Season’S Screenings
Adam Sandler as Satan’s son, Jim Carrey as the Grinch. Cameron Diaz flaunting her tush, the Rugrats filling their diapers. Mel Gibson discovering the secret of what women want, Matt Damon rediscovering his long-lost golf swing. The coming holiday movie season, as holiday movie seasons tend to do, boasts a bit of something for everyone. A look at the lineup from an Inland Northwesterner’s point of view tells you two things: One, Hollywood has plenty of product to offer; Two, area theaters are likely to play only the most mainstream of what is out there. Yet this is the first holiday movie season of the new century. So one can always hope. Let’s take a look at what we can expect — and hope for — over the next couple of months (dates are subject to change):
Friday
“Charlie’s Angels” — Long before he was responsible for such TV flotsam as “Beverly Hills 90210” and “Melrose Place,” Aaron Spelling was making his reputation by producing “jiggle” shows such as “Charlie’s Angels” (1976-81). Directed by McG (given name: Joseph McGinty Mitchell), this attempt at neo-camp stars Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore and Lucy Liu as the trio of sexy private detectives hired to find the kidnapped owner of a billion-dollar technology firm. Also starring Bill Murray.
“The Legend of Bagger Vance” — Robert Redford has a way of prettying up the world, even — or maybe especially — if the world in question has an ugly side. Here, he adapts Steven Pressfield’s 1995 novel about a World War I veteran (Matt Damon) rediscovering his golf swing through the help of a caddy named Bagger Vance (Will Smith). The film could be great, or it could resemble something that should be titled “Driving Mr. Daisy.” Also starring Charlize Theron.
Nov. 10
“Little Nicky” — Chosen by his Dad (the devil, played by Harvey Keitel) to take over the family business, Nicky (Adam Sandler) must first spend some time on Earth searching for his brothers. While doing so, he finds out that humanity is pretty cool — especially the mortal woman (Patricia Arquette) with whom he falls in love.
“Men of Honor” — Cuba Gooding Jr. stars as Cal Brashear, who in real life was the U.S. Navy’s first African-American diver. Robert De Niro plays the Navy chief who is first Brashear’s instructor and who then becomes his friend over the 20-odd years of his career.
“Red Planet” — When a Mars mission crash-lands on the planet’s surface, the crew must fight both the environment and an out-of-control robot to survive. Starring Val Kilmer, Carrie Moss, Benjamin Bratt, Tom Sizemore, Terence Stamp.
Nov. 17
“Bounce” — Ben Affleck plays a regular guy who, a year after giving up his seat on a plane that crashes, visits the widow (Gwyneth Paltrow) of the man who took his place. Guess what happens?
“How the Grinch Stole Christmas” — Ron Howard directs Jim Carrey, all dressed up in green fur with nowhere to go, in this adaptation of the Dr. Seuss holiday tale.
“Rugrats in Paris: The Movie” — The animated ankle-biters follow up their 1998 surprise hit by heading to, of all places, France.
“The 6th Day” — Arnold Schwarzenegger, not quite ready to give up on the action thing, stars as a man who finds himself replaced by a clone. He’s forced to dodge the killers sent out by the clone-master (Tony Goldwyn) who wants him dead. Think “Total Recall” in a test tube.
Nov. 22
“102 Dalmatians” Another sequel, this one follows the 1996 remake of Disney’s 1961 animated feature. Glenn Close returns as Cruella De Vil who, just out of the clink, is as hungry as ever for a Dalmatian coat.
“Unbreakable” M. Night Shyamalan burst out with last year’s “The Sixth Sense.” He returns with this Bruce Willis vehicle about a man who begins to think that his seeming invulnerability is tied to a greater purpose.
“Quills” Set in 1807, this Philip Kaufman film is based on the stage play about the Marquis de Sade (Geoffrey Rush), his stay in an asylum and the writings that greatly vex the French authorities. Also starring Joaquin Phoenix, Kate Winslet, Michael Caine.
Dec. 8
“Dungeons & Dragons” Years after it went out of style, this fantasy role-playing game makes it to the big screen complete with a story line that has Jeremy Irons playing an evil wizard who hopes to dethrone the new empress (Thora Birch) of a mystical land.
“Proof of Life” An American woman (Meg Ryan) turns to a professional hostage negotiator (Rusell Crowe) when her businessman husband (David Morse) is kidnapped by rebels in a Latin American country.
“Vertical Limit” When a crew of mountain climbers gets stranded on the slopes of K2, the brother of one - who just happens to be a retired hotshot mountaineer (Chris O’Donnell) - attempts a rescue.
Dec. 15
“Dude, Where’s My Car?” Two graduates of the Bill & Ted school of characterization (Ashton Kutcher, Seann William Scott) try to figure out why they can’t remember the previous night, where their car is and why Earth seems to be on the verge of an alien invasion.
“The Emperor’s New Groove” David Spade’s voice is featured in this film about a South American emperor who, magically turned into a llama by an unscrupulous underling, convinces a peasant (John Goodman) to help him in exchange for not destroying the mountain where the peasant’s family lives.
“Family Man” Here’s a Dickens of a plot: Nicolas Cage plays a successful investment banker who wakes up one day to find himself caught in the life he might have lived had he married his college sweetheart (Tea Leoni).
“What Women Want” Who can say? But Mel Gibson has more than a clue, having developed the ability to hear what women are thinking. Also starring Helen Hunt.
Dec. 20
“13 Days” Bruce Greenwood stars as John F. Kennedy and Kevin Costner as his chief of staff, in this look at the behind-the-door happenings of the 1962 Cuban missile crisis.
Dec. 22
“Cast Away” When a business executive (Tom Hanks) finds himself stranded on a desert island, he undergoes a metamorphosis to survive. And, no, he doesn’t become the star of a popular reality television series.
“Miss Congeniality” Sandra Bullock uglies down to star as a dowdy FBI agent who must transform herself into a slender beauty. Her purpose? So she can infiltrate the Miss New Jersey pageant to ferret out a terrorist threatening to bomb the event. Also starring Benjamin Bratt, Michael Caine, Candice Bergen, William Shatner.
“Wes Craven Presents: Dracula 2000” This update of the Bram Stoker novel has descendants of the Dracula and Van Helsing families carrying on their long-held feud. Starring Johnny Lee Miller, Omar Epps, Christopher Plummer.
Dec. 25
“All the Pretty Horses” Billy Bob Thornton directed this adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s novel about two young cowboys (Matt Damon, Henry Thomas) who ride into Mexico looking for a new life. What they find there is both beautiful and dangerous. Also starring Penelope Cruz.
Not on the mainstream charts
The following films may open on the date listed, or they may open sometime in 2001. Or they may never play Spokane except on video. If then.
Nov. 10
“You Can Count on Me” The co-winner of the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance 2000, this little film stars Laura Linney and Mark Ruffalo as siblings with opposing temperaments who learn to accept, and then love, each other.
Nov. 17
“What’s Cookin”’ Four Los Angeles households from four cultures play out their dramas around Thanksgiving dinner. Starring Alfre Woodard, Dennis Haysbert, Mercedes Ruehl, Julianna Margulies, A Martinez.
Dec. 1
“To End All Wars” Based on a true story, this World War II saga concerns four Allied POWs who endure under the grim brutality of a Japanese prison. Starring Robert Carlyle, Kiefer Sutherland.
“Split” Described as a “techno-thriller,” this movie asks one basic question: Why is Jonny (Jonny Spanish) two people - one a driver for a string of call girls, the other a drone-like auditor for a futuristic IRS? Also starring Julianne Kim, Debbie Rochon.
“Disappearing Acts” As her follow-up to “Love & Basketball,” Gina Prince (she’s apparently dropped the Bythewood) directed this story of a stormy relationship that teaches some hard lessons about love. Sanaa Lathan, Wesley Snipes.
Dec. 6
“Finding Forrester” - Gus Van Sant directed this story about an African-American athlete (Ron Brown) who dreams of becoming a writer and ends up forging a relationship with an author (Sean Connery) whom he meets online.
Dec. 22
“Traffic” Steven Soderbergh took Simon Moore’s script about the U.S.’ war on drugs and created a complicated world that features a drug czar (Michael Douglas) whose daughter is a heroin addict, DEA agents (Don Cheadle, Luis Guzman) pursuing the wife (Catherine ZetaJones) of a jailed drug dealer and a shady Mexican lawman (Benicio Del Toro).
“The Gift” Sam Raimi directed this 1950s period piece involving a psychic (Cate Blanchet) helping the police find a missing girl (Katie Holmes). Also starring Keanu Reeves, Greg Kinnear, Hilary Swank.
“Before Night Falls” Julian Schnabel (“Basquiat”) directed this biopic about the gay Cuban artist Reinaldo Arenas (Javier Bardem) and his struggles to get by during the Castro regime and, later, in exile in New York. Also starring Johnny Depp, Sean Penn.
Dec. 29
“Shadow of the Vampire” Set during the filming of F.W. Murnau’s 1922 silent classic “Nosferatu,” this mystery involves both the relationship between Murnau (John Malkovich) and his lead actor, Max Schreck (Willem Dafoe), and the fact that members of the crew keep disappearing.
That’s it. Happy viewing.