THE PLAIN DEALERT FRIDAY, SEPTEAIBEK 2Y. T993 FILM CLIPS Capsule reviews and summaries by Plain Dealer Film Critic Joanna Connors (JC), Plain Dealer Reporter Karen Sandstrom (KS), and New York Times (NYT). The Amazing Panda Adventure A family tale directed by Christopher Cain about a boy who visits his estranged father on a panda preserve in China. The scenery is so breathtaking that it lends this otherwise conventional family adventure film an eyecatching visual splendor. With Stephen Lang, Ryan Slater, Yi Ding and Wang Fei.
Rated PG. 93 minutes. (NYT) Apollo 13 The true story of the near-disastrous Apollo 13 mission to the moon in 1970, when an oxygen tank exploded and all but stranded three astronauts 205,000 miles from Earth with little power and a rapidly decreasing oxygen supply, has all the elements of a classic adventure tale. And Ron Howard and his crack team of actors headed by Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton and Gary Sinise make the most of it. They combine the sobering realism of a documentary while also telling a story as compelling and heartwarming and, yes, as enchanting as "E.T." Rated PG; it's long for younger children (135 minutes), but a mustsee for older kids and adults for its portrait of real heroism and grace under fire.
(JC) Angus In Patrick Read Johnson's comedy, based on a short story by Chris Crutcher, an awkward teenager (Charles M. Talbert) tries to make sense of his chaotic life. The film is directed with amiable intelligence but not a lot of dramatic verse. With Kathy Bates, George C. Scott, Larry Drake, Rita Moreno, Ariana Richards and Chris Owen.
Rated PG-13; includes very mild profanity and sexual references involving an inflatable party doll. 91 minutes. (NYT) Babe Based on Dick King-Smith's novel "Babe, the Gallant Pig," Chris Noonan's film is about a pig who thinks he is a sheepdog. The movie maintains a refreshingly light touch in spinning a fable about individualism and conformity. With James Crom- well and Magda Szubanski.
Rated G. 91 minutes. (NYT). The Baby-sitters Club Melanie Mayron's first feature, based on the successful series of books about the ups and downs of seven friends growing up in an affluent suburban Connecticut town, had some promise: It's about pre-teen girls, a still underrepresented constituency on the big screen; it's directed by a likeable, smart, offbeat actress; and it's produced by the illustrious Scholastic Books, who just put out "The Indian in the Cupboard." Disappointingly, it turns out to be yet another movie made with that peculiar condescension Hollywood reserves for its most appreciative audience. You know: It's just for kids, so it doesn't have to have a polished script or direction, not to mention much money in the budget.
So, the dilemma. Can you forgive sloppy production and terrible writing if a movie obviously entertains your kids (mine gave it thumbs up), has some engaging young actresses (in particular Schuyler Fisk, who plays lead role Kristy), and slips in a few worthwhile messages along the way? Rated PG. 85 minutes. (JC) Batman Forever It's the all-new Batman Lite! The third installment in the Warner Bros. franchise is funnier, lighter, and will probably even lower your cholesterol while you watch.
But like fat-free cream cheese, the instant you taste "Batman Forever" you know it is not the real thing. Directed by Joel Schumacher, a competent journeyman who took over from the mad genius Tim Burton, this movie is considerably archer than its two predecessors. The jaunty script borrows a smidgen of camp attitude from the '60s TV series, and the plot is nothing if not antic: The Riddler (Jim Carrey) and Two-Face (Tommy Lee Jones) team up to take over Gotham with a brain-wave contraption, and, oh yes, kill Batman (Val Kilmer) who has a new partner, the young hipster Robin (Chris O'Donnell). Though the PG-13-rated movie is a tad long for. kids and jam-packed with fights and explosions, almost to the exclusion of any- Entertainment, Film Live Performance Directory ADULT MOVIES 16500 Open Brookpark 267-7979 COLONY 5 Shaker Park Free Square 283-6333 HOYTS TOWER CITY 11 621-1172 GREAT NORTHERN Lorain I BROOKGATE SSAVER Smith Snow 676-6810 3 NEW RELEASES Card Admission $6 BARGAIN PRICES ALL SHOWS BEFORE 6 PM.
Eleven Luxurious Stereo "THE BIG GREEN" (PG) 1.50 EVE "POCAHONTAS" (G) 5:30 SAT, SUN. Bargain Matinees Before 6 P.M./Discount Parking "SHOWGIRLS" (NC-17) "THE (PG-13) AVON LAKE 4. Shows Lake before Rd. 6pm $3 933-4444 "MORTAL (PG-13) 5:45 Discount Student Rate College with I.D. "SEVEN" "HACKERS" (R) (PG-13) 1:15 "FREE "UNDER WILLY SIEGE 2' 2 (R) (PG-13) "POCAHONTAS" (G) "PROPHECY" "DANGEROUS (R) MINDS" (R) FINAL DAYS.
FINAL DAYS. "HACKERS" "SHOWGIRLS" (R) 1:00 (NC-17) "TO WONG FOO" (PG-13) "NINE MONTHS" (PG-13) "MORTAL "DESPERADO" KOMBAT (R) (PG-13) "WALK IN THE CLOUDS" (PG-13) "STEAL BIG, STEAL. LITTLE" (PG-13) "DANGEROUS MINDS" (R) "BATMAN FOREVER" (PG-13) WALK IN THE (PG-13) "RUN OF THE COUNTRY" "MORTAL (PG-13) 13" (PG) "CRIMSON (R) BARGAIN BEREA PRICES TIL 6:00 201 "INDIAN Berea, Front IN OH St. SAT 234-4300 SUN 3.30 "MOONLIGHT (R) NP AND VALENTINO" "CLOCKERS" "HALLOWEEN (R) 6" (R) "HALLOWEEN 6" (R) SONY THEATRES DIS. "PROPHECY" (R) HICKORY RIDGE 8 Pearl Rd.
(PG) DRESS" (R) STEREO: (R) NP DIS. "SHOWGIRLS" (NC-17) DRESS" (R) "CLOCKERS" (R) valld LOEW'S subject passes, to applicable coupons passport restrictions. tickets are (PG) IN BLUE "THE BIG (PG) "DEVIL IN A BLUE "SHOWGIRLS" (NC-17) DETROIT 16407 Tues. Detroit, nites $3.00 Lakewood 521-2245 "TO WONG FOO" (PG-13) "SEVEN" (R) BARGAIN PRICES ALL SHOWS BEFORE 6 P.M. "KIDS" (NC-17) "SEVEN" (R) "ANGUS" (PG-13) CEDAR LEE Park Cedar Free and Lee After 6 Roads PM 321-8232 STEVEN WEBER SIGOURNEY WEAVER "THE "DANGEROUS BIG GREEN" (PG) (R) "TO WONG FOO" (PG-13) (PG-13) CEDAR "SHOWGIRLS" CENTER Cedar 13961.
Rd. 371-2300 MIDNIGHT FOR TODAY ONLY "JEFFREY" "SHOWGIRLS" (R) NO PASSES PASSES LAKESHORE 7 E. 226th "DANGEROUS MINDS" (R) "SEVEN" (R) (NC-17) "NADJA" BIG STEAL (LATE SHOW 11:30 (PG-13) SAT)(A) 101 (NC-17) Water St NO BARGAIN PRICES ALL SHOWS Lake Shore BEFORE 6 PM. 731-1700 "BABE" (G) 4:45 5339 Darrow Rd. Richmond 449-4321 FRI: "ROOSTERS' GEAUGA CINEMA Chardon 285-9781 "BIG (PG) HUDSON CINEMA 10 Hudson 656-22331 "HACKERS" (STEREO) ONLY (PG-13) FRI: "GROSSE FATIGUE' "THE BIG GREEN" (PG) 7:30 "TO WONG FOO" (PG-13) FINAL DAYS.
CREDIT CARD SALES 655-7733 "BRAVEHEART" (STEREO) 6:20 ONLY (R) (5:00) "MUTE "CLOCKERS" (R) FINAL DAYS. "DEVIL IN A BLUE DRESS" (R) "SHOWGIRLS" (STEREO) (NC-17) "IL 9:10 (R) GENERAL CINEMA (NC-17) NP DIS. "HALLOWEEN 6" (R) "DANGEROUS MINDS" (STEREO) (R) BARGAIN MATINEES DAILY-ALL SHOWS BEFORE 6:00 P.M. "HALLOWEEN 6" (R) NP DIS. "THE BIG (PG) "UNSTRUNG HEREOS" (STEREO) (PG) CENTRUM AT COVENTRY 932-5956 SHOWTIMES FOR TODAY ONLY "SEVEN" (R) NP DIS.
"MOONLIGHT VALENTINO" (R) "STEAL BIG STEAL LITTLE (STEREO) (PG-13) 5 mi. W. of 271 off Cedar or E. on Carn. thru Univ.
Cir. Plaza "SEVEN" (R) "MOONLIGHT AND (STEREO) (R) "USUAL SUSPECTS" upstairs ERIE COMMONS Blvd. 974-8383 "DEVIL IN A BLUE DRESS" "HACKERS" (PG-13) 1:20 "SEVEN" (STEREO) (R) "SMOKE" (R) "TO WONG FOO" Stereo (PG-13) STEREO: (R) (R) NP DIS. "TO FOO" (PG-13) "DESPERADO" (STEREO) (R) BARGAIN "UNSTRUNG PRICE HEROS" IN for today only "HALLOWEEN VALENTINO" (R) (R) MAPLETOWN 3 Broadway 662-2240 "WALK "SOMETHING IN THE TO CLOUDS" TALK (PG-13) (R) YORKTOWN Pear! Ads. 661-6330 BIG GREEN" Stereo (PG) Libby Rds.
"BABE" (G) "SHOWGIRLS" (NC-17) CHAGRIN CINEMA 543-5775-APOLLO 13" (PG) $2.50 "THE "UNDER SEIGE (PG-13) 2" "SPECIES" DAYS. (R) 9:40 13" (PG) (R) 8200 SAME E. DAY Washington ADVANCE (2 TICKET Mi. East SALES of Chagrin Falls) "STEAL BIG, STEAL Digital Sound Stereo (R) (PG-13) $2.50 "LORD OF (R) (R) FINAL SEVERANCE MOVIES at Taylor 291-1244 SOUTHGATE Northeld Shopping Center Libby 475-3211 BARGAIN PRICES ALL SHOWS BEFORE 6:00 P.M. "DEVIL IN A BLUE DRESS" Stereo (R) SAT.
SUN. MAT: (PG) "DEVIL IN A BLUE DRESS" (R) BARGAIN MATINEE BEFORE 6 P.M. "TO WONG FOO" (PG-13) PARMATOWN MALL Ridge 884-6406 NORTHFIELD North field 2 M. 467-8141 "HALLOWEEN 6" (R) "HALLOWEEN: CURSE OF M. MYERS" (R) "DEVIL IN A BLUE DRESS" (R) Rd.
BIG (PG) 'CLOCKERS" (R) NEXT: "DEAD PRESIDENTS' "UNSTRUNG HEROS" (PG) "SEVEN" Stereo (R) "BABE" (G) SAT. SUN. (R) 1 "DANGEROUS MINDS" (R) "THE BIG BABE" (G) (PG) "ANGUS" "BROTHERS McMULLEN" (PG-13) "LAST OF THE DOGMEN" SISKEL EBERT "TWO THUMBS "TO "TIE WONG BINDS" FOO" (R) (PG-13) 1 STRONGSVILLE 14mi 14769 So Pearl R. 82 572-0134 "SEVEN" (R) "THE BIG Stereo (PG) TOM BERENGER, BARBARA HERSHEY (PG) "BABE" (G) "SHOWGIRLS" (NC-17) "MOONLIGHT AND VALENTINO" (R) CLOUDS" (PG-13) PARIS ADULT 3153 W. 25th St.
741-9785 "APOLLO 13" (PG) "THE BIG (PG) "STEAL BIG STEAL LITTLE' (PG-13) VALENTINO" Stereo (R) Free Parking (PG-13) "SEVEN" (R) "LAST OF THE (PG) PARK SQUARE A 80 A 749-4344 NEW TIMES! NEW SHOWS NOW DAILY! SOLON COMMONS 10 Rd Any 248-7373 "SOMETHING TO TALK (R) "APOLLO 13" (PG) RIDGE Conveniently Located Between 1-90 1-71 on W. 25th 5:00 (PG13) 3:50 "LAST OF THE DOGMEN" (PG) Doors Open 7 A.M. A.M. Sun. "DEVIL IN A BLUE DRESS" (R) CINEMARK THEATRES "STEAL IN BIG, A BLUE STEAL DRESS" THX Stereo Sound (PG-13) (R) PARMA Ridge at 885-0600 "THE BIG 6" (R) (PG) DRIVE-INS Snow MOVIES 10 Willoughby 943-2090 "CLOCKERS" USUAL (R) (R) $2 SANDRA BULLOCK "THE NET" (PG-13) AND (R) 50 AUT-O-RAMA TWIN D.I.
327-9595 Hills "DANGEROUS MINDS" (R) $2 WILLY 7:20 SLEEPING" 9:20 (PG) "HACKERS" (R) (PG-13) 33395 Lorain 1 mi. W. of I-480 at Tpk. Exit 9 Loehmann's Plaza Bishop Chardon Rd. "TO WONG FOO" Stereo (PG-13) $2 "BATMAN 7:00 (PG-13) "USUAL 5:10 (R) (PG-13) (PG-13) 10:20 $1.50 "HALLOWEEN 6" Stereo (R) $2 SIEGE 9:30 FRI.
'POCHAHONTAS" "CLOCKERS" (R) "DANGEROUS MINDS" (R) JUDGE 10:10 ALL SHOWS BEFORE 6 P.M. (PG-13) 210 REGAL CINEMAS "TO WONG FOO" MINDS" (PG-13) (R) MEMPHIS DRIVE IN 10543 Memphis $941-2892 PRICES SHOWS INCLUDE AFTER SR. 6 P.M. ADULT $1.50 WESTGATE SAME DAY ADVANCE TICKETS AVAILABLE MINDS TIE THAT BINDS" (R) 9:36 ALL FEATURES PRESENTED IN CITIZENS ULTRA STEREO ALL SURROUND CHILDREN SOUND "THE USUAL SUSPECTS" Stereo (R) NS NO WESTLAKE CINEMA 11 co Crocker Detroit da. 871-7661 "PROPHECY" (R) (PG-13) 9:41 SAME DAY ADVANCE TICKETS AVAILABLE "BROTHERS "CLOCKERS" McMULLEN" (R) GARFIELD MALL Rockside 662-6155 CREDIT CARD SALES 871-7671 BOX "BABE" OFFICE (G) CLOSES AT 10:00 13" (PG) 9:42 NO CHILDREN (PG) UNDER 10 ADMITTED IN A RATED (R) AFTER 6 P.M.
"THE BIG GREEN" Stereo (PG) "HALLOWEEN 6" (R) "HALLOWEEN 6" (R) BIG FLEA MKT. EVERY SAT. (R) IN A BLUE (R) "WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING" (PG) "HALLOWEEN 6" Stereo (R) "SEVEN" (R) BIG (PG) MILES DRIVE IN 19001 BIG GREEN' (PG) "CRIMSON TIDE" (R) (PG) WONG FOO" (PG-13) AND VALENTINO' (R) Miles 662-1090 "SPECIES" (R) WESTWOOD TOWN CIR. 331-2815 "DANGEROUS MINDS" (R) (R) "DESPERADO" (R) 10:25 "PROPHECY" BABYSITTER'S CLUB" (PG) LAKES Great Lakes "UNSTRUNG HEROES" (PG) "NINE MONTHS" (PG-13) "TO Mile WONG West FOO" of W. 210th St.
on Center (PG-13) Ridge Rd. Mel 951-3500 "HACKERS" (PG-13) (PG-13) 12:45 The Plain Dealer AMAZING PANDA" (PG) "SEVEN" (R) "SHOWGIRLS' (NC-17) ROY' SIEGE (R) 2" 9:25 (R) "LAST OF THE DOGMEN" (PG) "SEVEN" "HACKERS" (R) "TO "THE WONG USUAL (PG-13) is on the ball (PG-13) (PG-13) (R) 8:00 "DANGEROUS (R) (PG-13) "FREE WILLY (PG) VALENTINO" Stereo (R) USUAL SUSPECTS" (R) "BABE" (G) when it comes to (PG-13) IN A BLUE DRESS" Stereo (R) "WALK IN THE (PG-13) "BATMAN FOREVER' (PG-13) "STEAL BIG, STEAL Stereo (PG-13) "DANGEROUS (R) sports coverage. Mary Strassmeyer tells you who's doing what and where in Cleveland five mornings a week in The Plain Dealer. minutes. (JC) Braveheart "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" doomed the medieval adventure movie; after they had at the legends of knights and kings, you couldn't watch a serious attempt without snickering just a little.
So it goes with: Mel Gibson's Scottish epic, an indeed brave-hearted effort to bring the Middle Ages back to the screen in glory. For the most part, Gibson has made an exciting, often stirring account of Scottish freedom fighter William Wallace (Gibson), who singlehandedly mounted a rebellion against the ruthless King Edward I of England in the late 13th century. His three-hour epic is fullblooded and fully bloody, with plenty of close attention paid to the realities of battle in an age of arrows and swords. Compared to Kevin Costner's "Robin Hood" and the recent "Rob Roy," it is by far the most respectable effort at a period battle epic in recent times. Rated for much violence, brief nudity and some sexuality.
178 minutes. (JC) The Brothers McMullen "I'm a Catholic!" explodes one of the three eponymous brothers in Edward Burns' small, very amusing comedy. "There are certain rules and regulations!" Ah, yes, those vexing rules. They have been the subject of many memorable looks back in anger. But in Burns' refreshingly low-key (and low-budget) film, the look back is more in sweet, abashed confusion.
The movie follows the romantic ups and (mostly) downs of three Irish-Catholic brothers from Long Island as they mess up with women and endlessly, hilariously, discuss the mysteries of love. Burns, just 27 when this won the Sundance Film Festival's grand jury prize, wrote, directed, produced and edited the movie, played one of the brothers (the middle one, Barry), and cast his non-actress girlfriend (the delectable Maxine Bahns) as his true love, Audry. The main location was the Burns family home on Long Island, and that family atmosphere seeps like the heady aroma of corned beef and cabbage into the film. For as engaging as "Brothers" is when the boys confront their (terrific) women, it is at its best when they click bottles of beer and try to sort out the binds of religion, sex, love and family that hold them all captive. Rated for language and sexual situations.
97 minutes. (JC) 14! Casper In a genre commonly known as "fun-house ride" movies, the first family movie of the summer takes the term literally. Directed by Brad Silberting and produced by Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment, this is a 96-minute theme-park ride just waiting to be built. Ghosts, the latest in Industrial Light and Magic's computergenerated imagery, cavort through a haunted mansion. Objects fly through the air.
Characters levitate. There's even a userfriendly contraption all ready to carry the crowds when "Casper: The Ride" comes to Universal Studios. This makes it perfect for kids in the elementary years, never mind that they're too young to have met "Casper" as the friendliest ghost on TV. The story will quickly fill them in on everything they need to know, from Casper's unsuccessful attempts to make friends with mortals, to his life in Whipstaff Manor with the formidible Ghostly Trio. With Christina Ricci, Bill Pullman, Cathy Moriarty and Eric Idle.
PG (may spook younger children). 96 minutes. (JC) Clockers Based on the novel by Richard Price, Spike Lee's drama details the power struggle between a streetwise young drug dealer (Mekhi Phifer) and a homicide detective (Harvey Keitel). This is a story told with mournful, epic vision that rises high above its grim setting. With John Turturro, Delroy Lindo, Keith David and Isaiah Washington.
Rated includes explicit but muted violent images and predicatbly profane language. 129 minutes. (NYT) Clueless Only scriptwriters and the lovely Alicia Silverstone could keep up with the intense new valleyspeak that helps carry "Clueless" through its frothy, effervescent 90 minutes as mindless summer fun. Silverstone plays Cher, a Beverly Hills teen-ager with a cellular phone, credit cards and an Alicia Silverstone dresses to attract boys' attention in "Clueless." thing else, they're more Zap! Pow! Ker-pow! than Blood! Gross! Nightmares! 121 minutes. (JC) The Big Green It plagiarism is the sincerest form of Hollywood, it's the only form of family movies.
This Disney production takes "The Mighty Ducks" and substitutes soccer for hockey, and Steve Guttenberg for Emilio Estevez. it shoots, but unless you're a diehard soccer or Steve Guttenberg fan (and who it doesn't score. Rated PG. 100 3 Vi 031 003 5.
