Can you smell what's cooking
at the movies?
By Geronimo Rodriguez
Daily Cougar Staff
Note: The following is a list of films
opening this weekend. Along with a brief synopsis, the list is intended
to provide moviegoers with general
information about the films. These are
not movie reviews.
Photo courtesy of Universal
Pictures
The Rock stars in the new
action/science-fiction film The Scorpion King, which opens in theaters
Friday.
The Scorpion King (Universal, PG-13) is
a spin-off of Stephen Sommers' blockbuster The Mummy series.
In Scorpion, The Rock's character, Mathayus,
seeks to defend all living people against Memnon (Steven Brand), a villainous
leader.
The wrestler was introduced in The Mummy
Returns, but save for a few minutes in the beginning, his character was
mostly computer-generated. This
time, Rock will carry the acting load.
Along with Rock's appeal, the film will
be ushered in with hopes of writer Jonathan Hales being able to entertain
with a swashbuckling and inventive
story line. Hales' credits include Star
Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Star Wars: Episode III.
Chuck Russell directed the film, which
also stars Kelly Hu and Michael Clarke Duncan.
Sandra Bullock plays detective in the crime
thriller Murder by Numbers (Warner Brothers, R).
It isn't rare to see Bullock try something
different, as most of her roles are just that. She does well in most cases,
especially in her role as the feisty FBI
agent in Miss Congeniality.
Murder by Numbers follows two high school
students who are accused of committing a series of murders.
Along with Bullock's presence, another
reason this film just might add up is that Barbet Schroeder directed it.
Even though the veteran filmmaker has
not really worked with such a plot, he's
led a number of worthy films, which include Barfly, Reversal of Fortune
and Our Lady of the Assassins.
Ben Chaplin, Ryan Gosling and Michael Pitt
also star in the film, which was written by Tony Payton.
The romantic comedy Crush (Sony Classics,
R) follows the sexless life of three women and how one gets involved with
a man and actually has
something to talk about.
The film, which was written and directed
by John McKay, stars Andie MacDowell, Imelda Staunton, Anna Chancellor
and Kenny Doughty.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding (IFC Films, PG)
follows a young Greek woman as she falls in love with a man who doesn't
share her heritage. This sparks
questions about culture and family.
Joel Zwick directed the romantic comedy,
which was written by Nina Vardalos.
Vardalos fills the lead role of the film,
which also stars John Corbett, Lainie Kazan and Joey Fatone.
The foreign film Son of the Bride (Sony
Classics, R) follows the incidents involving an older couple's son after
they decide to renew their vows and, this
time around, get married in a church.
The Argentinean film, which is in Spanish
with English subtitles, was nominated for this year's Academy Award for
Best Foreign Language Film.
Juan Jose Campanella co-wrote and directed
the dramatic comedy, which stars Ricardo Darin, Hector Alterio, Norma Aleandro
Natalia Verbeke and
Eduardo Blanco.
Last Waltz (Universal, PG) follows a crucial
decision a man makes. Decades later, he reflects on his action and recognizes
he's done wrong.
Teresa Fabik wrote and directed the Swedish
film, which stars Lennart Lindberg, Samuel Hellström, Erik Rosén
and Maria Aström.
The Angelika Film Center continues its
Sensational Cinema program with the Japanese film Akira (Pioneer, NR).
Akira follows a motorcycle gang leader
whose friend stumbles into a secret government operation known as Akira.
Katsuhiro Ôtomoto directed the Japanese
film, which stars Mitsuo Iwata, Nozomu Sasaki and Mami Koyama.
The Angelica is also presenting a tribute
to French cinema.
It will feature La Bûche, The Town
is Quiet, Maelström and The Young Girls of Rochefort. All films are
in French with English subtitles.
Daniéle Thompson co-wrote and directed
Bûche, which stars Sabine Azéma, Emmanuelle Béart,
Charlotte Gainsbourg and Claude Rich.
It follows a wealthy family sharing their
time with one another for the holidays.
The Town tells the story of a number of
characters who find their lives overlapping.
Robert Guediguian wrote and directed the
film, which stars Ariane Ascaride, Jean-Pierre Darroussin, Gérard
Meylan and Jacques Pieiller.
Maelström follows a woman after she
drives her car into a river and a man saves her, changing her life.
Denis Villeneuve wrote and directed the
film, which stars Maria-Josee Croze and Jean-Nicholas Verreault.
The 1967 musical Young Girls features veteran
French actress Catherine Deneuve.
Admission is $7.50, but a pass for the
four-day festival can be purchased for $16.50 (excluding the Sunday matinee).
For more information, call (713) 225-1470
or visit www.angelikafilmcenter.com.
