Movie guide

Ratings and comments by David Sterritt and Monitor staff Staff comments reflect the sometimes diverse views of at least three other moviegoers. Information on violence, drugs, sex/nudity, and profanity is compiled by the Monitor panel.

STAR RATINGS MEANING

**** Excellent *** Good ** Fair * Poor DUD The Worst

New releases

Blow Dry (R)

Directed by Paddy Breathnack. With Alan Rickman, Natasha Richardson, Rachael Leigh Cook, Josh Hartnett, Rachel Griffiths. (105 min.)

Staff **1/2 In the quirky style of 'Strictly Ballroom,' Simon Beaufoy, writer of 'The Full Monty,' brings us 'Blow Dry,' the outrageous yet simple story of the competitively hair-obsessed. When the National Hairdressing Competition comes to a small town in England, a hair-styling family, long ago broken by a 'mom-gone-lesbian' relationship, must decide to come together to win back the championship. It's bizarre, but the use of odd-shock humor keeps it fun as the story of the never-ending relationship process unfolds. By Christy Ellington

S/N: 4 scenes of implied sex; including 1 scene with nudity. V: None. P: 22 harsh and mild expressions. D: 5 instances of alcohol; 5 scenes with smoking.

The Caveman's Valentine (R)

Director: Kasi Lemmons. With Samuel L. Jackson, Aunjanue Ellis, Colm Feore, Ann Magnuson, Sean MacMahon, Tamara Tunie, Anthony Michael Hall. (103 min.)

Sterritt ** Jackson gives a lively and generally credible performance as the unlikely hero: a homeless man with a deranged mind, a talent for music, and enough clues to solve a murder if the world would just pay attention to him. More psychological realism and less showy cinema would have made this offbeat melodrama more memorable, though.

15 Minutes (R)

Director: John Herzfeld. With Robert De Niro, Edward Burns, Kelsey Grammer, Karel Roden, Oleg Taktarov, Avery Brooks. (120 min.)

Sterritt ** A homicide cop and an arson investigator get into a New York tussle with two thugs from Eastern Europe who think their violent schemes will bring fame and fortune as long as the media play into their hands. The premise is promising, but Herzfeld cares more about sensationalism than substance, and portions of the picture are far nastier than they had to be.

The Gleaners and I (Not rated)

Director: Agnes Varda. With Agnes Varda. (82 min.)

Sterritt **** A fascinating nonfiction voyage into rural and urban France, focusing on idiosyncratic individuals who live off things the rest of us throw away, from food to furniture. Varda carries this concept a step further by recognizing that she herself has been a gleaner during her long filmmaking career, capturing images and situations that usually go unnoticed by people living busy lives. Originally called "Les Glaneurs et la glaneuse." In French with English subtitles

The Magnet (Not rated)

Director: Kamel Saleh, Akhenaton. With Kamel Saleh, Akhenaton, Brahim Aimad, Malek Brahimi. (100 min.)

Sterritt ** Love and crime are preoccupations of the main characters, ethnic-minority Frenchmen coping with poverty, discrimination, and their own self-created problems. The story and filmmaking are only sporadically interesting, but the movie deserves credit for exploring little-seen aspects of life in an increasingly multicultural France. Originally called "Comme un aimant." In French with English subtitles

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