Now

Playing

Anna and the King -

Jodie Foster and Chow Yun Fat star in this movie based on

"The King and I." This is not a musical. The

sets look lavish, the actors look right and their big

push for Oscar might be worthwhile. Rated PG-13.

Any Given Sunday -

Outstanding performances, a good script and incredibly

deft camera work and directing make this film a pleasure

to watch. Jamie Foxx was incredible as

"Steamin" Willie Beamen and football hasn't

looked this good since we were doing the dirty bird.

Rated R.

Bicentennial Man -

Based on a story by Isaac Asimov. Robin Williams plays

the robot that yearns to be human. It is directed by the

Lord of Lame, Chris Columbus, and looks like more of his

sentimental clap trap. Does anyone else wish that Robin

Williams would play a bad guy or a guy you're unsure of?

It just seems that every film he does is about a

sensitive man/robot/creature on a very special journey.

Boring. Rated PG.

T he Bone Collector - This was a

great book, so be careful of the film. Denzel Washington

plays a paralyzed man who was formerly a detective. He

helps a rookie cop track down a serial killer. It has

been out for awhile, so it has to be pretty good. Rated

R.

Cider House Rules -

Based on the John Irving novel of the same name, the film

deals with an orphan named Homer and the eccentric yet

lovable people who live around him. This is in several

theaters in Atlanta and should be around here soon. It is

getting rave reviews. Rated PG-13.

Deuce Bigelow: Male Gigolo

- A very funny movie that never strays too far from

the steps of Adam Sandler's films. The gags involve jokes

about sex, freakish people and profanity. I absolutely

loved it. Rated R.

End of Days - Arnold

Schwarzenegger returns to the big screen as a cop

battling the forces of evil. How much you want to bet the

story takes place in Los Angeles? Rated R.

Galaxy Quest - A cast

of an old space drama gets zapped into space to save a

race of aliens. Tim Allen and Sigourney Weaver star. The

reviews are mixed and it did not do as well as I thought

it would opening weekend. Could Tim Allen not be the draw

that we all thought? Rated PG-13.

The Green Mile -

Stephen King's serial novel comes to the screen. This is

not a horror film, but more of a spiritual drama. It is

getting high praise all around, despite its length and

the brutality of an execution scene. Rated R.

The Insider - Russell

Crowe and Al Pacino star in this film about a man

revealing inside information on cigarette manufacturers

to the news program 60 Minutes. This is based on a true

story. It is not playing too close to home but it did

clean up at the New York Film Critics awards, so give it

a look. Rated R.

Magnolia - An

excellent film with a stellar cast and an electric

script. This is possibly the best film of the year,

though it will not please everybody. It has very harsh

language and adult themes. Rated R.

Man on the Moon - A

wonderful look at the comic genius that was Andy Kaufman.

Jim Carrey is wonderful as the oft-misunderstood Kaufman

and the laughs just keep coming. This does not have what

you would call a happy ending though, so be warned. Rated

R.

Sleepy Hollow - Tim

Burton returns with this dark piece about the legend of

Sleepy Hollow. This is a great film but it is also very

violent. Johnny Depp is perfect as the nervous Ichabod

Crane. Rated R.

Stuart Little - Based

on E.B. White's children's story, Stuart is a small mouse

that lives with a normal sized human family. It looks

like lots of new stuff was added for the kids and the

traditional plot elements have fallen by the wayside. We

shall see though. Rated PG.

Supernova - A film

about aliens in space that is trying to be scary. If you

have seen "Alien," "Predator,"

"Event Horizon"... it won't be. Rated PG-13.

T he World is Not Enough -

Another James Bond film with Pierce Brosnan as Bond.

Brosnan is second only to Connery in my mind and the last

two films have been a lot of fun. Expect more of the

same. Any film with Denise Richards is a film worth

seeing. PG-13.

The Talented Mr. Ripley

- I am probably staying away from this until it hits

the dollar theater. Though I hear the performances are

very good and the film is shot beautifully, I hear it is

boring, boring, boring. Rated R.

Toy Story 2 - Woody

and Buzz are back and this time it's Woody who needs

rescuing. Utterly enjoyable and possibly better than the

first one. It has a great sense of humor and is the

perfect holiday film. Stay in your seats to enjoy the

bloopers. They have just been added to the credits. Rated

G.

Tumbleweeds - A small,

independent type feature that tells a similar story to

the recent "Anywhere but Here." Tumbleweeds is

a mother/daughter on the road tale that is getting good

reviews and recognition from all of the end of the year

awards. Rated PG-13.

Also

Playing

Blue Streak - Martin

Lawrence plays a jewel thief who passes as a detective.

If Eddie Murphy can do police comedy, Martin can do

police comedy. I hear this is pretty good. Rated PG-13.

House on Haunted Hill

- A remake of the classic starring Vincent Price,

this film is very modern and very stylish. Geoffery Rush

(Shine) plays the character Price played, while the rest

of the cast runs around the deserted hospital screaming.

Quite scary at times and very tongue in cheek in others,

this movie was a thousand times better than "The

Haunting." Rated R.

Light It Up - A group

of misunderstood inner city students get caught up in

what grows into a hostage situation inside their school.

They just want an education. What is wrong with this

world? Can't some kids hold a gun on a security guard to

get the attention they deserve? I never saw this film

because I chose not to. Rated R.

Random Hearts - This

looked promising when I first saw the previews, but I

heard it was the worst thing Harrison Ford has done ever.

It is a story of political intrigue, seduction and

murder. Many people passed in its regular theater run;

why waste a dollar? Rated R.

Runaway Bride - There

was so much hype about Richard Gere and Julia Roberts

teaming up again that you thought Sonny and Cher were

reuniting. This opened to warm reviews this summer, but

it didn't clean up at the box office. If you think you'll

be surprised and entertained, you probably will. Rated

PG.

Star Wars Episode I: The

Phantom Menace - Come on, admit it, you liked this

movie. You went crazy when they went to the underground

city and you cheered when Anakin blew up the space base.

This was a lot of fun and it will be a while before part

II comes out, so give it another chance. Rated PG-13.

Superstar - The film

based on the popular Saturday Night Live character who

sticks her fingers under her armpits when she is nervous.

This looked pretty funny but it could be another

"It's Pat" instead of being another

"Wayne's World." Rated PG-13.

Tarzan - A very good

Disney movie about our favorite king of the jungle. The

animation is out of this world and it was refreshing to

hear a soundtrack that did not feature Peabo Bryson. A

great movie for the whole family and only a dollar right

now. Rated G.

The Best

Man - After a successful run in the regular

theaters, this comedy is now at the dollar theater. It

concerns a group of friends who begin to wonder about the

characters in a book written by another friend. Rated R.

The Thomas Crown Affair

- Rene Russo and Pierce Brosnan star in this remake.

No need to see it, though, if you just want a Bond movie,

because there is a new Bond movie out. Rated R.

Three Kings - Set in

the Gulf War, this is the story of four soldiers who go

on a mission to recover some stolen gold. Starring Ice

Cube, George Clooney, Spike Jonze and Mark Wahlberg,

Three Kings got solid reviews and may pop up at the

Oscars. Rated R.

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