Movies Released April 4, 2003

Friday, April 4

Cowboy Bebop: The Movie R

Set on Mars in the year 2071, "Cowboy Bebop: The Movie" is based on the much-loved animated television series by Japanese director Shinichiro Watanabe. As the film begins, Spike (David Lucas) and his gang of gypsy vigilantes are roaming the city, looking for trouble when Faye (Wendee Lee) witnesses a bioterrorist attack. Hovering above the city in her spaceship, she sees a man fleeing the scene. Over 500 people die in the attack, and the city offers a monetary reward for any information. The gang jumps at the opportunity. They decide to branch out, each using their own tactics to research the tragedy. Spike slinks through Chinatown, being led by shady underground characters. Faye traces the image of the man she saw back to military files. And the young Ed (Mellisa Fahn) and her dog Ein do some handy computer research. Meanwhile Jet (Beau Billinglsea), holds down the fort, worried about the gang. When the criminal Vincent (Daran Norris), is identified, with a connection to Spike's love interest Elektra (Jennifer Hale), the real action begins.

"Cowboy Bebop" is a visually dramatic film that combines several styles of illustration into one beautiful, cohesive animated environment. The Mars of this film is a combination of cities: New York, Hong Kong, London, Paris, and many more. Viewers are compelled to identify monuments and familiar structures, while the terrorist thematic hits fearfully close to home.
Beau Billingslea, Shinichirô Watanabe, Masuo Ueda, Minoru Takanashi, Mashiko Minami, Yutaka Maseba, Haruyo Kanesaku, Kôichi Yamadera
Action Adventure Comedy Animation Re-Release

Phone Booth R

A phone call can change your life, but for one man it can also end it. Set entirely within and around the confines of a New York City phone booth, "Phone Booth" follows a slick media consultant (Colin Farrell) who is trapped after being told by a caller - a serial killer with a sniper rifle - that he'll be shot dead if he hangs up.
Richard T. Jones, Gil Netter, Colin Farrell, Forest Whitaker, Maile Flanagan, Joel Schumacher, Ted Kurdyla, David Zucker
Drama Thriller Suspense

Levity R

This is the story of an ex-con (Billy Bob Thornton) freed from prison after 19 years for killing a teenager during an attempted robbery, whose picture he's been staring at on his wall the entire time, who tries to find some kind of personal redemption with the help of a minister (Morgan Freeman) and two women (Kirsten Dunst, Holly Hunter).
Holly Hunter, Kirsten Dunst, Morgan Freeman, Ed Solomon, Billy Bob Thornton, Manuel Aranguiz, Geoffrey Wigdor, Luke Robertson
Drama
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The Guys PG

Based on Anne Nelson's original plays, this is the story of a fire captain who lost eight men in the collapse of the World Trade Center and the editor who helps him prepare the eulogies he must deliver. A portion of the film's proceeds will be set aside to benefit the families of New York City firefighters.
Sigourney Weaver, Anthony LaPaglia
Drama
100 mins

What a Girl Wants PG

This is the story of a 19-year-old girl (Amanda Bynes) who has been raised in New York City by her mother (Kelly Preston), a professional singer, who decides that she wants to find her long-lost British father (Colin Firth) in London, who's part of a very hoity-toity British aristocratic social circle. Once she gets there, however, it doesn't take long before her hip American lifestyle disrupts his entire life. Can she find a balance in the relationship between her two parents, find her own piece of mind, and along the way, possibly fall in love as well? Perhaps most importantly, does she have a chance at being the Debutante of the Year?
Jenny Bicks, Denise DiNovi, Kelly Preston, Jonathan Pryce, Anna Chancellor, Christina Cole, Erik von Detten, Dennie Gordon
Comedy Romance Musical Teen

A Man Apart R

Vin Diesel stars as Agent Sean Vetter, a DEA operative fighting the drug wars along the US/Mexican border. After a major player from the Baja Cartel is imprisoned, a new mysterious figure known as Diablo wrests control over the entire operation. But when Vetter's wife is murdered in a botched hit, he and his partner (Larenz Tate) must join forces with the jailed Cartel boss to hunt down the dangerous and elusive new player.
Vin Diesel, Emilio Rivera, F. Gary Gray, Jacqueline Obradors, Larenz Tate, Timothy Olyphant, Geno Silva, Steve Eastin
Action Crime

The Man Without a Past PG-13

At the beginning of the film, a man (Markku Peltola) who has traveled to Helsinki in search of work gets mugged and loses his memory, forcing him to start completely anew. He soon discovers love (Kati Outinen), and a new set of values. A small story about people who still know how to be gentle.
Aki Kaurismaki, Markku Peltola, Kati Outinen, Juhani Niemela, Kaija Pakarinen, Sakari Kuosmanen
Comedy Romance

DysFunKtional Family R

This comedy concert movie will see Eddie Griffin following in the footsteps of other black comedians like Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence. What makes this movie stand out, however, is that it is a combination of Griffin's stand-up routines with footage of Griffin's Kansas City family, including some of his eccentric uncles, like Uncle Buckey who's a former pimp, and Uncle Curtis, who has an extensive porn collection, much of which he filmed himself.
Rob Schneider, George Gallo, Eddie Griffin, Uncle Buckey, Uncle Curtis
Comedy Documentary

Friday, April 4