Summer Flicks: The Crime's Pix 'n Pans

This summer proved to be chockedfull of some wonderful filmmaking. By the same token, it had some real losers. Below is a brief list accompanied by our abbreviated opinions. Make up your mind, since exams, or just your summer, are over, and go support and Hollywood monolith. Here goes...

ACTION FLICKS

Picks: Our choice for the best action-packed, in-your-face film, was actually a tie. The competition was fierce with "True Lies" and "Speed" leading the pack. In "True Lies" Arnold is back, taking on a group of villians. Accompanying his is Jamie Lee Curtis and Tom Arnold, who has received much critical acclaim for his portrayal of Gib. "True Lies" is said by many to be the best action movie in years, if not ever.

In "Speed," you'll think your on just that. Keanu Reeves makes his actionflick debut and was heralded by many, unexpectedly, as incredible. Perhaps Keanu has finally found his true calling. Harrison Ford, look out, because there's someone leaner going for your job.

Which brings us to Ford's latest megaplex enterprise, "Clear and Present Danger." While a bit long, this Tom Clancy adaptation is the most intellectually intriguing of the series.

Pans: "Beverly Hills Cop 3" basically and succinctly, just sucked. Go rent one of the earlier versions and don't contaminate your opinion of Eddie Murphy with this.

"Blown Away"--Blow Me.

ANIMATION (at least mostly)

Pick: Disney's blockbuster, "The Lion King's is projected to become the all-time highest grossing film, animated or not, in history. While opinions have ranged from entertaining to wonderful to a Freudian analysis, you shouldn't miss being a part of history in the process.

"The Mask," the hilarious Jim Carrey's new film, while not reviewed here was definitely worth seeing. A creative premise, Carrey's character finds himself a addicted to the assertive personality he becomes while under the spell of a mysterious wooden mask he finds. Unfortunately, I don't think he was the "Mask" often enough. And his little dog makes me want a Jack Russell terrier.

Pan: "The Shadow," starring Alec Baldwin and Penelope Ann Miller. Penelope, baby, return to being cute and cuddly, we like you better as a comedienne than as a blonde. Entertaining, but not too deep.

ARTSY STUFF

Pick: A little on the periphery of what many may go to see, but which proves to be an intriguing, insightful and funny film, was Rose Troche's feature-length debut, "Go Fish." A director has finally decided to live on the edge and talk about something meaningful. While some people I've spoken with think this film seemed to be a bit too shallow, like "Mr. Magoo Meets the Lesbians," I found it refreshingly original.

Not to be missed is Krzysztof Kieslowski's second film of his trilogy, "White." An amusing, often funny black comedy, it will make you awestruck by its beauty and wishing you could move to Eastern Europe. A must see.

Pan: Whit Stillman's new film, "Barcelona" was atrociously bad. It may have been too deep for this reviewer, but I found it unendurably boring. I would have watched pay-perview and seen the entirety of the summer Olympics from this city rather than watch this again.

DRAMAS

Pick: "Forrest Gump" propels Tom Hanks into well-deserved stardom. While a bit sappy at points, overall the film rings true with its portrayal of a simple innocent in the South. A great date flick.

Pan: "The Client," also set in the South, just didn't take the movie-going audience by storm like its predecessor "The Firm." We'll have to see if Grisham's next film, "The Chamber" proves to be any better.

"The Wolf," with its all-star cast of Jack Nicholson and Michelle Pfeiffer, retells the gothic werewolf story without any spark or creativity. Rent it on video, if you can't resist.