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Show IEdd Friday, October 27, 1995 The Daily Herald shines again in 'Get Shorty' 'Mallrats' a lazy movie T By CHARLENE WINTERS Special to The Daily Herald You know you are reaching for There's low-grad- ture v - I is entertaining prematurely-acclaime- max. Off the success of "Clerks," Smith was courted by Hollv-woo- d and became a player, rie made "Mallrats" with a real budget, real actors and real studio backing, but his movie doesn't live up to its promise. It's not even about malls. Sure, there are a couple of lines about "just what is a food court," and there's a brief discussion of the ethics of shopping, but the movie dissolves into disappointingly sophomoric humor that's nowhere near as funny as Smith seems to think it is. "Mallrats" is the story of Brodie (Jason Lee) and T.S. (Jeremy London), two best buds dumped by their girlfriends on the same day. To forget their soror. even better, to win rows back the siirls they head out to the mail, the choice spot for j s Q 5i funny only when viewed under the influence of a six-pac- break while living in the reflection of broken neon or assembling a deal in the world of privilege. Get Shorty won't fit everyone's for movie-goin- . UK gambling debt and winds up in the movie business in the MGM comedy "Get Shorty." taste, but for those who enjoy slightly twisted, slightly cynical films with generous comic doses, Get Shorty is an interesting choice ' six-pac- k, Photo courtesy of Metro Goldwyn Meyer John Travolta stars as Chili Palmer, a Miami loan shark who goes up to Los Angeles to collect on a k. that will know n as "stink-palm- " make you wary of shaking hands with strangers. Some of his more absurd situations, like a psychic who can only see the future when she's topless, show he miaht have a future in sketch comedy. But "Mallrats" shows that he still doesn't know how to write a feature-lengt- h plot, nor does he have a clue about how to create engaging characters: Whatever personalities Brodie and T.S. have come from the actors, not their lines. Too much of "Mallrats" is wasted on the sort of teen comedy hijinks that seem funny only when viewed under the influand Smith's ence of a tendency to repeat a good gag until it loses its effectiveness ruins some otherwise-inspire- d bits. Even the casting coup of -90210" bad girl Shannen Doherty goes w asted: Yes, there is the expected Brenda joke, but like the rest of "Mallrats," it's in need of serious punching up. Movie Bevieu debt-ridde- story Too much of "Mallrats" is wasted on tiie sort of teen comedy hijinks that seem employees that he and a made for $27,000, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and got picked up for national distribution bv Mira- - WIllliilllllllllllllWIUlllHlllllllHlliBHIIBHIIIHIillilll because author Elmore Leonard nails the Hollywood, Los Vegas and Miami stereotypes whether it means dreaming of cettiim a s: twentysomething director Kevin Smith, whose "Clerks," a ragged comedy convenience store about 1, dialogue offset an ever present threat of violence. Travolta plays Palmer with a cool intensity that only softens when he enters a show house and sees old movies. Palmer likes movies, particularly detective stories put to film. After n lie meets the producer, he decides to go into business with him instead of trying to get his cash. Both men believe they can change their lives. Travolta maintains his cool even without a game plan. He lacks the desperation of most people around him, and sails into the movie industry with ease. His ski i as a loan shark serves him well in Hollywood. Gene Hackman plays Harry Zimm, the producer who is always hawking his wares' and ideas, but is toodim-witte- d to play the Hollywood game successfully. He remains naively overeager to make hiis'dream project work. Both Travolta and Hackman play their roles with a sweet undertone that makes them appealing despite the seedy Hollywood life they inhabit. from slacking and st Smith has a knack for writing There's a hilarious gross-outlittle trick introduced here a great comedy wait- ing to be made on the modern phenomenon of shopping malls. The zombiefest "Dawn of the Dead" came close: "Mallrats" does not. The movie is the second fea- heroes when ihe most sympathetic character in the movie is a smalltime Miami loan shark sent to Los Angeles to collect a gambling debt e trom a film producer. But heroic or not, John Travolta as'hili Palmer is one of four ace lcCots (the others are Gene Danny "DeVito and Rene Get Rirs).o) who make the Sluf 'fy an enjoyable trek through a quirky film. Comic turns, unexpected celebrity cameos and clever !The Newspapers Knight-Ridd- Hack-11141- low-co- daylong, aimless moping. By RENE RODRIGUEZ g, Charlene Winters is a master's candidate in film theory and criti- cism at Brigham Young University. MONDAY: family night FAMILYS & HOME EVENING GROUPS GET SPECIAL DISCOUNTS TlSSDAY: mFPmmm EVERYONE 'How and Then' works now and then By CHARLENE WINTERS Special to The Daily Herald When Now and Then focuses on the lives of four young girls who make a pact to be friends forever, the story is a buoyant look into the lives of budding adolescents during the summer of 1970. When Now and Then focuses on Movie Review the adult w omen w ho come together to support one of them who gets pregnant, the story becomes contrived, artificial and awkward. This makes the movie a pleasure, but only now and then. Christina Ricci. Gaby Hoffman. Thora Birch and Ashleigh Aston Moore play four adolescents who pool their money to buy a tree house that should pull them together, ut in reality becomes a place f(ip Jhem to assert their independence. L;ach has to deal with different aspects of grow ing up. In an era when divorce was a disgrace, one child faces her father's abanAnother is showered donment. with everything but attention and has already figured out that parents have few. if any. answers. A third is already getting hardening of the categories as she strives to live life by connecting the dots to acceptable behavior. And another must finally face the horrible death of her mother many years earlier. They are on the cusp of throw ing away childish things, but as that last summer begins, they are willing to conjure spirits in a graveyard, cycle across the state in search of a good my stery and prefer to be anywhere except with the Wormers (a quartet of obnoxious boys). Blossoming womanhood is discouraged and binding breasts with masking tape is an acceptable alternative to the inevitability of growing up. The film is full of painful, but touching insightful (ALL SHOWS ALL DAYJ $1.50 DUMBO DROP ( PG ) 12 15 APOLLO 13 12:20 3 45 6 45 9 40 (PG) 2 IN THE CUPBOARD (PG) 0 2 40 5:05 7.20 1 0:00 (PG-13- ) THE NET 11 20 1 45 4.15 6 50 9:30 12:05 POCAHONTAS 12 rR tT OKTJMT A SAT INSTtntO SUN MAT ND :30 4:00 O) DAILY 7 00 10 00 IN WITH SAT 4 UN MAT 1 Will IN THE CLOUDS Wi-li- 0rpC' rn.utiit m. ! (TffttO 1:00 4 fOCKDNT 00 PO T f t VM JO IN HAT COPY CAT 6AII.T T WITH IAT A il 10 tun OO IN MAT 4 X ORIINT JO trcnto 1:10 4 joju1 ' S'lKfO 3 CO 9 Inft Ht' li. VAMPIRE IN BROOKL'YN DAIIY rtiTKJAT C OLOMT TOCISKIJTO JA0Ei-ikstf141 oiitiM DAM. DcnAOKOH) www NDI&nM II WP1 KXPTO ASSASSINS DAILY 7:00 I 45 IN STEREO SATSiJN MAT O 130 4:15 .WrTM A j Mountains of Savings! 1 mm J m m j ULTRA IN STOCK STEREO (vwXl ULTRA STEREO ULTRA 30 2 50 5 00 7 10 9.15 40 ULTRA STEREO . ULTRA STEREO k- ULTRA SHOWTIMES 7:00 9:00 Sat. Matinees 1:00 3:00 STEREO ULTRA STEREO vX FOR t $14.95 si WV" 2 ".r 1 I J 0 AND SPONSORED BY: . P R E S E N T f it. A3BTH) 4:15 SCARLETT LETTER n Pifitt i f) GET SHORTY 7:00 I X IN STCnfO 1:45 mmmmmimmi: XL'jXii CHHNT TD1SAOBrH) I SUN MAT LIGHT SHOWS iowb OAILV 7, IS t'4S IN STEAEQ WITH SAT SUN WAT 41 1:45 4:15 S & SATURDAY: DISCO SATURDAY NIGHT SKATE TO THE BEAT OF THE BEST DISCO MUSIC OKXXMT TOCT5 THREE WISHES DAILY WITH SAT PARTY NIGHT PARTY IN THE FOG omh POWDER pj iji 'DAIIY 00 I- JO WM (G) (PG-13- ) FRIST KNIGHT 12 15 3 40 6 40 9.35 12:20 TDlSOBTB fWAV: STEREO INDIAN 1 pwmpbmmm BOOK YOUR PRIVATE PARTIES HERE wmm (PG-13- ) WATER WORLD 12 25 3:30 6:35 9:25 12 10 302 15445 7.25950 THURSDAY: c I y (PG-13- ) NINE MONTHS 11.45 2 10 4 35 7:15 9 45 12 00 l if 2424 N. University PVwy., 11 NEVER TALK TO ANGERS , IN STEREO 0Uiy 7:1$ WTM 4 SUN HAT 4 2:00 4:30 cor mm mm LADIES SKATE FOR S1.00 The girls degenerate into stereotypes when shown as adults who reunite to share in a birth. Rita Wilson plays the conformer who grew up to be a clone of her mother in a cookie-cutte- r suburban existence. Rosie O' Donnell plays a physician win) never left town, either, but is happy with her life. Demi Moore is a w riter and the tale's narrator; and Melanie Griffith is the sexy actress (Sec NOW, Page li5) Sawyer-Huckleberr- IIqLMI OPERATION w looks at life. A mother trying to reenter dating after her husband abandons her must deal not only with a nervous date but must try to shield him from her daughter's scorn. The girls use bicycles to embrace their adventures in their y last Tom Finn kind of summer. The young actresses who play the roles are natural and believable. GETS IN FOR HALF PRICE WEDNESDAY: 1 MotmiN America t M M T Dlltl They're Cute... And They're Good '1 The world famous Vienna Choir Boys elegantly combine their unique boyish charm with exceptionally beautiful and professional singing. Don't miss this rare chance to be enchanted by a tradition of artistic maturity! .H . A LARD & LOS EE Jewelers RJi TCI Cablevivon Inc. Wr rt kiimf trlrmitm into tomorrow. five-centu- ry OCTOBER 30 7:30 PM Ef Call 225-25(5- 9 OCTOBER 31 3:00 PM 10 -- 5 Weekdays .tl llon,ct) I. I K B 3 .V YTT7 of JU . |