TITLES 36 FILETTE 84 CHARLIE MOPIC 976-EVIL BARON MUNCHAUSEN BEACHES BERT RIGBY, YOU'RE A

TITLES: 36 FILETTE 84 CHARLIE MOPIC 976-EVIL BARON MUNCHAUSEN BEACHES BERT RIGBY, YOU'RE A FOO BILL & TED'S EXCELLENT A BURNING SECRET CHANCES ARE CHECKING OUT COUSINS CRIMINAL LAW CRUSOE CYBORG DANGEROUS LIAISONS DEAD BANG DEAD CALM DEEPSTAR SIX DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS DISORGANIZED CRIME DREAM A LITTLE DREAM EARTH GIRLS ARE EASY EDGE OF SANITY FAREWELL TO THE KING FIELD OF DREAMS FLETCH LIVES FRIENDSHIP'S DEATH GLEAMING THE CUBE HEATHERS HELLRAISER II HER ALIBI HIGH HOPES HORROR SHOW HOW TO GET AHEAD IN ADVE I'M GONNA GIT YOU SUCKA JACKNIFE K-9 KINJITE LEAN ON ME LEVIATHAN LISTEN TO ME LOST ANGELS LOVERBOY MAJOR LEAGUE MISS FIRECRACKER MISSISSIPPI BURNING NEW YORK STORIES OUT COLD PAPERHOUSE PARENTS PELLE THE CONGUEROR PET SEMATARY PHYSICAL EVIDENCE POLICE ACADEMY 6 POWWOW HIGHWAY RAIN MAN RED SCORPION ROOFTOPS SAY ANYTHING SCANDAL The Following have NO RATING: Listing 18: 01/18/89 000018 ----- THE DRESSMAKER Slow-paced and somewhat stuffy account of American soldiers' impact on the English during World War II. The film, based on Beryl Bainbridge's novel, centers on a shaky romance between a shy English teenager (Jane Horrocks) and a dim-witted G.I. (Tim Ransom). Two fine British actresses, Joan Plowright (in the title role) and Billie Whitelaw, are effective as the girl's protective aunts. But aside from some interesting characterizations and im- pressive period detail, the story limps along. (No rating) FAIR DRAMA DIR-Jim O'Brien RT-92 mins. (Mild profanity) Listing 19: 01/18/89 000019 ----- 36 FILLETTE Here's an updated Lolita film, French style, with Delphine Zentout doing well as the restless 14-year-old sex bomb. The steamy story involves a nubile adolescent who just can't wait to exercise her sexual prowess. She becomes romantically involved with a few older men including a middle-aged playboy (Etienne Chicot). Some scenes appear listless, but the central character is consistently interesting. The title refers to the voluptuous girl's dress size which she is rapidly outgrowing. In French. English titles. (No rating) GOOD DRAMA DIR-Catherine Breillat RT-88 mins. Listing 22: 01/31/89 000022 ----- FRIENDSHIP'S DEATH Confined and much too talkative sci-fi drama set against the backdrop of Middle East fighting during the '70s. Tilda Swinton plays an unconvincing extraterrestrial on a peace mission to Earth. She finds herself in the company of a British journalist (Bill Paterson) stationed in Jordan and she seemingly talks his ears off for most of the picture. The producers of this dreadful, claustrophobic film attempt to uncover some significant aspects of the conflict. Their efforts are unfriendly and deadly. (No rating) BORING SCI-FI DIR-Peter Wollen LEAD-Bill Paterson RT-86 mins. Listing 28: 02/07/89 000028 ----- TANGO BAR Tango fans, this is your film. People tango all over the place. There are delightful film clips of Fred Astaire, Charlie and even Fred Flintstone doing the tango. But aside from the steamy dance sequences, the picture has two left feet. The flimsy plot involves a lounge act, a love triangle and reference to Argentina's repressive military government. Raul Julia is charming as a cabaret piano player. Ruben Juarez and Valeria Lynch also star. In Spanish. English titles. (No rating) FAIR MUSICAL DIR-Marcos Zurinaga LEAD-Raul Julia RT-90 mins. Listing 44: 03/07/89 000044 ----- HIGH HOPES Hip, hip, hooray for this sharp-edged comedy of manners which deftly skewers Margaret Thatcher's England. The slice-of-life sketches look closely at the working class and contrasts their gritty world with the haves and want-to-haves. The top-notch cast does a splendid job of portraying, mainly through improvisation, the colorful characters. Philip Davis and Ruth Sheen are especially remarkable as the working couple of whom the film is most sympathetic. (No rating) GOOD COMEDY DIR-Mike Leigh LEAD-Philip Davis RT-110 mins. (Mild profanity) Listing 45: 03/07/89 000045 ----- THE LUCKIEST MAN IN THE WORLD Philip Bosco portrays a modern "Scrooge," a wealthy New York garment manufacturer who decides to be nice to people after fatefully missing a plane that crashes on take-off. A few mildly funny moments emerge when the title character discovers such reform is not easily accepted. But this one-joke comedy is more awkward than consistently amusing. The gags tend to be repetitious. Doris Belack and Joanne Camp have supporting roles in this low-budget production. (No rating) FAIR COMEDY DIR- Frank D. Gilroy LEAD-Philip Bosco RT-84 mins. (Profanity) The following are rated PG-13: Listing 2 : 12/15/88 000002 ----- MY STEPMOTHER IS AN ALIEN The "Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid" concept is recycled here with disappointing results. Dan Aykroyd is a widower scientist who marries a voluptuous extraterrestrial in the form of Kim Bas- inger. Basinger handles a few scenes with delight -- mainly those where she encounters such earthly joys as romance and eating. But the one-joke comedy routine is stretched thin. Alyson Hannigan co-stars as the teen daughter who is perplexed by her new mom from a far-off galaxy. (PG-13) FAIR COMEDY DIR-Richard Ben- jamin RT-108 mins. Listing 4 : 12/15/88 000004 ----- TWINS Strapping Arnold Schwarzenegger and short, rotund Danny DeVito playing identical twins? Just the suggestion of this concept is worth some laughs. But the humorous gloss of these unlikely brothers, the result of a botched biological experiment, soon wears away and the movie settles down to a routine road comedy. The sentimental script has the boys involved with gangsters, romance, money and a search for their strange parentage. What could have been a funny romp, evolves as a tired gimmick. (PG-13) FAIR COMEDY DIR-Ivan Reitman RT-115 mins. (Mild profanity) Listing 5 : 12/20/88 000005 ----- DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS Michael Caine and Steve Martin are delightful as competing con- men in the business of relieving wealthy women of their money. Set on the French Riviera, this breezy remake of the 1964 comedy "Bedtime Story" offers some inspired moments with Caine as the suave aristocrat and Martin as the klutz. The script flags occas- ionally. But there are enough goofy escapades and good star chem- istry to keep the film on a delightfully comic footing. Glenne Headly co-stars as an inviting target for the swindlers. (PG) GOOD COMEDY DIR-Frank Oz RT-110 mins. (Mild profanity) Listing 9 : 12/29/88 000009 ----- THE ACCIDENTAL TOURIST William Hurt stars as an introverted travel writer who faces emotional difficulties following the death of his young son and separation from his wife (Kathleen Turner). Then a relationship with an extroverted pet trainer (Geena Davis) points his life in an upbeat direction. The adaptation of Anne Tyler's best-selling novel is more successful in its whimsical humor than in its heavy drama. It takes time to build interest but it turns out refresh- ingly offbeat. Davis sparks many bright moments. (PG-13) GOOD COMEDY DIR-Lawrence Kasdan RT-122 mins. (Mild profanity) Listing 10: 12/29/88 000010 ----- BEACHES Bette Midler plays a brassy singer from the Bronx. Barbara Hershey is a pampered rich WASP from San Francisco. Their endur- ing friendship is the basis of this female buddy movie that comes off as a soap opera laced with a few laughs. The saucy Miss M. struts her familiar stuff and belts out numerous songs. But her vivacious energy cannot save this lukewarm, meandering and often confusing workout. (PG-13) FAIR COMEDY DIR-Garry Marshall. RT-120 mins. (Mild profanity) Listing 14: 12/29/88 000014 ----- WE THINK THE WORLD OF YOU A tedious British comedy, based on J.R. Ackerley's novel, in- volving two homosexual men and their mutual concern for a German shepherd dog. The film also explores class differences. The upper-class man (Alan Bates) is in love with a working chap who is in jail for burglary. The actors don't appear to have their hearts in this project. And much screen time revolves around how to take care of the dog. (PG) BORING COMEDY DIR-Colin Gregg RT-94 mins. Listing 16: 01/10/89 000016 ----- BURNING SECRET Flat, ponderous drama, set in post-World War I Austria, about an affection-starved woman (Faye Dunaway) who is seduced by a nobleman (Klaus Maria Brandauer). Handsome production values and some competent acting are sabotaged by the awkward screenplay and slow pacing. Brandauer's character of the charming war hero is well-drawn. Dunaway comes off second best as the refined lady who is reached through the baron's dubious friendship with her over-protected young son. (PG) FAIR DRAMA DIR-Andrew Birkin RT- 107 mins. Listing 27: 02/07/89 000027 ----- THREE FUGITIVES This American version of a popular French farce ("Les Fugitifs") Nick Nolte, an ex-con who wants to go straight, is taken hostage during a holdup by a bumbling bank robber (Martin Short). The film is then off and running unsteadily with a series of chases and hit-'em-in- the-head slap stick left over from The Three Stooges. A little girl (Sarah Rowland Doroff) is involved with the fleeing men. Her cuteness doesn't compensate for the mangled escapades. (PG-13) FAIR COMEDY DIR-Francis Veber LEAD-Nick Nolte RT-96 mins. (Profanity) Listing 29: 02/14/89 000029 ----- HER ALIBI Stuck-in-the-mud romantic comedy with Tom Selleck and model- turned-actress Paulina Porizkova failing to ignite sparks in lead roles. He's a celebrated mystery novelist who offers her an alibi in exchange for writing about the murder case in which she is a suspect. Director Bruce Beresford, more at home with serious drama, turns to silly slapstick and worn-out cliches in an effort that smacks of desperation. A weak, lame-brain script adds to the ineptness of this preposterous undertaking. (PG) BORING ROMANTIC COMEDY DIR-Bruce Beresford LEAD-Tom Selleck RT-91 mins. (Profanity) Listing 32: 02/14/89 000032 ----- WHO'S HARRY CRUMB? John Candy, in the title role, is ahead of the flimsy material of this mildly amusing comedy that fails to generate substantial laughs. He's a bumbling detective hired to solve the case of a kidnapped heiress. Inspector Clouseau had more luck with this sort of comic caper. See big John in various disguises, dealing with a runaway car and having his necktie mangled in a paper- shredder. So much for the silliness. To address the title: who cares. Jeffrey Jones and Annie Potts co-star. (PG-13) FAIR COMEDY DIR-Paul Flaherty. LEAD-John Candy RT-87 mins. (Profanity) Listing 33: 02/21/89 000033 ----- COUSINS Awkward, Americanized version of the popular 1976 French comedy "Cousin, Cousine." This tale of adultery among two married couples gets bogged down in complicated situations. The buoyant comic spirit of the initial French effort thus is lacking here. It's replaced with dull dialogue and a contrived screenplay. Ted Danson and Isabella Rossellini star as the most noticeable pair of illicit lovers. Isabella projects her unmistakable charm which often transcends the stale material. (PG-13) FAIR COMEDY DIR-Joel Schumacher LEAD-Isabella Rossellini RT-111 mins. (Brief nudity, mild profanity) Listing 36: 02/21/89 000036 ----- TAP Foot-stomping, toe-tapping, energetic movie musical that is a worthy tribute to the great dance productions of the '30s and '40s. Gregory Hines heads the rich panorama as an ex-con who struggles to return to his former tap dancing career. A typical schmaltzy romantic plot fits right in place here. And a major film highlight is a sequence where some legendary hoofers (Sandman Sims, Bunny Briggs, et al) display their amazing talent. Sammy Davis Jr is fine in a supporting role (PG-13) GOOD MUSICAL DIR-Nick Castle LEAD-Gregory Hines RT-110 mins. (Profanity) Listing 37: 02/28/89 000037 ----- BILL AND TED'S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE This teen comedy adventure evolves as sustained silliness. Two high school boys, somewhat deficient in their history lessons, discover a time machine which they use to meet firsthand such luminaries as Socrates, Freud and Abraham Lincoln. Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves, marginally effective in the title roles, utter a lot of adolescent jargon and overuse the word dude. They should have spent more time in the library or study hall. (PG) FAIR COMEDY DIR-Stephen Herek LEAD-Keanu Reeves RT-90 mins. (Mild profanity) Listing 38: 02/28/89 000038 ----- THE BURBS A bedraggled comedy, desperately in search of laughs and finding none on hand. Tom Hanks tarnishes his acting reputation in a throwaway role as a suburbanite who becomes paranoid over his new weird neighbors. He is joined by friends on the block who behave as adolescents. Dana Olsen's stale script unfolds more in the manner of a TV sitcom than a full-bodied movie. Bruce Dern, Carrie Fisher and Rick Ducommun co-star. (PG) BORING COMEDY DIR-Joe Dante LEAD-Tom Hanks RT-102 mins. (Mild profanity) Listing 39: 02/28/89 000039 ----- GLEAMING THE CUBE Skateboarding is the main transportation mode of this so-so murder mystery that is investigated by a teen California boy. Christian Slater plays the whiz on wheels who wants to nab the killer of his adopted Vietnamese brother. The trail leads to some Vietnam baddies who are presented in expected cardboard style. Some skateboard stunts might perk up the youngsters in the audience. Otherwise, the story is unremarkable. (PG-13) FAIR DRAMA DIR-Graeme Clifford. LEAD-Christian Slater RT-104 mins. (Mild profanity) Listing 41: 02/28/89 000041 ----- PAPERHOUSE Drab psychological drama with a weird, muddled plot and a lot of Freudian references. Charlotte Burke plays a lonely young girl whose drawings of a house haunt her dreams and then affect her real life. The switching around from fantasy, to dreams to reality often becomes confusing and finally monotonous. On paper, this project might have looked interesting. On the screen, it's a drag. Also with Elliott Spiers and Glenne Headly (PG-13) BORING DRAMA DIR-Bernard Rose LEAD-Charlott Burke RT-94 mins. (Mild profanity) Listing 46: 03/14/89 000046 ----- DREAM A LITTLE DREAM Muddled, worn-out, role-reversal comedy centering on an adolescent love affair that fails to spark much interest. Corey Feldman is the teen boy who mysteriously acquires the personality of an adult (Jason Robards) -- all the better to pursue the affections of a lovely lass (Meredith Salenger). The flimsy script, flanked by unsteady direction, meanders into clumsy situations that are set against incessant pop music. (PG-13) BORING COMEDY DIR-Marc Rocco LEAD-Corey Feldman RT-99 mins. (Mild profanity) Listing 47: 03/14/89 000047 ----- FAREWELL TO THE KING A shaggy-haired Nick Nolte appears unconvincing as a World War II Army deserter who becomes king of a Borneo jungle tribe. This unfocused, hackneyed adventure has some trappings of "Lord Jim" and "Man Who Would Be King." But any classic pretensions are quickly exposed when the film lapses into comic-book action sequences played out with stock characters. A segment involving Gen. MacArthur comes off as unintentionally laughable. Also with Nigel Havers and Frank McRae. (PG-13) FAIR DRAMA DIR-John Milius LEAD-Nick Nolte RT-114 mins. (Profanity) Listing 48: 03/14/89 000048 ----- LEAN ON ME Morgan Freeman is electrifying as Joe Clark, the controversial New Jersey principal who used bullying methods to clean up a chaotic high school. The simplistic treatment of this complex story is carried out in typical Hollywood fashion by director John G. Avildsen ("Rocky") who pulls all the right levers to manipulate the audience. Yet, despite the flaws, the film succeeds admirably as compelling entertainment and character portrayal. Nifty supporting role from Robert Guillaume (PG-13) GOOD DRAMA DIR-John G. Avildsen LEAD-Morgan Freeman RT-108 mins. (Profanity) Listing 49: 03/14/89 000049 ----- NEW YORK STORIES Anthology of three short films, showcasing the talents of directors Martin Scorsese, Francis Coppola and Woody Allen, provides ample entertainment. Nick Nolte is especially good in Scorsese's segment ("Life Lessons") about a self-absorbed artist. Woody's "Oedipus Wrecks" has priceless moments about a fiftyish lawyer with mother problems. Coppola's "Life Without Zoe", the tale of a poor-little-rich girl, ranks third. The segments don't aspire to great depths, but they are expertly crafted. (PG) GOOD COMEDY/DRAMA DIRS-Martin Scorsese, Francis Coppola, Woody Allen LEADS-Nick Nolte, Woody Allen, Heather McComb RT-123 mins. Listing 52: 03/21/89 000052 ----- THE ADVENTURES OF BARON MUNCHAUSEN Technical wizardry and fantastic surreal sets are the high points of this lavish comic fantasy by Terry Gilliam. But the convoluted and uninvolved story makes this spectacular production utterly exhausting. Most of it is just so much noise and chaos. John Neville has the title role of the bombastic 18th-century nobleman who embarks on an awesome expedition in hope of saving a city under siege. Robin Williams, not listed in the titles, has an interesting cameo role. (PG) FAIR COMEDY DIR-Terry Gilliam LEAD-John Neville RT-126 mins. (Brief nudity) Listing 53: 03/21/89 000053 ----- CHANCES ARE Juvenile, silly romantic comedy with yet another version of the overworked role-reversal gimmick. A young Washington lawyer dies, goes to heaven and returns 23 years later reincarnated as the boyfriend (Robert Downey Jr.) of his own daughter (Mary Stuart Masterson). However, he ends up romancing his widowed wife (Cybill Shepherd), now a generation older. All efforts at reasonable satire don't have a chance with such absurd complications. (PG) FAIR COMEDY DIR-Emile Ardolino LEAD-Robert Downey Jr. RT-108 mins. (Mild profanity) Listing 54: 03/21/89 000054 ----- POLICE ACADEMY 6: CITY UNDER SIEGE The bungling boys and girls in blue break up a big city robbery gang. That's about as exciting and original as this installment gets in the now worn-to-a-frazzle series. The antics of these latter-day Keystone Kops are so predictable that earlier episodes and this chapter could switch titles and it would hardly matter. Steve Guttenberg and Bob Goldthwait have departed from the ensemble cast. But Bubba Smith, David Graf, Michael Winslow and others carry on. (PG) BORING COMEDY DIR-Peter Bonerz LEAD- Bubba Smith RT-87 mins. (Profanity) Listing 55: 03/28/89 000055 ----- FLETCH LIVES Chevy Chase, as the wisecracking investigative reporter from Los Angeles, carries on with this flimsy sequel now set in Louisiana. There, cliches are served up by the bushel. He encounters Ku Klux Klan members, sleazy televangelists, a Southern belle and assorted dimwits. The audience, however, can't count on much humor. Chase doesn't invest much spark in this endeavor which finally dies of exhaustion. Hal Holbrook and Julianne Phillips are in thankless supporting roles. (PG) BORING COMEDY DIR-Michael Ritchie LEAD-Chevy Chase. RT-95 mins. (Mild profanity) Listing 64: 04/12/89 000064 ----- CRUSOE Aidan Quinn is in the title role of this reworked telling of the classic Daniel Defoe story of the shipwrecked mariner. This version is on the hollow side and Quinn's bland portrayal is a further detraction. Crusoe is presented as a slave trader who is stranded on an island, meets some cannibals there (no man Friday this time) and develops a new outlook on race relations. Dialogue is minimal and the tropical scenery is impressive. (PG-13) FAIR DRAMA DIR-Caleb Deschanel LEAD-Aidan Quinn RT-95 mins. Listing 67: 04/12/89 000067 ----- SING A bit of "Dirty Dancing" and a touch of "Saturday Night Fever" are recycled in this ragged musical involving high school students in a tough Brooklyn neighborhood. The school is about to be closed because of limited funds, but will the annual song-and- dance competition go on anyway? The answer is obvious and so are the stock characters -- a determined teacher (Lorraine Bracco), a delinquent student with dancing talent (Peter Dobson) and a plucky girl (Jessica Steen) who wants to reform him. (PG-13) FAIR MUSICAL DIR-Richard Baskin LEAD-Lorraine Bracco RT-98 mins. (Profanity) Listing 68: 04/12/89 000068 ----- TROOP BEVERLY HILLS Meet the Wilderness Girls of posh Beverly Hills: They earn merit badges for sushi tasting, arrive at camp sites in limos and repair to a lavish hotel when it rains. This send-up of spoiled rich kids and their equally spoiled parents never takes hold. Shelley Long, as the effervescent den-mother in the designer uniform, gives the role her best shot. But the one-joke comedy is only mildly amusing. Craig T. Nelson is in a supporting role. (PG) FAIR COMEDY DIR-Jeff Kanew LEAD-Shelley Long RT-100 mins. (Mild profanity) Listing 69: 04/18/89 000069 ----- THE DREAM TEAM Laughter, suspense and a bit of pathos ring loud and true in this breezy comedy that follows in the footsteps of "One Flew Over the Cukcoo's Nest." Four mental patients, on their way to a Yankee baseball game, become separated from their doctor and must cope with the perils of New York City. Snappy dialogue, well- drawn characters and brisk direction propel the comic misadventures . Michael Keaton, Christopher Lloyd and Peter Boyle are at their best as the likeable loonies. (PG-13) GREAT COMEDY DIR-Howard Zieff LEAD-Michael Keaton RT-113 mins. (Profanity, brief nudity) Listing 79: 05/08/89 000079 ----- SAY ANYTHING A bright, enchanting romantic drama involving star-crossed adolescent lovers. An engaging, non-conforming high school boy falls in love with a shy girl primed from infancy to achieve. When the illegal activities of the girl's over-protective father are revealed, it is the boy who becomes the stabilizing influence in her life. John Cusack and Ione Skye are exceptionally charming in this melodramatic but warm-hearted story of young love. (PG-13) GOOD TEEN DRAMA DIR-Cameron Crowe LEAD-John Cusack RT-100 mins. Listing 80: 05/08/89 000080 ----- SEE YOU IN THE MORNING Alan J. Pakula's romantic comedy about divorce and remarriage is smothered in angst and extended dialogue. Jeff Bridges stars as a Manhattan psychiatrist who struggles to adjust to his second wife (Alice Krige) and her children. Most of the picture plays out like an over-long group therapy session. The cast displays much skill, but they are working with phony and drab material. See it at 2 o'clock in the morning -- especially if you have trouble falling asleep. (PG-13) FAIR ROMANTIC COMEDY DIR- Alan J. Pakula LEAD-Jeff Bridges RT-119 mins. (Mild profanity) Listing 81: 05/08/89 000081 ----- SHE'S OUT OF CONTROL If you are in the mood for a substantial feature film after too much TV watching, forget this one. It's merely an extended sitcom loaded with various cliches, gimmicks and stock characters. Tony Danza of TV's "Who's The Boss" plays an anxious divorced father who can't quite cope with his young daughter's transformation into an attractive woman. A few flashes of humor surface, but loud silliness prevails. Wallace Shawn steals some scenes as a dubious shrink. (PG) FAIR COMEDY DIR-Stan Dragoti LEAD- Tony Danza RT-97 mins. Listing 82: 05/08/89 000082 ----- FIELD OF DREAMS A superb movie fantasy, made in the Frank Capra mold, that plays gloriously on the imagination. Kevin Costner is an Iowa farmer who builds a baseball diamond on his corn field so the legendary Shoeless Joe Jackson will return from the dead and play there. This somewhat overly sentimental but delicate bit of whimsy is a vivid symbol of dreams that come true. Top-notch acting, a smart script and strong direction help strike the proper mood. Also with Amy Madigan and Burt Lancaster. (PG) GOOD COMEDY DIR-Phil Alden Robinson LEAD-Kevin Costner RT- 106 mins. (Mild profanity) Listing 85: 05/09/89 000085 ----- K-9 Here's a new wrinkle on the standard cop-buddy movie: the mismatched partner in crime-busting is a German shepherd police dog. James Belushi plays the unorthodox narcotics detective who waltzes through all the routine dope-involved crime-thriller elements before the bad guys are captured. But in this comedy, the heroic pooch gets most of the credit. It's a tale that wags the dog. Mel Harris co-stars. (PG) FAIR COMEDY DIR-Rod Daniel LEAD-James Belushi RT-105 mins. (Profanity) Listing 86: 05/09/89 000086 ----- LOVERBOY Patrick Dempsey is in the title role as a young pizza delivery boy who also provides stud service to frustrated Beverly Hills wives. This formula comedy handles the various seduction scenes with extra caution while the humor turns out half-baked. Our hero becomes exhausted from the overflow of sexual demands and the audience may become exasperated with the lack of credibility. (PG-13) FAIR COMEDY DIR-Joan Micklin Silver LEAD-Patrick Dempsey RT-98 mins. (Profanity) Listing 89: 05/09/89 000089 ----- SPEED ZONE Yet another cross-country car race movie made in the "Cannonball Run" mold. John Candy leads a cast of celebrities who essentially waste their talents in throwaway parts. The Smothers Brothers, Brooke Shields, Tim Matheson and others set out from Washington D.C. to Santa Monica in various vehicles. Effective gags and good taste are stranded at the roadside. The Burt Reynolds'episodes were somewhat better and that's not saying much. (PG) BORING COMEDY DIR-Jim Drake LEAD-John Candy RT-95 mins. Listing 90: 05/09/89 000090 ----- WINTER PEOPLE Drab Depression-era melodrama set in the North Carolina hill country. Kurt Russell stars as a gentle, traveling clock maker who falls in love with a rural unwed mother (Kelly McGillis). The unlikely romance sets off a blood feud among some brutal backwoods people. The leads appear mismatched, the villains are cardboard and the story builds to an absurd conclusion. Also with Lloyd Bridges and Mitchell Ryan. (PG-13) BORING DRAMA DIR- Ted Kotcheff LEAD-Kurt Russell RT-110 mins. Listing 93: 05/16/89 000093 ----- LISTEN TO ME College student debating is the high-minded subject here. And the film attempts to present debating competition as an activity that stirs up as much enthusiasm as the home coming football game. But this melodrama is hardly an intellectual endeavor. The story comes off as shallow and manipulative -- especially when it addresses the issue of abortion. Kirk Cameron and Jamie Gertz star as ace debaters. Roy Scheider is the Knute Rockne of debate coaching. (PG-13) FAIR DRAMA DIR-Douglas Day Stewart LEAD - Kirk Cameron RT-107 mins. Listing 95: 05/16/89 000095 ----- MISS FIRECRACKER Fine acting by an inspired cast illuminates some feisty characters in this comedy set around a beauty contest in a small southern town. Holly Hunter plays her role to the hilt as the young catfish-farm worker who seeks some respectability by competing in the local pageant. Supporting performances by Mary Steenburgen, Tim Robbins and Alfre Woodard add spice to the homespun stew. Based on the 1984 off-Broadway play, this screen adaptation is aglow with saucy spirit. (PG) GOOD COMEDY DIR- Thomas Schlamme LEAD- Holly Hunter RT-102 mins. Listing 97: 05/16/89 000097 ----- SIGNS OF LIFE Down-in-the dumps fable set in a Maine fishing village. The slice-of-life events involve the shut down of a boat building business and the effects on some employees who will have to find other work. The various episodes seem trite and uninspired. But a good cast tries hard with material that does not live up to the title. Beau Bridges stars as an underpaid boat yard worker who has trouble supporting his growing family. Also with Arthur Kennedy and Kevin O'Connor (PG-13) FAIR DRAMA DIR-John David Coles LEAD-Beau Bridges RT-91 mins. (Mild profanity) Listing 99: 05/23/89 000099 ----- EARTH GIRLS ARE EASY A dim-witted musical comedy that celebrates tacky pop culture to the max. Geena Davis stars as a ditzy Valley Girl who latches on to three sex-starved space aliens. (Their rocket ship lands in her swimming pool.) The film features a lot of glitzy backdrops and splashy colors. And the dialogue is peppered with phrases familiar to TV commercials. Some of the musical numbers display energy, but overall the production is uneven and listless. Jeff Goldblum and Charles Rocket co-star. (PG) FAIR MUSICAL COMEDY DIR-Julien Temple LEAD-Geena Davis RT-100 mins. (Mild profanity) Listing 100: 05/23/89 000100 ----- THE RETURN OF THE SWAMP THING Further adventures of the walking tossed salad as based on the comic book fable. This schlocky sequel finds our veggy hero (the upshot of a genetic experiment gone awry) romancing the stepdaughter (Heather Locklear) of the fiendish Dr. Arcane (Louis Jourdan) who conducts bizarre experiments at the edge of a Florida swamp. This campy film, however, bogs down in silly situations and most laughs occur for the wrong reasons. Dick Durock plays the title character. (PG-13) FAIR HORROR DIR-Jim Wynorski LEAD-Heather Locklear RT-86 mins. (Profanity) The following are rated R: Listing 1 : 12/15/88 000001 ----- MISSISSIPPI BURNING Powerful observations of the civil rights struggle in the Deep South with director Alan Parker pulling out all stops. The fic- tional story is based on the 1964 FBI investigation involving the disappearance and suspected murder of three civil-rights workers. Gene Hackman is at his best as a Southern-born federal agent whose knowing tactics are more effective than the orthodox meth- ods of his Northern liberal partner (Willem Dafoe). This moving account is serious filmmaking of the highest order. (R) GREAT DRAMA DIR-Alan Parker RT-127 mins. (Profanity) Listing 3 : 12/15/88 000003 ----- TROMA'S WAR Another round of gore, blood and toilet humor from those sultans of sleaze responsible for such noxious nonsense as "The Toxic Avenger" and "Surf Nazis Must Die." In this latest bad- taste outing, terrorists attack some American tourists who crash land on a remote island. A new wrinkle to the mayhem: a series of rapes by an AIDS-infected man. In this war, the audience is the obvious loser. With Carolyn Beauchamp and Sean Bowen. (R) POOR COMEDY-HORROR DIRS-Michael Herz and Samuel Weil RT-95 mins. (Profanity) Listing 6 : 12/20/88 000006 ----- RAIN MAN Dustin Hoffman dominates this intriguing drama with a show- stopping performance as an autistic savant. His character is out of touch with reality but he is a walking calculator who can mem- orize the contents of a phone book. Tom Cruise is effective too as the slick younger brother who seeks to grab part of a $3 million inheritance left to his mentally unstable sibling. The film, mostly a cross-country road movie, is not always on target. But Hoffman's virtuoso performance compensates for any drawbacks. (R) GREAT DRAMA DIR-Barry Levinson RT-130 mins. (Profanity) Listing 7 : 12/20/88 000007 ----- TALK RADIO Eric Bogosian is spellbinding as a caustic radio talk-show host who baits hate mongers, assorted weirdos and the lonely. The film is based on Bogosian's off-Broadway play. It contains an added reference to Alan Berg, the Denver talk-show personality who was murdered in 1984. Under the sure direction of Oliver Stone, the brittle drama focuses on society's underbelly of insecurity and crackpot mentality that is stirred up through the radio and the telephone. (R) GREAT DRAMA DIR-Oliver Stone RT-110 mins. (Profanity) Listing 8 : 12/20/88 000008 ----- TORCH SONG TRILOGY Harvey Fierstein's award-winning play comes to the screen with a lot of heavy baggage. He reprises his likeable role as a mournful drag queen in search of love and respect. But this sympathetic character has been reduced to a chronic whiner and much of the comic energy of the play is left on the sidelines. Anne Bancroft is totally convincing as the gay man's voluble Jewish mother who has difficulty with her son's bizarre lifestyle. (R) FAIR COMEDY DIR-Paul Bogart RT-126 mins. (Profanity) Listing 11: 12/29/88 000011 ----- THE BOOST The theme of "Days of Wine and Roses" is updated here. Cocaine is now the substance that wrecks the lives of an ambitious couple. James Woods and Sean Young give their best as a happily married twosome who find brief prosperity in Southern California. But when deals go sour, they turn to cocaine and the rest is ob- vious. The script is not always in focus and the characters are on the shallow side. (R) FAIR DRAMA DIR-Harold Becker RT-95 mins. (Profanity) Listing 12: 12/29/88 000012 ----- HELLBOUND: HELLRAISER II In this sequel, we find the heroine of the initial horror outing (Ashley Laurence) in a psychiatric hospital where she en- counters more grotesque creatures. The screenplay is merely superfluous and it makes little sense. The task here is to present a cavalcade of obnoxious monsters. Many are minus their skin. Acting and direction are in keeping with the grisly parade. Clare Higgins and Kenneth Cranham also are in the cast. (R) POOR HORROR DIR-Tony Randel RT-98 mins. (Profanity) Listing 15: 12/29/88 000015 ----- WORKING GIRL Substance wins over style in this bright comedy about a secre- tary who gamely climbs into the upper reaches of the corporate world. Melanie Griffith is remarkable as the typist who is smarter than she appears. Sigourney Weaver plays the bitchy boss who steals her ideas on corporate mergers. The screenplay often is abrupt and far-fetched. But this modern Cinderella story packs plenty of charm and wit just the same. Harrison Ford also stars as a Prince Charming involved with both women. (R) GOOD COMEDY DIR-Mike Nichols RT-115 mins. (Profanity, nudity) Listing 17: 01/10/89 000017 ----- DANGEROUS LIAISONS Period detail is exquisite and the costumes are sumptuous. But this film version of Christopher Hampton's play about decadent 18th century French aristocrats is a detached soap opera with a cold-blooded, cynical heart. Glenn Close is just right as the icy Marquise who engineers some battles of the boudoirs. John Malk- ovich, however, does not register as a rake bent on seducing var- ious women merely for the challenge. Also, attention to the his- torical reference of the French Revolution is neglected. (R) FAIR COMEDY-DRAMA DIR-Stephen Frears RT-118 mins. (Nudity) Listing 20: 01/23/89 000020 ----- DEEPSTAR SIX A cliche-strewn horror film that resembles "Alien," only this time the action takes place six miles undersea. A coed group of Navy technicians accidentally disturbs a prehistoric monster which becomes offended by the intrusion. Suspense never develops, and the dialogue is mainly much shouting of techno-jargon against a noisy background. We only get a glimpse of the rubbery-looking creature at the end. It's shallow movie-making awash with vague characters. Taurean Blacque and Nancy Everhard star. (R) FAIR HORROR DIR-Sean S. Cunningham RT-99 mins. (Profanity) Listing 21: 01/23/89 000021 ----- THE JANUARY MAN Screenwriter John Patrick Shanley, who fared so well with "Moonstruck," disappoints with this semi-comic, police mystery set in New York City. The plot constantly wanders off course, the dialogue is crude and suspense never gels. Kevin Kline is in an unlikely role of a quirky former detective called back to the force to stop a serial strangler. Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio co- stars as the Mayor's daughter - an improbable character. And Rod Steiger rants loudly as hizzonor. (R) FAIR COMEDY-DRAMA DIR- Pat O'Connor RT-97 mins. (Nudity, profanity) Listing 23: 01/31/89 000023 ----- I'M GONNA GIT YOU SUCKA A lively parody of black stereotypes and blaxploitation films that were common in the '70s. The film progresses with the hang- loose energy of "Airplane" type comedies. Much appeal rests with the clever casting of Bernie Casey, Isaac Hayes and Jim Brown who now portray crotchety, middle-aged, black superheroes. Nifty sight gags make a significant contribution to the cheerful offensiveness. Keenen Ivory Wayans plays the leading dude who seeks to even the score with a white gangster. (R) GOOD COMEDY DIR-Keenen Ivory Wayans LEAD-Keenen Ivory Wayans RT-90 mins. (Profanity) Listing 24: 02/07/89 000024 ----- PARENTS Mom and Dad, a couple of squares right out of "Father Knows Best" sitcoms, are suburban cannibals who dine on chopped liver of humans and other such delicacies. This unappetizing fare is supposed to be black comedy that satirized the '50s. The bland humor, however, doesn't leave much on the plate. Randy Quaid and Mary Beth Hurt try hard as the nice couple with the weird dinner menu. But their efforts are not enough to save this nightmarish, one-joke offering. (R) FAIR COMEDY-HORROR DIR-Bob Balaban LEAD-Randy Quaid RT-83 mins. Listing 25: 02/07/89 000025 ----- PHYSICAL EVIDENCE A familiar Hollywood whodunit loaded with standard plot elements, and starring the ever familiar Burt Reynolds. Burt plays a suspended cop with a reputation for violence who's suspected of murder. Theresa Russell actually has the bigger part as the public defender convinced of the policeman's innocence. But there is no chemistry between the leads and Russell seems to be reading the script for the first time on screen. Kay Lenz and Ned Beatty are in supporting roles. (R) FAIR DRAMA DIR-Michael Crichton LEAD - Burt Reynolds RT-99 mins. (Profanity) Listing 30: 02/14/89 000030 ----- THE IRON TRIANGLE Here's a novel twist about the Vietnam War: An American officer (Beau Bridges), and his young Viet Cong captor (Liem Whatley), acquire mutual respect for one another. A "Rambo" adventure this isn't. The picture, though, is hampered by weak acting, script and direction. The Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese generally are portrayed in a better light than the South Vietnamese who are shown as corrupt and sadistic. A Viet Cong soldier's diary is said to be the basis for the screenplay. (R) FAIR WAR DRAMA DIR-Eric Weston LEAD-Beau Bridges RT-91 mins. (Profanity) Listing 31: 02/14/89 000031 ----- KINJITE This action-thriller has to be the dumbest and most distasteful of Charles Bronson's formula projects -- and that's saying a lot. Bronson, squinty-eyed and poker-faced as ever, plays an angry L.A. cop who wages war against a pimp exploiting vulnerable teenagers. The film itself exploits its subject matter, and, most unforgivably, without inspired mayhem or surprising plot twists. Director J. Lee Thompson has sunk pretty low since his "Guns of Navarone" days. The title is Japanese for forbidden subjects. (R) POOR DRAMA DIR-J.Lee Thompson LEAD-Charles Bronson RT-97 mins. (Profanity) Listing 34: 02/21/89 000034 ----- THE FLY II This son of "The Fly" sequel is no chip off the old insect block. We now have the scientist's offspring (Eric Stoltz) carrying the same mutant abnormality that will eventually turn him into a huge house fly bent on destruction and revenge. But this continuation unfolds without the wit and fascination of the original. The film merely marks time until the climactic transformation which relies on standard slime and glop special effects. Bring your fly swatter to this one. (R) FAIR HORROR DIR-Chris Walas LEAD-Eric Stoltz RT-104 mins. (Mild profanity) Listing 40: 02/28/89 000040 ----- THE MIGHTY QUINN Denzel Washington is firmly at ease in this appealing and buoyant mystery movie set on a Caribbean island. He's the police chief (title role) charged with investigating a grisly murder. The probe soon becomes entangled in political conflicts. Washington's performance is, at times, amusing and always confident. The breezy whodunit is generously seasoned with reggae music. And there are decent supporting roles from Robert Townsend, James Fox and M. Emmet Walsh. (R) GOOD COMEDY- MYSTERY DIR-Carl Schenkel LEAD-Denzel Washington RT-99 mins. (Profanity) Listing 42: 02/28/89 000042 ----- TRUE BELIEVER James Woods delivers a fierce and gripping performance in this crackling mystery drama that also examines idealism. He's a celebrated civil rights lawyer, now disenchanted, who rediscovers his former passion when he defends an Asian immigrant wrongly imprisoned for murder. The finely-tuned script is filled with surprises and thrills and it evolves into a tingling courtroom showdown that would make Perry Mason envious. Robert Downey Jr. does a good turn as a young associate lawyer. (R) GREAT DRAMA DIR-Joseph Ruben LEAD-James Woods RT-104 mins. (Profanity) Listing 43: 03/07/89 000043 ----- BERT RIGBY, YOU'RE A FOOL If you enjoy classical Hollywood songs such as "The Continental" and "Singin' In The Rain," you may take kindly to this musical starring Robert Lindsay in the title role. But even many of these oldies are presented without grace or joy. Lindsay plays a jaunty British coal miner with song-and-dance talent who gets a crack at show biz and eventually Hollywood. The peculiar film rambles aimlessly, a fault of writer-director Carl Reiner. Anne Bancroft and Corbin Bernsen co-star. (R) FAIR MUSICAL DIR-Carl Reiner LEAD-Robert Lindsay RT-92 mins. (Profanity, brief nudity) Listing 50: 03/14/89 000050 ----- OUT COLD Creaky, black comedy involving a romantic triangle and murder set partially in a small-town butcher shop. John Lithgow is a timid butcher who finds his partner (Bruce McGill) frozen to death in the meat locker, the victim of foul play. A few chuckles surface when the dead man's wife (Teri Garr) and Lithgow's character try to dispose of the stiff corpse. Otherwise, the satire is just so much low-grade baloney. Randy Quaid co-stars as a bumbling private eye. (R) FAIR COMEDY DIR-Malcolm Mowbray LEAD-John Lithgow RT-87 mins. (Profanity, brief nudity) Listing 51: 03/14/89 000051 ----- SKIN DEEP From prolific director Blake Edwards, a washed-out comedy that leans heavily on material from his previous movies. John Ritter has the lead as a prize-winning author now suffering from writer's block, a problem that leads to boozing and womanizing. A few gags feebly surface amid the chaos. But such shallow filmmaking fails to connect. Vincent Gardenia and Alyson Reed co-star. (R) FAIR COMEDY DIR-Blake Edwards LEAD-John Ritter RT-102 mins. (Profanity) Listing 56: 03/28/89 000056 ----- LEVIATHAN Another slimy creature adventure which follows in the footsteps of "Alien" and "Deep Star Six." Crew members of an underwater mining operation stumble on a failed genetic experiment which sets loose a menacing mutant monster. The pace is brisk and the cast tries hard. But the story is all too familiar and much of the dialogue is laughable. Peter Weller stars as the dauntless commander. Richard Crenna is the doctor with a clouded past. (R) FAIR HORROR DIR-George Cosmatos LEAD-Peter Weller RT-130 mins. (Profanity) Listing 57: 03/28/89 000057 ----- ROOFTOPS Inner-city youths fight, love and survive in a strange rooftop world among the crumbling tenements. Jason Gedrick is the young hero who resides in a water tower and battles vicious crack dealers. There are some energetic moments - especially when a lively Brazilian dance comes into play. But this formula drama unfolds in routine fashion and offers minimal excitement. Troy Beyer is the Hispanic female love interest. (R) FAIR DRAMA DIR-Robert Wise LEAD-Jason Gedrick RT-95 mins. (Profanity) Listing 58: 03/28/89 000058 ----- SLAVES OF NEW YORK Bernadette Peters stars in this flat film adaptation of Tama Janowitz's best-selling short stories of self-centered New York artists. These bohemians seem slaves of fashion, just as the protagonist is spiritually enslaved to her insensitive boyfriend (Adam Coleman Howard). While the film has some quirky charm, it lacks wit and is hurt by too many ill-defined characters. Some nice, brief performances by Mary Beth Hurt and Mercedes Ruehl (R) FAIR COMEDY DIR-James Ivory LEAD-Bernadette Peters RT-121 mins. (Profanity, brief nudity) Listing 59: 03/28/89 000059 ----- TAPEHEADS John Cusack and Tim Robbins star as pals, working as security guards, who strike out to make it big with music videos. The formula plot has its wobbly moments, but the two leads offer ample spunk in this watchable satire. Yet, it's the snappy musical numbers that generally carry the picture. Soul singers Junior Walker and Sam Moore are on board. And there are good vibes by such legends as Bo Diddley and King Cotton. (R) GOOD COMEDY DIR-Bill Fishman LEAD-John Cusack RT-93 mins. (Mild profanity) Listing 60: 04/04/89 000060 ----- DEAD-BANG Don Johnson of TV's "Miami Vice" stars as a typical movie homicide detective. John Frankenheimer, responsible for "The Manchurian Candidate," is the director. But this production ends up dead on its feet. The problem rests with the anemic screenplay which has our hero on the case of a neo-Nazi conspiracy. Johnson's character is all too familiar and the violent action involving the white supremists seems culled from standard TV fare. (R) FAIR ACTION DRAMA DIR-John Frankenheimer LEAD-Don Johnson RT-109 mins. (Profanity) Listing 61: 04/04/89 000061 ----- JACKNIFE Superb acting by Robert De Niro, Ed Harris and Kathy Baker electrifies this compelling psychological drama of three believable people trying to cope with difficulties. De Niro is at his best as a gruff Vietnam vet who tries to perk up his booze- soaked buddy and eventually falls in love with his plain-Jane sister. The post-Vietnam theme is obvious. But the often stagy film works best as a charming and heart-tugging love story. (R) GREAT DRAMA DIR-David Jones LEAD-Robert De Niro RT-102 mins. (Profanity) Listing 62: 04/04/89 000062 ----- 976-EVIL Those "dial-it" telephone information services are the inspiration for this dull and absurd horror picture. A nerdy teenager (Stephen Geoffreys) dials his "horror-scope" which gives him special powers to wreak revenge on his tormentors. Special effects are ineffective, characters are bland and the plot goes nowhere. Robert Englund, the Freddy Krueger of "Nightmare on Elm Street," is the director. It's not surprising that some characters grow long fingernails. (R) BORING HORROR DIR-Robert Englund LEAD-Stephen Geoffreys RT-92 mins. (Profanity) Listing 63: 04/04/89 000063 ----- POWWOW HIGHWAY This buddy road movie examines the current condition of American Indians in a rather light-hearted way. But the pay-off is weak and uneven. Gary Farmer and A. Martinez are likeable Cheyenne characters who drive from Montana to New Mexico and dwell on the lost glory and freedom of their tribal heritage. However, this odyssey loses its punch as the climax approaches. (R) FAIR COMEDY DIR-Jonathan Wacks LEAD-Gary Farmer RT-91 mins. (Mild profanity) Listing 65: 04/12/89 000065 ----- 84 CHARLIE MOPIC Unique, intimate, fictional account of Vietnam combat presented from the viewpoint of an Army cameraman making a training film. This semi-cinema verite picture follows a six-man platoon into the enemy-infested jungle and draws out a tense and moving portrait of the men's mission, comradeship and hope for survival. Writer-director Patrick Duncan, a Vietnam veteran, gingerly avoids psychological soul searching. Richard Brooks is especially effective as the resourceful platoon sergeant. (R) GOOD DRAMA DIR-Patrick Duncan LEAD-Richard Brooks RT-95 mins. (Profanity) Listing 66: 04/12/89 000066 ----- HEATHERS Teen suicide and student social competition are keenly observed in this audacious and mean-spirited satire. Various popular youths are blatantly murdered by two students who disguise their crimes as suicide. This behavior is supposed to serve as black comedy, but the perpetrators are so flippant that the horrid deeds appear as sick and offensive. The preposterous film is an unusual account of a familiar subject. Winona Ryder and Christian Slater are fine as the two youthful killers. (R) FAIR COMEDY DIR-Michael Lehmann LEAD-Winona Ryder RT-102 mins. (Profanity) Listing 70: 04/18/89 000070 ----- MAJOR LEAGUE This minor-league picture is filled with familiar characters and a formula chain of events about America's favorite pastime. The snooty widowed owner of the slump-stuck Cleveland Indians hires misfit ballplayers so the team will fail once more and she can move the club to sunny Florida. By the end of the second inning you can figure out how these losers will actually perform. Tom Berenger, Charlie Sheen and Corbin Bernsen make the most of the material. (R) FAIR COMEDY DIR-David Ward LEAD - Tom Berenger RT-105 mins. (Profanity, brief nudity) Listing 71: 04/18/89 000071 ----- THE TOXIC AVENGER II More pollution on the screen from those sultans of sleaze who turn out foul send-ups of horror exploitation movies. The horribly deformed mutant again champions the fight against illegal toxic chemicals. The subject is prime for satire, but this low-budget sequel is unworthy of the effort. Bad acting, a dull screenplay and sloppy direction merely add more garbage to the environment. Ron Fazio and John Altamura take turns with the title role. (R) BORING COMEDY-HORROR DIRS-Michael Herz and Lloyd Kaufman LEAD-Ron Frzio RT-95 mins. (Profanity, nudity) Listing 72: 04/26/89 000072 ----- DEAD CALM A moderate amount of suspense surfaces in this tightly-wound and moody thriller. But the plot is overly predictable and the three-character scenario at sea creates an annoyingly confined atmosphere. A yachtsman (Sam Neill) and his wife (Nicole Kidman) pick up a survivor from a nearby stricken vessel and the rescue turns unexpectedly menacing. Australian director Phillip Noyce does not offer any surprises in this psychological workout. (R) FAIR DRAMA DIR-Phillip Noyce LEAD-Sam Neill RT-95 mins. (Brief nudity) Listing 74: 05/08/89 000074 ----- CYBORG Confusing, futuristic action-adventure that leans on the "Mad Max" series. Martial arts ace Jean Claude Van Damme is the hero who helps the beautiful robot woman of the title save the devastated planet. The usual carnage takes place in an alternating grim and silly atmosphere. Van Damme's performance is sluggish in a film burdened with thin direction and dialogue. Deborah Richter and Vincent Klyn also star. (R) BORING SCI-FI DIR-Albert Pyun LEAD-Jean Claude Van Damme RT-96 mins. (Profanity) Listing 75: 05/08/89 000075 ----- DISORGANIZED CRIME If this bank robber caper comedy looks familiar, it should. It follows the formula of a few dozen previous heist pictures; only the faces are different. As played by Corbin Bernsen, Ruben Blades, Fred Gwynne and Lou Diamond Phillips, the bumbling criminals, bent on holding up a Montana bank, generate some energy, but with a minimum of humor and suspense. The producers of this aimless outing need to be organized better. (R) FAIR COMEDY DIR-Jim Kouf LEAD-Corbin Bernsen RT-98 mins. (Profanity) Listing 76: 05/08/89 000076 ----- EDGE OF SANITY Anthony Perkins, a familiar contributor to the horror genre, now takes on a contemporary rendition of the classic "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde." Here, the venerable Mr. Hyde's hostile behavior can be blamed on freebasing cocaine. The film also dwells on kinky sex, gory effects and a sly reference to Jack the Ripper as Mr. Hyde (Perkins) sadistically carves up some London prostitutes. Familiar schlock and grisly action prevail. Glynis Barber co-stars as the perplexed Mrs. Jekyll. (R) FAIR HORROR DIR-Gerard Kikione LEAD-Anthony Perkins RT-86 mins. (Nudity) Listing 78: 05/08/89 000078 ----- PET SEMATARY Standard ghoulish mayhem from the pen of horror king Stephen King. When the family cat is buried in a sacred Indian cemetery, creepy monsters return to harass an innocent family. The story is predictable and it strains credibility on various levels. Acting by a mostly unknown cast is on the weak side. Dale Midkiff and Denise Crosby are the typical dad and mom victims. Fred Gwynne is okay as the elderly neighbor. (R) FAIR HORROR DIR- Mary Lambert LEAD-Dale Midkiff RT-95 mins. Listing 83: 05/09/89 000083 ----- CHECKING OUT Jeff Daniels plays a hysterical hypochondriac in this lame comedy that dies quickly on screen for lack of humor. Daniels frantically checks his pulse and other vital signs, drives various physicians and his family up the wall and submits to a battery of medical tests. But despite such feverish activity, the one-joke movie is actually dull. Check if off as a waste of time. (R) BORING COMEDY DIR-David Leland LEAD-Jeff Daniels RT-93 mins. (Profanity) Listing 84: 05/09/89 000084 ----- CRIMINAL LAW Gary Oldman stands out as a determined defense lawyer who successfully frees a murder suspect only to later worry that his client may be a vicious serial killer after all. This subject gets off to a decent start, but the picture eventually bogs down in silliness and standard horror movie elements. It's finally thrown off course when an anti-abortion issue gets involved. Kevin Bacon and Karen Young co-star. (R) FAIR DRAMA DIR-Martin Campbell LEAD-Gary Oldman RT-112 mins. (Profanity) Listing 87: 05/09/89 000087 ----- RED SCORPION Scandinavian beefcake star Dolph Lundgren flexes some muscle, mumbles a bit of dialogue and engages Communist bad guys in this unmoving action-adventure. The over-worked, one-man-army saga, set in a fictional African country, is mired by sluggish direction and unimpressive acting. The picture would work just as well by showing on screen pages from a comic book on the subject. M. Emmet Walsh has a supporting role of little consequence. (R) BORING ACTION-DRAMA DIR-Joseph Zito LEAD-Dolph Lundgren RT-102 mins. (Profanity) Listing 88: 05/09/89 000088 ----- SCANDAL Britain's steamy and explosive sexual affair between party girl Christine Keeler and war minister John Profumo is explored with compelling intensity. Fine acting and an arousing script highlight the characters who engaged in the hanky-panky that brought down the conservative Macmillan government in 1963. John Hurt does an exceptional acting job as Stephen Ward, the osteopath who served as catalyst to the sordid goings-on. Joanna Whaley-Kilmer is tops as the sexy young Keeler. (R) GOOD DRAMA DIR-Michael Caton-Jones LEAD-John Hurt RT-106 mins. (Profanity, nudity) Listing 91: 05/16/89 000091 ----- HORROR SHOW Standard slasher fare about a meat cleaver-wielding murderer (Brion James) who returns from the dead. The only inspired aspect of this nonsense is the killer's difficult execution in the electric chair where the current energizes his evil spirit. The monster then moves on to harass the detective (Lance Henriksen) who was responsible for his capture. Finally, the film lapses into the expected slice-and-dice mayhem cliches. (R) POOR HORROR DIR-James Isaac LEAD-Brion James RT-94 mins. (Profanity) Listing 92: 05/16/89 000092 ----- HOW TO GET AHEAD IN ADVERTISING Richard E. Grant puts on a dazzling show as a brilliant London advertising executive who eventually becomes disillusioned and cynical about the hard sell tactics of his profession. The center piece of this satire is a mysterious boil that gradually grows -- like Pinocchio's nose -- on the ad man's neck. It talks, grows a mustache and engages in arguments. But the film eventually lurches out of control and the intended humor evolves into desperation. (R) FAIR COMEDY DIR-Bruce Robinson LEAD- Richard E. Grant RT-95 mins. (Profanity) Listing 94: 05/16/89 000094 ----- LOST ANGELS Adam Horovitz of the Beastie Boys rock group stars as a troubled youth from a well-to-do family who is placed in a private psychiatric hospital. Donald Sutherland is the caring psychiatrist who offers hope and help. These are sympathetic characters, yet the film remains uninvolved and unfocused. And it ends on an up-beat note that does not quite seen to be on the up-and-up. (R) FAIR DRAMA DIR-Hugh Hudson LEAD-Adam Horovitz RT-100 mins. (Profanity) Listing 96: 05/16/89 000096 ----- THE RAINBOW Director Ken Russell, who succeeded with D.H. Lawrence's "Women In Love" in 1969, carried on with this prequel to the story of the English farming family. The film picks up the struggle of Ursula Brangwen (Sammi Davis) to achieve personal and sexual independence. While this production is elegant and sincere, it is hardly compelling. Impressive acting by a top cast illuminates the events and characters. Glenda Jackson, an Oscar winner in "Women In Love," effectively plays Ursula's mother. (R) FAIR DRAMA DIR-Ken Russell LEAD-Sammi Davis RT-104 mins. (Nudity) Listing 98: 05/16/89 000098 ----- STEALING HEAVEN Ponderous and uneven telling of the steamy love affair of 12th-century French philosopher Peter Abelard (Derek de Lint) and his bright and beautiful student Heloise (Kim Thompson). This film, based on a true story, is graced with impressive acting and elaborate period settings. But the events unfold in a stilted manner and it is somewhat difficult to relate to the angst and passion of these star-crossed lovers. Also with Denholm Elliott and Mark Jax. (R) FAIR DRAMA DIR-Clive Donner LEAD-Derek de Lint RT-116 mins. (Nudity) Listing 101: 05/23/89 000101 ----- SEE NO EVIL, HEAR NO EVIL Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder team up for their third comedy. Though their rapport and talent are obvious, they are saddled with a gimmicky script loaded with unimaginative comic setups and stock characters. Pryor plays a blind man; Wilder a deaf newsstand operator. Using their available senses, they witness a murder tied to industrial espionage. Chases with the cops and various villains take place. A minimum of laughs can be counted amid the chaos. (R) FAIR COMEDY DIR-Arthur Hiller LEADS-Gene Wilder, Richard Pryor RT-103 mins. (Profanity, brief nudity)