PAGE 10 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23,1995 T^ IN REVIEW—^ CATHOUC COURIER DIOCESE OrROCHESTER. N.Y. FEATURE Recent releases mixed bag of insult, intelligence

NEW YORK (CNS) - The following The USCC classifica­ 'The Quick and the Dead' are capsule reviews of movies recently tion is A-III — adults. reviewed by the U.S. Catholic Confer­ The MPAA rating is (TriStar) Revenge-themed Western in ence Office for Film and Broadcasting. PG-13 — parents are which a female gunslinger (Sharon strongly cautioned that Stone) arrives in town to compete in a ' Movie' some material may be quick-draw, shoot-to-the-death contest, (Paramount) Fluffy comedy updating inappropriate for chil­ intent on gunning down the sadistic the 1970s TV sitcom family of three boys dren under 13. town tyrant (Gene Hackman) who had and three girls (headed by parents Shel­ her lawman father lynched years earli­ ley Long and ) into the trou­ 'Just Cause' er. Director Sam Raimi's,flashy but cyra- bled 1990s, where remain (Warner Bros.) ically ludicrous shoot-'em-up amounts do-goody innocents despite scornful Tawdry melodrama in to nothing more than redundant stag­ schoolmates and the sleazy attempts of which a Harvard law ings of stylized shootouts that greatly a greedy real estate agent (Michael McK- professor (Sean Con- glamorize guns and killing. The USCC ean) to yank their home out from un­ nery) is persuaded by classification is O — morally offensive. der them. As blandly directed by Betty his lawyer wife (Kate The MPAA rating is R — restricted. Thomas, the threadbare plot and broad Capshaw) to make a characterizations seem most likely to ap­ last-ditch effort at over­ 'Boys on the Side' peal to the sitcom's fans, leaving the rest turning the murder (Warner Bros.) After accidentally of the audience wondering why a full- conviction of a Florida killing her abusive partner, a pregnant length movie was merited.The U.S. death-row inmate (Blair woman (Drew Barrymore) flees with a Catholic Conference classification is A- Underwood), whose lesbian musician (Whoopi Goldberg) III — adults. The Motion Picture Asso­ confession had been and a woman with AIDS (Mary-Louise ciation of America rating is PG-13 — par­ coerced by a brutal po­ Parker) to Tucson, Ariz., where they sup­ ents are strongly cautioned that some 'The Brady Bunch Movie' transplants the 1970s TV sit­ lice detective (Lau­ ply moral support for each other in fac­ material may be inappropriate for chil­ com family of three boys and three girls into the troubled rence Fishburne). Di­ ing a series of emotional crises. Direc­ dren under 13. 1990s. rector Arne Glimcher tor Herbert Ross' bigheart;ed and senti­ maintains moderate mental tragicomedy concentrates on 'Billy Madison' Whitford). Director Tamra Davis' dis­ suspense through a darkly twisted plot themes of love, forgiveness and com­ (Universal) Dimwitted comedy in mal attempt to fashion a vehicle for San­ abetted by some fine performances un­ mitment, though the result is handi­ which a retiring billionaire (Darren Mc- dler's limited comic talents never rises til the narrative goes haywire with a lu­ capped by its contrived treatment of nu­ Gavin) decides to leave control of his above dumb toilet jokes and moronic dicrous ending. Some intense violence merous romantic complications ranging hotel empire to his loutish 27-year-old situations adding up to zero as enter­ including grisly shots of corpses, fleeting from the bizarre to the maudlin. The son (Adam Sandler), provided the' tainment. Occasional sexual innuendo shadowy nudity and recurring rough lan­ USCC classification is A-IV — adults, wastrel manages to graduate grades 1-12 and alcohol abuse, brief violence played guage. The USCC classification is A-III widi reservations. The MPAA rating is R in six months, or else it all goes to the for laughs, some crude bathroom hu­ — adults. The MPAA rating isR-r re­ — restricted. billionaire's scheming assistant (Bradley mor and an instance of rough language. stricted. Seattle Catholic student pens moving homeless tale By Terry McGuire provides a happy ending by offering the that struck me the most was Njck's|emc Catholic News Service mother a job. tions for the characters arid the way he, Walker, who played shortstop last year was able to put himself into the feelings SEATTLE - Nicholas Walker, 11, who on a Little League team, wrote the sto­ that a homeless child would have. I wants to be a film critic some day, has ry on his computer at home, not know­ thought it was so beautiful." shown his story-telling skill with the pub­ ing it would evolve into a 38-page book. Walker's father, Jim, who works for lication of his first book, "Safe at Home." "I didn't think it would actually turn an ad agency, did the illustrations. The book grew out of a Young Au­ out that long," the youth told The Copies of the book quickly sold out at an thors writing assignment given the sixth- Catholic Northwest Progress, Seatde arch- auction benefiting Common Meals. "We grader last spring. Walker is a student diocesan newspaper. "I kept getting raised $450," the young author said. at Seattle's Assumption/St. Bridget more and new ideas." Johnson said her company plans to School. youth league baseball team while keep­ His mother, teachers and others en­ publish the book commercially'and is He decided to write about homeless- ing the reason for his mysterious ab­ couraged publication of the story. Loren looking at ways to contribute a percent­ ness because his mother, Robin, volun­ sences a secret — he is ashamed of being Johnson, marketing director of Aslin age of the sales to aid the homeless. teers at Common Meals, a program that' homeless. Publishing in Edmonds, initially thought Meanwhile, Nicholas Walker is plan­ trains homeless people to work in the In the story's climax, teammates find it would be a good magazine piece but ning to write about homelessness again in food service industry. Jeff and his mother asleep in their bro­ then saw its potential as a book and took die Young Authors program this spring. Walker created a fictional 11-year-old ken-down car. The team's sponsor, on the project. "I want to go to Common Meals,"he said, named Jeff who becomes a star on his whom Walker modeled on a neighbor, "I was touched, she said. "The thing "and interview a homeless person." When you're sick... There's No Place ONE FAITH Like Home. MANY VOICES Since 1990, Rochester's Ronald McDonald House has been the home away from home for hundreds of Sharing the Voices families and their seriously ill children undergoing medical treatment at Rochester area hospitals. Learn of Inspiration, Witness, how the Ronald McDonald House may help you or how you can help the Ronald McDonald House. Hope, Faith and Truth 442-KIDS CATHOLIC *MT/m 333 Westmoreland Drive McDonald Rochester, NT 14620 Space donated to the Ad Council as a public service, .„,-«,«*-. PRESS MONTH of The Caltholic Courier. > ROCHESTER