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Behind Enemy Lines

The plot of this movie makes it sound a lot like "Spy Game," with its tale of a young maverick rescued by his no-nonsense mentor. The similarities end there, however, since "Behind Enemy Lines" is a pretty straightforward action film, full of loud rock music and fast editing. Owen Wilson stars as a Navy navigator who gets shot down over Bosnia near the end of the civil war. He has photos of the graves used to bury massacred civilians, and has to elude a Serbian sniper while his commanding officer (Gene Hackman) sets up a rescue. Of course, it's not going to be that simple. Director John Moore, best known for his Sega video game commercials, actually does a good job of pacing the film, using techniques like zooms and jump cuts to convey the insanity of life in a war zone. There also are interesting contrasts between the two main characters, who are given nuances by Wilson and Hackman that aren't necessarily in the script. Although Moore allows too many cliches to slip in (like all action heroes, Wilson is virtually invincible), he still manages to craft an entertaining and reasonably intelligent movie about blowing things up. (PG-13) -- LL

** 1/2 Southwind Twelve, 3433 Iowa.

Black Knight

Who thinks Martin Lawrence is a comic genius (besides Martin Lawrence, that is)? There must be somebody out there who sees brilliance in his loud, bug-eyed shtick, because he keeps getting starring roles. This time, he's a modern-day amusement park employee who ends up in medieval England, where he somehow convinces everyone that he is both a messenger from France and a court jester. With the exception of an amusing scene where he teaches the king's musicians to get funky, Lawrence just goes through the boring old motions, playing racially stereotyped humiliation for laughs. He's aided and abetted by director Gil Junger and screenwriters Darryl J. Quarles, Peter Gaulke and Gerry Swallow, all of whom seem content to let Lawrence make a fool of himself while the bland supporting cast just stands around and watches. The only actor of note in the film, Tom Wilkinson ("The Full Monty"), brings a level of dignity to his role that it doesn't begin to deserve. If only he'd given lessons to the star. (PG-13) -- LL

* Southwind Twelve, 3433 Iowa.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Arguably the most anticipated movie of the year, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" is that rare effort that successfully breathes cinematic life into a children's classic. Even at a rump-numbing 152 minutes, director Chris Columbus ("Home Alone") manages to conjure enough visual flair and compelling performances to disguise the exposition-heavy nature of the source material. The deliberate pacing allows one to savor the mounting details of author J.K. Rowling's world. On the flip side, Columbus and screenwriter Steve Kloves ("Wonder Boys") opt to retain the novel's clunky prologue, while including certain fringe characters (such as the Bloody Baron and centaur Firenze) that don't add anything to the forward momentum of the plot. Surprisingly, the film is even less of a "kids story" than the print edition. Usually when Hollywood gets hold of this type of property, the result is a more sanitized account. But the movie, which follows the initial experiences of 11-year-old Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) as he comes to grips with the fact that he is a wizard by birth, is much darker, perhaps already establishing a tone more comparable to the latter books -- and inevitable sequels. There are moments of real fear in this PG-gauged endeavor, from a creepy forbidden forest to a menacing game featuring life-sized chess pieces (a scene more thrilling than the vaunted "Quidditch" match). Yet the most important thing that can be said for "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" is that it keeps the vision of the author intact, while crafting a picture that even those who are unfamiliar with the series can easily be sucked into. Given Hollywood's past track record, that's a fine trick indeed. (PG) -- JN

*** 1/2 Southwind Twelve, 3433 Iowa.

The Man Who Wasn't There

The latest offering from "O Brother Where Art Thou?" duo Joel and Ethan Coen is intriguing even though little seems to happen. Billy Bob Thornton stars as Ed Crane, a quiet, often-ignored barber who uses an affair his wife (Frances McDormand) is having with her boss (recent Emmy winner James Gandolfini) to finance his dream of starting a dry cleaning franchise. "The Man Who Wasn't There" imitates the look of '40s thrillers but lacks the tension associated with such flicks. Fortunately, Thornton's distinctive features and voice make him an oddly appropriate choice for the lead. He can mesmerize a viewer with the way he is overlooked by the other characters. The Coen brothers' usual quirkiness is well in force (they combine the dynamics of criminal law with the Heisenberg uncertainty principle). The Coen brothers may not achieve the alchemy of their previous efforts, but they thankfully never make flicks that fail to register an impression. (R) -- DL

*** Liberty Hall Cinemas, 644 Mass.

Monsters, Inc.

Back in 1995, Pixar Studios raised the bar for animated films with the release of "Toy Story," which combined groundbreaking animation with an incredibly clever script. The folks at Pixar could be forgiven for resting on their laurels after that success (and a couple of short film Oscars), but they've continued to amaze audiences with the sheer inventive wonder of their movies. "Monsters, Inc." isn't going to slow them down a bit. The story is set in Monstropolis, where the creatures hiding in the closet live and work, collecting the screams of frightened children to power their city. When an adorable toddler gets loose in the monsters' world, she (literally) latches on to gentle giant Sulley (voiced by John Goodman) and his best friend, an egg-shaped motor-mouth named Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal). Trouble is, the monsters are more afraid of the kid than she is of them, and they have to overcome their fear of the little "killing machine" before they can help her get back home. With lots of grown-up humor to go with the funny visuals, "Monsters, Inc." has the kind of wide-ranging appeal that made its predecessors so enjoyable. The inclusion of a new short film, "For the Birds," only adds to the fun -- it's like having a cherry on top of the whipped cream on top of the icing on the cake. (G) -- LL

*** 1/2 Southwind Twelve, 3433 Iowa.

Novocaine

Because he left such an indelible impression as a gleefully sadistic tooth doctor in "Little Shop of Horrors," it's a little disconcerting to see Steve Martin rendering a much different type of dentist in "Novocaine." Playing it straight, he stars as a physician who makes the mistake of treating a drug addict (Helena Bonham Carter) and finds himself falsely charged with dope peddling and murder. Writer and first-time director David Atkins comes up with several nifty surprises (like a hysterical cameo by Kevin Bacon), but many of his twists seem arbitrary and forced -- like a bad set of dentures. With the talent involved, "Novocaine" never becomes quite as numbing as its title implies, even if some of the contrivances make one wonder if the treatment is essential. (R) -- DL

** 1/2 Liberty Hall Cinemas, 644 Mass.

Ocean's Eleven

Filmmaker Steven Soderbergh ("Traffic") seems to hit upon all the ingredients that worked in the 1960 Rat Pack classic, about a group of misogynistic martini buddies who knock off a collection of Vegas casinos. And his update of "Ocean's Eleven" is one that a viewer can wake up with in the morning and not feel a throbbing headache and the sting of guilt. George Clooney stars as the title character (the role that Frank Sinatra popularized), ably projecting the attitude of a polished con man whose charm doesn't necessarily keep him out of trouble. Clooney's compatriots in a scheme to rob The Bellagio, Mirage and MGM Grand, include Brad Pitt as a gambling playboy, Don Cheadle as a cockney explosives expert and Matt Damon as a talented pickpocket. As the owner of the casinos, Andy Garcia gives the self-assured air of a powerful "legitimate businessman" whose roots are probably much shadier. His initial meeting with Clooney offers the film's most crisp verbal jousting, as they try and one-up each other regarding a relationship with the same woman. (The Chairman of the Board would be proud). Others in the A-list cast don't fare quite as well. While still engaging, Julia Roberts is reduced to elegant window dressing. And as the crew's financier, Elliott Gould gives another performance in which every bit of dialogue sounds as if he were reading cue cards for a hearing-impaired dinner theater audience. It's clear Soderbergh knows that this is a movie about two things: star power and plot twists (admittedly, the latter of which are sometimes hard to swallow). The director keeps his flashy camerawork and scene-jumps to a minimum, allowing the audience to focus on the suspense-filled mechanics of the story and the multitude of characters that are drifting in and out of it. (PG-13) -- JN

*** 1/2 Southwind Twelve, 3433 Iowa.

Shallow Hal

The Farrelly brothers go sensitive with this surprisingly sweet love story, about a shallow jerk (Jack Black) who is hypnotized to notice only the inner beauty of those around him. When he falls in love with Rosemary, he pictures Gwyneth Paltrow, while the rest of the world sees an extremely overweight young woman who also happens to be a great person. Black ("High Fidelity") is perfect as Hal, who is as delusional about himself as he eventually is about Rosemary -- this is a guy who thinks gorgeous women should fall at his feet, despite his total lack of redeeming qualities. Paltrow, who thankfully doesn't wear the phony-looking fat suit for very long, actually convinces the audience that she doesn't think she's beautiful, and makes it easy to understand what Hal really sees in Rosemary. The Farrellys (who directed) and their co-screenwriter, Sean Moynihan, still can't resist cheap gags, including some fat jokes that almost undermine the film's message about seeing past the surface. They still show remarkable sensitivity, however, especially considering the kind of gross-out, over-the-line humor they usually spring on audiences. (PG-13) -- LL

** 1/2 Southwind Twelve, 3433 Iowa.

Spy Game

Although director Tony Scott is best known for saber-rattling films like "Top Gun," he's also helmed the gripping, character-driven "Crimson Tide" which advocated restraint over firepower. "Spy Game" has a little bit of each Scott, and occasionally they cancel out the other. Robert Redford stars as Nathan Muir, a retiring CIA agent who is trying to rescue his former protege (Brad Pitt). The younger "spook" has been captured by the Chinese government, and the agency bureaucrats have chosen to neglect the captive spy, which means certain death. Unlike "Top Gun," which portrayed warfare as an exhilarating adventure, "Spy Game" presents covert ops as necessary evils. Scott shows the gruesome cost of bombings and betrayal, but "Spy Game" is so weighed down with flashbacks that we never get close enough to the characters to care. There's some crisp dialogue and Scott's eye for action is typically sharp, but it's a bit tough to invest much emotion in a flick about folks who only have an opportunistic loyalty to each other. (R) -- DL

** Southwind Twelve, 3433 Iowa.