SIN Entertainment

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'Cats Don't Dance'

'The Devil's Own'

Rated PG

voice of Scott Bakula), who comes Max in Sunset Boulevard, might
to 1930s Hollywood with dreams frighten smaller children, espe-
hey don't make movies like of singing and dancing his way cially as they chase and torment
our cute, furry hero.
they used to" is a popular re- to the top.
However, the rest of the
Along the way, he meets
frain heard around theaters
MOVIES
film is sunny enough in
these days. Cats Don't up with other aspiring
nature that kids should
Dance, in its own animated way, four-footed friends, including
attempts to recapture those lost the jaded feline Sawyer (voiced not mind too much.
Cats Don't Dance features
days of Busby Berkeley musicals by Jasmine Guy and sung by Na-
and innocent, rags-to-riches fa- talie Cole), who long ago gave up some likable, toe-tapping tunes
bles. And for the most part, if you her crooning hopes. All of the an- by frequent Academy Award-
nominee Randy Newman, who
also livened up Toy Story. Scott
Bakula ("Quantum Leap")
has a surprisingly pleasant
voice and manages to hold
his own against pop music
diva Natalie Cole. The
choreography, parts of
which are based on sugges-
tions by the late Gene Kel-
ly, is sweet and snappy.
The film's exploration of
racism and discrimination
is handled delicately and ef-
fectively. Children will get
the message of equality,
and parents will appreciate
the subtlety.
Unlike a lot of children's
can accept the singing car- Danny the Cat imals have given up their movies, Cats Don't Dance
toon cats, piano-playing meets fellow dreams because they caters to the youngsters
pachyderms and dancing acting hopefuls know that in this Holly- without forgetting the par-
goats, Cats Don't Dance in the animated wood, only the humans ents. There are enough fun
movie references and clever
comes pretty close to re- musical Cats get the good parts.
When Danny and his homages to keep mom and dad
capturing that bygone era. Don't Dance.
friends try to break intrigued while the kids "ooh"
Of course, the film's real
audience — kids — won't be in- through this barrier, they meet and "aah" at the animals, mak-
terested in these reminiscences. a truly frightening nemesis, the ing it a family film that truly is
They will, however, enjoy the Shirley Temple of the Dark Side, for the family.
simple story of the talented Darla Dimple.
® 1/2
The loathsome Darla and her
young tabby, Danny (with the
gigantic, menacing butler, mod-
Liz Lent is an avid moviegoer.
— Liz Lent
eled on Erich Von Stroheim's

Rated R

I

hether he's playing a doc-
tor, lawyer or explorer, in
the company of the Irish
or the Amish, Harrison
Ford somehow seems to always
end up on the wrong end of a gun.
The box-office stalwart has made
a career out of playing the every-
man turned mega-hero, and it is
a role that suits him well. In The
Devil's Own, Ford once again

Blake Foster stars as
the newest Power
Ranger in Turbo.

rig

CD

0

W

us out what's going on and the
patriot games begin. Does any-
body want to bet against Harri-
son Ford?
The production notes from The
Devil's Own seek to paint the sto-
ry as a contrast of two men who
are committed to doing the right
thing, and, on a simplistic level,
that proposition is true. But to tru-
ly buy into that suggestion, one
must accept the notion that there
is something morally correct and

Harrison Ford and
even romantic about be-
takes on the role of an
ordinary Joe forced into Brad Pitt s tar in The ing a terrorist.
Devil's Own, the
The past nine months
extraordinary circum-
newest re lease by
or so have seen the re-
stances.
director Alan J.
lease of several films
This time, Ford plays
Pakula, who also •
raising the same propo-
Sergeant Tom O'Meara,
directed All the
a New York City cop liv- President' s Men and sition, including Michael
Collins and Some Moth-
ing a typical middle-
Sophie's Choice.
er's Son. Both of these
class existence with his
family in Brooklyn. O'Meara is the films were rooted in factual ac-
kind of guy who would do any- counts of actual events and pro-
thing for family or a friend — all vided a degree of insight into the
you have to do is ask. Early in the turmoil that is Northern Ireland.
film, O'Meara is asked by a The Devil's Own does not have
that type of vision and,
prominent judge and fam-
while Ford's performance
ily friend to board a young
MOVIES
is steady and Pitt fakes a
Irishman who is seeking
reasonable brogue (with
to start life anew in the
United States, far from the war shaky Irish accent), this is ulti-
zone of his native Northern Ire- mately just another Hollywood
story, designed more to cause
land.
The Irish lad (Brad Pitt) is in- flinching than thinking.
troduced as Rory Devaney, but
back home he's known as Frankie
—Richard Halprin
McGuire, a murderous soldier for
the IRA. Unbeknownst to
O'Meara, DeVaney's real purpose
for being in the States is to raise
money for the purchase of some
high-tech missiles.
Their relationship begins in-
nocently enough, as both men
come to respect each other's ap-
parent decency and humility. It is
only when DeVaney's weapons
deal turns sour that O'Meara fig-

0()

,

Bagel Barometer
®,0c) .® Outstanding

(AO

TV imports of the 1960s, par-
> ticularly "Starman" and "Ul-
traman." They also fought men
in rubber monster suits, with
little more than kung fu moves.

And be sure to stick through
the credits for scenes of Lerig-
ot's wife and kid after the
Rangers rescue them. They're
kinda cute.

0'Q

— Stephen Bitsoli

Richard Halprin is the proud
father of a new baby daughter.

No Bagels

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