Film capsules -- 1997-2001

The Negotiator (R) 141 min. Garner's rating: 6 Review · Clips
An uneven and overly long police thriller, elevated by the lead performances of Samuel L. Jackson and Kevin Spacey. Jackson plays a police negotiator who is forced, himself, to take hostages. Spacey is also a negotiator, and must try to talk down Jackson. F. Gary Gray directs. Warner. 141 minutes. Rated R, with strong language and violence, including a threat to a child.

Nelly and Monsieur Arnaud (NR) 106 min. Garner's rating: 8 Review
Emmanuel Beart and Michel Serrault star in a tale of an older man who crosses paths with a younger woman. Another love story from French director Claude Sautet (Un Coeur en Hiver). French with English subtitles, profanity.

Never Been Kissed (PG-13) 107 min. Garner's rating: 6 Review · Clips
An immensely likeable Drew Barrymore is the chief attraction in Raja Gosnell's improbable but entertaining comedy about a Chicago newswoman assigned to go back to high school as an undercover reporter. David Arquette and Leelee Sobieski co-star. Fox. Rated PG-13, with profanity and sexual innuendo.

The Newton Boys (PG-13) 123 min. Garner's rating: 8 Review · Clips
Four of today's hot young actors -- Matthew McConaughey, Ethan Hawke, Vincent D'Onofrio and Skeet Ulrich -- acquit themselves marvelously in Richard Linklater's entertaining slice of Americana. They play four Texas brothers of the 1920s who pride themselves on their unusual occupation. They rob banks. Dwight Yoakam and Julianna Margulies co-star. Fox. Rated PG-13, with moderate violence.

The Next Best Thing (PG-13) 105 min. Garner's rating: 5 Review · Clips
John Schlesinger's heartfelt, but lightweight and inconsistent comedy-drama about a non-traditional couple (straight and gay), raising a child. Rupert Everett shines. Madonna is on less stable ground. Paramount. Rated PG-13, with profanity, and gay and straight sexual issues.

Next Friday (R) 90 min. Garner's rating: 4 Review · Clips
A slapstick sequel to the Ice Cube comedy about a young man trying to survive on the mean streets of Watts. Here he moves to the suburbs, but only the address has changed. A few funny characters and set-ups generate laughs, but the plot depends too much on irreverent ethnic jokes and lots of bathroom humor. Only fans of the first film need apply. Steve Carr directs. New Line. Rated R, with strong language, drug use and sexual references.

Next Stop Wonderland (R) 111 min. Garner's rating: 7 Review · Clips
An off-beat romance that examines the bumpy paths two people take toward their inevitable encounter. Hope Davis and Alan Gelfant co-star in what is basically two entertaining, parallel stories, leading up to a meeting in the final frames. Nearly as important is the film's distinctive, mood-setting music soundtrack, made up entirely of sensual Brazilian jazz. Brad Anderson wrote, directed and edited. Miramax. Rated R, with profanity and sexual references.

Niagara Niagara (R) Unreviewed. Clips
Robin Tunney and Henry Thomas play young lovers on the run from the law. The Shooting Gallery. Rated R, for violence, language and sexual situations.

Niche (R) Unrated. Unreviewed.
Comedy about the trials and tribulations of four recent college graduates. An independent film shot in Rochester, N.Y., during the summer of 1996, by writer-director David Horowitz.

Nico and Dani (NR) 90 min. Not rated.
Two best friends spend part of their summer at a beach house, having as much fun as they can before they turn 18. But as the boys experiment sexually with each other, they find their childhood bond is crumbling. In Spanish with English subtitles.

A Night at the Roxbury (PG-13) 85 min. Our rating: 4 Review · Clips
A joke-impaired movie version of a Saturday Night Live sketch, about a pair of swinging losers trying to break into the L.A. club scene. Starring Will Ferrell, Chris Kattan and Dan Hedaya. Directed by John Fortenberry. Paramount Pictures. Rated PG-13, with profanity, partial nudity and adult content.

Night Falls on Manhattan (R) 113 min. Garner's rating: 10 Review
A powerful urban drama from esteemed veteran Sidney Lumet, profiling an idealistic district attorney who must struggle to maintain his integrity in a world of corruption and betrayal. Andy Garcia, Ian Holm and Ron Leibman head a first-rate cast. Paramount. Rated R, with violence and profanity.

The Ninth Gate(R) 133 min. Our rating: 6 Review · Clips
A rare-book detective is hired to track down volumes of a rare book that allegedly can summon the devil, in a horror film that runs out of steam long before it runs out of story. Starring Johnny Depp, Frank Langella and Lena Olin. Directed by Roman Polanski. Artisan Entertainment. 133 minutes. Rated R, with profanity, graphic violence and nudity.

Nobody Loves Me (NR) 104 min. Garner's rating: 8 Review
A quirky, funny, affectionate farce from German writer-director Doris Dorrie about a young Cologne woman whose struggle to find a man results in a far more valuable friendship. In German with English subtitles. Profanity, nudity. Adult themes, death obsession and subtitles preclude viewers under 15 or so.

Not Another Teen Movie (R) 80 min. Our rating: 0 Review · Clips
An incredibly weak satire of teen movies, with barely a chuckle to be had. In a holiday season full of long, long films, this one makes 80 minutes feel like a lifetime. Starring Chris Evans, Chyler Leigh and Jaime Pressly. Directed by Joel Gallen. Columbia Pictures. Rated R, with profanity, nudity, violence and sexuality.

Nothing to Lose (R) 105 min. Our rating: 6 Review · Clips
A weak odd-couple comedy about a distraught advertising executive who kidnaps a carjacker then teams up with him to pull a heist. Starring Tim Robbins and Martin Lawrence. Directed by Steve Oedekerk. Touchstone Pictures. Rated R, with profanity, violence and partial nudity.

Not One Less (Unrated) 106 min. Garner's rating: 8 Review
A warm-hearted story of a young girl, recruited as a substitute teacher in a poor, one-room school house in rural China. Zhang Yimou directs. Sony Classics, 106 mins. Unrated; of PG quality. In Chinese, with English subtitles.

Notting Hill (PG-13) 123 min. Garner's rating: 7 Review · Clips
Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant ooze charm and wit as an unlikely couple. She's the most famous movie star in the world (fittingly) and he's a likable, low-key London bookshop operator. Roger Michell directs this uneven, overly long but ultimately engaging romantic comedy that reunites several of the principals from Four Weddings and a Funeral. Universal. Rated PG-13, with strong profanity and sexual innuendo.

Novocaine (R) 95 min. Our rating: 6 Review · Clips
A dentist gets caught up in a world of drugs and murder, in this unlikely thriller/comedy that never quite achieves lift-off. Steve Martin, Laura Dern and Helena Bonham Carter star for director David Atkins. Artisan Entertainment. Rated R, with violence, sex, rough language and drugs

Nowhere (R) 90 min. Unreviewed. Clips
Director Gregg Araki concludes a trilogy on youthful despair with an account of 24 hours in the life of a sweet 18-year-old and friends. With James Duval, Rachel True and Jeremy Jordan. Rated R.

'N Sync: Bigger Than Live (Not rated) 49 min. Garner's rating: 3 Review · Clips
An unimaginatively shot, large-format concert film, displaying nine hits by 'N Sync during their 1999 No Strings Attached tour. Really Big Films Corp. Unrated, but of G or PG quality.

Nurse Betty (R) 110 min. Our rating: 5 Review · Clips
A quirky but not particularly cohesive dark comedy fable about a woman who, having witnessed a brutal murder, becomes convinced she is engaged to her favorite soap-opera character. Some nice performances, but the writing isn't always sharp and the story tends to drag and repeat. Starring Renee Zellweger, Morgan Freeman, Chris Rock. Rated R, with language, violence, sexuality.

The Nutty Professor (PG-13): 95 min. Our rating: 7 Review · Clips
A rollickingly funny treatment of the old Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde story. This one features an obese genetics professor who discovers a formula to turn him into a studly hard body. Starring Eddie Murphy, Jada Pinkett. Directed by Tom Shadyac. Universal Pictures.

Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (PG-13) 98 min. Garner's rating: 7 Review · Clips
A sequel to the Eddie Murphy comedy about a jovial, 400-pound research scientist who unleashes his dark side in the person of the suave, devilish Buddy Love. This time, we spend much more time with the scientist's wacky family, all played brilliantly by Murphy. Peter Segal directs. Universal. Rated PG-13, with frequent sexual references.