What’s New

The Caveman’s Valentine (2001). “Eve’s Bayou” director Kasi Lemmons and star Samuel L. Jackson reunite in a highly ambitious but seriously flawed thriller about a once-promising pianist-composer overcome by mental illness but determined to hold his demons at bay and use them to track down the killer of a homeless youth. Jackson’s bravura performance is undermined by the film’s unevenness. Universal: no list price; DVD: $26.98; (CC); R, for language, some violence and sexuality.

Double Take (2001). An evenhanded mixture of suspense and comedy that aims to play fair with the audience on both fronts. Although the movie’s mismatched elements never gel, it’s worth noting that this isn’t just a raucous farce with a few allusions to clues and detective work haphazardly thrown in, or a violent crime picture decorated with lame wisecracks. Written and directed by George Gallo. With Orlando Jones and Eddie Griffin. Buena Vista: no list price; DVD: $29.99; (CC); PG-13, for violence and language.

The Family Man (2000). Nicolas Cage makes a heroic effort to induce us to go along with this fantasy about a ruthless Wall Street tycoon who gets a chance to see what his life would have been like had he married his college sweetheart (Tea Leoni) and sold tires for his father-in-law. This attempt to make an “It’s a Wonderful Life” for the new millennium lacks the honesty to pull it off. Universal: no list price; DVD: $26.98; (CC); PG-13 for sensuality and some language.

The Gift (2000). The film shows what happens when you throw efficient direction (Sam Raimi) and some strong acting at formulaic material. The excessively melodramatic nature of the Southern gothic plot finally gets too out of hand for even the skill invested here to redeem. Cate Blanchett, as the beleaguered protagonist--a person blessed (or is it cursed?) with second sight--solidifies her position as one of the preeminent screen actresses. Keanu Reeves is especially noticeable in a strong supporting cast. With Giovanni Ribisi, Hilary Swank and Greg Kinnear. Screenplay by Billy Bob Thornton and Tom Epperson. Paramount: no list price; DVD: $29.99; (CC); R, for violence, language and sexuality/nudity.

Saving Silverman (2001). Resolutely mindless but high-energy knockabout comedy in which two sweet-natured dimwits (Steve Zahn and Jack Black) attempt to rescue their pal (Jason Biggs) from the icy clutches of a glamorous, manipulative therapist (Amanda Peet). Columbia/TriStar: no list price; DVD: $24.95; (CC); PG-13, for crude and sexual humor, language and thematic material.

Sugar & Spice (2001). A sharply funny satire of high school culture in a society where money overrides any distinction between right and wrong, a seemingly archaic concept. Marley Shelton plays an airhead cheerleader, made pregnant by the equally dim captain (James Marsden) of the football team, and decides her cheerleading pals should help her rob a bank since “Money makes dreams come true.” With Marla Sokoloff. New Line/Warner: no list price; DVD: $24.98; (CC); PG-13, for language, sex-related humor and some thematic elements.

What’s Hot

* Last week’s Top 5 VHS rentals:1. The Wedding Planner (2001). This set-in-San Francisco romantic comedy starts out promisingly with workaholic wedding planner Jennifer Lopez dazzled by pediatrician Matthew McConaughey only to discover later that he’s to be the groom at her next event. The film lacks the wit, verve and invention of its vintage predecessors. PG-13, for some sexuality, brief language and a perilous situation.

2. Unbreakable (2000). It’s unreasonable and unfair to expect any film to have the special impact “The Sixth Sense” had on audiences, but M. Night Shyamalan (who wrote, directed, produced both films) has recycled so many of the same elements here that he seems to be inviting comparisons. The real problem is the story, which starts out as implausible and gets increasingly more difficult to take seriously as it unfolds. Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson and Robin Wright Penn star. PG-13, for mature themes, some disturbing violent content and a sexual reference.3. Cast Away (2000). The high-minded picture implied in the title is only sporadically in front of us. The filmmakers got waylaid by what feels like a boyish enthusiasm for the survivalist aspects of a Robinson Crusoe tale of a man (Tom Hanks) shipwrecked on an island, an enthusiasm that does not translate to the viewer. PG-13, for some intense images and action sequences.4. Save the Last Dance (2001). A twist of fate sends a 17-year-old aspiring ballerina (Julia Stiles) from a Norman Rockwell small town to urban Chicago and an interracial romance with a bright youth (Sean Patrick Thomas) hoping to land a premed scholarship. There’s a lot of dancing and heart-tugging but a gritty edge of big-city realism as well. PG-13, for violence, sexual content, language and a brief drug reference.5. Snatch (2000). A brisk, cheerfully amoral entertainment by Guy Ritchie (“Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels”). Back again are the elements that made “Lock, Stock” so engaging: a London underworld setting, a fearsomely complex plot line, hordes of colorful characters, plus the distinctively breezy dialogue that is Ritchie’s trademark. Even if it’s not quite as lighter-than-air as its predecessor, it remains a lethal diversion. With Benicio Del Toro, Dennis Farina and Brad Pitt. R, for strong violence, language and some nudity.* Last week’s Top 5 DVD rentals:1. Unbreakable 2. The Wedding Planner3. Snatch4. Cast Away5. Dude, Where’s My Car? (2000). A relentlessly idiotic but entertaining teen comedy that is a pastiche of such psychedelic proportions that the continuous efforts to evoke laughter through the wackiest and silliest of situations begin to feel downright desperate. With Ashton Kutcher, Seann William Scott, Marla Sokoloff and Jennifer Garner. PG-13, for language and sex-and drug-related humor. * Last week’s Top 5 VHS sellers:1. Bring It On (2000). A smart and sassy high school movie that’s fun for all ages, starring Kirsten Dunst as the captain of a cheerleading team at an affluent San Diego-area high school that has won the national cheerleading competition five years in a row. To her complete chagrin, she discovers that their current hip-hop routine was ripped off by her predecessor from a Compton high school. PG-13, for sex-related material and language.2. The Emperor’s New Groove (2000). A lighthearted animated adventure-morality tale ideal for youngsters, yet conceived with a wit and sophistication that will be appreciated by their parents. G.3. Coyote Ugly (2000). It’s a bad movie--but it’s not one of those fiascoes that leaves you in a foul mood. PG-13, for sensuality.4. Charlie’s Angels (2000). This reworking of the 1970s TV series is a potato chip of a movie. Tasty and lightweight, it’s fine for a cinematic snack, but making it an entire meal really isn’t advisable. Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, Lucy Liu and Bill Murray star. PG-13, for action violence, innuendoes and some sensuality.5. Disney’s The Kid (2000). More cloyingly sentimental and unyieldingly cute than it needs to be, the film has more potential interest than might be imagined thanks to Audrey Wells’ script. The concept, that 8-year-old Rusty (Spencer Breslin) is as disappointed in the adult he has become as Russ (Bruce Willis) is in the child he was, is a clever one. PG, for mild language.

* Last week’s Top 5 DVD sellers:1. Snatch2. Unbreakable3. The Wedding Planner4. Cast Away 5. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000).

What’s Coming

Tuesday: “Ed Gein,” “Pollock,” “Sweet November,” “Valentine.”

July 31: “The Brothers,” “Head Over Heels,” “The Trumpet of the Swan.”

Aug. 7: “Chocolat,” “An Everlasting Piece,” “The Mexican,” “Recess: School’s Out,” “3,000 Miles to Graceland,” “Vatel.”

Aug. 14: “Blow Dry,” “Enemy at the Gates,” “15 Minutes,” “Get Over It,” “Josie and the Pussycats,” “Tomcats.”

Aug. 21: “Hannibal,” “Say It Isn’t So,” “South of Heaven, West of Hell.”

Aug. 28: “Company Man,” “Joe Dirt,” “See Spot Run.”

Aug. 31: “Exit Wounds,” “The Dish,” “The Invisible Circus.”

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Rental video charts provided by VSDAVidTrac, sales charts by VideoScan Inc.