John Leguizamo in "Empire"
courtesy of Universal Studios Home Video
"John Leguizamo Is A Movie Star"
John Leguizamo is an actor who has been around a while now. He has had a series of supporting roles in a variety of movies, but has found most of his success on Broadway where he has appeared in one-man shows. Now he has a movie on video in which he is the Star! It is called "Empire" and it is the story of a Latino from the South Bronx who goes up against the big boys of Wall Street.
Leguizamo 's character is a small time dealer in the South Bronx. He has made his money through a drug he calls "empire." Through his girlfriend he is introduced to a Wall Street whiz kid (Peter Sarsgaard) who offers him a chance to get into some Wall Street investing. Thinking this is the way to respectability, Leguizamo says yes. But then everything goes wrong from there.
Try taking your eyes off Leguizamo in this video. He has his character nailed and is an explosive presence throughout the movie. Sarsgaard gives able support and Denise Richards makes an impression as the love interest.
Greg Kinnear is another actor giving a strong performance on video this week. He plays Bob ("Hogan's Heroes") Crane in the biographical film "Auto Focus." This movie chronicles the ups and downs of Crane's life as he got more and more involved in a sordid world of sex. Willem Dafoe plays his partner in crime and also his possible murderer.
This is a movie which is difficult to watch because it is so sordid, but the performances by Kinnear, Dafoe, Rita Wilson and Maria Bello make it stand out from the crowd. Kinnear is amazing as Crane, giving him just the right combination of boyish charm and evil leers.
"Auto Focus" is not what you think Bob Crane's life is going to be, but it is brutally frank in showing it like it was. What you saw on TV and what you see here are two different worlds entirely.
Here's another shocker. How about that nice guy Andy Garcia playing a hired escort? Yes, that is the role he plays in "The Man From Elysian Fields." Mick Jagger plays the man operating the service and Olivia Williams is the lonely woman Garcia "escorts."
If you can accept the premise that a man like the one played by Garcia would be desperate enough to go to this level, then the movie is entertaining. James Coburn plays one of his last roles as Williams' dying husband.
The career of Katie Holmes got off to a fast start when she signed on to play Joey on the hot TV series "Dawson's Creek." Since that time she has also tried to get a screen career going, but taking roles in movies like "Abandon" will not a hot career make.
In this film she plays a college senior whose boyfriend (Charles Hunnam) has been missing for two years. Benjamin Bratt plays a detective who is assigned the job of opening up the investigation into the disappearance. He, of course, gets involved with Holmes. This all leads to a downer of an ending that satisfies no one.
A downer of another sort is "The Grey Zone." This is an excellent movie about the camps of World War II. The story focuses on Auschwitz where the prisoners do actually stage a rebellion. The brutality of the guards and the hopelessness of the situation are appalling but at least it shows there was a time when the prisoners did try to save their fate.
Steve Buscemi, Harvey Keitel, David Arquette and Mira Sorvino head the cast of this intense drama. Stories about the Holocaust seem to be a dime a dozen but each one packs an emotional charge. This one more than many others.
For a light-hearted story about guys who just want to have fun, try "Sol Goode." This title is a play on words. It means "s'all good" as in "everything is good." Jamie Kennedy and Balthazar Getty play two guys who just want to have a stab at the good life. They don't want any complications - but the day does come when everyone has to grow up.
Tori Spelling and Natasha Gregson Wagner play two of the women who come into their range of play. They are much more mature than the good life guys.
Another romantic film is "Just A Kiss." This one concerns an unwise kiss that starts off a round of break-ups between a few couples. As one break up leads to another the world spins on its way. Finally there is a chance for a do-over, and a hope that the same mistakes are not made.
Ron Eldard and Kyra Sedgewick are two of the stars in this round about movie. They help keep the plot and the romance spinning.
Our sci-fi movie of the week is "Alien Tracker" which is about - you guessed it - an alien tracker. He comes from a planet far, far away to track down some alien criminals who have escaped from his planet.
Adrien Paul stars in this film, and it is fun for what it is. Sometimes we just need an aliens and space movie to get us through the week.
Finally for the kids there is "Charlotte's Web 2". This movie has Wilbur the pig joining with Charlotte's daughters to help save a lamb named Cardigan. There are new songs and a lot of adventure. The kids will love it!
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