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Entertainment
MOVIE REVIEW: "Maid in Manhattan" earns a 6
The Cinderella story gets a
modern day twist in the delight
ful romantic comedy “Maid In
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In a twist of fate, Jennifer Lopez, who plays a maid from the Bronx and Ralph Fiennes, who por
trays a Senatorial candidate from Manhattan, fall for each other in Revolution Studios’ romantic
comedy Maid in Manhattan, distributed by Columbia Pictures.
BOOK REVEItt "The Christmas Amin"
By Jackie K Cooper
Entertainment Editor
David Baldacci started his
writing career with the action
packed novel ABSOLUTE
POWER. He followed up the
success of that book with one
action adventure after another,
and in the process became one
of the biggest names in fiction.
Then he switched to a softer
tone with the melancholy WISH
YOU WELL. With his latest
novel THE CHRISTMAS
TRAIN he combines both styles
of storytelling.
Tom Langdon is the focus of
this story. He is a journalist who
has spent a large portion of his
life in the war zones and hot
spots around the globe. When
his romance with the beautiful
Eleanor Carter ended, so did
Tom’s passion for this kind of
life. He and Eleanor had been
journalists together but she had
ended their relationship in one
VIDEO COLUMN: "My Kingdom For A Horse"
By Jackie K Cooper
Entertainment Editor
Horses are wonderful crea
tures. They are noble, strong
and caring. Throughout history
people have loved horses and
have relied on them in times of
trouble. During the time of the
great Western migration in this
country, horses were especially
important as a means of trans
portation. The animated film
“Spirit: Stallion of the
Cimarron” focuses on one
horse’s life and tells his story.
Matt Damon narrates the
story of the horse while James
Cromwell and Daniel Studi
speak for other characters. In a
change of pace for an animated
film of this type, the animals do
* V |
“Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron”
Manhattan.” Jennifer Lopez
and Ralph Fiennes have the
leads and the two of them have
fell swoop.
After Elbe, Tom entered into
a marriage that was doomed
from the start. It was short
lived and bitter. Now he is alone
and searching for some mean
ing to his life. He has been
banned from flying due to an
altercation on an airplane, so he
purchases a ticket for a coast to
coast trip on Amtrak. He is
heading to LA to see another
woman who has come into his
life.
While Tom is on the train
during the Christmas season, a
lot of things occur which make
him think back on the happiest
moments of his life. He meets a
new group of fellow travelers
and one old friend from his
past. Along the way he is drawn
into a wedding on the train, a
cataclysmic event caused by
Mother Nature, and a theft of
valuables. A lot happens in a
very short time.
not speak. They make noises
but do not talk.
One of the highlights of this
movie is the artwork. Some of
the scenes of the old west look
like paintings. They are stun
ningly beautiful. Add to this the
haunting music of Bryan Adams
and Hans Zimmer and you have
a wonderful show. Bryan Adams
sings a variety of songs and uses
them to propel the story along.
This is family entertainment
of the highest degree. It doesn’t
have the cuteness of a Disney
animated feature, but the true
beauty of this film is worth
watching.
For a racy look at love and sex,
try “Buying the Cow.” Jerry
O’Connell has made a career
lately of playing
the playboy in
films. In this
one he is dating
Bridget
Wilson’s char
acter and she
gives him an
ultimatum
marry her or
move on! For
the rest of the
film Jerry has
to decide what
he wants to do.
Ryan
Reynolds and
Alyssa Milano
are also in this
film and they
add to the fun.
All of the char
acters in the
movie are just a
touch shallow
and some of the
jokes are too
gross to be
good. The film
has an abun
dance of profan
ity, sexual situa
tions and nudi-
‘cElje plxmetim ptam* journal
chemistry to bum. Anyone look
ing for a feel good movie should
head on down to where this
Baldacci has whittled his
story down to the barest needs.
There is no padding of the plot,
no stretching out of the pages.
He tells his story, fully and com
pletely, but with a conciseness
that enriches the story rather
than robs it.
There are any number of
wonderful characters in the
pages of the book, and all are
touched by the miracle of the
Christmas season and the fel
lowship of friendships formed
on a train. Amtrak executives
must be smiling from ear to ear
by how inviting Baldacci makes
rail travel.
So open the pages and see
where Tom’s train travels take
him. He has a wonderful time
and so will you.
THE CHRISTMAS TRAIN is
published by Warner Books. It
contains 260 pages and sells for
$19.95.
ty
“Big Shot: Confessions of A
Campus Bookie” is a film based
on a true story. Benny Silman
(David Krumholtz) went from
New Jersey to Arizona State
University. Once there he found
a way to get a basketball player
to shave points and make him
rich in return.
Silman got a lot of money but
he also got a lot of trouble. His
actions got him the attention of
the mob and the FBI. For a
while it looked like his career
was going to take him on a one
way street to oblivion. That’s
when he chose life over riches.
The DVD version of this
movie has a lot of extras includ
ing an interview with Benny
Silman. This makes the movie
entertaining and informative.
Scott Caan stars in “Speed of
Light,” an action movie about a
man who takes a short cut to
fortune. Although he knows bet
ter he is talked into doing some
things that aren’t totally lawful.
Leo Burmiester and Mira
Kirshner co-star in this run of
the mill film. Caan manages to
give it a little extra push with
his performance.
Finally we have two movies
for the kids. “Bob the Builder:
Bob Saves the Day” is a movie
about Bob and his crew and
their problems with construc
tion. It is all full of fun the kids
will love. Bob and his buddies
are very popular and this video
will keep them that way.
And we have “Angelina
Ballerina: Friends Forever.”
This movie tells more stories
about the loveable dancing
mouse. There are four different
instances where Angelina learns
lessons about friendship and
what it requires. Flinty
Williams is the voice of Angelina
and Judi Denshi speaks for Miss
Lily.
movie is playing.
In the film Lopez plays
Marisa Ventura, a maid at an
elegant hotel in New York. She
is working to support herself
and her young son Ty (Tyler
Garcia Posey). Marisa has
dreams of moving up into man
agement but that hasn’t hap
pened yet. Still she is deter
mined that her life will get bet
ter.
One day Marisa meets
Christopher Marshall, a New
York Assemblyman. He mis
takes her for one of the guests
at the hotel and they have an
instant attraction to each other.
Of course the fact she is a maid
there makes for some small lies
and some complications. But
seeing how it all works out
makes for the fun of the film.
Lopez is fine in this role that
is tailor made for her talents.
She looks great and you can cer-
MOVIE REVIEW: "Star Trek: Nemesis"
By Jackie K Cooper
Entertainment Editor
“Star Trek” fans are dancing
in the streets with the arrival of
the tenth installment in the
“Star Trek” movie franchise.
The latest entry is titled “Star
Trek: Nemesis” and it is an
even number adventure so it
has to be good. Or so is the
thinking of fans. The even num
bered movies are always better
than the odd numbered ones.
Go figure!
Well I hate to be the one to
break it to you, but this “Star
Trek” entry is one of the worst.
It may in fact even be the end of
the movies based on the TV
characters. Still “Star Trek”
movies have been known to rise
form the ashes of one dud film
or another, and come back
stronger than ever.
The old William Shatner crew
is nowhere to be found in this
movie. These are the “Next
Generation” characters and
they are all on board for this
ride. They include Captain
Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick
Stewart), Commander William
T Riker (Jonathan Frakes),
Data (Brent Spiner), Geordi
LaForge (LeVar Burton), Dr.
Beverly Crusher (Gates
McFadden) and Deanna Troi
(Marina Sirtis).
It probably helps if you have
been a fan and follower of the
TV series, which I was not.
Then you would know the rea
son fans get so excited when
they learn Riker and Deanna
marry at the start of the film.
You could then also understand
their fear that the good Captain
might get offed at the movie’s
end and go to the great “Star
Trek” convention in the sky.
Whether or not that happens,
you won’t find out here. Suffice
it to say some of the crew are
put in peril and one or two
might suffer an untimely end.
This I am sure will cause devo
tees of the cast to live in fear
until the movie is seen.
The plot of the film concerns
TV REVIEW: "Second String"
By Jackie K Cooper
Entertainment Editor
TNT presents an original movie
this month titled “Second String.”
It is the kind of movie that you
have seen time and time before,
but it is also the kind of movie that
is always fun to watch. Gil Bellows
and Jon Voight play the athlete
and coach in this movie and they
make the film a better presenta
tion than it would have been with
less talented actors.
Bellows plays Dan Heller, a foot
ball player who showed some
promise early in his professional
career but who soon slid into
oblivion. He was aided in this slide
by Coach Dichter (Voight), a man
who didn’t believe in Heller’s tal
ent. Dichter is now coach of the
Buffalo Bills while Heller is selling
insurance.
Through a few quirks in life and
some luck to boot, Heller ends up
as the “second string quarter
back” for the team. Then Doug
Flutie and all the A-team get sick
when they eat some bad oysters. A
chance at the Super Bowl is dan
gling in front of Dichter, but all he
can see is “loser” written across
i . t||b
Jackie Cooper
Columnist
jkershawcooper@aol.com
tainly understand how anyone
could be instantly smitten
(Example A - Ben Affleck).
Fiennes has a certain quiet
charm as Marshall. It is certain
ly a change from his last role as
the serial killer in “Red
Dragon.”
The movie is chock full of
strong supporting actors.
a man, Shinzon (Thomas
Hardy), who has been created
or cloned from Picard’s DNA.
He was created by the
Romulans but his usefulness to
them has never been totally
explored. He and Picard engage
in a war of words and wisdom
and later an intergalactic battle.
The acting in the movie is
acceptable. Stewart is excellent
as always and Spiner has his
moments as Data. Hardy is not
a particularly chilling villain.
The rest of the cast just go
through the “’’Star Trek”
motions.
The special effects are also a
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Patrick Stewart as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in “Star Trek
Nemesis.” Paramount Pictures presents “Star Trek Nemesis,” a
Rick Berman production.
Heller’s forehead.
Heller does not have a lot of con
fidence in his abilities any more
but his wife Connie (Teri Polo)
does. She is a one person cheer
leading squad for him. With her in
his comer Heller begins to come
alive and to inspire the “second
stringers” to get with the program
too. The rest of the story you can
write yourself.
Although this is a movie plot
that has been done to death, the
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Stanley Tucci is annoying and
resolute as Chris’ aide Jerry.
Natasha Richardson is brittle
and brassy as Caroline, a
woman determinedly pursuing
Chris. Bob Hoskins is kind and
understanding as Lionel, one of
the old time butlers at the hotel.
And Marissa Matrone is a stand
out as Marisa’s true blue friend
and co-worker.
The movie is rated PG-13 for
profanity and some sexual situ
ations.
“Maid In Manhattan” is a
lovely to look at, delightful to
know movie that creates a
warm aura of romanticism. It
will send you out of the theater
with a heart full of affection for
these characters and a hope
that maybe we will see them
again in the future.
I scored “Maid In
Manhattan” a cleaned up 6 out
of 10.
little on the cheesy side. In this
day and age of computer gener
ated wonders, it would seem the
battle sequences for this film
would be a little bit higher than
those we have already seen on
TV But they aren’t.
The movie is rated PG-13 for
mild profanity and violence.
“Star Trek: Nemesis” should
be a splashy, flashy futuristic
adventure. But what comes
across is a dull and tired fran
chise squeezing out one more
plot to make a buck. It isn’t fast
or fun.
I scored “Star Trek: Nemesis”
a beamed out 4 out of 10.
people behind “Second String”
manage to give it just enough
twists to make it fresh one more
time. Add in a first rate cast and
you get more bang for the buck
than you should expect. This is a
fun filled film that will keep you
solidly entertained for a couple of
hours.
“Second String” airs on TNT
December 18 at BPM. It repeats
December 20, 21 and 22.