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THE ADVENTURES OF ROCKY
AND BULLWINKLE (PG) Jay Wards
original ‘Rocky And Bullv/inkle’ car-
loons ol the lale-1960's—a series fol
lowing wacky moose Bullwinkle and his
sidekick Hying squirrel pal, Rocky—
were intelligent, clever and original.
This v«ak big screen version is a mess.
Direcrar Des McAnutf’s blend of com
puter animation (with help from the
Industrial Light & Magic lab) mostly
looks forced and stiff. The lame story
about the fall of the Iron Curtain, bad
guys Boris' and Natasha's sinister activi
ties in the town of Frostbite Falls, and
their Fearless Leaders elaborate plan to
further stupefy the American public by
making television even worse on his
Really Bad TV Network is little more
than a ridiculous, boring, confused
attempt at satire. Expect a slew of veak
one-liners uttered by an uncomfortable
looking cast. Too silly to reoommena
(Beech wood, Carmike. Commerce
Drive-In)
BABE: PIG IN THE CITY (PG) The
little pig gets a dose of rough city life in
this almost surreal sequel. Very weird
and highly entertaining Showing
Tuesday. 7/18. (Beechwood)
THE BIG KAHUNA (R) Kevin Spacey.
Danny DeVito and Peter Facinetli are
highly competitive, grouchy Midwestern
salesmen determined to land a major
client. This black comedy is director
John SwanbeckS film debut and Kevin
SpaceyS producing debut. Starts Friday.
(Mall)
BIG MOMMA'S HOUSE (PG-13)
Martin Lawrence goes ‘deep under
cover* in this crude comedy about a
slick city detective who poses as an
obese Georgia grandmother. As ‘Big
Momma." he kicks ass in karate class,
slant dunks on the basketball court,
boogies hard in church and delivers a
baby with unconventional methods.
This is a derivative comedy consisting
of little more than a continuous string of
gags and one-liners revolving around
the same joke, but audiences are
howling anyway. (Beechwood, Carmike,
Commerce Drive-In)
CHICKEN RUN (G) Some of the most
fascinating ‘kid's movies" tap into the
imagin^ion of both children and adults
by use of humor and drama and this off
beat, whimsical Claymalion action-
adventure certainly does with great
results. Set in England in 1950s, the
story follows a pack chickens desperale
to escape from the prison camp-like
Tweedy’s Farm. Ginger (voiced by Julia
Sawalha). dreams of escaping but is
caught at every attempt and tossed into
solitary confinement Then, Rocky the
Flying Rooster (voiced by Mel Gibson),
a cocky American bird, comes bouncing
into the yard and claims he can teach
the hens how to fly to freedom. Itts weird
excitement packed with dry British
humor and slang, some fnghtemng
dosc-calls and a genuine sense of
drama and urgency. Go see it.
(Beechwood, Cannike)
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE
THIRD KIND (PG) 1977. This month’s
‘Spielberg* series continues at the
Library with this earty-career epic about
a group of average Midwesterners wno
make contact with a peaceful group of
aliens. Laden with impressive (for the
limes) special effects and strong perfci-
mances from Richard Dreyfuss, Melinda
Dillon. Teri Garr and others. Showing
Thursday, 7/13. (Athens-Clarke Library)
DISNEY'S THE KID (PG) Director
John Turteitaub’s (Phenomenon) family
comedy is a warm, clever, and senti
mental offering that is equal parts Back
To The Future, Frequency and A
Christmas Carol. Bruce Willis is a rude,
arrogant, smug LA image consultant
with a stress-induced eye-twitch who.
on the eve ol his 40th birthday, gets to
meet himself as an 6-year-old kid. Ol
course, he ‘doesnl have the lime to go
crazy" and dismisses the phenomenon
as an oncoming nervous breakdown.
The pudgy kid, played with convincing
charm and wit by newcomer Spencer
Breslin, can! understand why he's been
transplanted to his future, either. The
two develop a decent rapport, however,
and Willis' cold heart inevitably thaws
Look tor wonderful performances from
British actress Emily Mortimer and the
great comedienne Lily Tomlin.
Recommended, despite the lame title
(Beechwood, Carmike)
FRIN BROCKOVICH (R) Director
Steven Soderbergh (The Limey, Out Ol
Sight) took care to avoid the usual
cliches found in so many big-budget
courtroom dramas and delivers a solid,
well-acted movie. The true-lite story fol
lows a struggling, twioe-divorced single
mom (played by Julia Roberts) who
lands a job at a small legal firm arid
finds herself tackling a direct-action
lawsuit against a major public utilities
company that is polluting a nearby
town. With Aaron Ecktert and Albert
Finney. Showing Friday, 7/14. (Tate)
FANTASIA 2000 (G) Walt Disney's
spectacular animated feature introifnees
seven new sequences set to ihe mu jc
ol the master composers and spotlights
the return of *The Sorcerer's
Apprentice"—a milestone piece ot ani
mation which was the centerpiece ot the
1940 feature. Highlights include
■Rhapsody In Blue’ and ‘Pines Ol
Rome.’ Highly recommended. Ends
Thursday. (Beechwood, Carmike)
FINAL DESTINATION (R) Six high
school seniors and their teacher ‘cheat
death" by disembarking a doomeo air
liner just before takeoff. After Ihe plane
goes down (in a disturbingly realistic
scene), the group is stalked by death
itself. Silly, scary, disturbing and quite
entertaining. Starring Devon Sawa, Ali
Larter, Kerr Smith and Kristen Cloke.
Directed by James Wong. (Brad Aaron)
(Mall)
“FLICKER" (NR) Wednesday's pro
gram features The Grapefruit Moon (Der
Pampefmusenmorxt), a 1989 German
tilm directed by Joachim Masannek
The story follows a seven-yeai old girt
who runs away from home. She takes
with her a magical snow globe with 2
special dwarfs inside Friday's and
Saturday's program features German
dirxtor Werner Herzog's Stroszek—i
bizarre 1976 comedy about three misfits
from Berlin who try out the American
Dream in a trailer home in Wisconsin
Featonng music from Sonny Terry and
Chet Atkins. Culor. Monday's. Tuesday’s
and next Wednesday’s program features
Burning Lite, a 1994 comedy about two
bank robbing bandits (Anna Thalback
and Maria Schrader) from German
director by Peter Welz. All films are in
German with English subtitles. Call
546-0039 tor more intormation. (Flicker
Theater)
GONE IN 60 SECONDS (PG-13)
Nicholas Cage furrows his brow and
flexes his muscles through yet another
inane action flick. Here in mega-pro
ducer Jerry Biuckheimer's latest mess,
he’s an automobile aficionado and a leg
endary thief who long ago abandoned
his life of crime. After his kid brother
(Giovanni Ribisi) tries to follow in his
•ootsteps and gets in deep trouble, he
must pull oft one last heist and steal
100 cars to save his little brother’s tile.
Although she enjoys co-star billing,
wiggy actress Angelina Jolie is barely in
the thing -With Robert Duvail. Delray
Undo, Will Patton and Vinnie Jones.
Directed by Dominic Sena. (Beechwood.
Carmike)
HARRIET THE SPY (PG) 1996 A ras
cally young tomboy (Michelle
Trachtenberg) is encouraged to spy on
everyone around town in this family
comedy based on the popular book by
Louise Fitzhugh. With Rosie O'Donnell.
Showing Thursday. 7/13. (Beechwood)
HIGH FIDELITY (R) This quirky, bitter
sweet. laugh-out-loud, romanlic
comedy Irom director Stephen Frears
(The Snapper, Dangerous Liaisons)—
successfully adapted from the 1995
novel by Nick Hornby (which was set in
London)—examines the ups and downs
ol modem romance and never settles on
a clean resolution, but rather meanders
through the common tears, insecurities
and life lessons involved in the never-
ending quest to understand it. John
Cusack is as sharp as ever as the trou
bled, flawed hero. Look lor strong per
formance, Iben Hjejle, Lisa Bonel,
Catherine Zeta-Jones. Lili Taylor, Jack
Black, Todd Louiso and Tim Robbins.
(Georgia Theatre, Mall)
LOVE AND BASKETBALL (PG-13)
Director Gina Prince's smart and warm
hearted romantic drama gets at more
than just college heep dreams, it lol-
lows two childhood friends, Mcnica
(Sanaa Lathan) and Quincy (Omar
Epps), as they grow up and into a com
plicated .elationship in which basketball
becomes a catalyst. With Dennis
Haysbert. Starts Friday. (Mall)
ME, MYSELF & IRENE (PG-13) Jim
Carrey suffers an extremely weird split
personality disorder in this vulgar
comedy from the Farrelly Brothers
(There's Something About Mary). The
comedian is Charlie, a mce-guy cop
living in Rhode Island in a town where
everybody—except for h«s three special
sons—constantly walks all over him.
He’s the joke of the town... until one
day when he totally loses it and
becomes *Hank,‘ a completely nnlik-
abte. overly aggressive, sexist menace.
The opening 15 minutes of this thing
are packed with ridiculously offensive
jokes thai get big laughs, but things
quickly gel shaky as Charlie/Hank's love
interest (played blandly by Jerry
Maguires Ren6e Zellweger) drags
him/them on a confusing and bumpy
adventure Like Mary and Kingpin
before, the story basically follows its
characters along a wild road Irip filled
with setups, punchlines and pratfalls. It
doesnl work so well this time, unlortu-
nalely. There is too much gratuitous
*gross-out‘ and not enough heart.
While most fans of the Farrelly brand ol
crudeness will find plenty here to yell
about, others will be thoroughly disap
pointed With Chris Cooper, Robert
Forster, Richard Jenkins and Little Tony
Cox. (Beechwood. Carmike)
MUPPETS FROM SPACE (G) 1999.
A cute and decent kid's comedy from the
Jim Henson studio. In a spoof ot both
Men In Black and Contact, Gonzo. with
the support ot all the Muppel characters,
makes contact with his extraterrestrial
family and learns a lesson along the
way. Showing Thursday. 7/13.
(Beechwood)
THE PATRIOT (R) Director Roland
Emmerich’s sentimental Revolutionary
War epic is tilled with powerful perfor
mances, expansive, scenic photography
and a handful ol realistically brutal ano
disturbing battle scenes, but tries to do
too much with too little. At times
moving and complicated, the film
assumes its audience nas already
brushed up heavily on its Colonial his
tory and bounces from one scenario to
another without thoroughly setting up
any one on particular. Th«s should either
have been specifically about the War or
about a family struggle to survive it.
Still, there’s plenty ol power in Mel
Gibson’s effective performance as a
South Carolina farmer who resists the
call to arms (the character is very
loosely based on the real-tile character
Francis Marion—known as ‘The
Swamp Fox* for his cunning, his skills
in killing and guerrilla-type tactics).
Watch lor some tierce, hand-to-hand
combal between well-equipped redcoat
army regulars and scruffy Continental
militiamen Heath Ledger (10 Thvgs I
Hate About You) stands out as the
rebellious eldest son determined to fight
lor the cause. English actor Jason
Isaacs steals the screen as a villainous
British Colonel who doesn't play by the
gentlemanly ‘rules ot war ‘ Historians
may argue over a few details, bul most
moviegoers will be captivated by much
of this one. With Tom Wilkinson and
Joley Richardson. (Beechwood.
Carmike)
THE PERFECT STORM (PG-13) A
salty tragedy, directed with a heavy hand
by Wollgang Petersen (Air Force One,
Das Boot) from Sebastian Junger’s best
selling book (based on true events).
Drenched in sea water, fish guts, a
relentless score of overly-dramatic sym
phonic music, and a lew magnificent
performances, the epic follows a group
ol grizzled Massachusetts fishermen
aboard the boat Andrea Gail as they
attempt fo haul in the motherioad catch
during a monstrous ‘storm of the cen
tury.* The story, set in the fishing town
of Gloucester in 1991. gradually intro
duces a handful ol blue-collar, chain
smoking, whisker-faced characters—all
of whom are struggling to make life
work, be if on the sea or on land. The
lilm slowly and effectively builds
momentum as three freakish weather
systems collide. As the boat's serious-
minded. determined skipper. George
Clooney clocks in a strong perfor
mance. conveying a complicated blend
ot heroism, romanticism, greed and
desperation. Mary Elizabeth
Mastrantoniu (who was wonderful in
another recent ‘boat disaster* movie.
John Sayles' Limbo). Maik Wahlberg,
Diane Lane, William Fichtner and John
C. Reilly deliver some fine support per
formances. as well. Unfortunately, much
ot whal should have been climactic
moments in the final acts get bogged by
the choppy story and drawn-out storm
scenes propelled by special etiects.
Still, there’s enough realism and inten
sity in the depiction of this tragic story
to stir audiences. Check it out.
(Beechwood. Carmike)
PULP FICTION (R) 1994. Rogue indie
director Quentin Tarantino’s influential
and highly-stylized look al pop culture.
The offbeat crime fiick simultaneously
follows three or lour seemingly unre
lated LA stories involving two hit men
clad in black suits, ? heroin dealer, an
aging boxer, a handlul of wealthy drug
addicts and various criminal types.
Starring Bruce Willis, Vmg Rhames,
John Travolta. Samuel L. Jackson, Eric
Stoltz and Uma Thurman. Showing
Tuesday. 7/18 (Tate)
ROAD TRIP (R) Canadian comedian
Tom Green—known tor his mischief on
MTV—'“narrates" this dumb, derivative
college romp tilled with obligatory
nudity and hi!-or-miss jokes Partially
filmed on the UGA campus and around
Athens. Showing Monuay, 7/17.
(Georgia Theatre)
MOVIE LISTINGS
Theatpr schedules often change after our deadline. Please call ahead.
ACC LIBRARY (613-3650)
Close Encounters Of The Third Kind (PG) 6:30 (Th.
7/13)
BKKCHWOOD (546-1011)
The Adventures Of Rocky And Bullwinkle (PG) 2:00,
4:25, 7:00 (new time F. 7/14: 2:00)
Babe: Pig In The City (G) 10:30 a.m. (Tu. 7/18)
Big Momma's House (PG-13) 5:05, 7:20, 9:30 (new
times F. 7/14: 2:15, 4:45, 7:20, 9:30)
Chicken Run (G) 1:10, 3:10, 5:10, 7:20, 9:20 (new
times F. 7/14: 1:10. 3:10, 5:10, 7:15, 9:15)
Disney's The Kid (PG) 1:45, 4:00, 7:10, 9:25 (new times
F. 7/14: 1:30. 4:00, 7:10, 9:25)
Fantasia 2000 (G) 1:40, 3:20 (ends Th. 7/13)
Gone In 60 Seconds (PG-13) 1:40, 4:15, 7:25, 9:50
(new times F. 7/14: 4:15, 7:25, 9:50)
Harriet The Spy (PG) 10:30 a.m. (Th. 7/13)
Me. Myself & Irene (R) 1:50, 4:20, 7:15, 9:40
Muppets From Space (G) 10:30 a.m. (Th. 7/13)
The Patriot (R) 1:00, 1:30, 4:30, 5:00, 8:00, 8:30 (new
times F. 7/14:1:00, 4:30, 8:00)
The Perfect Storm (PG-13) 1:15. 4:15. 7:00, 9:15, 9:45
(new times F. 7/14:1:15, 4:10, 7:00. 9:45)
Scary Movie (R) 1:25, 3:30. 5:30. 7:30, 9:35
Shaft (R) 2:10, 4:40. 7:35, 9:55
Stuart Little (PG) 10:30 a.m. (Tu. 7/18)
The X-Men (PG-13) 12:45, 1:45, 3:00, 4:20, 5:20. 7:00,
7:40, 9:30, 9:55 (opens F. 7/14)
CARMIKK 12 (354-0016)
The Adventures Of Rocky And Bullwinkle (PG) 12:15,
2:20, 4:25, 7:10, 9:15 (new rimes F. 7/14: 12:15, 2:20,
4:25)
Big Momma's House (PG-13) 3:00, 5:15, 7:30, 9:45
(new rimes F. 7/14: 12:30, 3:00, 5 15, 7:30, 9:45)
Chicken Run (G) 1:00, 3:00, 5:00, 7:00, 9:00
Disney's The Kid (PG) 2:15. 4:35, 7:05, 9:20
Fantasia 2000 (G) 12:50 (ends Th. 7/13)
Gone In 60 Seconds (PG-13) 1:15. 4:00. 7:00, 9:30
(new rimes F. 7/14: 7:00, 9:30)
Me, Myself & Irene (R) 1:30, ':00, 7:00, 9:30
The Patriot (R) 12:00, 1:15, 3:45, 4:45. 7:00. 8:00,
10:15
The Perfect Storm (PG-13) 1:00, 1:30, 4:00. 4:30, 7:00,
7:30, 10:00, 10:30
Scary Movie (R) 12:15, 2:30, 4:45. 7:00, 9:15 (add!
showing F. 7/14 & Sa. 7/15:11:30 p.m.)
Shaft (R) 12:45. 3:00, 5:15. 7:30. 9:45
The X-Men (PG-13) 12:15. 2:30, 4:45. 7:00, 9:15 (add'i
rime F. 7/14 & Sa. 7/15:11:30 p.m.) (opens F. 7/14)
COMMERCE DRIVE-IN (335 2486)
All shows begin rt dusk. Monday through Sunday
The Adventures Of Rocky And Bullwinkle (PG) Screen
1 (ends Th. 7/13)
Shaft (R) Screen 1 (starts F. 7/14)
Big Momma's House (PG-13) Screen ?
Scary Movie (R) Screen 3
FUCKER THEATRE (546-0039)
The Grapefruit Moon (Der Pampetmusenmcnd) (NR)
8:30 (W. 7/12)
Stroszek (NR) 8:30 (F. 7/14, Sa. 7/15)
Burning Life (NR) 8:30 (M. 7/17, Tu. 7/18, W. 7/19)
OEOROIA SQUARE MAUL In (543-1632)
The Big Kahuna (R) 5:45. 7:55 (12:30, 3:00 Sa. & Su.)
(starts F. 7/14)
Final Destination (R) 5:40, 7:50 (12:25, 2:50 Sa. &
Su.)
High Fidelity (R) 5:30. 8:00 (ends Th. 7/13)
Love And Basketball (PG-13) 5:30. 8:05 (12:15, 2:50
Sa. & Su.) (starts F. 7/14)
28 Days (PG-13) 5:45, 7:55 (ends Th. 7/13)
U-571 (PG-13) 5:35. 8:10 (12:20, 2:45 Sa. & Su.)
GEORGIA THEATRE '549-9918)
Road Trip (R) 7:00, 10:00 (M. 7/17)
High Fidelity (R) >:00. 10:00 (Tu. 7/18)
Virgin Suicides (R) 7:00. 10:00 (W. 7/19)
TATE CENTER (542-8646)
Erin Brr^ovich (R) 5:15. 7:30, 9:45 (F 7/14)
Pulp Fiction (R) (R) 5:15, 7:30, 9:45 (Tu. 7/18)
B FLAGPOLE JULY 12, 2000