Austin American-Statesman from Austin, Texas • 49

ri 'l. I III I II (fin i Anew meaning to the term car sickness: David Cronenberg's 'Crash' a giant game of sexual chicken. PageE4 3 Austin March 21, 1997 4 I 1 llJUL gQ PHD QD IP ST OH Rosanna Arquette 1 Spirit of young star, portrayal by Jennifer Lopez overcome film's weaknesses 7 oDonino today (Rims reviewed by staff or free-lance writers for the Austin American-Statesman are given star rankings of one through four. Wire service reviews are not ranked.) Smilla's Sense of Snow No rating given E3 Crash E4 Blood and Wine No rating given Inside E6 Hard Eight E7 limitct runs at the union See how it all began when "Blood Simple" (1985), the first theatrical feature from the brothers Coen that brought their neo-noir vision to the surface, unspools tonight and Saturday at 9 p.m., Sunday at 5 and 9 p.m. and Monday at 8:45 p.m.

"Wallace Gromit The Best of Aardman Animations" (1996) continues its run tonight and Saturday at 7 and 11:15 p.m.; Sunday and Monday at 7 p.m. out? The Austin Film Society is providing the antidote to Hollywood glitz every Tuesday with its series "Cinema Fist: The Rims of Samuel Fuller." Next up: A little-seen prize that harks back to fuller's early days. "Park Row" (1952) is about a streetwise newspaper reporter embroiled in a 19th-century newspaper war. At 7 p.m., free admission. atthedobie "Spamarama, The Movie," Austin filmmaker Cressandra Thibodeaux's wacky comedy about the birth of the storied Spamarama festival, will have a free screening Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.

The UT Center for Middle Eastern Studies and the Austin Rim Society present "Lovesick on Nana Street" (1995), a bittersweet romance by Savi Gabizon, Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. as part of the Israeli Fifm Festival: A Showcase of Contemporary Cinema. $5 ($3.50 for Film Society members). ft By Ann Hornaday American-Statesman Rim Critic ow do you solve a problem like To judge the movie on its merits finds it wanting on almost every critical level, with writer-director Gregory Nava consistently missing the mark in his simplistic, episodic re-telling of the late Tejano star's life. But this reading would miss another mark.

Because "Selena," like so many "bio-pics" that are released within a few years of their subjects' passing (Selena was murdered almost exactly two years ago), isn't intended as great art so much as an opportunity to recognize a life cut way too short, honor the gifts and significance of the one who lived it and collectively mourn her untimely, grievous end. As conventional mainstream filmed entertainment, then, "Selena" may not succeed completely But as a ritual of celebration and closure it will provide its audience with an opportunity for some cathartic memories, laughs and tears. When "Selena" does resonate emotionally, a chief reason is the presence of lead actress Jennifer Lopez, who not only bears an uncanny physical resemblance to the singer, but re-enacts her' signature dance routines (one part Tina Turner, one part aerobics teacher) down to the last wink and sly, dazzling smile. Through Lopez's engaging, sympathetic portrayal, Selena's inherent sweetness is given ample room to shine, whether she is winning over a group of judgmental Mexican journalists during a triumphant press conference in Monterrey or braving her overbearing father's disapproval to marry Chris Perez (Jon Seda), a heavy metal-turned-Tejano guitarist in her band, Los Dinos. The fact that Nava found such a perfect Selena buoys his movie, even at its weakest points.

Before Lopez hits the screen, the singer's early life in Lake Jackson, near Houston, is represented in obvious, cliched setups featuring Becky Lee Meza as the young Selena (her voice is dubbed by Jennifer Pena, a rising Tejano star in her own right). When Selena's father, Abraham Quintanilla (Edward James Olmos), a failed crossover pop star, sees his daughter's nascent talent, he sees a chance to relive his dream and forces Selena to See Film, Back page 'Selena' Stars: Jennifer Lopez, Jon Seda, Edward James Olmos Director: Gregory Nava MPAA rating: PG for mild language and thematic elements Theaters: Great Hills 8, Lakehills 4, Lincoln, Movies 12, Northcross 6, Starport, Round Rock J. 4 DUZZ fi 7 i If Scott Del Amo The engaging Jennifer Lopez sparkles as Selena, the Tejano icon cut down in her prime. Actons, director went to singer's roots for biography of Tejano sensation The Austin Gay and Lesbian International Film Festival (AGUFF) will sponsor "Martinis and Oscars," a live broadcast of Monday's 69th annual Academy Awards. Festivities begin at 6 p.m.

at the Dobie with live entertainment, cash martini and beer bar and complimentary hors d'oeuvres. For advance tickets call the AGUFF office at 476-2454; tickets at the door will be sold for $12. The Austin Heart of Film Screenwriters Conference and Austin Film Festival continue their staged readings series Wednesday with a reading of Tim McCan-lies' latest work-in-progress, "Ernie Wal-lencamp, Detective." McCanlies is writing the "Fargo-esque comedy" (based on a true story) for the Fox network. The author will introduce the reading, which starts at 7:30 p.m. at Bertram's Restaurant, 1601 Guadalupe and will answer questions afterward about writing for television.

'And then suddenly in the dream, I'm in a much darker room. And I'm going through her personal things, in her drawers and closets and stuff. And I realized that I was actually in Selena's room." Laughing at the memory, Lopez added: "I'm not sure if it was a premonition or anything. But I'm sure it was tremendously valuable to encourage me to work on the project" For Nava, the Mexican American filmmaker whose credits include "Mi Familia" (which marked See Selena's, Back page By Joe Leydon Special to the American-Statesman YORK Even before she knew for certain that she would play the slain Tejano music star on screen, Jennifer Lopez was dreaming of Selena. Lopez screen-tested for the lead role in "Selena," the Warner Bros, bio-pic opening today, before she flew off to the Amazon for a starring role in another movie, the forthcoming 'Anaconda." A few nights before she received the fateful phone call from director Gregory Nava, Worming her that she had indeed been chosen, Lopez had a late-night vision.

"In my dream, I was in this bright, white room, sitting there at a table with Gregory," Lopez said during a recent Manhattan press gathering. "And he told me, They'll be here any So I'm just sitting there in my dream, not knowing who it is we're waiting for "And then, Selena walks in. And she sits down, and says, very businesslike, 'I need to know what you're going to do to prepare for this role, and how you're going to approach it Want an honest lawyer? Think again Jim Carrey plays a slick lawyer whose ability to represent an adulteress (Jennifer Tilly) is undermined when he suddenly loses the ability to lie. Rebounding from the critical and commercial debacle of "The Cable Gujr" (which is just as infamous for supplying the comedian with a precedent-setting $20 million fee), Carrey has allowed himself to be reined in to more conventional trappings. Gone is the darkness of the above-mentioned film and the anarchy of such idiotically humorous gems as "Dumb and Dumber" and Ace Ventura: Pet Detective." In "Liar Liar," Carrey has been dropped into reality.

That is, Hollywood reality. Where else could he play Fletcher Reede, a successful, despite his wild, child-like mannerisms, LA lawyer? Fletcher has a penchant for bending, breaking and disregarding the truth to further his career, though often at the expense of spending quality time with his 5-year-old son Max (Justin Cooper). The final straw comes when he doesn't show up to Max's birthday party, thrown by his ex-wife (Maura Tierney) and Uar Liar' Starring: Jim Carrey, Jennifer Tilly, Swoosie Kurtz, Cary Elwes Director: Tom Shadyac MPAA rating: PG-13 sex-related humor and language Theaters: Arbor, Highland 10, Movies 12, Northcross 6, Round Rock, Riverside, Starport, Westgate 8 By Jason A. WHrrE Special to the Austin American-Statesman A wish can be a very powerful thing, especially at the box office. In such films as "Pinoc-chio," "It's a Wonderful Life" and "Big," the wish has played a central role in propelling characters into the magical realm of self-discovery overwhelming the viewers with genuine sentiment and propagating a large number of receipts.

Hoping to capitalize on such previous Hollywood successes comes the wish film "Liar Liar," which tells the story of a boy who wills his father unable to lie for one day (a plot, itself, revamped from Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Gener-ically pat and manufactured to hit all the right marks, "Liar, Liar" will realize, at least financially its producers' wishes. As for the audience, the movie, if given a second thought would be tedious and trite were it not for the id-inspired and hilar antics of its star (and raison d'etre) Jim Ci rre: Melinda Sue Gordon 7 See Carrey; E6 I.