PicoSync

Friday, December 17, 1999; Page N48 Film Capsules

Capsule reviews by Desson Howe unless noted. A star (*) denotes a movie recommended by our critics.

Openings

AMERICAN MOVIE (R) -- See review on Page 45.

ANNA AND THE KING (PG-13) -- See review on Page 44.

BICENTENNIAL MAN (PG) -- See review on Page 44.

THE CIDER HOUSE RULES (R) -- See review on Page 44.

A FORCE MORE POWERFUL: A CENTURY OF NONVIOLENT CONFLICT -- This film, narrated by Ben Kingsley, was not screened for reviewers.

RIDE WITH THE DEVIL (R) -- See review on Page 45.

STUART LITTLE (PG) -- See review on Page 43.

First Runs & Revivals

*THE ADVENTURES OF ELMO IN GROUCHLAND (G, 77 minutes) -- Elmo, the little red Muppet, has a mighty fine adventure in this droll variation on "The Wizard of Oz." It starts when Elmo dives into Oscar's trash can trying to retrieve his blanket, and gets sucked into a psychedelic rainbow tunnel, then hurtled into Grouchland. Elmo knows he's not on Sesame street anymore when a beauty shop is an "ugly parlor," and the Grouchlanders, those anti-Munchkins, sing "Welcome to Grouchland, now SCRAM!" Another delight: Mandy Patinkin as the helicopter-transported villain, Huxley, whose presence mixes Dr. Seuss and vaudeville. The movie's non-threatening for tots and kids and even sneaks in a message about sharing and accepting those who are different -- or stinkier -- than thou. Contains a few mildly scary moments, all defused by Bert and Ernie, who interrupt the film to explain that everything will be okay. Manassas Cinemas, Town Center Cinemas, University Mall.

-- Jane Horwitz

*AMERICAN BEAUTY (R, 118 minutes) -- By turns hilarious, painful and brutally frank, "American Beauty" gets America right where it lives: in the cookie-cutter paradise of green lawns, manicured roses and automatic garage doors known as suburbia. And no one brings this familiar place closer to home than Kevin Spacey. As Lester, he's a beaten-down husband who shocks his successful wife (Annette Bening) and sullen teenage daughter Jane (Thora Birch) when he becomes infatuated with his daughter's sexy 17-year-old friend (Mena Suvari). The infatuation becomes a full-fledged revolution when Lester tells his family he's not a loser anymore and proceeds to do exactly as he pleases. Bening is a blast as Lester's archly aloof wife. But "American Beauty" is Spacey's exclusive property. His portrayal of the beleaguered suburban male of the species practically glows with vulnerability. Contains sex scenes, nudity, masturbation, obscenity and gunshot violence. Area theaters.

*ANYWHERE BUT HERE (PG-13, 113 minutes) -- Wacky mom Susan Sarandon believes that moving to Beverly Hills is the answer to her dismal life in Bay City, Wis. Natalie Portman is Ann, the unwilling, sullen daughter she drags along with her. This sojourn -- which lasts a few years -- is a bumpy one, as mother and daughter adjust to the West Coast, their lack of means and each other. Little does Ann know what this story is really about -- establishing a link with the enemy Herself: Mom. It's a movie sparkling with amusing moments that sneak up and surprise you. Sarandon is the movie's most enduring pleasure, strutting around in unflattering housewife stretch pants, but exuding such brazen self-confidence, it's enough to persuade you she's sexy, funny and alive. Contains strong language and mild sexual situations. Area theaters.

*BEING JOHN MALKOVICH (R, 112 minutes) -- In Spike Jonze's brilliant, bizarre fantasy, world-weary puppeteer Craig Schwartz (John Cusack) and dour opportunist Maxine (Catherine Keener) find a way to enter actor John Malkovich's brain and operate him like a marionette. Things get really weird when Maxine conspires to make love with Malkovich while Craig's wife, Lotte (Cameron Diaz) is nestled inside the actor's brain. This movie would not have been possible without Malkovich's sporting consent. As the central object of everyone's affections, he plays himself with wonderful ironic restraint. His state of bewilderment -- especially when those unseen invaders learn to control his words, actions and even lovemaking -- is hilarious. Contains obscenity, nudity and sexual scenes. Area theaters.

*THE BEST MAN (R, 115 minutes) -- This smart debut from filmmaker Malcolm D. Lee, cousin to the film's producer, Spike, centers on a group of old friends (including Taye Diggs and Nia Long) who reunite in New York for a wedding. Tapping into the Zeitgeist of young black professionals, it hits all the right cultural touch-tones: from BET to Stevie Wonder, Chubb Rock to bid whist. As we peek behind the scenes at a bachelor party and eavesdrop on some soul-to-soul free associating over a game of cards, the movie reveals something we seldom see. Ambience, sharp dialogue and characters who manage to care deeply, but still call each other on their petty, macho shortcomings, making it a kind of "Big Chill" for black folks. The film's ending will no doubt be rehashed in barber shops, sports bars and dorm rooms for a long time to come. "The Best Man" raises the classic question, "What would you do if . . . ?" And if it glosses over some of the answers, it is so good to hear and so pretty to look at, it still feels like some kind of honeymoon. Contains profanity, adult situations and semi-nudity. Area theaters.

-- Lonnae Parker O'Neal

THE BONE COLLECTOR (R, 118 minutes) -- You've got to love Hollywood's notion of the serial killer: someone deranged enough to perpetrate the most gruesome murders (again and again), yet fussy enough to leave the cops a crime scene decorated with clues straight out of "Martha Stewart Living." The criminal mastermind here is no exception, and the weary cliche weighs down Phillips Noyce's otherwise gripping "The Bone Collector," based on the best-selling novel by Jeffery Deaver. Despite fine performances from Denzel Washington as a quadriplegic forensics expert and Angelina Jolie as the beat cop who acts as his eyes and ears in the field, this "Bone" tastes a little stale. Contains obscenity, bloody corpses and icky rats. Area theaters.

-- Michael O'Sullivan

*BOYS DON'T CRY (R, 114 minutes) -- Teena Brandon (Hilary Swank) is a delicate young woman with a powerful impulse: to find her true self in the sexually unchartered zone between male and female. But in Kimberly Peirce's heartbreaking movie, that no man's land is fraught with mines. Based on the true story of Brandon, who was slain on Christmas Eve in the early 1990s by two ex-cons in Nebraska, this movie is a dismaying descent to a cruel, foregone conclusion. But director Peirce, who wrote the script with Andy Bienen, has created a deeply sympathetic story that transforms Brandon's tragic life into a sweetly textured metaphor for sexual identity and freedom. And in Hilary Swank, Peirce has cast the perfect actor -- someone who passes convincingly as a man and with whom anyone could fall in love. The concluding events are grim and need little explication, except to say we're forced to watch the fatal waning of the movie's brightest light. But in Peirce's shining vision, the love Brandon finds continues to burn long after the forces of fear would snuff it out. Contains brutality, rape, obscenity and nudity. Cineplex Odeon Inner Circle 3.

*BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB (G, 101 minutes) -- In this charming documentary, German director Wim Wenders chronicles his friend Ry Cooder's successful attempt to persuade a lost generation of legendary musicians to make a comeback album called "Buena Vista Social Club." It sold more than a million copies. Between the beats of this so-called son music, you can feel a touching camaraderie among the musicians, including 80-year-old pianist Ruben Gonzalez and Ibrahim Ferrer, a k a "The Nat King Cole of Cuba," whose soft, 70-year-old voice will slay anyone with an appreciation of fine music. When the band makes its final appearance on the Carnegie stage, to the sweetly mournful strains of "Quizas, Quizas, Quizas," you realize you're hooked on these musicians for life. In Spanish and English with subtitles. Contains nothing objectionable except mildly risque lyrics. Cineplex Odeon Foundry, P&G Old Greenbelt.

*DEUCE BIGALOW: MALE GIGOLO (R, 90 minutes) -- Yes, it's from "Big Daddy" producers Adam Sandler and Jack Giarraputo. Yes, it stars Rob "Men Behaving Badly" Schneider. And yes, it contains jokes about feces, flatulence, venereal disease, disability, sexual arousal and rectal exams. What distinguishes this from the crop of sophomoric comedies by such "SNL" alums as Will Ferrell, Chris Kattan, Molly Shannon, David Spade and Norm Macdonald is its -- get this -- feminist world view. You heard me right: the tale of a reluctant male hooker (Schneider) who pleases his clients not by shagging them but by making them feel good about themselves actually answers the age-old question of what women really want. As hapless fish tank cleaner-cum-lothario Bigalow, Schneider never grates, while love interest Arija Bareikis strikes just the right balance between sexy and funny. Contains obscenity, naked derrieres, sexual innuendo and a recurring joke involving a wet T-shirt. Area theaters.

-- Michael O'Sullivan

*THE DINNER GAME (Le Diner de cons) (PG-13, 82 minutes) -- In this pleasurable French caper, Pierre Brochant (Thierry Lhermitte), a publisher with a fondness for practical jokes, invites a bureaucratic nerd named Francois Pignon (Jacques Villeret) over, hoping to hold him up for subtle ridicule at a dinner party. But Francois, a balding accountant who builds matchstick reconstructions, becomes Brochant's worst nightmare, a waddling, bad-luck mojo whose good intentions practically destroy the publisher's private life. Francis Veber directed this enjoyable sequence of coincidence, absurdity, misunderstanding and unexpected glitches -- the bricks and mortar of French farce. In French with subtitles. Contains sexual situations and commentary. Cineplex Odeon Foundry.

DOGMA (R, 125 minutes) -- In Kevin Smith's pitifully unfunny religious comedy, the end of the world is at stake. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck play fallen angels Loki and Bartleby, who want to reenter Heaven and nullify God -- whose judgment will be deemed imperfect if they return to the Pearly Gates. Also figuring in this: Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Smith) the great team from "Clerks"; the tough-minded Bethany (Linda Fiorentino), who works at an abortion clinic; a 13th apostle (Chris Rock); and, uh, God. Yes, the Supreme Being gets a part too. Unfortunately, "Dogma" demonstrates Smith's limitations. This project is simply too complex for his twentysomething sensibilities. Contains relentless obscenity, profanity and gross material. Also nudity. Area theaters.

DOUBLE JEOPARDY (R, 106 minutes) -- Even "The Fugitive's" Tommy Lee Jones as a pit-bullish parole officer on the trail of a slippery quarry cannot save this made for TV-caliber thriller about a paroled felon (Ashley Judd) out to punish her husband (Bruce Greenwood) after she discovers that she has been framed for his staged murder and that the lying sack of you-know-what has absconded with their young son. The far-fetched premise -- that she can shoot him with impunity because she has already been convicted of his murder once -- is only the most egregious in a litany of implausibilities. Judd might actually be a good actress, but you'd never know it from this forgettable project, the latest evidence of director Bruce Beresford's long slide from his days of "Breaker Morant" and "Driving Miss Daisy" glory. Contains sex, obscenity, a bloody crime scene, gunfire and unprofessional wrestling and bad legal advice. Area theaters.

-- Michael O'Sullivan

END OF DAYS (R, 122 minutes) -- From its over-the-top beginning (a Satan-promised child doused with snake's blood) to its hilariously bad ending, this apocalyptic thriller is all fire-and-brimstone bunk, a tired compendium of involuntary crucifixions, grim messages carved into human flesh, fly buzzings, ominous choral chants on the soundtrack and at least one head twisting. Arnold Schwarzenegger plays ex-cop Jericho Cane, who learns that Satan has entered the body of a businessman (Gabriel Byrne), fully intending to impregnate a selected Satan Mom (Robin Tunney) before the eve of the millennium, so that darkness shall rule the Earth. Arnold goes into action. Not even the devil has a chance. Schwarzenegger -- stubbled, bulky and loaded for bear -- seems to pay no attention to the laughable cliches. He's looking to save the world, no matter how silly the situation. Not recommended for anyone who values Arnold, movies or even silly hell-on-earth thrillers. Contains grotesque acts of violence, profanity, obscenity, sexual scenes and nudity. Area theaters.

*FELICIA'S JOURNEY (PG-13) -- Writer-director Atom Egoyan's hypnotic onion of a movie peels away the innocence of young Felicia (Elaine Cassidy), a lost Irish girl who comes seeking a lost lover in England, but finds a gentleman-psychopath (Bob Hoskins) instead. Egoyan, who made "Exotica" and "The Sweet Hereafter," creates something too elegantly layered and emotionally restrained to call a thriller. As with "The Sweet Hereafter" and, indeed, all of his work, Egoyan forces us into deep intimacy with the nicest people's darkest moments and the darkest people's nicest moments. This movie is about the twilight zone of the soul. As the movie's central presence, Hoskins is a master of nuance, whose expression and demeanor can switch from heartbreakingly helpless to rigidly controlled in the razor-sharp twinkling of an eye. Contains macabre, disturbing material. Cinema Arts Fairfax, Cineplex Odeon Janus 3.

FIGHT CLUB (R, 141 minutes) -- If you want boys bashing boys in bloody, living color, David Fincher's "Fight Club" is your flick, dude. But if you want a movie that makes sense and doesn't make you chuckle at its sophomoric satire, laugh this one right off your list. When disillusioned worker bee Edward Norton meets tough-talking Brad Pitt, it's a match made in hell. They create a fight club where people who hate the superficiality of modern life can meet and beat the crap out of each other. As the Fight Club leads to darker things, the movie succumbs to Hollywood story inflation. It flops to the concrete, artificial blood gushing from its picturesque wounds. Pitt becomes increasingly speechy about the great plague of consumerism that has befallen the globe, but that's precisely the consumerism that spawns movies like this. Contains brutal violence, nudity, obscenity and sex scenes. Cineplex Odeon Foundry.

FLAWLESS (R, 111 minutes) -- Walt Koontz (Robert De Niro) is a hard-bitten, retired security guard on the Lower East Side who suffers partial paralysis from a stroke. Rusty (Philip Seymour Hoffman) is the drag queen neighbor who agrees to teach him singing, as part of his speech therapy. Beyond this quasi-joke concept, there isn't much else to report. The comedy isn't especially bright and cutesy, nor deeply affecting -- just somewhere in the muddly middle. Hoffman makes a wonderful dragster, but the screenplay doesn't give him enough to scratch too far below the surface. And if you've seen one tight-lipped De Niro performance lately, you seen 'em all. The story isn't bound, so much as trussed together with a TV-movie subplot involving a druglord looking for a stash of money. Contains obscenity, sexual situations. Area theaters.

*THE GREEN MILE (R, 180 minutes) -- Writer-director Frank Darabont's brilliant campfire story, adapted from Stephen King's six-part, serialized novel, is built around big-hearted John Coffey (Michael Clarke Duncan), a 7-foot-tall inmate at the Cold Mountain Penitentiary in Louisiana in the 1930s. Tom Hanks is Paul Edgecomb, the head guard, who thinks Coffey may be innocent of his crimes and recruits his men, including Brutus "Brutal" Howell (David Morse) and Dean Stanton (Barry Pepper), to do something about it. This being a King-derived movie, the villains are memorable, including Percy Wetmore (Doug Hutchison), a sadistic new guard with connections to the governor, and William "Wild Bill" Wharton (Sam Rockwell), a demented killer with Bubba charms. But the movie belongs to Duncan, whose presence is literally and figuratively, the biggest thing in the movie. Contains occasional disturbing violence and obscenity. Area theaters.

*HAPPY, TEXAS (PG-13, 100 minutes) -- Escaped convicts Harry (Jeremy Northam) and Wayne Wayne Wayne Jr. (Steve Zahn) pose as beauty pageant officials -- gay ones, too -- in Happy, Texas until the heat dies down. Wayne applies himself to the task of teaching song-and-dance routines to the girls, while Harry hobnobs with the townsfolk and falls in love with Josephine (Ally Walker), the local bank owner. This beauty pageant comedy, directed by Mark Illsley (who wrote it with Ed Stone and Phil Reeves) gets better and better. Imagine an engaging combination of "Raising Arizona," "Smile" and "In & Out." Then imagine funnier. As the local sheriff, William H. Macy proves what a great character actor he can be. And as a pseudo-gay dance instructor, Zahn is a scream. Contains sexual scenes, major innuendo and strong language. Cineplex Odeon Foundry.

*THE INSIDER (R, 158 minutes) -- Director Michael Mann's thriller, starring Al Pacino as "60 Minutes" producer Lowell Bergman and Russell Crowe as Jeffrey Wigand, the tobacco company whistle-blower he tries to help, is a well-orchestrated nightmare that keeps you on edge until the very end. Christopher Plummer is especially memorable as Mike Wallace, the veteran journalist who -- in this movie -- surrenders all too readily when CBS decides not to run Wigand's damning testimony about the tobacco industry. The premise may sound cut and dried, but in Mann's hands, this fictionally reordered accounting of the three-way battle that included the TV news show "60 Minutes," the CBS network and the tobacco industry, is powerful stuff. And by Hollywood standards, the movie's a convincing examination of the shifting interface between high-minded principle and job security, between corporate agenda and moral code. Contains obscenity and emotional intensity. Area theaters.

LAST NIGHT (R, 95 minutes) -- In Canadian actor/writer Don McKellar's directorial debut, the world is ending, for reasons that aren't important. What matters is the way that a diverse group of Toronto residents face the final curtain. Some look for a last minute connection, whether sexual or social. Others simply cling to the ritual of prayer or -- in one case -- the family tradition of Christmas dinner. When Patrick (McKellar), a sort of nerd antihero, crosses paths with Sandra (Sandra Oh), who's racing to reach her husband on the other side of town, he changes his plans to spend humankind's last moments in solitude. Unfortunately, these small human moments don't add up to the bittersweet result the movie clearly has in mind. Give me the apocalypse, give me suffering, give me wailing and gnashing of teeth, give me the big bang . . . Anything but this tentative whimpering. Contains sexual scenes, nudity and obscenity. Cineplex Odeon Foundry.

*LIBERTY HEIGHTS (R, 122 minutes) -- When Ben Kurtzman (Ben Foster) develops a crush on his high school's first black student (Rebekah Johnson) in the 1950s, he learns what it means to cross racial and cultural boundaries on the eve of desegregation. In Barry Levinson's highly affecting drama, Ben's family members, too, will find themselves dealing with a changing America. His father (Joe Mantegna) and his illegal numbers racket lead to desperate dealings with a black, petty gangster (Orlando Jones); and Ben's older brother Van (Adrien Brody) becomes infatuated with Dubbie (Carolyn Murphy), a blonde gentile who hangs around exclusively with WASPs. "Liberty Heights" demonstrates what writer-director Levinson does best: evoke the sights, smells and atmosphere of his youth with intelligence, humor and a keen sense of social perspective. And as with "Diner" and "Tin Men," he animates his characters with unforgettable charm and hilarious dialogue. Contains obscenity, racial epithets, sexual situations and violence. Cineplex Odeon Avalon.

LIGHT IT UP (R, 98 minutes) -- This earnest, urban drama is modeled on the oh-so-suburban "The Breakfast Club" and "Dangerous Minds." Only in this case, Judd Nelson substitutes for Michelle Pfeiffer, as a dedicated educator giving it up for the neglected inner-city kids. Usher Raymond and Rosario Dawson head a gifted ensemble cast as star athlete and student council member. They lead a peaceful protest when their favorite teacher (Nelson) is fired. Alas, a policeman (Forest Whitaker) is accidentally shot, the principal calls for back-up and the next thing you know, Raymond, Dawson and four other kids are caught up in the middle of a stand-off with the NYPD (led by hostage negotiator Vanessa L. Williams). The media and the cops assume the students, all great kids except for one, are gangbangers. If they are to survive, they must correct that misperception before they're dropped by SWAT teams. More talk than action ensues. Contains profanity, some drug use and violence. Crown Aspen Hill 4.

-- Rita Kempley.

*THE LIMEY (R, 88 minutes) -- In director Steven Soderbergh's hands, a simple story of revenge becomes something to unpeel and unpeel again, as he flashes forward, flashes back or returns to the same scene with a new perspective. Terence Stamp is Dave Wilson, the "limey"of the title, who wants to avenge the death of his grown-up daughter Jenny at the hands of Los Angeles gangsters. His obsessional manhunt takes him from Los Angeles to Big Sur, as he edges ever closer to record producer Terry Valentine (Peter Fonda), who may know the truth. It's great fun to watch two '60s countercultural icons: Stamp, the lover ("Far From the Madding Crowd") and psycho ("The Collector") of British cinema, and Fonda, the countercultural prince of the road ("Easy Rider"). Their polar-opposition in acting styles and temperament, their cultural differences and their pop-cultural synergy come together with delicious cacophony. Contains violence, obscenity and sexual situations. Crown Eastport 2.

MANSFIELD PARK (PG-13, 112 minutes) -- When her impoverished family sends her to live with wealthy relatives, Fanny Price (Frances O'Connor) finds herself a second-class citizen with the Bertrams. But she has two avenues of relief: her writing, at which she excels, and Edmund (Jonny Lee Miller), a Bertram son of similar age with whom she builds a close, undying love. As these faux siblings grow older and closer, their relationship seems too pure to evolve to romantic love. But when other suitors appear, it's time to reconsider that purity. The cast, which includes Embeth Davidtz and the playwright Harold Pinter, is definitely second-tier. The possibility of a union between Fanny and Edmund (a dedicated but somewhat wan Miller) doesn't truly engage us. And Canadian director Patricia Rozema occasionally pushes subtle Jane Austen off the cliff of discretion and into feminist, quasi-lesbian waters. But any Austen goes a long way; this movie is entertaining enough. Contains sex and nudity. Cineplex Odeon Shirlington 7 and Outer Circle.

MUSIC OF THE HEART (PG, 123 minutes) -- Meryl Streep, Our Divine Lady of Thespia, takes a sanctified bow as Roberta Guaspari, the stern but lovable violin teacher who was the subject of the Oscar-winning documentary "Small Wonders." But "Music of the Heart," directed inexplicably by horrormeister Wes Craven, never transcends its public-service boundaries. Its good intentions screech like a badly tuned violin. Screenwriter Pamela Gray's work is ellipsis-ridden. She covers too many highlights and traverses too much time to truly engage us. We get a sense of Roberta's yearnings and her character, but her emotional growth feels scattered and episodic. It doesn't take enduring all two hours of this overextended opus to know you're in for a grand finale in a vaunted concert hall, attended by the boisterous cheers of parents, teachers and news reporters. Contains nothing particularly objectionable. Area theaters.

THE OMEGA CODE (PG-13, 99 minutes) -- This $7.2 million movie, financed independently by Paul Crouch, televangelist and founder of Trinity Broadcasting Network, centers on arcane Bible codes and a struggle for the key to the ancient city of Jerusalem. Basically, it's a bibilical prophecy thriller, in which Dr. Gillen Lane (Casper Van Dien), a motivational speaker and mythology expert, becomes an unwitting pawn for wealthy businessman Stone Alexander (Michael York) who has dastardly plans to rule the world. But with all due respect, this is for the converted only. Dramatically speaking, the movie is one of the worst to see the light of release. It's so hokey, it ought to be sent to the folks at "Mystery Science Theater 3000" for immediate, merciless ridicule. The acting is hilariously goofy. The script is woeful. And I have seen better special effects on "Barney and Friends." Contains some crowd violence and building explosions. Cineplex Odeon Bowie 6 and Manassas Mall 7.

*ON CONNAIT LA CHANSON (SAME OLD SONG) (Unrated, 120 minutes) -- Follow this, if you can: Odile Lalande (Sabine Azema) is a self-centered control freak, who is unaware that her husband Claude (Pierre Arditi) wants to leave her. And she has little patience for her complaining sister Camille (Agnes Jaoui). Meanwhile, real estate agent Simon (Andre Dussollier) falls for Camille, who has already fallen for Marc (Lambert Wilson), Simon's boss. Confused? The point is, everyone's entangled in the same social web without realizing it. People are trying to leave their partners, or chasing the wrong one, or suffering the blues. And the characters are likely to break out in song at any moment. Well, sort of. They lip-synch a few lines from well-known French standards, then suddenly fall right back into their conversations. The effect is odd, amusing and rather sweet. Instead of transporting you away from the scene, the music brings you closer. In French with subtitles. Contains nothing objectionable. Cinema Arts Fairfax.

POKEMON THE FIRST MOVIE (G, 96 minutes) -- The Pokemon phenomenon is kind of like the WWF for toddlers. These Japanimated critters (the name is short for "pocket monsters) like nothing better than to beat each other to a pulp -- although nobody ever really gets hurt. The most disappointing thing, therefore, about the new feature based on the popular video game, TV cartoon and trading cards (aside from the cheap-looking animation and unengaging story about the showdown between the cat-type Pokemon Mew and his evil doppelganger Mewtwo) is the Pollyannaish moral it shoves down your throat. I'm all for universal peace, love and understanding, but if those are to be the new watchwords for Pikachu and his Pokepantheon of lean, mean fighting machines, what's next? Will Bulbasaur and Squirtle move in together and open a bed-and-breakfast in Vermont? Contains bloodless battle and scenes of a boy in jeopardy. Area theaters.

-- Michael O'Sullivan

*PRINCESS MONONOKE (PG-13, 135 minutes) -- Fabulous visual effects and great English-language dubbing by Miramax Films make this "Princess" a royal treat for "anime" fans. The plot begins with Ashitaka (voiced by Billy Crudup), who kills a boar-like monster that threatens his village. Unfortunately the animal happens to be a protector-god of a distant forest and Ashitaka is left with a nasty, spreading scar on his arm. He embarks on a mythic quest to rid himself of this curse, only to fall in love with the Princess Mononoke (Claire Danes), a beautiful, feral woman raised by wolves. The background actors, including Crudup, Danes, Billy Bob Thornton and Minnie Driver, give the movie powerful dimension. Thornton is particularly effective as a wise, old wayfarer by the name of Jigo. And Driver's regal English accent puts special class into the mouth of one Lady Eboshi. "Princess Mononoke" has some shortcomings: a heavy-handed ecological message, a brain-reeling plot line and no squeamishness when it comes to, say, decapitation. But if animated blood is just so much red ink to you, sit back and appreciate more than two hours of animated mastery. Contains animated violence and death that's not suitable for young children. Cineplex Odeon Inner Circle 3.

ROMANCE (Unrated, 103 minutes) -- Writer-director Catherine Breillat details the downward spiral of schoolteacher Marie (Caroline Ducey), who'll do anything to jumpstart the lust of her narcissistic boyfriend, Paul (Sagamore Stevenin), who has lost physical interest in her. Marie decides sexual jealousy is the answer. So she has promiscuous relations with one man after another, including a sadomasochist called Robert (Francois Berleand) with a sweet bedside manner. Her reasoning: since her heart's not in it, since she submits to their whims with robotic obedience, and since she doesn't kiss them, she maintains her spiritual purity. My reasoning: Huh? What is the point of these theater-of-cruelty shenanigans? I'll have to get back to you on that. But it may be that the only thing I've learned from this movie are some excellent bondage wrist knots. In French with subtitles. Contains explicit sexual scenes, nudity and language. AMC Courthouse 8.

RUNAWAY BRIDE (PG, 116 minutes) -- This "Pretty Woman" reteaming of Julia Roberts, Richard Gere, Hector Elizondo and director Garry Marshall is a huge disappointment. The charm of the original gives way to kitsch. Roberts is a small-town gal who becomes legendary for leaving her fiances at the altar. Gere's a USA Today columnist who gets fired for making public fun of her. When he comes to her Maryland hometown to write about her latest upcoming wedding, the predictable happens. Director Marshall creates a rather condescending world of cheesy, adorable "small-town eccentrics" (including Joan Cusack as Roberts's sister) who'd be laughed out of a cheap sitcom. Gere seems to be improvising through the film, as if vaguely disgusted by the script. And Roberts is reduced to aping herself even more than usual. This isn't cute. It's just embarrassing. Contains bile-provoking cuteness and a few risque comments from a grandmother who ought to know better. Town Center Cinemas.

*THE SIXTH SENSE (PG-13, 107 minutes) -- Brilliantly deliberative pacing and an eerie, contemplative timbre make this movie truly engrossing and touching. Writer/director M. Night Shyamalan builds atmosphere, brick by brick, until a very powerful design becomes clear. There is subtle work from Bruce Willis, who plays a child psychologist in Philadelphia trying to help an 8-year-old boy with a dark secret. As the child, whose visions are truly terrifying, Haley Joel Osment is outstanding. And Toni Collete is memorable as the mother who, despite her best intentions, seems unable to understand him. This is an entrancing film, which dabbles in profound character revelation and the paranormal -- a great combination you rarely see in a movie. And the twist ending will put your head in a swirl. Contains disturbing material and garish wounds. Area theaters.

SLEEPY HOLLOW (R, 105 minutes) -- ) Like the headless rider that figures so prominently in the story, Tim Burton's movie is missing something. Despite wonderful sets, great cinematography and all manner of special effects (including the regular and extremely involuntary removal of human heads), there's no real scariness or excitement. Johnny Depp's tormented, over-the-top performance as Ichabod Crane -- the constable sent into 18th-century Sleepy Hollow to investigate a string of ghastly murders -- is not as funny as the filmmakers would like to believe. His splendidly dressed, handsome Ichabod has more to do with the pages of GQ than Washington Irving's tome. And I remember infinitely more clamminess in the gut when I first saw Walt Disney's "The Headless Horseman." Contains major head slicing. Area theaters.

THE STORY OF US (PG-13, 96 minutes) -- Welcome to director Rob Reiner's mistaken impression that he can duplicate "When Harry Met Sally" with Bruce Willis and Michelle Pfeiffer in the leads and a bad script. Willis is a writer who doesn't pay attention to the finer points of preserving a marriage or parenting. Pfeiffer is his wife, a crossword puzzle designer, who only pays attention to the finer points. After 15 years of marriage, they agree to a trial separation. After they dispatch the two kids to summer camp, they begin the tough business of living apart and trying to be funny. They fail at both. Maybe their real problem is that, deep down, they're angry about being one-dimensional. It's no picnic to look in the mirror and see a cardboard cutout. Contains obscenity, sexual situations and "comedy." Town Center Cinemas.

*THE STRAIGHT STORY (G, 111 minutes) -- Based on the true story of Alvin Straight, a 73-year-old man who journeyed hundreds of miles on a riding mower to visit an ailing brother, David Lynch's delicate movie chugs through an American heartland ripened to bursting with human goodwill. Serenely bereft of postmodern cynicism, the movie stays that way, too, as Alvin (Richard Farnsworth) travels all the way from Laurenz, Iowa, to Mount Zion, Wis., at an operating land speed of five miles an hour. At the end of this emotionally affecting six-week odyssey, if the conclusion doesn't draw tears, it will certainly draw your admiration. Farnsworth gives the performance of his life; and Sissy Spacek, who seems to get better each passing year, is terrific as his stuttering daughter, Rose. Lynch and writers Mary Sweeney and John Roach revel in the subtle nuances of the great Midwest, from the omnipresent furrows to the rushing of wind through the trees. And Lynch's regular composer, Angelo Badalamenti, outdoes himself with a score that's the elegiac equivalent of threshing wheat. Contains nothing objectionable. Cineplex Odeon Shirlington 7 and Inner Circle 3, Cinema Arts Fairfax.

SUPERSTAR (PG-13, 82 minutes) -- The pleasure of watching Molly Shannon play Mary Katherine Gallagher (the parochial-school misfit who has become a staple character on "Saturday Night Live") is pretty much restricted to the handful of times she reveals her white underpants in one of her signature pratfalls across the screen. In this thin, feature-length spinoff of the popular skit, Shannon obliges MKG fans as the dweebette ineptly goes about trying to win the affections of high-school stud Sky Corrigan (Will Ferrell). In addition to the familiar gag, Shannon also displays MKG's regular penchant for sniffing her own armpit stench and reciting monologues from made-for-TV movies. Satisfying comedy it may be, but even for "SNL" junkies this movie's more of a snack than a square meal. Contains mild vulgarity and spurting blood. Crown Aspen Hill 4.

-- Michael O'Sullivan

*THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR (R, 114 minutes) -- This remake of the super 1968 Steve McQueen-Faye Dunaway classic is a full-throttle, heady fantasy, thanks to great performances from Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo. As the gentleman-thief in this romantic heist flick, Brosnan's suave, sexy and about perfect. As insurance investigator Catherine Banning, who becomes convinced Crown is behind the elaborately engineered theft of a Monet, Rene Russo almost steals the picture. Director John McTiernan and screenwriters Leslie Dixon and Kurt Wimmer (who based the film on Alan R. Trustman's original screenplay) create a riveting balance of power between both principals. Thanks to their mutual presence, great direction and great writing, the flames of excitement and suspense lick ever higher. A guilty pleasure for any aspiring bon vivants in the audience. Contains nudity, sex scenes and some violence. Arlington Cinema 'N' Drafthouse, Cineplex Odeon Foundry.

*TOY STORY 2 (G, 85 minutes) -- When evil toy-store owner Al McWhiggin (voice of Wayne Knight) snatches Woody the cowboy (Tom Hanks) to sell him as a collector's item, it's time for his fellow toys to launch a rescue mission. Buzz Lightyear -- and friends -- to the rescue! The toys from John Lasseter's computer-animated "Toy Story" of 1995 are back with even more hilarious vengeance. The story's twice as inventive as its predecessor. And the vocal talents of Tom Hanks, Tim Allen and others bring even more soul to the proceedings than before. Hanks practically owns the character of Woody, the cowboy. Allen is amusingly robotic as Buzz. And the others are equally full of beans, from Jim Varney's Slinky Dog to Don Rickles' Mr. Potato Head. The movie's a perfect fusion of genuinely affecting narrative and gut-creasing comedy. And the animation is out of this world. Contains nothing objectionable. Area theaters.

*TUMBLEWEEDS (R, 100 minutes) -- Every time Mary Jo Walker (Janet McTeer) breaks up with another boyfriend, she and teenage daughter Ava (Kimberly J. Brown) move to another state. On the way to their latest relocation their car breaks down and Mary Jo almost hooks up with Jack, a passing truck driver (Gavin O'Connor). Get the picture? Independent movie. Character-driven scenes, full of extended dialogue; roots music as they drive cross-country; scenes in roadhouse bars. Once in California, Mary Jo and Ava run into Jack again. Mary Jo thinks he might be Mr. Right; Ava doesn't think so. The movie's charm lies mainly in the performances. McTeer is full of moxie; O'Connor presents a rich character hovering between nice guy and domestic problem; and Brown makes a believably down-to-earth kid. But the movie stays actor-friendly, rather than narratively-oriented. And the scenes keep repeating the same message: Mary Jo's mistakes and Ava's seething disappointment. Contains strong language, sexual situations and domestic tension. Cineplex Odeon Shirlington 7 and Janus 3.

THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH (PG-13, 128 minutes) -- If there'll always be an England, there'll always be a James Bond film. For the right fans, this formula is enjoyable. This film, starring Pierce Brosnan in his third Bond appearance, has something to do with the possible destruction of the Western world's biggest oil pipeline. Bond crosses paths with oil heiress Elektra King (Sophie Marceau) and "nuclear scientist" Christmas Jones (Denise Richards), as well as sinister terrorist Renard (Robert Carlyle) and double agent Valentin (Robbie Coltrane). Of course, Her Majesty's best agent attends the usual round of meetings with Q (Desmond Llewelyn), M (Judi Dench) and Miss Moneypenny (Samantha Bond). Bond movies are always about the sideshow: the girls, gadgetry, villains, international hot spots and, last but not least, saucy dialogue. Area theaters.

Repertory

AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM -- "To Fly!" daily at 10:10, 12:20, 2:30 and 4:40. "Cosmic Voyage," daily at 10:45, 12:55, 3:05 and 5:15. "Mission to Mir," daily at 11:30, 1:40 and 3:50. "Wolves," daily at 6. "Thrill Ride: The Science of Fun," Friday-Sunday at 6:45. Seventh and Independence SW. 202/357-1686.

CHARLES THEATRE -- "Hard," Friday - Wednesday at 7:05 and 9:45. Thursday: "Butterfly and Sword," at 7:40; "Savior of the Soul," at 9:25. 1711 N. Charles St., Baltimore. 410/727-FILM.

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS -- "Room at the Top," Friday at 7. "Carry On Up the Khyber" and "Carry on Camping," Monday at 6. "Ladybird Ladybird," Tuesday at 7. Free. Mary Pickford Theater (64 seats), James Madison Building, First and Independence SE. 202/707-5677.

MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY -- "Galapagos," daily at 10:15, 1, 2 and 4:40. "Mysteries of Egypt," daily at 11:10, noon, 2:50 and 3:40 (additional shows Friday at 6:10, 7 and 7:50). Samuel C. Johnson Theater, 10th and Constitution NW. 202/633-7400.

NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART -- "Death in Venice," Friday at 2. Saturday: "The Trojan Women," at 12:30; "Death in Venice," at 3. "The Damned," Sunday at 4. "The Innocent," Thursday at 2:30. Free. East Building, Fourth and Constitution NW. 202/737-4215.

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY -- "Breakfast at Tiffany's," Monday at 12:30. "Truman Capote: The Tiny Terror," Tuesday at 12:30. Free. Eighth and F NW. 202/357-2700.

NAVY MEMORIAL -- "At Sea," Monday- Saturday at 11 and 1. 701 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. 202/737-2300.

NEWSEUM -- "The First Freedom," Wednesday - Sunday at 3:30. Free. 1101 Wilson Blvd., Arlington. 703/284-3544.

SLAYTON HOUSE THEATRE -- "Bulldog Jack," Friday at 7:30. Wilde Lake Village Green, 10451 Twin Rivers Rd., Columbia. 410/730-3987 or 301/596-4883.

WASHINGTON PSYCHOTRONIC FILM Society -- "Mondo Pagan," Tuesday at 8. Lucky Bar, 1221 Connecticut Ave. NW. 202/736-1732.

© Copyright 1999 The Washington Post Company

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