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Archive for Thursday, September 30, 1999

MOVIES

September 30, 1999

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These movies are showing at local theaters this weekend. Check daily listings for show times. Capsule reviews are from wire services and staff reports.

The Dinner Game

Delightful and elegantly constructed comedy of comeuppance from veteran farceur Francois Veber with Thierry Lhermitte as a snotty publisher whose life is wrecked by a well-meaning idiot.

  • Liberty Hall Cinemas, 644 Mass.

Three Kings

Unconventional action comedy set in the Persian Gulf War is getting strong advance buzz. Directed by "Flirting With Disaster's" David O. Russell, this could finally establish George Clooney as a movie star.

  • Southwind Twelve, 3433 Iowa.

Mystery, Alaska

Root-for-the-underdog saga about a small Alaska hockey team that goes up against the New York Rangers.

  • Southwind Twelve, 3433 Iowa.

Drive Me Crazy

Melissa Joan Hart plays a perky high school preppie who unexpectedly bonds with Adrian Grenier.

  • Southwind Twelve, 3433 Iowa.

The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland

This kid-friendly flick follows Elmo to Grouchland, where he must retrieve his blanket from the villainous Huxley.

  • Southwind Twelve, 3433 Iowa.

Dog Park

The rigors of the dating life afflict not just the participants, but also their pooches. Luke Wilson, Kathleen Robertson and Janeane Garofalo star.

  • Plaza Six, 24th and Iowa.

American Beauty

Oscar buzz surrounds this scathing comedy-drama that involves Kevin Spacey and Annette Bening in a corrosive marriage. Their discontent affects everyone around them.

  • Southwind Twelve, 3433 Iowa.

Jakob the Liar

Finished before "Life Is Beautiful," this World War II movie shows Robin Williams bringing humor and joy to a Nazi-occupied German ghetto.

  • Southwind Twelve, 3433 Iowa.

Mumford

Innocent-looking young man comes to a small town, posing as a psychiatrist. Cast includes Ted Danson, Martin Short and Alfre Woodard.

  • Southwind Twelve, 3433 Iowa.

Double Jeopardy

When her husband does her wrong and she winds up behind bars, Ashley Judd is out for blood. Tommy Lee Jones helps.

  • Southwind Twelve, 3433 Iowa.

Twin Falls Idaho

A strange and beautiful little movie about conjoined twins (real-life identical twins, filmmakers Michael and Mark Polish) holed up in a fleabag hotel with a hooker and a quest. Sad and aching, it's a love triangle and a study of longing, need and separation, but with enough playfulness and style to be anything but oppressive.

  • Liberty Hall Cinemas, 644 Mass.

Better Than Chocolate

Freewheeling lifestyle comedy about two young women, an artist and an aspiring writer, who meet cute and are even cuter. Too episodic to sustain buoyancy and interest.

  • Plaza Six, 24th and Iowa.

For Love of the Game

Kevin Costner's laconic self-possession works best as a no-longer-young athlete ("Bull Durham," "Field of Dreams," "Tin Cup"). Here he plays a Detroit Tiger who examines his personal life in flashback while pitching one final, perfect game. Kelly Preston co-stars. Advance word is strong.

  • Southwind Twelve, 3433 Iowa.

Blue Streak

Martin Lawrence stars as a fast-talking jewel thief who poses as the baddest cop on the Los Angeles police force. Luke Wilson plays the straight-arrow foil to the Lawrence antics.

  • Southwind Twelve, 3433 Iowa.

Stir of Echoes

Kevin Bacon plays an earnest blue-collar worker who starts having paranormal powers after he's hypnotized by his sister-in-law. Talented Ileana Douglas is the sis-in-law.

  • Plaza Six, 24th and Iowa.

Stigmata

Patricia Arquette is a fast-lane party girl whose body starts to display the wounds of Christ on the cross. The Vatican sends Gabriel Byrne to investigate. The usually agreeable Jonathan Pryce fits in somewhere.

  • Southwind Twelve, 3433 Iowa.

The 13th Warrior

Antonio Banderas battles mysterious creatures that want to eat everyone. Save us, Antonio!

  • Plaza Six, 24th and Iowa.

Bowfinger

Written by Steve Martin, this comedy stars him as a Hollywood producer wannabe determined to make a blockbuster. Eddie Murphy plays both an A-list star and his nerdy look-alike. Intriguing cast includes Christine Baranski, Terence Stamp and Robert Downey Jr.

  • Plaza Six, 24th and Iowa.

Run Lola Run

Exhilarating moviemaking, with a flame-haired Berliner charging across the city in a race against time, with 20 minutes to find 100,000 marks -- or her boyfriend will be dead. Cinematic, kinetic, playful and profound, the film literally teems with possibilities.

  • Liberty Hall Cinemas, 644 Mass.

The Thomas Crown Affair

Loosely based on the 1968 Steve McQueen caper, this tells of an unlikely romance between a millionaire art thief (Pierce Brosnan) and an insurance investigator (Rene Russo).

  • Plaza Six, 24th and Iowa.

Sixth Sense

Child psychologist Bruce Willis has his hands full with a boy who channels troubled ghosts.

  • Southwind Twelve, 3433 Iowa.

Runaway Bride

This reteams the major players of the 9-year-old box-office smash "Pretty Woman": Julia Roberts, Richard Gere and director Garry Marshall. It's not a "Pretty Woman" sequel; in fact, Harrison Ford and Geena Davis once were mentioned for the leads. Instead of playing lonely billionaire and happy hooker, the lushly photographed stars play a cynical newspaper columnist and a down-home young woman who keeps leaving grooms at the altar. When he makes her the subject of a column, she wants revenge.

  • Plaza Six, 24th and Iowa.

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