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fay BALLARD LESEMANN
AUTUMN iN NEW YORK (PG-13) A
decidedly sappy. Big Apple tear-jerker
Irom director Joan Chen Will Keane
(Richard Gere) is a renown Manhattan
chel and a skilled womanizer... until
he meets Charlotte (Winona Ryder), a
sweet, sparkly young woman with a
weird sense of fashion who happens to
be less than half his age The two seem
perfect for each other, despite their age
difference. Not long after the romance
strikes up. however, some sad truth
comes into the picture and the water
works begin. There's genuine chem
istry between the two, but, jeesh, this
story is sopping wet. A perfect after
noon flick for fans of Stepmom. With
Anthony LaPaglia, Elaine Stritch
(Beechwood, Carmike)
BIG MOMMA S HOUSE (PG-13)
Marlin Lawrence stars in this crude
comedy about a slick city detective
who poses as an obese Georgia grand
mother. This is derivative stuff con-
sisring or little more than a continuous
string of gags and one-liners revolving
around the same |oke. but audiences
are howling anyway (Mall)
BLESS THE CHILD (R) Kim Basinger
confronts The Devil and his cronies in
this tiresome poorly-made “supernat
ural thriller" from director Chuck
Russell. Maggie (Kim Basinger) is a
psychiatric nurse living in New York
When her junkie sister. Jenna (Angela
Betus), dumps a newborn daughter.
Cody, on her doorstep. Maggie
unselfishly dedicates herself to raising
her. Turns out, the kid has "special"
needs and talents. Could she be cursed
or blessed? Hmmm. After six years.
Jenna returns with a creepy new hus
band Eric (Rufus Sewell), wno happens
to be a powerful, wicked cult leader
and possible murderer. This basically
attempts to rip-off of previous, better-
crafted ecumenical dramas such as The
Omen, The Exorcist, and Rosemary's
Baby. From what I saw. it's more hokey
than Stigmata and Fallen pul together.
With Ian Holm. Jimmy Smits and
Holliston Coleman. (Beechwood.
Carmike)
BOYS AND GIRLS (PG-13) Freddie
Prinze. Jr. and Claire Forlani carry on a
ridiculously uptight, long-term adoles
cent crush from their early teens well
into their late-college years in this
thick-headed romantic comedy from
director Robert Iscove (She's All That).
Relegated mostly to corny pratfalls.
Jason Biggs (American Pie. Loser) is a
doofus with multi-colored hair who
tries to "score" without much success
Starts Friday. (Mall)
THE CELL (R) Jennifer Lopez lakes
precious time away from her ridiculous
"music career’ to play a child therapist
m this special effecls-laden. sci-fi
thriller from award-winning commer
cial and music video director Tarsem
Involved in a breakthrough research
program, she is asked to journey
inside the mind of comatose serial
killer in the hope of saving his latest
victim. As she embarks on an
uncharted and perilous loumey
through the psyche of a murderer, an
FBI agent (Vince Vaughn o! Swngers)
must race against time to uncover
clues that may help locate the missing
girl. With Vincent D'Onofno. Marianne
Jean-Baptiste. Dylan Baker, Pruitt
Taylor Vance. Jake Weber, and James
Gammon. Opens Friday. (Beechwood.
Carmike)
CENTER STAGE (PG-13) A surpris
ingly watchable drama about ballet,
romance and power frem director
Nicholas Hynter. Starring Amanda
Schull, Susan May Pratt. Peter
Gallagher and Ethan Stiefel. Starts
Friday. (Mall)
COYOTE UGLY (PG-13) Producer
Jerry Bruckheimer's mindless comedy
of tackiness follows a 21-year-old.
small-town New Jersey girl (Piper
Perabo) as she descends into
Manhattan in hopes of a songwriting
career. She takes a cheap apartment in
Chinatown and gets a job at Coyote
Ugly, a wild tavern in the East Village
that resembles the worst elements of
Cocktail and MTV's "Spring Break’
specials With Adam Garcia, Mana
Bello. Tyra Banks and John Goodman.
(Beechwood. Carmike)
DISNEY’S THE KID (PG) This silly
family comedy is syrupy and obnox
ious. but entertaming. nonetheless.
Bruce Willis plays a sarcastic L.A
image consultant who gets to meat
himse!! as an 8-year-old kid The
pudny kid, played with convincing
charm and wit by pouty newcomer
Spencer Breslin. can't understand why
he's been transplanted to his future,
either. The two develop a decen* rap
port. however, and Willis' cold heart
inevitably thaws. W !h Emily Mortimer
and Lily Tomlin. Directed by John
Turteltaub. (Beechwood. Carmike)
“FLICKER” (NR) Wednesday's pro
gram features Alfred Hitchcock's
Sabotage (1936), a suspense-thriller
set in London following a group of for
eign saboteurs who devise evil plans
behind the walls of a seemingly harm
less movie theater Friday's and
Saturday’s program features Swing
Time (1936). a classic song-and-
dance. musical comedy directed by
George Stevens starring Fred Astaire.
Ginger Rogers. Helen Broderick and
Victor Moore. Monday's program
includes a collection o! "Strange
And Wonderful Home Movies"
collected from the Flicker archives.
Tuesday's program features Rising
Tones Cross a 1984 documentary
from filmmaker Ebba Jahn examining
the early and modern "free-jazz"
scenes in NYC. Aimed at the initiated
jazz fan, it’s a gritty documentary that
asks. "Is jazz culturally insignificant in
the land of its birth?" Highlights
include scenes with sax
player/philosopher Charles Gayle and
wild contrabass piayer Peter Kowald
(who perlormed a! Flicker earlier this
year) talking shop in dingy loft apart
ments. This early screening will be fol
lowed by a live performance from
woodwind and trumpet player Daniel
Carter (who is featured in the film) and
drummer Andrew Barker (of the Gold
Sparkle band) Cal' 546-0039 for more
information (Flicker Theatre)
FREQUENCY (PG- 1 3) James Caviezel
and Dennis Quaid star in director
Gregory Hoblit's [Primal Fear) chaotic
and sentimental "whal if fantasy-
drama about a young modern-day
New York cop who goes 30 years back
in time (by way of a ham radio) end
connects and converses with his late
father. Ends Thursday (Mall)
“FX28 VIDEO FESTIVAL" (NR) A
video festival sponsored by the
Georgia Museum of Art consisting of a
variety of short and feature-length
films, r.jsic videos, and avant-garde
works Two, four-hour screenings on
Saturday at the M Smith Griffith
Auditorium starting a! 12 noon and 6
pm Winners will be selected by a
panel of judges and audience mem
bers See Out Tnere' or call 542-4662
for more information (Georgia
Museum Of Art )
GODZILLA 2000 (PG) The Godzilla
monster fights U F Os ana aliens
who've been hiding in the depths of the
Japan trench outside the cites ol
Nemuro and Shiniuku in this sci-li
action flick from veteran Japanese film
maker Takao Okawara Matthew
Broderick does not appear anywhere in
this. Opens Friday (Beechwood.
Carmike. Commerce Drive-In)
HOLLOW MAN (R) A tedious, gim
micky, poorly-written suspense-thriller
from director Paul Verhoeven (Basic
Instinct) about a “brilliant" group of
young scientists (most ol whom
belong in jail or the loony bin) at a
d.ngy, top-secret military lab who have
just unlocked the secret of “invisi
bility." The team's cocky leader,
Sebastian Came (a sneering Kevin
Bacon), ignores the risks, defies orders
from his boss (William DeVane) and
tests the dangerous procedure on him
self. For some unexplained reason, he
immediately becomes a psycho stalker
and goes about raping, molesting and
mu-dermg his colleagues and neigh
bors. Although some special effects
depicting the gruesome transformation
from visible state to "invisibility" are
genuinely impressive, the story goes
nowhere. Co-stars Elizabeth Shue and
Josh Broiin look embarrassed as they
so their best with the annoying dia
logue and ridiculous circumstances.
Avoid. (Beechwood. Carmike.
Commerce Drive-In)
JESUS’ SON (R) A drama with ele
ments of black comedy set in the
1970s about a young man wno rurns
from drug addiction and petty crime to
a life redeemed by a discovery of com
passion. Starring Billy Crudup,
Samantha Morton. Denis Leary. Jack
Black, Will Patton and Holly Hunter.
Directed by Alison Maclean. This is the
Athens premiere (thank-you Kudzu!).
Showing Monday. 8/21. (Georgia
Theatre)
MAO ABOUT MAMBO (PG-13) A
romantic comedy about a Catholic high
school student who tries to perfect his
soccer timing by practicing dance. Of
course, he falls in love with his dance
partner With Ken Russell, Brian Cox
and William Ash Written and directed
by John Forte Ends Thursday
(Carmike)
ME. MYSELF & IRENE (R) Jim
Carrey suffers an extremely wend split
personality disorder in this disap
pointing "gross-out" comedy from the
Farrelly Brothers He plays a nice-guy
cop living in Rhode Island in a town
where everybody constantly walks aH
over him. One day. he totally loses it
and becomes “Hank ’ a completely
unlikable. overly aggressive, sexist
menace. With Renbe Zellweger (Jerry
Maguire). Chris Cooper, Robert
Forster. Richard Jenkins and Little Tony
Cox. (Mali)
NUTTY PROFESSOR II: THE
KLUMPS (PG-13) In a follow-up to
his breakthrough performance in the
1996 hit The Nutty Professor, Eddie
Murphy re-proves his comic capabili
ties and delivers an uncharacteristically
sensitive take on f eal family characters.
The story mostly follows science pro
lessor Sherman Klump as he nervously
deals with his mounting affections
aimed at his colleague. Denise (Janet
Jackson) The mam crisis ol the story,
however, involves Sherman’s "Buddy
Love” alter ego that still exists inside
and outside of his mind While Murphy
is at his best in his depiction's ol the
variously Hawed and likable K'umps.
the film merely touches these charac
ters and. instead, keeps its focus on
vulgarity rather than charm Too bad
(Beechwood, Carmike. Commerce
Drive-In)
THF ORIGINAL KINGS OF
COMEDY (R) A concert documentary
from acclaimed director Spike Lee
Shot m Charlotte, NC. in the style of
Richard Pryor's Live On Sunset Strip
and Eddie Murphy's Raw. this film cap
tures the raucous action from a stand-
up comedy performance from four cut
ting-edge African-American comics—
Steve Harvey (TVs "The Steve Harvey
Show." "Showtime At The Apollo").
Cedric The Entertainer (TV’s "The Steve
Harvey Show," "Def Comedy Jam."
Ride), D.L. Hughley (TVs "The
Hughleys." "Def Comedy Jam"), and
Berme Mac (Players Club. Booty Call,
Friday. TV's "Moesha"). Expect some
wild socio-political commentary and
observations aimed for the adult
crowd Opens Friday (Carmike)
MOVIE LISTINGS
Theater schedules often change after our deadline. Please call ahead.
ACC LIBRARY (613-3650)
Smell (NR) 7:00 (Th. 8/17)
BEECHWOOD (546-1011)
Autumn In New York (PG-13) 2:00. 4:15. 7:00, 9:15
Bless The Child (R) 2:25, 4:50. 7:15, 9:35
The Cell (R) 2:10, 4:35. 7:05. 9:30 (opens 8/18)
Coyote Ugly (PG-13) 1:20. 3:20. 5:20, 7:35. 9:30 (new
times F. 8/18: 3:20, 5:20, 7:35, 9:50) (add'l time F.
8/18-Su. 8/20: 1:20)
Disney's The Kid (PG) 1:35. 4:00. 7:10 (new times F.
8/18: 3:30, 5:40) (add'l time F. 8/18-Su. 8/20: 1:15)
Godzilla 2000 (PG) 2:05, 4:25, 7:05, 9:25 (opens 8/18)
Hollow Man (R) 2:15, 4:45, 7:20. 9:55
The Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (PG-13) 3:00,
5:15. 7:30, 9:45 (add! lime W. 8/16-Su. 8/20: 12:45
p.m.)
The Patriot (R) 8:00
The Replacements (PG-13) 4:20, 7:25. 9:50 (add'l time
W. 8/16-Su. 8/20: 1:50 p.m.)
Scary Movie (R) 9:25 (ends Th. 8/17)
Space Cowboys (PG-13) 4:30. 7:10, 9:40 (add’l time W.
8/16-Su. 8/20: 1:40 p.m.)
Thomas And The Magi<- Railroad (G) 1:00, 3:05, 5:00
(ends Th. 8/17)
What Lies Beneath (PG-13) 4:10, 7:00, 9:35 (add’l time
W. 8/16-Su. 8/20: 1:30 p.m.)
X-Men (PG-13) 1:45, 4:20, 7:05, 9:20 (ends Th. 8/17)
CARMIKE 1 2 (354-0016)
Autumn In New York (PG-13) 2:15. 4:35, 7:10, v:25
Bless The Child (R) 2:30. 4:55. 7:15, 9:35
The Cell (R) 1:45, 4:20, 7:20, 9:40 (opens F. 8/18)
Coyote Ugly (PG-13) 12:45, 3:00, 5:15. 7:30, 9:45
Disney's The Kid (PG) 12:20. 2:35. 4:50. 7:05 (ends Th.
8/17)
Godzilla 2000 (PG) 2:05, 4:25, 7:25, 9:40 (opens F.
8/18)
Hollow Man (R) 12:30, 3:00, 7:00, 9:30
Mad About Mambo (PG-13) 7:30, 9:40 (ends Th. 8/17)
The Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (PG-13) 1:15,
4:00, 7:00, 9:30
The Original Kings (M Comedy ((?) 1:30. 4:15, 7:05.
9:35 (opens F. 8/18)
The Patriot (R) 9:15 (ends Th. 8/17)
The Replacements (PG-13) 2m 4:30. 7:00. 9:30
Scary Movie (R) 12:15, 2:30, 4:45, 7:00. 9:15 (new
times F. 8/18: 2:30, 7:00)
Space Cowboys (PG-13) 1:15, 4:00, 7:00, 9:30
Thomas And The Magic Railroad (G) 1:30, 3:30. 5:30
(ends Th. 8/17)
What Lies Beneath (PG-13) 1:00, 4:00. 7:00. 9:45
X-Men (PG-13) 12:15, 2:30. 4:45, 7:00, 9:15 (new times
F. 8/18: 12:30, 4:45, 9:15)
COMMERCE DRIVE-IN (335-2486)
Alt shows begin at dusk. Monday through Sunday
The Nutty Professor: The Klumps (PG-13) Screen 1
Hollow Man (R) Screen 2
Godzilla 2000 (PG) Screen 3 (opens F. 8, i8)
FLICKER THEATRE (546-0039)
Sabotage (NP.) 8:30 (W. 8/16)
Swing Time (NR) 8:30 (F. 8/18 & Sa. 8/19)
"Strange And Wonderful Home Movies" (NR) 8:30 (M.
8/21)
Rising Tones Cross (NR) 7:00 (Tu. 8/22)
GEORGIA MUSEUM OF ART (542 4662)
"Fx28 Video Festival" (NR) 12:00 p.m.. 6:00 p.m. (Sa.
8/19)
GEORGIA SQUARE MALL In (543 1632)
Big Momma's House (PG-13) 5:40, 7:55 (12:25, 2:55
Sa. & Su.)
Boys And Girls (PG-13) 5:45 (12:30 Sa. i Sc.) (starts F.
8/18)
Center Stage (PG-13) 8:00 (2:45 Sa. & Su.) (starts F.
8/18)
Frequency (PG-131 5:35, 8:00 (ends Th. 8/17)
Me. Myself & Irene (R) 5:30. 8:10 (12:15. 2:50 Sa. &
Su.)
Shanghai Noon (PG-13) 5:45, 8:05 (ends Th. 8/17)
Small Time Crooks (PG-13) 5:35, 8:05 (12:20, 3:00 Sa.
& Su.) (starts F. 8/18)
GEORGIA THEATRE (549-9918;
Jesus' Son (R) 7:00, 10:00 (M. 8/21)
TATE CENTER (542-8646)
This Is Spinal Tap (R) 8:00 (Sneak Preview: F. 8/18)
IB FLAGPOLE AUGUST 16, 2000
THE PATRIOT (R) At times moving
and complicated, the film assumes -Is
audience has already brushed up
heavily on its Colonial history and
bounces Irom one scenario to anotlrer
witnout thoroughly setting up any ot
them Mel Gibson as a South Carolina
farmer who resists the call to arms pro
pels the lilm. but some scenes are so
poorly written it s hard not to laugh
Healh Ledger stands out as the rebel
lious eldest son determined to tight for
the cause (Beechwood, Carmike)
THE REPLACEMENTS (PG-13) See
Movie Pick. (Beechwood. Carmike)
SCARY MOVIE (R) Directing Iror. a
weird script written by Shawn Wayans,
Marlon Wayans, and others. Keenen
Ivory Wayans has assembled one ol
tfr most over-the-lop disgusting
comedies of the year This movie
skewers scenes from recent slasher
flicks and makes a satirical attack on
some of the catch-phrases and cliches
produced recently Dy American
cinema. Most o( the comedy is rau
cous. nasty and hit-or-m.ss. but the
vile, "gross-out humor* surpasses that
ot American Pie, There’s Something
About Mary and the recent Me. Myself
& ‘rene. (Beechwood, Carmike)
SHANGHAI NOON (PG-13) A silly
but entertaining martial arts Western
that, makes little sense but gets big
laughs Starring Jackie Chan, Lucy Liu
and Owen Wilson Ends Thursday.
(Mall)
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 dimwitied charac
ters Allen plays an insecure ex-con
with a “brilliant" plan to rob a bank
Tracey Ullman stars as his sardonic
wile who is dead set against giving up
their tile savings With Tony Darrow,
Jon Lovitz. Michael Rapaport, Hugh
Grani and Elaine Stritch. Starts Friday
(Mall)
SMELL (NR) A documentary shot tor
the television's "Nova" educational
show This is an installment from the
show's “Mystery O f The Senses" series
investigating the fascinating elements
ot the of olfactory system Hosted by
Diane Ackerman. Showing Thursday,
8/17. (Athens-Clarke Library)
SPACE COWBOYS (PG-13) After
over 30 vears away Irom duty, four vet
eran astronauts (Clint Eastwood.
Donald Sutherland. Tommy Lee Jones
and James Garner) accept a dangerous
assignment to return to space one last
time on a secret mission involving a
Russian "saiellite"-gone-haywire The
story unfolds in two parts the lirst few
acts introduce the tour guys and all of
their old rivalries, grudges and love
interests; the latter hall involves a mys
terious governmental scheme Expect
plenty of running jokes involving sexu
ally-charged Zingers and one-liners,
some decern special effects and a very
loose final act Directed by Clint
Easiwood. (Beechwood. Carmike)
THIS IS SPINAL TAP (PG) 1984 The
is the groundbreaking, absolutely
hilarious “mockumenlaiy' about the
fictitious British heavy-metal band
Spinal Tap—the "loudest band in
England" Filmmaker-aclor Rob Reiner
learned up with comedic geniuses
Micnael McKean. Christopher Guest
ana Harry Shearer (all ol whom worked
together on TV's "Saturday Night Live")
and basically improvised their way
through this a psuedo-documentary
profiling the aging band's meandering
career as it attempts a comeback tour
in the states behind an album titled
Smell The Glove Ol Cv/urse. the album
and tour are doomed Irom the start.
The film lakes aim at every rock and
roll clichO and pontitication in the book
and hits every time McKean. Guest
and Shearer wrote and performed all of
the songs on the soundtrack (“Sex
Farm." “Stonehenge," and "Gimme