Film Clips

The movies outlined here are currently playing in the Yakima area -consult theaters for times and ticket prices.

Opening This Week

"BASIC" - When Army Sgt. Samuel L. Jackson and some of his mendisappear, investigator Connie Nielsen clashes with DEA agent JohnTravolta. Directed by John McTiernan. (Rated R, for violence andlanguage.)

"THE CORE" - Scientists journey into the Earth on a mission toreactivate its core, which has mysteriously stopped rotating. AaronEckhart is the lead geophysicist, and Hilary Swank and BruceGreenwood are his subterranean pilots. Directed by Jon Amiel. (PG-13, for sci-fi life/death situations and brief strong language.)

"HEAD OF STATE" - Chris Rock co-wrote, directs and stars in thistale of a D.C. alderman who becomes a presidential candidate. WithBernie Mac, Dylan Baker, Nick Searcy, Lynn Whitfield, Robin Givens,James Rebhorn, Tamala Jones. (PG-13, for language, some sexuality anddrug references.)

"THE PIANIST" - In Roman Polanski's film, based on a memoir by aPolish Jew who survived the Warsaw ghetto, composer and concertpianist Wladyslaw Szpilman, nothing is more absurd or surreal thanwar. A memoir written by a man for whom history is not dead and isyet littered with the dead. Adrien Brody won the best actor Oscar forhis portrayal. (R, for violence and brief strong language.)

"THE QUIET AMERICAN" - Set in Vietnam, circa 1952, at a time whenthe French were the embattled colonial power the United States laterbecame, the film is about the corruptibility of the human spirit,about how even a cynic has innocence to lose, and even an innocentcan do terrible harm. Starring Michael Caine, Brendan Fraser and DoHai Yen. (R, for images of violence and some language.)

Now Playing

"AGENT CODY BANKS" - Frankie Muniz plays a teen-age spy trained tothe max in all skills but one: how to talk to girls. With HilaryDuff, Angie Harmon, Keith David and Daniel Roebuck. Directed byHarald Zwart. (PG, for action violence, mild language and somesensual content.)

"BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE" - When a lonely guy meets a woman on theInternet who happens to be in prison, she breaks out to be with him,and proceeds to wreak havoc on his middle-class life. Starring SteveMartin, Queen Latifah and Eugene Levy. (PG-13, for language, sexualhumor and drug material.)

"CHICAGO" - Rob Marshall's razzle-dazzle screen vision of themusical. Eye-popping fluff with a bite; an exercise in happy cynicismdressed up in fishnet stockings. Renee Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones belt out tunes like Broadway babies. (PG-13, for sexual contentand dialogue, violence and thematic elements.)

"DAREDEVIL" - Ben Affleck stars as the Marvel Comics character -blind attorney by day, supersensitive avenging hero by night.Directed by Mark Steven Johnson. Colin Farrell, Jennifer Garner,Michael Clarke Duncan, Jon Favreau and Joe Pantoliano also star. (PG-13, for action/violence and some sensuality.)

"DREAMCATCHER" - Four childhood friends reunite for a camping tripand meet a stranger who introduces them to an alternate world. Basedon the novel by Stephen King. Starring Morgan Freeman, Thomas Janeand Jason Lee. Directed by Lawrence Kasdan. (R, for violence, goreand language.)

"HOW TO LOSE A GUY IN 10 DAYS" - Magazine writer Kate Hudson isassigned to hook and dump a man, but her mark, Matthew McConaughey,has a bet going that he can win a woman in the same time frame.Directed by Donald Petrie. With Michael Michele. (PG-13, some sex-related material.)

"THE HUNTED" - Director William Friedkin orchestrates the chase asFBI agent Connie Nielsen and tracker Tommy Lee Jones pursue assassinBenicio Del Toro. (R, for strong, bloody violence and some language.)

"THE JUNGLE BOOK 2" - Mowgli encounters old friends and old perilswhen he returns to the jungle from his new home with humans. Theanimated sequel features John Goodman as the voice of Baloo the bear.Directed by Steve Trenbirth. (G.)

"OLD SCHOOL" - The "Road Trip" brain trust (director Todd Phillipsand co-writer Scott Armstrong) returns with the story of threebuddies who initiate an off-campus frat house. With Luke Wilson, WillFerrell, Vince Vaughn and Juliette Lewis. (R, for some strong sexualcontent, nudity and language.)

"PIGLET'S BIG MOVIE" - When Piglet finds his friends endangered inthe Hundred Acre Wood, his "Book of Memories" makes him the onlyperson who can save them. (G)

"THE RECRUIT" - Al Pacino is a CIA vet; Colin Farrell is the cockynew recruit; Bridget Moynahan is the beautiful girl. A psychologicalthriller from director Roger Donaldson. (PG-13, for violence,sexuality and language.)

"SHANGHAI KNIGHTS" - Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson move on from theAmerican West of "Shanghai Noon" to Victorian London for moreroughhousing. Fann Wong co-stars. (PG-13, for action violence andsexual content.)

"TEARS OF THE SUN" - Bruce Willis plays a Navy SEAL ordered torescue a missionary doctor and some nuns from an endangered outpostin Nigeria. Suffering an attack of humanism, he decides that he andhis men won't leave until they also lead the refugees to safety. WithMonica Bellucci, Tom Skerritt, Cole Hauser, Awaovieyi Agie and AkosuaBusia. (R, for strong war violence, language.)

"A VIEW FROM THE TOP" - Gwenyth Paltrow stars in this film about asmall-town woman striving to reach her dream of becoming a flightattendant. With Mike Myers, Christina Applegate and Candace Bergen.Directed by Bruno Barreto. (PG-13, for language and sexualreferences.)

-- News service reports