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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
28 DAYS LATER (R) -- B
Director Danny Boyle brings chaos back to the big screen with this apocalyptic
thriller starring Cillian Murphy and Christopher Eccleston. A London lab experiment
unleashed causes the infected population to turn into red-eyed, rage-filled
zombies. More unsettling than scary, 28 Days Later is a visceral exercise
with a handful of notable moments. (Carlson) AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace
16, AMC Palace 20, Canal Place, Grand
AIR BUD (G) --
A boy befriends a stray dog with superhuman basketball ability in this 1997
comedy directed by Charles Martin Smith and featuring the late character actor
Michael Jeter. 10 a.m. Monday through Friday at Hollywood Cinemas 9
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, Hollywood Cinemas 9
BUGS! 3D (NR) --
This latest IMAX offering charts the progression of a praying mantis and a butterfly
in the rain forests of southeast Asia. Entergy IMAX
CHAOS (NR) -- B
Thelma and Louise fans might want to give this French farce/intrigue
a look. Writer-director Coline Serreau produces passages sure to offend some
viewers and annoy any man who takes her depiction of the male gender seriously.
The picture isn't always convincing, but it's fast paced and narratively surprising,
and it keeps you watching to the end. Part of the French Film Festival. (Barton)
(Reviewed in this issue.) 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Prytania.
CHARLIE'S ANGELS: FULL THROTTLE (PG-13)
--
Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore and Lucy Liu return in this sequel to the action
movie based on the cheesy T&A detective series, with Bernie Mac replacing Bill
Murray as Bosley and Demi Moore showing up out of nowhere as a fallen Angel,
so to speak. Also co-starring Crispin Glover and Robert Patrick. AMC Palace
12, AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20, Chalmette, Grand, Hollywood Cinemas
9
DERRIDA (NR) --
Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering Kofman co-directed this acclaimed 2002 documentary
about the French philosopher Jacques Derrida, considered by many to be the father
of deconstructionism. Part of the French Film Festival. 3 p.m. Saturday at
the Prytania
DON'T ASK DON'T TELL (R) --
Ten18 Films presents this poolside
screening of the 2002 camp film, a reworking of the horror flick Killers From
Space. In this version, thousands of gays are coaxed into coming to Sodom Flats,
Texas, for a Barbra Streisand concert but really are the targets of a military
conspiracy. Gay aliens arrive to save the day. 8 p.m. Thursday at
the Country Club
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) AMC Palace 12, AMC
Palace 16, AMC Palace 20, Chalmette, Grand, Hollywood Cinemas 9
HOOLIGAN (NR) --
Probing look at the phenomenon of hooliganism at soccer games in Europe
following the tragedy at Heysel Stadium. The biggest surprise: it ain't just
for the middle or lower classes. Part of Zeitgeist's Soccer Cinema/Football
Films series. 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday at Zeitgeist
HOW I KILLED MY FATHER (NR) --
A-
Di rector Anne Fontaine offers up Oedipal conflict at its best in this
2002 effort. Gerontologist Jean-Luc (Charles Berling) confronts the childhood
trauma of abandonment by his largely unrepentant father (Michel Bouquet). Fontaine
creates an atmosphere of magical unrealism (Is it real? Is it imagined?) and
incdulges in unsparing emotional discovery in this well-acted, beautifully shot
film. Part of the French Film Festival. (Carlson) (Reviewed in this issue.)
3 p.m. Sunday at the Prytania
THE HULK (PG-13) -- B
The chameolonic director Ang Lee (The Ice Story, Crouching Tiger, Hidden
Dragon) proves his versatility once again by bringing the temperamental comic-book
behemoth to the big screen. Eric Bana (Chopper, Black Hawk Down) is pitch-perfect
as brooding scientist Bruce Banner, who has serious anger-management issues;
in fact, Bana's economic acting dwarfs a supporting cast that features no less
than Jennifer Connelly, Sam Elliott, Nick Nolte and Josh Lucas -- all of whom
seem to overstay their welcome. The Hulk himself, courtesy of CGI, is appropriately
comic book-like -- not too realistic, not too out of place. Yet Lee also overstays
his welcome, seemingly caught between operatic tragedy and comic-book fun. Still
plenty of summer enjoyment. (Simmons) AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace
20, Chalmette, Grand, Hollywood Cinemas 9
INTO THE DEEP (NR) --
IMAX dives deep underwater to explore sea life. Entergy IMAX
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) AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20
IMAX FILM FEST --
The annual celebration of all things
big screen continues with Adrenaline Rush, which provides a bird's eye view
of rescue helicopters. Monday through Sunday at Entergy IMAX
THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN (PG-13)
--
Finally! Nineteenth century literary figures as superheroes! Now that's something
a writer can get behind. Stephen Norrington directs this film version of Alan
Moore's popular comic-book mini-series featuring such literary favorites as
Allen Quartermain (Sean Connery), Captain Nemo (Naseeruddin Shah) and The Invisible
Man (Tony Curran). AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20, Chalmette,
Grand, Hollywood Cinemas 9, Prytania
LEGALLY BLONDE 2: RED, WHITE & BLONDE (PG-13)
--
Reese Witherspoon returns as the fashion-savvy and surprisingly intelligent
legal eagle, this time having graduated from law school and taking up the animal-testing
cause in D.C. AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20, Chalmette, Grand,
Hollywood Cinemas 9
LEWIS & CLARK: GREAT JOURNEY WEST (NR)
--
The adventures of the famous 19th century explorers hit the very big screen.
Entergy IMAX MAN ON
THE TRAIN (R) --
Legendary criminal Johnny Hallyday and retired schoolteacher Jean Rochefort meet
and slowly realize they seem better suited to the other's life in this critically
acclaimed film by Patrice Leconte. Canal Place
THE 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 20, Entergy IMAX
THE PHANTOM OF LIBERTY (R) --
Luis Bunuel (Belle de Jour, The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie)
directed what is considered by many to be one of his more surrealist works --
which is really saying something -- including an inverted dining scene featuring
toilets. Part of the French Film Festival. 1 p.m. Sunday at the Prytania
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF
THE BLACK PEARL (PG-13) --
Director Gore Verbinski (The Ring) and ear/eye candy producer Jerry Bruckheimer
(Pearl Harbor) team up with actor Johnny Depp for this action-adventure
story inspired by the Disney ride. AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC
Palace 20, Chalmette, Grand, Hollywood Cinemas 9
PURELY BELTER (NR) --
Mark Herman's film adapted from Jonathon Tulloch's book The Season Ticket,
about two down-on-their-luck teens who try to score season tickets to see Newcastle
United. Part of Zeitgeist's Soccer Cinema/Football Films series. 8 p.m. Tuesday
through Thursday at Zeitgeist
RUGRATS GO WILD (PG) --
The two popular Nickelodeon TV
cartoons, Rugrats and The Wild Thornberrys, join forces, starring the voices
of Bruce Willis, Lacey Chabert, Jodi Carlisle, Tim Curry, LL Cool J and Elizabeth
Daily. AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20, Grand
SINBAD: LEGEND OF THE SEVEN SEAS (PG) --
Animated version of the legendary adventurer featuring voices from Brad Pitt,
Michelle Pfeiffer, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Dennis Haysbert. AMC Palace 12,
AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20, Chalmette, Grand, Hollywood Cinemas 9
TERMINATOR 3: RISE OF THE MACHINES (R)
--
Arnold Schwarzenegger returns after
a 12-year Terminator hiatus to protect an older John Connor (this time Nick
Stahl) from yet another superior cyborg (Kristanna Loken) sent from the future
to kill him. Directed this time not by James Cameron but instead Jonathan Mostow
(U-571). AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20, Chalmette, Grand, Hollywood
Cinemas 9
WHALE RIDER (PG-13) -- A
Niki Caro's story of a 12-year-old New Zealand Maori girl's desire to become
her native village's chief is less like a conventional work of fiction and more
like a poem written in light. Young star Keisha Castle-Huges exhibits the luminescence
and prepossession that Natalie Portman showed at the same age. Played out in
a world of magic and myth, the film's shattering climax transcends expression
in words. (Barton) Canal Place
WINGED MIGRATION (G) --
French actor-director Jacques Perrin's latest documentary hopes to do for birds
what his Microcosmos did for insects. Winged Migration follows
migratory birds in a tour of the seven continents that took three years to film.
Canal Place
| 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
Chaos
How I Killed My Father
The Adventures of Antoine Doinel
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