Film capsules -- 1997-2001

Face/Off (R) 136 min. Garner's rating: 9 Review · Clips
John Travolta, Nicolas Cage and Hong Kong action maestro John Woo are all at the top of their game in this operatic and intensely violent fable about two adversaries who swap identities and pursue each other across an action-packed dreamlike landscape. Joan Allen, Gina Gershon and Allesandro Nivola co-star. Paramount. Rated R, with profanity, strong violence and sadism.

The Faculty (R) 90 min. Garner's rating: 3 Review · Clips
A lackluster high school variation of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, and a remarkably pedestrian outing for hot-shot director Robert Rodriguez. Elijah Wood and Bebe Neuwirth co-star. Dimension Films. Rated R, with lots of gory violence and profanity.

Fairytale: A True Story (PG) 99 min. Garner's rating: 8 Review · Clips
A delightful period film, based on the true story of two English girls in 1917 who caused a ruckus when they displayed photographs purporting to show fairies in a woodland glen near their home. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Peter O'Toole) and Harry Houdini (Harvey Keitel) take up opposite sides in the debate that ensues. Charles Sturridge directs, masterfully. Paramount. Rated PG.

Faithless (R) 142 min. Garner's rating: 10 Review
A powerful confessional drama by screenwriter Ingmar Bergman, detailing the devastating effects of an adulterous affair. Bergman's former star -- and lover -- Liv Ullmann directs with the artistry and intelligence of her mentor. Lena Endre and Erland Josephson co-star. Samuel Goldwyn, 142 mins. Rated R, with profanity, nudity, sex. In Swedish, with English subtitles.

Fallen(R) 124 min. Garner's rating: 5 Review · Clips
Director Gregory Hoblet (of Primal Fear) generates first-rate performances, but this overly long film becomes bogged down with the exposition of endless spiritual transfers in its rather dull middle portion. It's hard to get excited about the fight between good and evil when the antagonist changes every few minutes. However, the promise of suspense created in the opening prison scene is finally realized in a tense, well-staged finale. Warner. Rated R, with violence, profanity, and satanic themes.

The Family Man (PG-13) 125 min. Garner's rating: 6 Review · Clips
An affecting but overly familiar holiday saga of a man who gets a chance to revisit the road not taken -- the life he would have had if he married his college sweetheart. Nicolas Cage and Tea Leoni contribute heart and humor to a saga that owes a bit too much to It's a Wonderful Life. Brett Ratner directs. Universal. Rated PG-13, with mild profanity and sexual innuendo.

Fantasia 2000 (G) 75 min. Garner's rating: 10 Review · Clips
Disney updates its 1940 classic: There are seven new music-and-animation segments plus ''The Sorcerer's Apprentice'' from the original film, presented in the giant-screen Imax format. Disney. Rated G.

The Fast and the Furious (PG-13) 101 min. Lee's rating: 2 Review · Clips
Silly plot about an undercover cop looking for truck hijackers in a world of illicit street racing. Only the car chases and races are worthwhile. Starring Vin Diesel, Paul Walker. Directed by Rob Cohen. Universal Pictures, 101 minutes. Rated PG-13 for graphic violence, profanity.

Fast, Cheap And Out Of Control(PG) 82 min. Garner's rating: 7 Review · Clips
Errol Morris' new film is strange, even for this most innovative documentarian. Instead of focusing on one subject, he explores the lives and adventures of four eccentric fellows -- a lion tamer, a designer of robots, a mole specialist, and a topiary gardener. They have little in common except that each marches to the beat of his own odd-ball drummer. Sony Classics. Rated PG with adult themes, violence, and profanity.

Fathers' Day (PG-13) 98 min. Garner's rating: 6 Review · Clips
An uneven but frequently funny American remake of a French comedy about two men in search of a missing teen-age boy who each thinks may be his son. Robin Williams and Billy Crystal star in -- and generally soar above -- this surprisingly lackluster material. Charlie Hofheimer, Nastassia Kinski and a particularly under-used Julia Louis-Dreyfus co-star for director Ivan Reitman. Warner. Rated PG-13, with profanity and sexual references.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (R) 128 min. Garner's rating: 4 Review · Clips
Terry Gilliam's extravagant, exhausting, and uneven adaptation of Hunter S. Thompson's drug-enduced essay on culture, life and politics in America, 1971. Johnny Depp contributes a daring, manic portrayal of Thompson. Benicio Del Toro co-stars. Universal. Rated R, with profanity, much drug use and violence.

Felicia's Journey (PG-13) 114 min. Garner's rating: 10 Review · Clips
Bob Hoskins is brilliant in this insightful thriller about a kindly oddball who befriends lost and lonely young woman and kills them. The inspired script and direction is by Atom Egoyan (The Sweet Hereafter). Also stars Elaine Cassidy and Arsinee Khanjian. Artisan. Rated PG-13, with violence and profanity.

Fierce Creatures (PG-13) 93 min. Garner's rating: 4 Review · Clips
The Fish Called Wanda gang has reunited for another go-round, but the results pale in comparison to that memorable 1988 comedy. Here, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Kline, John Cleese and Michael Palin play new characters entangled in controversy at a British zoo, recently purchased by a Murdock-like media mogul in search of big profits. This sometimes-hilarious but often-stale farce was directed by Robert Young, with a last-minute assist from Fred Schepisi. Universal. Rated PG-13, with brief violence, profanity and bathroom humor.

15 Minutes (R) 120 min. Garner's rating: 6 Review · Clips
An uneven but entertaining crime thriller, blending in satire about the blood lust of the media. Robert De Niro and Ed Burns star as investigators trying to stop a murder spree, while Kelsey Grammer co-stars as a TV tabloid anchor who wants to show videotape of the crimes on the tube. John Herzfeld writes and directs. New Line. Rated R, with strong violence, profanity and nudity.

The Fifth Element (PG-13) 127 min. Garner's rating: 8 Review
A wildly imaginative futuristic tale from director Luc Besson, with Bruce Willis as a 23rd-century New York cabbie, recruited to help save the universe from encroaching evil. Ian Holm, Gary Oldman and Milla Jovovich co-star. Columbia. Rated PG-13, with violence and brief nonsexual nudity.

54 (R) 93 min. Garner's rating: 5 Review · Clips
A flawed but fun portrait of the excitement and excess of the disco era, typified by Studio 54, the hottest of Manhattan's dance clubs in the '70s. Following a Saturday Night Fever format, it tells of a young Brooklyn boy who trades on his good looks to rise up 54's food chain. Mike Myers is fabulous as club owner Steve Rubell -- but Mark Christopher's film spends too much time with peripheral characters, and not enough with the ringmaster. Miramax. Rated R, with profanity, drug use and sex.

Fight Club (R) 139 min. Garner's rating: 9 Review · Clips
A darkly nihilistic satire in which a bored young white-collar worker fights release through underground fisticuffs. But don't assume you know what this film's about -- you'll be fooled. Edward Norton, Brad Pitt and Helena Bonham Carter co-star for director David Fincher. Fox. Rated R, with much strong violence, profanity and sex.

The Filth and the Fury (R) 104 min. Garner's rating: 8 Review · Clips
Julien Temple's energetic profile of the short-lived but influential British punk band, the Sex Pistols, depicted through old and new interviews, archival footage and humorously blended TV and film clips. Johnny Rotten and the late Sid Vicious are among those heard from. Fine Line. Rated R, with strong profanity, drug use, violence and nudity.

Final Destination (R) 100 min. Our rating: 5 Review · Clips
A high-school student gets off an airplane after having a vision that it will blow up. When it does explode, he begins having further visions about death's plans, in this meager suspense-thriller. Starring Devon Sawa and Ali Larter. Directed by James Wong. New Line Cinema. Rated R, with profanity, graphic violence and partial nudity.

Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (PG-13) 106 min. Garner's rating: 6 Review · Clips
A landmark animated feature with the most realistic computer-generated human characters to date. Unfortunately, the technological breakthrough is hampered by a forgettable sci-fi tale, gleaned from a video game. Alec Baldwin and Donald Sutherland contribute voices for director Hironobu Sakaguchi. Columbia, 106 mins. Rated PG-13, with adventure violence.

Finding Forrester (PG-13) 133 min. Garner's rating: 8 Review · Clips
An engrossing drama about the relationship between a young black high school writer and the reclusive former prize-winning author who becomes his mentor. Sean Connery stars opposite newcomer Rob Brown, for director Gus Van Sant. Columbia. Rated PG-13, with profanity.

Fire Down Below (R) Unreviewed.
Action flick in which EPA marshall Jack Taggart (Steven Seagal) sets out to avenge the ruthless killing of a colleague, while traversing Appalachia looking for abandoned mine shafts being used for the dumping of hazardous wastes. With Harry Dean Stanton, Kris Kristofferson, Marg Helgenberg and Stephen Lang. Warner Bros. Rated R.

Firelight (R) 105 min. Unreviewed.
Romantic tale about a Swiss governess (Sophie Marceau) whose charge is secretely her own daughter, sired by an English aristocrat (Stephen Dillane) with a vast estate. Rated R, with sexuality and brief strong language.

Firestorm (R) 89 min. 5. Review · Clips
Given the lowly state to which action movies have sunk in recent years, "Firestorm" actually comes across as a tolerable time-waster.Howie Long is the hero, Jesse, who leads an intrepid group of elite smokejumpers -- wilderness firefighters who parachute into spots ground crews can't reach. Also starring Scott Glenn, William Forsythe, Suzy Amis. Directed by Dean Semler. Rated R, with profanity, and violence.

(Jackie Chan's) First Strike (PG-13) 88 min. Our rating: 7 Review · Clips
Jackie Chan plays at being James Bond in this action film that has a silly plot but amazing stunts and a truly exciting martial-arts scene in which Chan battles a crowd armed with wood staffs using an aluminum stepladder to keep them at bay. Starring Jackie Chan. Directed by Stanley Tong. New Line Cinema. Rated PG-13, with violence and partial nudity.

The Five Senses (R) 105 min. Garner's rating: 7 Review · Clips
Writer-director Jeremy Podeswa details the interlocking lives of several characters and how they're affected by one or more of their senses. Mary Louise Parker heads the ensemble in this gloomy but sometimes-intriguing saga. Fine Line. Rated R, with profanity, sex and nudity.

Flawless (R) 111 min. Garner's rating: 7 Review · Clips
Joel Schumacher's bittersweet comedy-drama about an unexpected relationship that develops between a conservative retired cop (Robert De Niro) and a flamboyant drag queen (Philip Seymour Hoffman). The central story is thought provoking and entertaining -- and the lead actors are excellent -- but Schumacher frames it in a less-appealing cop thriller that nearly undermines the enterprise. MGM. Rated R, with strong language and violence.

The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas (PG) 90 min. Our rating: 0 Review · Clips
This prequel, of how Fred met Wilma and Barney met Betty, is so devoid of wit and intelligence it's a wonder the actors are able to walk without dragging their knuckles on the ground. Starring Mark Addy, Stephen Baldwin and Kristen Johnston. Directed by Brian Levant. Universal. Rated PG, with mild vulgarity.

Flubber (PG) 93 min. Garner's rating: 7 Review · Clips
Disney's The Absent-Minded Professor is back in a new and improved version. This is the comedy of the brilliant but socially inept scientist who saves his career, his college and his love life through the invention of a magical, rubberlike substance called flubber. Chief among the assets: high-tech digitial and opitical effects, and Robin Williams, who brings the lovably looney professor to life. Disney. Rated PG, with mild comic violence.

Focus (PG-13) Not rated. Clips
Earnest adaptation of an early Arthur Miller novel about anti-Semitism in America during World War II. The always-reliable William H. Macy plays an office worker who gets new glasses, which supposedly make him look Jewish. And that's when the trouble starts. Laura Dern co-stars for writer-director Neal Slavin. Rated PG-13, profanity, adult themes.

Following (NR) 70 min. Not rated.
Jeremy Theobald plays an aspiring writer taken to "shadowing" people at random to study their habits in this black-and-white B movie. He soon teams with a man (Alew Haw) whose intentions are more illicit. This 1998 film is the first by director Christopher Nolan, now of Memento fame.

Foolish (R) 97 min. Our rating: 2 Clips
Eddie Griffin and Master P star in this comedy-drama about a standup comic's troubles breaking into the entertainment business and his brother's problems with the underworld. Rated R, with profanity and violence.

Forces of Nature (PG-13) 102 min. Garner's rating: 7 Review · Clips
Ben (Ben Affleck) and Bridget (Maura Tierney) are only days away from their wedding -- and they couldn't be happier. But "forces of nature" are about to buffet our romantic heroes, and the most potent is a sexy, free-spirited tornado named Sarah (Sandra Bullock). Ronny Cox and Blythe Danner co-star in this amusing, well-played comedy. Bronwen Hughes directs. DreamWorks. Rated PG-13, with profanity and sexual innuendo.

For Love of the Game (PG-13) 120 min. Garner's rating: 8 Review · Clips
Kevin Costner stars as a veteran pitcher at the end of his career -- who also discovers that the love of his life is leaving him -- in a film that's part sports movie and part romance. Co-starring Kelly Preston and John C. Reilly. Universal. Rated PG-13, with profanity and adult situations.

For Richer or Poorer (PG-13) 122 min. Our's rating: 5 Review · Clips
Tim Allen and Kirstie Alley play wealthy, warring New York marrieds who go Amish to avoid the IRS. At the outset, the film looks and sounds like a shallow, shrill sitcom, but once it gets down on the farm, the tone softens, the humor hums and both stars shine. Bryan Spicer directs. Universal. Rated PG-13.

The Forsaken (R) 91 min. Not reviewed. Clips
When a cross-country traveler picks up a hitchhiker, the quiet ride turns into a race against time. The passenger infects the driver with a deadly disease. The only cure is to kill the disease's source, a vicious vampire. Rated R, with strong violence and gore, rough language and sexuality.

Four Days in September (R) 113 min. Our's rating: 7 Review · Clips
Brazilian director Bruno Barreto's recreation of the 1969 kidnapping of the U.S. ambassador to Brazil by Marxist revolutionaries is a slice of political history. Alan Arkin stars as Elbrick in a wrenchingly authentic performance.

Free Willy 3: The Rescue (PG) 86 min. Our rating: 3 Review
It opens with lovely underwater footage, closes with a baby whale's birth, and includes scenes that show off whales and Howe Sound in British Columbia. But those pictures are all there is to this boring entry in the boy-and-his-orca series. With Jason James Richter, August Schellenberg and Vincent Berry. Directed by Sam Pillsbury. Warner Bros. Rated PG, with mild language, and whale-hunting.

Freddy Got Fingered (R) 87 min. Garner's rating: 0 Review
The ultra-juvenile school of comedy has hit rock bottom. That's where we find this unimaginably awful film. And the actor who so tastelessly crashes and burns is Tom Green, the film's star, director, and co-writer. Fox, 87 excruciating minutes. Rated R, with crude sex humor galore.

Frequency (PG-13) 117 min. Garner's rating: 5 Review · Clips
A sentimental time-travel thriller in which a police officer (Jim Caviezel) communicates 30 years into the past with his father (Dennis Quaid) -- and together they try to solve a serial murder case. New Line. Rated PG-13, with moderate profanity, violence.

From Hell (R) 137 min. Our rating: 8 Review · Clips
A lush, blood-drenched re-telling of the Jack the Ripper story, blending the style of the Hammer Films with a comic-book sensibility. Starring Johnny Depp, Heather Graham, Robbie Coltrane and Ian Holm. Directed by Albert and Allen Hughes. Twentieth Century-Fox. 137 minutes. Rated R, with profanity, graphic violence, nudity and adult themes.

The Full Monty (R) 90 min. Garner's rating: 10 Review · Clips
The season's bright, wondrous sleeper, a funny and surprisingly touching comedy about five out-of-work English blokes who scheme to make a buck as a one-night-only male stripper dance team. Robert Carlyle leads a strong English ensemble for impressive rookie director Peter Cattaneo. Fox Searchlight. Rated R, with strong profanity and mild nudity.