Bad Boys II Two Miami cops
uncover funny business. “Could be the most vile creation . . . since Patch
Adams.” (Ed Gonzalez, Slant Magazine) Chuck Koplinski’s grade: F.
White Oaks
Bruce Almighty Jim Carrey is granted sovereignty by God. “A smart,
surprisingly thought-through blockbuster.” (Nev Pierce, BBCi) “A fable overwhelmed
by special effects and outsized spectacle.” (Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times)
White Oaks
Cabin Fever “Good gory fun that just won’t quit.” (Peter Travers,
Rolling Stone) “Suspense and true terror are sacrificed for . . . laughs
. . . that don’t always materialize.” (Michael Rechtshaffen, Hollywood Reporter)
Marty McKee’s grade: D+. Parkway Pointe
Cold Creek Manor A couple buys a house with an evil past. “The only
things haunting this movie are cliches.” (Peter Travers, Rolling Stone)
“Emphasizes character and psychology over plot.” (Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles
Times) Chuck’s grade: B. ShowPlace East, ShowPlace West
Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star A former child star must relive his
childhood. “It’s a standard joke in screwy teen comedies, but for some reason
it seems kind of fresh here.” (Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle)
Chuck Koplinski’s grade: C. Parkway Pointe
Duplex A New York City couple buy a duplex and go head to head with
their elderly tenant. “Too much contrivance and not enough plausibility.” (Roger
Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times) “Trying to kill a little old lady never looked
so difficult–or so much fun.” (Eleanor Ringel Gillespie, Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
ShowPlace East, ShowPlace West
The Fighting Temptations. An unethical exec must assemble a gospel
choir to receive an inheritance. “It’s Sister Act warmed over.” (James
Berardinelli, James Berardinelli’s Reviews) “Exuberant musical numbers
and comic characters.” (Sheri Linden, Hollywood Reporter) Chuck’s grade:
C. ShowPlace East
Finding Nemo Animated underwater tale. “An upbeat, sentimental
fable about a fearful father fish and a rebellious son.” (Stephen Holden, New
York Times) “After the first 10 minutes or so, it’s exhausting.” (Stephanie
Zacharek, Salon.com) Chuck’s grade: A. White Oaks
Freddy vs. Jason Horror sequels merge. “A tediously ghastly genre pic.”
(Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer) “The action is lovingly lurid, and
the laughs keep coming.” (Bruce Westbrook, Houston Chronicle) Chuck’s
grade: C. Rt. 66 Drive In
Jeepers Creepers II A monster stalks high schoolers. “A limp sequel.”
(Gary Dowell, Dallas Morning News) “Classier monster effects, but less
compellingly weird.” (Bob Campbell, Newark Star-Ledger) Rt. 66 Drive
In
Lost in Translation Bill Murray is a down-and-out
actor who travels to Tokyo to film a whiskey commercial. “A wonderful film, all subtlety and grace.” (Bill Muller,
Arizona Republic) Parkway Pointe
Luther A film about the conflicted Reformation leader.”An entertaining history lesson.” (Steven Rea, Philadelphia
Inquirer) “Curiously flat.” (Wesley Morris, Boston Globe) ShowPlace
East
Matchstick Men A con man reassesses his life when
his estranged teenage daughter shows up. “A well-crafted grifter tale with heart.”
(Jami Bernard, New York Daily News) “The film fizzles rather than fizzes.”
(Manohla Dargis, Los Angeles Times) Chuck’s grade: B. Parkway Pointe
The Medallion New Jackie Chan movie. “It would be
a shame to waste 1 1/2 hours of your life actually watching the movie.” (Michael
Booth, Denver Post) “A B-movie worthy of the term.” (Bob Campbell, Newark
Star-Ledger) White Oaks
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl “The most high-flying,
jaw-dropping special effect of the summer is . . . Johnny Depp.” (Ty Burr, Boston
Globe) Chuck’s grade: B+. ShowPlace West
The Rundown L.A. street toughs must travel to Brazil to clean up underworld
business. “Wildly asinine crack-up derby.” (Scott Brown, Entertainment Weekly)
“The script devolves into people yelling ‘Shut up!’ at each other.” (David Hiltbrand,
Philadelphia Inquirer) ShowPlace East, ShowPlace West
School of Rock Jack Black gets kicked out of a band and starts substitute
teaching. “Black . . . deliver[s] the acting equivalent of a perfect power chord
crunched with a demon smile.” (Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly)
ShowPlace West
Seabiscuit The horse, its jockey, and the men who made them famous.
“Standout alternative . . . to an oft-deadly sequel summer.” (Mike Clark, USA
Today) Chuck’s grade: A. Parkway Pointe, ShowPlace East
The Shape of Things Neil LaBute’s tangled romance involving four young
adults. “LaBute has that rarest of attributes, a distinctive voice.” (Roger
Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times) “Didactic rather than enigmatic.” (Owen Gleiberman,
Entertainment Weekly) Parkway Pointe
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines Arnold Schwarzenegger returns as
an android fighting another android. “A taut, exciting science-fiction thriller.”
(Mark Caro, Chicago Tribune) Chuck’s grade: B. White Oaks
Thirteen A teenage girl falls under the negative influence of her friend.
“Burns with emotional truth.” (Chris Vognar, Dallas Morning News) “A
pretentious piece of Valley Girl vileness masquerading as social commentary.”
(Andrew Sarris, New York Observer) Parkway Pointe
Under the Tuscan Sun An
American author fights writer’s block by moving to Italy. “It purports to make
love all over us, but not without laying down lots of paper towels first.” (Stephanie
Zacharek, Salon.com) “It may be a fairy tale, but it’s one worth believing in.”
(Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press) ShowPlace West
Underworld Female vampire movie with a little Matrix thrown in. “Bloodless, even when the corn syrup flows by the gallon.” (Alex Pappademas, Village Voice) Parkway Pointe
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This article appears in Oct 2-8, 2003.
