD OF OZ (NR) -- A
The Saenger's Summer Classic Movie Series concludes its first weekend with a screening
of the 1939 musical starring Judy Garland, Margaret Hamilton, Ray Bolger, Jack
Haley, Bert Lahr and Frank Morgan. Directed by Victor Fleming, who won the Best
Director Oscar that year for another epic, Gone With the Wind. Winner of
two Oscars. Watching this on the big screen last year was the definition of breath-taking.
(Simmons) 7 p.m. Saturday at the Saenger
WRONG TURN (R) --
Six very attractive young people are stalked by three psychos while roaming lost
in the West Virginia wilderness. Stars Eliza Dushku, Desmond Harrington and Jeremy
Sisto. AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20, Chalmette, Grand,
Hollywood Cinemas 9
X2: X-MEN UNITED (PG-13) -- D
An overabundance of lead characters and an empty script make this one of the least
interesting comic book movies ever made. Half the cast is embarrassing (Halle
Berry, Famke Janssen, James Marsden); the other half ought to be embarrassed (Ian
McKellen, Hugh Jackman, Alan Cumming). (Carlson) AMC Palace 12, AMC
Palace 16, AMC Palace 20, Chalmette, Grand, Hollywood Cinemas 9
| AMC Palace 12 734-2020; AMC Palace 16 734-2020; AMC Palace 20 734-2020; Canal Place 581-5400; Chalmette 277-9797; Downtown Joy 522-7575; Entergy IMAX 581-4629; Plaza 245-0102; Prytania 891-2787; Zeitgeist 525-2767
Compiled by David Lee Simmons
Contributors: Rick Barton, Shala Carlson, David Lee Simmons |
Other Stories This Week in Movies:
Balcony Seats
Nowhere in Africa
Finding Nemo
The Italian Job
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