2 Fast 2 Furious In this Universal Studios sequel, Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker) is an ex-cop who was kicked off the force for ruining one of the FBI’s biggest investigations — allowing the leader of a big-rig hijacking operation to go free. Now he has a chance to redeem himself. Federal agents in Miami have been unable to nail Carter Verone (Cole Hauser) who is using his import/export business to cover an international money-laundering ring. The only thing that customs can get on Verone is his tie with illegal street racing. The Feds want to get him for something that will keep him locked up for a long time so they approach O’Conner for help. They want him to go undercover as a “fast driver” employed by Verone, who happens to be looking to hire a couple drivers. O’Conner agrees to help the Feds but with certain conditions: he wants to choose his own partner and he wants his badge restored. The partner he chooses is his childhood friend, Roman (Tyrese), who has had some past run-ins with the law, serious enough to send him to prison. Roman agrees to help his friend as long as his police and prison record are wiped clean. Their assignment is to bring down Verone. They think the job might be fairly easy until they realize just how ruthless Verone can be and until they meet Monica (Eva Mendes), another undercover cop who is “bedding” Verone. They aren’t sure whether she is really doing her duties as a cop or has joined forces with the enemy. Rated PG-13

8 Mile Eminem plays Jimmy (Rabbit) Smith, a trailer-park punk who works in a machine shop to save enough money to make a demo record. We first find Jimmy backstage at hip hop club, The Shelter, throwing up at the prospect of a 'battle,' where two rappers challenge each other until one is approved by audience applause to move to the next round. Jimmy's just broken up with Janeanne (Taryn Manning) and is living out of a trash bag stashed behind a dumpster. Jimmy has no choice but to crash with his mom, who is the very definition of trailer trash. Sexy but battered and worn, the jobless Stephanie (Kim Basinger) lives in the 8 Mile mobile home court with her young daughter, Lily (Chloe Greenfield), and is hanging on to a relationship with her condescending boyfriend, Greg (Michael Shannon), in the belief that the large insurance settlement he's due to receive will change her life. Rated R

15 Minutes Pop Artist Andy Warhol is credited with predicting a future where everyone gets 15 minutes of fame. Robert DeNiro and Edward Burns star in this action thriller about two east Europeans trying to make their 15 minutes pay off. DeNiro is police detective Eddie Flemming, who teams with fire marshall Jordy Warsaw, played by Burns, when the suspects start a fire to cover their murderous tracks. But one of the criminals has a camera and Kelsey Grammar, as tabloid reporter Robert Hawkins, is willing to pay them for an exclusive. An action packed story filled with explosive fires, gunfights and chases, the film also makes not-so-subtle social comments about the sometimes questionable actions of journalistic media to satisfy viewers’ morbid and voyeuristic curiosity. Vicious stabbings, a broken neck, bloody and charred bodies along with graphic shootings are often replayed on video. One scene with a prostitute features nudity and, as with many action films, the dialogue is bluer than the police uniforms. Graphic violence, nudity, and seventy-one obscenities help 15 Minutes earn a severely objectionable rating.Rated R

28 Days Sandra Bullock stars in this realistic look into the life and rehabilitation of an alcoholic party girl. Gwen Cummings, a successful New York writer lives life in the fast lane, moving from one dance club and bar to the next with her boyfriend. But drunken behavior and a stolen limo earn Gwen 28 days of court appointed rehabilitation. With the help of understanding counselors and a group of unique fellow rehabbers, Gwen begins the struggle to reclaim control. This humorous but realistic look at the effects of drugs, particularly alcohol, on both users and those around them should draw healthy audiences. In keeping with the theme of drug abuse and recovery, many scenes of alcohol abuse and drunken behavior cross the screen, but drug use is not condoned. Gwen comes to realize the affects her drinking has had on people and her life as the clinic patients form a bond of friendship and support one another. Unfortunately, some scenes and conversations are strongly sexually suggestive, including a scene of brief gratuitous nudity. One patient is a male stripper and homosexual tendencies are inferred but no overt scenes are shown. Gutter language is used moderately, but profanities turn up frequently. Despite the strong messages about needing help and communication to repair the destructive affects of drug abuse, sexual content and foul language earn 28 Days a moderately objectionable rating. Rated PG-13

102 Dalmations Glenn Close reprises her role as Cruella DeVil in this sequel to the 1996 hit. Dipstick, one of the original 101 Dalmatian puppies, now has 3 puppies of his own. And after three years of behavior conditioning, Cruella has become dog's best friend. She's released on good behavior, but her parole officer, Alice Evans as Chloe Simons, doesn't think she's changed her spots. Of course, Chloe also owns Dipstick. Indicating her change, Cruella saves the financially strapped 2nd Chance dog shelter run by Kevin, played by Ioan Gruffudd. Among Kevin's mutt menagerie is Mr. Waddlesworth, a demented parrot that thinks it's a dog. When Cruella's conditioning reverses, she's out to complete her Dalmatian coat, and include Chloe's puppies. But Oddball, one of the puppies, is still spotless and rejected as coat material. So it's up to her, with the help of Mr. Waddlesworth, to save her siblings. A treat for the whole family, 102 Dalmations is sure to be a howling success. Although Chloe is attracted to Kevin, there's no sexual content. But Waddleworth does make a comment about Oddball wearing a sweater with no pants. Since the action is live rather than cartoon, very young children may not understand that some of the slapstick violence could be severely injurious. They may also be disturbed at some danger threats to the puppies. But with parental assurance, 102 Dalmations can be a fun outing for the family. Rated G

A

A.I. Haley Joel Osment stars in this futuristic Pinnocchio fable as David, the first robot child to be given emotions. Set in a future time when robots have replaced many professions, dwindling resources dictate fewer people and lower birth rates. Professor Hobby, an inventor played by William Hurt, wants to fill couples’ desires for children by providing a robotic child capable of ‘love.’ Frances O’Connor and Sam Robards play Monica and Henry whose real son, Martin, lies in frozen suspension until his fatal disease can be cured. They become the perfect candidates to test David. But when Martin returns to the family, jealousy and fear force Monica to abandon David. One of the last stories Monica reads to the boys is Pinocchio. A robot toy bear named Teddy plays Jiminy Cricket to David’s Pinocchio as he begins a search for the Blue Fairy to change him to a real boy that Monica could love. Heartstrings are occasionally tugged by David’s desire to be loved, and Jude Law provides a comic turn as a robot gigolo who helps David in his search. The story propagates the disturbing idea that human emotions and even the soul are nothing more than electronic pulses on a microchip.Sexual escapades, suggestive remarks, plus two strong profanities may spice up the story for adults, but A. I. misses the mark by leaving God out of both creation and love. Rated PG-13

A Man Apart In this action thriller, Sean Vetter (Vin Diesel) and best friend Demetrius Hicks (Larenz Tate) are undercover Drug Enforcement Administration officers, fighting the war against drugs. Growing up on the streets of Los Angeles, the two were gang members headed towards death or incarceration. They both decide to make a change and live under the law as productive citizens. They are able to bring down the head of one of the biggest drug cartels in Mexico. As a result, the drug dealers want revenge, so they attempt to take Sean out but end up hurting him far worse. Sean responds to this attempt on his life, and his desire for justice is now personal. The film has some positive themes like loyalty, but it also has a darker side with unclothed women and graphic violence. Lots of people are killed, and there’s a good bit of blood and guts. Be a man or woman apart from this one, and view a more constructive film. Rated R

About A Boy Hugh Grant stars as Will Freeman, who's been fairly successful in avoiding attachments. As a wealthy, 38-year-old-bachelor in London, he’s happy having lots of girl friends. But he’s always on the prowl for more conquests. To meet more women, Will invents an imaginary son and joins SPAT, Single Parents Alone Together. Before long, he’s involved with Suzie (Victoria Smurfit) and her friend Fiona (Toni Collette). Fiona has a 12-year-old son, Marcus (Nicholas Hoult), who really wants a dad. To Will’s dismay, Marcus adopts Will as his fathe-figure and pesters him until they become friends. As Will is drawn into Fiona’s circle of family and friends, he’s amazed by his enjoyment of involvement and begins to see some meaningful purpose in his life. Will’s antics and dating maneuverings are hilarious and the film has plenty of clever dialogue. About A Boy will appeal to those looking for light entertainment and laughs. The story’s portrayal of the joy found in friends, family and responsibility is somewhat marred by obscene and profane language, as well as much sexually suggestive humor and dialogue. Although Will’s promiscuous lifestyle is portrayed humorously, it’s eventually shown to be shallow and unfulfilling. Because of his relationship with Marcus, Will matures a great deal and realizes he wants to make some positive changes in his life. No actual sex scenes or nudity are shown, but vulgar language taints the film. Overall, an enjoyable flick. Rated PG-13

About Schmidt In this dark comedy-drama, 65-year-old insurance executive Warren Schmidt (Jack Nicholson) begins to ponder the meaninglessness of his life. When his wife of 42 years unexpectedly dies, Warren is undone. Determined to make a difference in someone’s life, he sponsors a six-year-old African orphan by sending him $22 each month. Warren writes the boy long, detailed letters about his innermost thoughts. He takes a road trip to visit his cold, indifferent daughter Jeannie (Hope Davis) and his devastated by her intention to marry Randall (Dermot Mulroney), a boring waterbed salesman. His anxiety escalates when he meets her raunchy, future mother-in-law Roberta (Kathy Bates). Roberta shocks Warren with her steady stream of obscenities and profanities, her talk of an energetic sex drive and her seductive ways. The film offers inspiration to make a difference in someone’s life, but it drags and earns a negative rating because of its profanity, obscenities and nudity. Rated R

Alex & Emma This light-hearted, romantic comedy is loosely based on Dostoyevsky’s short story “The Gambler.” Author Alex Sheldon (Luke Wilson) is pressured to finish his second novel by his publisher (Rob Reiner, also the director) and a couple of Cuban loan sharks who have given him a month to pay his debt. After the tough guys destroy his laptop computer, Alex has to dictate the book and hires stenographer Emma Dinsmore (Kate Hudson). Alex dictates a 1920s love story, intertwining made-up places and people with his real-life. Truth becomes stranger than fiction as the characters in his novel fall in and out of love while Alex and Emma do the same. The action shifts from the novel, with characters also played by Wilson and Hudson, to real life. The film has negative elements — some violence, implied sex, profanity and crude language — to preclude a positive rating. Rated PG-13

Ali Will Smith, certainly delivering the performance of his career, plays the flamboyant and opinionated boxer Mohammad Ali in this exciting bio-drama. The film covers a decade of his life beginning with Ali’s rise to the heavyweight crown by beating reigning champion Sonny Liston. The film then follows Ali through various dealings with the government and the nation of Islam, a controversial group at times, of which he is a prominent member. Ali becomes interested in the Nation of Islam before he takes the heavyweight title from Liston. Early on, one of his closest friends and advisers is the militant Malcom X. Director Michael Mann portrays Ali with the eye of an admiring observer, although he appears to give a fair presentation with the inclusion of flaws, particularly concerning Ali’s relationships with women. The best scenes occur when Ali is in front of news cameras, spouting off his characteristic rhymes and insults to other boxers. Smith’s background as a rap artist helps his portrayal especially comes alive at these moments. The movie’s foul language is relatively light for an R-rated film, but it does include a few obscenities, and God’s name taken in vain once. One graphic sex scene is shown with Ali and his future wife, (played by Smith’s wife Jada Pinkett) although no nudity is revealed. Foul language and a graphic sex scene taint the film but won’t keep moviegoers away from the much-talked about Ali. Rated R

All The Pretty Horses Matt Damon and Penelope Cruz are the draw for this romantic adventure set in 1949 Mexico. Damon is John Grady Cole, who travels from Texas to Mexico with his friend Lacey, portrayed by Henry Thomas, after his mother decides to sell the family's west Texas ranch. The cowboys' journey takes them to one of the largest ranches in all of Mexico, owned by Ruben Blades as Don Hector Rocha. But John Grady is attracted to Don Hector's beautiful daughter, Alejandra, played by Cruz. But an earlier incident comes back to haunt the Texas boys and make their stay not so friendly. All the Pretty Horses features some beautiful cinematography of the expansive West Texas prairie and rugged mountains of Mexico, but the story seems disjointed and pointless which could shorten the box office run. In their journey, John Grady and Lacey hold several discussions about God, heaven, and hell. While this somewhat spiritual theme appears to tie the ends of the film together, its connection to the story is difficult to understand. A sexual relation is implied with Alejandra and side breast nudity occurs in a few scenes. Foul language is the biggest offender as the cowboys' conversation often includes obscenities, strong profanities, and crudities. Rough language, sexual content, and a brutally violent scene make All the Pretty Horses an mostly objectionable ride. Rated PG-13

Along Came A Spider Morgan Freeman repeats his role as Washington D.C. psychologist/detective and author, Dr. Alex Cross from 1997's Kiss the Girls. in this 'prequel' to that story, Cross retires after the violent death of his partner in a botched undercover operation. But when the 12-year-old daughter of a senator is kidnapped from an exclusive school, the kidnapper taunts Cross out of retirement. Monica Potter plays the school's security director, Secret Service agent Jezzie Flannigan. Disgraced by the kidnapping, Jezzie joins Cross in the search. But the kidnapper seems to stay one step ahead as he seeks a place in the history books, just like the kidnappers of Charles Lindbergh’s infant, and time is running short as he plays cat-and-mouse with Cross. There are a few violent deaths and, in one scene, gunshot threats to a young girl, but most of the film follows Cross as he threads together clues.Dr. Cross sets an excellent example for viewers as he respects others, including his opponent and never raises his voice or uses obscenities. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for a few other characters. Offensive language and a few overly graphic wounds serve as the biggest objections in Along Came A Spider. Rated R

Almost Famous Patrick Fugit plays 15-year-old William Miller, rock-and-roll fan and aspiring journalist, who gets an invitation to travel with a fledgling rock band lead by Billy Crudup as Russell Hammond. Russell sees William's assignment from his high school newspaper as a chance for much needed good publicity. For three months he travels on the band's bus on their "Almost Famous '73" tour. Baby boomers and teenagers will relate to this funny, poignant story of learning to let go, surviving first love and realizing very little's changed since the ‘70s. William loves his mom, but is embarrassed by her daily phone calls reminding him not to do drugs and alcohol. However, drugs, alcohol and sexual acts are every-day occurrences for the musicians and their traveling companions. When the “band-aids,” rock groupies traveling with the band, decide William is ready to be initiated, scantily clad girls strip him down to his underwear. And a "band-aid" named Penny, played by Kate Hudson, carries on an adulterous affair with Russell, until she's traded during a poker game. Almost Famous does not glamorize the musician’s immoral lifestyle and William’s genuine caring, honesty and innocence ultimately impacts their lives. But the depiction of drug use, sexual content and numerous obscenities earn a moderately objectionable rating. Rated R

An American Rhapsody When Peter (Tony Goldwyn) and Margit (Nastassja Kinski) decide to take their family out of Communist Hungary, they are forced to have their young baby daughter carried across the border separately. While they make it to freedom, their young daughter does not. However, they know she is safe and, eventually, find out she has been placed in the care of a peasant couple. The foster couple cares for her deeply but her parents, after five years oftrying, are finally able to get a visa for Suzanne to visit America, where Peter and Margit settled. All seems well, except that young Suzanne really has no interest in living with a family that is now strange to her. She wants to return to the only home she has ever known. Fast-forward ten years, and Suzanne (Scarlett Johansson) is still struggling to fit in. Now a teenager, she will soon be forced to come to terms with who she is and where she belongs. An American Rhapsody tells a compelling and moving story, and while the ending stumbles a bit, audiences will still be drawn to this interesting family adjustment. With little objectionable content to speak of, this movie is sure to be a crowd pleaser.Rated PG-13.

Ananlyze That In this sequel comedy, New York mob boss Paul Vitti (Robert De Niro) is imprisoned in Sing Sing, where he fluctuates from a nearly catatonic state to singing songs. His former psychotherapist, Dr. Ben Sobel (Billy Crystal), arrives to examine Vitti and determine if he’s faking his condition in an attempt to escape. Vitti is released from prison on the condition that Sobel maintains custody of him. Sobel attempts to help Vitti with his mental state so that he can get a legitimate job outside of the mob, but Sobel’s patience is tested when Vitti continues to hang around his mob friends. This film is even more vulgar than the original, Analyze This (1999). Much of the humor is cruel and demeaning and draws little laughter from viewers. The plot of Analyze That is entertaining, but it receives a negative rating because of the sexual content, violence and continuous bad language. Rated R

The Amati Girls When the storms of life blow in, family can help you hold on. Mercedes Ruehl plays Grace, the oldest sister in this Italian-American family. Although her marriage to Joe, played by Paul Sorvino, is less than ideal, Grace remains deeply commited to her husband. Much to the dismay of her sisters. Sean Young is Christine, who struggles with ending her marriage to workaholic husband Paul, portrayed by Jamey Sheridan. And Dinah Manoff as sister Denise doesn't want to make the mistakes she sees in her sisters' marriages. So she shuns marriage, disappointing her boyfriend played by Mark Harmon. Youngest sister Delores, played by Lily Knight, is mentally-challenged due to an accident, but she'd like nothing more than to have a boyfriend. But their relationships will all be challenged by the events ahead. Will their Catholic faith and family be enough to get them through? Although it seems occasionally stilted, many will enjoy this decent, touching drama for adults. With a message about trusting God, encouraging family and a father's place in his daughter's life, Amati Girls avoids graphic violence, explicit sex and obcene language. A mild and comical sexual situation and a bit of crude language earn the PG rating. But The Amati Girls can be recommended for an entertaining and heartwarming visit. Rated PG

American Outlaws WB ventures into the myth and legends of the Old West with this fun and action-packed adventure. Colin Ferrell and Scott Caan play cousins Jesse James and Cole Younger who return to the family farms after the Civil War. Jesse reconnects with childhood sweetheart Zee Mims (Ali Larter) but when a corrupt railroad baron tires to steal the farms for right of way, Jesse and his brother Frank (Gabriel Macht) join their Younger cousins to fight a new war. But the charismatic Jesse also wins public support by redistributing the stolen railroad money for churches and schools in the community. Timothy Dalton plays Allan Pinkerton who's hired by the railroad to capture or kill Jesse. Plenty of typical western gun battles fill the screen along frequent crude words in the dialogue. While the violence is not overly graphic or gory, it occurs in long frequent bursts. Kathy Bates plays Ma James as a religious minded woman, asking her boys about prayers and Christian behavior but also endorses killing 'yankees' and railroad men. Comments are made about Cole’s sexual escapades, but Jesse and his childhood sweetheart Zee (Ali Larter) comment about waiting until after marriage ‘for some things. Nevertheless, Outliaws leaves a lot to be desired. Rated PG-13

American Pie 2 The sequel to 1999's high school teen sexual romp follows the friends as they graduate to first-year college and a summer of further discovery. Having been apart for the first year of college, the friends re-assemble by renting a summer lake cottage together. Jason Biggs leads the returning cast as Jason, who violated an apple pie and lost his virginity in the original. He faces new embarrassments such as his parents walking into his dorm room as he gets a sexual good-bye from a co-ed. Eugene Levy, as Jim's dad, later visits the ER when Jim mistakes superglue for hand lotion and gets stuck with an awkward attachment. Once again, the producers continue the idea that sex is the only thought in a teenager's head and, unfortunately, many will buy into the idea. Along with scenes with incessant sexual comments and images,guys, watch gals indulge in lesbian fantasies, kiss when told they must copy or stop watching. Filled with disgusting tastes, crude humor, language and sexual content, American Pie 2, like the original, should be skipped altogether, in the theatre and at the rental store. Rated R.

America’s Sweethearts Billy Crystal co-writes, produces and stars as Hollywood press agent Lee Philips in this behind-the-scenes comedy about life and love among film stars. John Cusack and Catherine Zeta-Jones are Eddie Thomas and Gwen Harrison, America's sweethearts on film, but estranged husband and wife off-screen. Eddie's been in rehab for depression since Gwen took up with Hector (Hank Azaria), a Spanish actor from their last project. Julia Roberts is Kiki Harrison, Gwen's sister and personal assistant who helps Lee get the two together for a special press screening of their latest film. But the one-time ugly duck of a sister is now a swan and thinks the princess may not deserve the prince. And Lee has to keep the duo looking happy for the studio and the press until reclusive director Hal Weidmann (Christopher Walken) shows up with the as-yet-unseen film. Aside from crude bathroom humor and a dialogue overflowing with obscenities and profanities, America’s Sweethearts deteriorates after the first fifteen minutes, leaving a lot to be desired. What could have been a light romantic comedy treats adultery lightly and degrades itself with heavy sexual humor. Save your money. Rated PG-13

Angel Eyes Jennifer Lopez stars as Chicago police officer Sharon Pogue. Jim Caviezel plays the mysterious stranger, Catch, who saves her life. Catch wanders the streets doing good deeds for people but as Sharon tries to discover more about Catch’s past, he avoids her questions. Sharon is also avoiding her past as she grapples with an invitation to attend her parents' 30th anniversary renewal of wedding vows. Both must come to grips with past events that threaten their future together. Fans may initially fill the theaters, but many will be disappointed at the predictable plot and slow pace. The central themes of coming to grips with past events and seeking forgiveness provides a strong redemption message to the film. However, the film is filled with obscenities and crude language as both criminals and cops spout profanity and make numerous crude sexual remarks. One graphic sex act, although without explicit nudity, follows a scene of Sharon and Catch swimming in their underwear. Angel Eyes should cause parents to be concerned. Rated R

Agent Cody Banks The mission of teenage CIA agent Cody Banks (Frankie Muniz), in this comedy/action film, is to become the boyfriend of fellow teen Natalie Connors (Hilary Duff). But he becomes tongue-tied and klutzy whenever he tries to talk to girls. Natalie’s father is a scientist who has created nanobots, organisms that can consume anything, and plans to use them for cleaning up oil spills. But his employer, Dr. Brinkman (Ian McShane), wants to use the technology for evil. In order to discover Dr. Brinkman’s plans, Cody must get close to Natalie. Under the watchful eye of his "handler" Ronica Miles (Angie Harmon), Cody begins his covert operations but must wrestle with his sense of duty and his feelings for Natalie as she is swept into a dangerous predicament. Agent Cody Banks is a funny film with a few vulgarities and profanities, some moderate violence and a good bit of sensual content. Rated PG

Anti-Trust Ryan Phillipe plays a young computer genius who matches wits with Tim Robbins as the billionaire head of a computer software company in this cat and "mouse" mystery thriller. When Milo (Phillippe) creates a new information compression program to speed up Internet transfers, he's asked by Gary Winston (Robbins)to join his team at NURV. While Milo can't resist the flattery, he soon learns that Gary's genius involves stealing other programmers' ideas and eliminating the programmer. But everyone around Milo, including the Justice Department and girlfriend Alice, played by Claire Forlani, seem to be on Gary's payroll. Milo plans to stop Gary's new program from taking over world communication systems, but finding help he can trust is the real challenge. Computer enthusiasts looking for laughs and fans of the stars may enjoy this suspenseful tale, but classic Hitchcock it's not. While the dialogue is filled with catchy phrases and computer jargon, several obscenities and crude terms show smart people can cuss too. And Milo is shown in bed with Alice a couple of times, and they share a house, implying pre-marital sex and cohabitation are acceptable. Aside from the poor plot, vulgar language and wrong sexual messages make Antitrust quite objectionable.Rated PG-13

The Art of War Wesley Snipes, Anne Archer, Donald Sutherland and Marie Matiko star in this action mystery about deception and politics in the United Nations. Sutherland plays the Secretary General who's helping negotiate an important trade negotiation involving China. Eleanor Hooks, played by Archer, is his Chief of Security who often uses a covert operations team headed by Snipes as Neil Shaw. Shaw and his team use extortion, blackmail and even assassination, if needed, to prod negotiations in the right direction. But when the Chinese ambassador is shot and Shaw framed for the kill, it takes all his skill and some help from Matiko, as a UN translator, to get out of the frame and find the artist. With a number of exciting stunts and graphic violence, the film fills the bill for action. But it also includes a gratuitous scene with female nudity and a brief glimpse of a pornographic video. Numerous vulgar words pepper the dialogue and along with gratuitous nudity and gruesome violence, earn The Art of War a very objectionable rating. Rated R

Atlantis: The Lost Empire Michael J. Fox provides the voice of Milo Thatch in this animated adventure as spectacular animation and story telling bring the mythical lost civilization to life. Milo has mastered ancient dialects and studied the history of Atlantis in an effort to carry on his late grandfather’s dream of finding the fabled empire. Billionaire Preston Whitmore, an old friend of his grandfather’s voiced by John Mahoney of TV’s Frasier, outfits him with a talented team of specialists.Along the way, they run into a submarine crushing, mechanical monster, but eventually discover the lost city. And what they find surprises and amazes them all. Geared more for ages 10 and up, Atlantislooks to be a winner. While Milo exhibits many positive qualities, the Atlanteans are portrayed as a more advanced, New Age kind of society. They have harnessed a power source in the form of a living, conscious crystal, also called their deity. Crystal pieces worn by Atlanteans help it thrive on the emotions of Atlanteans living and dead. While New Age philosophies are prominent mainly in the Atlantean culture, their portrayal as a superior knowledge could mislead impressionable viewers.Rated PG

Autumn in New York Richard Gere is Will Keane, a womanizing restaurant owner who can't commit to one woman, until he meets Charlotte Fielding, played by Winona Ryder. When he's about to give his heart away, she tells him about a life-threatening defect in hers. With her unpredictable and life-affirming reactions, Will finds himself falling in love for the first time. Although she's less than half his age, they find a lifetime of love can be too short. Romantic fans of Love Story and Terms of Endearment will enjoy this predictable but teary-eyed tale. Unfortunately, while Will's womanizing ways are mostly talked about, they are not totally frowned upon as numerous women still want to meet him. And one woman wants to connect with a father she only knows by name. Will and Charlotte's premarital sexual relationship is apparently condoned if not endorsed, although the relationship is implied by showing the couple in bed. Vulgar language mars the dialogue with several obscenities. Rated PG-13

B

Bad Company In this odd couple, action comedy, Anthony Hopkins plays CIA agent Gaylord Oakes. Oakes is teamed with Kevin Pope (Chris Rock) to buy a nuclear device from a renegade Russian. But when Pope is killed in the middle of negotiations, Oakes has only nine days to pull off a miracle. He must turn Kevin’s street-hustling twin brother Jake Hayes (Rock) into a cultured, CIA undercover agent. At first, it’s the lure of the money that convinces Jake to work with Oakes, but when his girlfriend is kidnapped and bullets are flying, it’s a whole new matter for Jake. Hopkins and Rock make a classy team sharing humor, heavy action and tense moments with a nuclear bomb. Typical of action film, violence is plentiful with numerous shootouts, fights and chases. However, most of the shootings and fights avoid graphic wounds. When Jake returns to his hotel room, the silhouette of his brother’s girlfriend is seen in his shower. One scene shows the woman with her foot caressing Jake’s crotch. Although premarital sexual relations are implied, none are shown. Despite being raised in two different cultures, Jake and Kevin seem to share moral values about "doing the right thing." Jake even honors his foster mother and seeks her help in troubled times. However, the positive messages are often lost in the frequent gunfire and vulgar language. Rated PG-13

Bandits Womanizer Joe (Bruce Willis) and health nut Terry (Billy Bob Thornton) team up after their prison break to rob banks on the west coast. Known as the ‘sleep-over bandits,’ they hold bank presidents and their families hostage overnight in their homes before heading to the bank for cash. All goes well until they meet Kate (Cate Blanchett), a fiery red-head running away from a disastrous marriage. She joins the bank robbers and soon both men have fallen for her. Laughs are non-stop as the three become increasingly creative, charm their victims and ultimately outsmart the law. The two crooks steal vehicles by politely enticing young women to hand over car keys. Their first night out is spent in a home where they interrupt a teenage couple obviously having sex. Joe and Terry make sure the young couple behaves and talk to them like uncles. However, Joe and Kate become sexually involved quickly, with one scene of them in bed together. Later she and Terry also start an affair. Several strong profanities and a few obscenities foul the dialogue. No serious injuries result from the action and gunfire eruptions, but property damage is quite extensive. Bandits glamorizes crime and disappoints with foul language and immoral behavior, but what can be expected from bank robbers? Rated PG-13

Barbershop Rapper turned film producer, Ice Cube, stars as Calvin in this entertaining look at an urban slice of tradition. Like the general store of times past, the neighborhood barbershop is a gathering place not only to get a haircut, but also engage in friendly debate about social views, trade gossip and maybe make new friends. Calvin is a third generation barber, running the family shop handed down from his grandfather. But pressures from creditors and a desire to provide a better life for his wife and child on the way, force Calvin to think about selling the shop to a shady businessman. But after money changes hands, Calvin has second thoughts and has to figure out how to get the shop back. Cedric the Entertainer plays Eddie, the elder barber in the shop who offers words of wisdom with a lot of attitude. Surprisingly tradition minded, this comedy points viewers in a positive direction. Although they joke about his lack of activity, the young barbers treat Eddie with respect and gather attentively when he shows the proper technique in shaving a customer. When Calvin comments about his father dying broke, Eddie reminds him of his father’s legacy of helping people and that his riches didn’t come from money. Even the local convenience store owner helps Calvin learn about the influence of small actions. Unfortunately, this urban tale with a moral comes with an abundance of crude language and suggestive comments. Rated PG-13

Basic In this dramatic thriller, a training exercise in a Panama jungle involving six Army Ranger cadets and brutal Sergeant Nathan West (Samuel L. Jackson) goes bad. Two survivors emerge with guns blazing. Tom Hardy (John Travolta), a rogue DEA agent and former Ranger, is called in to find some answers. Hardy questions the two remaining Rangers with the help of the reluctant official Army investigator, Lt. Julia Osborne (Connie Nielsen). Hardy and Osborne try to reconstruct the events in the jungle and discover who is to blame. But through the process, they uncover dark secrets and a web of deception and corruption that veil the truth. Basic may find favor with young men, but its relentless rough language and profanity and its recurring violence make it unacceptable viewing. Rated R

The Basket Peter Coyote and Karen Allen lead the stars in this family friendly film from North by Northwest Enterainment. Martin Conlon, played by Coyote, the new teacher for the one-room school in the farming community of Waterville, Washington, introduces two new concepts to the students and the town, opera and basketball. He uses a German opera called ‘The Basket’ to teach about war’s effects and teamwork. German war orphans, Brigitta and Helmut Brink,played by newcomers Amber Willenborg and Robert Karl Burke, are taken in by the doctor and pastor for the community. But it’s 1918 and America is still at war with Germany. Nicholas, played by Jock MacDonald, and his wife, Bessie, played by Allen lose a son to the war, which colors Nicholas’s and one of his other son's view of the German children. Five hundred dollars is the down payment on a new harvesting machine for the community and the prize money for beating a professional basketball team in Spokane. Can Conlon teach the farm boys to play as a team and win the prize money? This compelling story will intrigue and inspire audiences. The outstanding film blends historical events with lessons about prejudice, forgiveness and teamwork. Because of the war with Germany, many in the community express distrust for the orphans. Several mild crudities occur and gambling on the basketball game is shown in a positive light, but with few questionable elements, The Basket is heartily recommended viewing. Rated PG

Battlefield Earth John Travolta plays Terl, cruel Security Chief of the Psychlos in this sci-fi adventure. The year is 3,000 A.D. and civilization on Earth has been largely annihilated by a cruel, but technically advanced, race of aliens known as Psychlos. But a primitive band of humans have survived, including Jonnie Goodboy Tyler, played by Barry Pepper. With other humans, he is captured and forced into slave labor but he outwits Terl and along with the other captives makes a break for freedom. The plot is rather predictable and some of the events far fetched, but the special effects are phenomenal. However, the action and excitement will likely attract older teens and young adults. The film features almost constant violent events for entertainment, including fierce hand and aerial battles, vicious treatment and killing of slaves, massive destruction of buildings and weapons, and gruesome events such as the eating of live rats. At the same time, the courageous struggle of men to overcome their evil masters and live in freedom is inspiring. Foul language is limited, but still contains a number of mild crudities as well as several obscenities. Because violence in the film is excessive and exploited to entertain, Battlefield Earth earns a slightly objectionable rating. Rated PG-13

A Beautiful Mind This true story stars Russell Crowe as mathematical genius John F. Nash, Jr. who becomes a Nobel Laureate in 1994, for his game theory developed at Princeton University in the late 1940s. Eccentric John refuses to attend class, scribbles complex mathematical formulas on the library window panes and is a social oddball. Then he meets Alicia (Jennifer Connelly), a beautiful, intelligent young woman completely charmed by John's bumbling ways. When Dr. Nash has a mental breakdown in the 1950s, it almost destroys the brilliant professor's marriage and career. Directed by Ron Howard, A Beautiful Mind tells a story of courage, love and strength as John, with Alicia's help, learns to distinguish reality from illusion. Mature audiences will find A Beautiful Mind absorbing and thought provoking. While hospitalized, John cuts his wrist to remove an imagined government-implanted sensor and undergoes graphic shock treatments. Alicia bravely chooses to care for her paranoid-schizophrenic husband rather than have him re-committed. During his Princeton days John approaches a girl in the bar and, lacking any social skills, bluntly suggests they have sex. And there is a subtle suggestion that he and Alicia have sex before marriage. A few strong profanities and several obscenities slightly mar the film. Otherwise, this is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.Rated PG-13

Beautiful Noted actress Sally Field makes her director’s debut in this jaundiced look at the world of beauty pageants, through the eyes of one veteran competitor. Minnie Driver plays Mona, who’s been entering, and losing, pageants all over the state of Illinois. She dreams about winning the state title and competing for the national title of Miss American Miss. Joey Lauren Adams plays Mona’s best friend, Ruby. Together, they design costumes, plan dance routines, and work to improve overall performance. Mona still feels forced to underhanded tactics to even get a chance at winning. With Ruby’s help, though, she wins the state pageant and sets her sights toward the national competition. What begins as a sweet story of childhood friendship and achievement quickly deteriorates into a clichéd and scattered mess. The first fifteen minutes of the story is by far the most engaging and the most uplifting as Mona, the victim of a tough childhood, bonds with fellow outcast Ruby, and the two share a special friendship bolstered by the kindness of Ruby’s grandmother. But Mona inexplicably becomes a selfish backstabber, even willing to walk all over her best friend. A few scenes take place backstage at the pageants as contestants change clothes and we see women in various stages of undress. One scene shows a woman holding and covering her bare breasts as she tries to fit into an outfit. A competitor promoting sexual abstinence sends mixed messages as she acts provocatively. And several obscenities and regular profanities pepper the dialogue. Unfortunately, this ugly bit of language and scenes with near nudity tarnish Beautiful and earn a more than slightly objectionable rating. Rated PG-13

Bedazzled A contemporary of Shakespeare wrote a play about a man who sold his soul to the devil. In 1967, a British comedy team made a humorous version of that tale and called it Bedazzled, which has now been remade with Brendan Fraser as the hapless Elliot Richards. Elliot adores attractive co-worker Alison Gardner, played by Frances O’Connor, and when he says he’d give anything to have her in his life, The Devil, played by Elizabeth Hurley, takes him up on the offer. In exchange for his soul, The Devil offers Elliot seven wishes and even coaches him on how and what to wish for. Elliot tries being rich and powerful, emotionally sensitive, a famous sports figure, an intellectual giant with manhood to match and even U.S. President. Each time, Elliot finds a problem with his wish. But no one’s ever accused the devil of being fair. With only one wish left, Elliot has to find a loophole in the contract or lose his soul. Fraser and Hurley prove temptation can be sinfully funny in this comedy that strives more for laughs than theology. Elliot admits that he sold his soul and got nothing for it. Although obscenities and profanities are few, much of the language is sexually oriented, including slang and a few anatomical terms. While making some good theological points, explicit sexual content darkens Bedazzled and earns a quite objectionable rating. Rated PG-13

Behind Enemy Lines Navy Lt. Chris Burnett (Owen Wilson) chafes for a real combat mission, which is prevented by the international political climate in Bosnia. Admiral Reigart (Gene Hackman), a hard-nosed, by-the-book commander, thinks Burnett hasn’t learned what it means to be a soldier under authority. Flying a routine reconnaissance mission, Burnett photographs a Serbian action not meant to be seen, which gets him shot down behind enemy lines. NATO authorities veto a rescue because it might disrupt a fragile political peace. To save his downed officer, Reigert must bend the rules, disobey his superiors and risk his career. As Burnett dodges relentless pursuit by ruthless Serbs, Reigart launches an unauthorized rescue mission. Audiences will cheer the heroic spirit of the U.S. military represented in this film. However, graphic violence includes execution of Burnett’s co-pilot and many civilians. Scenes of rotting corpses in a mass burial are not for the faint at heart and obscenities and strong profanity flood the dialogue. But the gung ho, can-do attitude of the rescue team members, who volunteer to risk their lives to save one man, is inspiring. Even though the foul language, violence, and gore occur in a military context, they may be too much for teenage audiences to stomach. Rated PG-13.

Biker Boyz Set in California’s underground world of motorcycle street racing, this drama depicts the maturation of 18-year old motorcyclist, Kid (Derek Luke). Following his father's (Eriq LaSalle) tragic death, Kid vows to become like Smoke (Laurence Fishburne), the "King of Cali." But to achieve his goal, Kid must accomplish the impossible by outracing him. He recruits a band of up-and-comers, the Biker Boyz, and begins to alienate his mother (Vanessa Bell Calloway) as he develops bitterness and pride. Kid and Smoke both learn some lessons as they move toward their final challenge against each other. The unfortunate reality of Biker Boyz is poor acting, thin characters and a yawn-worthy plot. The film includes rough language and presents a neutral attitude toward promiscuous and premarital sex. Biker Boyz strikes out in both entertainment value and acceptability. Rated PG-13

The Big Kahuna Kevin Spacey, Danny DeVito and Peter Facinelli are three salesmen from the same company, meeting at a Witchita hotel for a convention in this adaptation of a stage play. They are there to make their sales pitch to a number of different companies in the market for industrial lubricants. Larry, played by Spacey, is most excited about the prospect of “reeling in the Big Kahuna”, a phrase they use to describe getting a big contract for their company. The three spend the rest of the afternoon and night discussing any number of issues, ranging from the meaning of life, to the place of religion in business. All three actors turn in fine performances, but Devito’s understated performance as Phil, the older, wiser and more reflective salesman is the highlight. While the plot is rather predictable, the dialogue is smart and interaction between these very different men is a thought-provoking and enjoyable experience. Each salesman represents a different stage of life and looks at the world differently, so each individual brings distinct issues to the forefront of their conversations. Bob, played by Facinelli, the youngest of the three, is newly married and a born-again Christian. His faith impacts his entire life and his portrayal is one of the more realistic of a Christian on the big screen in recent memory. Unfortunately, foul language is excessive and earns The Big Kahuna a more than moderately objectionable rating. Rated R

Big Momma’s House Martin Lawrence, Nia Long and Paul Giamatti star in this comedy romance set in the heart of southern hospitality. Lawrence plays Malcolm, an FBI agent known for his ability with makeup. With his partner John, played by Giamatti, Malcolm is assigned to watch the house of Hattie Mae Pearce, known as Big Momma, waiting for her graddaughter, Sherry, played by Long, to show up. Sherry's one-time boyfriend robbed a bank but the money was never found. And now he's escaped and the FBI thinks Sherry may lead them to both. However, Big Momma leaves suddenly and it's up to Malcolm to fill her very large shoes until Sherry confesses or gets caught. But things get more complicated when Malcolm starts falling for Sherry. There's plenty to laugh about as Malcolm/Big Momma shows some surprising moves for such a large, older woman. And the crowds will no doubt turn out for the popular stars. Unfortunately, the film also uses crude humor about flatulence, sexual activity and vulgar language to bring in laughs. One scene shows female rear nudity as Big Momma gets ready to shower where Malcolm is hiding. During a storm, Sherry gets in bed with Malcolm as Big Momma which leads to a sexual joke about a flashlight. And one of Big Momma's suitors is shown in bed with one of her neighbors. Some people may also be offended by the comical portrayal of a gospel church service. Rated PG-13

Big Trouble Sidelined by social sensitivities after September 11, this off-beat comedy stars Tim Allen as Eliot Arnold, a divorced, former newspaper columnist. When his son Matt (Ben Foster) attempts a prank on schoolmate Jenny (Zooey Deschanel), he inadvertently foils a mob hit on her father (Stanley Tucci). Her father’s illegal activities include the purchase of a stolen nuclear bomb. A possible romance between Matt and Jenny, as well as Eliot and Jenny’s mom (Rene Russo) gets sidetracked when they all become involved in a mad race to retrieve the stolen bomb. FBI agents, small-time thugs, local police, and mob hit men provide plenty of comical obstacles. This unlikely story has far too many, outrageous coincidences, which make Big Trouble little fun, but young adults may latch onto this slapstick adaptation of humorist Dave Barry’s novel. Aside from a prayerful Hispanic housemaid who beats off the advances of her sleazy, adulterous boss and a hippie, “Jesus look-alike” who quotes Genesis, there are few redeeming elements in this film. Three different characters show no qualms about adultery. The dialogue is filled with sexually suggestive comments and a wide variety of vulgar terms. Violence, while not too graphic or gory, occurs frequently. Brief male rear nudity is seen, along with several exposures of women in skimpy attire. Rated PG-13

Billy Elliot Eleven year-old Billy Elliot, played by Jamie Bell, is not the typical young boy in his town. While most boys enjoy football, wrestling and, most of all, boxing, Billy isn’t very good at or interested in any of them. But when he catches a glimpse of Mrs. Wilkinson’s, played by Julie Walters, ballet class, he decides to try it out. After coming to grips with the fact that boys can do ballet too, Billy throws himself into it. However, when Billy’s gruff father, played by Gary Lewis, finds out about his son’s passion, Billy’s dancing future looks doubtful. Audiences can easily fall in love with this sweet, endearing movie and the fantastic performance from young Bell. Most of the hard-working people in Billy’s little town think any boy wanting to pursue the perceived less-than-manly art of dance, must be a homosexual. So Billy tries to keep his passion a secret, especially from his father. It’s too bad that such a delightful movie uses so much foul language. Sadly, Billy Elliot rates a very obectionable acceptability, primarily for numerous obscenities. Rated R

Black Hawk Down This action/war drama, based on a best-selling book, shows in stark reality the tragedy that can happen when the U.S. military is thrust into an ill-conceived police action in a foreign land. When Maj. Gen. William Garrison (Sam Shepard) orders his elite force of 120 American Delta units and Ranger infantry to drop into Mogadishu, Somalia to abduct two of a Somalian warlord’s top lieutenants, he thinks it will only take an hour. But the one-hour October 3rd, 1993 operation stretches into fifteen, resulting in 18 Americans dead, 73 wounded, and the deaths of hundreds of Somalians. The mission, commanded by Capt. Mike Steele (Jason Isaacs), sees two UH-60 ‘Black Hawk’ helicopters shot down by mobs of armed gunmen, who engage the Americans in a prolonged and vicious firefight. The heroic efforts by various rangers to rescue the helicopter crews, center around a unit commanded by Sgt. Matt Eversmann (Josh Hartnett) which is pinned down for a time by street fighting. Those who didn’t see enough bloody combat in Saving Private Ryan should enjoy this one. Ridley Scott, director of Gladiator, fills the screen at least ninety percent of the time with violent and sometimes bloody battle scenes. Legs and arms go flying and a bloody leg wound gushes up close and personal. While viewers can be proud of the training and dedication shown by the American soldier, graphic violence, frequent obscenities and strong profanities fail to lift Black Hawk Down.Rated R

Black Knight Comedian Martin Lawrence stars as Jamal Walker in this humorous adventure film that could be retitled “California Black Man in King Arthur’s Court.” Working at a failing medieval-themed amusement park, Jamal is looking out for himself and planning a step up to the new ‘Castle World.’ But when he falls into the moat while reaching for a necklace in the water, Jamal ‘Sky’ Walker finds himself in a real medieval world. Jamal just wants to get along and survive, until he meets Victoria (Marsha Thomason), an attractive chambermaid. With the help of Victoria and Sir Knolte (Tom Wilkinson), a fallen knight, Jamal learns about honor and helping others. Crowds will really enjoy this mix of humor, slapstick, adventure and personal discovery. Unfortunately, the film includes numerous sexually crude comments and suggestive scenes. The king offers Jamal any woman he wants, except the princess. But the princess climbs into his bed. Violence gets graphically medieval on occasion, such as a beheading where Jamal catches the head, later seen stuck on a spear. With obscenities for excrement throughout, one scene even shows a man’s face pushed into a pile of horse dung. Explicit sexual content, graphic violence and obscenity-laden dialogue dethrone the good messages of Black Knight. Rated PG-13.

Blade II Wesley Snipes returns as the half-human, half-vampire Marvel comic book hero. Kris Kristofferson is also back as his mentor Whistler. Both are really surprised when the vampire nation sends Nyssa (Leonor Varela) with an offer of truce. They want his help because a new breed of bloodsuckers, called ‘Reapers’ is attacking vampires and, as Whistler says, that’s worse than the “Daywalker,” the vampire name for Blade. But there’s more to the problem than meets the eye or neck. Fans of the comic may enjoy this bloodfest, but most may find the gore more than they want to see. Blade II creates a posterchild for exploitation of violence from the opening scene as Blade chases and dispatches a trio of bloodeaters. Vampire bodies explode, burst into flames and turn to ash throughout the film. And throughout the film, blood flows freely. Special effects take gruesomeness to new depths as bodies are sliced in half, with internal organs revealed. The reapers have a mouth that lets the jaw split and swing open to reveal a multi-forked tongue that bears a strong Alien look. And mixed into this gorefest are almost forty obscenities and a few strong profanities. This flick only makes the cut for gruesomness. Rated R

Blair Witch 2 After the stunning success of the original, it’s no surprise to see a sequel to 1999’s big profit maker, The Blair Witch Project. This time, once more supposedly based on a true story, four college students and their tour guide, Jeff, played by Jeffrey Donovan, hike into the Burkettville woods. They're investigating a house where children were murdered in the 1940s. But they wake up in the morning with equipment broken and notes destroyed. However, the videotapes survive and the students piece together the actions of five hours they can't remember from the night before. There are some clever references to the original film, but number 2 lacks any truly scary moments. Much was made of the occultic elements in the first film; however, witchcraft seems much more prominent in this sequel. Foul language heavily pollutes the dialogue. Other elements include graphic violence, near full nudity and disturbing sexual actions. It's no surprise that, Blair Witch 2 gets an extremely objectionable rating. Rated R

Bless the Child Kim Basinger and Jimmy Smits star in this mystery thriller about a Satanic cult looking for a special child. Basinger plays Maggie, a nurse whose drug addicted sister leaves her baby in Maggie's care. Six years later, Maggie thinks of Cody, played by newcomer Holliston Coleman, as her own. But her sister returns with a new husband who also heads a New Age drug rehab program. The husband seems to have an agenda of his own in kidnapping Cody. Smits plays FBI agent Travis whose searching for the killer of several children, all with the same birthday as Cody. So he's interested when Maggie reports Cody's kidnapping. But all is not what it seems as Maggie tries to get Cody back. A suspenseful tale of supernatural spirits and good versus evil, Bless the Child may carry too much religious weight for some. Like a Frank Peretti novel, the film gives glimpses into the good and evil spirits guiding and working in this world. Biblical and spirtual references occur throughout the film. Unfortunately, the film uses several obscenities and some scenes of gruesome violence, including a decapitated head falling from a body. The strong religious message should encourage Christians and present opportunities for discussion. Rated R

Bones Twenty years ago, Jimmy Bones (Snoop Doggy Dogg) mysteriously disappeared and since, according to legend, has been haunting his former abode. This legend becomes reality when four young people decide to open a nightclub in Jimmy’s old house. Soon enough, they have the place up and running, but as they occupy the house, Jimmy’s spirit becomes stronger. Eventually, Jimmy seeks revenge and strikes back – first at the nightclub owners, then at those responsible for his death and disappearance. While the film has an interesting premise and a feel that hearkens back to the ‘blaxploitation’ films of the seventies, it really relies on tired plot tricks and excessive gore that is more laughable than scary. Excessive foul language and gore are the main ‘sticking’ points. The violent content stands out though, with more blood-and-guts scenes than the director seems to know what to do with. Unlucky victims are impaled, beheaded, mauled by a ravenous dog, and bludgeoned to death. That said, the gutter language, gory violence, and some female breast nudity should keep Bones buried.Rated R

Bounce Top salesman for an L.A advertising agency, Buddy Amaral (Ben Affleck) seems to lead a charmed life. Confident and good looking, Buddy oozes charm as he picks up clients and women. But when he's stranded in Chicago's airport by a snowstorm, his life takes a dramatic turn. Buddy gives up his seat on a flight to a man trying to get home for Christmas with his family. But the next morning, Buddy learns the plane crashed. When Buddy, trying to do the right thing, seeks out the man's wife (Gwyneth Paltrow), he finds himself falling in love and can't bring himself to tell her the truth. A charming love story with enough humor to lighten a tragic situation, women and couples looking for a good date movie, will particularly enjoy Bounce. At an awards banquet, a drunk Buddy paints an ugly picture of how destructive alcohol abuse can be. But Buddy cannot stay on the Christian-based AA program because he rejects God. Two scenes with implied sex contrast the change in Buddy. In the first, he sees strictly a one-night stand, but the latter is a result of love. However, the film implies sex outside of marriage is acceptable. Gratuitous foul language, including 10 obscenities and five regular profanities, further sullies the film. Bounce goes out of bounds with a moderately objectionable rating. Rated PG-13

The Bourne Identity Matt Damon stars in this action film version of Robert Ludlum's novel about a government assassin with amnesia. Pulled from the Mediterranean Sea by a French fishing boat, the man with bullet wounds in his back remembers nothing of his past. But a Swiss bank account number leads him to numerous passports from which he takes the identity of Jason Bourne. Searching for his true identity, Jason discovers he has some deadly talents. But others just want Jason dead. However, hitching a ride to Paris with Marie (Franka Potente) makes her a target as well. Can he keep them both alive until he knows who he really is? Damon adequately fills the confused, action hero role and some climactic stunts are surprising, but fans of the novel seeking more mystery may be disappointed. An early scene of surgery at sea, as a bullet is pulled from Jason’s back, may cause wincing. And one fight gets gruesomely brutal as a pen is stabbed into a man’s hand, and just as graphically pulled out. A kiss leads to taking off Jason’ shirt, but further activity is thankfully left to the imagination. Moviegoers must contend with numerous obscenities, some in German, and a string of strong profanity from Jason’s boss. Frequent and sometimes graphic violence, along with tasteless vocabulary is less than thrilling in The Bourne Identity. Rated PG-13

Bridget Jones’s Diary Helen Fieldings popular novel is brought to the screen starring Renee Zellweger. Thirty-something and single,Bridget Jones makes a New Year’s resolution to take control of her life. In order to mark her progress, she keeps a diary, which ends up recording the most outrageous year of her life. Although searching for her perfect man, the choices seem limited to her chauvinistic boss, played by Hugh Grant, or her mother's dull lawyer friend portrayed by Colin Firth. Fans of the BBC production of Jane Austen's 'Pride and Prejudice' will see numerous plot similarities. With slapstick action and comical encounters, Bridget Jones’s Diary looks like a real crowd pleaser. However, in spite of its many laughs, the film is filled with vulgar jokes and crude comments. Offensive dialogue spills out of nearly every character, with the primary offender being Bridget’s boss. One graphic sex scene briefly shows a nude couple on the floor and premarital sex is implied a few times as acceptable behavior. Crude sexual content and the prominence of foul language should cause parents concern.Rated R

Bring It On Kirsten Dunst stars in this comedy that enlightens the uninitiated on the very core of high school society - the competitive world of cheerleading. As the new captain of the high school cheering squad, Dunst as Torrance, discovers their championship routines were stolen from a rival school. So now they have to come up with a completely original program to defend their title at the upcoming national competition. Bring It On’s many exciting cheerleading performances combine gymnastics with clever dance steps to enthrall the expected teen audience. Unlike many teenage films portraying cheerleaders as egotistical and shallow, these high school students work hard and learn that competing fairly is more important than winning. But their wholesome, clean-cut appearance fades, with an expansive gutter vocabulary. The girls use very suggestive moves in their routines and Torrance is jokingly accused of having "cheer sex" when she flirts during a cheering session. Rated PG-13

Bringing Down The House Peter Sanderson (Steve Martin) loses his wife and children (Kimberly J. Brown and Angus T. Jones) because of his workaholism. He meets a lady who goes by "lawyergirl" (Queen Latifah) in a legal chat room and, thinking she is an attractive blond lawyer, invites her to his house for a drink. Once this larger-than-life, African-American convict arrives, he can’t get rid of her. Peter, who lives in a white, upper-class neighborhood, agrees to help her with her legal difficulties and tries to keep her hidden from his bigoted, nosey neighbors. While he tries to balance his work and family, Lawyergirl keeps showing up at inopportune moments to offer advice on child rearing, dancing and sex. Peter eventually realizes his obsession with work has cost him his family. Sexual situations, crude language and racist humor earn Bringing Down the House a negative acceptability rating. Rated PG-13

Bruce Almighty When local TV news reporter Bruce Nolan (Jim Carrey) loses his job in this comedy, he becomes so angry with God that he mocks Him and dares God to “smite” him. His girlfriend Grace (Jennifer Aniston) tries to get Bruce to see that everything happens for a reason. Bruce gets a cell phone call and is instructed to go to the Omni Presents building, where he meets the janitor (Morgan Freeman), who turns out to be God. God offers Bruce the chance take on His job and see if he can do it better than the Almighty. Bruce accepts the offer and uses his divine power for his own gain, but bad things happen when Bruce can’t handle God’s job. “Bruce Almighty” is a funny and entertaining film, but it lacks taste and has several negative elements. Rated PG-13

Bubble Boy Born without an immune system, Jimmy (Jake Gyllenhaal) lives his entire life in a special plastic tent inside his Palmdale, California room. Chloe (Marley Shelton), the girl next door, befriends Jimmy and shares many of his likes. When Chloe announces she getting married in Niagara Falls, Jimmy must find a way to cross the country without getting out of his plastic-sealed world. He creates a mobile suit that looks like a clear beach ball and sets out for New York. Along the way he encounters a philosophical biker, a Hindu ice cream and curry salesman, circus freaks who look at him as family and cult members who see the ‘bubble boy’ as a messiah. But to show his love for Chloe, can Jimmy risk getting out of his bubble? The film has drawn criticism from the Immune Deficiency Foundation and the family of a real boy in a bubble. But the story has other problems including crude language and sexual comments along with an obvious male arousal. Caricatured as an overzealous Christian, Jimmy’s mother (Swoosie Kurtz) thinks of the world as filthy and evil, and refers to Chloe as ‘not the kind of friend Jesus would pick.’ Jimmy also tells his Hindu friend his religion is lies, according to the mother. Even for a spoof, Bubble Boy has too many offensive holes. Rated PG-13.

Bulletproof Monk In this kung-fu action film, a Tibetan Buddhist monk (Chow Yun-Fat) has guarded a scroll containing the secret of ultimate power for 60 years. Armed with super-human reflexes, masterful kung fu and a propensity for defying gravity, the bulletproof monk now seeks a replacement for himself. When he discovers Kar (Seann William Scott), a deadbeat pickpocket and self-trained street fighter, the monk begins to wonder if he may have found a worthy trainee. The monk befriends him, watching to see if he fulfills prophecies as they join forces to battle the dark powers who pursue the secrets of the scroll. The film has some entertainment to offer to martial-arts fans, but espouses a Buddhist worldview, offensive language and violence. Rated PG-13

C

Captain Corelli’s Mandolin Nicolas Cage and Penelope Cruz star in this tale of love blossoming between enemies on an occupied Greek island during World War II. The remote, beautiful Greek island of Cephallonia has been untouched by World War II untiloccupied by Italian soldiers led by fun-loving, mandolin player Captain Corelli (Cage). Immediately he eyes the beautiful Pelagia (Cruz), who lives with her father, Dr. Iannis (John Hurt), but learns she is engaged to Mandras (Christian Bale), a local fisherman. Mandras goes off to war, promising Pelagia they will marry when he returns. Surprisingly, uneducated, unsophisticated Mandras matures into a forgiving, caring young man who saves the life of the man who steals his true love’s heart. Dr. Iannis understands his daughter’s turmoil of whether to honor her commitment or follow her heart. The fun-loving Italian soldiers cavort on the beach with bare-breasted “party girls” while the townspeople look on disapprovingly. One brief sex scene includes fleeting breast nudity. Germans double cross their Italian allies with brutal, bloody machine gun slaughters. The body of a Greek girl hung for betraying her countrymen is also gruesome. Aside from three profanities expressed in a comical scene, Captain Corell’s Mandolin has minimal foul language. Rated R

Cast Away Tom Hanks stars as Chuck Noland, a systems analyst for FedEx, Chuck’s life is ruled by the clock and his pager. At a moment’s notice, he jumps a plane to follow packages around the world, making sure their delivery is on time and figuring how to get them there faster. His fiancee, Kelly, played by Helen Hunt, waits patiently for his return to Memphis. But on a routine Christmas flight, Chuck’s flight across the Pacific Ocean changes course to avoid a storm and a mysterious explosion on board sends the plane crashing into the sea. The sole survivor of the accident, Chuck lands on a deserted island where time stands still as he deals with the basic needs of survival. Four years pass before he escapes, but four years can hold many changes. Chuck survives the physical challenges of island isolation, but can he survive the emotional challenges of being found? Audiences should enjoy this story about the human will to survive. Hanks turns in another strong performance in this largely one-man show. Although God is never mentioned, except in one frustrating moment when used in vain, Chuck draws spiritual strength from a package painted with angel wings. Thinking Chuck died, Kelly married. Although she’s prepared to leave her family when Chuck returns, he upholds Kelly’s commitment as wife and mother. Using God’s name in vain once and a couple of obscenities, while understandable in the circumstances, detract from this otherwise enjoyable film for older teens and adults. Rated PG-13

The Cat’s Meow Edward Herrmann noted for his portrayal of FDR in past productions, takes on the role of the original media mogul, William Randolh Hearst. In 1924, a mysterious death occurred aboard Hearst's private yacht. Hearst would frequently entertain actors, directors, studio heads, newspaper columnists, famous writers and people from his many newspaper affiliates, during weekend cruises along the California coast. Kirsten Dunst plays noted silent screen star Marion Davies, who carried on a long time affair with the married Hearst. Womanizing actor-director Charlie Chaplin (Eddie Izzard), rumored to also have a relationship with Marion, tries to convince Hearst she belongs in comedy films. Invited to celebrate his birthday, visionary producer and studio head Tom Ince (Cary Elwes) hopes a Hearst partnership will help his failing career. Trying to endear himself to Hearst, Ince supplies possible evidence of Chaplin’s rumored affair with Davies, driving the jealous Hearst to drastic action. Fans of Hollywood’s silent film era will enjoy the period detail and talented performances. The film reflects, as one character puts it, the California Curse where all traces of morality vanish. Adulterous affairs, some overheard graphically, alcohol and marijuana use, manipulation of the truth, cover-ups and lies fill this historical legend. Although no nudity is seen, a naked woman opens the door to greet her lover and suggestive innuendoes are scattered through the conversations. The dialogue is also filled with frequent crude language and numerous profanities. Although a fascinating portrayal of rumored events, The Cat’s Meow, 1920’s slang for a purr-fect event, exhibits alley cat morals. Rated PG-13

Catch Me If You Can This Steven Spielberg crime comedy is based on the story of the true Frank Abagnale Jr., one of America’s most famous con artists. Sixteen-year-old Frank Abagnale Jr. (Leonardo DiCaprio) uses forgery and false identities — from a substitute French teacher to an emergency-room physician — to amass a fortune, attempting to regain his family’s financial status and bring his parents back together. Flying around the country as a fake airline copilot, Frank is tracked by no-nonsense FBI agent Carl Hanratty (Tom Hanks) in a chase that lasts for years. Frank falls in love with Brenda (Amy Adams) and dupes her father (Martin Sheen) in the process. Frank’s final phony occupation puts a strange twist on the story. The film treats Frank’s crimes as admirable, but it also shows that an individual’s behavior has consequences and that a depraved individual is capable of heart change. Catch Me If You Can is funny and entertaining, but it has implied sexual content and some profanity. Rated PG-13

Cats & Dogs In this humorous, family-oriented film, Jeff Goldblum plays Professor Brody who’s working on a cure for those allergic to dogs. But the Brody dog is apparently cat-napped on the orders of Mr. Tinkles, an evil cat voiced by Sean Hayes of TV’s Will and Grace. Although he’s the pampered pet of a dying millionaire, Tinkles is actually planning world domination. Only dogs stand in his way and Brody’s formula will give them a bigger edge unless Tinkles can steal it and reverse the effect, making people more allergic to dogs. The dogs assign their top Doberman puppy agents to replace the Brody’s missing pet, but Mrs. Brody picks up an untrained Beagle puppy named Lou. It looks like Mr. Tinkles might succeed, but Lou, voiced by Tobey McGuire, gets some on-the-job training from veteran dog agent Butch, voiced by Alec Baldwin. However, things turn catastrophic when Mr. Tinkles kidnaps the Brody family.Hilarious slapstick encounters between Russian cat agents, Siamese Ninja cats and the final showdown between Lou and Mr. Tinkles remind viewers of James Bond films or a comical Mission Impossible. A few scenes show dogs watering fire hydrants or smelling one another. And one cat frames Lou by dropping dog do on the floor. Young children may be upset at the implied death of a dog but, overall, this flick can be a fun outing for ages 6 and up.Rated PG

The Cell Jennifer Lopez, Vince Vaughn and Vincent D'Onofrio form an unusual triangle in this fantasy thriller. Lopez plays Dr. Catherine Deane, a phychiatrist experimenting with an device that lets a person get inside another's head, literally. Vaughn is FBI agent Novack who's trying to find the next victim of a serial killer. But D'Onofrio as Stargherm the serial killer, is in a coma. Deane must enter the demented mind of Stargher to locate the last kidnapped child before an automated torture chamber claims another victim. Artistically shot and with an incredible music score, The Cell is a treat for fans of cinematic beauty. However, the dark subject matter, a proliferation of sickening images and some awkward dialogue, may draw limited crowds. Because of an obsession with dolls, many characters in Stargher’s mind look like living dolls, some dressed and some not. Some of his dead victims also show female breast nudity. Rated R

Changing Lanes Ben Affleck and Samuel L. Jackson star in a story about escalating road rage. Gavin Bannek (Affleck), a junior partner in a high-priced New York law firm rushes to the court to file probate papers. Doyle Gibson (Jackson) rushes from an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting to court for a hearing to hopefully share custody of his sons. A sudden lane change throws the two cars together and Doyle’s car is damaged. Gavin offers a blank check and drives away, forgetting a dropped file. The accident makes Doyle late and he loses custody of his sons. But Gavin is also in a fix, because the forgotten file is vital to his case. Events escalate aseach action brings a new level of rage. Star power should bring in the crowds, but the battle of wills generates some interesting dynamics. In an allegorical twist, this confrontation takes place on Good Friday. Both men, although from different social strata, have similar ideals about moral behavior. But circumstances create an atmosphere of anger and hostility that drives them to act against their moral judgment. But after the events of Good Friday bring both men to the bottom of their moral well, the next day brings renewed hope that the future will be better. Unfortunately, the atmosphere of anger, frustration and fear generates more than a few obscenities and several profanities. Without the vulgarities, Changing Lanes would be a modern morality tale suitable for teens and adults. Rated R

Charlie’s Angels A popular television show in the 70’s, Charlie’s Angels featured three women, working as detectives for an unseen boss, who solved crimes with intelligence and their physical charms instead of guns and muscle. Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz and Lucy Liu star in this latest incarnation. John Forsythe provided the voice for the TV Angels’ boss, Charlie, and continues that role in the new movie. Bill Murray takes the role of Charlie’s liaison, Bosley. Hired to locate a kidnapped computer whiz, the angels discover that they’ve been used as pawns in a murderous plan. Filled with lots of action stunts and special effects, this could be an enjoyable outing for fans of Angels old and new. The Angels were equally noted for causing the term “jiggle TV,” as they rarely wore supporting undergarments. The tradition continues in the movie. Low cut blouses are a prominent feature which occasionally reveal almost too much. And promiscuous sex is implied as one Angel is seen in different men’s beds. While the new Angels don’t use guns, their martial arts skills are highlighted in numerous fights as they kick, hit and flip various bad guys, sometimes in slow motion. And although there’s no obscenities in the dialogue, a few strong profanities and a finger gesture are featured. Charlie’s Angels earns a less than heavenly moderately objectionable rating. Rated PG-13

Charlotte Gray Set during World War II, this historical drama finds Charlotte Gray (Cate Blanchett) joining the British Army’s Special Operations division. Since she speaks French fluently, they send her into France with messages to members of the French resistance. When she arrives, her mission goes sour as the French police apprehend her contact. Stuck in France for the foreseeable future, she connects with French nationals working for the resistance in her village. Their local leader, Julien (Billy Crudup), both helps her get settled and recruits her to help in some of their missions. Despite Charlotte's recruitment for speaking fluent French, it seems everyone except the Germans speak English. However, the film nicely shows the need for hope, as both Charlotte and the French people must keep hope alive that they will make it out of their situation. Not exactly Jane Bond, Charlotte takes part in some explosive missions and the film includes some moderate war violence. In some scenes, people are gunned down in cold blood but the wounds are not particularly graphic. One scene shows an unmarried couple in bed, implying a sexual relationship. Six obscenities are heard, along with a few regular profanities and moderate crudities. Skip this one altogether. Rated PG-13

Chasing Papi Papi (Eduardo Verastequi) is dating three women at the same time in this romantic comedy. Patricia (contemporary Christian music vocalist Jaci Velasquez), Lorena (Roselyn Sanchez) and Cici (Sofía Vergara). All of the girls think that they are Papi’s only love until all three come to visit at the same time wearing the sexy lingerie they were each given by Papi. They begin to fight for their charming, irresistible lover but then decide to get revenge. They end up on their own adventure after discovering that their luggage was switched and they now possess a large amount of money. Both the moral content and the entertainment value of this film are low, so you would be better off spending your time on something other than “Chasing Papi.” Rated PG

Chicago In this big screen version of the Broadway musical, two Chicago nightclub performers in the 1920s commit murder and end up in the Cook County Jail. When aspiring chorus girl Roxie Hart (Renee Zellweger) arrives in prison, she is excited to find one of her idols, nightclub entertainer Velma Kelly (Catherine Zeta-Jones), is also there. Corrupt prison matron Momma Morton (Queen Latifah) puts the women in contact with flamboyant defense attorney Billy Flynn (Richard Gere). The two vie for the affections of both the public and Flynn. The musical numbers — not as good as Broadway but commendably done — help relay the story, but they have suggestive dancing and lyrics. One positive is the realistic portrayal of the public’s preoccupation with greed, celebrity, and the fleeting nature of fame—but the film has a casual attitude toward adultery and sex. Rated PG-13

Chicken Run On the Tweedy Chicken Farm, the chickens produce eggs, eggs, and more eggs. If they don’t produce, they become next evening’s meal. This prompts Ginger (voice of Julia Sawalha) to lead several escape attempts with other disgruntled chickens. Rocky, the flying rooster (Mel Gibson), flies over the farm one night, but distracted, runs into the barn and falls injured into the coop. Ginger decides that when Rocky is healed, he can teach all of them to fly the coop and make their great escape. Chicken Run is a creative, unique story that’s full of laughs and action for all ages. The clay animation is superb as the characters move fluidly through each scene. A scene early in the film implies the death of a chicken for not producing enough eggs. After she’s taken into the chophouse, the other chickens and the audience see the shadow of a raised axe. The death implied by the sound of an axe hitting wood may disturb younger viewers. It’s fairly traumatic for the other chickens in the coop as well. Trying to avoid death, they do whatever it takes to escape the farm. One mild sexual innuendo occurs as Rocky asks where he’s going to sleep, and all of the hens invite him to sleep with them. Rated G

China The Panda Adventure Maria Bello undertakes the real-life adventures of Ruth Harkness, who travels to China in 1938 to collect the ashes of her husband after his death in the Min Valley. As she reads his journal about observing the mysterious and elusive giant panda bear, Ruth decides to complete his quest to bring a panda to America. With her husband’s interpreter, Quentin (Xia Yu), as a guide, she must contend, not only with river rapids, mountainous terrain and forests, but also with noted hunter Dakar Johnston (Xander Berkeley), her husband’s sometimes partner. Johnson doesn’t care about taking the panda alive. Although lacking in dramatic tension, the story is enjoyable as Ruth overcomes various obstacles along the way and eventually even wins over Johnson. The end credits include a pitch for the World Wildlife Foundation as it seeks to encourage protection of endangered species like the panda. An off-screen shooting of a panda may disturb very young children, but Chine: The Panda Adventure can be enjoyed by the whole family. Rated G

Chocolat Juliette Binoche, Johnny Depp, and Alfred Molina are the centerpieces of this semi-seet tale directed by Oscar winner Lasse Hallström. Set in a small French provencial town in 1950, Binoche plays Vianne, a free-spirited woman who arrives to set up a chocolate shoppe. Vianne has a knack for guessing each person's favorite type of chocolate and uses many unusual and unknown recipes for her exotic treats. But the sweet desserts seem to awaken carnal desires among the townspeople, so the town’s mayor, Comte de Reynaud (Alfred Molina), sees Vianne and her shop as a danger to the simple Christian faith of his people. He sees her leading the people into temptation, so he looks to shut down her business. While generally light and comedic, Chocolat turns out to have a serious message. Unfortunately, the serious message seems to trivialize the role of the church in the lives of the village residents as it encourages yielding to ‘harmless’ temptations. Making church rituals and morals look hokey and hypocritical, Chocolat takes its portrayal to an extreme that is clearly biased and takes every opportunity to undermine its moral authority in people’s lives. Surprising for a PG-13 film, at least one brief sex scene includes a glimpse of breast nudity. But Hallström's Cider House Rules also PG-13 featured nudity. Although tempting in its sweetness, Chocolat's message and sexual content earns a significantly objectional rating. Rated PG-13

Clockstoppers Paramount and Nickelodeon Movies team up for this action-packed, science-fiction adventure for youngsters, revolving around a wrist watch which can speed up the molecules in a person so that everything around them appears to be standing still. The watch accidentally falls into the hands of teenager Zak Gibbs (Jesse Bradford). Zak, along with his new girlfriend Francesca (Paula Garces), is having lots of fun playing pranks on friends using the watch’s new power called “hypertime.” But the fun ends when ruthless, power hungry Henry Gates (Michael Biehn) and his cohorts come after Zak and the watch. Clockstoppers has virtually no foul language, however, one of Zak’s friends makes some unnecessary suggestive remarks about nude girls and having sex. Refreshingly, Zak and Francesca do not become sexually involved. Although his father spends a lot of time at work, Zak’s parents are portrayed as loving and concerned about their son. And Zak risks his life to save his kidnapped dad. The action includes some intense car chases and crashes, fighting, and kicking but the violence is not excessively graphic. Rated PG

The Contender An all-star cast featuring Joan Allen, Jeff Bridges, Gary Oldman and Sam Elliot fills this tension-packed drama about the first woman nominated to the role of Vice President of the United States. Allen plays Laine Hanson, the highly respected liberal Democrat chosen by the President (Jeff Bridges) to replace his recently deceased Vice President. But first Laine must come under the microscopic scrutiny of the Judiciary Committee headed by ultra-conservative Senator Runyon, played by Oldman. By the time the congressional hearings begin, Laine's impeccable political record is all but obliterated by a scandalous photograph taken when she was a freshman in college. The ruthlessness of her opponents versus her refusal to respond in kind develops into a suspenseful, timely tale. The lines of "good" and "bad" are clearly drawn as conservatives like Runyon wear the black hats and liberals, the white hats. Senator Runyon's pro-life passion is presented as the rantings of a self-righteous fanatic, while Senator Hanson speaks eloquently of pro-choice rights. All the characters indulge in pretty raw language for a total of 50 obscenities includes 33 f-words, plus 15 regular profanities. An explicit sex photo flashed on-screen several times shows a young woman having sex at a fraternity party and includes breast nudity. The ugly side of politics, an unfair bias toward conservatives and anti-religion statements, along with unnecessary foul language, make The Contender a very objectionable choice. Rated R

Confessions of a Dangerous Mind This dark comedy is based on Chuck Barris’ hard-to-believe autobiography, in which he claims that his job as a raunchy television producer was a cover for his job as CIA hit man. CIA agent Jim Byrd (George Clooney) recruits Barris (Sam Rockwell) as an assassin. Once he’s trained. Barris begins to incorporate his killings into "The Dating Game" show, sending winning couples to locations like Berlin. A mole enters the picture, and Barris must come to grips with the possibility that he may be the next dead one. He vacillates between love interests Patricia (Julia Roberts) who is a spy and Penny (Drew Barrymore) who knows nothing of his secret life. The vulgar, sex-obsessed, selfish Chuck Barris is hardly big-screen material. The film treats his murder missions nonchalantly, presenting them as dark comedy. If you decide to see the film with its bad language, sexual content, violence and rear nudity, afterwards you may feel the need to offer up some confessions of your own. Rated R

Confidence Confidence is a contemporary crime drama with high action about con man Jake Vig (Edward Burns) and his cohorts who begin the movie by swindling thousands of dollars unknowingly from a mobster. Once their clued in, they go to the mob boss, King (Dustin Hoffman), to make amends and avoid being killed. Allow them a chance to get off the hook, King enlists them for a bigger job taking millions from a bank owner. Since the stakes are so high in this more elaborate sting, Jake recruits a pickpocket named Lily (Rachel Weisz). Although it looks like they won’t to pull off the scam, Jake and the gang prove to be smarter than they first appear. But federal agent Gunther Butan (Andy Garcia) is trailing Jake and the gang. Confidence is highly entertaining, but it cannot be recommended due to its morally offensive elements: an abundance of foul language, violence and sexual content. Rated R

The Core In this science fiction adventure, numerous unexplained electromagnetic phenomena begin to pique the interest of the political, military and scientific leaders of the world. Geophysicist Dr. Josh Keyes (Aaron Eckhart) begins to put the pieces together, discovering the horrible truth: The Earth’s core has stopped spinning, breaking down the protective electromagnetic field. The consequences are catastrophic, and earth’s inhabitants are given only months to live unless something can restart the core’s spinning. A team of scientists and astronauts, including Keyes, are assembled to command Virgil, a super-strong, worm-like tunneling vehicle equipped with several nuclear weapons. The film is a disappointment with little action. The only saving grace is its comparatively small measure of objectionable language; so, although it will bore you, at least it won’t offend you. Rated PG-13

Corky Romano Saturday Night Live comic Chris Kattan stars as Corky in this humorous mob movie as the 'white sheep' of 'Pops' Romano's (Peter Falk) crime family. When Pops is indicted by the FBI, he calls upon naive Corky, an assistant veterinarian, to steal the evidence from the FBI. But Corky has trouble working under pressure, Will infiltrating the FBI make him crack completely? Thanks to an over-eager false resume, the agency thinks Corky is a super-agent and assigns him to a special task force after a killer. As Corky stumbles through the investigations, which keep distracting him from stealing evidence, his unorthadox methods appear to work. When he finally gets the evidence, he’s shocked to learn the accusations against his father. But Corky surprises the FBI, his family and even himself as he uncovers some shocking secrets. One of Corky’s brothers comes to grips with homosexual tendencies, while two male FBI agents also seem to be more than work partners. Some fun is also had with Corky’s other brother being illiterate. Laughs are also drawn from drug abuse when Corky and a dog react to being dusted with cocaine from a broken bag. Along with suggestive comments, the dialogue is filled with vulgar language, including numerous obscenities and strong profanities. Bottom line: Skip this one altogether. Rated PG-13

The Count Of Monte Cristo Alexandre Dumas’ classic tale of betrayal and revenge returns to the big screen in this most recent adaptation about the hapless hero, Edmund Dantes (Jim Caviezel), who seems to have everything going for him. But betrayed by his envious friend Fernand (Guy Pearce), Edmund finds himself arrested for treason. And because of a magistrate’s political ambitions, Edmund is sent to disappear forever on an island prison. The Abbé Faria (Richard Harris), an imprisoned priest, befriends Edmund and spends their years together educating him in languages, math, science and swordsmanship. When an accident fatally injures the priest, he gives Edmund a map to fabulous wealth hidden on the island of Monte Cristo. The priest’s death also gives Edmund a way to escape, find the treasure and exact poetic revenge on those who robbed him of his life, his family and his love. Virtually free of coarse language, the film maintains the major elements and themes of Dumas’ story. An interesting twist focuses on Edmund’s rejection of God after his imprisonment, but later references show his return to belief. Although the story seems to focus on revenge, the priest tells Edmund that vengeance belongs to God and a sentence carved into Edmund’s cell states that God will give justice. Fernand is often shown drinking and references made to his later adulteries but neither is condoned. A few sword stabbings are graphic and some sexual references are slightly crude, but teens and older can enjoy this adventurous tale. Rated PG-13

Coyote Ugly Relative newcomer Piper Perabo plays Violet, a talented young songwriter, who moves from a small town in New Jersey to New York City hoping to peddle her songs to record producers. But she can't seem to get a break and has to pay the rent. She takes a job as a barmaid in a nightclub called Coyote Ugly, whose manager, Lil, played by Maria Bello, heads an all female staff. The free-wheeling atmosphere of the club encourages not only drinking, but dancing and singing on the bar by the staff. With her boyfriend’s constant prodding to sing for him and Lil’s support, Violet just might overcome her stage fright and get her songs heard. Already labeled a female version of 1988’s Cocktail with shades of Flashdance, the overwhelming advertising and attractive cast should make a few bucks for this movie made for a hormone-driven, male audience. Scantily clad women dancing, dousing themselves with water and alcohol, along with men groping them at every opportunity is what this movie’s about. Like the atmosphere in a “gentleman’s club,” the movie unabashedly and unapologetically arouses baser thoughts for men in the audience. Although no nudity or sex scenes occur in the film, dance and bar scenes have an extreme amount of sexually suggestive content. Rated PG-13

Cradle to the Grave In this action thriller, jewel thief Tony Fait (Earl "DMX" Simmons) and his team of slick burglars steal some black diamonds, a prize that everyone seems to want, including martial arts expert and Taiwanese government agent Su (Jet Li). Though Fait attempts to sell the stones through his pawn broker, Archie (Tom Arnold), those who want them attempt to take them by ruthless force, even kidnapping his beautiful young daughter Vanessa (Paige Hurd) and demanding the stones as a ransom. Fait is left with no choice but to join forces with Su in an attempt to uncover the mystery of the stones and to save his daughter. This loud, disjointed film was a two-hour excuse to see Jet Li and DMX get into the most absurd fight scenes possible, most of which did nothing to advance the story line. Any self-respecting person will avoid this film at all costs! Rated R

Crazy/Beautiful Kirsten Dunst plays Nicole, the 17-year-old, out-of-control daughter of a congressman in this Romeo and Juliet tale. Strained family relationships resulting from her mother's suicide have sent Nicole down a dark path of self-destructive behavior with alcohol and drugs. Jay Hernandez is Carlos, a model student, athlete and son who dreams of one day attending the U.S. Naval Academy. Each morning he takes the long bus ride from his Hispanic inner-city neighborhood to high school in an affluent suburb. To embarrass her father, Nicole takes up with poor Carlos. But as the relationship grows into romance, Nicole's past may detract from Carlos' future. This teen drama tries to tug at the heartstrings, but the characters give little reason to care about them. Drinking, doing drugs, having sex, and driving recklessly are depicted as normal teenage behavior. Despite his straight-laced, regimented lifestyle, Carlos makes poor moral decisions that are portrayed as romantic and responsible, such as insisting on using a condom before sex. Since political correctness does not necessarily equate with moral soundness, this film frequently strays into immoral areas. In addition to the highly objectionable message on "normal" teen behavior, the dialogue features a significant number of profanities, obscenities and various crude words throughout. For sex, language, partial nudity and drug use, Crazy Beautiful should be skipped altogether.Rated PG-13

The Crew Richard Dreyfuss, Burt Reynolds, Dan Hedaya and Seymour Cassel star as the Crew, four retired wise-guys in this comedy set in Miami Beach. Fearing eviction from their senior citizens residence hotel after the landlord raises the rent, the crew hatches a scheme to ensure their stay. The four makes it look like an unidentified corpse was killed in the hotel lobby. But things get crazier when the corpse turns out to be the missing father of a local drug lord. Comedy and chaos combine as each new caper gets an unexpected twist. With older actors playing their age, the film may not atract the younger crowds. While there seems to be an entertainment industry fascination with mobsters, the lifestyle depicted is usually filled with casual sexual relations, vulgar language, and severe violence. This film is no exception. Rated PG-13

Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles Australia is enjoying a run of popularity from the Olympic games to Oscar winners. Returning to the 1986 role that seemingly created interest in all things Australian, Paul Hogan reintroduces his Outback hero, Mick 'Crocodile' Dundee, this time to the wild life of Los Angeles. It’s been 15 years since Mick met journalist Sue Charleton (Linda Kozlowski), daughter of a newspaper tychoon, and visited New York. Since then, they’ve lived Down Under and Mick guides tourists through the Outback when not chasing crocodiles with his pal, Jacko (Alec Wilson). But when Sue’s father offers her a temporary job in Los Angeles, Mick sees an opportunity to expand their son, Mikey’s (Serge Cockburn) education. And Sue discovers a movie studio that may be doing worse things than making bad pictures. The humorous clash of image conscious Tinseltown and Outback simplicity will bring a smile to audiences looking for old-fashion fun. While poking fun at the unreal world of movie making, the film also ties in messages about respecting nature and being honest with others. The dialogue includes some obscenities that detract from the otherwise enjoyable film but other than that, parents don’t have much cause for concern. Rated PG

Crossroads Former Disney Mouskateer and pop singing sensation Britney Spears makes her big screen debut in this coming-of-age, road trip movie. Three 10-year-old friends bury a box of future dreams and promise to dig it up when they graduate from high school. But when Lucy(Spears), Kit (Zoë Saldana) and Mimi (Taryn Manning) meet to dig up the box, the three discover their dreams still unfulfilled. However, Mimi plans to make her dream of seeing the world come true by traveling to a music audition in Hollywood. Kit joins the trip to visit her fiancé stuck in a California college for the summer. And Lucy reluctantly leaves her divorced dad (Dan Ackroyd) to find why her mother abandoned them when Lucy was three. Hitching a cross-country ride with Ben (Anson Mount), a musician with a rumored criminal past, the three discover that some dreams don’t come true, but true friends help you discover new dreams. Despite the PG-13 rating, girls of all ages who consider Britney a role model, will flock to this flick. Sadly, the film sends mixed and disappointing messages. Teased by Kit about being a virgin, Lucy goes to a graduation party planning to lose her virginity and wears skimpy bikini underwear in bed with a boy. But after reconsidering the reasons for having sex, decides she wants the first time to be ‘special.’ When the car breaks down, the girls take on a karaoke bar’s contest which features suggestive moves and teasing lyrics familiar to Spear’s fans. A hotel mini-bar in their room leads to underage drinking as the girls share stories about their sexual experience. Pregnant Mimi refrains from drinking but says it’s not for the sake of the baby, but that drinking led to her pregnancy. Despite Britney’s public comments about saving herself for marriage, her character is shown in bed with Ben, implying they’ve had premarital sex. Despite Britney’s wave of popularity, this is one pop star that should have thought twice about crossing over to the big screen. Rated PG-13

Curse Of The Jade Scorpion In this old-fashioned comedy set in 1940, CW Briggs (Woody Allen), a highly respected insurance investigator, feels threatened by efficiency expert, Betty Ann Fitzgerald (Helen Hunt). Sparks fly between insecure CW and cutthroat Betty Ann as they insult each other in a battle of wits. After he’s hypnotized by a jewel thief, CW finds himself in the dual role of chief investigator and prime suspect for a series of huge jewel thefts. CW refers to casual sexual liaisons and initially welcomes overtures from a beautiful heiress (Charlize Theron) who considers the middle-aged detective a real challenge when he rebuffs her. Meanwhile, Betty Ann has an affair with her married boss and, like other characters, drinks heavily and smokes. After drowning her sorrows over a failed love affair, she attempts suicide. Ultimately, however, good wins over evil. A few profanities, heavy drinking and a condoned adulterous affair mar The Curse. Rated PG

D

Daddy Day Care Charlie (Eddie Murphy), and Phil (Jeff Garlin), are two recently unemployed dads in desperate need of work and regaining their self-esteem. Charlie discovers, while spending his days at home with his son, Ben (Khamani Griffin), the apparent lack of competitive, high quality child-care in the area, and convinces Phil to join him in a “gold-mine” endeavor. The two inept dads start Daddy Day Care. This easy-going movie from Columbia Pictures is a cute, fun-filled family comedy. Apart from a few profanities and some bathroom humor, the film is comparatively clean and even has some positive messages. In the beginning of the movie Charlie is devoted to work and earning money while missing out on his child's life, but in the end he sacrifices a better paying job to spend time with his son and continue providing “Daddy Day Care.” Rated PG

Daredevil Another live-action comic book installment, Daredevil tells the story of Matt Murdock (Ben Affleck), who by day is an attorney but by night executes vigilante justice on the streets of Hell’s Kitchen. Blinded during his childhood, Murdock discovers that his remaining senses are more acute and that he also possesses a new, sonar-like sense. Armed with super-human skills and yearning to avenge his father’s murder, Murdock becomes the fearless, crime-fighting Daredevil. He falls in love with the seductive, tough and secretive Elektra (Jennifer Garner), who unknowingly leads him to a confrontation with the notorious crime boss Kingpin (Michael Clarke Duncan) and his hired killer Bullseye (Colin Farrell). Overall, Daredevil has a dark, chilly tone with little comic relief. Substantial violence, a brief sexual encounter and objectionable words. Rated PG-13

Dark Blue In this crime drama, LAPD detective Eldon Perry (Kurt Russell) is part of the Special Investigations Squad (SIS) run by Jack Van Metter (Brendan Gleeson), where the cops are no better than the criminals. That’s why Assistant Chief Holland (Ving Rhames) scrutinizes the SIS’ every move and is determined to bring them down. As Perry closes in on the suspects of a homicide case with his young partner Bobby Keough (Scott Speedman), the rookie gets his indoctrination into the underhanded dealings of the SIS. The case is further complicated by murder, cover-up, and illegal activities by law enforcement. Finally pushed over the edge, Perry decides to bring the issue public is his own way. Dark Blue is a better-than-average police drama revolving around police corruption. The film contains graphic, cold-blooded violence, and more than 80 occurrences of the F-word, making it a dark, unacceptable choice. Rated R

Death To Smoochy Robin Williams and Ed Norton star in this dark comedy about dirty politics in the world of children’s television. Williams plays children’s show star Rainbow Randolph who gets caught taking bribes to put some children ahead of others on his show. When Randolph falls in disgrace, KidNet television wants a new star who’s ethical and “squeaky clean.” Norton plays Sheldon Mopes, whose pink rhinoceros character, Smoochy, seems to be the only choice left with any moral principles. But Randolph sees Smoochy taking his place and plots a scandal, so Randolph can return to his former glory. In this satire, even charitable agencies are mob-controlled and extortion used to make deals. When Sheldon won’t play the game, his agent, a former network exec, and the charity mob are a bigger problem than Randolph. But Smoochy has made a few friends along the way. Made for the anti-Barney crowd, the film has humorous moments, but William’s character frequently spouts obscenities and one scene has him run through a gamut of slang expressions for genitals. But Smoochy also reminds us of the positive things children learn from characters like Captain Kangaroo or shows like "Sesame Street." Sheldon even makes positive comments about Jesus focusing on his work rather than the perks. Without the frequent vulgarities, Smoochy could have attracted a larger crowd. Rated R

Deliver Us From Eva In this romantic comedy, domineering Eva Dandridge (Gabrielle Union) constantly intrudes into the lives of her three sisters (Essence Atkins, Robinne Lee and Meagan Good) and wreaks havoc on the men in their lives (Mel Jackson, Dartanyan Edmonds and Duane Martin). Weary of Eva’s involvement, the three men hire smooth-talking ladies man Ray Adams (LL Cool J) for $5,000 to romance Eva, then to drop her cold so she’ll move away and out of their lives. As Ray finally breaks through Eva’s cold exterior, he falls in love with her and doesn’t want to go through with the plan, much to the chagrin of his friends. Ray then begins to pursue Eva honestly, following her out of town to try and win her back after she hears the truth. Sexually suggestive dialogue, along with numerous instances of objectionable language, earn this one an unacceptable rating. Rated R

Die Another Day True to James-Bond form, Die Another Day is destined to be a crowd-pleaser with its magnificent explosions, harrowing hand-to-hand combat, intrigue and romance. While attempting to thwart a plot to trade illegal African diamonds for arms, British super-spy James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) is captured by North Koreans and tortured for several months before being traded for one of their henchmen, Zao (Rick Yune). Bond begins a vigilante trek around the world to clear his name, unmask the real traitor, and uncover an obscure connection between the Koreans and a billionaire diamond tycoon (Toby Stephens). With a little help along the way from two beauties, Jinx (Halle Berry) and Miranda Frost (Rosamund Pike), Bond unearths a sinister plot as he journeys from the tropical climes of Cuba to the villain’s frozen palace in Iceland. Along with other Bond films, it’s heavy with sexual innuendo and some steamy scenes. But despite its flaws, it delivers everything that the name "James Bond" and its 40-year tradition promise. Rated PG-13

Digimon: The Movie Parents can expect a lot of interest from pre-teens about this film, since the Digimon, or digital monsters, TV series is the most popular among 2- to 11-year-old audiences. For the uninitiated, seven children, mysteriously transported into a digital world, are befriended by small digital creatures known as Digimon. In the digital world, the children, along with their Digimon friends, try to restore order in the digital world by conquering corrupt monsters. In this new movie, a powerful new Digimon hatches and starts to consume data on the Internet. In the process, it takes over worldwide communications and even prepares to launch missiles from the U.S. to Japan. Only the youngsters and their good Digimon can prevent the disaster. Colorful, animated battles and explosions are incredibly frantic and loud as they permeate the story’s non-stop action. The Digimon are fantasy creatures with enormous strength and superhuman powers, but not occultic. A clear distinction is made between good and evil monsters, with the good triumphant in the end. Cooperation and team work is also emphasized as the children risk their lives to save the world. But the incessant, overpowering use of violent battles, explosions and property destruction is a prime example of entertainment that begins desensitizing children to excessive violence at a young age. Disappointing as it may be to young audiences, Digimon: The Movie earns a moderately objectionable rating. Rated PG

Dinosaur Dellla Reese of TV's Touched By An Angel and Julianna Marguilles of ER are among the voices lending their talent to this spectacular new feature from Disney. D.B. Sweeney if the voice of Aladar, a plant-eating iguanadon raised from birth by a clan of lemurs after his egg hatches on their island. When a terrible meteor shower forces the lemurs and Aladar from their island home, they soon meet with a herd of dinosaurs on the mainland traveling to their nesting grounds. Kron, voiced by Samuel E. Wright, the heavy-handed herd leader regularly runs the herd so hard that many fall behind, only to be left for the dangerous, meat-eating carnotaurs that follow. Aladar befriends some of these slower, older dinosaurs, and in the process makes himself an enemy of Kron. And Aladar’s affection for Kron’s sister, Neera, voiced by Marguilles, only serves to further inflame Kron’s anger. Aladar and his friends face many exciting challenges, as well as Kron, as they seek the nesting grounds. By mixing animated dinosaurs with real-life, digitally-filmed landscapes,the film provides a visually spectacular event which surpasses all expectations. Although the film focuses on dinosaurs, evolution theories are not presented. Aladar's lack of selfishness, emphasis on working together and persevering through trials presents a fine example for all people, young and old. There are several scary and violent scenes, which is the main reason for the PG rating. A large meat-eating dinosaur pounces on a smaller dinosaur and rips it to pieces. The menacing carnotaurs also occasionally catch an unlucky dinosaur. These scenes may prove too intense for younger viewers. However, Dinosaur earns an acceptable and recommendable rating for ages 8 and up. Rated PG

The Dish In 1969, Neil Armstrong made his historic one small step onto the moon. And the world watched on television, thanks to the efforts of a small group of dedicated technicians in the small town of Parkes in Australia. At least, that's the way this story goes. Sam Neill plays Cliff who supervises operations at a satellite antenna station in Parkes. To be sure the historic occasion can be captured for posterity, NASA wants to use Australian's satellite antenna to relay the signal from the moon. So they send the no-nonsense Al Burnett,played by Patrick Warburton, to work with Cliff to be sure things run smoothly. But his by-the-book management clashes with the easy-going attitude in Parkes. Mitch and Glen, the two dish technicians played by Kevin Harrington and Tom Long, have their own way of dealing with problems and provide lots of laughs as they try to to make the lunar connection. The Dish is smartly written with laughs throughout. For those who catch it, THE DISH could be a humorous trip Small town life in Australia seems much like it was presented in 1950 & 60’s sitcoms in the states, plenty of conservative people who care about church and family. And while the movie is certainly a comedy, more serious messages, like trusting others, consistently shine through. However, due to some gratuitous foul alnguage and a number of obscenities, the dialogue is questionnable at best.Rated PG-13

Divine Secrets Of The Ya-Ya Sisterhood Sandra Bullock stars as budding playwright Siddalee Walker in this story that spans sixty years. Sidda tells a reporter about her eccentric Southern mother, Vivi Abbott Walker (Ellen Burstyn), who inspires her writings. However, Vivi’s life-long friends decide it’s time to let Sidda learn the truth about Vivi. Led by Caro (Maggie Smith), Teensy (Fionnula Flanagan) and Necie (Shirley Knight) kidnap Sidda and reveal the reasons behind events Sidda saw through a child’s eyes. Meanwhile Connor (Angus MacFadyen), Sidda’s level-head fiancé of seven years, meets Vivi for the first time and discovers why Sidda acts the way she does. Ashley Judd plays the younger Vivi in flashback scenes. Mothers and daughters will particularly enjoy this tale of friendship, estrangement, reconciliation, and love. Ya-Ya, a colloquial expression for talk, is something these aging Southern belles do frequently. The wry comments are often humorous, but the dialogue is also laced with numerous obscenities, crude terms and God’s name used in vain. Violence is limited, but some will cringe when Vivi takes a belt to her children. Connor and Sidda live together and in one flashback, the four friends take a topless drive on a hot night, but no explicit nudity is shown. Despite the positive messages about friendship and reconciliation, Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood fails to deliver. Rated PG-13

Dogtown and Z-boys This documentary explores the beginnings of today's extreme skateboarding. Dogtown is the local name for the slums of Los Angeles. Noted surf board designer Jeff Ho opened the Zephyr surfboard shop and formed local teens into the Zephyr Surf team or Z-boys. In the '60s, the 'sidewalk surfboard' became an alternative to surfing. The Z-Boys looked for better ways to do the same radical tricks on skateboards that they had seen professional surfers do in the water. Prompted by the 70’s drought, empty pools became ideal and the Z-Boys went on to win fame, but it also split the team up as different companies sought talent to endorse their products. Now, the Z-boys are largely forgotten as the innovators of extreme skateboarding. Although the film was produced and directed by a former Z-Boy, the subject matter limits the audience to those interested in the sport. Interspersed with interviews of former teammates, the film seems episodic and disjointed. Comments include a number of obscenities, including some that are bleeped or the sound cut. Although one of the members is in prison on drug related charges, the team's days are highlighteded with photos of smoking marijuana and drinking alcohol as part of their lifestyle. The idea of trespassing to access people's dry pools and the subsequent damage to the pools by the skateboards is seen as a youthful challenge rather than a criminal act. Between the obscene comments and the presentation of law-breaking as acceptable behavior, Dogtwon & Z-boys wipes out. Rated PG-13

Down With Love This romantic comedy has the look and feel of an early 1960s film. Feminist author Barbara Novak (Renee Zellweger) produces a new book for women called Down with Love. In it she teaches women how to be “more like men”—focused on career, empowerment and sex. Her book espouses the view that women excel in the workplace by accepting the so-called fact that love is to be ignored and casual sex is to be embraced. Debonair Catcher Block (Ewan McGregor) is a womanizing playboy publicist who stands for everything that Barbara is against, and he is determined to get her to fall in love with him. In this case, opposites attract but not without some interesting twists and turns. While this movie brings the nostalgia of movies from a bygone era, it definitely carries with it the poor moral values of contemporary Hollywood. Rated PG-13

Dr. DoLittle 2 Eddie Murphy returns to his role as Dr. John Dolittle, the now famous physician whose patients are both man and animal. Because Dr. Dolittle understands and speaks their language, the animals turn to him for help in stopping the destruction of their forest by unscrupulous land developers. While spending their vacation in the woods, the Dolittles move to a forest cabin to save the animal habitat. The plan hinges on getting Ava, a forest dwelling endangered Pacific Western bear voiced by Lisa Kudrow, to mate with Archie, voiced by Steve Zahn. Although Archie’s a Pacific Western bear, he’s been raised in the circus as a performer. So the Doctor has his work cut out to not only introduce Archie to Ava, but also teach Archie how to act like a bear and survive in the wild. While bringing Archie and Ava together, Dolittle also works to keep 16-year-old Charisse away from her pizza-delivery boyfriend. Humorous comments and scenes abound as animals, wild and domestic, organize a strike until Archie and Ava have a chance for romance. Questionnable humor includes dogs marking territory and bears on the toilet and a few characters also let crude terms slip. But Dr. Dolittle also realizes that communication with family is as important as talking to the animals. While older teens will be less enthusiastic, Dr. DoLittle 2 will provide laughs for youngsters ages eight and up.Rated PG

Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch The inventive, although sometimes wacky, rhymes of Dr Seuss in such favorites as 'The Cat in the Hat,' 'Green Eggs and Ham,' and 'Horton Hatches an Egg' are cherished memories for almost everyone. But during the holiday season, thoughts turn to the tale of The Grinch that stole Christmas, whose heart was two sizes too small. Creating a live version of the Grinch, which would earn the blessing of Dr Seuss’ estate and compliment the 1966 animated television version now seen annually, fell to talented actor Jim Carrey and director Ron Howard. In the fantasy world of Whoville, all the Whos are busily shopping, stringing up bigger and better light shows, and getting ready for the big Who-balation celebration of Christmas. But all the commotion makes little Cindy Lou Who, played by Taylor Momsen, wonder if there isn’t something more to Christmas. And why the reclusive Grinch on Mount Crumpit isn’t enjoying Christmas with the other Whos. Reminded of a long ago humiliation, the Grinch plans his revenge on the happy Whos. No doubt, this Grinch will become a classic in its own right. But there are a few questionable scenes such as the Grinch holding mistletoe over his posterior and telling the Whos to kiss it as an insult. It’s also implied that a man kisses a dog’s rear. Several scenes use slapstick-type violence, but the message that Christmas doesn’t come from a store makes the Grinch a family winner. Rated PG

Dr. T & The Women Richard Gere, Helen Hunt and Farrah Fawcett star in director Robert Altman's controversial satire about men and women's relationships. Gere plays Dr. T who has wealthy Dallas socialites flocking to his waiting room to compete for the handsome, understanding gynecologist's undivided attention. Dr. T believes all women are saints, including his self-absorbed patients, his wife Kate, played by Fawcett, and even sister-in-law Peggy (Laura Dern), an alcoholic mother of three. But too much love from Dr. T sends Kate to the psychiatric hospital. While Kate's in the hospital, Dr. T meets Bree, played by Hunt, a straight-forward, independent woman of the 21st century and golf pro at the country club. Unlike the other women in Dr. T's life, Bree want to give attention rather than get. This disjointed, irritating and unbelievably silly spoof portrays women as either air-heads or cold and deceitful. But the stars and Altman's name will attract some attention. Dr. T's patience with his patients extends to allowing one to sip a cocktail and smoke while he examines her. Although Dr. T maintains a professional attitude, women looking forward to pelvic exams turns parody into fantasy. The exam scenes include breast nudity and brief full frontal nudity is seen as Kate dances in a shopping mall fountain. But the most controversial scene shows a doctor’s view of the complete birth of a baby. Women in particular should find Dr. T. & The Women’s portrayal of women disrespectful and offensive. Rated R

Dragonfly Kevin Costner stars as ER doctor Joe Darrow in Chicago, whose pediatric oncologist wife Emily (Susanna Thompson)dies on a mission trip in Venezuela. But some of her patients, who experience comas and near death events, indicate Emily still wants Joe to know something. Keeping a promise to visit Emily’s young cancer patients, Joe discovers one boy who frequently has cardiac seizures that take him to the edge of death, who tells Joe about a message from Emily. Joe searches desperately for the meaning of the cryptic wiggly cross, the young patient says Emily showed him. Eventually, Joe must return to the jungles of Venezuela to discover the answers he seeks. This tense, thought-provoking drama seems marketed as a ghost story, but audiences will find it to be much more. Joe’s experiences with Emily’s NDE patients disturb his atheistic concepts when they talk about meeting Emily after her death. Sister Madeline (Linda Hunt) puts the concept of after-life and belief into language Joe can consider. The ghostly encounters are presented in context of NDEs or possible tricks of a grieving mind, rather than occultic events. Some brief, native nudity occurs in scenes with a Venezuelan Indian tribe. Although the dialogue contains several crude terms, older teens and adults will find Dragonfly’s themes of belief in afterlife, faith and trust providing new avenues of discussion. Rated PG-13

Driven Sylvester Stallone plays a car racing veteran hired by Burt Reynolds to give pointers to a young driver played by Kip Pardue. Carl Henry (Reynolds), a race team owner, hires Joe Tanto (Stallone), a winning racer with a troubled past, to help talented rookie driver Jimmy Bly (Pardue). Jimmy's major opponent is Beau Brandenburg (Til Schweiger), who uses his girlfriend to distract Jimmy's focus. Gina Gershon plays Joe's ex-wife Cathy who's now married to racer Memo Moreno (Cristian De LaFuente), but still seems to carry a torch for Joe. However, when Joe gets friendly with journalist Luc Jones (Stacy Edwards), Cathy encourages Memo to beat Joe's protege' Jimmy at all costs. Slow motion crashes and driver's-eye views of the race may attract race fans but others will wonder how Stallone got financing for this soap opera on wheels. This is basically a two-part movie, one half “driven” and the other, drivel. Off-track interactions between these one-dimensional characters give the audience little to do but snicker at supposedly serious moments. And Joe’s counseling of Jimmy never develops past a few Rocky/Ramboesque mumbled words. To its credit, few obscenities are heard, but strong profanity, some sexually suggestive dialogue and ample displays of scantily clad females further cheapen the ride and earn a "quite objectionable" rating. Rated PG-13

Drumline Drumline is a fun comedy about Devon Miles (Nick Cannon), a hip-hop, street drummer from Harlem who goes to a Southern college on a marching band scholarship. Accustomed to getting by on pure ability, the talented freshman comes into conflict with Dr. Lee (Orlando Jones), the band director who requires team players. The tension intensifies when Devon is found to have lied on his college application and the college president threatens to fire Dr. Lee. The band must pull together as they prepare for the final band competition. Drumline is full of energy and interesting relationships. The choreography of the marching band and the musical scenes are superb. The portrayal of life in a university band program is original, educational and compelling. Violence is kept to a minimum, but the film is unfortunately filled with inappropriate language. Drumline would otherwise be an inspiring movie to be recommended. Rated PG-13

Dude, Where’s My Car Ashton Kutcher (Kelso on FOX TV's That 70's Show) plays Jesse and Seann William Scott is Chester who wake up to a year’s supply of pudding in the house and no memory of the night before. When their girlfriends call to remind the boys of their anniversary, Jesse remembers the presents are in his car. But once outside, the car is nowhere to be found. So the dudes embark on an adventure to retrace their steps from a night they can’t remember. Filled with juvenile jokes about large breasts and dim-witted heroes, this film is geared mostly for young male teens. Rated PG-13

Dumb & Dumberer
The prequel to the 1994 hit “Dumb and Dumber” tells the story of how Harry and Lloyd became friends as teenagers. This film, however, is missing the original stars, Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels. Harry (Derek Richardson), who has been home-schooled by his mother, finally goes to public school and on the first day runs into Lloyd (Eric Christian Olsen), the janitor’s son. Because of the sexual innuendos and bad language, the smart thing to do is avoid “Dumb and Dumberer.” Rated PG-13

Dungeons & Dragons This special-effects laden fantasy, based on the 25-year-old role-playing game, stars Justin Whalin as the young thief, Ridley. Award-winning actor Jeremy Irons plays the evil wizard, Profion, who seeks to steal the dragon-controlling scepter of power from Thora Birch as Empress Savina. But when Profion learns of a second scepter, he sends his demon-possessed henchman, to take the magic scroll showing its location. But young magician-in-training Marina, portrayed by Zoe McLellan, flees with the scroll and enlists the help of Ridley and his partner, Snails, played by Marlon Wayans. Joined by a dwarf and an elf, they follow the adventurous trail to the dungeon hiding the dragon-controlling scepter. But finding the rod could start the Great Dragon War. Older fans of the game and teenagers may enjoy this film version of the medieval style fantasy, but could be disappointed since it's not interactive, which greatly narrows the story options. Although presented as a fantasy, the sword waving and battle action occasionally gets severe as characters are stabbed and sliced. Snake-like pods come out of the henchman’s ears to suck knowledge from Marina, and magic is frequently used. Ridley also converses with a skeletal spirit. Fantasy has been used by Christian authors but, like many current tales in fantasy, this one dwells too close to occultic elements. The biggest concern is that the film will renew interest in the role-playing game, which could lead to dabbling in other occultic exercises. Rated PG-13

E

Eight Crazy Nights This animated, musical comedy is being marketed to kids as a holiday cartoon, but it is crude, obnoxious, and a far cry from Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer. Adam Sandler does an excellent job performing the character voices of Davey, Whitey and Eleanor, especially in the song titled "Technical Foul," which gets a lot of laughs. Hanukah is beginning in the town of Dukesberry and Davey Stone, a 33-year-old, troubled bully, gets himself arrested for being drunk. Davey is sentenced to prison, but stepping in to take him under supervision is an old basketball referee named Whitey, who is patient with Davey’s anger, profanity and rampages. Living under new house rules, Davey begins to soften. But Sandler’s movie falls short in its intent as a redemptive story. The humor, primarily based on sexual references and bodily functions, includes stunts like a fat man whose jockstrap must be eaten after a bet and an elderly man covered with human waste. While this animated musical is funny, it’s humor is too vulgar for kids and too immature for adults. Rated PG-13

The Emperor’s Club St. Benedict School for Boys assistant headmaster William Hundert (Kevin Kline) teaches teenage boys life’s lessons through the study of the Classics. In 1972 the highly respected teacher meets the challenge of his career when arrogant Sedgewick Bell (Emile Hirsch) saunters into his classroom with a smirk on his face. To win him over and to preserve his other students’ eagerness to excel, Hundert challenges Sedgewick to enter the annual Emperor’s Club competition. But in his quest to reform Sedgewick, the teacher’s idealism clashes with a cruel taste of realism. Twenty-five years later, Hundert is invited to a reunion of the class of 1972, where he reconnects with his now mature former students. Uplifting, unpredictable and inspirational, The Emperor’s Club honors teachers who dedicate their lives to make a positive difference. What a lovely way to start the holidays. Hundert wrestles with his conscience as he compromises his principles to encourage Sedgewick. Will the teacher’s vote of confidence in a borderline student justify cheating a more deserving student of a chance for a college scholarship? Sedgewick lies, cheats and manipulates his friends, and, like one rotten apple ruining a barrel of apples, his influence on the other students spreads quickly. He shares his stash of porn magazines with them and talks them into sneaking over to the girls’ school across the lake and going skinny dipping. Glimpses of magazine pictures and some crude remarks about them are mildly suggestive and nudity is only implied in the skinny dipping scene. Anyone ever influenced by a teacher (isn’t that all of us?) will find much to admire in The Emperor’s Club. Rated PG-13

The Emperor’s New Groove The familiar laughter of children and adults during this holiday season may be a response to the latest animated treat from Disney. This action-packed adventure fantasy features the voice of comedian David Spade as the spoiled, young Emperor Kuzco who rules over a mythical, Incan-type kingdom in the South American mountains. Eartha Kitt is the voice of his vain chief adviser, Yzma, whose false eyelashes and painted fingernails fail to hide her ancient looks. To celebrate his birthday, the selfish Kuzco plans to destroy a neighboring mountaintop village and replace it with a private vacation resort. The news devastates the hard-working, happily married peasant Pacha, voiced by John Goodman. Yzma tries to poison Kuzco but mistakenly turns him into a llama. Found in the jungle by Pacha, the whiny, llama-Kuzco learns a new lesson in trust as they embark on the dangerous quest to reclaim the throne. Like Disney features of old, this delightful film has virtually no suggestive, double-meaning remarks or objectionable language. And action scenes provide excitement and suspense without painful results. Rather than occultic magic, the potion that turns Kuzco into a llama is a fantasy device common to fairy tales, although very young viewers may need assurances that people cannot be turned into animals. And Pacha exemplifies kindness and compassion, even though Kuzco threatens to destroy his village. The Emperor’s New Groove is a family delight for pre-schoolers to adults. Rated G

Empire (Due to the strong violence and excessive language, Preview has chosen not to review this film.) Victor Rosa (John Leguizamo) is all about the mighty dollar and fashions himself as a businessman on par with Rockefeller, Carnegie, and Bill Gates. With an iron fist, he runs a successful "street pharmaceutical" business that peddles a heroin mix he has named Empire. His beautiful fiancée, Carmen, a Baruch College student, befriends a classmate with an investment-banker boyfriend, Jack Wimmer (Peter Sarsgaard). Victor meets Jack, and they instantly connect. Both are hard-core businessmen from two different sides of the legal fence. When Jack offers Victor a piece of the action on the stock market, he sees his ticket out of the violent streets of the South Bronx and jumps at the opportunity. But there is a bigger price to be paid than clean money for his gorgeous new Soho lifestyle. For the first time, Victor is confronted with a price tag that he will find difficult to pay. Rated R for strong violence, pervasive language, drug content and some sexuality.

Enemy At The Gates Jude Law plays Russian sniper Vassili Zaitsev during World War II in this tense action drama. Ed Harris is his German opponent, Major Konig. Joseph Fiennes is the Russian propaganda officer Danilov, who promotes Vassili's exploits to inspire the demoralized Soviet army. Based on true events and people, audiences will find this different view of the war enthralling. In a somewhat unique move, English and American actors portray Russian and German soldiers fighting a strategic, but personal, battle for the Soviet city of Stalingrad. Like the film Saving Private Ryan, the war footage shows graphic and gory battle carnage as explosions and shootings are bloodily recreated. The film includes an explicit sex scene coupled with a few obsenities and moderate crudities. However the superb acting and subject matter make Enemy at the Gates a must see for mature audiences Rated R

Enough Jennifer Lopez stars in this story of a woman who's pushed until she has no place to run. Itseemed like a dream come true for Slim (Lopez) when wealthy Mitch Hiller (Billy Campbell) came to her rescue in the diner where she waited tables. But dreams have a way of turning into nightmares. After their daughter is born, Mitch grows more distant and Slim learns of his affairs. When she confronts him, he threatens not only physical abuse but also taking their daughter away. A lawyer advises her that a pending custody hearing for their daughter could be a deadly trap, so Slim decides she’s had enough physical and emotional abuse. This tense thriller, although predictable, especially appeals to women, but Lopez fans will swell initial audiences. Mitch justifies his affairs with archaic, chauvinistic reasoning that she shouldn’t complain because he provides Slim all of the luxuries. In true Neanderthal style, Mitch hits and beats Slim when she attempts to leave. The police are portrayed as ineffectual in protecting abused spouses. But a lawyer tells her she missed the opportunity for legal protection because she didn’t report the abuse. Their child is also subject to Mitch’s foul cursing of Slim as well as seeing her parents struggle during an attack. Audiences are subjected to several scenes of brutal violence as characters are punched, kicked and hit with objects. Viewers must contend with poor messages about legal protection for spouse abuse and planned retaliation, several obscenities and graphic brutality. Rated PG-13

Erin Brockovich Based on true events and a real woman, Julia Roberts stars as the title character. Outspoken, twice divorced, with three young children and a limited education, Erin has little going for her, except determination. With virtually no legal experience, except for losing a traffic accident case in court, Erin talks her way into a job at her lawyer’s office. Attorney Ed Masry, played by Albert Finney, assigns her to organize a simple real estate case file. But medical records in the case file arouse her curiosity. Further investigation puts Erin in the middle of a major, groundwater contamination suit between a small community and a major utility company. It takes all of Erin’s charm and Ed’s legal knowledge to hold the people’s trust until the case goes to court. An inspirational David and Goliath tale for modern times, Erin’s story is worth cheering. Erin approaches people truthfully, although sometimes bluntly. But she shows intelligence and tenacity in bringing truth to light. Although the job creates family stress, Erin does her best to be honest with her children. George, played by Aaron Eckheart, a seasonal construction worker living next door, also helps care for the children and becomes a love interest for Erin. One scene implies a sexual relationship develops. Erin’s clothes emphasize her physical charms which she uses to her advantage. But our major complaint is dialogue, filled with over fifty obscenities, and many strong profanities, which degrades a potentially enjoyable film. Therefore, Erin Brockovich earns a very objectionable rating. Rated R

Evolution David Duchovny, Orlando Jones and Seann William Scott are alien busters in this sc-fi comedy. Comparisons to Ghostbusters are inevitable since the same producer/director helms Evolution. Duchovny, who chases aliens as X-FILES Agent Mulder, plays former Pentagon scientist Ira Kane. Due to pastproblems, Kane is relegated to teaching in an Arizona community college. Jones is his professorial colleague Harry Block who teaches geology and women's volleyball. When a meteor hits the Arizona desert, geologist Block takes Kane along for fun. But when they discover organic cells on the rock, visions of Nobel Prizes dance in their head. However, when the cells start growing and evolving into bigger, stronger and nastier aliens, survival of the fittest and fastest becomes the rule. Julianne Moore plays a klutzy doctor from Disease Control who joins the misfits in their battle to save the earth. Laughs are few and far between unless you happen to be fond of bathroom humor. While one main character credits God for success, the theory of evolution is portrayed as scientific fact in this film. Most of the humor is derived from sexual dialogue, bodily functions, or military and government bashing. Crude language, obscenities and sexual innuendo are almost non-stop. Rated PG-13

Extremedays Having graduated from Junior College, four lifelong friends decide to take a road trip, looking for a little adventure in their lives. So Corey (Dante Basco), Matt (Derek Hamilton), and brothers Brian (Ryan Browning) and Will (A.J. Buckley), pile everything into the car and head south to Mexico. Having received a call that threatens to end the trip, the guys head to Washington state for a family gathering. On the way, the group helps a stranded Jessie (Cassidy Rae), who ends up joining them for the trip. Making several stops along the way, the group does a little of everything: dirt biking, snowboarding, and mountain climbing to name a few. Extremedays, while lacking in story and characters, has plenty of loud music, extreme sports footage, and goofy moments with guys on the road. Objectionable content in the movie is negligible, with a few instances of crude humor that one might expect from four guys on a road trip. For lack of any objectionable content, Extremedays earns positive marks. Rated PG

F

The Family Man Nicolas Cage stars as Jack Campbell who left his girlfriend Kate, played by Tea Leoni, thirteen years ago. Now he’s at the top of the corporate ladder and planning a billion-dollar merger – on Christmas Eve. And planning a strategy meeting for Christmas day. But after he intercedes with an angry young man in a convenience store, portrayed by Don Cheadle, Jack wakes up in a whole new world. Rich, single, corporate giant Jack, finds himself with two kids, a dog, a mortgaged home in the suburbs and a blue collar job selling tires. And he’s been married to Kate for the last thirteen years. Makenzie Vega as Jack’s daughter Annie almost steals the show as she guides her befuddled father through his now, unfamiliar life. But as Jack learns the value of family love, he realizes what he’s missed; and what he’ll lose if he goes back to his former life. Marital commitment is even upheld as Jack turns down a neighbor’s offer of adultery. Unfortunately, good messages about family and marital fidelity are overshadowed by strong profanities along with several obscenities. Some may be offended when a dirty diaper’s contents are seen along with a baby boy’s urine fountain and genitals. And shower glass slightly distorts rather than obscures a female bather’s form. Sadly, this sentimental, romantic comedy is far from family friendly. Rated PG-13

Fast And Furious In the little used streets of nighttime Los Angeles, young men challenge one another to test the limits and abilities of their customized foreign import cars. And the illegal street races attract lots of supporters willing to share the high-octane party atmosphere. Dominic Toretto, played by Vin Diesel, is the current king of the “street rocket” crowd. But daredevil drivers piloting high-performance street cars are hi-jacking big-rig freight shipments right on the freeways. Paul Walker plays Brian, an undercover cop willing to take the high-speed risks to get close to Dominic and his ring of friends. With truckers vowing to take their own steps to stop the hi-jackings, Brian needs to discover who’s behind the truck thefts. But falling in love with Dominic’s sister as well as a growing friendship with Dominic seriously tests Brian’s loyalty to the law and his duty as a police officer. Teens and young adults will be drawn to the fast cars, fantastic stunts and rockin’ sound track. While the dialogue includes a lot of obscenities and a few strong profanities, street racing is heavily glamorized. Young drivers may find it hard to resist imitating the high-energy racing scenes. The flick is also fueled by images of alcohol use and abuse, implied promiscuous sex and questioning loyalties. Rated PG-13.

The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas Mark Addy, Stephen Baldwin, Kristen Johnston and Jane Krakowski make a stone-age double date in this second Flintstones comedy that tells how Fred (Mark Addy) and Barney (Stephen Baldwin) meet and marry Wilma (Kristen Johnston) and Betty (Jane Krakowski). Hard workers at the local rock quarry, Fred and Barney are startled when an small alien from outer space appears and informs them he has come to earth to observe the mating rituals of humans. He tags along with Fred and Barney to the town of Bedrock where they meet Betty and Wilma, waitresses at the Bronto King restaurant. The two couples then take off on a gala excursion to Rock Vegas and a plush casino where Fred is determined to win enough money to buy Wilma a big ring. Their comical escapades are enhanced by colorful, prehistoric animals, carnivals and musical numbers. To baby-boomers, the Flintstones are favorite cartoon memories they can now share with their children. It is disappointing that the theme features an alien coming to earth to observe mating rituals, even though that theme is rather subdued. Thankfully, no sexual activity spoils the film. However, mating rituals and sex are referred to on a few occasions in a naive, comical manner. The loyal friendship shared by Barney and Fred is commendable, as is the message that gambling can be disastrous. Mildly suggestive content earns The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas a very questionable but acceptable rating. Rated PG

Final Destination II In this sequel, Kimberly Corman (A.J. Cook) has a premonition of disaster before pulling her car onto the highway; she vividly sees a chain-reaction accident. As police officer Thomas Burke (Michael Landes) tries to coax her to stop blocking traffic, the accident unfolds before their eyes, killing three of Kimberly’s friends and several others. But the people behind her on the entrance ramp seem to have been spared by Kimberly’s roadblock. A year earlier, a group got off an airplane due to a premonition of disaster, and all but one systematically died soon after. The lone survivor, Clear Rivers (Ali Carter), comes to help Kimberly and Officer Burke protect the rest of the car-crash survivors, who appear to be the next targets on Death’s list. Final Destination 2 picks up where Final Destination left off, and the gruesome, graphic violence continues with impalings, decapitations and the like. Rated R

Finding Forrester You can’t judge a book by its cover, nor should you assume a person’s potential is governed by environment. Newcomer Rob Brown plays 16-year-old Jamal Wallace, a star basketball player, voracious reader and budding writer. On a dare, he sneaks into the apartment of a man his friends call ‘The Window,’ because he watches them play basketball from his top-floor window. But when he’s surprised, Jamal leaves a backpack containing his personal journals, in the apartment. He’s even more surprised when the backpack is returned with teacher-like corrections and notes on his journal writings. Thus begins his relationship with Pulitzer Prize winning author William Forrester, played by Sean Connery. At the same time, because of high scores on an academic test, as well as his basketball talent, Jamal is offered a scholarship to a prestigious prep school in Manhattan. F. Murray Abraham portrays his English professor, who doubts a black athlete from the Bronx is capable of the high quality reflected in Jamal’s written assignments. Finding Forrester features superb, Oscar-worthy acting and an inspiring story. It’s a shame such an uplifting story can't be told without numerous obscenities and strong profanities in the dialogue. Rated PG-13

Finding Nemo Pixar animation and Disney collaborate in this delightful, family-friendly undersea adventure tale about two clown fish living in a giant sea anemone off the coast of Australia. A single father, Marlin (voice of Albert Brooks) has dedicated his life to protecting young Nemo. But one day, the energetic, excited little fish swims away from the coral reef into the sea, where he is captured by a diver. Nemo ends up in a dentist’s office aquarium in Sydney. Marlin is devastated and embarks on a long journey filled with danger, humor and miracles. Along the way, he is befriended by Dory (Ellen DeGeneres), a wacky, big-hearted blue fish handicapped by short-term memory loss. Little Nemo faces challenges as well in his new surroundings as he wins the hearts of his new companions, including a tough-talking angel fish named Gill (William DaFoe). Along with witty dialogue, beautiful scenery and high adventure are the positive themes of friendship, trust and love. All ages will find Nemo to be a special treat this summer. Rated G

Focus William H. Macy stars as Lawrence Newman, who gets a vivid lesson in prejudice in this powerful film. Set in a quiet Brooklyn neighborhood in the 1940’s, the anti-Jewish propaganda of pre-World War Two Germany finds fertile ground across the Atlantic as some of Newman’s neighbors begin to attend racist meetings and talk about expelling the Jewish shop owner on the corner. Lawrence knows its wrong to accuse individuals of things simply because of their race and quickly ends up in the middle of the neighborhood racial conflict since he’s sympathetic to the Jewish shop owner. To make things even more complicated, Lawrence starts getting harassed himself, primarily because his new bride looks Jewish. While his heart is in the right place, fear keeps Lawrence from taking any action, a choice that has potentially devastating consequences. As philosopher Edmond Burke once noted, the only thing needed for evil to succeed is for good men to do nothing. In a historically true but mistaken thought process, some supposedly Christian characters justify their acts by wrongly blaming all Jews for the crucifixion of Jesus. But the major objectionable element in the film is foul language as God’s name is used in vain several times. However, this lesson about prejudice is one everyone should learn.Rated PG-13

The Four Feathers A. E. W. Mason’s 1901 novel, set in Victorian England at the height of the British Empire stars Heath Ledger in this current remake as young, handsome British Lt. Harry Faversham, newly engaged to Ethne Eustace (Kate Hudson). When Harry, a reluctant soldier, hears his regiment will be sent to fight militant Arabs in the Sudanese desert, he resigns from the army. His act disgraces his military father and shocks both his friends and Ethne. Three of his comrades and Ethne give Harry four white feathers, symbolizing cowardice. To redeem himself, Harry finds his own way to Sudan, determined to save lives of his best friend Lt. Jack Durrance (Wes Bentley) and fellow soldiers. Disguising himself as a desert Bedouin, Harry’s quest for redemption puts him in far greater danger than he ever imagined. Many intense battle scenes could overpower the poignant love story and gorgeous photography for some, but this epic story of loyalty and discovering courage will inspire many. Naive Harry finds himself alone and lost in the desert. Abou Fatma (Djimon Housou), a black giant of a man both physically and spiritually, appears out of nowhere to become Harry’s savior, stating that God put Harry in his way. Along with prayers for favor over their enemy, God’s providence of help and safety underlies several scenes. Reflecting the Victorian setting, The Four Feathers has little objectionable language or sexual content, although some bare male rears are briefly seen in a barracks shower. The horrendous battles and graphic beatings seem more intense than necessary but without some brief sexual content and more gruesome scenes of warfare, this adaptation of a historical novel could be recommended for older teens and adults.
Rated PG-13

Frailty On a dark and stormy night at FBI headquarters in Dallas, a strange man saunters in claiming his brother is the notorious ‘God’s Hand’ serial killer. Fenton Meiks (Matthew McConaughey), then proceeds to tell FBI agent Wesley Doyle (Powers Boothe) his story from the beginning. As the movie flashes back to Fenton (Matthew O’Leary) as a boy, we learn he grows up in a motherless house with his younger brother Adam (Jeremy Sumpter) and his widower Dad (Bill Paxton). Life is fine until Dad receives a ‘vision from God’ that the family will become demon hunters. ‘God’ eventually provides the weapons, and the family begins to kidnap and kill demons’ masquerading as people. Fenton eventually connects his family’s actions with more recent killings, but that is only the beginning of this chilling horror story. Fraily, while somewhat bizarre and incredibly grim, is an intense and entertaining thriller from first time director/actor Bill Paxton. The film surprisingly refrains from gore, with very little violence actually seen on camera. All but one killing are implied by sounds. However, the film also adds to the list of productions that cast a negative light on religious believers by making them apparently insane killers. Unfortunately, some vulgar language occurs near the end of the film, which further weakens Frailty . Rated R

Frequency Dennis Quaid stars as Frank Sullivan,a family man and fireman in Queens, New York, who dies fighting a warehouse fire. Jim Caiezel plays his son, John, who grows up to be a policeman with an interest in ham radios. Playing with his radio one night during a freak electrical storm, John accidentally hears his father, who’s apparently alive in a parallel universe. Since his father is still alive in another dimension, John tells him how to avoid being killed in an upcoming fire, which occurred in John’s universe in his past. As they have more conversations over time, this strange and puzzling condition brings on a whole string of fast moving, exciting happenings. Audiences will find it challenging to follow the complex events which take place simultaneously in two different universes. But, tense action and the caring relationships in the Sullivan family make this an enjoyable experience. However, some very intense scenes involve fierce hand to hand fighting, chases and shooting, but none of the violence is gratuitous or excessive. Based on the latest scientific concepts of multi-universes and time travel, the communication between John and his father does not appear to be an occultic contact with the spirit of a deceased person, since both men are alive. Primarily a science fiction fantasy, it could, however, raise some theological questions. The only serious flaw is the use of many mild and moderate crude words, as well as a number of obscenities and profanities, which earns Frequency a moderately objectionable rating. Rated PG-13

Frida Salma Hayek stars as controversial Mexican artist Frida Kahlo in this biographical drama. When a bus accident confines young Frida to a body cast for months, she pours her energy into sketching and painting. Despite the doctors’ predictions, Frida’s strong will overcomes her injuries and she walks again. However, the pain remains with her the rest of her life. To help pay the medical expenses, Frida takes some of her paintings to famed muralist Diego Rivera (Alfred Molina) to see if they are good enough to sell. Rivera recognizes her talent, but he’s also drawn to Frida. Soon he’s not only introduced her to his Communist and Socialist friends, he’s asked her to marry him. Their stormy marriage, highlighted by affairs by both, lasts twenty-five years until her death, although they lived in separate houses joined by a rooftop bridge. When Leon Trotsky (Geoffrey Rush) flees Stalinist Russia, he and his wife stay with Rivera and Frida. But an affair with the free-spirited artist forces a move to another house where Trotsky is killed. This passionate presentation of Kahlo’s life gives insight to the surrealistic images in her works. Art lovers will undoubtedly embrace Hayek’s performance. Unfortunately, Frida’s amoral sexual life is also graphically presented. Rated R

From Hell After turning Washington Irving's fictional New England schoolteacher, Icabod Crane, into a detective for Sleepy Hollow, Johnny Depp plays another fictional detective on the trail of real-life serial killer, Jack the Ripper. When prostitutes are brutally murdered and mutilated in the White Chapel district of London, Inspector Abberline (Depp) is placed on the case. Known for having psychic visions of crimes before they happen, Abberline begins to investigate the murders. He utilizes a friend of the victims – Mary Kelly (Heather Graham) and a retired surgeon – Sir William Gull (Ian Holm). The dark and gloomy sets of From Hell capture the mysterious, foggy look of late 19th century London. Johnny Depp does a tremendous job of bringing his character to life, and while the tension is not as high as it could be, the movie turns out to be a solid mystery and thriller. A couple of graphic scenes depict women getting their throats cut along with other killing scenes where only the bloody knife is shown. In addition, one graphic sex scene includes motions and female breast nudity. Some foul language occurs as well, most notably numerous uses of the non-Victorian f-word. With graphic violence, explicit sexual content and vulgar language, viewer discretion is advised. Rated R

G

Get Carter Sylvester Stallone stars as Jack Carter in this remake of the 1971 Michael Caine film. After hearing of his brother’s death in a drunk driving accident, Jack Carter (Sylvester Stallone), a mob enforcer in New York, travels to Seattle for the funeral. But when he gets there, he begins to suspect foul play. Through renewed relationship with his niece and his search for his brother’s killer, Carter hopes to attain a measure of redemption for past mistakes. A decent premise and a solid cast, but Get Carter lacks the story development and has several scenes of simply laughable dialogue. Carter wants justice for his brother’s murder, although his brand of justice tends to be of the vigilante type. His reckless style leads to many fights and beatings. While no actual killing is shown on camera, a few dead bodies are shown in the aftermath. There’s little to no sexual content, so extensive violence and foul language earn a very objectionabel rating for Get Carter. Rated R

Ghost Ship Jack Ferriman (Desmond Harrington) tells Captain Murphy (Gabriel Byrne) and his salvage boat crew about seeing an ocean liner adrift in the Bering Sea near Alaska. Partnered with Maureen Epps (Julianna Margulies), Murphy leads the most successful salvage crew in the region. But they discover the ship is the Antonia Graza, which hasn’t been heard from since 1962. And once aboard, the salvage crew finds strange clues that the ship is more than can be seen. And the discovery of gold bars in cargo magnifies their possible income. But Epps sees a young girl that warns her about the ship, but it’s too late for the crew. And Ferriman takes on a whole new aspect. Ghost Ship will bring out the horror fans, and no doubt, upset the cruise industry, but scares are mild. Like many horror films, some scenes feature gory sights. In this case, a support wire snaps and slices a dance floor full of people into separating body parts. Arms, torsos and heads fall apart in a bloody mess. A sultry singer lures one of the salvage crew and drops her dress. But as he moves toward her nude body, he passes through her and falls to a gruesome impaling. Another gross scene involves two crewmen sampling canned food that initially tastes good, but quickly turns to maggots in their mouth. Along with the gore, nudity and communication with the dead, the dialogue is awash with obscenities and profanity. With little love on this boat, Ghost Ship is a moral derelict. Rated R

The Gift Oscar winner Cate Blanchett plays Annie, a woman with the gift of psychic visions, in a small Louisiana town. Recently widowed, Annie is attracted to school counselor Wayne Collins, played by Greg Kinnear. But he's soon to be married, until his fiancee' turns up missing. Annie is asked to help find the woman, which leads to a mystery involving Keanu Reeves as a wife-beating husband. Slowly but surely, the mystery unfolds as Annie puts together the pieces glimpsed through her gift. A well-acted, intense thriller with plenty of creaky floors and things lurking behind half-open doors, The Gift will attract both mystery and horror fans alike. Annie sees vision, whether asleep or awake, and appears to have spirits of dead people who talk to her. But Annie is also a religious person who frequently attends church, which could seem to legitimize a practice spoken against in the Bible. Several scenes, particularly of a dead woman, show breast nudity and one sexually suggestive scene also includes nudity. Numerous obscenities and strong profanities are used, but graphic violence, including burning bodies and profuse bleeding, seems the worst offender. Rated R

Gladiator Russell Crowe, Joaguin Phoenix and Richard Harris star in this return to the Roman Colosseum in this epic story. After the bloody defeat of the German Gauls, Roman General Maximus, played by Crowe, dreams of retiring to his home and family. But Emperor Marcus Aurelius, played by Harris, has one more duty for him – succeed him on the throne. Marcus’ son, Commodus, played by Phoenix, however, hastens his fathers death, assumes his title and sentences Maximus to death. But he escapes only to be captured as a slave. Oliver Reed, in his final role, plays the former gladiator who teaches Maximus that only by winning over the crowds can he overcome the Emperor's power. Leading gladiators as he once led his army, Maximus becomes a famous and popular attraction until Commodus challenges him on the arena sands. Like many dramatic films of historical events, Gladiator takes “poetic license” with historical accuracy but maintains a semblance of reality. In the film, Maximus is an honorable man who prays daily to his gods, believes in an afterlife and desires to be with his family. But he’s also referred to as Rome’s greatest general, a trained soldier and warrior who engages in fierce battles. The battles are graphically depicted melees with gory and gruesome killings. Equally gory are the gladiator battles as blood flows freely in the Colosseum. Focusing on physical battles and revenge, the film avoids most other objectionable material. While some characters show redeeming values, the excessive gore depicted in Gladiator earns a thumbs down and a moderately objectionable rating. Rated R

The Glass House Leelee Sobieski plays 16-year-old Ruby, whose world is shattered by the death of her parents in a car accident. She and her brother Rhett (Trevor Morgan) are taken into the care of Terry and Erin Glass (Stellan Skarsgard and Diane Lane), former neighbors and friends of their parents. Moving from their Los Angeles valley suburb to the fabulous Glass house in Malibu takes quite an adjustment. Ruby finds the glass walls and lack of privacy even more disturbing. But clues turn more sinister when she learns of her parent’s large estate and Terry’s debt to a loan shark. Although it begins with an air of mystery, the story quickly becomes a fairly standard escape plot. Teens may identify with the young star, but The Glass House will reflect poorly with older crowds. Like many teens, Ruby seems disrespectful of adults, parents in particular, when around her peers. Crude terms and a few strong profanities are scattered through the dialogue. . Despite the voyeuristic possibilities of a glass house, nudity and sex scenes are avoided. A few bloody injuries from a car wreck are shown along with some scenes of drug abuse. Although largely devoid of major objectionable content, The Glass House leaves much to be desired.Rated PG-13

Glitter There's no gold here, but lots of sparkle for young fans of singer Mariah Carey. In a story vaguely autobiographical, she stars as Billie Franklin, who becomes a famous pop star when D.J. Dice (Max Beesley) discovers her. They fall in love, but don't live happily ever after. Glitter’s many musical numbers will enthrall mostly pre-teen and teenage girls, more sophisticated viewers will soon forget its flimsy plot. In spite of Billie's exposure to the seedy side of show business, she remains unpolluted by the prevalent liquor, drugs and sex. When she and Dice fall in love, however, they become sexually involved and she moves in with him. In one scene of obscured sex, followed by the two in bed, she confesses that this is a new experience for her. Billie wears revealing outfits because "sex sells," and many scenes of near nudity abound along with numerous suggestive dance moves on-stage. Many crudities also tarnish the dialogue. While Glitter tries to emphasize fame's downside, star wannabes won't be discouraged. Parents may be tempted to approve of Glitter, but should exercise strong caution.Rated PG-13

Gone in 60 Seconds Retired car thief ‘Memphis’ Raines (Nicholas Cage) finds himself back in his old profession for one last heist. But jail is the least of his worries. When his younger brother Kip (Giovanni Ribisi) fails to deliver on a job for dangerous criminal Raymond Calitri (Christopher Eccleston), Memphis is forced to re-gather his old crew and steal fifty cars in only one night. Memphis reconnects with Sway (Angelina Jolie), an ex-partner and lover from his criminal past, as well as his father-like mentor, Otto Halliwell (Robert Duvall). And if stealing fifty cars in 12 hours weren’t enough, Memphis’ old police nemesis Detective Castlebeck (Delroy Lindo) is hot on his trail. Based on a 1970’s cult classic, this newest action flick from producer Jerry Bruckheimer has all the pieces to make it a crowd pleaser. Although the action is exciting and the previews enticing, for concerned parents the overarching question is how the car thieves are portrayed. This movie really walks a tightrope as it encourages the audience to pull for the thieves to accomplish their mission. If they fail, an even worse fate befalls young Kip. Having recognized the danger and walked away from crime, Memphis very reluctantly goes back to his former profession only after he realizes his younger brother will die if he does not deliver. Despite the message that theft is wrong, the actual stealing of the cars comes off as fairly easy and glamorous. The film also includes more than its share of foul language. Rated R

Gosford Park Lady Sylvia (Kristen Scott Thomas) and Sir William McCordle (Michael Gambon) invite an eclectic group for a weekend of shooting at their elegant English country estate of Gosford Park. Among the guests is Lady Sylvia's aunt (Maggie Smith), whose stinging remarks veil her desperate financial situation. A handsome film star (Jeremy Northam) arrives with his friend, Morris Weisman (Bob Balaban), an American film producer. Meanwhile, the visiting maids and valets struggle to blend with the household staff, strictly supervised by the housekeeper (Helen Mirren). Suddenly the superficial gaiety is interrupted by a murder, and dark secrets emerge. Set in 1932, this slice of life from a bygone era depicts the struggle of the haves and the have-nots to maintain their dignity as their pretentious world begins to deteriorate. Among Sir William's few admirers is head maid Elsie (Emily Watson), who is having an affair with him. And cold, bored Lady Sylvia finds the American's handsome, young valet (Ryan Philippe) a challenging conquest. In a brief scene, Maid Dorothy (Sophie Thompson) and the butler (Alan Bates) are seen, partially obscured, having sex, but no nudity occurs. Scenes of the victim's crumpled body and a man shot in the ear don't focus are not graphic but the dialogue is laced with a few obscenities and profanities. Rated R

Gossip Popular young stars Joshua Jackson, James Marsden, Lena Headey and Kate Hudson lead the cast in this story of a college experiment run amuck. For their journalism class, three roommates decide to track the growth and development of a rumor. After seeing Naomi, played by Hudson with boyfriend Beau, played by Jackson, together at a party, the three decide to start a rumor that they had sex during the party. Although Naomi's chaste views on sex are well know, it isn't long before the rumor soon spreads out of control, and Beau is arrested for date rape. As other secrets are uncovered, no one can be certain of the truth. With all of its twists and turns, Gossip makes for an exciting and suspenseful movie that will attract older teens and young adults. Since the initial rumor involves a sexual relation, references to sex are quite common, and various characters graphically describe specific sex acts in one scene. Pictures of scantily clad women are shown as well but nudity is avoided. Seven s-words and one f-word further pollute the dialogue. While this film avoids some of the more common objectionable elements like explicit sexual encounters or graphic violence, foul language earns Gossip a more than slightly objectionable rating. Rated PG-13

H

Hannibal Anthony Hopkins reprises his role as Hannibal ‘The Cannibal’ Lecter, a deranged psychopath with a penchant for eating human flesh. After escaping the institution for the criminally insane, Lecter has managed to stay out of the limelight for ten years. Gary Oldman plays Mason Verger, Hannibal’s only surviving victim, who uses his vast fortune to track the elusive doctor. But Verger also plans to use FBI agent Clarice Starling as bait to lure Hannibal out of ‘retirement.’ Julianne Moore takes over Jodie Foster’s Oscar nominated role as Clarice. While the first film featured a tense, disturbing atmosphere, Hannibal highlights a darkly amusing and witty comic vein. Like his recent hit Gladiator, director Ridley Scott fills gruesome and gory scenes with copious amounts of blood. Scenes include a graphic disemboweling and a bloody scalping prior to disgusting views of a brain. Sexual content and foul language are surprisingly minimized. But stomach-turning scenes of graphic violence should remove anyone’s appetite for seeing Hannibal and earn an extremely objectionabel rating. Rated R

The Hunted In this action film, retired deep woods tracker and warfare instructor L.T. Bonham (Tommy Lee Jones) teams up with FBI agent Abby Durrell (Connie Nielsen) to find a killer who is targeting deer hunters in the Pacific Northwest. The clues suggest that it’s Aaron Hallam (Benicio Del Toro), a former student of Bonham’s and a master at camouflage and knife play. Bonham is the only one qualified to track him, since he taught him all his moves. Hallam is wiping out the hunters because he hates them for killing animals for sport. Bonham finds Hallam’s hideout and inside a Bible open to the passage in Genesis where God commands Abraham to kill his son, Hallam’s apparent justification for his killings. The chase continues from the back woods to the big city as master and student try to outsmart each other. Due to the graphic, excessively brutal violence and foul language, Preview cannot recommend The Hunted. Rated R

Happy Accidents For entertainment, comfort and laughs, Ruby Weaver (Marisa Tomei) and her single girl friends share details of their mostly miserable dating life in New York City. After Ruby meets Sam Deed (Vincent D'Onofrio), seemingly by accident, her friends' stories pale in comparison. After a series of weird incidents and mis-matched comments, Ruby isn't sure whether Sam is really an adventurous "back traveler" from the year 2470, as he claims, or a charming mental patient. Should she follow her heart or her therapist (Holland Taylor), who advises Ruby to get out of the relationship? HAPPY ACCIDENTS cleverly blends science fiction with romantic comedy into an audience pleasing tale. Ruby and her friends openly share details about their love affairs, or lack thereof. They joke about quizzing prospective dates to make sure they aren't "Jesus freaks." Sam and Ruby become sexually involved after their first date, and he soon moves in with her. Friends loosen Sam's tongue about his mysterious life at a beach party where they drink heavily and smoke marijuana. That, coupled with several obscenities, and a sad disrespect for religion make Happy Accidents not so happy.Rated R

Hardball Keanu Reeves plays compulsive gambler Connor O’Neill who, due to a recent wager owes two different men a total of $11,000. A friend offers to pay the debt on the condition that Connor coaches an inner city little league baseball team. Desperate for money, Connor agrees but neither the team nor Connor realizes the profound impact each will have on the other. Based on a true story, HARDBALL tells an inspirational story that tends toward overt emotionalism as it tries to pull viewer heartstrings. The young boys on the team are terrific actors, although there’s been quite a bit of controversy regarding their portrayal. However, while strong themes abound, the film suffers a significant penalty from the amount of foul language, particularly spoken by the children. Not all of the kids have foul mouths, but a few can’t seem to get a sentence out without an s-word or some moderate crudity. Hardball would be far more inspiring without hitting toward the foul lines.Rated PG-13.

Harrison’s Flowers Veteran photographer Harrison (David Strathairn) is sent to cover a violent outbreak in Yugoslavia. He leaves behind two young children, wife Sarah (Andie MacDowell), and a desire to give up this dangerous lifestyle to spend more time with his family. Several days later, Sarah receives word of David’s death in the war-torn country, but refuses to believe it based on a mysterious phone call she receives the night before. Holing herself up in her house, she refuses to see anybody and stays glued to the television, waiting to see an image of Harrison. Her obsession grows, until she finally gets his traveling bag, recovered some time after his death. This prompts her to travel to Yugoslavia and track down her husband or his body. While a solid and well-acted story, it lacks a commanding screen presence or overwhelming emotion needed to attract big audiences. The film shows great respect and honor for civilian news photographers who risk their lives to illuminate stories in far off lands few people would otherwise be aware of. One scene portrays an innocent man graphically shot in the head. In another, photographers come upon a bus filled with presumably innocent, dead civilians. While none of the violence is glorified or exploited, Harrison’s Flowers does include vulgar language with a smattering of obscenities and a few strong profanities. Rated R

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Director Chris Columbus continues the Harry Potter movie series with this sequel to the enormously popular original film released in 2001. In this dark fantasy, Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) set out to destroy an evil force contained in the chamber of secrets within Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. They encounter many frightening opponents including giant spiders and grotesque creatures but are befriended by Hogwarts’ headmaster, Professor Dumbledore (Richard Harris, who recently died), and the school’s ground keeper, Rubeus Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane). The film’s spectacular visual effects and action are impressive, but its 161-minute running time and underlying darkness are a bit trying. The sequel is more frightening and violent than the original. And the lighting scheme is dark with daylight hardly ever shown. Harry and his friends’ wizardly powers are portrayed favorably without any reference to their evil nature. Rated PG

Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone Based on the best-selling novels by J. K. Rowling, the highly anticipated film version of Harry Potter is a visual extravaganza. As an infant, orphaned Harry is left on the doorstep of his aunt and uncle. But on his eleventh birthday, Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) receives a real surprise. Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane), the giant groundskeeper at Hogwarts School of Magic, visits to tell Harry he’s a wizard and take him off to the boarding school for witchcraft with fellow students Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermoine Granger (Emma Watson). The young actors are delightful and the story moves briskly. The special effects, especially for the ‘soccer on broomsticks’ game of Quidditch, dazzle. Although some scenes may be too scary for the under-10 group, audiences will definitely be wild about this Harry. For the secular world, Harry has many good messages about bravery, courage and friendship. It even comments about the power of sacrificial love. And with its young cast, the film is virtually free of sexual material and bad language. Some mild and moderate violence occurs, such as sports roughness and property destruction. But along with the learning of incantations, potions, wand waving and broomstick riding, Harry includes other elements which the Bible clearly warns against. More disturbing is the concept of an evil wizard’s spirit co-habiting another’s body. It will be difficult in most families, Christian and secular alike, to deny their children’s desire to see the film, but witchcraft, conversing with the dead, and possession should make parents think twice about allowing their youngsters to watch a film that portrays witches and wizards as good. Young minds that sit under the spell of this popular film cannot help but be adversely affected. Rated PG

Hart’s War Bruce Willis stars as Colonel William McNamara in this WWII action-adventure, set in a German prisoner-of-war camp. Young Lieutenant Tommy Hart (Colin Farrell), the sheltered, law-student son of a politician, gets thrown into the brutal setting of the POW camp. McNamara, who chafes at being away from the battlefront, has men secretly digging an escape tunnel so they can blow up a nearby munitions plant. McNamara plans to stage their escape while the Germans are distracted by the bogus court-martial of a black “Tuskegee Airman,” falsely accused of murdering a vocally racist American prisoner. To keep the flyer from being executed, Hart, who represents him in the trial, proclaims himself guilty. But when the tunnel cover-up is discovered, McNamara must weigh the lives of Hart and all his men against destroying the munitions plant. With the recent success of Black Hawk Down and other war-themed films, Hart’s War may prove popular. Although the movie is dramatically authentic in its visuals, the fictional story seems unreal, as it displays personal convictions that seem, in some ways, foreign to the time frame. Examples of heroism are displayed by all the characters, but frequent obscenities and strong profanity, along with some overly graphic violence make Hart’s War questionnable.Rated R

Head of State In this comedy, Mays Gilliam (Chris Rock) becomes a local hero after rescuing a lady from a building that is about to explode. His publicity draws the attention of a political party that has just lost its presidential candidates in a midair collision. They recruit Mays who, at first, follows the advice of his campaign manager Martin Geller (Dylan Baker) and adviser Debra Lassiter (Lynn Whitfield), giving boring speeches on nonissues. But his brother Mitch (Bernie Mac) advises him to speak from the heart, and his speeches begin to take on a different tone. All the while, Mays’ obnoxious exgirlfriend (Robin Givens) keeps trying to get back with him because of his new-found fame. This film is entertaining in places, but it is generally poorly written and acted. Due to racist comments, sexually suggestive dialog, vulgarity and some rough language, Head of State is not recommended. Rated PG-13

Head Over Heels Art restoration specialist Amanda Pierce, played by Monica Potter, has been unlucky in love. And when she catches her current boyfriend in bed with another woman, she looks for a new place to live. She ends up with four supermodels in an apartment that overlooks the neighboring apartment of handsome Jim Weston, played by Freddie Prinz, Jr. There’s an obvious attraction between Jim and Amanda, but she’s been burned too many times to try making a match. But with encouragement and a makeover by her roommates, Amanda tries playing with fire once more. Just when things seem to be going well, Amanda sees Jim apparently commit murder. Is he the nice guy next door or a psycho killer? Amanda and the models decide some sleuthing is in order before she goes on the next date and what turns up takes everyone by surprise. The dating crowd will enjoy this tongue-in-cheek look at fashion supermodels and falling for more than what’s on the surface. But this PG-13 story is not for young audiences. Numerous sexual references are made and premarital sex is encouraged. Voyeurism is a major player, particularly when the models tell Amanda they watched her sexual encounter with Jim. Head Over Heels should cause parents some concern.Rated PG-13

Heartbreakers Sigourney Weaver and Jennifer Love Hewitt are a mother-daughter team that use sex to con men out of money. Weaver is Max, who tempts men to the altar by refusing sex until the wedding night. After the ceremony, Hewitt is daughter Page who tempts the husbands into a compromising situation that leads to divorce with hefty settlements. Ray Liotta plays first victim Dean Cumanno, who earns his fortune using stolen parts to fix cars. But the final big score for the duo is tobacco billionaire William Tensy, played with a repulsive smoker's cough by appropriatly named Gene Hackman. But Page decides to strike out on her own with handsome bar owner Jack, portrayed by Jason Lee. Page doesn't count on actually falling for Jack, and Max's con is complicated by Dean, who's come to win her back. This hilarious spoof on love and money targets those not easily offended as it does have explicit sexual humour. A male nude statue, used to bring Max and Tensy together, appears several times in closeups with many comical remarks about its "attributes." Some slapstick violence includes Max trying to disable Tensy with hits to his head. Max cheats her daughter out of her share of a divorce settlement as the mother-daughter duo compete for winning the next "trophy" husband. Obscenities, crude sexual humour and Heartbreakers’ lack of morals should cause parents some conern. Rated PG-13

Hearts In Atlantis Set in the 1950s and based on a Stephen King novel, this film has a lot more heart than horror. Bobby Garfield (Anton Yelchin), desperately wants a bicycle for his 11th birthday, but bitter, widowed mom Elizabeth (Hope Davis), gives him an adult library card instead. Ted Brautigan (Anthony Hopkins) a mysterious stranger, has just moved into the upstairs apartment and quickly perceives Bobby's disappointment. As Ted befriends the lonely boy, Bobby wonders why Ted is afraid of men in flashy cars and how he mysteriously appears to rescue Bobby and Carol Gerber (Mika Boorem), Bobby's classmate and best friend, from danger. Much more powerful than apparent supernatural powers is the gift of love Ted gives his young friend, which inspires Bobby to overcome resentment and fear. Bobby draws strength to rescue an injured Carol from one of Ted's stories about persevering. Even self-absorbed Elizabeth learns her son is a blessing and not a stumbling block. Several crudities, an obscenity and one regular profanity slightly mar the dialogue. But with no gratuitous violence or sexual elements, this movie is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.Rated PG-13

Heist Chameleon-like thieves, led by aging Joe Moore (Gene Hackman), orchestrate elaborate scenarios to perform daring gold robberies in this intense action film. The team includes Joe's young beautiful wife, Fran (Rebecca Pidgeon), his partner Bobby (Delroy Lindo) and Pinky (Ricky Jay). Danny DeVito plays Bergman, their ruthless fence. Joe and Fran plan to retire until Bergman forces them to perform one more job, accompanied by his nephew Jimmy (Sam Rockwell). Jimmy’s obvious attraction to Fran creates even more tension. Writer/director David Mamet’s sharp, witty dialogue, intricate plot details and puzzling conflicts require rapt udience attention, but Heist will disturb those tired of glamorized lawlessness. Viewers are expected to sympathize with Joe and his loyal team who are very willing to maim and kill. While most killings occur off-camera, vicious beatings, intense gun battles, kicks to groin, stomach and back are difficult to watch. A prolonged, gory closeup of one gunshot victim's bloody head is particularly graphic. Massive property destruction with explosives and crowbars while breaking into safes, buildings and airplanes occur frequently. Filthy dialogue muddles the film while, no surprise, adultery and criminal behavior are glorified. Sex is implied once when Jimmy rips Fran's dress off, but viewers only see her bare back Heist’s use of violence to entertain, filthy language, and glamorization of crime make this flick one to sit out.Rated R

Here on Earth Aimed at teenaged audiences, this touching love story stars Chris Klein as Kelley, a confident, rich kid about to graduate from an exclusive prep school. On a joyride through the country in his graduation gift Mercedes, Kelley and his friends stop at a roadside diner. Leelee Sobieski plays Samantha, a waitress who attracts Kelley’s attention. But Samantha’s boyfriend, Jasper, played by Josh Hartnett, jealously challenges Kelley to a car race. The race ends in a crash that sends the diner up in flames. So Kelley, along with Jasper, is sentenced to help rebuild the diner over the summer. And Samatha finds herself torn between love for Kelley and loyalty to Jasper. In spite of its saccharine sweet, tear-jerking ending, teenagers and parents could find Here on Earth worth the admission price. As Kelley evolves from a cocky, smart aleck to a caring, unselfish young man, he faces buried feelings of insecurity, loneliness and grief before he can understand how much richer Jasper and Samantha are because of their loving families. It is heart-warming to see a family reflect a deep faith in God as they face a loved one's eminent death. Strong feelings between Samantha and Kelly lead to one scene of implied sex and later, sex is very obvious in a bedroom scene but no nudity is shown. Six obscenities plus the teenager’s bedroom scene spoil the film's powerful pro-family themes and earn Here on Earth, a slightly objectionable rating. Rated PG-13

High Crimes Ashley Judd, Morgan Freeman and Jim Caviezel lead the home team in this story about covert operations, government cover-ups and military trials. High profile criminal lawyer Claire Kubik (Judd) suddenly and unexpectedly discovers her husband Tom (Caviezel) is really a fugitive from military justice. Out of her legal element, Claire seeks the help of former military lawyer and recovering alcoholic Charlie Grimes (Freeman). As Claire and Charlie seek to free Tom, they discover that the truth lies somewhere in the middle of a covert operation cover-up. Fans of Perry Mason and television’s J*A*G won’t be disappointed and the star power should have plenty of box office pull. Scenes of the shootings and dead bodies in San Salvador are disturbing but not overly graphic. Although a reformed alcoholic, Charlie falls off the wagon to get information and slides heavily into the bottle. One scene in a hotel room shows prostitutes in their underwear and later, Claire’s sister (Amanda Peet) is shown wearing little more than a military jacket, implying sexual relations. The major disappointment, as is too often the case, is vocabulary that includes many obscenities and some strong profanity. Rated PG-13

Highlander: Endgame Christopher Lambert and Adrian Paul combine forces in this action-fantasy that tries to blend the film and television series. Connor MacLoed, played by Lambert, and Duncan MacLoed, played by Paul, are members of the same Scottish clan. But they also share the bond of immortality, unable to die unless decapitated. Throughout the centuries, as Immortals duel one another, the loser is decapitated and his "life force" transfers to the winner. Over 400 years ago, Connor killed the priest who raised Jacob Kell, played by Bruce Payne, another Immortal. Now, Kell seeks revenge on Connor by killing those Connor cares for and Duncan is on the list. Who will be the one to survive? Mainly fans of the film and TV series will make the effort to care. In keeping with the fantasy legend, the film is filled with sword fights, beheadings, and a few gruesome deaths for the Immortals to recover from. One graphic sex scene with nudity is also included. Although raised by a priest, Kell is obsessed with revenge. He also wears three silver crosses on the heal of his shoes. Duncan expresses hope in forgiveness for past errors and tells Kell that "revenge nevers brings redemption." Graphic and sometimes gruesome violence, graphic sexual content and a few obscenities earn Highlander: Endgame a more than moderately objectionable acceptability. Rated R

Holes This wonderfully imaginative drama, based on Louis Sacher’s award-winning novel, is about likable teenager Stanley Yelnats IV (Shia LaBeouf). He is falsely convicted for a theft and sentenced to 18 months at Camp Green Lake, a youth detention camp in the middle of the West Texas desert. Stanley’s father (Henry Winkler) blames his family’s problems on a 150-year-old curse by a Latvian gypsy (Eartha Kitt). At the camp, Stanley and his fellow inmates are forced to spend every day digging holes by the scary warden (Sigourney Weaver) and her cruel right-hand man Mr. Sir (Jon Voight), who are hoping the boys find the hidden treasure of legendary bank robber Kissin’ Kate Barlow (Patricia Arquette). Other than the witchcraft element, the film’s themes of friendship, forgiveness and self-respect are refreshing. Rated PG

Hollow Man Kevin Bacon plays egotisitical scientist Dr. Sebastian Caine in this update if H.G. Wells "Invisible Man." Aided by a team that includes Elisabeth Shue as fellow scientist and former lover, Dr. Linda McKay, Caine succeeds in making animals disappear and reappear. But will the formulas work on humans as well? Apparently not. Dr. Caine, after injecting himself, doesn't react the same to the reappearance formula and fades away again. But he's beginning to like the power invisibility gives him and will do anything to hold onto it. Amazing computer-generated special effects help audiences “see” Caines’ transformation and growing sense of omnipotence. Part mad scientist horror thriller, part love triangle, young crowds will probably make a strong showing for Hollow Man. But the film is filled with bloody, graphic acts of violence and the supposedly genius scientists spew almost 100 obscenities and regular profanities like proverbial longshoremen. Caine also enjoys voyeurism, watching women undress, as well as undressing some. He also spies on McKay's affair with a collegue. And the transformations are fasinating lessons in anatomy as internal organs, muscles and veins appear and disappear. Some brief scenes of male organs, at least the internal structure, are also included. Rated R

Hollywood Ending Woody Allen writes, directs and stars in this comedy about Val Waxman,a neurotic film director trying to make a comeback. Teá Leoni is Ellie, his ex-wife who is now engaged to Hal Yeager (Treat Williams), a major film studio head. Although divorced, Ellie still recognizes that Val is the best director for Hal's new movie about New York. Because Val is from New York, Ellie argues that he could make the film blindfolded. Although reluctant, Hal gives in and hires Val. But Val doesn't need a blindfold. He suddenly goes blind. When no physical cause is found, Val is diagnosed with psychosomatic blindness caused by mental trauma. However, Val hasn't done well in pictures since his Oscar win ten years ago and this may be his last chance for a comeback. With the help of his agent and the Chinese translator for his cameraman, Val tries to hide his problem. When Ellie finds out, she tries to help Val keep up the charade. But how will a picture made by a blind director turn out? Woody Allen fans may enjoy the humorous behind the scenes activity as he displays his typical neurotic character. Others may find Hollywood Ending nothing more than another Allen film starring with a young blonde. Although it takes place with film industry characters, both Val and Ellie are living with others and pre-marital relationships are taken as normal. Val's therapist eventually believes the blindness is based in Val's need to reconcile with his estranged rock musician son. Along with several discussions about sex, one scene features an actress in skimpy underwear who offers to do anything sexual for the director. Although no obscenities are heard, numerous profanities punctuate the dialogue. This film is typical Allen fare - mis-guided messages about sexual relations and profane dialogue. Rated PG-13

Hollywood Homicide In this action comedy, aging homicide detective Joe Gavilian (Harrison Ford) and his very young partner KC Calden (Josh Hartnett) are called to investigate the homicide of four rappers at a hip-hop nightclub. They discover the motive behind the shooting is that the band was seeking to break its contract with their recording label. Both Joe and KC have other jobs besides police work. Also a realtor, Joe talks on his cell phone to real-estate clients while chasing suspects. KC is a yoga instructor who teaches a class to about 20 attractive women, and he also has acting aspirations. Ford and Hartnett do not have great chemistry together, and the film’s humor is weak, at best. “Hollywood Homicide” is not a film that can be recommended due to violence, a casual treatment of premarital sex, a few racial slurs, and some rough language. HHH

The Hot Chick Head cheerleader Jessica Spencer (Rachel McAdams) and 30-something Clive (Rod Schneider) have swapped bodies after Clive puts on one of Jessica’s magical earrings. McAdams’ character poses as a Mexican gardener in racist, tasteless scenes, which include her hearing Dad talk about bedroom intimacy with Mom. Schneider’s character poses as a janitor who hangs out in the boys’ locker room and hears sexually suggestive talk with homosexual innuendos. Jessica and her best friend April (Anna Faris) plot to change Jessica’s body back. Lewd sexual humor with homosexual content reigns as Jessica learns to cope with a male body in public restrooms and at sleepovers. Meanwhile, Clive uses his new curvaceous body to secure a job in a strip joint where he performs as a pole dancer. On the positive side, Jessica chooses to abstain from sex with her boyfriend because the time isn’t "right," but The Hot Chick is nothing more than a repulsive, vulgar attempt at humor. Rated PG-13

The Hours Based on the Pulitzer Prize winning novel by Michael Cunningham, this romantic drama tells the respective one-day stories of three women: author Virginia Woolf (Nicole Kidman) in 1923, a Los Angeles housewife (Julianne Moore) in 1951, and a New York City editor (Meryl Streep) in the present day. All three troubled women are linked together by Woolf’s novel, Mrs. Dalloway, and each faces depression, contemplates suicide, and serves as a caretaker for a loved one. The Hours is Oscar worthy with intense, believable performances by Kidman, Moore and Streep. Major themes are homosexuality and suicide, with Ed Harris playing an AIDS-stricken man who has lost all hope, a lesbian relationship that involves women kissing women, and two characters taking their own lives. The film’s mood is dark and depressing. The acting is tremendous, but The Hours presents a sympathetic and disturbing view of homosexuality and suicide. Rated R

How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days In this romantic comedy, Benjamin Barry (Matthew McConaughey), a handsome advertising executive, makes a bet with his boss that he can get a woman to fall in love with him in 10 days. Meanwhile, Andie Anderson (Kate Hudson), a fashion magazine columnist across town, has made a bet with her coworkers that she can get a man to dump her in 10 days, employing the dating no-nos committed by women too anxious for a man in their life. When the two of them are set up in a bar, the trouble begins. They soon get more than they bargained for when they realize that they are falling in love. Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson have great on-screen chemistry in this chick flick. Unfortunately, it has its share of objectionable elements, including quite a bit of foul language, frequent discussions about sex, and several references to male genitalia. Rated PG-13

Hulk Acclaimed Oscar-winning filmmaker Ang Lee portrays the man/beast from the hugely popular Marvel Comics series in this anticipated Sci-Fi action film. When a costly mistake almost kills a colleague, scientist Bruce Banner (Eric Bana) saves his life by blocking deadly gamma radiation. Bruce soon experiences blackouts and strangely realistic nightmares. Meanwhile, a massive creature destroys his laboratory and home. Bruce’s girlfriend, Betty Ross (Jennifer Connelly), starts to suspect that Bruce’s repressed feelings may be connected to this beast. Then Bruce’s father, David (Nick Nolte) resurfaces after a 30-year disappearance, muttering vague warnings and threats. He admits that he used his son as a guinea pig for illegal experiments, and then sends his dogs to attack Jennifer. The Hulk comes to her rescue. But the military, led by Betty’s estranged father, General “Thunderbolt” Ross (Sam Elliott), apprehends Bruce, while rival researcher Glenn Talbot (Josh Lucas) tortures him for a sample of his DNA. Unable to contain The Hulk, the army sets out to kill him. Rated PG-13

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I Am Sam Based on true events, Sean Penn plays mentally challenged Sam. After his daughter is born, Sam’s wife abruptly walks out, leaving him to care for the child completely on his own. Fast-forward the calendar. Lucy (Dakota Fanning), now almost seven, lives happily with her father. However, when one of Lucy’s friends complains that Sam hit him, Lucy is taken away by social services. Faced with the prospect of long-term separation from his beloved daughter, Sam seeks help from high-priced lawyer Rita Harrison (Michelle Pfeiffer). At first unwilling to help, Rita eventually takes his case for free and, in the process, receives a much-needed lesson in parenting herself. The acting in this film is top-notch, with Pfeiffer maybe giving the best performance of her career. Penn is completely believable as the handicapped Sam, and young Dakota Fanning hits all the right notes, particularly in her scenes with Penn. The film’s major objectionable content is strong profanity, with God’s name used in vain most spoken by Rita in her hurry to get from place to place) and one strong obscenity. Foul vocabulary is all that mars what should be a thought-provoking film for older teens and adults. Rated PG-13

I Dreamed of Africa Kim Basinger stars in this biographical drama as Kuki Gallman, a divorced, wealthy American socialite living in Italy. She marries Paolo Gallman (Vincent Perez) in Italy. As a young girl, Kuki's father told her wonderful stories about Africa, where Paolo grew up. When he inherits a large ranch in Africa, they leave a life of luxury to begin a new life on a rustic, neglected ranch in Kenya, along with Kuki's young son. Paolo prefers hunting and fishing with friends to helping with the ranch, so it's up to Kuki to transform the ranch into a beautiful, restful haven. I Dreamed of Africa has very little plot, although there are tense moments and even some tragedies, but the film is best appreciated by older teenagers and adults as the love story of a woman for her adopted country. The PG-13 rating is obviously based on a love scene between the married couple that includes brief rear male nudity and side breast nudity. A lion attacking the family dog, Kuki and her mother lost in the jungle, and animal victims of poachers provide some tense moments and gory views. At two funerals, there are no references to God, but to the souls of the dead returning to nature in New Age mumbo-jumbo. Refreshingly, only a few crude words mar the dialogue. However, sexual content with brief nudity earn a slightly objectionable rating. Rated PG-13

I Spy Based on the ‘60s television show, I Spy follows the trend of re-imagining original productions. Alex Scott (Owen Wilson) works for the fictional spy agency BNS. When a truly invisible stealth bomber is stolen from the government, Scott gets the assignment to locate it. Arms dealer Arnold Gundars (Malcolm McDowell), to cover the sale of the plane, is staging an international boxing match in Budapest. So Scott will have to work with a civilian, undefeated boxer Kelly Robinson (Eddie Murphy). Robinson’s larger-then-life ego and flamboyant lifestyle clashes with Scott’s low-key undercover approach to spying. With the help of agent Rachel Wright (Famke Janssen), Scott and Robinson infiltrate Gundar’s palace and discover a common bond. Capturing the humorous interaction between the agents and mixing dangerous situations with an element of fun, I Spy will appeal to those with fewer memories of the TV series. Somewhat inept in love, Scott hopes for a sexual encounter with the attractive Rachel, based on a rumor from another agent. He equates the idea of a ‘stake-out’ with that possibility. Robinson, using spy equipment like a modern Cryano de Bergerac, coaches Scott through an attempted seduction. Rachel begins to undress but their interlude is interrupted. Numerous explosions, shoot-outs, fights and chases fill the screen to keep the action going. A common fight strategy includes kicks to the crotch. Along with the humorous banter between agents, the dialogue features frequent crude slang and obscenities. Check out cable TV nostalgia channels rather than the theater for I Spy. Rated PG-13

Ice Age Fresh on the heels of the 2002 Winter Olympics, Ray Romano, John Leguizamo and Dennis Leary lend their voices to this computer-animated story about an unlikely pre-historic trio. As the southern migration begins, Manfred (Romano), a woolly mammoth, seems to be going his own wrong way. Sid (Leguizamo) is a fast talking, lazy sloth left behind by his family to fend for himself. After angering two rhinoceros, Sid latches on to Manny as his protector, much to Manny’s dismay. When a human child is suddenly thrust into their care, Sid convinces Manny they should return the baby to his own tribe. Diego (Leary), a saber-tooth tiger, soon joins the pair. He has the skills they need to find the humans, but also hides ulterior motives for the child. As winter closes in, the trio races to find the one gap in the mountains used by human hunters. Humorous attempts by a pre-historic squirrel to hide an acorn provide slapstick interludes throughout the film. With comical sights and comments about various historical and fictional events, Ice Age will entertain kids from 10 on up. Sports enthusiasts will also enjoy laughable scenes of skiing, snowboarding and football with dodo birds. But younger audiences may find some scenes disturbing, such as the child’s mother disappearing In a river, an intense battle with Diego’s tiger pack, and cave drawings depicting men attacking a mammoth family. After one tense rescue by Manny, Diego comments that he’s never had someone risk their life to save him. Unlikely friendships, and the positive effect they can have make Ice Age a hit. Rated PG

The Importance Of Being Earnest Two dashing bachelors, Algernon Moncrieff and Jack Worthing (Rupert Everett and Colin Firth), have devised a clever way to dodge unwanted social and emotional commitments. Unfortunately and coincidentally, each presents themselves to different family members as “cousin Earnest.” When Jack falls in love with Algernon’s cousin Gwendolen (Frances O’Connor), and Algernon falls for Jack’s innocent 18-year-old ward Cecily (Reese Witherspoon), their lives become entangled in a comical web of deceit. Based on Oscar Wilde’s wildly imaginative, witty stage play set in 1890s England, The Importance of Being Earnest is a real summer treat for teenagers and adults fascinated with the Victorian era. What a tangled web Algernon and Jack spin when they pretend to be “Earnest.” However, they do suffer consequences and learn a great lesson from their deceit. In that era, the importance of being well bred was much greater than being honest. Algernon’s Aunt Augusta (Judi Dench) insists that orphaned Jack/Earnest find out who his parents were even though he lives in a country estate, has a townhouse and no unpaid bills. Implied by this story, it’s acceptable to be penniless if you know how to sponge off other people, which is what Algernon does. It’s all tongue-in-cheek, of course, and makes fun of the phoniness and shallowness of the upper class. Free of foul language, violence and sex, Earnest has some slightly sensual material. Witty dialogue and positive lessons complete with an incredible cast make this movie a sure hit. Rated G

The In-Laws In this romantic comedy, Angela Harris (Robin Tunney), wants a simple marriage with six people on the beach, but her over-bearing father, Jerry Peyser (Albert Brooks), is going out of his way to make the wedding something to remember. What he finds out when he finally meets the groom’s father, Steve Tobias (Michael Douglas), is more than he bargained for. Tobias, who is supposedly a copier salesman, is in fact a CIA-agent, involved in a scheme to sell a renegade nuclear submarine. Straight-laced conservative podiatrist Peyser is dragged kicking and screaming into a wild series of comical and exciting events with his out-going, globetrotting, flamboyant future in-law. Through their adventures, the quiet Peyser overcomes some of his insecurities, and the hard-boiled Tobias discovers his softer side. There are plenty of laughs and a great deal of secret agent action/thrills in this remake of the 1979 movie. Rated PG-13

Insomnia Al Pacino and Robin William star in this intriguing tale of murder in the Land of the Midnight Sun. Ace Los Angeles detective Will Dormer (Pacino) and his partner, Hap Eckhart (Martin Donovan), fly into a small, Alaskan fishing village to investigate the grisly murder of a teenage girl. When Will and Hap are chasing a suspect, reclusive writer Walter Finch (Williams), through a dense fog, Will accidentally shoots Hap, who dies at the scene. An intense, heart-stopping series of events follow as Will desperately tries to cover up his mistake, solve the case and deal with a vicious killer who taunts him with what happened in the fog. 24 hours of light in the Alaskan summer makes sleep impossible for the visiting detective, whose legendary case-solving skills begin to deteriorate with the deprivation. Ellie Burr (Hilary Swank), a young, dedicated local detective eager to learn from the master investigator, joins Will. Insomnia’s stellar cast, intricate plot and suspense demand viewers’ rapt attention. Will, already under investigation for tampering with evidence, rationalizes that the end justifies the means. However, when Ellie offers to destroy incriminating evidence, Will advises her not to follow that path. Law enforcement officers are portrayed as foul-mouthed, saturating the diague with numerous obscenities. The killer stalks Will, luring him into a series of life-threatening situations. A near drowning, brutal fighting and shoot-outs are very intense, but graphic descriptions of the teenager’s torture and killing give viewers insight into the killer’s demonic mind. The climactic confrontation between the killer and Will is particularly graphic and violent. With the exception of one brief glimpse of the murder victim’s nude body, Insomnia has little sexual content. Even with this stellar cast, discerning viewers will more than likely skip this flick. Rated R

Iron Monkey Hot on the coat tails of The Matrix and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, this 1993 re-release film begins as a mysterious hero hides his identity to battle corrupt officials and greedy merchants in China of the 1850s. Stealing gold from the government and leaving it for poor peasants at a metal idol earns him the name of Iron Monkey. When Wong Kei Ying (Donnie Yen) and his son, Wong Fei Hong (Tsang Sze Man), visit the city, their martial arts skills in a fight with street thugs gets them arrested, suspected of being the Iron Monkey. After the Iron Monkey rescues his son, Wong joins the masked hero in righting wrongs. The combination of athletic and ballet-like choreography in this martial arts film, along with a familiar tale, will intrigue both action fans and those looking for an entertaining story. Iron Monkey combines elements of good and bad. Although battling corrupt leaders, the hero must hide his identity and break laws. Some crude terms appear in the sub-titles along with one obscenity, but the frequent martial arts violence is occasionally more graphic than necessary. Sexual material is limited to some suggestive comments. Despite the more positive aspects of this story, parents should be aware of frequent battles and graphic violence. Rated PG-13.

The Italian Job An action, crime, and drama remake of a Paramount Pictures of a 1969 movie by the same name in which a band of thieves (each with their own special talents) pull a remarkable robbery in Venice, Italy by blowing a hole under a safe allowing it to drop into their possession. While making their escape, one of the members, Steve Frezelli (Edward Norton), turns on the others, steals the money and leaves his team for dead. In actuality only one member of the team is killed, John Bridger (Donald Sutherland), and the rest of the gang plans revenge on Steve by plotting to steal the money back using the same technique as they used in Italy - only this time the money is in an armored truck. Because of the poor moral message and offensive language throughout the movie, “The Italian Job” cannot be recommended. Rated R

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Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius In this fast moving, computer-animated fantasy, Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies team up once more, following their successful Rugrats franchise, to provide another fun, fascinating comedy-adventure for kids. Jimmy Neutron, a 10-year-old techno-genius, has all sorts of sci-fi techno-gadgets in his house and even makes contact with a hoard of aliens, called Yokians. But the aliens swoop down on his town of Retroville and abduct all the parents. Without parental supervision, the children go on a wild party spree, but soon come
to regret it and wish their parents were back. So, with the technical inventiveness of Jimmy Neutron, the kids build some rudimentary space ships and are off to rescue their parents. They end up doing battle with the Yokians and their monstrous, wrathful pagan god. The frantic action and battles are non-stop and include some scary monsters and circumstances which could be too intense for very young children. One crude remark by a young girl and a comical, suggestive quip by a robotic dog tarnish the dialogue, but the theme of children finding out the importance of parental love and care is very commendable. Rated G

Joe Somebody Tim Allen stars as Joe Scheffer in this story about standing up for yourself, even if you get knocked down. Since his divorce, Joe has plugged along modestly at his job as an audio-visual artist for a pharmaceutical company. When he confronts a larger, younger employee over a reserved parking space, Joe gets knocked down by the bullying co-worker But to make it worse, Joe’s daughter sees it happen. After a few days of drowning his sorrow and depression, Joe issues a challenge for a rematch with the co-worker. Even Joe is surprised at the results of this effort to reclaim his self-image as executives and co-workers shower him with attention and admiration. Jim Belushi plays a has-been movie star who teaches Joe some confidence building martial arts. But his worried daughter and a caring co-worker help Joe focus on the real battle. Despite the warmth and appeal of this story, the film includes frequent crude language and some strong profanity. Joe and his daughter having a loving relationship and he shows concern about her not following her dreams of creative writing. And, like many movie children, the daughter seems wiser than her parents. Although rated PG, it’s doubtful the more adult themes will even appeal to younger teens. The more wholesome story is encouraging, but the crude language and condoned drunken behavior send wrong signals. Rated PG

John Q John Q. Archibald (Denzel Washington) and his wife Denise (Kimberly Elise) are devastated when their much loved son, Mikey (Daniel E. Smith), collapses because of an enlarged heart and only a transplant can save him. John’s HMO refuses to pay for it, and the Archibalds try, but fail to raise the $250,000 needed. John, a desperate father, takes desperate measures when the hospital administrator (Anne Heche) denies his dying son the life-saving transplant. Feeling helpless and hopeless, John takes over the emergency room and holds the patients hostage, threatening to shoot anyone who tries to escape, but admits later he was only willing to kill himself so that his son could have a new heart. The film makes an intense, dramatic plea for reform of our nation’s medical insurance coverage with its bureaucratic paperwork and rigid regulations. The Archibalds obviously represent John Q Public, the innocent victims of a flawed system. Church-going, hard working and loving, John is willing to sacrifice everything for Mikey. His shocking attempt to force the heart transplant elicits sympathy from his hostages and the public, making John a hero, while police and hospital staff appear cold, indifferent and conniving. One hostage, who regularly beats his girlfriend, causes a scuffle in the ER, resulting in a bloody nose. Whilet he dialogue is peppered with several strong profanities and a number of obscenties, John Q is too good to pass up. Rated PG-13

Jonah: A VeggieTale Movie Already one of the best-selling video series for kids, the VeggieTale bunch take off on their first feature-length adventure on the big screen. On a dark and stormy night, well, at least sort of dark, Bob the Tomato and some Veggie kids stumble through the woods when their Veggie van breaks down on the way to a concert. The only place that seems to be open is the seemingly deserted seafood restaurant where they meet Larry the Cucumber and the lazy Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything. As they wait for the repair truck, the pirates share the strangest fish story they know, about Jonah. Jonah: A VeggieTale Movie is fun for the whole family, teaching lessons about compassion and mercy. Witty wordplay, references to pop culture and old movies will keep the adults laughing right along with the younger audience that likes the silly songs and slapstick action. There are a few tense moments that may upset very young children, like when Jonah faces the whale but, like you’ve always been told, Veggies are good for you. Rated G

Joshua Adapted from the novel by Catholic priest Joseph Girzone, Joshua is a fictional parable that opens with a stranger, named Joshua (Tony Goldwyn), taking up residence in a remote, rural American town. The mysterious newcomer soon gains friends among the townspeople with his friendly, caring ways and his ability to repair things. He also creates artistic sculptures from wood. Joshua also endears himself to the townspeople with insightful, profound comments on spiritual matters and becomes a close personal friend of a struggling, Catholic assistant priest (Kurt Fuller) and Maggie (Stacy Edwards), a local professional TV personality. But Joshua’s popularity disturbs Father Tardone (F. Murray Abraham), senior priest of the local Catholic Church, who sees him as misleading the people. When Joshua performs some astounding miracles, interest in the loving stranger intensifies. At Father Tardone’s request, Joshua travels to Rome to explain his teachings and miracles to the Catholic hierarchy. During that visit, revelations come to light that provide an astonishing ending to this engrossing story. Joshua admonishes a flamboyant, revival evangelist that only sincere prayer is needed to heal. During his visit with the Pope in Rome, Joshua encourages the Pontiff to continue telling the people to “love God and each other.” When the Pope asks Joshua who he is, his answer astounds the spiritual leader. An uplifting allegory, Joshua will inspire and intrigue viewers age 10 and older. Rated G

Josie and the Pussycats Based on the Archie comic book characters and a TV cartoon series in the '70s, Josie (Rachael Leigh Cook) forms a band with her friends Melody (Tara Reid) and Valerie (Rosario Dawson). Fate throws them into the clutches of ruthless promoter Wyatt Frame, played by Alan Cumming, who with partner Parker Posey as Fiona, the CEO of MegaRecords. manipulate teenagers into mass hysteria over music through subliminal messages buried in MegaRecords produced CDs. Will fame overpower Josie, Melody and Val or will their motto, "friends first, band second" prevail? Josie and the Pussycats is a fun, funny and lively experience aimed at teenagers. But there's nothing subliminal about the messages. Josie, Melody and Val learn the importance of friendship and being honest about who you are. Nevertheless, for all their wholesome attributes, these possible role models wear form-fitting clothes that leave little to the imagination. Interspersed throughout the dialogue are a few obscenities, crudities and a few sexually suggestive comments. Josie and the Pussycats does nothing to promote modesty or inoffensive language, but such is the case of virtually all current teen movies. Rated PG-13

Joy Ride College freshman Lewis (Paul Walker) jumps at the chance to pick up his old friend, Venna (Leelee Sobieski), and drive her home, since they come from the same hometown. On his way from California to Colorado to pick her up, Lewis gets word that his older brother, Fuller (Steve Zahn), is jailed in Salt Lake City, Utah and needs to be bailed out. Lewis picks up Fuller, but they soon get into trouble by playing a prank on a lonely trucker over their CB radio. They quickly find out that this trucker isn’t laughing as he begins to tail them on their journey. After adding Venna, things get progressively worse as the trucker continues his roadway harassment. Joy Ride provides a few surprises, but more than enough bad dialogue and ridiculous coincidences for any one movie. While it appears that Lewis and Fuller learn their lesson about playing pranks on people, plenty of objectionable content fills the film. Foul language is the chief offender, with frequent obscenities and moderate crudities. Combined with a scene of teenage drinking portrayed in a positive light, the objectionable elements take any pleasure right out of Joy Ride.Rated R

Jungle Book 2 In this Disney animation, a sequel to Rudyard Kipling’s classic Jungle Book, the boy Mowgli (voice of Haley Joel Osment) now lives in a village with a loving human family, but he misses his bear pal Baloo (John Goodman) and the freedom of living in the jungles of India. Mowgli sneaks away from the village one night, and his friend Shanti (Mae Whitman) and her little brother Ranjan (Conner Funk) follow him. They soon become lost, but Mowgli has a joyful reunion with Baloo and the wise old panther Bagheera (Bob Joles). Meanwhile, Shere Khan (Tony Jay), the vicious man-eating tiger, resumes his quest to destroy the boy. The lively music includes a few new tunes, "Jungle Rhythm" and "W-I-L-D," along with old favorites "Bare Necessities" and "I Wanna Be Like You." The Jungle Book 2 lacks a strong moral message but is nice, lighthearted entertainment. Without concern, parents can take young children, who will be enchanted by the music, comical antics of Baloo, and exciting adventures of Mowgli and his friends. Rated G

Jurasic Park III Sam Neill reprises his role from the 1993 original as paleontologist Dr. Alan Grant. William H. Macy and Téa Leoni play wealthy, adventuring couple Paul and Amanda Kirby who trick Dr. Grant into re-visiting the breeding ground for genetically-reproduced dinosaurs. But it's not the same island as before and upon arriving, Dr. Grant quickly discovers the couple are neither wealthy nor vacationing, but trying to find their lost son Eric (Trevor Morgan), who disappeared while vacationing on the island weeks before. Their rescue mission becomes a fight for survival as dinosaurs still rule the island. And Dr. Grant suspects they're also smarter than before. Those who want action-packed, summer fun with plenty of high-tech, special effects wizardry and panoramic cinematography will find it in Jurassic Park III. As with both predecessors, the main concern is whether the violence may be too severe for some younger teens and most children. With the exception of a few mild profanities, objectionable language is negligible. And with the emphasis on action, sexual content and nudity are virtually non-existent. But parents should particularly heed the film's tension and violence level, which could frighten younger children. Rated PG-13

Just Married Just Married is a romantic comedy that lacks both romance and comedy. The attempts at humor are based on slapstick, sexual references and flatulence jokes. Part-time radio traffic reporter Tom Leezak (Ashton Kutcher) and writer Sarah McNerney (Brittany Murphy) create sparks the first time they meet, but his blue-collar upbringing and her Beverly Hills roots don’t mix. Soon they are living together, and nine months later they marry and embark on a honeymoon to Venice. Sarah’s family strongly disapproves of the unsophisticated Tom, who clashes with spoiled, snobby Sarah as their trip turns into a "horrormoon." Complications and disagreements prevent them from consummating their marriage for days. Just Married may find favor with some teenagers and young adults, but its silliness will disappoint most mature viewers. The movie has many sexual references, some crude sexual behavior, continual slapstick violence and regular profanity and obscenities. Rated PG-13

Just Visiting Jean Reno and Christian Clavier repeat their roles of Count Thibault and his servant Andre for this American version of a French film comedy that appears to apply a reverse treatment to "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court." Count Thibault, a 12th century French knight, and Andre drink a wizard's potion that sends theminto a coma for 800 years to awaken in the year 2000. Patrons to the Chicago Museum of History are equally shocked when the display of French medieval artifacts comes to life. Christina Applegate plays Julia Malfete, soleheiress to the French estate that supplied the artifacts. After the foul-smelling knight identifies himself as one of her ancestors, Julia agrees to take the bizarre visitors into her home. And Thibault takes up the quest to find the wizard to send them back to the 12th century. Young teenagers may find some laughs in the crude behavior and bathroom humor of this fantasy comedy. Wizards transforming humans into grotesque figures, turning them into statues and restoring them are part of Just Visiting’s fantasy element. And a scary, fire-spitting dragon emerging from a witch's cauldron could frighten youngsters. Julia's scheming boyfriend, Hunter (Matt Ross), lives with her but carries on an affair with his equally scheming assistant (Bridgette Wilson-Sampras), who always exposes an abundant amount of cleavage. While Julia and Hunter are shown in the same bed a few times, the movie has no sex scenes or nudity. Crude bathroom humor, plus several obscenities and profanities help earn Just Visiting an objectionable rating. Rated PG-13

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K-Pax Oscar winner Kevin Spacey stars with Jeff Bridges in this mix of science-fiction, mystery and drama. Who is this man known only as Prot (Spacey)? Highly respected New York psychiatrist Dr. Mark Powell (Bridges) asks himself this question after examining Prot, who claims to be from the planet K-Pax where residents travel from planet to planet faster than the speed of light. Unable to solve the puzzle or diagnose his brilliant patient's mental status, the doctor calls in astrophysicists. Hoping they will refute Prot's story, Powell instead finds them astounded by Prot's knowledge of astronomy. Meanwhile, Prot bonds with other patients and promises to take one with him when he returns to K-Pax. Except for a disappointing conclusion, the film can be a worthwhile movie experience for teenagers and adults. According to Prot, there are no families on K-Pax and reproducing is a painful, unpleasant process void of any sexual desire. Workaholic Mark begins to see how bleak life would be without his wife and children. Prot also seems to understand the loneliness and fears of fellow patients, and draws them out of their mental isolation. A brief scene of a grisly murder and a violent reaction to a water sprinkler provide clues to Prot's background. Hypnosis as a diagnostic tool results in tragic consequences. Free of sexual content and nudity, K-PAX only disappoints in its use of obscenities.Rated PG-13.

Kate And Leopold Meg Ryan and Hugh Jackman are the title caharaters in this time-traveling romance. Kate, an ambitious New York advertising agency executive, has broken up with her brilliant but unemployed boyfriend, Stuart (Liev Schreiber). But Stuart secretly experiments with time travel and takes himself back to 1876 just as Leopold, is being pressured to marry for money. Stuart arrives just in time to pluck Leopold from the clutches of matrimony and transport him into the present. Charming, handsome and chivalrous, Leopold soon wins Kate's heart. As she unknowingly discovers the genteel manners of 1876, he discovers the truly 'future' mate intended for him. An old-fashioned love story with a twist of fantasy and a healthy helping of laughs, Kate & Leoppold delivers two hours of light-hearted entertainment for teenagers and adults. Chivalry returns as Leopold teaches his new-found friends much about trust and respect. He even coaches Kate's clueless, insensitive single brother on how to win the affection of a young woman by being a gentleman. The only slightly suggestive scene in this romantic, innocent love story shows a clothed Leopold and Kate asleep in bed together. Kate is enamored by Leopold’s respectful behaviour, which makes her cut-throat corporate world suddenly lose its appeal. Tainted with a few obscenities and several profanities, Kate & Leopold is a promising date movie. Rated PG-13

Keeping the Faith Edward Norton, Ben Stiller and Jenna Elfman star in this romantic comedy about two men of God, tempted by an old girlfriend. Brian, Jake and Anna are best friends growing up and when Anna moves away, the boys are devastated. But they grow up to become Father Brian and Rabbi Jacob. Despite their religious differences, the two remain best friends and each of their congregations find their methods unconventional. But Anna returns for a visit and she's now an attractive, successful corporate executive. Both of the single clergymen are attracted to Anna and a complicated love-triangle develops. All this leads to lots of laughs, as well as heartaches, in this unique look at faith, vows and love. The portrayal of two young clergymen having major moral weaknesses could be rather demeaning, but Rabbi Jake and Father Brian also have their commendable traits. Both men have a strong commitment to their faith, as well as a caring bond for each other. Unfortunately, Jake becomes involved in a pre-marital sexual affair with Anna, which is portrayed as acceptable. Some of the sexual content, while avoiding nudity, is still explicit. Both the clergymen and Anna occasionally indulge in crude and profane language and Brian is shown once drinking to excess in a bar. Sadly, the explicit pre-marital affair, offensive obscenities and profanities and suggestive sexual content spoil the moral quality of this amusing comedy and earn Keeping the Faith a moderately objectionable rating. Rated PG-13

The Kid Bruce Willis stars in this thought-provoking film that's aimed more at adults than children. Willis is Russ Durtz, a successful image-maker who helps public figures hide their flaws. But 2 days before his 40th birthday, Russ has to evaluate a life with no friends, no family, not even a dog. However, his self-assured cockiness is jolted by the appearance of an annoying, chubby little 8-year-old named Rusty, played by Spencer Breslin. They're mutually disgusted with one another when they discover Rusty is young Russ. As an 8-year-old, Rusty dreams of becoming a pilot, having a family and a wonderful dog named Chester. The boy is not pleased to see what a jerk he grows up to be. Russ has spent his adult life blotting out miserable memories of his childhood. There are many funny and poignant moments as the 40-year-old and 8-year-old clash, then bond. Adults will particularly enjoy this delightful film. The Kid deals with an adult who thinks he can forget his past, then learns to see himself through the eyes of a child. Once Russ accepts his past, he begins to appreciate and care for others. The Kid has a few crude words and regular profanities but amazingly avoids any sexual content. So with a warning about some rough language, The Kid is recommended for ages 10 and up. Rated PG

Kingdom Come As members of the Slocumb clan gather to pay their last respects to family patriarch “Bud” Slocumb, family friction gets even hotter than the summertime heat. Responsible son Ray Bud, played by LL Cool J, holds down a job and supports Lucille, his wife played by Vivica A. Fox. In contrast, Junior, Ray Bud’s younger brother played by comedian Anthony Anderson, recently blew his life savings on a faulty invention. And Jada Pinkett Smith as Junior’s wife, Charisse, is vocally mean-spirited and demanding, along with their out-of-control children that the family refers to as “demon-possessed.” Whoopi Goldberg is the family matriarch, Raynelle, who dispenses occasional pearls of wisdom to her varied brood. Although it attempts both outrageous comedy and heart-tugging drama, Kingdom Come never really succeeds at either, although it’s got a good heart. Most of the characters show respect for the church and believe in God. And a rousing, upbeat soundtrack is provided by gospel recording artist Kirk Franklin. The main message about embracing family and friends before it’s too late is well presented. And a speech by Ray Bud at the funeral, after the minister leaves with intestinal problems, helps heal some family wounds. When Raynelle recounts her salvation experience, she implies that her husband’s reaction was clearly negative. However, the characters talk about him being in Heaven, which implies a Universalism doctrine that all souls are saved. This doctrine ignores Biblical teachings on judgment and Hell. Although rough language is toned down, regular profanities and Universalism doctrine tarnish the reputation of Kingdom Come. Bottom line: hold onto your money and skip this one altogether. Rated PG

A Knight’s Tale Heath Ledger, the teen heart-throb from Australia who gained attention as Mel Gibson’s son in The Patriot stars as William Thatcher in this loose adaptation of an English classic by Geoffrey Chaucer. In fact, British actor Paul Bettany plays Chaucer, who becomes a key player in William’s rise to prominence. The son of an English peasant, William dreams of one day being a knight. But his humble origins make the dream almost impossible in the caste conscious world of 14th century Europe; a knight must show a noble lineage. But when his master dies in the middle of a jousting tournament, William seizes the chance to make his dreams come true. Borrowing the dead knight’s armor, William finishes the competition with a less than spectacular win. His co-servants are incredulous as William wants to continue the masquerade and compete across Europe. But loyally, they help him train. A chance meeting with Chaucer, who needs funds to pay a gambling debt, furnishes forged letter of nobility for William and Chaucer becomes a crowd-pleasing announcer for the knight-pretender on the rode to medieval sports glory and fame. But discovery of his humble roots may be his undoing. A Knight’s Tale is a real crowd-pleaser as it humorously mixes historical scenes with today's sports. Medieval peasant’s do ‘the wave’ with musical chants of ‘We will rock you,’ while armor is decorated with a popular ‘swoosh’ emblem. Surprisingly, many Biblical references are included in the dialogue. But some unnecessary nudity as Chaucer loses his clothes to gambling and a scene implying pre-marital sex as acceptable spoil this otherwise exciting story. Rated PG-13

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Left Behind [video] Kirk Cameron plays famous TV journalist Buck Williams inthe film production of the best-selling novel by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins. As enemy aircraft swarm over the border to destroy Israel and their bombs wreak havoc across the countryside, the aircraft begin to mysteriously explode in mid-air. Not long after the attack on Israel, the whole world is thrown into chaos as millions of people around the world mysteriously vanish, including the wife and son of airline captain Rayford Steele, played by Brad Johnson. Events throw Williams and Steele together on a search for the truth behind the mystery. Clarence Gilyard of TV's Walker, Texas Ranger, plays pastor Bruce Barnes, surprised to find himself left behind, who provides them with explanations and keys to unlock a sinister plot involving the charismatic U.N. ambassador, Nicolae Carpathia (Gordon Currie). Included in the mystery is former airline stewardess Hattie Durham, played by Chelsea Noble, known to both Buck and Ray, now working as Carpathia's assistant. Violence is not excessively graphic or exploitive and an implied affair between Ray and Hattie is portrayed as undesirable. Rated PG

Left Behind II: Tribulation Force Although it’s been two-years in production, the story picks up a week after the event of the first movie. Reporter Buck Williams (Kirk Cameron) meets with pilot Ray Steele (Brad Johnson) and Pastor Bruce Barnes (Clarence Gilyard) to figure out how to unmask United Nations Chancellor Nicolae Carpathia (Gordon Currie) as the anti-Christ. Ray’s daughter Chloe (Janaya Stephens) joins her father to help the effort, but also has a growing attraction to Buck. Nicholae plans to have the head Rabbi in Jerusalem announce him as the Messiah, to help unite the world into one religion. But two strangers have appeared near Jerusalem’s Wailing Wall with a different message. This exciting adventure is even better than the first story and will have many anxiously awaiting the next episode. Strongly evangelistic, the Gospel message of salvation is presented several times to different characters. The Jerusalem messengers recite Biblical passages about the Messiah. However, the announcement of the Messiah’s identity by the head Rabbi, may alienate Jewish viewers. While it avoids most of the objectionable material in today’s films, a few scenes contain graphic violence. Left Behind Ii: Tribulation Force will no doubt cause generate plenty of discussion. Rated PG-13

Legally Blonde Reese Witherspoon stars as Elle Wood in this "country mouse-city mouse" comedy. Elle seems the stereotypical California blonde air-head. But when dumped by Harvard bound boyfriend Warner (Matthew Davis), Elle puts together her own application to the Ivy League law school and surprisingly get accepted. Naturally, the West coast clashes with the East Coast, blonde versus brunette, as Elle competes for Warner's attention with his old girlfriend. And Elle proves that just because you're blonde doesn't mean you're a joke as she not only works hard to graduate with honors, but also proves herself in court. This ditzy blonde affair is a delightfully funny, goofy comedy that provides what this summer needs – simple entertainment. There's lots to admire in Elle as she earns highest honors in law school through hard work, refuses to break her word even when put under pressure from her superiors, and spurns advances from a law professor. Her compassion and willingness to help others eventually wins over faculty and students alike. However, Elle and her sorority sisters use crude slang terms for male genitals and sex when venting anger, although they avoid using f-words. Aside from vulgar language, Legally Blonde is sure to be a crowd pleaser .Rated PG-13

The Legend of Bagger Vance Matt Damon, Will Smith and Charlize Theron are the leads in this inspiring story about golf as a metaphor for life. Directoed by Robert Redford, Damon plays local golfing star Rannulph Junuh. Junuh leaves his Savannah home and sweetheart Adele, played by Theron, for the battlefields of World War One. Despite his valor in the war, he returns home haunted by the experience and turns to booze and poker to calm his nightmares. But when Adele plans a tournament to keep an inherited golf course out of greedy hands, Junuh is persuaded to join the competition. But years of battlefield depression and alcohol have taken away his "swing." Practicing at night by lantern light, Junuh is found by caddie Bagger Vance, played by Smith, who mysteriously appears to advise him. With humous assurances, Bagger helps Junuh recover his confidence, but will it be enough to save Adele's inheritance? Golfers will particularly relate to this movie, but it has enough humor, suspense and romance for those seeking an enjoyable, but predictable story. To get him to play in the match, Adele offers a sexual encounter to Junuh by disrobing down to her slip. In an earlier, brief bedroom scene, sex is implied between Junuh and Adele, although no nudity is shown. A few cases of strong profanity and obscenities occur, along with a number of mild and moderately crude words. Unfortunately, some offensive language and suggestive scenes spoil this uplifting film and earn a moderately objectionable rating. Rated PG-13

Life Or Something Like It Angelina Jolie stars as Seattle news personality Lanie Kerrigan, who seemingly has it all, the Mercedes convertible, the professional baseball player boyfriend, the spacious high-rise apartment, and a job opportunity for a national morning talk show in New York. However, on a routine interview of Tony Shaloub as ‘street prophet’ Jack, he tells Kerrigan she will die in less than a week. As this revelation gradually shakes Lanie out of her self-absorbed world, she finds the only person really interested in her is Edward Burns playing her co-worker and constant nemesis, Pete. As she begins to take stock of her life (and try to determine if Prophet Jack is legitimate), Lanie and Pete renew their former friendship and discover why life is worth living. An intriguing premise with some top-notch performers, the film languishes in predictability, clichés, and ultimately, ambiguity about Jack’s prophecy. With a few bright moments of humor, but mostly unsatisfying interaction, this film should make a quick trip to video. After Jack’s announcement, Lanie wonders how her life is meaningful, and attempts to make amends for past wrongs. Lanie makes positive changes in her life. Unfortunately, the film includes a bit of foul language and a strongly implied premarital sexual encounter. Rated PG-13

Little Nicky Adam Sandler plays the mixed up off-spring of Satan in this comical fantasy. Hell is like a mafia-family business and Satan's (Harvey Keitel) sons can't wait to take over. But dad plans to stay around, so the bad boys start "raising Cain" in New York City. Satan is forced to send his awkward, sort-of-nice son Nicky, played by Sandler, to bring his brothers home. Nicky's got a confused nature because his mother is an angel. While searching for his brothers, Nicky fall in love with Valeie, played by Patricia Arquette, and literally has to choose Heaven or Hell to be with her. Typical of Sandler's comedy, the film is an insult to the public's intelligence with irreverent, offensive sophomoric humor, but Sandler’s popularity will still attract a crowd. Reflecting a spiritually-confused, distorted view of Heaven and Hell, Little Nicky is filled with so many disgusting details it’s impossible to fit them all in this space. Sexually perverse jokes and torments appear in Hell. A demon-possessed mayor opens saloons to children who then drunkenly vomit on sidewalks. Ugly transvestites appear in lingerie and one man pulls a devil out of his nose. Angels are giggly schoolgirls. Numerous obscenities, crude terms for genitals and obscene gestures add to the revulsion. Despite any possible good intentions, targeting immature teenagers with its PG-13 rating, Little Nicky easily earns an extremely obbjectionable rating. Rated PG-13

The Little Vampire Jonathan Lipnicki stars in this adaptation based on a popular series of children's novels. While his father oversees the construction of a golf course on a Scottish estate, nine-year-old Tony Thompson, played by Lipnicki, and his family live in one of the estate houses. Tony has nightmares about vampires and vampire hunters. However, things get more interesting when Rudolph, played by newcomer Rollo Weeks, a real vampire his own age flies into Tony's room one night. Because his nightmares relate to a special amulet and a soon-to-appear comet that will let Rudolph and his family become human, Tony offers to help find the lost jewel. But a 20th century vampire hunter is also on the amulet's trail. It's a race to the finish in this action-comedy aimed at the pre-teen crowd. While some scenes play like episodes of "The Munsters" TV show, scarier scenes such as the opening nightmare and a chase through cemetery catacombs, reflect more traditional horror films. Other questionable scenes involve caskets with heart-staked corpses and mobs attacking a vampire couple. Like some popular TV shows, the film creates sympathy for "good' vampires. But film never seems sure of how to treat it's material. With scary scenes inappropriate for the intended young audiences, The Little Vampire earns a moderately objectionable rating. Rated PG

The Lizzie McGuire Movie Popular Disney Channel character Lizzie McGuire (Hilary Duff) leaps to the big screen in this teen comedy. She is a pretty but clumsy 13-year-old about to embark on a two-week trip to Rome with her classmates. Under the watchful eye of chaperone Miss Ungermeyer (Alex Borstein), one of the film’s funniest characters, Rome begins to look pretty tiresome until Lizzie catches the eye of Italian pop star Paolo (Yani Gellman). He convinces Lizzie to sneak out of the hotel and pretend to be a superstar to placate the record company and demanding fans. Insecure, awkward Lizzie gets a breathtaking tour of Rome. “The Lizzie McGuire Movie” is not mean-spirited like so many teen movies, and other than a few profanities, the film is wholesome, and earns a recommendation for family entertainment. Rated PG

The Lord of the Rings J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy world of Middle Earth comes to life in the first of three films telling the adventurous tale of one small group’s journey to turn back the overwhelming tide of evil threatening the world. Fans and newcomers to the fiction are given a brief introduction to the One Ring, its origin, its evil power and its discovery by the hobbit Bilbo Baggins (Ian Holm). Bilbo disappears, leaving the ring to his nephew, young Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood). Bilbo’s friend, the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen), discovers the true secret of the ring and starts Frodo on his eventful journey to destroy the evil-filled charm. The fellowship is forged as Frodo is helped on his journey by three hobbit companions, Gandalf and representatives of the elves, dwarves and men. But the spirit of the ring’s evil maker seeks its power, to once more rule the earth. This visually stunning film and enthralling adventure will capture audiences with its tale of bravery and friendship and make them care little about its three-hour length. In staying close to its source material, The Fellowship of the Rings includes scenes that are intense and sometimes scary. Medieval-type warfare with swords, arrows and battleaxes includes a few beheadings, bloody wounds and severed limbs.The splendid cast, visual effects of this adventure make it a must see. Rated PG-13

Lost Souls Winona Ryder and Ben Chaplin star in this tale of postponing the apocalypse. Ryder plays Maya Larkin, who, after attending an exorcism, learns the identity of a man destined to be possessed by Satan as the antichrist. However, when she tracks down Peter Kelson, played by Ben Chaplin, he does not believe her. But as odd things happen to him, Peter begins to realize he is targeted to become the antichrist. With the audience constantly wondering how Maya gets her information and why she believes so passionately in any of this, only Ryder fans and the curiouswill find interest in the film. The movie portrays demonic activity as evil, and characters fighting the evil recognize the inherent danger. The characters also rely on the power of God to help them overcome the powers of evil. But starting with a quote from Deuteronomy Book 17, which is not related to the Bible's Book of Deuteronomy chapter 17, puts the religious background on questionable footing. Several violent scenes occur, including violent seizures during exorcism and a few people being shot, although none of the scenes are graphic. Beyond the violence, the dialogue includes two f-words along with two regular profanities. Rated R

Love and Basketball Omar Epps and Sanaa Lathan star in this romantic look at relationships and sports. After the Wright family moves into an upscale neighborhood next door to the McCall family, eleven year old Monica Wright, later played by Lathan beats her new young neighbor, Quincy McCall, Epps plays the older Quincy, in a friendly game of basketball. But Quincy asks Monica to be his girlfriend anyway Thus begins a troubled romance which follows the young couple through high school, college and professional basketball careers. Audiences will likely find this story of a young black couple and their life’s adventures appealing. And it’s helped along by believable acting and a number of exciting basketball sequences. Shown as affluent black families, both the Wrights and McCalls are loving parents who teach their children good manners and encourage them to excel. And in spite of their disagreements, Monica and Quincy show love and respect for each other. However, they become involved in a fairly graphically depicted sexual encounter. The story implies that their sexual relationship is quite normal and acceptable. Refreshingly, the dialogue does not suffer from the incessan barrage of foul language prevalent in many films featuring predominantly black characters. But it does contain a number of mild and moderate crudities, obscenities and strong profanities. Sadly, the condoned pre-marital sexual relationship and foul language spoil Love and Basketball nd earn a moderately objectionable rating. Rated PG-13

Love's Labour's Lost Producer-director-actor Kenneth Branagh has created a light, breezy and unique production by blending one of Shakespeare’s lesser known comedies with 1930’s music and choreography. Set in 1939, the young king (Alessandro Nivola) of fictional Navarre, along with his three best friends, swears to give up women for three years and devote the time to studies of philosophy. But the arrival of the princess of France (Alicia Silverstone), and her three attendants, on a diplomatic mission makes keeping the vow impossible. Unable to resist the temptation, Berowne (Branagh) breaks his oath and sends a message to Lady Rosaline (Natasha McElhone). But he soon discovers he’s not alone, as each man has picked out a lady to love. Narration in vintage-style newsreels moves the story along while song and dance routines break up the Shakespearean dialogue. Familiar with vintage musicals or not, audiences will enjoy this unusual take on Shakespeare. Wrapped around the 1930’s era sensibilities with Shakespearean vocabulary creates a virtually offense-free production. Of course, in a play about love, some sexual references strongly hint at the physical attraction between men and women. And one dance number in particular graphically implies a sexual attraction as the dancers caress each other’s bodies. War violence appears in the newsreels but none is graphic. So, with a warning about one strongly suggestive dance number, Love's Labour's Lost can be enjoyed by teens and older viewers. Rated PG

Lucky Numbers John Travolta, Lisa Kudrow, Ed O'Neill and Tim Roth lead the cast in this dark comedy about tampering with the Pennsylvania state lottery. Travolta plays TV weather personality Russ Richards, who seems to have everything going for him. But an unusally warm winter means no sales at his snowmobile dealership and mounting debts. When his friend Gig, played by Tim Roth, suggests ending his money problems by rigging the state lottery at his TV station, Russ gives in. That means sharing the plot and the winnings with Kudrow as the 'lotto girl,' Crystal. But the plan takes a few detours and things get complicated. O'Neill plays the station manager who also wants a large piece of the action. And Crystal wants it all. This dark comedy has its humorous moments but chances are the box office numbers won’t be lucky. Although Russ seems like a good guy and does lot of positive community services, he also associates with Gig, the owner of a strip bar with criminal contacts. Scenes in the bar feature skimply clad dancers. Crystal is shown in bed a few times, implying sex, and one scene includes graphic sounds and motions. But over seventy obscenities combined with many regular profanities and moderate crude terms assault the ears. Lucky Numbers easily earns an extremely objectionable rating. Rated R

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Maid in Manhattan In this romantic comedy of mistaken identity, Marisa Ventura (Jennifer Lopez) is a hard-working maid at a first-class Manhattan hotel. She is a single mom determined to make life better for her 10-year-old son Ty (Tyler Posey) and for herself. Handsome politician Christopher Marshall (Ralph Fiennes) sees her in one of the hotel guest’s outfits, mistakes her for a glamorous guest and pursues her. Their relationship makes the front page of the tabloids, jeopardizing both his political career and her pending promotion. Will Christopher still want her when he discovers that she is a lowly hotel maid? Although a bit shallow and predictable, Maid in Manhattan treats motherhood positively through Marisa’s verbal affirmation of Ty and her struggle to give him a good home. These positives are matched by some negatives, including suggestive remarks by the maids, the rear view of a nude man locked out of his room, Marisa’s spending a night with Christopher in his hotel room, and regular use of profanity. Rated PG-13

The Man Who Wasn’t There In this throwback to the black-and-white, film noir classics of the 40’s and 50’s, the Coen brothers create a unique, although often bizarre mystery. Ed Crane (Billy Bob Thornton), a barber working for his brother in law, hears about a business opportunity from a visiting businessman. While Ed is skeptical at first, he eventually decides to invest in the store. But to get the money, he decides to blackmail his wife’s boss, Big Dave Brewster (James Gandolfini). Ed suspects his wife Doris (Frances McDormand) is having an affair with Big Dave. However, once the money changes hands, things begin to spin out of control for Ed. Especially when Big Dave finds out that Ed is the blackmailer. Most prominent of the objectionable content is foul language, with 25 strong profanities, but only one mild obscenity and several moderate crudities. One violent and somewhat gruesome scene, which earns the R rating, two people struggle and one of them ends up being stabbed in the neck. Rated R.

The Matrix Reloaded Spectacular special effects capture nearly every scene in this Sci-Fi thriller. This sequel to the “Matrix” takes place sometime in the future, when mankind creates artificial intelligence (AI) in machines. The AI machines procreate, producing a race of intelligent robotic beings. The machines and humans wage war against each other. When the machines gain the upper hand, they enslave the human race. This is where the story begins. A small group of humans have broken free of the Matrix, a form of mind induced slavery. One of the humans, Neo (Keanu Reeves), has the ability to shape the Matrix in ways that the machines cannot. Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne), Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss), and Neo strive to free the rest of the human race. This is the middle movie of what will be a three-part saga. The final Matrix movie is due out in November of this year. Rated R

Mean Machine When ex-soccer star Danny Meehan (Vinnie Jones) is sent to prison for drunk driving and assaulting an officer, the warden recruits him to coach the prison guard’s soccer team. But the chief guard also puts pressure on Meehan to reject the offer, so he can coach the team himself. With Meehan feeling pressure from both sides, he comes up with a compromise of coaching a team of convicts against the guards’ team. When everyone accepts, the real work begins. Not only must Meehan find men who can actually play soccer well, but he also has to navigate the jailhouse politics of the cons ‘in charge.’ The chief inmate is Sykes (John Forgeham), and Meehan must work with him to even get enough players to compete against the guards. Like 1974’s The Longest Yard, which this film strongly resembles, the film eventually leads up to the climactic game. Creatively shot and peppered with funny lines and physical comedy, the unfortunately short game provides the most enjoyment. Along with some humorous, but violent, encounters on the playing field, the film’s dialogue includes more than 60 obscenities and several moderate crudities. Rated R

Meet The Parents Robert Deniro and Ben Stiller lead the cast of Meet The Parents. Stiller is Greg Focker who's invited to meet his fiancee's parents. DeNiro plays Jack, the future father-in-law, an ex-CIA agent who tries to intimidate his daughter's boyfriends with lie detector tests and security cameras. But Greg's biggest hurdle is pretending to like Jack's pet cat. In a desperate attempt to gain acceptance, Greg bungles almost everything, from letting the cat accidently run away to breaking the urn with grandmother's ashes to nearly burning the house down. With lots of comical action, Meet The Parents is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Although Greg frequently lies to Jack, it's almost admirable the humiliation Greg is willing to endure to win the approval of Pam's father. He finally realizes that telling the truth might work. Greg makes comical remarks about being aroused, and Jack has great fun making remarks about Greg's last name. Nine regular profanities and six obscenities, along with sexually suggestive remarks and behavior earn Meet The Parents a more than slightly objectionable rating. Rated PG-13

Me, Myself & Irene Jim Carrey stars in this comedy from the Farrelly brothers who brought you There's Something About Mary. Carrey plays Rhode Island state trooper Charlie Bailygates, a 17-year veteran of the force. He serves his state with pride, helpfulness and a genuine love for people. But he buries anger and pain of his personal life deep inside, until it erupts in the form of Hank, Charlie’s schizophrenic alter ego. Unlike Charlie, Hank loves to express anger, so when Charlie’s superiors assign him to escort Irene Waters (Renée Zellweger) back to upstate New York, Hank is just waiting to come out at the slightest sign of trouble. Opposite personalities provide some hilarious scenes as Carrey fights himself for control and for Irene’s love. Me, Myself & Irene has blockbuster potential. Advertising clips include several funny slapstick and gross humor scenes that appeal to the “Jr. High crowd.” However, the R rating is well deserved and much of the content is sexually explicit. Among several violent scenes, a man’s thumb is graphically shot off. And foul language is considerable with almost 100 obscenities and God’s name used in vain a dozen times. Rated R

Men of Honor Cuba Gooding, Jr. portrays Carl Brashear who became the first black man to earn the Master Diver certification in the U.S. Navy. Robert DeNiro plays Master Chief Billy Sunday, the Diving Instructor who makes training even harder on the son of a Kentucky share-cropper. Set in the 1950s, as racial segregation is beginning to breakdown, this film explores the spirit of one man determined to earn his place among an elite crew. Although not strictly autobiographical, the story is based on the achievements of Carl Brashear, who served as an advisor to the production. In the early 1950s, the military still has a segregated mindset that saw black men as cooks and cleaners. But when Carl sees a Navy diver—Sunday—defy a commanding officer and risk his life to rescue another man, he knows he wants to be a diver. But with prejudice still strong in the elite group, Carl has to overcome more than the usual obstacles. An exciting and riveting story, crowds will cheer for Carl all the way. However, much of the objectionable language comes from “swearing like a sailor.” God’s name is taken in vain over 20 times. While drinking is shown, drunkenness is not condoned. An uplifting and inspirational story, Men of Honor rates a very objectionable rating for dishonorable language. Rated R

The Mexican Someone once said the course of true love never runs straight. And this could sum up this story. Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts are the romantic leads in this violent action comedy but have few scenes together and fewer are romantic. Pitt plays Jerry, a petty criminal who's got one last job to do for his mob-type boss, retrieve an antique pistol called 'The Mexican' from Mexico. But Roberts, as his girlfriend Sam, wants him either out of the business or out of her life. Once he gets the pistol, Jerry learns the weapon comes with a curse that appears to cause trouble for whoever has the gun in hand. That would be Jerry as he encounters numerous setbacks in returning to the States. And to ensure his return, Jerry's boss send a mob enforcer, played by 'Soprano' James Gandolfini, to kidnap Sam. While some may find this rocky road of romance humorous, others will be disappointed by the stars lack of amorous spark. The film also includes some gruesome and gory violence. One scene unnecessarily reveals a blood-gushing neck wound, while another gets up close and personal with a head wound. The enforcer admits to being homosexual and one scene strongly implies a sexual encounter with another man. Flooded with obscenities, profanities and crude dialogue, The Mexican definitely fails at acceptability. Rated R

Miss Congeniality Sandra Bullock takes a My Fair Lady turn in this hilarious, slapstick comedy about an undercover FBI agent infiltrating the Miss USA beauty pageant. Gracie is anything but graceful, except when using her martial arts skills to take out the bad guys. But when a terrorist threatens the pageant to be held in San Antonio, Texas, Gracie is reluctantly assigned the undercover role of contestant. It’s up to Michael Caine as beauty consultant Victor Melling to turn tomboy Gracie, who doesn’t even own a dress or high heels, into a lady-like competitor. Victor’s struggles and Gracie’s antics as a contestant are good for lots of laughs. And her talent portion of the contest is a real riot. Benjamin Bratt plays Gracie’s supervisor, Eric, who oversees her assignment and definitely likes Gracie’s new look. Eric and audiences alike will fall in love with Gracie. Unfortunately, this PG-13 comedy includes some strong profanity, as well as a number of comical sexual remarks and innuendoes in the dialogue. In one seemingly sacrilegious scene, Gracie blurts out “Jesus Christ” as a profanity, then comically prays for forgiveness. Although Eric subtly suggests a sexual affair, any on-screen activity is avoided. And some jokes are made about Victor being homosexual, but he denies the suggestion. A few scenes of Agent Gracie in action get a bit brutal, but rough language, especially using God’s name in vain several times, puts Miss Congeniality in the losing column. Rated PG-13

Mission: Impossible 2 Noted action-film director John Woo takes the helm in this exciting adventure as Tom Cruise plays Ethan Hunt, leader of an Impossible Mission Force team. The antidote of a deadly new virus has been stolen by renegade agent Sean Ambrose, played by Dougray Scott. Hunt must recruit Ambrose’s old girlfriend Nyah Hall, a professional thief played by Thandie Newton, to find Sean and stop him from stealing the virus as well. When Hunt decides to destroy the virus before it can be stolen by Ambrose, it becomes a race to get the virus from a secure bio-engineering laboratory. One of the highlights of the TV series was their elaborate plots using false faces and make-up to fool the bad guys. False faces are used several times in this film by both sides and sometimes even fool the audience. But the elaborate plots are largely replaced by elaborate and spectacular stunts. Massive shootouts, explosions, brutal, graphic hand fights and amazing vehicle chases exploit violent death and destruction to entertain. Sadly, the team concept also gives way to a one-man show, the team provides minimal support for Cruise’s character who could be exchanged for a double O number. Hunt and Hall are also shown in bed, strongly implying a premarital sexual encounter. When dialogue is used, it’s fairly clean, but does feature some crude language and a few obscenities. But the gratuitous, almost non-stop violence, sexual content and objectionable language give Mission: Impossible 2 an almost moderately objectionable rating. Rated PG-13

Mission to Mars In this intriguing, thought-provoking space adventure set in 2020 AD, a crew of NASA astronauts make it to the planet Mars. But when they are attacked by a ferocious, tornado-like force, contact with earth is lost. NASA immediately launches another spaceship, commanded by two experienced astronauts (Tim Robbins and Gary Sinise), to rescue them. However, serious ship malfunctions plague the trip as the astronauts struggle desperately to say alive and reach Mars. The film features plenty of action, excitement and special effects. Some of the action sequences in the story are intense, but not gratuitous. The film portrays positively the friendship, loyalty and emotions of the crew members as well as their willingness to sacrifice their lives for each other. In times of crises, crew members frequently blurt out mild crudities and profanities, but at other times show reverence for God, such as one astronaut (Don Cheadle) thanking God for sparing his life. A husband and wife astronaut team (Robbins and Connie Nielsen) kiss and dance intimately on the space ship, but no sexual content or nudity is shown. In typical science fiction fashion, some scenes portray the theory of evolution as scientific fact, which can mislead audiences. If not for this erroneous implication and several regular profanities, Mission to Mars could be recommended entertainment for all but young members of the family. Instead, it earns a slightly objectionable rating. Rated PG

Monkeybone Brendan Fraser stars as cartoonist Stu Miley in this bizarre comedy that combines live action with stop-motion animation. Stu draws the popular cartoon “Monkeybone” about an outspoken monkey. His personal life is also on the upswing as he prepares to propose to his girlfriend Julie, played by Bridget Fonda. But a freak accident puts Stu into a coma and he wakes up in a strange ‘middle world’ filled with unusual creatures that normally only populate his imagination. Neither dead nor alive, Stu must find a way out of ‘middle world’ and into the real world while dodging Whoopi Goldberg as the embodiment of Death. Complicating the situation, Monkeybone escapes from ‘middle world’ and takes over Stu’s real-world body and his relationship with Julie. While it has animated elements, this PG-13 film is definitely not for children. Numerous comic phrases deal with sexual innuendo and sexual slang. And a premarital relationship between Julie and Stu is presented as normal and acceptable. Several mythological gods inhabit ‘middle world,’ but these are fantasy characters along with other freakish creatures in Stu’s coma world and not subjects for worship. Some vulgar language coupled with the sexual content should cause parents some concern. Rated PG-13

Monsters, Inc. Disney and PIXAR Animation, the same team that produced the hit Toy Story films, have another family winner with Monsters, Inc. Set in a fantasy world of weird, funny and colorful monsters, the company takes pride in their slogan: “We scare because we care.” The company’s top scare performer is Sulley, voiced by John Goodman. A likable critter with blue fur, purple spots and horns, Sulley’s assistant is his feisty, wise-cracking friend and roommate, Mike, a green, one-eyed monster voiced by Billy Crystal. The monsters may scare kids, but it isn’t easy. They think children are toxic and must avoid touching them at all costs. A grand adventure gets under way when Boo, a small girl voiced by Mary Gibbs, takes a liking to Sulley and Mike. The monsters try desperately to avoid her until they discover she’s really harmless and even lovable. But try to explain that to the monsters at the plant when Boo finds her way into the factory. The action is non-stop in this fast-paced, hilarious and touching story. Monsters, Inc. is refreshingly free of any suggestive elements, foul language or crude humor. There are some comical, scary scenes and it’s filled with threatening chases, wild rides on a conveyor belt, some struggles and mild fights. Scenes where Mike and Boo are threatened by an ominous machine could upset very young children, but overall, a winner. Rated G

Moulin Rouge At the turn of the century, the famous Moulin Rouge nightclub in Paris inspired such artists as the diminutive painter Toulouse-Lautrec (John Leguizamo, and introduced the infamous Can-Can dance. Christian (Ewan McGregor), a young, idealistic, and a bit naïve, poet takes a seedy, boarding hotel room that overlooks the nightclub. Christian shares the building with Lautrec and a colorful troop of Bohemian performers putting together a musical production for the Moulin Rouge. Christian is coerced to write the script, as well as convince Satine (Nicole Kidman), the club’s show-stopping performer, to star. Opposites attract as the life-hardened, diamond-loving Satine falls for the poor, naïve Christian. But her past life as a courtesan for hire threatens to drive them apart. Part romantic tragedy, part musical comedy and full time melodrama, Moulin Rouge should attract a young audience with its kaleidoscopic, MTV-like camera shots and songs that spoof older musicals. Nightclub patrons and performers partake of heavy drinking, drugs and prostitution while the Can-Can dance reveals skimpy underwear. Other revealing costumes invite male stares while the female performers invite the men for later assignations. The film contains no explicit nudity or on-screen sex, however the dialogue includes frequent sexually suggestive remarks and sensual dance numbers. And although it features no noticeable foul language or significant violence, Moulin Roughe glamorizes a sexually immoral lifestyle. Skip this one altogher.Rated R

The Mummy Returns Brendan Frazier leads the returning cast as adventurer Rick O’Connell. Eight years after battling the cursed Egyptian priest Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo), Rick is married to the Egyptologist Evelyn (Rachel Weisz). Their son Alex (newcomer Freddie Boath)becomes the focal point of the story when he tries on the ancient Bracelet of Anubis and can't get it off. The bracelet guides its wearer to the golden temple of the Scorpion King (WWF star The Rock), a legendary Egyptian warrior who sold his soul to the Egyptian god Anubis and serves as commander of his endless army of dog-headed soldiers. The corrupt curator of the British museum brings the mummy of Imhotep back to life, hoping the powerful priest can defeat the Scorpion King and bring the curator wealth and power. Rick and Evelyn try to rescue the kidnapped Alex, prevent Imhotep from claiming the power of Anubis’ army, and defeat the newly awakened Scorpion King. Crowd-thrilling action never stops in this old-fashioned adventure tale as good fights to overcome evil. However, several aspects of this fantasy story should raise caution flags. Evelyn has visions which lead to discovery of a past life and one character claims to be the reincarnation of Imhotep’s lover. Ancient Egyptian chants bring more than one character back to life and violent action is almost non-stop, although numerous deaths avoid showing gore or gruesome wounds. Several creatures and scenes of beetle swarms exploding out of a man could also have pre-teen moviegoers on edge. Although a handful of messages can be gleaned, The Mummy Returns is the sequel that shouldn’t have been. Bottom line: hold onto your money and skip this one altogether. Rated PG-13

Murder By Numbers Sandra Bullock stars in this murder mystery as forensics detective Cassie Mayweather. Ben Chaplin plays her partner, Sam Kennedy, who’s new to the homicide squad. Investigating a woman’s corpse dumped on a creek bank, a shoe print leads them to high school student Richard Haywood, played by Ryan Gosling, who reported the shoes stolen. But other evidence points to Richard’s schoolmate Justin Pendleton, played by Michael Pitt. Justin, an intelligent, social misfit in the school would seem to have little in common with popular Richard, and both boys seem to have strong alibis for the murder. So who did it? This tense mystery thriller keeps audiences guessing as the detective mentally duels with the teen scholars. Unfortunately, the dialogue has a large number of obscenities and crude sexual comments. Cassie seduces Sam in a graphic sex scene, although no nudity is shown. A video of Richard also shows a graphic sexual encounter. A schoolmate, attracted to Justin, shows him nude paintings of herself. Richard also buys marijuana from the janitor and drinks alcohol with Justin. Some graphic violence occurs on screen as a monkey attacks and bites Cassie’s arm, showing a bloody mouth, and a graphic shooting occurs as well. Other scenes strongly suggest gruesome violence, such as cutting a finger from the corpse. However, both Cassie and the boys learn that they have to face up to what they’ve done in the past. Rated R

The Musketeer Justin Chambers, last seen as J. Lo's goofy Italian suitor in The Wedding Planner, takes on the role of French farmboy turned swordsman in this latest version of Alexandre Dumas's The Three Musketeers. Since great liberties are taken with the story, reducing three to one is a minor offense. Chambers plays D'Artagnan, who goes to Paris to become a musketeer like his father. He falls in love with Francesca (Mena Suvari), young confidante to Catherine Denueve as the queen. But he finds the musketeers disbanded, framed by Febre (Tim Roth), Cardinal Richelieu's (Stephen Rea) henchman. When Febre kidnaps the queen and Francesca, D'Artagnan must rescue them with, or without, the other musketeers. Like the kung fu movies that inspired its choreography, plot helps get from one action scene to the next. Frequent swordfights, chases and escapes avoid graphic or gory violence. Some sexually suggestive material, including an incest theme, is also thrown in. But honor is restored in the end. Barely related to Dumas' classic historical adventure, The Musketeer is barely recommendable rated PG-13 for intense action, violence, and some sexual material.Rated PG-13

My Big Fat Greek Wedding Nia Vardalos, who also wrote the screenplay, plays Toula, the thirtyish, plain-looking, overweight, single daughter of Gus and Maria Portokalos (Michael Constantine and Lainie Nazan). Nagged daily by her father to marry and make babies, Toula quits her job at the family restaurant to take some college courses, and goes to work at an aunt’s travel agency. The “ugly duckling” blossoms into a very attractive young woman with a new hairstyle, makeup and stylish clothes. She meets the love of her life, Ian Miller (John Corbett), who proves his love by embracing Toula’s overbearing parents and clannish Greek community. His parents are stuffy and formal; hers are garish, loud and loving. If laughter is truly the best medicine, My Big Fat Greek Wedding should cure any minor ailments and help you forget major ones. The courtship of Ian and Toula begins slowly because her family would not approve of her seeing a non-Greek. As their feelings for each other intensify, a sexual relationship begins, implied by the two shown briefly falling into bed as they embrace. In spite of annoying interference from the Greek family, Ian cheerfully adopts their culture and religion in spite of Toula’s willingness to elope and live far away. To fulfill Gus’s dream of his daughter marrying in their church, Ian is baptized so the marriage can be performed in the Greek Orthodox Church. A few crudities and two regular profanities mar the dialogue, but My Big Fat Greek Wedding has no nudity or violence. Although tacitly condoned, the implied sexual relationship plays a very small part in the story. The pluses far outweigh the negatives in this delightful movie that celebrates family.Rated PG.

My Dog Skip Based on the award-winning autobiographical stories of Willie Morris, Rhodes scholar and former editor of Harper's magazine, this charming, nostalgic story stars Frankie Muniz as the 10-year-old Willie. Raised in the small southern town of Yazoo, Mississippi, Willie's mother gives him a dog for his birthday. But his strict father, played by Kevin Bacon, wants to shield Willie from possible heartache when the pet runs away or dies and orders it returned. Willie's mother, however, wins a reprieve for the dog and soon Skip becomes Willie's constant companion. The talented dog helps Willie overcome his fears and shyness as he deals with school bullies, first girlfriends and moonshiners. Pre-teens and adults alike will enjoy this family pleaser. While older viewers may reminisce warmly about growing up in family friendly neighborhoods, young viewers will also identify with Willie’s struggle to be accepted. Segregation is touched upon as Willie and Skip befriend a young black boy as he waits to enter the "colored" section of the movie theater. And later they visit the "colored" section of town. Several mild crude terms are used by the young boys and more sensitive young viewers may get upset when Skip is injured. But with a warning about the crude language, My Dog Skip earns our recommendation for family viewing. Rated PG

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Narc In this compelling crime drama set in Detroit, undercover cop and recovering drug addict Nick Tellis (Jason Patric) is paired with Lieutenant Harry Oak (Ray Liotta) to investigate the murder of Oak's dead partner. Having lost his wife a few years ago to cancer, Oak is a cop who feels he has nothing left to lose. Frustrated with the politics of the justice system, Oak has been administering a little of his own retribution for the evils he sees on the streets. The investigation leads them through crack houses and slums familiar to Tellis. Showing the hard reality of a police narcotics division, Narc is filled with dark images of death, violence, prostitution, addiction and broken relationships. The pursuit of truth emerges as the highest value, and violence is shown to be devastating. Innumerable f-bombs and blood-soaked violence occur in nearly every scene. Rated R

National Lampoon’s Van Wilder Attempting a return to its Animal House roots, National Lampoon goes back to school. Self-appointed, campus party liaison chief, Van Wilder (Ryan Reynolds) has been attending college and avoiding classes for seven years. Van piques the curiosity of journalism student Gwen (Tara Reid), whose first article for the college newspaper lambastes Van as being a one-dimensional, perennial party boy and loser. Mortified, Van insists Gwen follow him, to see the selfless service he performs for “socially needy” students. Van Wilder titillates the immature and proves with every ticket the famous P. T. Barnum & Bailey motto, “There’s a sucker born every minute.” Disgusting, gross bathroom humor includes unending crude jokes about Van’s grotesquely endowed dog, culminating in an attempt to relieve the poor animal. Gwen’s boyfriend (Daniel Cosgrove) suffers an uncontrollable “call of nature” during a crucial meeting. Van appears to have unconventional sex with an elderly woman, and later bribes the sex-starved female dean of admissions by ‘serving’ her need. Other graphic sex scenes include Gwen and her boyfriend, who later literally “uses” a coed who wants to please him. Van buys a topless nightclub, featuring pole and lap dancers. In one scene, children are taken in to watch “the show” and served hard liquor. Van also sponsors a campus-wide naked mile run which reveals a lot of bare backsides. Along with other vulgar language, at least 23 obscenities lace the dialogue. Bottom line: avoid it. Rated R

The New Guy High school can be an agonizing time in a young person’s life, particularly when they’re targets for pranks by popular bullies. Dizzy Gillespie Harrison (DJ Qualls) knows from experience, but thinks his senior year will be different. In this improbable tale, a school infraction earns him a short stay in the local prison unit. Luther (Eddie Griffith), a long-term prisoner, befriends Dizzy and teaches him how to change his image. Wanting a fresh start in a new school, Dizzy gets expelled from Rocky Creek High and enters East Highlands as Gil Harris. Using what he learned from Luther, Gil quickly gains popularity in the new setting and even helps motivate the losing football team into a winning year. But the championship game against Rocky Creek could expose his embarrassing past. Older teens and young adults will recognize some of the humorous truths in both school and business as Dizzy learns the ins and outs of being The New Guy. Although the film tries hard to be likable and delivers some good messages, it is also filled with objectionable material typical of teen-oriented comedies. In the new school, Dizzy’s new tough guy image attracts propositions from promiscuous girls. After denying his friends in front of a new girlfriend, Dizzy later apologizes and uses his new popularity to make positive changes in the school, including inspiring the students to treat others better. Unfortunately, the positive messages in The New Guy are mixed with crude sexual material, vulgar language and inappropriate moderate violence. Rated PG-13

Nicholas Nickleby Based on Dickens’ classic novel, this drama set in 19th Century England tells a profound story and features a wonderful cast and solid acting. After his father dies, 19-year-old Nicholas (Charlie Hunnam) takes his mother (Stella Gonet) and sister (Romola Garai) to London to seek help from his wealthy uncle, Ralph Nickleby (Christopher Plummer). But Uncle Ralph is wicked and sends Nicholas off to teach at a boys’ school, where sadistic headmaster Wackford Squeers (Jim Broadbent) and his cruel wife (Juliet Stevenson) delight in abusing the boys. Nicholas rescues Smike (Jamie Bell), who is crippled, from a beating, and they leave the school to be reunited with Nicholas’ family. Nicholas begins to support his family and falls for Madeline Bray (Anne Hathaway), but Uncle Ralph schemes to destroy him. In the midst of the darkness of abuse and cruelty, good prevails in this drama. Rated PG

Not Another Teen Movie In this crude spoof of popular teen movies, conceited, arrogant Jake Wyler (Chris Evans), the football team captain, bets he can make the homeliest girl in high school, Janey Briggs (Chyler Leigh), queen of the prom. Making fun of other teen movies, Not another Teen Movie is a series of disgusting, graphic sexual incidents. In the opening scene Janey is in her bedroom caressing a tool for self-gratification. After Jake's sister Catherine (Mia Kirshner) tries unsuccessfully to seduce her own brother, she teaches aging undercover reporter, "never-been-kissed" Sadie (Beverly Polcyn), how to kiss in a nauseating scene. Trying to win Janey's affection, Jake goes into the kitchen and comes back wearing only strategically placed mounds of whipped cream. A foreign exchange student (Cerina Vincent) sits nude from the waist up in the principal's office and later appears nude at a party, implying that she never wears clothes. A largely ignored couple, in a crowded school hall, are seen having sex, revealing the girl's bare backside. Mixed in with the teenagers' sexual obsessions is the unrelenting cruelty of the sadistic football coach who forces a player to stay in the game with blood streaming out his ears. Aside from a coach who yells a string of profanities during practice, the dialoge is deluged with obscenities. Crude bathroom humor includes a commode exploding, sending excrement through the ceiling and into a classroom. Featuring scenes that belong in a porn video, Not Another Teen Movie portrays teenagers as stupid, immoral, and perverted. Avoid it.Rated R

Nurse Betty Renee Zellweger stars in this violent comedy about a waitress who dreams of being a nurse, just like the in the soap opera she watches. When her sleazy used-car salesman husband is gruesomely dispatched in front of her by two drug dealers, played by Morgan Freemand and Chris Rock, Betty's mind takes off on a trip and so does she. Believing her favorite soap is reality and she's a nurse working with "Dr. David Ravell," played by Greg Kinnear, Betty heads to California to rejoin her beloved, with the two drug dealers in hot pursuit. Audiences will love Betty’s endearing, innocent charm and will find Nurse Betty a humorous flight of soap opera fantasy. While dutiful wife Betty dreams of her future, trashy Del is shown in an explicit sexual encounter with his secretary. Shortly thereafter, Del is gruesomely scalped and shot to death while Betty keeps one eye on her soap opera. Rock's character spews a torrent of vulgar and obscene garbage while expressing a volatile and violent temper. An unrelenting stream of obscenities, plus the bloody scalping, derail a clever, well-acted, and directed dark comedy and earn Nurse Betty a severely objectionable rating. Rated R

The Nutty Professor II: The Klumps Eddie Murphy reprises his role as oversized, Wellman college professor Sherman Klump as well as most of the Klump family, from Granny, to Mama and Papa as well as brother Ernie. And Sherman’s alter ego, Buddy Love, also shows up. Janet Jackson co-stars as Professor Denise Gaines, a fellow teacher and researcher on the Wellman faculty. Sherman sees Denise as the girl of his dreams, unfortunately, Buddy returns to turn it into a nightmare. Buddy tries to control Sherman, threatening both his marriage plans and the sell of Sherman’s revolutionary “Fountain of Youth” serum. Using Denise’s cutting-edge research, Sherman decides to literally cut Buddy’s DNA out of his system. But taking out Buddy also takes away some of Sherman’s intelligence and a lab accident brings Buddy to life. Although Sherman tries to hide his new serum from Buddy, it becomes a race against time to recover the serum, get rid of Buddy and save his marriage, before he forgets everything. Attempts at humor draw both laughs and groans from the audience. Like its original, the sequel is filled with crude, obscene and profane language. Granny seems to only talk about sex and even Mama and Papa are having functional problems. Flatulence and crude body functions are also used for questionable laughs. Rated PG-13

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O In this contemporary retelling of Shakespeare’s classic tragedy “Othello,” Mekhi Phifer plays Odin, the star player for the Palmetto Grove Academy basketball team. When Odin is named MVP of the team, fellow teammate Hugo (Josh Hartnett) becomes insanely jealous, to the point of working out a scheme to punish Odin and those closest to him. Hugo begins to weave his wicked plot by inflaming Odin’s jealous love for his girlfriend Desi (Julia Stiles). He tries to make Odin think that Desi and Michael Casio (Andrew Keegan), another basketball player, are having sex behind his back. This initial simple plot snowballs, and in typical Shakespearean fashion, takes out most of those involved. However, the film struggles to translate Shakespeare’s adult story and make the events believable in a teen setting, particularly in regard to the relationship between Odin and Desi. However, Shakespeare’s stories remain compelling, even in a stripped down form. While the film does track the disastrous effects of jealousy on those it strikes, it also includes plenty of objectionable material. One scene is particularly difficult to present in a teen setting as it begins with seeming consensual sex, but quickly evolves into rape as the male forces himself on the female. Frequent crude and obscene language, explicit sexual content, and teen drug use, particularly underage drinking, leaves O falling short of the basket. Rated R

O Brother, Where Art Thou?Set in the 1920s, George Clooney, John Turturro and Tim Blake Nelson play three escapees from a prison chain gang. Clooney is Everett Ulysses McGill, who leads the trio on a quest to retrieve the loot from his last crime. It’s hidden in his house, which will soon be at the bottom of a lake when the new dam is finished. During their journey, they meet a young guitarist and record a country song, run into an overbearing, not-too-friendly Bible salesman, attend a Klan rally and even get baptized. The witty dialogue and humorous encounters are sure to attract moviegoers looking for something fresh. However, the film contains plenty of objectionable material. Like many PG-13 films, the main offender is crude and profane language. God’s name is used in vain at least a dozen times. The convicts are neither dangerous or mean, and even seem repentant. Although there are numerous spiritual elements, including a Christian baptismal service where two of the trio appear to convert, religious people still get negative treatment, including the KKK rally attended by “God-fearing” people, and a Bible salesman is portrayed as strongly hypocritical. Sexual material is limited to a tempting encounter with three women, one with a fairly revealing wet shirt, but Ulysses and company, manage to avoid these “sirens.” A few violent scenes involve unfortunate cows, which may bother some viewers. But the frequent use of rough language and profanity, along with sarcastic portrayal of Christians, makes O Brother Where Art Thou mostly objectionable.Rated PG-13

Ocean’s Eleven The popular "Rat Pack" team of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Junior Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop starred in the 1960 original. And in this updated version, George Clooney takes the Sinatra role of recently paroled con man Danny Ocean, who recruits ten specialists to do the impossible, rob three Las Vegas casinos at the same time. It's all to get back at the casino's owner who now dates Danny's ex-wife Tess, played by Julia Roberts. The incredible heist is pulled off with the help of Brad Pitt as Danny's trusted friend and fellow con man, Rusty. Matt Damon dips into the role of pickpocket Linus Caldwell. Like the original Rat Pack, the group seems to have fun during the film, which makes it fun for the audience as well. Angie Dickinson, who played Tess in the original, even makes a brief appearance. Unfortunately, the updated script includes numerous obscenities and strong profanities. And although there?s little sexual content, one scene includes scantily-clad performers in the background. Along with objectionable dialogue, the group of thieves is presented, if not as heroes, at least as likable characters and their theft has limited consequences. Done in part for love of Tess, Danny's theft even takes on positive aspects, which sends the wrong message to impressionable teens and, with the vulgar language, should cause parents some concern. Rated PG-13

Old School A tribute to the stupid, frat comedy, Old School is about three 30-something buddies who try to recapture the fun and excitement of their college years. After Mitch Martin (Luke Wilson) discovers his live-in girlfriend, Heidi (Juliette Lewis), in the midst of a multiple-partner sexual encounter, he rents a house with two of his friends near Harrison University. Frank (Will Ferrell), recently married, feels the confines of marriage and longs for the days of parties, sex and drinking. Beanie (Vince Vaughn), the third in this trio and also married, tells his young boy to "earmuff it" so that he’ll cover his ears when people swear. The three men start a fraternity of misfits complete with crude stunts as initiations. Filled with vulgar gags, sexual pranks, naked women, streaking, blow-up dolls and plenty of beer guzzling, the film has little redeeming value. Don’t go to Old School, where you’ll get a poor and vulgar education. Rated R

On The Line ‘NSync band member James Lance Bass plays Kevin Gibbons, who works for an advertising agency in Chicago. Commuting on the El, he strikes up a conversation with an attractive young woman (Emmanuelle Chriqui), but fails to get her name. Determined to find the girl of his dreams, Kevin plasters posters all over downtown asking her to call. To the delight of his friends, hundreds of calls come in, and the newspaper decides to do a feature story about Kevin. ‘NSync’s members and songs will attract teenage fans, but the sophomoric humor, unappealing characters and amateurish production quality should dash any hopes for a long line at the box office. Kevin's friends make crude remarks about hygiene and bathroom habits, while overweight Rod's flatulence problems are a source of much of On The Line's humor. Under the pretense of being Kevin, his roommates screen Kevin's telephone messages. Some unattractive women, desperate to meet a man, become the brunt of the guys' cruel jokes. On The Line avoids sex, nudity, profanities, and foul language. But, as with most teen flicks, crude humor is present. Rated PG

Orange County After finding a book on the beach, Shaun Brunder (Colin Hanks) gives up surfing to pursue a career as a writer and to escape his dysfunctional family. His hopes are dashed, however, when the high school counselor (Lily Tomlin) sends Stanford the wrong transcript. Shaun's determination to set the record straight leads to a series of frantic, comical, impossible manipulations with the help of girl friend Ashley (Schuyler Fisk) and Lance (Jack Black), his drugged-out brother. Orange County may be a box office hit, especially popular with teenagers. Offensive material, mostly from Shaun's dysfunctional family, should qualify this film for an R rating. His alcoholic mother (Catherine O'Hara) embarrasses Shaun with low-cut blouses, drunken behavior and neglect of her elderly, invalid husband. Older brother Lance, usually in a drug stupor and wearing only underwear throughout the movie, depends on Shaun to supply a specimen to pass a drug test. In his misguided attempt to help Shaun, Lance seduces a Stanford employee then sets fire to the administration building with no consequences. All adults in the film are portrayed as unbelievably dumb and gullible. With only a sliver of hope that lifestyles change, drunks and druggies portrayed as comical send messages that anything that makes you laugh is "cool." A string of obscenities and strong profanities add to the mess and make Orange County a major disappointment.Rated PG

Osmosis Jones A unique blend of live action and cartoon stories about life inside and outside the body of Frank. Bill Murray stars as Frank while Chris Rock lends his voice to the animated title character inside chasing down a deadly germ named Thrax, voiced by Laurence Fishburne. When Frank feels fluish and takes a cold pill, Frazier’s David Hyde Pierce joins the cast as an uppity robot-like symptom fighter called Drix. The odd couple detective team try to track down the source of the problem before Thrax makes good on his plan to take down Frank in 48 hours. Surprisingly clean in most areas with the exception of gross body functions humor. But that's to be expected from the directors of Something About Mary and Me Myself & irene. Outer scenes include Frank throwing up on Molly Shannon as his daughter's teacher and an erupting pimple headed her way. Ugly nose drips get snorted back and shared via hand slaps. Frank's daughter plays the voice of reason as she encourages him to eat better and get exercise so he doesn't go away like her mom. With a warning about the body function humor, Osmosis Jones can be a fun and educational outing for ages 10 and up. Rated PG

The Others Nicole Kidman stars as a strict Catholic mother raising her two children on a secluded island off the British coast. When the servants for her large Victorian mansion disappear, she's relieved when three former workers in the house show up for a job. But strange noises and occurances begin to shake her well-structured belief in the supernatural. Strong performances by Kidman and her co-stars lift this film above the typical ghost/horror story. Although the film includes many elements that appear positive on the surface, such as quoting Bible passages and Catholic traditions, the film actually implies Christian beliefs are, at best, fiction. With a Sixth Sense type twist, The Others negates traditional ideas of the afterlife. Rated PG-13

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Panic Room Meg Altman (Jodie Foster), separating from her husband, buys a New York townhome belonging to a recently deceased millionaire. One unique feature of the home is a “panic room,” a secure retreat from possible intruders. But unknown to the realtors or Meg, the panic room contains a secret. On the first night in the home with her daughter, Meg discovers three men have broken into the house. Although Meg and her daughter hide out in the panic room, the three thieves let them know that what they want is in the room. This intense thriller may draw fans of Foster, but constant and claustrophobic tension lowers the entertainment factor. Sadly, the film portrays the young teen daughter using the f-word and, in talking to the intruders, encouraging her mother to use it. Violence escalates toward the end of the story with graphic injuries, including one man who gets his hand smashed in a steel door. Bloody face wounds from a beating and blood spraying from a gunshot to the head add to the gruesome images. Rated R

The Patriot Mel Gibson stars as Benjamin Martin, former hero of the French and Indian War and now a South Carolina farmer in the year 1776. Rebellion against England has begun and the Charleston Assembly gathers to vote on joining the colonies against England. But having had his share of war, the widowed Benjamin votes against joining so he can work his farm and raise his seven children in peace. But his eldest son, Gabriel, played by Heath Ledger, defies his father and signs up with the Continental Army. And soon, the British under Tom Wilkinson as General Cornwallis take control of Charleston. In short time, Benjamin finds battles fought on his doorstep. Although he treats the wounded of both sides, the cruel Colonel Tavington, played by Jason Isaacs, orders Benjamin’s home burned and Gabriel, a messenger for the Americans, hanged. To protect his children, Benjamin is spurred into once more taking up arms. After rescuing Gabriel, Benjamin agrees to lead local militia against the overwhelming British army. This stirring, patriotic treat will have crowds cheering for Gibson and the rag-tag American patriots. Like Gibson’s Braveheart, gruesome and gory war scenes earn the R-rating. But some will applaud the historical accuracy both in the warfare and the sacrifices made by Colonials to win our freedoms. An emotional pendulum, The Patriot earns a more than slightly objectionable rating for its excessive gore, but the film is a strong reminder of both the horrors of war and the valor of the men who fought for a free America. Rated R

Pay It Forward Haley Joel Osment, Helen Hunt and Kevin Spacey star in this multi-level marketing of good deeds. Spacey plays social studies teacher Eugene Simonet, who gives his seventh grade class an assignment to think about a way to change the world and put it into action. Eleven-year-old Trevor McKinney, played by Osment, tries a game, learned from his grandmother, called “Pay It Forward.” The rules require doing a good deed for three people. Instead of paying back the good deed, each recipients must then “pay forward” by doing a similar good deed for three others. Trevor tries to get things started by matchmaking Eugene and his mother, but it doesn’t seem to work out. Unknown to Trevor, his idea of paying it forward is breaking out across the nation. This well acted and emotionally powerful story should be a big hit. And the concept of helping others is uplifting and inspirational. But a lot of rough language and obscenities are spoken by both adults and young school students, which is undoubtedly realistic but could have been subdued without destroying the realism. A sexual affair also develops between Eugene and Arlene, which is portrayed favorably. Pay It Forward has strong redeeming values for older teen and adult audiences, so it’s regrettable that it includes so much foul language and a condoned extra-marital affair, earning a significanly objectionable rating. Rated PG-13

Pearl Harbor Ben Affleck and Josh Hartnett portray Rafe McCawley and Danny Walker, two farm boys who grew up together as best friends to become pilots in the Army Air Corps. When poor grammar scores and a slight dyslexia threaten his flying career, Rafe talks nurse Evelyn Johnson (Kate Beckinsale) into approving his medical chart. But he also talks Evelyn into a date. Although they fall deeply in love, Rafe is headed for England to help the Royal Air Force defend London against German bombers, while Evelyn and Danny are shipped to Hawaii. When Evelyn hears Rafe’s plane was shot down, her heartache is shared by Danny and as time passes, the two find mutual attraction. But Rafe survives the crash and returns several months later, creating an awkward, emotional triangle. But the romantic tangle takes back seat as a Japanese invasion force cripples the Pacific naval fleet with a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. After surviving the massive assault at Pearl, the two pilots are picked by Air Corps Colonel Doolittle, played by Alec Baldwin, as part of his secret mission to bomb Tokyo. Neither may come back alive to Evelyn. An inspiring and patriotic production, Pearl Harbor captures audiences’ attention, despite its three-hour length. Cuba Gooding Junior portrays Dorie Miller, the first black man to receive the Navy Cross medal for heroism for his actions at Pearl, and Jon Voight takes on the role of a determined and decisive President Roosevelt. Despite the massive explosions and war casualties, the violent scenes refrain from gory depiction. Premarital sex is implied and the dialogue includes several obscenities and numerous profanities. But with a production price tag of more than $100 million, moviegoers are sure to enjoy the overall quality of Pearl Harbor. Rated PG-13

The Perfect Storm George Clooney leads the cast in this tense story based on true events which recreates the October 1991 collision of three major weather systems off the New England coast. Clooney stars as Captain Billy Tyne, skipper of the sword fishing boat, “Andrea Gail”. In the middle of a slump and bringing in disappointing catches, Captain Billy plans to make one more run before winter sets in on the North Atlantic. As the “Andrea Gail” heads deep into the ocean for a record catch, nature is creating a monster storm behind them. Unknown to the crew, the trip back will be a fight for survival. Also caught in the storm, a sailboat challenges the rescue efforts of an Air Force helicopter and the Coast Guard. The bravery and dedication of the rescue crews is inspiring and audiences will be caught by the struggle to survive. But the fishing crews live up to “swearing like a sailor.” As the storm gets worse, so does the language and God’s name is used in vain a dozen times. The fishermen also celebrate their return to port with alcohol and women at the local bar. Almost all seem to suffer from broken relationships and working on new ones. But the community also comes together in the bar for mutual support as they worry about the fishing crew and crowds overflow a church service. However, in the midst of the storm, prayer seems to be a last resort. Rated PG-13

Phone Booth Phone Booth is a psychological terror film, almost entirely set in a New York City phone booth. Stu Shepard (Colin Farrell), an on-the-go publicist, stops at a phone booth on the street to call one of his clients (Katie Holmes). Unable to talk her into a rendezvous with him, he hangs up, begins to leave, and the phone rings. Out of curiosity, he answers it and sets off a horrifying series of events. The caller is a sniper (Kiefer Sutherland) who has a rifle trained on Stu. The unseen assailant tells Stu he will die if he steps out of the phone booth and terrorizes him mentally and emotionally, forcing him to confess his adulterous intentions to his wife (Radha Mitchell). Also watching are the police negotiator (Forest Whitaker), the gathered crowd and a nationwide television audience. While there is a good deal of drama and a man deals with his past indiscretions, the overall language and violence calls for movie goers to stay away from Phone Booth. Rated R

Planet Of The Apes Director Tim Burton re-imagines the 1968 film classic in this high-tech version. And Charleton Heston, who starred in the original, get's a somewhat humourous, long cameo as an older ape who's definitely anti-human. Mark Wahlberg plays astronaut Leo Davidson who gets stranded on an earth-like planet and caught up in the struggle between Thade,an ape military commander who wants to eliminate all things human, and the human rights campaign of upper class chimpanzee Ari.Before Thade can wipe them out, Leo leads Ari and a small band of humans into the forbidden zone to discover the secret to the apes' origins. Technically superior due to 30 years of screen wizardry, the re-imagined tale will draw young audiences, but older viewers may feel the new Planet of the Apes lacks the dramatic spark of the original. Viewers may be upset at the treatment of humans as slaves, especially when one is branded like cattle, and many scenes include violent action, particularly the climactic battle between apes and humans Apes pray to an ape god, which could be viewed positively or negatively but other references are made to evolution, implying it is a scientific fact. The frequent amount of moderate violence and misleading implications about evolution mar this otherwise decent and entertaining film. Rated PG-13

The Pledge Jack Nicholson stars as retiring police detective Jerry Black. On the evening of his retirement party, the body of a murdered 10-year-old girl is found in the snowy woods. Jerry takes on the task of telling the parents and winds up promising the killer would be caught. Even after retirement, Jerry focuses on catching the criminal, but his co-workers think they already caught the man, who commited suicide in custody. But Jerry isn't convinced and with the patience of a fisherman, buys a local gas station and baits his line for the killer. But his bait could become the next victim. This fascinating study of one man's obsession with keeping his word will attract fans, but audiences may be disappointed with the slow pace. Dealing with a violent crime, several scenes include bloody bodies and pictures of victims, and the suicide splatters walls with blood. Obscenities are used a number of times and strong profanity shares in the offense. There's no on-screen sex, but an affair is implied with the single mother who moves in with Jerry after her boyfriend beats her. References are made throughout the film to prayer, Christian beliefs and the Bible but everyone is suspect, including the local minister. Graphic violence and vulgar language earn The Pledge a mostly objectionable rating.Rated R

Pokémon A popular phenomenon for children, Pokémon began as a hand-held video game then progressed to a TV cartoon, then trading game cards and finally a blockbuster movie last year. Based on the TV cartoon and the first movie, this sequel follows the continuing adventures of Pokémon trainer Ash Ketchum, his two friends Misty and Brock and the lovable Pokémon called Pikachu. A greedy Pokémon collector called Lawrence III is trying to capture three mythological Pokémon birds that guard three tropical islands. Another flying Pokémon controls the undersea world. If Lawrence succeeds, he can control the entire Pokémon world. Ash accepts the challenge of helping the birds in their battle with Lawrence even though he’s not totally sure of his abilities. Children will no doubt flock to the theaters to enjoy this sequel and the animated short, “Pikachu’s Adventure,” about a magical underground forest. The story themes about one person making a difference in the world and standing up for what is good and right are commendable. But the incessant fighting, battles and injuries seem excessive for young children’s fare even if no blood is shown. The magical powers of the Pokémon seem more like fantasy and folklore than occultic or New Age in nature. And the film is free of any objectionable language or other negative elements. But the constant violence and the associated violent games pose a serious concern about the Pokémon craze along with its apparent promotion of occultic-like phenomenon in associated games. Rated G

The Princess Diaries Julie Andrews and Anne Hathaway star in this refreshing Disney comedy about discovering who you are and the responsibilties of life. Hathaway is San Francisco high school teenager Mia Thermopolis. Somewhat of an awkward, ugly duckling, Mia tries to get through the day without embarrassing herself. But the ugly duckling gets a make-over Cinderella style when her grandmother pays a visit. Grandmother happens to be Queen Clarisse Renaldi of Genovia (Andrews), something Mia's free-spirited artist mother (Caroline Goodall), neglected to tell her. That makes Mia a princess and the make-over turns her from an outsider to popular insider and rival for Lena (Mandy Moore), most popular girl in school. But with guidance from Joseph (Hector Elizando), her grandmother's head of security, Mia faces not only changes in status but also responsibility and expectations. Reminiscent of the live action comedies Disney produced during the late 1950s and '60s, THE PRINCESS DIARIES will be a hit especially for pre-teen viewers. Once the secret is out that Mia is really a princess, those who joked about her now clamor to be her best friend. And Joseph reminds Mia that "no one can make you feel inferior except yourself." Two thumbs up.Rated G

Proof Of Life Russell Crowe and Meg Ryan star in this rousing action film about kidnapping and ransom by foreign terrorists. David Morse plays American engineer Peter Bowman, who's grabbed by anti-government rebels in a South American country. Taken to a remote mountain hideout, Peter struggles to survive while his captors demand $3 million for his return. At first, his employers hire negotiator Terry Thorne, played by Crowe, but on the verge of bankruptcy, they settle for a cheaper route which fails. Peter's wife, Alice, played by Ryan, seeks Thorne's help on her own. With help from another soldier-of-fortune negotiator, played by David Caruso, Thorne designs a dramatic, dangerous scheme to rescue Alice's husband, even though he and Alice appear to have fallen in love. It's a testosterone-laden adventure as Thorne and Alice dodge government red-tape and terrorist troops to rescue Peter. Proof of Life conveys the growing attraction between Terry and Alice without resorting to either implied or actual bedroom scenes. But the story also implies a strong commitment to marital fidelity. However, viewers are also assaulted by obscenities, strong profanities and numerous crudities. Battlefield type action explodes with gunfire, bombs and blood—graphic, but not gratuitous. Heroic deeds, respect for marriage vows, courage and perseverance all play major roles. Rated R

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Rat Race With the every growing number of reality TV shows, this concept could show up any day. British comedian and Monty Python alumni John Cleese, plays the wealthy owner of a Las Vegas casino who offers high rollers the chance to bet on almost anything. Six people are selected by special coins won from slot machines. The six are given identical keys and offered the chance to win two million dollars by being the first to unlock the box in a small southern New Mexico town, appropriately named Silver City. Unknown to the racers, high stakes gamblers are betting on who will win. The contestants include Whoopi Goldberg as a woman just united with her long lost daughter, Seth Green as the smarter of two brothers out to scam the world, Rowan Atkinson of Mister Bean fame as a narcoleptic Italian tourist, Cuba Gooding Junior as a football referee blamed for a major game upset, Jon Lovitz as head of a vacationing family, and Breckin Meyer as an uptight, fledgling lawyer. Less than humorous sight gags include a busload of Lucille Ball imitators, a cow dangling from a hot air balloon, a transplant heart bouncing around a truck and Adolph Hitler’s car driven into a war veteran gathering. Numerous crude and obscene words are used, including some by the family children, although they are mildly corrected once. Some crude sexual references are made as part of a wager, but sexual content is limited. Foul language and partial nudity also taint the flick. Rated PG-13

Recess: School’s Out Pre-teens in particular will enjoy this feature-length animated story about the fourth graders from the popular TV series, Recess. School's Out and the gang is looking forward to summer vacation. But T.J. learns that all his friends are going to siummer camps, leaving him without playmates. Feeling betrayed and lonely, T.J. roams the town on his bike. He notices some sinister-looking men going into the empty school and later a strange beam comes from the roof. When the police and his parents don't believe his tale, T.J. seeks an unlikely ally in Principal Prickly. But when Prickly disappears during a search of the school, T.J. calls his friends back from their camps. In the midst of the action, good messages emerge. The kids create mayhem and make fun of the principal and teachers on the last day of school, but discover these authority figures were kids once too. Songs and flashback scenes of the principal and teachers from their "hippie" ‘60s will delight moms and dads. Teamwork showcases blending the unique talents of each individual child, allowing them to perform heroic rescue efforts to free T.J. and Mr. Prickly. Action scenes include attacks with water-filled balloons, soccer balls, and left-over corn chowder. Recess delivers wholesome, fun entertainment with a few good lessons.Rated G

The Recruit In this engrossing action thriller, top MIT graduate James Clayton (Colin Farrell) is pursued by veteran CIA recruiter Walter Burke (Al Pacino) to join the Agency. Burke is impressed with Clayton’s smarts and cocky attitude. During training, he learns the ropes from Burke and falls in love with fellow recruit Layla (Bridget Moynahan), who turns out to be the suspected mole. James receives a special assignment; he must find out to whom she is feeding information. He is hurt by this turn of events, but he reluctantly agrees to accept the assignment to the point of taking Layla to bed, making love in a nearly nude scene. Soon, however, it becomes clear to James that what he has learned in training is true: "trust no one" and "nothing is as it seems." Solid acting and an edge-of-your-seat plot make this movie worth seeing, but bad language, sexual content and violence lower its acceptability rating. Rated PG-13

Red Planet Val Kilmer and Carrie-Anne Moss head the crew of this sci-fi adventure. As the earth's ecology becomes over-polluted, NASA send a crew of astronauts to check on oxygen-producing experiments designed to make Mars a colonizing proposition. When trouble develops on the spaceship, the female commander, played by Moss, is trapped and has to stay behind to repair the problem. The other five men in the crew, led by Kilmer, escape to the planet surface where they encounter more trouble, including a berserk robot and human eating bugs. Similar to last year’s Mission to Mars, this well-crafted space adventure has enough suspense and action to do fairly well at the box office. An interesting theme in this sci-fi adventure is discussions among the astronaut-scientists about the existence of God. One even confesses to be diligently searching for God. Some violent episodes become severe, particularly when the NASA robot and the bug like creatures attack. While occasionally gruesome, they are not overtly exploitive. Although an attraction between Kilmer and Moss is indicated, no sex is implied. The most disappointing aspect of the film is some strong profanity, a dozen obscenities and a finger gesture shown close up. Like many current productions, foul language spoils an otherwise reasonably decent film and rates Red Planet significantly objectionable. Rated PG-13

Remember the Titans In this true story, set in 1971 when public school racial integration was getting underway, tension between blacks and whites runs rampant through the T.C. Williams High School in Arlington, Virginia. And nowhere more so than in the locker room of the Williams Titans. Denzel Washington plays a rigid, hard-driving black coach named Herman Boone, hired to guide the integrated but racially polarized football team. Despite his seniority, Bill Yost, the popular, white assistant football coach played by Will Patton, is passed over for the head position. In spite of strong differences of opinion and racial flare-ups among the players, the two coaches find a common ground in transforming angry, unfocused players into a dynamic, winning team. Remember the Titans is an inspiring, dramatic and engrossing story. Washington gives an outstanding performance as the driven coach and football action lends excitement and suspense to the drama. This film is about as free of offensive elements as you will find in today’s PG-rated movies. The theme of racial tolerance and harmony, as well as one remark about trusting the Lord, is inspiring. No severe violence is shown in the film, although some fist-fights occur at school and among the players. Only a few mild and moderately rough words, plus one mild obscenity, were noted in this surprisingly wholesome drama. Rated PG

Return to Me David Duchovny of TV’s X-Files plays Bob, a happily married young architect in a large city. Minnie Driver plays Grace, a waitress in a restaurant partly owned by her grandfather Marty, played by veteran actor Carroll O’Connor, best known as TV's Archie Bunker. Unknown to Bob, when his wife dies in an auto accident, her heart is transplanted in Grace. But when Bob is invited to the restaurant by a friend, he’s immediately attracted to their waitress, Grace. Watching their romance develop provides gentle humor and a few plot twists along the way keep things interesting. Return to Me should be a popular date movie for romantic couples. And it’s refreshing to see down-to-earth characters movie goers can relate to. Bob is devastated when his wife dies. And Grace is a cheerful person who loves her grandfather. Marty loves his granddaughter and, even more encouraging, is shown praying for her at church. He even tells Bob that God had a special reason for placing his wife’s heart in Grace. Unfortunately, when Grace visits her best friend, the film makers chose to have children repeat indecent words they hear from their father. And he’s not bashful about suggesting sex to his wife. Sadly, taking the Lord’s name in vain several times and the inclusion of a few obscenities, particularly from children, turn what should be an acceptable and uplifting film, into morally objectionable viewing. Return to Me earns a more than slightly objectionable rating. Rated PG

Return to Neverland The magic of fairy dust still flies in this colorful sequel to the 1953 animated Disney classic fantasy-adventure, Peter Pan. And the same characters return to join in the fun, although Wendy (voice of Kath Soucie), the little girl from London, is now grown up and has her own family in London during World War II. But Wendy’s mature 12-year-old daughter, Jane (Harriet Owen), is very pragmatic and realistic, much to her mother’s dismay. However, Jane gets a big dose of fantasy life when she’s mysteriously kidnapped and taken to Never Land by the notorious pirate, Captain Hook (Corey Burton), and his pirate crew. Wendy calls on her friend Peter Pan (Blayne Weaver), the boy who never grew up, and his tiny fairy companion, Tinkerbell, to rescue Jane from Hook and his pirates. They embark on an action-packed adventure and survive many harrowing battles, some of which may be too intense for sensitive young children. But none of the fights result in serious injuries and often add humorous touches. Children from 2 to 102 will enjoy the action, music, and colorful sights in this delightful, but intense fairy tale. Rated G

Riding In Cars With Boys Drew Barrymore plays talented writer Beverly Donofrio in this humorous, true story of a teenage, unwed mother who overcomes life's setbacks and succeeds. This autobiographical story paints a realistic picture of the consequences of teenage sex. When 15-year-old Bev becomes pregnant, dreams of a college scholarship fade into harsh realities of dirty diapers and a drug-addicted husband (Steve Zahn). Riding In Cars With Boys has many funny moments as Bev vacillates between an immature, self-centered young mother and a woman determined to fulfill her dream. Brutal honesty about the author's faults and strengths includes the suffering of Bev's bright, sensitive son Jason (played by Adam Garcia as a 20-year-old). When he's six, his beloved dad walks out, and his mother's ambition leaves little time for Jason. Her close friend Fay (Brittany Murphy) also becomes pregnant at age 15, marries and divorces. The two experiment with sex and liquor in high school, and as young mothers smoke pot and pop pills. Ray's tragic drug addiction robs him of a family he truly loves. Teenagers drinking and sexual antics provide some of the film's humor even though the consequences are not funny. Although there is no nudity, teenage sex is implied and there is a bit of foul language. Today's sophisticated teenagers may think the messages about the consequences of immoral behavior that applied "back then" are no longer relevant. Let's hope not. Rated PG-13

The Ring When her 16-year-old niece dies unexpectedly, investigative reporter Rachel Keller (Naomi Watts) learns that she watched a video with 3 other teens. Rachel discovers the tape and curiosity wins out as she watches the strange video. But as she investigates the source of the tape and its story, Rachel receives ominous warnings that she only has seven days to uncover the truth. Adapted from a Japanese horror story/film, this mystery-thriller is filled with foreboding images and eerie events that will attract the pre-Halloween crowds. Rachel’s investigation leads her to uncover mysterious events involving a horse breeder and her adopted daughter. Various scenes show startling and bizarre images on the video tape and several scenes build suspense that make viewers jump at sudden revelations. Once scene shows a horse falling overboard from a ferryboat and bloody water implies a gruesome death passing through the boat propellers. Although her investigation seems to solve the mystery of the tape, and the typical dead spirit finding rest, an unusual twist implies the possibility of a malevolent spirit desiring more than the simple truth of a hidden event. Along with some scary scenes and grotesque faces, the dialogue includes a number of strong profanities and obscenities. Although it acknowledges apparent evil spirits, The Ring offers no positive solution to the evil. Avoid The Ring and share the Good News instead. Rated PG-13

The Road to El Dorado The new animated film from Dreamworks called The Road to El Dorado is not necessarily a cartoon for children. In 1519 Spain, many adventurers sailed toward the new found western world in search of fabled riches, like a city made entirely of gold, called El Dorado. But for Tulio, voiced by Kevin Kline, and Miguel, voiced by Kenneth Branagh, their trip to the new world is in chains on a prison ship. By fortune, the two likable rogues escape and end up on an island where they discover El Dorado is more than a fable. Mistaken for gods and with the help of a seductive native woman named Chel, voiced by Rosie Perez, they win the allegiance of tribal leaders. But a pagan tribal priest and a band of Spanish soldiers pose real threats to their new found riches. Enhanced by appealing musical numbers, this Road trip will appeal to many. However likable, Tulio and Miguel are con artists and less than role models. They do manage to save natives from sacrificial deaths twice and, in their role as gods, outlaw human sacrifice. Although not obvious, it’s strongly implied Tulio and Chel engage in sexual activity behind a couch and Chel’s clothes reveal a lot of skin. The pagan priest mixes potions and conjures up snakes and other frightening images, but he is portrayed as evil along with his occult practices. Some scenes may be scary for young viewers, but implied premarital sex earns a a slightly objectionable ratingfor taking The Road to El Dorado. Rated PG

Rock Star Since a young boy Chris Cole (Mark Wahlburg) has been consumed with rock music, particularly the famous Steel Dragons. Miraculously, he is invited to audition for the Steel Dragons, and overnight everything he and his ever faithful, longtime girl friend, Emily (Jennifer Aniston), fantasized about become reality. Targeted for teens and young adults, R-rated Rock Star's frantic, loud music will assault the ears of those who think songs should have a tune. Gender doesn't matter to these musicians who are either gay, transvestites or bi-sexual. After Chris's first concert the band holds an orgy of drugs and sex, calling it "his initiation." Emily tries to fit in, but is mortified to wake up in bed with two other people she hardly knows. Although girlfriends and wives are not allowed to ride on the group's bus, Emily notes several prostitutes boarding the bus. Buried in disgusting, crude terms for sex, body parts and bodily functions are messages that love, old friendships and family relationships are better than fame and money. Rock Star doesn't glamorize the decadent lifestyle, but foul language, breast nudity, drugs and implied group sex are all gratuitous. Rated R

The Rookie Jimmy Morris (Dennis Quaid) tucked away his dream of playing professional baseball 12 years ago after a shoulder injury ended his short time in the minor leagues. Now, he’s a high school baseball coach in a small, dusty West Texas town with his wife Lorrie (Rachel Griffith) and three young children. When he challenges his losing team to try for a winning season, they agree - if the coach promises to try out for the major leagues. They win the district championship and Jimmy’s 98 mph pitches at tryouts earn him an offer as a minor league relief pitcher, in spite of being 12 to 15 years older than his teammates. Based on a true story, The Rookie delivers a home run that will have your whole family rooting for Jimmy as his wife, kids and hometown population cheer him on. You don’t have to be a baseball fan to enjoy this wholesome spring treat from Disney. Jimmy and his father, a strict, career-Navy man, never understood each other, so Jimmy tries to be the dad he longed to have. His young son goes everywhere with him, and his two girls are clearly the apples of Jimmy’s eye. When Jimmy signs on with the minor league, Lorrie shows support, in spite of hardships created by an absentee dad and husband, as well as a big pay cut. Traveling on a bus for three months and staying in cramped quarters with young players, who constantly ridicule him about his age, begins to wear Jimmy down. But he’s no quitter. A strong role model for the kids he coaches, Jimmy even wins the respect of his teammates as he perseveres. The glaring absence of sexual content, violence and foul language coupled with the pro-family messages make this flick a home run. Rated G

Rugrats Go Wild! This animation joins Nickelodeon’s two cartoon families—the Thornberrys and the Pickles. With their four little rugrats and dog Spike (voice of Bruce Willis) the Pickles embark on a family cruise but end up washed ashore on a remote island. The rugrats become lost until discovered by nature expert Nigel Thornberry (Tim Curry). Meanwhile, bossy Angelica (Cheryl Chase) takes a different path, stumbling onto the Thornberry campsite (Danielle Harris). Danger, adventure, laughs, a goofy dog, precocious babies and clueless parents will tickle the fancy of youngsters under 9, but moms and dads may be happier walking the malls. “Rugrats Go Wild” earns its PG rating for its crude humor, much of it centered on dirty diapers and a crotch-sniffing dog. Rated PG

Rush Hour 2 Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker repeat their roles from the 1998 original as Hong Kong police Inspector Lee and LAPD detective James Carter. In the first film, Lee made his first visit to the U.S. chasing an oriental criminal with Carter assigned as his local liaison. Taking up where the first film ended, Carter is now the fish out of water as he "vacations" with Lee in Hong Kong. An explosion at the U.S. Embassy puts them on the trail of Ricky Tan (John Lone), head of a powerful Chinese gang and former police partner of Lee's father. But the investigation uncovers plans to smuggle virtually undetectable counterfeit 'superbills' into the U.S. So the duo gets back to LA and onto Las Vegas for an explosive finish. Along the way they must deal with seemingly corrupt secret service agent Isabella (Roselyn Sanchez) and Tan’s deadly second in command, Hu Li, played by Crouching Tiger’s Zhang Ziyi. Although the martial arts battles are frequent, the violence is mainly hits and kicks without graphic injury. After one martial arts encounter, Carter and Lee are tossed into the street without clothes and the scene reveals bare backsides. Like the original, the dialogue, particularly from Carter, is filled with crude comments and several obscenities. Inappropriate language and sexual allusions, plus a plot that goes no where are reason enough to sit this one out. Rated PG-13

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Santa Clause 2 This comedy-fantasy sequel to the 1994 Santa Clause movie, brings back much of the same cast lead by Tim Allen. Scott Calvin, a divorced father, took over the duties of Santa Claus at the North Pole and for eight years things have run smoothly. His elves think Scott is the best Santa yet. But trouble appears when his son Charlie (Eric Lloyd), living with his mother and step-father back in Scott’s hometown, is misbehaving in school and lands on Santa’s "naughty" list. Not only that, but Scott also seems to be loosing some of his Santa magic. Once again, Scott’s officially informed of the "Missus Clause" that will end his Santa job unless he gets married soon. To keep things running at the North Pole, he makes a Santa clone to take over his job—temporarily. Scott takes off on his magical sleigh to attend to Charlie’s school problems and possibly find a wife. Sure enough, he’s drawn to Charlie’s stern, but attractive, school principal, Carol Newman (Elizabeth Mitchell). But back at the North Pole, Scott’s clone is wreaking havoc with his harsh treatment of the elves, who threaten a strike. All these activities are chuck full of Allen’s humorous antics and quips, as well as other colorful characters and comical events. Although this sequel doesn’t quite live up to the magic and humor of the original film, it still makes for a fun holiday outing destined to be another favorite. Rated G

Save The Last Dance Julia Stiles plays 17-year-old Sara Johnson whose world is turned upside down when her mother dies in a car accident on the way to Sara's dance recital. That sends her from the suburbs to the inner city of Chicago to live with her musician father and attend an almost all-black high school. She makes friends with Derek, played by Sean Patrick Thomas, who has a talent for hip-hop and a plan for medical school. But he also has friends in the drug scene, which complicates his desire to get ahead. The other girls in school aren't happy with a white girl chasing a black man with future potential. But Derek also urges Sara to resume her dream of dancing her way into Juilliard School for the Arts. Save the Last Dance tries hard to be likable but this unbelievable love story with popular hip-hop music and dance scenes may draw teenagers. Sensual dance moves and an erotic ballet simulate sex, and Sara invites Derek to spend the night. Although drugs aren't glamorized, they are part of the plot and lead to a few violent acts. Despite the encouraging messages, Save The Last Dance should cause parents concern.Rated PG-13

Saving Silverman Jason Biggs, who also starred in American Pie, is the title character Darren Silverman in the sophomoric comedy. Steve Zahn and Jack Black play his best friends Wayne and J.D. They share not only the bond of friendship, but an adoration of singer Neil Diamond. So much so that they perform his hits with their band 'Diamonds in the Rough.' Amanda Peet plays a manipulative psychiatrist named Judith who is attracted to Darren, but in stealing him away, she breaks up the band. So Wayne and J.D. try to 'save' Silverman from this unlikely match. Even fans of juvenile crudeness may skip this one. The film is filled with crude jokes about bodily functions and sexually explicit comments. And one scene strongly implies an unconventional sex act. Serious violence portrayed as slapstick is also a frequent factor. Darren's old girlfriend is about to take vows as a nun, but the portrayal of nuns is more disrepectful than humorous. Save your money and skip this one altogether. Rated PG-13

Scary Movie In recent years, the popularity of teen slasher movies has really taken off with such films as the Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summerseries. Written and directed by the Wayans brothers, Scary Movie attempts the comic spoof of those type movies. The main plot has teenager Cindy, played by Anna Faris, stalked by someone wearing a mask and using various sharp instruments as weapons to dispatch Cindy’s friends in a variety of odd and often hilarious ways. Of course, in the midst of the mayhem, the Wayans find time to add scenes spoofing other popular films such as The Matrix, The Sixth Sense, and The Blair Witch Project. Of course, all the jokes are done in traditional “over the top” fashion as is common with spoofs, but some of the phrases seem lifted straight from a hard-core pornographic movie. There are numerous, explicit references to all kinds of sexual acts, conventional and unconventional. The dialogue also spews out over 50 obscenities along with 36 moderate crudities and several strong profanities. The Wayans' parents were reported to walk out of the Scary Movie premiere because of the extreme pornographic nature of several scenes. So avoid this severely objectionable film. Rated R

Scooby-Doo Hanna-Barbera's beloved cartoon mystery-solving Great Dane, Scooby-Doo, leaps onto the big screen this summer in a live-action adventure. Scooby and his human friends, Fred (Freddie Prinz, Jr.), Daphne (Sarah Michelle Gellar), Shaggy (Matthew Lillard), and Velma (Linda Cardellini), once close friends, have become disenchanted with each other. After two years apart, the splintered team reconnects after each is invited individually to Spooky Island, a "haunted" amusement park on a remote island. The Mystery Machine group soon realizes they must resolve their differences to meet their biggest mystery-solving challenge. Young children will be more forgiving than their parents about the unrealistic look of the computer-generated Scooby, corny monsters and silly plot. Families may be disappointed. Unlike the cartoon, which usually showed the monsters and ghosts as human tricks, the dark, sinister Spooky Island creates an image of supernatural forces much too frightening for young children. Characters are possessed by demons, and protoplasmic images of disembodied heads emerge from a whirlpool. Shaggy’s image of a "beatnik" or "stoner" is further degraded with jokes and subtle references to marijuana smoking completely inappropriate for a PG audience. Intended to be family-friendly, Scooby-Doo is a summer nightmare. Rated PG

See Spot Run David Arquette stars in this slapstick romp as Gordon, a postal carrier who considers the dogs on his route a challenge in combat training. But his attractive neighbor Stephanie, played by Leslie Bibb is also a challenge. To score points with Steph, Gordon volunteers to babysit her 6-year-old son James, played by Angus T. Jones. Meanwhile, a mob boss has put out a contract for the FBI's top canine, Agent 11. Running from the mob hitmen, Agent 11 hides out in Gordon's mail truck. James, who's gone to work with Gordon, thinks the dog is his new pet, Spot. Gordon humors James to get in good with Stephanie, but finds a growing friendship with the fatherless boy. And he also tries to make the all-business canine agent, loosen up and act like a dog. Typical of similar films, crude juvenile humor includes jokes about human and animal flatulence. One scene has Gordon step in, and later fall on, dog droppings. Despite strained attempts at humor See Spot Run doesn’t measure up. Rated PG-13

Serendipity In this light romantic comedy set in New York City, Jonathan Trager (John Cusack), meets Sara Thomas (Kate Beckinsale), while both are Christmas shopping in the city. They part hours later without exchanging names or job descriptions. The story then fast-forwards ten years. Sara, now a psychotherapist in San Francisco, suddenly decides to fly to New York, determined to reconnect with a man she barely knows. At the same time, the now engaged Jonathan decides to take control of his destiny and find Sara. Serendipity is a date movie for fans of Sleepless In Seattle type films. Jonathan and Sara are likable, wholesome, kind and funny people. However, both live with a "significant other," unable to commit to marriage. Because Sara's boyfriend is portrayed as a New Age musician with no talent and Jonathan's fiancée appears to be a cold, spoiled socialite, their feelings don't seem to be considered. One completely gratuitous scene of a couple obviously having sex, viewed through a window, is very crude. Foul language includes a few obscenities and strong profanities. On the plus side, Jonathan and Sara each have loyal friends willing to go to extremes to help them find their lost loves. Serendipity, defined as a fortunate accident, is more of a romantic comedy that strays into objectionable territory. Rated PG-13

Shallow Hal Jack Black stars as Hal Larsen in this Farrelly Brothers comedy that proves beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder. Single friends Hal and Mauricio (Jason Alexander) insist on dating beautiful women, but under hypnosis Hal's perception of beauty changes to see inner beauty rather than physical perfection. When Hal meets Rosemary, a very kind and caring young woman, he sees Gwyneth Paltrow. But everyone else sees 300 pounds of extremely overweight Peace Corp volunteer. Although the contrast provides plenty of laughs, Shallow Hal's exaggerated portrayal of overweight people might make some viewers uncomfortable. The message contrasting superficial beauty with the beauty of a good heart is not subtle, but the film does tug an occasional heartstring. However, the film also implies premarital sex as a normal part of dating and crude and obscene language further taint the film. Rosemary flaunts her flabby body in a bikini bathing suit, short skirts and thong underwear several times. But since the film was shot in Charlotte, moviegoers will be pleased to see their Queen City portrayed as a thriving metropolis. Beyond the crude humor Shallow Hal has much to say about true beauty being more than skin deep. Rated PG-13

Shanghai Knights Jackie Chan's back in this action comedy, a follow-up to the western-flavored Shanghai Noon. After his father is murdered in the late 1880s by an English noble, John Wong (Jackie Chan) and his womanizing partner Roy O'Bannon (Owen Wilson) follow the murderer to England. Wong's sister, Fann (Chon Lin), escapes from a Scotland Yard jail, and the three begin their hunt for the killer. As they search London, they get into the usual predicaments. Chan's comedic martial-arts skills help them escape danger and uncover a plot to kill the royal family. Climaxing with fireworks at Queen Victoria's jubilee celebration and a sword fight atop Big Ben, Wong is faced with an opportunity to avenge his father's death. Shanghai Knights is a fun picture with light-hearted martial-arts violence but too much sexual emphasis. Rated PG-13

Shanghai Noon The amazing martial arts stuntmaster, Jackie Chan, is Chon in this tongue-in-cheek comedy western. It’s 1881 and the Chinese princess, Pei Pei, played by Lucy Liu of TV’s Ally McBeal, doesn’t like the groom for her imminent, arranged marriage. So her tutor helps her flee to America. But he’s part of a scheme to ransom the princess for one hundred thousand pieces of the Emperor’s gold, to be delivered to Carson City, Nevada at high noon. When the Carson City bound train is robbed and his uncle shot, Chon finds himself out in the west alone, but still determined to rescue the princess. Along the way, he unknowingly gets married into an Indian tribe and teams up with train robber Roy O’Bannion, played by Owen Wilson. There’s plenty of Jackie’s famous stunts along with lots of martial arts action and humor which will entertain teens and adults alike. Between western shoot-outs, saloon brawls and martial arts fights, violence is frequent. One graphic scene shows a deputy’s badge stuck in a man’s hand. To bend some jail bars, Chon needs wet material, so he urinates on his shirt which leads to some questionable humor. A few scenes take place in a brothel with women in undergarments where Chon and Roy engage in a drinking game that leaves them both drunk. The dialogue also includes a number of obscenities and regular profanities. Although filled with plenty to laugh about, Shanghai Noon earns a more than slightly objectionable rating for gratuitous violence, a number of obscenities and crude humor. Rated PG-13

The Shipping News Emotionally abused by a cruel father and devastated by a disastrous marriage, Quoyle (Kevin Spacey) returns to his family's origin in Newfoundland with his Aunt Agnis (Judi Dench) and 6-year-old daughter, Bunny (Alyssa Gainer/Kaitlyn Gainer/Lauren Gainer). Quoyle decides to settle there to give his daughter a sense of belonging and security. As a reporter for the local newspaper, he learns the peaceful little fishing village has many secrets. Even the lovely Wavey (Julianne Moore), a single mom with a mentally challenged little boy, has a dark secret. This somber, heartwarming family tale will appeal especially to those familiar with the 1993 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Annie Proulx. The film opens with Quoyle's father pushing him as a young boy off a dock to teach him to swim. He leads a solitary life until he meets Petal (Cate Blanchett), who flits from one cheap tawdry affair to another. Ten minutes after they meet, the two are engaged in a graphic sex scene. Later, Petal brings a man into their home and Quoyle hears sounds of sex through the walls. When Quoyle is left to raise his daughter alone, his deep love for Bunny enables him to finally develop a loving relationship. Besides Quoyle nearly drowning twice, a floating corpse, the graphic vision of a man tortured to death, and flashbacks of a young girl's rape provide background to explain characters. A dialogue including several obscenities and profanities plus the graphic sex scene make The Shipping News one to sit out. Rated R

A Shot At Glory In Kilnockie Scotland, soccer is king, but its second division team has never won a national soccer cup. However, things are looking up for them since the team’s American owner (Michael Keaton) has signed on one of Scotland’s best players, Jackie Quillan (Ally Coist). The team’s long standing coach, Gordon McLeod (Robert Duvall), isn’t at all happy about this development, since Jackie is his son-in-law whose womanizing and drinking has almost destroyed his marriage with McLeod’s daughter, Katie(Kristy Mitchell). But McLeod lets him play and before long the team finds itself in Scotland’s championship soccer match. All the while, McLeod refuses to talk to Katie who continues to love and defend her philandering husband. A Shot At Glory is a unique and engrossing film, but the coaches’ and players’ almost incessant obscenities destroy the enjoyment of the film for discerning viewers. The film also contains a fairly explicit sex scene. But there are redeeming qualities. McLeod’s loving wife (Morag Hood) and stunning events on the soccer field soften McLeod’s crusty demeanor. Even Jackie turns out to have a sense of decency. Too bad this well-crafted plot is tainted with foul language and an unneeded sex scene. Rated R

Showtime Robert DeNiro and Eddie Murphy team up in this humorous "odd couple" spoof of reality TV shows. Mitch Preston (DeNiro), a 28-year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department, takes his job very seriously. Rookie cop Trey Sellars (Murphy) has two goals: to break into show business and to pass the detective exam. These opposites collide when Trey mistakes Mitch’s undercover operation to capture a drug czar as a dirty cop making a deal. Trey alerts the media, and TV cameras are soon at the scene. After Mitch shoots out the camera, the not-so-dynamic duo are ordered to become stars of a new, reality-TV cop show to avoid a lawsuit against the department. Trey’s dream comes true, but Mitch is furious. TV producer Chase Renzi (Rene Russo) and her crew follow the odd couple, filming their every move. William Shatner, as her director, takes and makes jokes aimed at his past TV series such as "T. J. Hooker" and "Star Trek." Non-stop action and laughs should make Showtime a big success. There’s no deep message or moral to the story except forget your worries and have a little fun. While there is no sexual content, there is frequent, raw dialogue that includes several obscenities and a few strong profanities. Action scenes, filled with car chases and crashes, explosions and massive property damage exploit violence. The drug kingpin uses a custom-made assault gun so massive, it destroys a house with two people inside. Although no bodies or gore is seen, the intensity and length of the action scenes seems excessive. Moviegoers will wonder why Showtime didn’t get slapped with an R-rating and parents should treat this as such. Rated R

Shrek Mike Myers is the voice of Shrek, an ogre who just wants the privacy of his swamp. John Lithgow voices Lord Farquaad of the neighboring realm who evicts all fairy tale creatures for ‘resettlement’ in Shrek’s swamp. Soon Shrek’s overrun with three blind mice, seven dwarves, and a host of other characters. Eddie Murphy provides the voice for the talking Donkey who can’t seem to be quiet. Donkey accompanies Shrek as he takes on Farquaad’s quest to rescue the Princess Fiona from a fire-breathing dragon, so solitude can return to his swamp. Cameron Diaz is the voice of the Princess who comes with an unusual curse. With lots of humorous references to past film fairy tales and some recent movies, Shrek aims at both young animation fans and those who can remember older productions, especially from a certain mousy studio. Adolescent boys may enjoy some of the gross humor of Shrek’s less than hygienic hygiene as he showers with mud, brushes his teeth with slime and uses earwax for a candle, but older viewers will register mild disgust. The film shows a good heart with its messages about not judging a person by looks and true love based on more than outward image. However, crude humor and questionable dialogue slightly tarnish the tale of Shrek. Rated PG.

Sidewalks Of New York This mock documentary interviews New Yorkers willing to answer personal questions about their first and subsequent sexual experiences. Nineteen-year-old Ashley (Brittany Murphy), with eight sexual partners since she was 15, is now the mistress of middle-aged Griffin (Stanley Tucci), a dentist who spends his lunch hour with her. TV producer Tommy (Ed Burns), just booted out of his girlfriend's apartment, hires realtor Annie (Heather Graham), Griffin's wife, to help him find his own apartment. Strangers' lives cross paths, even intertwine in Sidewalks of New York. Those who empathize with lonely singles and loveless couples may find this bittersweet, romantic comedy entertaining. However, unfaithfulness, bed-hopping and spiritual voids bring unhappiness as the characters pursue sex, not love. A school teacher's one-night-stand rewards her with pregnancy and more solitude, and Griffin becomes obsessed with his physical sexual attributes when Ashley comments on those of a much younger man. Ashley constantly whines that Griffin won't be seen in public with her, but he doesn't want to risk getting caught because a second divorce will make him look like a loser. One scene shows two lesbians kissing passionately in an elevator. Arguing couples spout off filthy language, and many other crude references to sex and genitals make this one to sit out. Rated R

The Skulls This adventure thriller revolves around an actual current phenomenon in America - elite secret societies in prestigious American universities. At a prestigious Ivy League university, Luke McNamara, played by Joshua Jackson, a very determined young man from a humble background, wants to go to law school. Invited to join a secret society know as The Skulls, he jumps at the chance since the society can obtain his admission to law school and pay his expenses. But his choice raises the ire of his best friend and roommate, Will Beckford, played by Hill Harper. Joshua finds a soul mate in another man invited into the society, Caleb Mandrake, played by Paul Walker. When Will is harmed, Joshua suspects both the society and Caleb are involved. This mystery with some unique plot twists makes for a suspenseful ride, but young adult and teenage audiences will probably go for teen idols Jackson and Walker. Older members of the society do almost anything to perpetuate the society and exploit its benefits in their professional lives, including severe beatings and murder. Joshua and his girlfriend are shown in a brief passionate encounter and start undressing each other, but no nudity or sexual activity is shown. Characters are also prone to spew obscenities and profanities in crisis situations. So foul language and premarital sex, implied as acceptable, earn The Skulls a moderately objectionable rating. Rated PG-13

Snow Dogs In this slapstick comedy from Disney, popular film star Cuba Gooding plays Ted Brooks, a prosperous black dentist in Miami who inherits his mother’s estate in Alaska. His meager inheritance includes a team of eight very fine sled dogs. Ted embarks on a hilarious series of mishaps to learn about dog sledding and, to prove himself, enters the annual cross-country Arctic Challenge Dog Sled race. Jam packed with action and all sorts of slapstick comedy involving Ted, the sled dogs and the town’s characters, Snow Dogs is bound to have broad appeal. Except for a few crude suggestive remarks and a beach dream scene with Ted’s girlfriend (Joanna Bacalso), the film might have earned a G rating. Some adult comments occur in a scene where someone explains to Ted that he was born out of wedlock, but the dialogue is mostly free of foul language. Comical slapstick mishaps run throughout the film as Ted is constantly being chased by dogs, dragged through the snow, slides down hills, and suffers mild injuries. A few crude remarks, some adult dialogue and a suggestive image, are not appropriate for very young children, but reasonably acceptable for children age 10 and up. Rated PG

Solaris The film, billed as "a love story rich with emotion and mystery," takes place in the future on a space station orbiting the unique planet Solaris, which is being studied by a crew of four scientists. When widowed psychologist Chris Kelvin (George Clooney) arrives, he finds that one crew member is missing and another has committed suicide. The remaining two scientists show symptoms of anxiety and paranoia. Other strange events begin to occur, including Dr. Kelvin’s vivid interactions with what appears to be his long-deceased wife (Natascha McElhone). He must distinguish what is reality as he seeks to help the crew. The story has positive themes of forgiveness, loyalty and personal responsibility, and some conversations about God, the metaphysical and the afterlife. These positives, however, are overshadowed by graphic images of sexual intercourse, some nudity, and bloody scenes.
Rated PG-13

Someone Like You Ashley Judd, Greg Kinnear and Hugh Jackman are the leads in this romantic comedy. Judd is Jane, who books talent and researchs topics for a New York talk show. She falls fro Kinnear as Ray, the new executive producer of the show. They even lease the perfect apartment together. But when Ray can't commit and waffles between Jane and his ex, Jane comes up homeless and finds herself sharing an apartment with Jackman as womanizing co-worker Eddie. Upset about Ray and researching animal behavior, Jane comes up with her "new cow" theory, that men are like bulls that never mate twice with the same cow. When she tells her theory to Marisa Tomei a friend and editor of a "men's magazine," Jane becomes a celebrated sex-advice columnist. And Eddie is a wealth of examples, but he may also disprove her theory. Although flaunted as a date movie, the subject matter may cause some gender-siding arguments. These characters seem to take for granted that premarital sex is a requisite for dating couples. Although critical of Eddie's promiscuous habits, she seems willing to jump into bed with Ray on the second date. Several slang terms for sex, and a few obscenities tarnish the dialogue while a significant amount of bed-hopping sends out dangerous messages of "everybody's doing it" to teenagers. Someone Like You’s liberal attitude on sex coupled with a crude vocabulary and a lack of morals, not to mention a dismally predictable plot should make moviegoers hold onto their money and skip this one altogether.Rated PG-13

Sorority Boys When Dave (Barry Watson of WB’s 7th Heaven), Doofer (Harland Williams) and Adam (Michael Rosenbaum of WB’s Smallville) are unjustly thrown out of their Kappa Omicron Kappa fraternity for stealing money, they decide they need to prove their innocence. To accomplish this, they need to get back into the frat house and retrieve a videotape that caught all the action. Doofer comes up with the idea of posing as women, to get into the house and have free reign once inside. So the boys become Daisy, Roberta and Adina. However, the retrieval is much harder than planned. After they get thrown out of the frat house, the three have to regroup and find a place to stay. Still disguised, they join the Delta Omicron Gamma (DOG) sorority house with all of the other ‘ugly’ girls on campus. But they have to keep up female appearances while planning their next move. Sorority Boys has occasionally funny moments, but ends up being just another in a long line of disappointing, gross-out comedies. Men in “drag” have been a comedy staple for decades and, in this case, provides ample opportunity for the boys to learn how the other-half lives. As might be expected from the college setting and comedy premise, the film is filled with sexually suggestive and explicit content that includes repeated innuendos, sex scenes on videotape, and several instances of nudity. Add excessive foul language to this mixer and Sorority Boys simply doesn’t pass. Rated R

Space Cowboys Veteran actors CLint Eastwood, James Garner, Donald Sutherland and Tommy Lee Jones play veteran test pilots and former selectees for the U.S. space program. But, being somewhat mavericks in dealing with authority, are passed over initial space flights in favor of a more cooperative chimpanzee. Forty years later, they're called out of retirement as being the most knowledgeable about failing systems on an aging, critical Russian satellite. They still stretch the rules and strain the patience of their younger trainers, but relish the opportunity to show they still have the right stuff. However, a top NASA official is concealing some important information about the satellite. Some very suspenseful action unfolds as the old Russian satellite goes out of control and the U.S. rescue team gets into serious trouble. An entertaining, humorous, suspenseful and inspiring adventure-comedy, Space Cowboys will probably soar at the box office. Although flamboyant and outspoken, the geriatric space crew demonstrates their patriotism and love of country. They also show strong loyalty and support for one another. But they are not saints and spew out many mild and moderate crudities, a number of s-words and five strong profanities. Garner plays Tank, a country preacher whose religious comments are frequently presented in a comical manner but he’s a stabling influence on the team. Overall, he and Christianity are portrayed favorably but the humor sometimes borders on being disrespectful. Rated PG-13

Spiderman Tobey Maguire takes on the role of Marvel Comics' web-slinging hero in the latest version of Spiderman. Kirsten Dunst plays Mary Jane Watson or M J, the girl next-door that Spiderman's alter-ego, Peter Parker, falls for. Following the storyline created by Marvel Comics close enough to please most fans, the film starts with brainy Peter Parker on a high school senior field trip to Columbia University's science labs. The lab is combining DNA strands of different spiders to create a super-spider. But one of the genetically-enhanced creatures gets loose and bites Peter, transferring some active DNA material into Peter's blood. Pretty soon, Peter discovers he's put on some muscle and can throw away his glasses. He can even climb walls and sense when something's about to happen. But strangest of all, he can shoot webs out of his wrists strong enough to hold people. Trying to earn money, he enters a wrestling match as the Human Spider, but the ringmaster calls him the Amazing Spider-man. Easily winning the match, Peter gets cheated out of his winnings, so he's not in any hurry to help stop a box office thief. But when his uncle is killed, Peter puts his new powers to the test and catches up with the killer. Soon, the friendly neighborhood Spiderman is swinging around New York stopping crimes. Another encournter involves rich industrialist Norman Osborn (Willem Dafoe) who is working on a performance enhancer for the military, along with armor and a one-man armed glider for the battlefield. Action fans will enjoy the rescues and battles as Spiderman struggles with a Goblin, as well as dealing with the everyday problems of earning a living. Although the scene is often filled with fighting, most of the violence is neither graphic or gory. One use of "Jesus" as an exclamation, along with several mild obscenities may offend some. But this flick should be a crowd-pleaser.Rated PG -13

Spirit:Stallion of the Cimarron Matt Damon voices the narration in DreamWorks’ new animated film that shows the West before the turn of the 1900's, from a horse’s point of view. As an eagle majestically soars through pristine mountains, over beautiful sparkling rivers and races with buffalo, Spirit, a beautiful, buckskin-colored colt, is born. As he grows, Spirit becomes the leader of the Cimarron herd, bravely protecting the mares and foals. One day, from a great distance, a new smell catches the stallion’s attention. His curiosity wins out and soon, after a wild chase, Spirit finds ropes around his neck. Led captive to a cavalry fort, he meets Little Creek (voiced byWes Studi), a young Lakota Indian brave. Little Creek helps Spirit make a daring escape, but they do not enjoy their freedom long. Re-captured, Spirit is taken to a railroad camp where he’s forced to help haul a huge locomotive up a steep grade. But remembering his herd, Spirit once again devises a plan to escape. Balanced with a thought-revealing soundtrack, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron is a treat for ages 6 and up. The film touches on some darker elements of white man’s expansion into the West as the soldiers seem somewhat vicious dealing with Spirit and Little Creek’s people. Young viewers especially may be upset when Spirit’s friend Rain is shot and Little Creek tenderly comforts the wounded animal. The action, as the train engine tumbles through buildings and explodes, endangering Spirit, is extremely intense for younger viewers. Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron is a highly entertaining story set in a historical context, that could spark some excellent dialogue between parents and children. Rated G

Spy Game As he awakes for his last day before retirement, CIA operative Nathan Muir (Robert Redford learns that his protégé, Tom Bishop (Brad Pitt), has been captured. Bishop now awaits execution in a Chinese prison and Muir has only 24 hours to save him. However, stuck in Washington, Muir’s only recourse is to influence his fellow agents who are prepared to hang Bishop out to dry. Muir must call upon all his skills to manipulate the situation as he is brought in by the agency to talk about his encounters with Bishop.Spy Game is definitely a “guy-movie” with several exciting action sequences, plenty of suspense, and some top-notch acting. Director Tony Scott also makes good use of the camera which, in turn, consistently heightens the intensity throughout. Typical of spy films, many violent encounters occur. Bishop also develops a relationship with a woman, and sex is implied between the two. However, the biggest offender is foul language. Rated R

SpyKids Alexa Vega and Daryl Sabra are the kids Carmen and Juni, Antonio Banderas and Carla Gugino play the parents Gregorio and Ingrid. Bedtime stories for Carmen and Juni include the tale of two international spies who instead of fighting each other, fell in love and got married. But when Ingrid and Gregorio are kidnapped, Uncle Felix, played by Cheech Marin, lets the children know the story is about their parents. And the kids take up their heritage and zoom off with lots of 007 gadgets to rescue their parents. But it'll take the whole family to stop the sinister plot of Fegan Floop, a children's show host and former spy played by Alan Cumming. This action-adventure should be a fun outing that gives pre-teens peer group heroes but also has some inside jokes for parents. With lots of hi-tech gadgets and special effects and no profanity, Spy Kids can be recommended for ages 6 and older. Rated PG.

Star Wars Episode II: Attack Of The Clones Twenty-five years after the original Star Wars forever blended and changed the special effects and motion picture industry, the imaginative universe of George Lucas still captivates faithful fans and new viewers. In the on-going history of the story, ten years have passed since young Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) was discovered on the planet Tatooine and taken as apprentice to the Jedi knight Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor). Queen Padmé Amidala (Natalie Portman) has become the influential Senator Amidala of Naboo in the government chambers of the Republic. Threats on Padmé’s life lead the Jedi Council to assign Obi-Wan and the now adult Anakin to protect the Senator. Keeping a close eye on Padmé re-ignites Anakin’s feelings for the young woman and cause him to question the Jedi rules against love. But love takes a back seat to action as the Federation’s army of ‘droids marches against the Republic. Political intrigue, secret alliances, exciting chases, battles large and small, and a computer-generated Yoda (voice of Frank Oz) showing his mastery of the light-saber will capture a new generation of viewers. While previous ‘episodes’ have commented on religious aspects of the Jedi and their use of ‘the Force,’ CLONES treats the Force as an accepted belief or confines the comments to Jedi. Light-sabers flash frequently throughout the action-packed story in numerous battles. Although bloodless, fights include arms and legs being cut off, as well as a graphic beheading with the helmeted head rolling on the ground. The exciting action-adventure refrains from sexual content and vulgar language. This much anticipated film is sure to be a crowdpleaser. Rated PG

Stealing Harvard John and Duff (Jason Lee and Tom Green) consider brainless schemes to raise $30,000 when John’s live-in girlfriend Elaine (Leslie Mann) uses their savings for a down payment on a house. John promised to pay for his niece to attend Harvard, so Duff suggests that John break into a wealthy widower’s home. When that backfires, the two participate in a botched liquor store robbery and, finally, Elaine helps them break into her father’s medical equipment showroom. This slapstick style humor may attract 13-year-old boys and fans of standup comedian Green, but for most, Stealing Harvard will insult their intelligence. John’s niece Noreen (Tammy Blanchard) lives in a trailer park with her mother, Patty (Megan Mullally), who "entertains" men, sometimes three at a time, although sex is only implied. John swears to Elaine’s father (Dennis Farina) that he and Elaine have never had sex in the seven years they have lived together. However, these two are shown in bed at least three times having sex beneath the covers. Elaine becomes aroused during the robbery of her father’s business and throws John on the desk before they are interrupted. Her father’s dog grabs Duff’s crotch and won’t let him go. In the first robbery attempt, John is caught and forced at gunpoint to put on a blond wig and nightgown, then snuggle in bed with the male homeowner. This scenario is repeated three times. Discerning moviegoers will agree Stealing Harvard should be rated R and spurned at the box office. Rated PG-13

Sugar And Spice Diane, the ever-perky captain of the Lincoln High cheerleading A-Squad played by Marly Shelton, leads a team of all-American teenage girls whose oath of allegiance seems unbreakable. And Lisa, the B-squad head played by Marla Sokoloff, knows Diane’s place is rightfully hers. It’s love at first sight when Diane meets Jack, the new football quarterback portrayed by James Marsden, which leads to a pregnant Diane. But when the young lovers face the reality of finding a home and the difficulty of paying bills on an after school budget, the A-squad rallies to the challenge of robbing a bank to get the money for Diane’s future babies. Mena Suvari, the seductive cheerleader from American Beauty, plays Kansas, whose mother is doing time for killing her adulterous spouse while in labor with Kansas. Sean Young plays the mother who feels proud to help her daughter with the less-than-legal homework. But Lisa is on hand when the A-squad makes their move and comes up with the evidence that could take the team out of the picture. This somewhat silly film will attract teens, and unfortunately pre-teens, as it skews the idealistic world of high school popularity. But this PG-13 film is filled with more adult humor such as scenes of feminine products being passed between bathroom stalls during a narration about A-squads togetherness and a female inmate admiring the cheerleaders’ short skirts. The team frequently consults a Ouija board even though one member is characterized as super Christian. The same girl gives a fairly explicitdescription of her first sexual experience and doesn’t seem to mind the idea of stealing from a bank. Numerous sexual innuendoes and implied sexual encounters along with frequent foul language means Sugar and Spice should cause parents some concern. Rated PG-13

The Sum Of All Fears Ben Affleck takes up the role previously held by Alec Baldwin and Harrison Ford,of Tom Clancy's CIA hero Jack Ryan. Based on Clancy’s novel, this political thriller may disappoint avid fans of the book as the film takes Jack back to the beginning of his career as a virtually unknown intelligence analyst. When Nemerov (Ciarán Hinds) suddenly becomes President of Russia, U.S. President Robert Fowler (James Cromwell) turns to the CIA for information about the new leader’s political views. CIA Director William Cabot (Morgan Freeman) looks to analyst Jack Ryan (Ben Affleck), who wrote a previous brief about the Russian. Cabot takes Ryan to Moscow on an Arms Limitation inspection to meet Nemerov and turns up suspicious data. But when a nuclear device explodes in Baltimore, injuring Cabot, Ryan has little time to discover the real enemy before the U.S. and Russia launch a deadly nuclear exchange. Bloody injuries, dead bodies, and graphic burn wounds share time with explosions, fires and military attacks. Although more limited than some films, the intense situation invokes many profanities and several obscenities from the characters. The terrorist aspect may remind many of the attacks on New York. but overall, the plot seems a bit unbelievable as Ryan races through poisonous fumes unprotected and unharmed and as government officials just stand back and take their cues from a young – and green – Ryan. Bottom line: wait for the video. Rated PG -13

Summer Catch Freddie Prinze Jr. plays Ryan Dunne, a talented, left-handed pitcher hoping for a baseball career. Ryan joins other college players chosen from across the country to play in the Cape Cod League. Ryan's dad (Henry Ward), his coach (Brian Dennehy), and his new girl friend, Vassar graduate Tenley (Jessica Biel of TV's 7th Heaven), see Ryan's potential even when he bombs on the baseball field. Baseball action, humor and likable characters will delight older teen viewers. But sexual humor reigns. In the opening scene, Ryan's girl friend snuggles with him in a sleeping bag on the baseball field. She switches underwear with him, leaving him to wear her thong underwear the next morning. Visiting players stay in local homes, and one innocent boy (Wilmer Valderrama of TV's That 70's Show) is the guest of a forty-ish "Mrs. Robinson" who introduces him to sex. Another player becomes infatuated with an overweight girl who becomes the brunt of many jokes and crude remarks. These college kids are promiscuous, with the girls in skimpy bathing suits and thong underwear often the aggressors. No negative consequences ever come into play. Crude, foul language includes several obscenities and profanities. The loyalty of Ryan's hometown friends becomes the catalyst to give him self-confidence and hit the film’s only home run. Crude humor, obscenities and promiscuous sex, however, strike out Summer Catch with discerning viewers. Rated PG-13

Super Troopers The main story revolves around some major drug dealing going on in the area while a small highway patrol outpost in Vermont, led by crusty, old veteran Captain John O’Hagan (Brian Cox) fights with the local town police over jurisdiction. And because no one on the highway patrol is able to do anything right, they are losing the jurisdiction battle and even face the dire prospect of being shut down by the governor. Their only recourse is to use any method available to solve the crime problem, while battling all kinds of comical obstacles, and local cops, that hinder their investigation. Super Troopers has a few moments earning a chuckle, but little else to justify its production. However, young teens and college campuses may provide some audience for this unfunny farce. Sexual content prevails with explicit dialogue and several implied sex scenes, including one with female nudity as a woman and her husband appear prepared to engage multiple partners. Foul language is almost continuous with numerous obscenities and strong profanities. Crude and vulgar language with frequent, explicit sexual content tickets Super Troopers.Rated R

Sweet Home Alabama Her successful career catapults young, beautiful New York fashion designer Melanie Carmichael (Reese Witherspoon) into the arms of Andrew (Jack Dempsey), New York’s most eligible bachelor. However, Melanie must first hurry back to Pigeon Creek, Alabama, to finalize her divorce from high school sweetheart Jake (Josh Lucas). That should take just a few days, but a few days turns into a few weeks as she and Jake reconnect. Suddenly Andrew and his very opinionated mom, New York City’s mayor (Candice Bergen), appear unexpectedly to orchestrate a genteel Alabama wedding. It’s great fun to watch the snobbish New York socialites clash with Melanie’s Southern redneck family and friends. Audiences looking for laughs and relaxation won’t be disappointed. Like the prodigal son, Melanie is welcomed back to Pigeon Creek even though she rejected her crude-talking, beer-drinking family when she became rich and famous. But she discovers the consequences of lying to her New York crowd about being a Southern debutante and also learns to accept her humble background. With no graphic sex scenes or nudity, and only one brief sock in the jaw, Sweet Home Alabama would be a wholesome movie without its foul language. Rated PG-13

Sweet November Some people may think that the 1970 Love Story was the first film to feature a heroine dying of a fatal disease, but this Keanu Reeves pairing with Charlize Theron is a remake of a 1968 film of the same name. And film heroines in love have been dying of fatal diseases since the 1909 production of Alexander Dumas' Camille. Keanu plays top San Francisco advertising executive Nelson Moss whose workaholic lifestyle abruptly slows down after an encounter with eccentric Sara Deevers, played by Theron. Sara claims a special ability to cure men such as Nelson of their problems. All it takes is living with and following her instructions for one month. Reluctant at first, Nelson takes her challenge after he's fired from a job and loses his girlfriend in the same day. She soon breaks his focus on work and he wants to extend the one-month deadline. But She has a problem even more serious than his. Although the leads are attractive and popular, this remake seems to dangle too many loose ends. But the film will touch emotional chords for female viewers. The story endorses premarital sex as part of the month-long arrangement and Nelson is living with his girlfriend before he meets Sara. References are also made to past men who've stayed with Sara. Sara helps him see that work is what he does, not who he is. Nelson also gets a misguided lesson in tolerance of lifstyles when he learns that Jacob Isaacs as Sara’s neighbor, Chaz, is a gay transvestite. And, of course, obscenities and profanity color the dialogue. Although Nelson makes some positive changes in his life, mixed moral messages sour Sweet November.Rated PG-13

The Sweetest Thing Cameron Diaz, Christina Applegate, and Selma Blair star in this crude, romantic comedy that proves women-oriented films can be just as raunchy as teen and male-oriented productions. Christina (Diaz) is a noted party girl who 'just wants to have fun.' Her best friend and roommate Courtney (Applegate), a lawyer, shares her since of fun and 'sampling' of the male population. But when Christina meets Peter (Thomas Jane) one night in a club, she begins to question whether he may be Mr. Right. But Peter appears to be getting married. The combination of stars may attract initial interest, but the fluffy lack of substance will quickly lower demand for THe Sweetest Thing. Rather than romantic comedy, the film seems more of a sex farce as numerous scenes deal with sexual encounters, sex acts or skimpy attire. Along with crude sexual content, the dialogue is filled with vulgar obscenities, sexual slang and numerous profanities. The Sweetest Thing is tasteless trash.Rated R

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Tears Of The Sun In this action adventure about civil unrest in Nigeria, Lieutenant A.K. Waters (Bruce Willis) and his team of Navy SEALs go in to rescue American missionary doctor Lena Kendricks (Monica Bellucci). Moved to compassion by the plight of innocent refugees, the soldiers endanger themselves by attempting to help them escape from aggressive rebels. Only through courage and perseverance can this group of Africans and Americans escape these brutal men. This picture, while not based on actual events, provides insight into the horrors of ethnic cleansing and religious persecution throughout many parts of the world. It contains graphic brutality. The American soldiers show compassion as they encounter gross injustices, risking their lives to save the mistreated people. This film is not recommended for children or young teens. Rated R

Thirteen Days This historical drama offers audiences a revised view of the inner workings of the White House during the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962. Special Assistant to the President, Kenny O’Donnell, played by Kevin Costner, is one of only two men President Kennedy allows in his innermost circle. Bruce Greenwood plays the President while Stephen Culp plays the third member of the group, U.S. Attorney General Robert Kennedy, the President’s brother. In the Fall of 1962, the Soviet Union began moving ballistic missiles into Cuba, with the capability to hit almost any target in the continental United States. Thirteen Days shows these three men and the heart-wrenching political decisions they negotiate to find a solution to this international crisis. The main value in this film is that it records the events of history in dramatic form, giving the viewer some perspective on the emotions involved at the magnitude of decisions the leaders face. President Kennedy values a peaceful solution and has to resist tremendous pressure for a military response. Due to the intense nature of the situations, several characters use strong profanity, some obscenities and numerous moderate crudities. Rated PG-13

Thirteen Ghosts This year's horror/gore flick for Halloween stars Tony Shalhoub, Matthew Lillard, Embeth Davidtz, and Shannon Elizabeth as unsuspecting residents of a haunted house from hell built by E. Murray Abraham. Since his wife died in a house fire, Arthur Kriticos (Shalhoub) and his children, Kathy (Elisabeth ) and Bobby (Alec Roberts) have struggled to make ends meet. But things start looking up when Arthur is told he’s the sole inheritor of his eccentric Uncle Cyrus’ (Abraham) estate. But Kalina (Davitz) tells them the house is really a machine that will open the all-seeing ‘Eye of Hell’ and give the owner power to see the future. However, a living person must sacrifice himself as the thirteenth ghost. Will Arthur make the sacrifice to save his children from the house? Based on a classic horror film, this remake may attract fans of the stars, but its Halloween release is the main draw. Many horror films, this one included, substitute scenes of blood and gore for fright. Occultic elements, such as spells written on the walls and malevolent ghosts, add elements that supposedly play on our fear of the unknown. One female ghost is naked with deep cuts on her body, which adds a gratuitous nudity factor. Even without the numerous obscenities and God’s name in vain multiple times, Thirteen Ghosts should be avoided. Rated R

Thomas & the Magic Railroad Young fans of "Thomas the Tank Engine" and "Shining Time Station" on television and video will enjoy the new adventures of their imaginary friends from the land of talking trains. In the big screen debut of Thomas, he and the other steam engines face permanent retirement due to the villainous newcomer, Diesel 10, and his cohorts Splatter and Dodge. Mister Conductor, played by Alec Baldwin, travels between the fantasy land of talking trains and the reality of Shining Time Station using his “magic gold dust.” But just when he needs it most, Mister Conductor loses his “sparkle.” Along comes Lily, a 10-year-old played by Mara Wilson, who comes to visit her grandfather, played by Peter Fonda. Lily and her grandfather unknowingly hold the key to restoring the magic in the island of talking trains and saving Thomas. The combination of live actors, animated characters, humor and adventure makes Thomas & the Magic Railroad a delight for young children and the young at heart. While magic is a major ingredient in this fantasy, it's used to spark children's imagination rather than conjure up evil spirits or witches' spells. And there’s lots of good lessons and fun moments for everyone. Mister Conductor personifies the importance of being responsible and reliable, while his cousin demonstrates the consequences of laziness. Through Lily’s efforts, her grandfather lets some of the magic of love back into his life. And, of course, Thomas teaches us that even little engines can accomplish big things. Rated G

The Time Machine Based on his 100-year-old novel, the vivid imagination of author H.G. Wells explodes onto the screen in this remake of a 1960 movie. Directed by the author’s great grandson, Simon Wells, The Time Machine spins the tale of Alexander Hartdegen (Guy Pearce), an eccentric science professor in the early 1900s, who creates an elaborate machine capable of traveling back in time or forward into the future. After his effort to alter past events fails, Alexander speeds forward to a computerized, futuristic world, but his final stop lands him 800,000 years in the future. There he discovers a natural, primitive Garden of Eden occupied by people called Eloi and meets beautiful Mara (Samantha Mumba) and her young brother Kalen (Omero Mumba). Suddenly, as the ground seems to spew the evil creatures out, hideous, ape-like Morlocks appear and grab some of the passive Elois. The gentle people know that some captured women are put in cages to be used as breeding vessels, but most of their kind become food for the subterranean monsters ruled by the personification of evil, Uber-Morlock (Jeremy Irons). Non-stop action ensues as Alexander fights back to save the captured Mara and Kalen. Unable to change the past, scientist Alexander is determined to change the future? The Time Machine has no sexual content, but a few mild crudities and one exclamatory profanity are heard. Mara explains to Hartdegen that because of the Morlocks, her people never look back on the past nor forward to any future, giving life no meaning. The story is pure science fiction and not intended to be taken as real, but some violent scenes are certainly not appropriate for young children. Overall, the movie has a bleak view of a Godless universe. Rated PG-13

Tomb Raider Angelina Jolie stars as Lara Croft in this action adventure story based on the popular computer/video game. Lara discovers a clock, hidden by her father, in a secret room. A powerful group called the Illuminati are also looking for the clock. The clock is the key to a powerful, ancient artifact that allows the holder to travel through time. The Illuminati hire Manfred Powell (Iain Glen) to get the clock and the artifact. Manfred hires Lara's sometime rival Alex West (Daniel Craig) to help locate the ancient temples hiding parts of the time controller. But Lara also wants to learn about her father's disappearance. Filled with lots of exciting battles, action stunts and ancient puzzles, fans will turn out for Tomb Raider. Part of Lara's appeal for teen males is her exaggerated figure, but she's also a role model for females looking for strong, intelligent, yet feminine guides. The film flirts with the male audience by showing Lara in a shower and later dropping her towel, but women get equal time as Alex is also seen sans wardrobe. Both scenes show lots of skin without revealing too much. The extensive action scenes involve a lot of shooting and hitting, but little graphic or lethal action. Unfortunately, the dialogue slips in a few obscenities which trigger a caution flag for discerning viewers.Rated PG-13

Town And Country Warren Beatty, Goldie Hawn, Diane Keaton and Garry Shandling play married couples who discover adulterous secrets about each other in what could be called non-romantic comedy. Porter (Beatty) and Ellie (Keaton) have been good friends with Griffin (Shandling) and Mona (Hawn) for many years. And both couples have been married about 25 years. But when Mona finds out that Griffin once had an affair, she immediately begins divorce proceedings. This makes Porter nervous about Ellie discovering he has a little side relationship of his own. And when his infidelities expand to include Mona, it gets even more difficult to keep secrets. Although it generates a few chuckles, making a comedy about adultery may be one reason this film took so long to market. Seeing people ruin their lives, hurt their wife and kids, and jeopardize their careers is tragedy, not comedy. Graphic sexual encounters with nudity, obscene dialogue and humorous treatment of adultery make Town & Country not worth visiting. Rated R.

Treasure Planet Robert Louis Stevenson’s swashbuckling tale of young Jim Hawkins, Long John Silver and hidden treasure gets a science-fiction twist in this adventuresome animated feature from Disney. Jim (voiced by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) grows up watching the video-book tales of the legendary pirate Captain Flint, who hides his plunder on a secret planet. When the alien Billy Bones crashes near the Benbow Inn, where Jim’s mother works as a waitress, he gives a golden orb with a special star map to Jim for safekeeping. Jim’s astro-physicist friend, Dr. Doppler (David Hyde-Pierce), recognizes it as a treasure map that could lead to Flint’s hidden fortune. They hire the starship RLS Legacy, helmed by the feline-like Captain Amelia (Emma Thompson). Among the crew is John Silver (Brian Murray), a cyborg – part man, part machine – and his pet ‘Morph’ who can change shapes. Silver helps Jim learn his way around the ship but he also has at least one good eye on the star map. When the crew mutinies and takes over the ship, Jim escapes with Doppler and the Captain to crash land on the sought for treasure planet. Hiding from the pirate crew, Jim meets a wacky robot named B.E.N. who worked for Flint. But Ben’s main memory chip is lost, so Jim’s on his own finding the pirate loot while avoiding Silver and the traps Flint left for greedy gold-hunters. Stevenson’s story loses none of its excitement in this re-imagined tale that’s sure to be a holiday treat. Rated PG

Triumph Of Love Mira Sorvino plays a princess who disguises herself as a young man in this romantic comedy,based on a play written in 1732. The princess is determined to return her kingdom to its rightful monarch, the missing Prince Agis (Jay Rodan). She finds him isolated from the world in a remote Italian villa with Hermocrates (Ben Kingsley), a middle-aged philosopher, and his spinster sister Leontine (Fiona Shaw). The disguised princess quickly becomes friends with the prince, and, in a complicated switching back and forth of gender, convinces both of Prince Agis’ guardians that she is in love with them, while falling madly in love with the handsome prince. Triumph Of Love, will probably seem silly to younger audiences, but students of 18th century literature will particularly enjoy this old fashioned romantic comedy. Although the princess cross-dresses and even kisses Leontine, it’s all an act to gain access to the prince and not a homosexual attraction. However, in the opening scene, the princess and her maid shed their feminine gowns, put on men’s clothing and stuff their trousers to enhance their male disguise. The two then spy on the prince bathing in a stream, with rear male nudity briefly shown. Prince Agis has been isolated from the world and doesn’t understand the feelings he has for his new “friend;” in fact he asks the disguised princess to teach him to hate love, because of his bitterness over the loss of his parents and rightful heritage. She makes fools of the philosopher and his spinster sister as each thinks this stranger is going to marry them. With little to no objectionable material, Triumph Of Love should be a crowd pleaser. Rated PG-13

The Truth About Charlie Thandie Newton and Mark Wahlburg star in this remake of 1963 romantic thriller Charade in the roles originally played by Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant. After a vacation in the Caribbean, Regina Lambert (Newton) discovers her luxurious Parisian apartment empty and vandalized and her missing husband in the morgue. Joshua Peters (Wahlburg), a handsome stranger she had flirted with in the Caribbean, appears to help the beautiful damsel in distress. Soon, Regina finds herself in the middle of a convoluted espionage plot and unsure of who’s good or bad, including the helpful Mr. Bartholomew (Tim Robbins in the Walter Matthau role). This remake has none of the traditional charm of Paris, but instead presents a scary city with sinister darkness and lurking stalkers. And it’s understatement to say the stars lack the style and charm of Hepburn and Grant. The underlying truth about this film is young directors have tried to fix a classic,and failed. Some of the grotesque killings feature bloody gunshot wounds, a woman with blood streaming from her eyes, nose and mouth and battered corpses. Hits to groin, an attack in an elevator and a fight on a stairwell produce painful injuries and flashbacks of war scenes produce disturbing images. There are no sex scenes but some sexually suggestive comments and an opening scene with brief breast nudity serves no purpose except to titillate the viewer. Most surprising, however, is the absence of foul language with only one s-word and a few exclamatory profanities. While it’s too dark a story for younger viewers, The Truth About Charlie misses our mark of acceptability with depictions of graphic violence. Rated PG-13

Tuck Everlasting Adapted from the award-winning novel by Natalie Babbitt, Alexis Bledel of TV’s Gilmore Girls, stars as Winnie Foster in this live-action adventure from Disney. At the turn of the century, Winnie’s parents want her to attend finishing school back east, which means leaving the town of Tree Gap and the woods that surround her home. Running away from the stifling atmosphere of her house, Winnie gets lost in the woods and meets Jesse Tuck, a 17-year-old-boy played by Jonathan Jackson, who’s unlike any she’s met before. Oscar© winners John Hurt and Sissy Spacek, play Jesse’s parents, who aren’t sure what to do with Winnie after she discovers their secret. Another Oscar© notable, Sir Ben Kingsley plays the man in the yellow suit who’s looking for the Tucks secret as well. Soon Winnie must decide whether to share the Tucks’ life or forget Jesse completely. Younger audiences will get restless, but pre-teens and older will enjoy Winnie’s adventure in the woods. The story looks at the idea of immortality and living forever, but it talks about an earthly immortality rather than a heavenly after-life. No particular religious views are spoken, however, several Bible passages are read at the funeral of Winnie’s grandmother. The film is refreshingly free of foul language, but several scenes involve scuffles and shootings. With a warning about some moderately violent scenes, Tuck Everlasting can be enjoyed by pre-teens and older and may generate some interesting discussion points with parents. Rated PG

The Two Towers Director Peter Jackson brilliantly brings to life another of J. R .R. Tolkein’s books. The characters, the colors, the sounds and the story are magnificently fashioned into a remarkable film of beauty and substance. In The Two Towers, the second in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, the Fellowship has been broken but continues in its quest to help Frodo (Elijah Wood) to the dark land of Mordor to destroy the ring. Gollum (voice by Andy Serkis) is an invaluable guide with his knowledge of the territory but a potential hindrance with his personal lust for the ring. Gandalf (Ian McKellen), Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) and Samwise (Sean Astin) return in heroic roles. This filmas wonderful action sequences and excellently detailed battle scenes. Much of the credit for this well-made film goes to author Tolkein’s creativity and Biblical worldview, but it is darker than the original and has a number of gory battles and frightening images. Rated PG-13

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U-571 Matthew McConaughey, Harvey Keitel, Bill Paxton and Jon Bon Jovi share the screen in this tense tale of submarine intrigue during World War II. During World War II, the German troops sent messages using a code device called "Enigma." Capturing one of the devices without the Germans knowing was a special mission for U.S. and Allied Intelligence units. When a German U-boat is crippled by a fire, the U.S. Navy sees a chance to get an Enigma by disguising a submarine as the repair ship. But they have to beat the real German repair sub. When the the real repair sub torpedoes his ship during the mission, it’s up to Lt. Tyler, played by McConaughey, and the small crew left on the crippled German U-boat to complete the mission. This fast-moving and dramatic WWII story of the bravery and beyond-the-call accomplishments of young men at war will entertain both older teens and adults, particularly males. As in most war movies, violence is prevalent but not gratuitous and is framed in a setting of realistic special effects with numerous explosions and gunfights at close quarters. But numerous obscenities, crude language, and strong profanity also occur in tense, wartime situations. Although a few of the men also show elements of faith by crossing themselves or saying blessings over dead comrades, it's not enough to raise the moderately objectionable rating of U-571. Rated PG-13

Unbreakable Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson create an unusual duo in this outing for award winning director M. Night Shyamalan. And like The Sixth Sense, which also teamed Willis and Shyamalan, the story is filled with surprises. Willis plays David Dunne, a stadium guard who wonders what his life is all about. But his life takes a strange twist when a commuter train crashes, killing everyone on board except Dunne. And Dunne doesn't even have a scratch. Jackson plays Elijah Price, a collector of comic book art with a rare disease that makes his bones fragile. But after hearing about Dunne's miraculous survival, he comes up with a bizarre explanation and clues to support it. And Elijah makes a special effort to help David find the truth. But the truth could change David and his family forever. Loyalty and self-sacrifice are present and there are discussions about or allusions to both hope and salvation. One character even talks about the world needing hope and heroes to believe in. Although it includes little objectionable material beyond a few regular profanities and one obscenity, taking God’s name in vain crosses the line of positive acceptability. However, there’s much more going on in this film than some foul language - the underlying themes are both thought-provoking and inspirational. But some regular profanity earns a moderately objectionable rating. Rated PG-13

Undercover Brother Eddie Griffin stars in this spoof of 1970s’ "blaxploitation" films. A diabolical, Caucasian underground movement launches an all-out campaign to reverse the prevalent influence of black culture on white America. But Brotherhood, with the help of Undercover Brother, "UB," (Griffin), prepares to thwart the evil plans of Mr. Feather (Chris Kattan). Mr. Feather has already drugged General Boutwell (Billy Dee Williams), the first black presidential candidate. UB swaps his 70s Afro hairdo, 1972 Cadillac and tight-fitting polyester suit for slicked down hair and preppie business suit to rescue the general, aided by Sistah Girl (Aunjanue Ellis). But UB may meet his match in the adversary’s secret weapon, White She Devil (Denise Richards). Moviegoers looking for escapism will find this ludicrous comedy worth the price of admission. Much of Undercover Brother’s humor comes from black characters making fun of stereotyped Caucasians’ eating globs of mayonnaise, uptight attitude about sex, and obsession with 401K plans. Likewise, stereotypical black characters’ habits and expressions are parodied by Mr. Feather and his henchmen, including crude references to sex and bathroom humor. Other laugh-generating antics include UB jumping off buildings, crashing through plate glass windows, attacking the enemy with martial art kicks and painful hits, plus the usual car chases and explosions. Sistah Girl and White She Devil confront each other in a vicious fight with sexually suggestive overtones. Thrown into the mix are several obscenities and many crudities. The women wear revealing, low-cut outfits and a white female executive appears sexually aroused by the disguised UB’s introduction of a marketing strategy for a new product. Bottom line - there are better choices for summer recreation than Undercover Brother with its offensive exploitation of violence and crude humor. Rated PG-13

Unfaithful Richard Gere and Diane Lane star in this “anatomy” of an affair as Edward and Connie Sumner who seem to be living the American dream with a happy marriage of eleven years.But when Connie has a windy collision with a French book dealer named Paul (Olivier Martinez), the attractive and charming man begins to tempt her thoughts with the idea of an affair. Discovering his loving wife has lied to him, Edward hires a detective who confirms his suspicion. A moment of uncontrollable rage can either separate him from Connie forever or bring their marriage back together. A fascinating character study, Unfaithful reflects the Bible verse in James ‘Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.’ Although she frequently acknowledges her actions are ‘wrong,’ Connie can’t seem to stop her sexual trysts. The encounters are graphically rendered with explicit nudity and sexual activity. Although he initially covers up a crime, Edward later struggles with the issue of integrity as he considers the ramifications of confession. Obscenities and strong profanity are used a number of times and, combined with graphic sexual content and nudity, renders Unfaithful unwatchable. Rated R

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Vanilla Sky Life is rosy for David Aames (Tom Cruise), a magazine mogul who inherited his wealth and power from his father. Aames arrives at his office around ten and often has women fawning after him. His most recent conquest, Julie Gianni (Cameron Diaz), now feels deeply connected to him, but David thinks of her as just another night of fun. So when Aames spends the night with Sofia (Penelope Cruz), Julie trails him and waits outside all night. When Aames finally emerges from Sophia’s apartment and gets in the car with Julie, she drives them off a bridge, badly injuring Aames and killing herself – or so it seems. Vanilla Sky, based upon 1997’s Abre Los Ojos, might be writer/director Cameron Crowe’s finest work to date. The film includes quite a bit of foul language, with over 50 obscenities and several moderate crudities. Sexual content is also prevalent with several discussions about an earlier sexual encounter, one of which is quite explicit. A graphic sex scene also occurs that is difficult to watch. Not your family-friendly type movie. Rated R.

The Virgin Suicides First-time director Sofia Coppola, weaves a haunting tale about the mysterious Lisbon sisters as seen through the eyes of four neighborhood boys. James Woods and Kathleen Turner play Mr. and Mrs. lisbon who seek help after their youngest daughter attempts suicide. But a second attempt succeeds. The remaining four daughters and their parents try to cope in the aftermath of the act but their lives are forever changed. Kirsten Dunst plays Lux, who turns to promiscuity to mask the pain, but because of her, the parents crack down even more on the sisters freedom. This leads to an act which sears itself into the neighborhood memory. Due to limited distribution, this mesmerizing film won't be seen by large audiences but will engross those more mature and adult audiences who see it. While the main thrust of the movie explores suicide, the message communicated is the pointlessness of the act. As in the real world, when suicide occurs in this movie, the audience is left asking ‘why?’ Those still living can never truly understand what torments and drives people to be able to take their own life. A brief sexual encounter between Lux and a fellow student, although both are fully clothed, is still graphically explicit. The heavy thematic content of the film portrays teens taking their own lives, as well as engaging in drinking, sex, smoking, and drugs. Rated R

Vertical Limit Chris O'Donnell stars as Peter Garrett in this exciting action film about the dangerous sport of mountain climbing. Although the death of his mountain-climbing father discouraged him from the sport, Peter's sister Annie, played by Robin Tunney, gained world fame in it. She's asked to guide Bill Paxton, as a Texas billionaire, to the top of K2, the second highest peak in the world. When an avalanche strands Annie, Peter must overcome his fears and memories to lead the rescue party. Scott Glenn also stars as mountain expert Montgomery Wick who also joins the rescue team. The action is non-stop as the climbers brave cliff falls, avalanches and accidental explosions to save Annie. The expansive mountain vistas and the quick-paced intensity of Vertical Limit will appeal to people looking for exciting, vicarious thrills. One of the climbers is portrayed as Muslim and shown praying in one scene. Another climber is also shown as religious, yet his particular faith is never revealed. A scene for comic relief, featuring near nudity, shows two male climbers sunbathing au natural. Intense situations seem to generate obscenities and strong profanities, although the dialogue takes a back-seat to the heart-stopping stunts. However, taking God's name in vain and several obscenities are enough to make Vertical Limit significantly objectionable. Rated PG-13

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A Walk To Remember Set in the late fifties and based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks, this family oriented story stars pop recording artist Mandy Moore as Jamie Sullivan. Landon Carter (Shane West), whose reputation as a wild rebel and juvenile pranks land him in the principal’s office, gets rehabilitative punishment. Part of the sentence includes time to help tutor slower students and taking part in the school’s spring drama. Both acts throw him in with Jamie, the less than popular pastor’s daughter in the small North Carolina town. But he’s really stunned when the ugly duckling becomes a swan during the play, and even more surprised when he begins to fall in love with the social outcast. Although her father remains skeptical because of Landon’s reputation, Landon finds himself helping Jamie complete a list of lifetime desires, like showing her how to be in two places at one time by straddling the state’s border. But his love is put to the test when she reveals the biggest obstacle to completing her list. Strong Christian elements, including Bible readings about love, are included and although a few crude sexual comments are made, no sex scenes are shown. Unfortunately, the dialogue contains a few obscenities early in the movie. But overall, A Walk To Remember is a must see.Rated PG

Way of the Gun Oscar-winning writer (and director of this film) Christopher McQuarrie has crafted a movie that is sure to be a critical, if not also a box office success. Petty criminals Longbaugh (Benicio Del Toro) and Parker (Ryan Phillippe) kidnap the pregnant Robin (Juliette Lewis), surrogate mother for a prominent rich couple, and demand ransom for the unborn child. But with Robin’s anxious doctor, and bagman Joe Sarno (James Caan) involved, the situation gets complicated. It’s safe to say Way of the Gun is filled with violence, crime, and deception with a wealth of interesting characters, sharp dialogue, and an involving plotline. Using the real names of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid may be a comic reference to the criminal buddies, but there’s not much to laugh about in this film. Some scenes are graphically violent, such as a man carefully removing a huge shard of broken glass buried deep in his bleeding arm. The opening three-minute scene contains almost half of 59 f-words, nine regular profanities, and nine moderate crudities. But the characters don’t shy away from discussing such topics as the existence of God and the concept of redemption. However, a flood of vulgarities and gory violence earns Way of the Gun a very objectionable rating. Rated R

We Were Soldiers On a Sunday morning in November of 1965, Lt. Colonel Harold Moore (Mel Gibson) and his young, green troopers of the Army’s Seventh Calvary land in Viet Nam’s Ia Drang Valley, a place known as “The Valley of Death.” Along as a journalist and war correspondent, reporter Joseph Galloway (Barry Pepper) photographs the soldiers and jots down notes. The 400 men of the Seventh, like their historical namesake at Little Big Horn, soon find themselves overwhelmingly outnumbered. In this first major combat between America and the North Vietnamese, Moore begins to feel like General Custer, but he’s determined to live up to his promise of getting his men back home. At home in the U.S., Moore’s wife, Julie (Madeleine Stowe), offers her support to the wives of the men in her husband’s command. This powerful and inspiring film is a tribute to the men who faced the horrors of war with honor, uncommon valor and loyalty to one another. Based on the biographical history, We Were Soldiers Once...And Young, co-authored by Lt. General Harold Moore and civilian war correspondent Joseph Galloway, the film looks at America’s unpopular war through the eyes of those who fought in it. Moore is also shown to have deep religious convictions as he prays for both his men and his enemies. Moviegoers will find it refreshing that the American military perform valiantly even in our history’s most unpopular war, but the highly graphic wounds and deaths in the battle scenes are not for the squeamish. Besides bloody war scenes reminiscent of Saving Private Ryan, moviegoers must also contend with a vulgar dialogue. Rated R

The Wedding Planner Jennifer Lopez stars as Mary, an ambitious and successful San Francisco coordinator for elaborate, high society weddings. But her career leaves no time for a date life, let alone a romance. Mary sees possibilities when she’s saved, from being run over by a runaway trash dumpster, by handsome Doctor Steve Edison, played by Matthew McConaughey. But Mary discovers Steve is the fiancé of Fran, her newest client played by Bridgette Wilson-Sampras. Although they try to ignore their mutual attraction, Mary and Steve find planning this wedding difficult. Lots of comic situations keep this lighthearted romance rolling and will appeal to the dating crowd. But one of the funniest scenes is also questionable. While shopping for a suitable statue to decorate the garden wedding, Mary accidentally knocks over the figure of a nude Greek male. The statue loses part of its anatomical correctness and Mary tries to re-attach the broken pieces under the watchful eyes of a security guard. Although there are no on-screen sexual encounters or nudity, some of the dialogue is sexually suggestive as Mary and Fran discuss past encounters. Several crude terms and obscenities are joined by anatomical terms in polluting the dialogue. Rated PG-13

What A Girl Wants Based on the 1958 film, The Reluctant Debutante, this comedy is about Daphne Reynolds (Amanda Bynes), a teenage girl who grows up without her father. Her mother (Kelly Preston), a wedding singer, left her husband, British lord Henry Dashwood (Colin Firth), before Daphne was born. Daphne runs away from home and goes to England in search of her father. When she finds him, he is in the middle of a campaign for Prime Minister and is engaged to be married. Dashwood’s political career is shaken when he discovers the daughter he never knew he had. Daphne must make a choice between conforming to the conservative lifestyle of her father and being true to her spirited independence. What a Girl Wants positively portrays the bonds between parents and children and the sacrifices of family love, and it has few offensive elements. Rated PG

What Lies Beneath Michelle Pfeiffer and Harrison Ford play Claire and Norman Spenser in this almost classic horror mystery. After sending her daughter off to college, Claire thinks she’ll finally have time alone with her husband, but she begins to hear strange noises and doors seem to open by themselves. Then she starts seeing images of a dead girl. And the girl seems to have some connection with Norman. This suspenseful mystery-thriller makes audiences jump out of their seats and generally have a frightfully good time. The film includes strong occultic images and even encourages occultic practices. When Claire tells a psychiatrist about her haunting encounters, he encourages her to try communicating with the spirit. She and a friend, who also purports to use psychics, try using a Ouija board. The friend later gives Claire a book about sorcery, which includes contacting the dead. The spirit even seems to possess Claire’s body while she holds a lock of the dead girl’s hair. Although the emphasis is on occultic spiritism, the film also includes some disturbing images of near drowning, bloody faces and a decayed corpse. Rated PG-13

What Women Want Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt lead the star-studded cast in this humorous story of breaking the gender barrier. Gibson plays Nick Marshall, a successful advertising executive, whose thought processes are stuck in the '60s. A "man's man," Nick populates his ads with beer, sports and bikini babes. Hunt is Darcy McGuire who is hired by Nick's boss to capture a piece of the lucrative female market and fill the promotion slot Nick thought was his. Gamefully taking on the challenge, Nick hilariously tries to get in touch with his "feminine side" by trying the various products Darcy hands out for inspiration, like leg wax and pantyhose. But a shocking accident with a hairdryer and bathtub gives Nick a new edge, he can read women's thoughts. He uses his new talent to steal Darcy's idea, undermining her campaign to promote his own. But he also finds out what women really think about him, and it's an eye-opener. Unfortunately, the emphasis seems to be more on sexual activity than gender differences as Nick uses his gift to be more seductive. One strongly implied sex scene with explicit comments seems particularly inappropriate for a PG-13 rating. Numerous crudities, obscenities and several regular profanities further clutter the film. What could have been a delightful Tracy-Hepburn style comedy of opposites attracting turns into one man's discovery that women are people too. Rated PG-13

What’s The Worst That Could Happen? Martin Lawrence plays professional thief Kevin Caffrey, who falls in love with Carmen Ejogo as Amber Belhaven. Danny DeVito is rich businessman Max Fairbanks who's facing bankruptcy. John Leguizamo as Kevin's cohort Berger sees Max's eviction from an estate house as a golden opportunity. But Max is still in the house, illegally, entertaining an adulterous date. When Max catches Kevin, he adds insult by stealing Kevin's ring, a gift from Amber. After that, it's a juvenile war as Max and Kevin battle for possession of the ring. While some scenes are humorous, this film should make a quick trip to video. Kevin follows the tradition of numerous lovable, honest thieves, while Max is stereotyped as a rich, dishonest businessman who bribes judges and congressmen to get his way. Max also has a foul mouth and numerous F-words are bleeped out as he curses in a Congressional hearing, but the deaf interpretor is shown ‘signing’ with a finger gesture. Max and his assistance consult and discuss tarot readings and Chinese fortune reading, as well as past adulterous relations. Unfortunately, the story implies neither Max nor Kevin suffer remorse or consequences for their actions. Bottom line? Sit this one out.Rated PG-13

Where the Heart Is Natalie Portman stars with Ashley Judd, Stockard Channing and James Frain in a feel-good story about finding your dreams in strange places. Watching the road through a gaping floorboard in his old car, Novalee Nation (Natalie Portman), a pregnant 17-year-old, leaves Tennessee with her boyfriend, Willy Jack (Dylan Bruno). But her dreams of having a family are shattered when he abandons her at a Wal-Mart in Oklahoma. With no money and no place to go, she hides in the store for six-weeks. But when she gives birth in the store, Novalee becomes a media darling. Money, gifts and a promise for a job at Wal-Mart are generously offered as the townspeople embrace this stranger and her baby. Lexie (Ashley Judd), a hospital nurse, befriends the teenager, and Sister Husband (Stockard Channing) invites Novalee to live in her trailer. Each quirky, unique character shares a common trait – a big heart. Although likable, the film’s characters present serious moral flaws. Lexie remarks about her many affairs which have produced five illegitimate children. Sister has a live-in boyfriend but asks GOd to forgive her "daily fornication," which could send the wrong message that "living in sin" is OK if you ask forgiveness. An evangelical Christian couple are shown as mean-spirited when they write a hate letter to the single mother, then travel to Oklahoma to take the baby. Overcoming almost insurmountable odds and generosity of strangers cannot overshadow 30 obscenities and profanities, negative messages and one gratuitous sex scene which earn Where the Heart Is a moderately objectionable rating. Rated PG-13

White Oleander Based on the novel by Janet Fitch, White Oleander is a haunting drama for mature audiences. 15-year-old Astrid Magnussen (Alison Lohman) becomes a remarkable young woman in spite of seemingly insurmountable odds. Her beautiful artist mom Ingrid (Michele Pfeiffer) is sent to prison for killing her lover, but continues to maintain control over her daughter. Astrid goes to her first foster home, where stripper turned born-again Christian Starr (Robin Wright Penn) rules the roost and becomes very upset when her live-in boyfriend takes a shine to Astrid. When Astrid goes to live with childless Claire Richards (Renee Zellweger), whose marriage with Mark (Noah Wyle) is on shaky grounds, her heart is broken again. From a passive, shy child to an independent, self-assured young woman, Astrid will not be easily forgotten. The love-hate mother daughter relationship and Astrid’s journey of self-discovery and independence make White Oleander a thought-provoking experience. Ingrid’s need for control of her daughter’s life is chilling. When Astrid agrees to be baptized to please Starr, Ingrid orders her daughter to renounce any religious beliefs and to think for herself. Later, a jealous Ingrid manages to manipulate the one foster parent who genuinely loves Astrid toward self-destruction. Starr presents herself as a born-again Christian, yet shoots Astrid in a drunken rage, has an adulterous relationship, and encourages Astrid to dress like a streetwalker with heavy makeup, black nail polish and lipstick. She quotes scripture one minute, then shouts obscenities and threatens anyone who disagrees with her. Several profanities and obscenities foul the dialogue. Flashbacks of a violent lover smashing his fists through a window, Astrid’s gunshot wound, a suicide and Astrid beaten up by girls in the group home are brief but essential to understanding Astrid’s motives. The real point of White Oleander might be to make us more aware of how children become the innocent victims of their parents’ wrongdoing. But obscenities, crude sexual material and negative depiction of Christian character take the bloom off White Oleander. Rated PG-13

Whipped Amanda Peet stars as Mia in this story of four friends who meet to share their sexual successes during weekend "scamming." Scamming is putting on an act to pick up women and get them into bed. But three of the four seem to have met the perfect girl - the fourth is already married and no longer scams. Unfortuately, the three have all fallen for the same girl, Mia. It's friendship versus relationship as each man tries to convince the others that Mia only cares for him. But who is she really interested in? Originally rated NC-17 and apparently trimmed for an R, the film manages to avoid all but one comic scene with male rear nudity. However, the film overflows with crude and explicit conversations about conventional and unconventional sex acts. Almost 200 obscenities and crude sexual terms swamp the dialogue while traditional morals are almost non-existent. Whipped easily earns a severely objectionable rating. Rated R

Willard In this horror thriller, social outcast Willard Stiles (Crispin Glover) is haunted by the ghost of his dead father and trapped between the nagging of his aging mother (Jackie Burroughs) and the constant pressure of his domineering boss, Mr. Martin (R. Lee Ermey). The socially inept Willard is friendless, frightened and suicidal, seeking security anywhere he can find it. He is also bitter toward Mr. Martin, who aggressively belittles Willard. In the moment of his deepest distress, Willard discovers faithful friends in the rats found in his basement. When Willard finally cracks and strikes out against his oppressors, his faithful rats become a grotesque army of destruction and death. Willard is a bizarre, twisted remake of the1971 horror film. Though fairly clean, it is still a dark, disturbing film. Rated PG-13

Windtalkers Nicolas Cage stars in this film based on true events during World War II, highlighting the unique place of Navajo Indians in the history of American heroes. Because the Japanese repeatedly intercepted and broke the U.S. forces’ communication code, the military fought an agonizingly slow and brutal march across the Pacific islands toward Japan. A spark of ingenuity brought several hundred Navaho tribesmen into the fray, using their unique, unwritten language as an indecipherable new code. Fearing a ‘codetalker’ might fall into enemy hands and give up the secret under torture, the army assigned bodyguards to the tribesmen. However, the guards also had orders to use any means to keep the codetalkers out of enemy hands. Battle-hardened Sergeant Joe Enders (Cage) is assigned to protect codetalker Ben Yahzee (Adam Beach). Sergeant ‘Ox’ Anderson (Christian Slater) protects Yahzee’s friend, Private Charlie Whitehorse (Roger Willie). In the horrific battle of Saipan, when their capture is likely, Enders must decide if he can’t protect his fellow marine, can he kill him to protect the code? Sandwiched between the beautiful misty scenes from Monument Valley, Arizona, this flick hammers the point that "war is hell" with such overwhelming ferocity that an otherwise good story surrenders. Moments of developmental character interaction pale next to long stretches of soldiers being mowed down, burned up, blown apart, and decapitated. The Navajo warriors prove their bravery as Whitehorse saves the most racist of their comrades and Yahzee bravely accompanies Enders into a Japanese stronghold to commandeer their radio. Recognizing the prejudice of the times, Enders receives a battlefield decoration for his bravery while Yahzee gets a slight moment of condescending thanks to "the Indian." However, Yahzee later honors his protector. A wonderful and true story, Windtalkers is blown away by graphic war violence, too many curses, and lame dialogue.
Rated R

Wrong Turn In this gruesome horror flick, Chris Finn (Desmond Harrington) is on his way to a job interview when he gets stuck in a traffic jam. To get around the congestion, he heads down a backwoods road and ends up colliding with a stopped SUV with five young people (Emmanuelle Chriqui, Jeremy Sisto, Kevin Zegers, Lindy Booth and Eliza Dushku). It turns out the SUV’s tires were slashed by barbed wire strung across the road, the work of pranksters they think. In an attempt to find help, they venture deeper into the wilderness and come across a mountain cabin filled with hideous hunting weapons. Filled with bloody, repulsive killings, the film contains no moral or positive message. Don’t make this wrong turn. Rated R

X

X-Men McCarthy-like Senator Kelly, played by Bruce Davidson, wants to register and segregate mutants, humans with genetic mutations that give them special abilities and powers. This prompts Ian McKellen as Erik Lehnsherr, a powerful mutant called Magneto, who can control any metal, to try a plan to force humans to accept mutants. His old friend, Professor Charles Xavier, a powerful telepathic mutant played by Patrick Stewart, runs a school for mutants and trains them to use their powers to help and protect humans. A few of his students form a special team called X-Men. Magneto also has mutant followers and the two teams clash as the X-Men try to stop the plan from destroying mankind. This action adventure story will entertain fans of sci-fi and fantasy action films. But like the comic books, the clashes are often violent as mutants throw each other through walls, stab and slash with metal claws and unleash lightning and laser bolts. Surprisingly, only a few humans are killed in the process and the mutants all seem to survive these encounters. Magneto is shown as a Holocaust survivor taken from his parents in disturbing early scenes and one mutant uses a few obscenities. Although fantasy, the strong violence could encourage imitation in young viewers. Despite the thought-provoking theme of response to segregation, violence earns a slightly objectionale rating for the fantasty-adventure X-Men. Rated PG-13

X2: X-Men United: Marvel Comics’ X-Men, humans who have mutated under the forces of evolution to gain superhuman abilities, are back for their second sci-fi, big-screen appearance. The mutants fall into two categories: the X-Men, who who want to work with nonmutants in society, and Magneto’s mutants, who want to kill nonmutants. The tension between these two groups builds as all mutants are confronted by a deadly threat to their existence. They showcase their special abilities in a struggle to survive as human life weighs in the balance. As its predecessor, this film has the characters Storm (Halle Berry), Professor Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart), Eric Lensherr/Magneto (Ian McKellen) and Logan/Wolverine (Hugh Jackman). The film has a number of positive themes and uses a good bit of religious imagery and allusions but also treats evolution as fact and has comic-book-style violence and some crude language. Rated PG-13

Y

The Yards Mark Wahlberg, Joaquin Phoenix and James Caan highlight this tale of corruption, betrayal and a search for redemption in the railway yards of New York. Leo Handler, played by Wahlberg, is fresh from serving prison time after taking the rap for friends. And those same friends are after him to join their latest money-making plan. Phoenix plays his best friend, Willie, who insists Leo work with him. But when things go wrong, Willie shoots a man and Leo is blamed for the murder. The trail of corruption leads through the offices of the railway executives, including Caan as Leo's uncle, and into the pockets of local elected officials. Slow-paced, but strong character performances are the audience reward. Lots of violent action fills the gaps but it's not overly graphic. However, the dialogue is filled with strong obscenities and profanities. A sex scene also features brief nudity. It's not advised to play in The Yards, which earns a very objectionable rating. Rated R

Z

Zoolander Based on his popular short video aired on the VH-1 Fashion Awards a few years back, Ben Stiller stars as Derek Zoolander, the hottest male model in the world – that is until the current VH-1 Fashion Awards. While Zoolander has won the title for best male model three years running, this year he loses out to Owen Wilson as popular rookie model Hansel. After the stunning loss, Zoolander begins to re-evaluate his life, but is pulled back in to the fast lane when top rate fashion designer Mugatu (Will Ferrell of TV's Saturday Night Live) wants him to model his new fashion line. However, Mugatu’s real plan includes hypnotizing Derek to kill the Prime Minister of Malaysia. With plenty of laughs and a dearth of current popular movies, Zoolander should have a sizable showing at the box office. Sexual innuendo is prominent as people make all kinds of comments about body parts and sexual exploits. In addition, one scene implies that sex is taking place between multiple partners, although all that is shown are some comic faces of people during the act. Foul language and mild obscenities are present with several strong profanities and many crude terms. Sure to garner laughs, Zoolander is still morally unfashionable. Rated PG-13