Issue: "UNbelievable," June 17, 2000
The EditorsThe Editors

The Movies

Culture | The top 5 movies in popularity as measured by box office receipts for the weekend of June 4

Mission: Impossible 2 $27 million
2 weeks in release
$130.7 million to date
CAST / DIRECTOR / STUDIO
Tom Cruise, Ving Rhames / John Woo (Face Off) / Paramount Pictures

PLOT
A band of agents searches for a traitor who holds a killer virus in the sequel that only vaguely resembles the original series.

MESSAGE
Watered- down James Bond bravado: Save the world, get the girl, look cool..

CAUTION
PG-13 for violence, bad language, and sensuality.

Big Momma's house Martin Lawrence, Nia Long / Raja Gosnell (Never Been Kissed) / Twentieth Century Fox

PLOT
Extremely lowbrow comedy about an FBI agent who poses as a cranky Southern granny to catch an escaped convict.

MESSAGE
Appearances can be deceiving; the real person lurks behind the costume.

CAUTION
Rated PG-13 for crude humor, bad language, and violence.

Dinosaur $12 million
3 weeks in release
$96.8 million to date
CAST / DIRECTOR / STUDIO
Voices of D.B. Sweeney, Ossie Davis / Eric Leighton and Ralph Zondag / Disney

PLOT
A young dinosaur and a pack of lemurs search for a new home after a meteor destroys their habitat.

MESSAGE
Everybody matters in society. The old, frail, and weak still deserve help.

CAUTION
Rated PG for animal violence.

Shanghai Noon $8.6 million
2 weeks in release
$31.9 million to date
CAST / DIRECTOR / STUDIO
Jackie Chan, Lucy Liu / Tom Dey / Touchstone Pictures

PLOT
A Chinese imperial guard is sent to America to rescue a kidnapped princess.

MESSAGE
Heroes hold on to their honor in strange situations.

CAUTION
Rated PG-13 for violence and bad language.

Gladiator $8.1 million
5 weeks in release
$138.7 million to date
CAST / DIRECTOR / STUDIO
Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix / Ridley Scott (Blade Runner) / Dreamworks

PLOT
A Roman general becomes a gladiator to avenge his family's murder.

MESSAGE
Stoicism has its virtues. Heroes must risk everything to defeat their enemies.

CAUTION
Rated R for violence.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT
With an action-hero reputation built on years as an Asian superstar, Jackie Chan tries everything to build crossover acceptance. He tries on the Western hat in Shanghai Noon (Touchstone; rated PG-13 for violence and bad language). This is a pleasant improvement over the usual Chan fare, where the plot exists only to hold together action scenes. He plays a Chinese imperial guard who is sent to America to rescue a kidnapped princess (Lucy Liu), and along the way he winds up with a comedic outlaw sidekick (Owen Wilson). Mr. Chan's character fights bad Indians, befriends good Indians, gets into a ballroom brawl, gets thrown in jail, escapes his own hanging, and becomes known as the Shanghai Kid. His mission leads him into a clash with Lo Fong (Roger Yuan), a nasty, traitorous villain who kidnapped the princess and keeps his own countrymen as indentured servants. Mr. Chan's character is in the Gene Autry/Roy Rogers mold of nice guy action star, only with stunts and giggles. His movies are getting better, but his work is still an acquired taste.
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