Film capsules -- 1997-2001

Babe: Pig in the City (PG) 95 min. Garner's rating: 7 Review · Clips
Though no film can be expected to match the magic of Babe, this sequel is clever and amusing, and does nothing to belittle the wonderful, original concept. This time, Babe is stranded in a big city and becomes the de facto leader of a rag-tag group of stray dogs and cats and a performing monkey troupe. George Miller directs. Universal. Rated PG.

Baby Boy (R) 129 min. Garner's rating: 4 Review · Clips
Writer-director John Singleton addresses male identity in the modern urban black community in this long and uneven saga about an irresponsible 20-year-old. Tyrese Gibson and Taraji Henson co-star, though Ving Rhames steals the film as an old-school ex-con who tries to teach the young man a thing or two about manhood. Columbia Pictures. Rated R, with strong violence, profanity, sex and nudity.

Baby Geniuses (PG) 94 min. Our rating: 2 Review · Clips
Comedy starring Kathleen Turner and Christopher Lloyd as a pair of scientists attempting to crack the code of baby talk in their secret lab. Co-starring Kim Cattrall and Peter MacNicol. TriStar. Rated PG.

The Bachelor (PG-13) 105 min. Garner's rating: 5 Review · Clips · Interview
An up-and-down comedy about a confirmed bachelor (Chris O'Donnell) who blows his chance to propose to the woman he loves (Renee Zellwegger), and then finds he must marry someone -- anyone -- to earn a million-dollar inheritance. Gary Sinyor directs. New Line. Rated PG-13, with profanity and mild sexual references.

Backstage (R) 100 min. Unreviewed.
Go jarringly close to the behind-the-scenes action of a hip-hop tour, complete with nudity, drugs, camaraderie, corporate dweebs and egos. The 1999 Hard Knock Life Tour featured Jay-Z, Def Jam's Method Man and DMX's Ruff Ryder bunch. Rated R with violence, profanity and drugs.

Bait (R) 119 min. Garner's rating: 6 Review · Clips
A formulaic urban action film enlivened with the sympathetic and funny lead performance by Jamie Foxx. He's Alvin, a small-time crook trying to go straight, though he's the inadvertent bait in a dangerous battle between federal agents and a psychotic criminal. David Morse and Doug Hutchison co-star for director Antoine Fuqua. Warner Bros. Rated R, with profanity and strong violence.

The Ballad of Ramblin' Jack (U) 112 min. Not reviewed. Clips
A documentary about legendary folk singer Ramblin' Jack Elliott. Filmed by his daughter Aiyana Elliott.

Bamboozled (R) 104 min. Our rating: 7 Review · Clips
Scattershot but thought-provoking, Bamboozled is all over the lot but manages to convey a finely honed anger amid its less cohesive elements. Damon Wayans stars as a television network executive who produces a stereotypical TV show in order to get out of his job. But the show winds up being a hit, much to his chagrin. Jada Pinkett Smith, Savion Glover, Tommy Davidson also star for director Spike Lee. New Line Cinema. Rated R, with profanity, graphic violence and partial nudity.

Bandits (G) 123 min. Garner's rating: 8 Review · Clips
Barry Levinson's loopy, likeable, but overly long crime comedy, with Bruce Willis and Billy Bob Thornton as Joe and Terry, escaped felons who rob banks, and Cate Blanchett as a bored housewife who comes along for the ride, and falls in love with both men. Rated PG-13, with violence, profanity, innuendo. MGM, 123 mins.

B.A.P.S. (PG-13) 100 min. Garner's rating: 3 Review
Halle Berry and newcomer Natalie Desselle co-star as young country bumpkins trying to be cool in Beverly Hills in Robert Townsend's tired and tattered rags-to-riches comedy that quickly wears out its welcome. Martin Landau co-stars. New Line. Rated PG-13, with moderate profanity and sexual innuendo.

Barney's Great Adventure: The Movie(G) 75 min. Garner's rating: 7 Review
Abby and Marcella believe in and love Barney. The third child, Cody, is more skeptical. In the film, Barney tries to win over the boy by inspiring his imagination. The film follows the group's colorful adventures as they chase a magic egg through a posh French restaurant, a circus and a hot-air balloon festival.

BASEketball (R) 115 min. Our rating: 7
A satire on America's obsession with sports, from the creators of TV's South Park. Starring Trey Parker and Matt Stone. Universal. Rated R.

Batman and Robin (PG-13) 130 min. Garner's rating: 4 Review · Clips
Another mind-numbing three-ring circus of multiple villains, swirling action toys and shallow plots, with George Clooney as Batman and co-starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Uma Thurman as villains. Chris O'Donnell, Alicia Silverstone and Michael Gough also star in this fourth in the series. Joel Schumacher directs as if he were doing the film version of Starlight Express. Warner Bros. Rated PG-13, with double entendre sex jokes, and comic-book violence.

Bats (PG-13) 90 min. Garner's rating: 3 Review · Clips
An uninspired formula creature feature, with genetically altered bats substituting for the rampaging sharks, giant apes, flocks of birds, dinosaurs and other beasts who've come after us over the years. Lou Diamond Phillips, Dina Meyer, and Bob Gunton co-star for director Louis Morneau. Destination Films. Rated PG-13, with moderate profanity and lots of shredded corpses.

Battlefield Earth (PG-13) 117 min. Garner's rating: 1 Review · Clips
An incredibly stupid sci-fi action film that is unintentionally funny when it isn't just plain ludicrous. Set in the year 3000, it pits surviving humans against a ruthless invading race of aliens. Starring John Travolta, Barry Pepper and Forest Whitaker. Directed by Roger Christian. Warner Bros. 117 minutes. Rated PG-13 for profanity and graphic violence.

The Beach (R) 120 min. Garner's rating: 7 Review · Clips
Leonardo DiCaprio stars as a young American backpacker in Thailand who discovers a secluded world with perfect sand, perfect vistas, perfect water, and populated by what he hopes is a perfect society. But people, as we all know, are far from perfect. And paradise is something we lost when Adam literally or figuratively bit that apple. Danny Boyle directs. Twentieth Century Fox. Rated R, with strong violence, sex, nudity and profanity.

Bean (PG) 90 min. Garner's rating: 6 Review · Clips
The British slapstick comic character, created by actor Rowan Atkinson, is imported to America in this silly, sometimes funny comedy in which Mr. Bean is selected to accompany Whistler's Mother back to an American art museum. Peter MacNichol, Harris Yulin and Burt Reynolds co-star for director Mel Smith. Polygram. 90 mins. Rated PG, with moderate profanity and comic violence.

Beaumarchais, the Scoundrel (R) 100 min. Garner's rating: 9 Review
A lavish film biography of an 18th century French playwright who helped ferment revolution and also served as a spy to help the American Revolution. And, of course, he also loved the women. The superb Fabrice Luchini stars, along with Sandrine Kiberlain and Michel Piccoli. Edouard Molinaro directs. New Yorker Films. 100 mins. Unrated. In French, with English subtitles.

The Beautician and the Beast (PG) 107 min. Garner's rating: 4 Review
The old Prince and the Showgirl concept gets a makeover, thanks to a Queens, N.Y., cosmetologist, played by Fran Drescher. TV's Nanny fits comfortably into a familiar formula as the working-class American girl who catches the eye of a handsome but cold-hearted head of state in Eastern Europe. He's played by English actor Timothy Dalton. Ken Kwapis directs. Paramount. Rated PG, with mild profanity.

A Beautiful Mind (PG-13) 135 min. Garner's rating: 10 Review · Clips
Ron Howard directs a passionate, engrossing portrait of true-life Nobel laureate John Forbes Nash Jr. Russell Crowe delivers another great performance as a brilliant genius who must confront schizophrenia. Rated PG-13, with sexual content and brief violence.

Beauty and the Beast (G) 94 min. Our rating: 10
A 10-year anniversary version of the Disney animated classic, reformatted to the giant IMAX screen, complete with a new musical number. The voice talent includes Robby Benson, Paige O'Hara, Jerry Orbach and Angela Lansbury. Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise co-direct.

Bedazzled (PG-13) 93 min. Our rating: 8 Review · Clips
Brendan Fraser sells his soul to the devil in this delightful little farce about a down-on-his-luck clod who gets seven wishes to woo the woman of his dreams. Elizabeth Hurley is as beguiling as she is naughty as the sultry version of Satan. Also stars Frances O'Connor and Orlando Jones. Director: Harold Ramis. 20th Century Fox. 93 minutes. Rated PG-13, with sex-related humor, language and some drug content.

Before Night Falls (R) 133 min. Garner's rating: 9 Review · Clips
Julian Schnabel's potent saga of Cuban writer Reinaldo Arena, his struggles as a gay writer under the Castro regime, and his attempts to flee to America. Javier Bardem delivers one of the year's most affecting performances as Arena. Fine Line. Rated R, with strong language, sex and violence.

Behind Enemy Lines (PG-13) 105 min. Garner's rating: 6 Review · Clips
A search-and-rescue military saga with Owen Wilson as the Navy fly-boy, shot down over Bosnia, and Gene Hackman, as the commanding officer who wants to save him. As directed by John Moore, the highly stylized actioner offers an uneven mix of the potent and the pedestrian. Twentieth Century Fox, 105 mins. Rated PG-13, with battlefield violence and profanity.

Being John Malkovich (R) 112 min. Garner's rating: 8 Review · Clips
A wildy eccentric comedy about a guy who discovers a portal into the brain of John Malkovich, and turns it into a lucrative enterprise. John Cusack and Cameron Diaz co-star, along with an irrepressible Malkovich himself. Spike Jonze directs. USA Films. Rated R, with profanity and sexual references.

Belly (R) 110 min. Garner's rating: 4 Review · Clips
Rap stars Nas and DMX star in this urban drama about two childhood friends who take a different path on the streets. Rated R, with strong violence, profanity, and sex.

Beloved (R) 172 min. Garner's rating: 10 Review · Clips
Jonathan Demme's powerful, impressionistic adaptation of Toni Morrison's acclaimed novel, part domestic drama, part ghost story and part social indictment, it brings searing reality to the horrors of slavery. The film's champion, Oprah Winfrey, stars, along with Danny Glover, Thandie Newton, Kimberly Elise and Beah Richards. Touchstone. Rated R, with strong violence, rape, nudity and sex.

Bent (NC-17) 104 min. Garner's rating: 6 Review · Clips
An uneven film adaptation of the hit Broadway play about two gay men who find love amid the horrors of the holocaust. Sean Mathias directs Lothaire Bluteau, Clive Owen, Ian McKellen and Mick Jagger. Goldwyn. Rated NC-17, with strong sexual content and violence.

Besieged (R) 92 min. Our rating: 6 Review · Clips
A very slight story of romantic obsession, involving a young African woman who works as a maid for a reclusive pianist. Their entanglement forms the basis of the film, but it's an almost wordless (and passionless) exercise. Starring Thandie Newton and David Thewlis. Directed by Bernardo Bertolucci. Fine Line Features. Rated R, with nudity and sexual situations.

Best In Show (PG-13) 90 min. Garner's rating: 7 Review · Clips
A very funny mockumentary parody of the world of dog shows, created by Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy of Waiting for Guffman fame, and featuring many from that talented cast including Parker Posey, Fred Willard, Michael McKean and Catherine O'Hara. Warner Bros. Rated PG-13, with profanity and sexual innuendo.

The Best Man (R) 110 min. Garner's rating: 7 Review · Clips
A bright and funny (if predictable) romantic comedy with other issues on its mind. The story of a post-college gathering of friends at the wedding of one, which is complicated by the fact that one of them has written a novel about their college days that reveals a few closely guarded secrets. Starring Taye Diggs and Nia Long. Directed by Malcolm Lee. Universal Pictures. Rated R, with profanity, violence and partial nudity.

Better Than Chocolate (R) 103 min. Our rating: 3 Review · Clips
Dreary comedy about a young lesbian who meets the woman of her dreams, then must hide the relationship when her clueless mother moves in with her. Wendy Crewson and Karyn Dwyer star for director Anne Wheeler. Trimark Pictures. 103 minutes. Rated R, with nudity, profanity, violence and adult themes.

Beyond Silence (PG-13) 100 min. Garner's rating: 9 Review · Clips
An Oscar-nominated German drama about the strains that develop in a relationship between a precocious hearing daughter and her deaf parents, especially after she begins to train to be a musician. Sylvie Testud and Howie Seago co-star for director and co-writer Caroline Links. Miramax, 100 mins. Rated PG-13, with implied sex and brief scenes of skinny-dipping. In German and German Sign Language, with English subtitles.

Beyond the Clouds (U) 115 min. Unreviewed.
The foreign drama consists of four separate love stories tied together by a young filmmaker who observes the couples. Ines Saste, Kim Rossi-Stuart, Sophie Marceau, John Malkovich and Irene Jacob star.

Beyond the Mat (R) 102 min. Garner's rating: 9 Review · Clips
A fascinating documentary that take viewers behind the scenes at the various levels of pro wrestling. Barry W. Blaustein directs. Lions Gate Films. Rated R, with profanity and much wrestling violence.

Bicentennial Man (PG) 132 min. Garner's rating: 6 Review
Robin Williams stars as a robot who discovers within himself the seeds of human existence. The appealing but overly long film explores his 200-year relationship with four generations of a San Francisco family. Embeth Davidtz co-stars for director Chris Columbus. The film's based on a novella by the late Isaac Asimov. Touchstone. Rated PG, with moderate profanity.

Big Bully (PG) 94 min. Clip
Writer Rick Moranis returns to his hometown to find the bully (Tom Arnold) who made his childhood a nightmare grown into a passive, henpecked shopkeeper.

Big Daddy (PG-13) 95 min. Garner's rating: 4 Review · Clips
Adam Sandler plays an irresponsible lout who is so anxious to impress his girlfriend with his sensitivity that he adopts a 5-year-old boy (played by twins Dylan and Cole Sprouse). When she's not impressed, he finds out that the kid comes with a no-return policy. Sandler's work is relatively commendable, though the film isn't zany enough for regular fans, and too implausible for the rest of us. Co-starring Joey Lauren Adams and Jon Stewart. Dennis Dugan directs. Rated PG-13, with profanity and sexual innuendo.

The Big One (PG-13) 96 min. Garner's rating: 8 Review
Filmmaker Michael Moore (Roger & Me) is back on the warpath as he examines corporate downsizing in this documentary filmed during a 45-city book tour. Starring Michael Moore and Phil Knight. Miramax.

The Big Hit (R) 93 min. Our rating: 7 Review · Clips
Mark Wahlberg stars as a hit man who wants everybody to like him in this crude and bloody but effective action comedy that works in the way Roadrunner cartoons do. Lou Diamond Phillips is wildly over the top as Wahlberg's traitorous friend, and even if director Che-Kirk Wong isn't John Woo, he still knows how to have fun. Tristar. Rated R, with violence and profanity.

The Big Kahuna (R) 90 min. Garner's rating: 8 Review · Clips
An insightful, entertaining drama about two influential value systems -- American business and Christianity. Kevin Spacey and Danny DeVito co-star as salesmen awaiting a chance to make a big pitch in a Wichita hotel hospitality suite. John Swanbeck directs. Lions Gate Films. Rated R, with strong profanity.

The Big Lebowski (R) 117 min. Garner's rating: 8 Review · Clips
Jeff Bridges and John Goodman star as two guys who live to bowl in this slice of surreal lunacy. It's the latest from Joel and Ethan Coen, two men who top any list of today's most original filmmakers. Julianne Moore and Steve Buscemi co-star. Gramercy. Rated R, with profanity, violence and nudity.

Big Momma's House (PG-13) 100 min. Our rating: 4 Review · Clips
A weak, warmed-over blend of Mrs. Doubtfire and Kindergarten Cop, in which an FBI agent disguises himself as a mammoth matriarch to catch an escaped bank robber. A one-joke film -- and a very familiar joke at that. Starring Martin Lawrence and Nia Long. Directed by Raja Gosnell. Fox. 100 minutes. Rated PG-13, with profanity, violence, partial nudity and adult content.

The Big Tease (R) 88 min. Unreviewed. Clips
A flamboyant Scottish hairdresser (Craig Ferguson of TV's The Drew Carrey Show) travels to L.A. to participate in a big competition. Upon arriving he finds he's only a guest observer -- but sets his sights on winning. Co-starring Frances Fisher, Mary McCormack and David Rasche. Rated R, with coarse language.

Billy Elliot (R) 90 min. Our rating: 9 Review · Clips
In this entertaining, uplifting saga, a British boy defies the will of his father and the teasing of friends to take up ballet. Starring Jamie Bell and Julie Walters. Rated R, with profanity.

Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss (R) 95 min. Our rating: 7
A photographer falls for one of his models during an ambitious project -- a series of pictures of classic screen kisses depicted by modern-day hunks and drag performers. Rated R, with language, some sexuality and drug content. Trimark.

Bio-Dome (PG-13) 95 min. Clip
Pauly Shore and Stephen Baldwin play best buddies and slackers who wind up in an environmentally controlled scientific community.

Birthday Girl (R) 93 min. Garner's rating: 8 Review · Clips
An entertaining hybrid comedy-caper-romance-thriller with Nicole Kidman as a mail-order bride from Russian who isn't what she seems. Ben Chaplin co-stars as the mild-mannered British bank clerk who is in for a surprise. Jez Butterworth directs. Miramax. Rated R, with profanity, nudity, sex and violence.

Bittersweet Motel Not rated. 82 min. Unreviewed. Clips
A documentary about the popular jam-band Phish, directed by Todd Phillips, the film focuses on the band's music, with mentions of the die-hard fan base.

Black and White (R) 100 min. Garner's rating: 5 Review · Clips
A flawed but fascinating study of urban hip hop culture, spotlighting its fascination for many upscale white youths. Power, Raekwon, Robert Downey Jr., Brooke Shields and Ben Stiller co-star for writer-director James Toback. Screen Gems. Rated R, with profanity, violence, nudity and sex.

Black Cat, White Cat (R) 129 min. Our rating: 6 Review · Clips
A romantic comedy about gypsies who live on the banks of the Danube River, where two aging patriarchs are caught up in a train heist that goes bad. In Serbo-Croatian Romany with English subtitles. Rated R, with profanity and violence.

Black Dog (PG-13) 105 min. Unreviewed.
Patrick Swayze stars as an ex-con who finds himself persued by the FBI after being duped into driving a truck loaded with illegal wepons. Co-starring Randy Travis and Meat Loaf.

Black Hawk Down (R) 143 min. Garner's rating: 10 Review · Clips
A powerful, lean, mean war film, based on the real-life action in Somalia in 1993 that left 18 Americans dead and many more wounded. Josh Hartnett and Ewan McGregor co-star for director Ridley Scott. Columbia. Rated R, with intense violence.

Black Knight (PG-13) 102 min. Garner's rating: 4 Review · Clips
A bland time-travel comedy with Martin Lawrence as a modern Los Angelino who is zapped back to the Middle Ages. Gil Junger directs the film, which is about on a par with the average TV sitcom. Twentieth Century Fox. Rated PG-13, with profanity, innuendo and battle violence.

Black Mask (R) 90 min. Unreviewed. Clips
Jet Lee, last seen in Lethal Weapon 4, stars in this Hong Kong action-thriller as a former member of an experimental commando unit who takes on medically enhanced super-soldiers and the drug lords who have recruited them as assassins. English subtitles.

Blade (R) 105 min. Garner's rating: 5 Review · Clips
Wesley Snipes stars as the black-clad urban warrior whose mission is to rid the world of vampires. Co-starring Stephen Dorff, and Kris Kristoffeerson. Rated R, with profanity, graphic violence and nudity.

The Blair Witch Project (R) 87 min. Garner's rating: 9 Review · Clips
A highly imaginative horror film that generates psychological terror through suggestion rather than effects. Heather Donahue, Michael Williams, and Joshua Leonard star as three young documentary filmmakers in search of a witch legend. Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez co-direct. Artisan Entertainment. Rated R, mostly for strong profanity.

Blast From the Past (PG-13) 112 min. Garner's rating: 6 Review · Clips
A weak romantic comedy about a young man, reared in a fallout shelter, who gets his first taste of the outside world at the age of 35. Starring Brendan Fraser and Alicia Silverstone. Directed by Hugh Wilson. New Line Cinema. Rated PG-13, with profanity, violence and adult themes.

Bless the Child (R) 110 min. Our rating: 2 Review · Clips
Bless the Child is an example of screenwriting at its worst, defying logic so much that only audiences' recollection of films such as The Omen and Devil's Advocate -- and Michael Jackson videos featuring street gangs -- can help fill the holes in its plot. Starring Kim Basinger, Rufus Sewell, Christina Ricci, Jimmy Smits and Holliston Coleman. Directed by Chuck Russell. Paramount Pictures. Rated R, with violence and drug use.

Blood and Wine (R) 101 min. Reviewer's rating: 6 Review
A disappointing tale of larceny, betrayal and greed, with Jack Nicholson doing what he can, in an underwritten role, as a wine dealer who helps steal a diamond necklace so he can start a new life with his mistress. Starring Jack Nicholson, Stephen Dorff, Michael Caine. Directed by Bob Rafelson. Fox Searchlight. Rated R, with profanity, sexuality and violence.

Blood Simple (R) 97 min. Garner's rating: 10 Review
The darkly violent and perversely funny film noir thriller that marked the audacious debut of filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen. Frances McDormand and M. Emmet Walsh co-star. USA Films. Rated R, with profanity and strong violence.

Blow (R) 124 min. Garner's rating: 9 Review · Clips
Ted Demme's engrossing look at the very high highs and extreme lows of one of America's real-life cocaine dealers of the 1970s. Johnny Depp is superb in the challenging lead role. Penelope Cruz and Ray Liotta co-star. New Line. Rated R, with profanity, brief but strong violence and drug use.

Blow Dry (R) 90 min. Garner's rating: 3 Review
From Full Monty writer Simon Beaufoy comes this indecisive comedy/drama about England's National Hairdressing Championships. Rachel Griffiths, Natasha Richardson and Alan Rickman star for director Paddy Breathhnach. Miramax. Rated R, with profanity and brief nudity.

Blues Brothers 2000 (PG-13) 121 min. Garner's rating: 6 Review · Clips
Eighteen years ago, "The Blues Brothers" film introduced us to Elwood and Jake Blues, and showcased a bevy of rhythm 'n' blues legends and a huge pile of crashed police cruisers. Now a sequel has arrived. It offers more of the same. And less. Dan Aykroyd stars, with newcomers John Goodman and Joe Morton. More important is the music by Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin, B.B. King and others. The late John Belushi is missed. Universal. Rated PG-13, with profanity, comic violence.

Blue Streak (PG-13) 94 min. Our rating: 5 Review · Clips
Martin Lawrence plays a jewel thief who hides his booty in an unfinished building, only to come back two years later and find that the building is now a police station. So he impersonates a cop to get inside to find it. The comedy comes from how much he discovers he likes the cowboy life of a cop, but the action dominates and pulls the film down. Starring Martin Lawrence and Luke Wilson. Directed by Les Mayfield. Columbia Pictures. Rated PG-13, with profanity and violence.

Boiler Room (R) 115 min. Our rating: 9 Review · Clips
An adrenalized look at the high-margin world of chop-shop stock brokers, seen through the eyes of an ambitious young man whose only flaw is his conscience. Starring Ben Affleck, Giovanni Ribisi, Nicky Katt, Vin Diesel and Nia Long. Directed by Ben Younger. New Line Cinema. Rated R, with profanity, nudity and violence.

The Bone Collector (R) 118 min. Garner's rating: 5 Review · Clips
A quadraplegic former detective (Denzel Washington) works with a brave rookie cop (Angelina Jolie) to try to solve a gory series of murders, in a stylish, entertaining but ultimately contrived thriller. Phillip Noyce directs. Universal. Rated R, with strong violence and profanity.

Bones (R) 98 min. Our rating: 6 Review · Clips
This blood-soaked ghost story about a street gangster who comes back to life to avenge his own murder has enough humor and splashy visuals to qualify as a Halloween guilty pleasure. Stars Snoop Dogg, Pam Grier and Michael T. Weiss. Directed by Ernest Dickerson. New Line Cinema. Rated R, with violence, gore, language, sex and drugs.

Boogie Nights (R) 147 min. Garner's rating: 10 Review · Clips
Paul Thomas Anderson's long but wildly invigorating portrait of the porn film industry of the 1970s, a wide-ranging film of ribald humor, surprising cultural resonance, and unexpected pathos. Mark Wahlberg, Burt Reynolds and Julianne Moore co-star. New Line. Rated R, with profanity, violence, lots of nudity and implied sex, though not as much as you might expect from a film about the porno business.

Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 (R) 90 min. Garner's rating: 6 Review · Clips
A more conventional follow-up to the unique 1999 hit, this time focusing on five students of the Blair Witch phenomenon who become victims of mass hysteria while exploring the sites. Joe Berlinger directs. Artisan. Rated R, with gore, profanity and nudity.

Booty Call (R) 77 min. Our rating: 7 Review · Clips
An elaborate commercial for safe sex, wrapped in the garb of a bawdy sex farce. Actually, "bawdy" hardly covers it. It's low-brow, earthy, profane, crude, shameless, sexist, irreverent, and, as it happens, pretty darn funny. Starring Jamie Foxx, Tommy Davidson, Vivica A. Fox and Tamala Jones. Rated R, explicit sexual language, profanity, nudity and comic violence.

The Borrowers (PG) 83 min. Garner's rating: 7 Review · Clips
The modestly entertaining adventures of a handful of little people who agree to help a family of humans save the house they share. Adapted from the popular Mary Norton children's books, the film stars John Goodman as the robust villain, and Jim Broadbent as the patriarch of the borrowers. Peter Hewitt directs. Rated PG, with mild profanity, comic violence.

Bossa Nova (R) 95 min. Our rating: 6 Review · Clips
A slight, easy-going romantic comedy about an American teaching English in Brazil, who gets involved with a Brazilian lawyer. Too many subplots and not enough jokes, but pleasant nonetheless. Starring Amy Irving and Antonio Fagundes. Directed by Bruno Barreto. In English and Portuguese with English subtitles. Sony Pictures Classics. Rated R, with partial nudity, profanity and adult themes.

Bounce (PG-13) 102 min. Garner's rating: 8 Review · Clips
An affecting romantic drama, with Ben Affleck who falls in love with a widow (Gwyneth Paltrow), even though he feels guilty for her husband's death. The Affleck-Paltrow chemistry helps elevate the film. Don Roos directs, from his script. Miramax. Rated PG-13, with profanity, adult issues.

Bowfinger (PG-13) 95 min. Garner's rating: 8 Review · Clips
A laugh-out-loud send-up of struggling movie-makers on the fringes of Hollywood. Steve Martin stars as the would-be director of a schlocky sci-fi movie. Eddie Murphy co-stars in dual roles as a big-time action star who won't have anything to do with him and as a amiable look-alike nerd who's willing to be a stand-in. Directed by Frank Oz. Universal. 97 minutes. Rated PG-13, with profanity and implied sex.

Boys and Girls (PG-13) Not reviewed. Clips
Lame romantic comedy in which two students who disliked each other while growing up rediscover each other in college. Starring Freddie Prinze Jr., Claire Forlani, Jason Biggs and Heather Donahue. Rated PG-13, with sexual issues.

The Boxer (R) 113 min. Our rating: 8 Review · Clips
Daniel Day-Lewis stars for veteran Irish director Jim Sheridan and writer Terry George in a darkly engrossing sports tale that examines the complex modern conflict of Northern Ireland. Emily Watson co-stars. Rated R, with violence and profanity.

Box of Moonlight (R) 107 min. Our rating: 8 Review
John Turturro stars in this comedy about an uptight middle manager who meets a free spirit (Sam Rockwell). Rated R, with profanity, violence and some nudity.

Boys Don't Cry (R) 114 min. Unreviewed. Clips
Based on a true story, a girl named Teena Brandon claims a new male identity as Brandon Teena, moves to a rural town in Nebraska and starts living as a man. She makes friends and falls in love with a woman, but the situation turns violent when her true identity is revealed. Starring Hilary Swank, Chloe Sevigny and Peter Sarsgaard. Rated R, with violence, profanity, rape and drug use.

Brassed Off! (R) 107 min. Garner's rating: 8 Review · Clips
A story of laid-off Yorkshire coal miners, struggling keep their brass band together long enough to compete in the national championships. Part comedy, part sentimental drama and part social commentary, Brassed Off is a heartfelt winner. Pete Postlethwaite, Tara Fitzgerald and Ewan McGregor co-star for writer-director Mark Herman. Miramax. Rated R, with strong profanity.

Braveheart (R) 170 min. Garner's rating: 9 Review
With meticulous accuracy and gore galore, Mel Gibson re-creates a massive battle royal. Gibson stars as the scruffy but romantic rebel William Wallace, a 13th-century Scot who led an early revolt against the repressive rule of England. Co-starring Patrick McGoohan. Paramount. Rated R, with intense violence and brief lovemaking.

Bread and Tulips (PG-13) 115 min. Not rated.
Licia Maglietta stars as an Italian houseiwfe whose husband runs around on her and whose sons ignore her. When she us accidentally abandoned on vacation, she finds her way to Venice, a new life and a new love. Rated PG-13 with adult language, some sensuality and drug references.

Breakdown (R) 98 min. Garner's rating: 9 Review · Clips
A riveting thriller with Kurt Russell as an average Joe, caught in a highway nightmare after his wife is taken away by a truck driver. Novice director Jonathan Mostow delivers relentless action and first-rate suspense. The film will leave you exhausted and exhilarated. Kathleen Quinlan and J.T. Walsh co-star. Paramount. Rated R, with profanity and violence.

Breaking the Waves (R) 156 min. Garner's rating: 10 Review
Perfect love and unshakeable faith are defined with expressive brilliance in this one-of-a-kind fable from filmmaker Lars von Trier. Emily Watson stars in what is both the most heart-wrenching and strangely uplifting film of the season. October Films. Rated R, with disturbing sexual content and violence.

Bride of Chucky (R) 100 min. Unreviewed. Clips
The evil doll (voiced by Brad Dourif) embarks on a cross-country killing spree after being reunited with his lost love. Co-starring Jennifer Tilly. Universal. Rated R, with violence and vulgar language.

Bride of the Wind (R) 99 min. Jack's rating: 4 Review · Clips
This romantic drama is based on the true story of Alma Mahler, wife of composer Gustav Mahler. Oppressed by his demand that she devoted her life to him, she takes as lovers some of the 20th century's greatest minds, including painter Oskar Kokoschka, architect Wlater Gropius and writer Franz Werfel. Rated R, with sex and nudity.

The Bridges of Madison County (PG-13) 135 min. Garner's rating: 8
Romance starring Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep. Nudity, sex, profanity. Probably inoffensive for most viewers 15 and older.

Bridget Jones's Diary (R) 92 min. Garner's rating: 9 Review · Clips
Helen Fielding's popular novel that details Jones' often-hilarious uphill climb to self-respect, has been adapted to the screen with considerable wit and whimsy by first-time filmmaker Sharon Maguire. The film's robust humor and saucy attitude elevate it from the drone of whinny, self-absorbed, unattached women who populate too many books and films today. And the film showcases the first great performance of 2001, by Renee Zellweger. Hugh Grant and Colin Firth co-star. Miramax. Rated R, with strong profanity and innuendo.

Brigham City (PG-13) 90 min. Not rated. Clips
Richard Dutcher directs and stars in this tale of the sheriff (and Mormon bishop) of a quiet Utah town. As the population booms, so do problems -- including the town's first murder. Like his first film, God's Army, this is a missionary story for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Rated PG-13, with language, violence and a scene of sexuality.

Bringing Out the Dead (R) 120 min. Garner's rating: Review · Clips
Director Martin Scorsese is back on the mean streets of New York with this darkly surreal tale of paramedics under pressure. Nicolas Cage stars as a conscientious paramedic, driven to the edge of sanity. Patricia Arquette and Ving Rhames co-star. Paramount. Rated R, with gore and profanity.

Bring It On (PG-13) 99 min. Our rating: 5 Review · Clips
Cheerleading ethics is the focal point of this film about teenagers who must face their demons at a national cheerleading competition. Kirsten Dunst, Eliza Dushku, Jesse Branford, and Gabrielle Union star for director Peyton Reed. Universal Pictures. Rated PG-13, with sex and rough language.

Brokedown Palace (PG-13) 96 min. Garner's rating: 6 Review · Clips
Jonathan Kaplan's drama about two young Americans trapped in a horrific Thai prison after drugs are discovered in their luggage. The Third World drug tale is overly familiar, but filmgoers may be drawn to the well-played portrait of a deep but severely strained friendship. Stars Claire Danes, Kate Beckinsale and Bill Pullman. Directed by Jonathan Kaplan. Fox. Rated PG-13, with profanity, brief violence and drug use.

Broken English (NC-17) 90 min. Garner's rating: 7 Review
A New Zealand variation of Romeo and Juliet; the star-crossed lovers are a young Croatian immigrant girl and a Maori boy. Aleksandra Vujcic, Julian Arahanga and Rade Serbedzija co-star for director and co-writer Gregor Nicholas. Sony Classics. Rated NC-17, with violence, profanity and one intense lovemaking scene.

Broken Hearts Club (R) 91 min. Unreviewed. Clips
This romantic comedy explores the friendships among a group of West Hollywood gay men, including Dean Cain. When tragedy strikes, their bond is out to the test.

Brother (R) 118 min. Not reviewed. Clips
After a Tokyo mobster is forced to retire, he travels to Los Angeles to reunite with the younger brother whose college education he has been bankrolling. When he learns that his brother has dropped out of school to form a small-time crime gang, he teaches the group the finer points of thug life. Starring Omar Epps. Rated R, with strong violence, profanity and nudity.

Brotherhood of the Wolf (R) 146 min. Garner's rating: 4 Review · Clips
A bizarre conglomerate of a dozen types of movies, including a werewolf thriller, a French costume drama, an American Indian adventure and a martial arts actioner. Samuel Le Bihan and Vincent Cassel co-star for director Christophe Gans. Universal. Rated R, with strong violence, nudity and sex.

The Brothers (R) 98 min. Garner's rating: 5 Review · Clips
An overly familiar saga of four male friends, accessing their feelings about the opposite sex as age 30 approaches. Morris Chestnut and D.L. Hughley head the ensemble for writer-director Gary Hardwick. Screen Gems. Rated R, with sexual content and profanity.

Bubble Boy (PG-13) 84 min. Garner's rating: 5 Review · Clips
A clever -- but often offensive -- comedy about a boy with immune deficiency, living in a bubble, who tries to break free to express his love for the girl next door. Jake Gyllenhaal stars for director Blair Hayes. Touchstone. Rated PG-13, with profanity, innuendo and religious parody.

Buddy (PG) 86 min. Our rating: 5 Review · Clips
A dippy, predictable story about a rich woman who tries to raise a gorilla as a human. Strictly for kids, who may find it slow. Starring Rene Russo and Robbie Coltrane. Directed by Caroline Thompson. Columbia Pictures. Rated PG, with mild profanity and violence.

Buena Vista Social Club (Not rated) 107 min. Garner's rating: 9 Review
Wim Wenders' fascinating and tuneful documentary, exploring the efforts of American musician Ry Cooder to bring a lost generation of Cuban musicians back into the spotlight. Artisan Films. Unrated, but of mild PG quality.

Buffalo 66 (R) 112 min. Garner's rating: 8 Review · Clips
An audaciously original independent film about a young man's painful -- and painfully funny -- reunion with his eccentric parents. To smooth things over, he kidnaps a hapless young woman (Christina Ricci) who's to pretend to be his wife. Vincent Gallo stars and directs. Anjelica Huston and Ben Gazzara co-star. Lions Gate Films. 112 Rated R, with profanity and brief but strong violence.

A Bug's Life (G) 94 min. Garner's rating: 8 Review · Clips
The season's second -- and wonderfully appealing -- animated bug movie, from the folks who gave us Toy Story. This time, they've expanded an Aesop's fable about a colony of ants trying to protect themselves from marauding grasshoppers. They enlist a ragtag troupe of circus bugs to help them. Kevin Spacey and Dave Foley contribute voices for director John Lasseter. Disney.

Bulworth (R) 107 min. Garner's rating: 10 Review · Clips
Warren Beatty's Bulworth is infuriating, utterly honest, wildly funny and shockingly offensive. Chances are, you'll either love this raucous political satire that tackles such volatile topics as politics, economics and race in America -- or hate it. Starring Warren Beatty, Halle Berry and Oliver Platt. Rated R, with frequent raunchy language and brief violence.

The Butcher Boy (R) 106 min. Our rating: 9 Review
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The Butcher Boy is a complex, darkly funny and ultimately horrifying saga depicting the abuse of a brash but vulnerable lad, and his downward spiral into violent dementia. Imagine a bloody, disturbing twist on Catcher in the Rye. Starring Stephen Rea, Eamonn Owens, Sinead O'Connor. Directed by Neil Jordan. Rated R, for strong violence and profanity.

But I'm a Cheerleader (R) 81 min. Our rating: 8 Review · Clips
A witty satire about the homosexual-conversion-therapy movement, in a comedy about a cheerleader who is surprised when her parents, fearing she's a lesbian, send her to a reform-school to learn how to be straight. She assumed she WAS straight -- until the camp shows her otherwise. Starring Natasha Lyonne, Clea Duvall, Cathy Moriarty and RuPaul Charles. Directed by Jamie Babbit. Lions Gate Films. Rated R, with profanity, violence and adult themes.

Butterfly (R) 95 min. Garner's rating: 10 Review
A gentle gem of poetic grace and surprising power, telling of the relationship between a sickly little boy and his aged teacher in a Spanish village in the mid-1930s, and how it changes when the fascists take charge. Fernando Fernan Gomez stars for director Jose Luis Cuerda. Miramax. Rated R, with a brief, strong sex scene. In Spanish, with English subtitles.