BATTLEFIELD EARTH (PG-13)
John Travolta hammers a few rails
into the coffin holding his career with
his awful performance in this truly
'wretched sci-fi adventure flick about a
race of evil alien creatures who report
back to the 'home office" for execu-
“norKfance’’ fife. At least the film
convincingly depicts the hardships of
the baliet world—from the extremely
difficult athletic work involved to such
issues as corruption, bulimia, sexu
ality and failure. Directed by Nicholas
Hynter. With Peter Gallagher and
movie. The true-life story follows a
struggling, twice-divorced single
mom (Julia Roberts} who lands a job
at a smalt legal firm and finds herself
tackling a direct-action lawsuit
against a major public utilities com
pany that is polluting a nearby town
Jackie Chan stars in Shanghai Noon.
live orders while trying exterminate
humans. With Barry Pepper and
Forest Whitaker. This is one of the
dumbest and ugliest sci-fi films of the
last few years. Based on the novel by
Travolta's Scientology leader L. Ron
Hubbard. Skip this and rent Planet Of
The Apes. (Beechwood, Carmike)
CENTER STAGE (PG-13) A surpris
ingly solid drama about ballet,
romance and power. Jody (Amanda
Scholl) is an eager student with "bad
feet and a poor turn ouf and a ten
dency to be naive. Maureen (Susan
May PreJt), the most competitive and
technically talented student on
campus, struggles between pleasing
her sour-faced, overbearing mom
(Debra Monk) and living normal
Lilian Sliefel, (Beechwood)
DINOSAUR (PG) Walt Disney
Feature Animation’s prehistoric
action-filled drama follows a dinosaur
named Aladar who is raised from the
egg by a clan of lemurs and eventu
ally reunites with bis own kind.
Combining state-of-the-art computer
character animation with digitally-
enhanced live-action backgrounds,
the film features the voices of D. B.
Sweeney, Julianna Marguiles, Alfre
Woodard and Joan Plowright.
(Beechwood, Carmike)
ERIN BROCKOVtCH (R) Director
Steven Soderbergh takes care to
avoid the usual cliches found in so
many big-budget courtroom dramas
and delivers a solid, well-acted
with toxic chromium. With Aaron
Eckhart and Albert Finney. (Mall
Inside)
“FUCKER" (NR) This week features
The Testament of Dr. Mabuse {1933),
a tense police drama from German
director Frit? Lang. A maverick police
inspector investigates a crime where
all clues point to a man whose been
in as mental institution lor years—Dr.
Mabuse. June kicks of a “summer
series" of German features, shorts
and documentaries. Call 546-0039
for more information. (Flicker
Theatre)
FREQUENCY (PG-13) Director
Gregory Koblil’s [Primal Feat) chaotic
and sentimental "what if" fartesy-
drama follows a young New York cop
OV1B LISTING
Theater schedule! often change after ovr deadline. Pltose cad ahead.
Out to the Mcmoriftl D*y Hott4*y, art tinwj *r« valid
only through Thurtdoy, Juno 2* C»U tfee«t«ts for cur
rent liftings or chock www.fUgpotft.com,
AtC UB&ABY (613-3650)
SokA* StgnoU (PC-13) 7:00 (Th, 6/1)
BttCfifWOOD (546-lOn)
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Coirtor Stag* (KJ-13) 4:50, 9:50
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7:15, 9:15, 9:45
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Wh*r* Th« Hwt Is (PC-13} ?:10, 4:40, 7:10, 9;4C
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r*rth (PG-13) 1:30% 7:00
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6:00. 7:00. 8; 00, 9:00
(PC-13) 1 :'!■$, 4:11?, 705, 9:35
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7:00, 7:30, 9:45, 10:15
load Trip («) 12:30, 2:45, 5:00. 7:15, 9:30
Shanghai Woo* (K.-13) 1:30, 4:15, 7:15, 9:30
SmaUTinw Znxtki (PC) 12:40, 2:50, 5:00, 7:10, 9:25
U-571 (PG-13) 2:tK>, 4:35, 7:15, 9:40
commcikb oarvaiw (335-2485)
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{*, 4/7)
(Janes Caviezel) who somehow goes
30 years back in time (by way of a
ham radio signal bounced off a
sunspot) and connects and converses
with his late fatter (Dennis Quaid).
The film twists and turns between
seemingly impossible time-travel
phenomena, parallel universes and
weird, grim plot twists as it detours
from a touching 'father-son’* story
into a more complicated crime
thriller. (Carmike)
GHOST DOG: THE WAY OF THE
SAMURAI (R) Indie-director Jim
Jarmusch's (A Night On Earth, Down
By Laul\ brutal, but much-anticipated
gangsla drama infuses Japanese phi
losophy, the Mafia world and violent
street crime into an assassin’s (Forest
Whitaker) persona! struggle to sur
vive and find honor. Featuring music
from Wu-Tang’s RZA. (Georgia
Theatre)
Stephen Fi ears examines the ups and
downs of modern romance and never
settles on a dean resolution, but
rather meanders through the common
fears, insecurities and life lessons
involved in the never-ending quest to
understand it The story unfolds in
Chicago at an even, comfortable pace
as the audience meets one colorful
character after another. Starring John
Cusack, I ben Hjejle, Lisa Boneb
Catherine Zeta-Jones, Lili Taylor, Jack
Black, Todd Louiso and Tim Robbins.
(Georgia Theatre)
LOVE AND BASKETBALL (PG-13)
Director Gina Prince’s smart and
warm-hearted romantic drama gets at
more than just college hoop dreams;
it follows two childhood friends,
Monica (Sanaa Lathan) and Quincy
(Omar Epps), as they grow up and
into a complicated relationship in
which basketball becomes a catalyst.
miss jokes. The $t«y loosely follows
a generic college kid with no person
ality (Breckin Meyer), two unlikabfe
‘party hound" cohorts (Seann
William Scott, Paulo Costanzo) and
an exploited, likable. French Toast-
lovin’ geek with a car (DJ Qualls) as
they embark on an 1800 mile road
trip. The iaughs are too few and far
between, Canadian comedian Tom
Green (known best for his obnoxious
comedy styfe and his variety show on
MTV) "narrates." Partially filmed on
the UGA campus and around town.
With Rachel Blanchard, Amy Smart.
(Beechwood, Carmike)
SHANGHAI NOON (PG-13) A
kung-fu Western. When Imperial
Guard Chon Wang (Jackie Chan)
comes to America in the 1880s to
rescue a beautiful kidnapped Chinese
princess (Lucy Liu), he bumps into a
bumbling gunfighter (Owen Wilson).
The odd pair attempt to rescue the
princess with much help from an
Indian maiden (Brandon Merrill).
Expect plenty of Chan's martial arts
sequences and a lots ol low humor.
(Beechwood, Carmike)
SMALL TIME CROOKS (PG)
Woody Allen’s latest is a silly and
amusing old school-style comedy
with a slew ot weird, silly plot twists
surrounding a pack of hilariously
Saffron Burrows stars in Tima Code.
GLADIATOR (ft) This lengthy drama
from direct or Ridley Scott {Blade
Runnei) is a powerful examination of
political power, jealousy, corruption
and revenge cut with an armful of
'blood-in-the-mud" battle scenes.
Set in 180 A.D., the story follows
Maximus (Russell Crowe), a brave
and loyal Roman General dedicated to
his emperor (Richard Harris) and
uncorrupted by the politics of the
fledgling ’republic." After the
emperor’s suspicious death following
an extremely violent battle scene, his
sniveling heir to the throne.
Commoefus (Joaquin Phoenix),
elbows his way info power and
arranges to have Maximus and his
family killed. The General escapes but
winds up enslaved in a louring pack
ot gladiators, He returns to the
Roman Coliseum with revenge on his
mind and leather on his chest. The
film shifts from one complicated sub-
plotto another, but most moviegoers
wilt surely enjoy the impressive
achon sequences, battle scenes and
-politics! themes. With Connie
Hie'sea Dj;mon Hounsriu and tbs
tats Oliver Reel (Beechwood,
Carmike)
HIGH FIDELITY {ft} This quirky, bte
lecweei, laugh-euHoud. rockin' and
rollsn’ romantic comedy to director
With Dennis Haysbert. (Carmike)
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 2 (PG-
13) See Movie Pick, (Beechwood,
Carmike, Commerce Drive-In)
MY DOG SKIP (PG) Based on the
late award-winning author Willie
Morris’ best-selling memoir of his
boyhood, this touching coming-ot-
age story, set m Mississippi in 19-42.
follows a nine-year-old (Frankie
Muni?) who receives a Jack Russell
Terrier puppy for his birthday and
strikes up a unique friendship.
Narrated by Harry Con nick, Jr. (Mali
Inside)
THE ROAD TO EL DORADO (PG)
Two amiable gold-smitten swindlers,
Tulio and Miguel (voiced by Kevin
Kline and Kenneth Branagh), happen
upon the legendary city of gold. El
Dorado, where they are mistaken for
gods in this Dreamworks animation
delight (Geoff Carr] (Mat! Inside)
ROAD TRIP (R) You've seen it aft
before and in much better term bill
net in Athens. Directed and co-written
by Todd Phillips, this juvenile college
romp attempts to operate within a
familiar formula that began with
Po/xySznd confined last year with
Atrx-ffc-jn Pie. Unfortunately, the
result tea shapeless, derivative,
sometimes insensitive comedy lilted
with tottery nudity and h:[-or*
dim wilted characters. Allen plays an
insecure ex-con with a “briiliarif plan
to rob a bank. Tracey Ullman stars as
his sardonic wife who is dead set
against giving up their life savings ('(
need our six G’s, honey,'" he begs) so
that he can work with his utterly inept
pals (Tony Oarrow, Jon Lovte and
Michael Rapaporl). In a weird twist,
the comedy shifts Irom the bungled
burglary to a “rags-lo-riches' late
poking fun at the snobbery and shal
lowness of the New York elite and
championing the blue-collar under
class. It’s not Allen’s sharpest work—
in fact some of it looks like a rough
draft—but there’s some very funny
dialogue and slapstick throughout,
With Hugh Grant and Elaine Stritch.
(Carmike)
SMOKE SIGNALS (PG-13) T§33. A
brilliant, dialogue-heavy drama about
resolution and. mortality written,
directed, co-produced and acted by
Native Americans. An estranged son
(Adam Beach) living on a reservation
in Idaho has a deep resentment
against his d-ied fatter, but tttes he
should go to Phoenix and pick up his
ashes anyway Ho has no money for
the journey, but a nerdy tod (Evan
Adams) does to otters to buy the
bus ’texete if Victor will take tern
ateng on tte trip. White by She: man
PLA6POLE MAY 31, 2000
