November hasn't exactly been a good month for the movies. This week's new releases seem to be sticking with the grand tradition of being nothing special. While it may seem impossible that an action film, a horror flick, and a romantic comedy have anything in common, these three movies each succeed in being less than original and vaguely familiar. Unless you're in the mood to fork out $8 for something you've already more or less seen, you're probably better off giving up on the movies and going home early for Thanksgiving instead.
The Sixth Day
Director: Roger Spottiswoode
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tony Goldwyn, Robert Duvall, and Michael Rapaport
Arnold Schwarzenegger is the leading man in The Sixth Day ? what else do you need to know? The "Terminator" stays true to his action-movie roots as Adam Gibson, the survivor of a near fatal helicopter accident who returns home only to discover that he has been replaced by a clone of himself. Human cloning, however, is a definite no-no. When the clone's creators realize that Gibson in fact did not die in the crash, a cat-and-mouse chase ensues. Despite a few futuristic features, this film is likely to fall short of achieving sci-fi status and promises to be little more than another action flick.
Held For Ransom
Director: Lee Stanley
Starring: Timothy Bottoms, Jordan Brower, Zachery Ty Bryan, and Mark DeLisle
The most noticeable thing about this movie is that the cast is strikingly lacking recognizable actors. The only name you're even remotely likely to be familiar with is that of Lois Duncan. Not that you'll find her anywhere on screen ? Held For Ransom is based on a novel she wrote. And writing horror stories is what Duncan does best. If you know the name at all, it's probably because she also wrote I Know What You Did Last Summer. Still, despite her success as a writer, a movie about five rich, spoiled rotten teenagers held for ransom in a swamp has nothing but disaster written all over it. At best, Held For Ransom is a tremendous movie-going risk. The Daily recommends that you skip the excursion and rent Scream instead.
Bounce
Director: Don Roos
Starring: Ben Affleck, Gwyneth Paltrow, Natasha Henstridge, and Jennifer Grey
It's a tried-and-true fact that any movie starring Gwyneth Paltrow is a chick-flick. Unlike Roos's dark comedy The Opposite of Sex (1998), Bounce falls into the trap of the typical romantic comedy-drama, using fate as the glue that holds the plot together. Ben Affleck stars as Buddy Amaral, a man who's made some mistakes in his life. He switches plane tickets with a man who dies when the plane crashes, and falls in love with his wife, played by Gwyneth Paltrow. She, of course, is the impetus behind his desire to change his wrongful ways ? in short, nothing new in the way of romantic comedies. But let's face it ? Ben Affleck hasn't lost his eye candy status, and the opportunity to see him on screen with former flame Paltrow is certainly intriguing. The Daily says to give Bounce a chance.
