Santa Cruz Sentinel from Santa Cruz, California • Page 81

Spotfighi Santa CM SentinfeM- Friday, Aug. 5 derivative cuteness. Flat is a word which comes to mind but then again, what do you expect from a bunch of cartoons? Obviously intended for young audiences, there are parts both sexual and violent not suited for the too young Still, as animation goes, you've never seen anything like this. "WILLOW." (PG), Scotts Valley Cinema, 438-3260; Skyview Drive-In. 475-3405 George Lucas came up with the story and his Industrial Light and Magic came up with the special effects for this trip down from outer space sci-fi to the land of myths and fairy tales.

The title character, a very little hero played by Warwick Davis, gets the job of delivering a little girl baby to a good king and queen, warding off some pretty horendous obstacles and beastics along the way. An outcast warrior (Val Kilmer), along with assorted fairies, brownies, enchanted animals and Hobbit graduates, come to his aid along the way. Not as bad as some critics claim, the film is. well, disappointing. Despite its storybook look on-screen, there's not $35 million worth of magic in the project.

Director Ron Howard's whimsical touch gets lost under the logistical requirements of all the action. Worse is the reliance on special effects including some which will terrify young viewers in place of real creativity or imagination in Lucas' story anil concept for the project. "YOUNG GUNS." Rio. 423-2000 Several of Hollywood's hottest young stars Emilio Estevez, his brother Charlie Sheen. Kiefcr Sutherland and Lou Diamond Phillips try to resurrect the classic western.

They fail. Despite the look of true grit look in the cinematography and the sweat and tobacco-stained portrayals by Casey Siemaszko and Dermot Mulroney, direction by Christopher Cain is still way off-target, losing nuance of character and plot coherence under barrages of bullets. F.stevez' Hilly Lie Kid is memorably schizoid but. like the rest of the movie, falls victim to the poster-boy syndrome. Preston Tucker.

Director Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas have had dreams, too as well as having had their "Howard the Ducks" and "Cotton Clubs." They have fastened onto Tucker, played by Jeff Bridges, as a symbol of the daring individualist who can take the corporate world's best shot and still come up swinging. "VIBES." (PG), UA Cinema, 426-8383 Cute Cyndi Lauper and stork-like Jeff Goldblum go the "Romancing the Stone" route, heading down Ecuador way to find a room of gold hidden in the jungle. They manage to create a certain romantic chemistry even if they do look like an optical illusion whenever they're onscreen together. They play psychics she's a medium and he's a tele-kenetic museum curator who also happen to be just a tad on the eccentric side. Julian Sands, someone named Googy Gress and the dependable Peter Falk co-star in this action adventure, playing comic baddies trying to harness those powers to find a hidden treasure.

With the names of several "Splash" alums executive producer Ron Howard, writers Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel showing up in the credits, there's hilarity lurking in the dialogue, even if the plot winds up looking like another ho-hummer. "WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT?" 41st Avenue Playhouse, 476-8841 Steven Spielberg once again reveals his technical brilliance and his lack of depth in this unique cartoon which has animated characters effortlessly cavorting with human ones. The animation techniques are state-of-the-art as Hollywood private eye Bob Hoskins gets drawn into a web of nasty business down there in Toon Town (you know, where the cartoons live.) A Who's-Who of animated superstars (Donald. Daffy, Mickey, Elmer, Woody, Tweety and all the rest) add to the visual delights. There's genuine cleverness in the script, which has undertones of "Chinatown" and the novelty of treating cartoons as real people.

But in place of the hoped-for depth, there's Continued from Page 8 chase scene from "Bullet" except they are being pursued by a toy car. In the ultimate statement about macho men and their guns, he shows up with a harpoon launcher. The storyline is generic mystery, but it does the job just like Clint himself, who's content to ride popularity all the way to the bank, while pursuing his own interests like directing "Bird." the acclaimed biography of jazz great Charlie Parker. "DIE HARD," 41st Avenue Playhouse, 476-8841 Bruce Willis has had his problems graduating from the tube to the big screen, but enthusiastic audiences suggest that this high tech action adventure is, finally, going to be his ticket to big time stardom. He plays a New York detective who has to save a group of hostages, including his ex-wife, from terrorists holding them in a Los Angeles high rise.

Why, it's The Terrorist Inferno. Willis has a better sense of humor than a lot of those other guys in the oiled muscle line of work, and film benefits from the exciting pace, suspense and well-orchestrated action, all guided along by director John McTiernan. "A FISH CALLED WANDA," (R), Scotts Valley Cinema, 438-3260 John Cleese pushes things like taste, humor and sensitivity in a Monty Pythonish direction in this fractured romance involving a bunch of American jewel thieves and the English barrister who defends them. Cleese is the latter. Jamie Lee Curtis is along for va-va-voom value, with Kevin Kline and another former Python Michael Palin rounding out the cast.

Cleese wrote the script which has polished the humor of cruelty to a sharp edge indeed. Another theme is Americans and the English, with the flaws in each national character clearly delineated. Many of the gags will make you wince; it would be easier to be offended if they weren't so thoroughly hilarious. "GOOD MORNING. VIETNAM," (R), Capitola Theater, 476-8841 Robin Williams finally gets the movie role he was made for, playing real-life disc jockey Adrian Cronauer as a manic man of a thousand voices in 1965 Saigon.

Williams' over-the-air raps are awesome, but director Barry Levinson doesn't stop with them. Instead he builds a visually and culturally rich look at Vietnam before the war became a war. Williams' Oscar-caliber comedy comes nicely framed by other more subtle comedic performances from a fine ensemble which seems to have been sent over from the "Catch-22" casting agency. And visions of the people and landscape of a country soon to be torn add poignancy to Williams' spectacular vocal riffs. "A HANDFUL OF DUST," Nickelodeon, 426-7500 For the first hour it looks like one of those gorgeous English period pieces where stuffy manners and questionable morals are the subject since there's just about nothing whatsoever going on in the plot.

James Wilby plays the wholesome but dull member of the landed gentry in the 1930s; Kristin Scott Thomas plays his wife who's hot to trot. Eventually, though, the story gets into gear, with the delicious ironies of Evelyn Waugh's novel showing up in some truly unexpected plot developments. We won't tell you how the movie winds up in the Amazon rain forest, but Alec Guinness makes a memorable appearance there. "HIGH SEASON," (R), Nickelodeon, 426-7500 With Michael Dukakis leading the way, watch for a resurgence of Greek chic in U.S. culture in months to come.

This Hem-dale comedy set on the gorgeous beaches of the island of Rhodes tries to lead the way, but falls on its pretensious face. Jacqueline Bisset, James Fox and Irene Pappas head the cast, acting out the conflict dating back to classical Greek antiquity between locals and tourists. There's also plenty of talk about art with with Bisset playing a photographer. Fox a sculptor amd Sebastian Shaw an art historian with a mysterious political past. The screenplay bounces back and forth between ineptitude and arrogance, wasting the talents of Pappas in the process.

Audiences content to look at Bisset, or at the gorgeous scenery, will find plenty to like; otherwise the film covers a great distance to arrive at a major disappointment. "KILLER KLOWNS FROM OUTER SPACE," (PG-13), Nickelodeon. 426-7500 Yes. it was filmed in Santa Cruz, although we may not want to advertise that fact. This spoof of B-movie sci-fi horror does have a certain amount of ingenuity lurking, both in its concept and its art direction.

The title beings are outer space aliens who look incredibly like circus clowns. At least until they open the mouths and show all these teeth. Brothers Stephen, Charles and Edward Chiodo created the project, which carries the clown motif through its various forms of horror-humor: the space ship looks like a circus tent and the Klowns turn their victims into cotton candy. It makes for a certain kind of laughter, although the less-alien elements the human characters, for instance, are more dumb than fun. A better screenplay would have helped, as would actors who didn't sound like they were doing the senior class production.

But the look of the Klowns saves the day and marks the Chiodos as guys to watch as their own star rises in Hollywood. "LICENSE TO DRIVE." (PG-13). Scotts Valley Cinema, 438-3260 The two Coreys former "Lost Boys" Corey Haim and Corey Feldman are reunited as a couple of eager twerps who just can't wait to get their drivers' licenses. Literally. Rarely has taking out the family car resulted in such disastrous results.

Literally. Inept script trots out all the cliches of adolescence but that's still weightier material than director Greg Beeman can handle. Haim does most of the work, but lapses into the awkward age at key moments. Film around him is equally bad. trashing the talents of Carol Kane and Richard Masur in its reckless path.

"MAC AND ME," UA Cinema, 426-8383 The big mystery among the films opening this week, this one arrives without a clue as to what it's about. Checking the credits director, Stewart Kaffill: stars, James D. Calegory, Lauren Stanley, Elizabeth Berkley and Jonathan Ward doesn't shed any more light on things, since we've never heard of any of them, either. "MIDNIGHT RUN," (R). Del Mar, 425-0616 Robert DeNiro sets foot in Eddie Murphy territory, showing he can do action comedy with the best of them.

He plays a latter day bounty hunter trying to bring in Charles Grodin a neurotic accountant who stole $15 million from a mobster then gave it to charity. Grodin. for the first time in a long time, is truly likable playing wonderful doubles with DeNiro to come up with one hilarious scene after another. While cross country chase calls up all the expected plane, train and automobile stunts, George Gallo's obscene but hilarious script still manages to put this one several notches up from typical bumper car material. DeNiro and Grodin can't make this a great movie but they can.

and do, make it great fun to watch. "THE MODERNS," R). Nickelodeon, 426-7500 Dazzling director Alan Rudolph is in cinematic heaven in this brilliant-looking visit to Paris in the '20s, complete with Hemingway, Gertrude Stein and several more Interesting figures. Keith Carradine. Genevieve Bujold and Geraldine Chaplin all regular members of Rudolph's acting stable are joined by Wallace Shawn, Linda Fiorentino and John Lone achieving just the nght tone of whimsy and wisdom as art and life keep butting heads.

Tone is thoroughly provocative playfully bouncing from profundity to pretentiousness. Rudolph is the most painterly director around, wonderfully using the screen as his canvas. Film is terrific to watch but what it has to say, mostly about art. makes for great intellectual fun. too.

"MONDO NEW YORK," Nickelodeon, 426-7500 Surprise, surprise there are enough kinky moviegoers out there to make this a surprise hit, of sorts, at the Nickelodeon. It features a number of New York performance artists demonstrating what they do best, or worst. The semi-documentary format has them trying to out-outrageous each other as it leads viewers on a gutter tour of the seamy side of the Big Apple. "THE NEW ADVENTURES OF PIPPI LONGSTOCKING." (G), Scotts Valley Cinema, 438-3260 Tami Erin, a 13-year-old girl from New Jersey, beat out 8.000 contenders from around the world to play the role of the little girl with the gravity-defying hair. Pippi, in case you didn't know, is kind of Swedish equivalent of Huck Finn, except she's got magic powers.

She lives alone, wishing her shipwrecked father will return, talks to her deceased mother in heaven, and gets into one adventure after another. Ken Annakin writes and directs this Americanized production, based on the series of books by Astrid Lindgren. "THE RESCUE," (PG), Scotts Valley Cinema, 438-3260 Judging by this summer's box office receipts. Rambo is over the hill but fear not. This would-be adventure trots out a whole new generation of little heroes Kevin Dillon, Christina Harnos, Marc Price, Ned Vaughn and Ian Giatti playing Navy brats who pick up the slack when the brass abandons plans to rescue their fathers who have been captured in North Korea.

This is the second film of the week to star young Dillon, who debuted in "Platoon." Ferdinad Fairfax directs, apparently hoping the ages of his cast will breathe new life into the usual action cliches. "THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW," (R), Nickelodeon, 426-7500 The 1975 movie that started the cult is still around, around 11 tonight. It's kinky, it's fun. it promises no surprises since its young viewers have already seen it enough times to sing along on "Dammit Janet" and the other Transylvanian rock hits on the soundtrack. Tim Curry leads the fun as the sexually wavy bloodsucker making life difficult for Susan Sarandon and Barry Bostwick after they find themselves stranded in the proverbial haunted house.

Come dressed. "SHORT CIRCUIT 2," (PG), Scotts Valley Cinema, 438-3260: Skyview Drive-In. 475-3405 More robot soul, minus the stars of the first film who have gone on to bigger things. This time lovable Fisher Stevens inherits the top of the credits, playing Ben Jahrvi of the funny Indian accent. He has the bright idea of marketing lots of little toy robots, modeled after the one, the only Johnny Five.

The real 'bot spends most of the film getting harrassed. misunderstood, in trouble with the law and otherwise abused. "TUCKER, THE MAN AND HIS DREAM," (PG). Del Mar. 425-0616 Preston Tucker had a dream all right he wanted to build the most advanced automobile the world had ever seen.

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