Lost in Space
B
4/4/1998 2:40pm Secaucus
On the surface you might think this is a high-tech remake of the of a popular
sci-fi TV classic.  In reality however, this movie is one big advertisement
for Silicon Graphics, Inc.  If you look at the movie this way, it's pretty
good.  The special effects and CGI are outstanding.  The story is lame, but
the characters do have personality.  A lot of critics hated this movie with
a passion, but it's really not that bad.

Primary Colors
A-
4/10/1998 9:50pm Secaucus
John Travolta gives an amazing performance as Bill Clinton, er, I mean,
Governer Stanton, a fictional governor from Tennessee.  Right, this is a
work of fiction, not a re-enactment of the 1992 campaign.  The characters
only bear an extreme resemblence to reality.  Okay, George Stephanopolous
is replaced with a naive black guy, but pretty much the rest remains the
same, and that's what makes this movie so fascinating.  Cathy Bates and
Billy Bob Thornton provide fabulous supporting roles.  I expect Thornton
in particular to go places.

Mercury Rising
B+
4/11/1998 7:30pm Hackensack
In this bizarre study of autism, Bruce Willis plays a down-on-his-luck
(imagine that) cop who becomes the protector of an autistic child, the 
only witness to the murder of the child's parents.  The evil government
secret agency is after this child because he broke a super-tough cryptographic
code.  We're supposed to believe this is possible, and that hurts some.
The good cop vs. evil government nasties action is very good, however--
Bruce Willis always fights the bad guys very well.  Plus, it was interesting
to see him play the sentimental protector role.

The Big Hit
A
4/24/1998 1:15pm East Village
Mark Wahlberg plays a very talented young hitman, Mel, who is also a real
schmuck.  This movie appears to have it all: explosive end-of-your-seat
action for the guys, naked buns and wacky ladies for the girls.  Mel's
troubles have been brewing for quite a while, as his mistress (a black chick)
is using him to suck him dry of thousands of dollars, and his fiance (a
bleached-blonde jewish american princess) is being pressured by her mother
to dump him because he's goyim (not jewish).  But that's just the subplot!
The real story is about Mel and his buddies, a team of expert hitmen, who
carry enough firepower to blow up a city block.  They decide to do a
moonlighting gig kidnapping the daughter of a supposedly rich man.  Two things
go wrong: the daughter (asian) is so attractive that Mel is smitten by her;
and the rich father turns out to be bankrupt, so he calls upon his friend,
and the girl's godfather, for help.  This man, unfortunately, turns out to
be the hit team's boss.  The story is written well enough that this isn't
at all complicated.  The film also more racial and ethnic diversity than
you can shake a stick at, probably in hopes of appealling to the greatest
audience.  All in all, this is the best movie so far this year.  Produced
by John Woo.