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Alaska


A solid natural history documentary that explores the beauty and harsh realities of nature in an extreme environment, Alaska is deserving of its 1997 Oscar for best documentary short. At the IMAX. (Randy Matin)





Austin Powers in Goldmember


If you're ready to take a nice cool dip in some quality a/c while experiencing jokes about urine, feces, flatulence, breasts, man-breasts, bestiality, name brands and homosexual panic, jump right in. Can we deport Mike Myers back to Canada? (RP) Rated: PG-13





The Bourne Identity


A thriller about an amnesiac who discovers his dark past at the same time as the audience. Director Doug Liman brings the virtues of his intimate, indie filmmaking style to what could have been another dated Cold War retread. (RP) RATED: PG-13





The Country Bears


Inspired by Disneyland's Country Bear Jamboree attraction, this feature-length film follows the Tennessee journey of 10-year-old "Beary," who hopes to find his biological family and reunite the once-popular band. Rated: G





Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood


Based on Rebecca Wells' enormously popular 1996 novel, Divine Secrets tells the story of four irrepressible and close-knit friends growing up in 1950s Louisiana. One of their own (played by Ellen Burstyn) repairs her relationship with her estranged daughter (Sandra Bullock) by sharing the secrets of the Ya-Yas. Rated: PG-13





Eight Legged Freaks


All you need to do in order to enjoy this throwback to the "big bug" movies of the '50s is plant your tongue even further into your cheek than the filmmakers have. Toxic waste and capitalistic greed are the villains; gigantic spiders are the result; the nice townsfolk are the victims. The acting is just okay, but the effects are terrific. (ES) Rated: PG-13





K-19: The Widowmaker


Harrison Ford is the Russian submarine captain called in to replace captain Liam Neeson when too many things go wrong in their new Cold War-era super sub. But the problem isn't Captain Neeson, it's the defective machinery and green crew, which lead to more serious problems. Kathryn Bigelow's action film is full of tense moments and cool camera shots, but it's too brooding and too bloated. (ES) RATED: PG-13





Lilo & amp; Stitch


The Disney studio returns to traditional drawing techniques, using some gorgeous watercolor effects with a decidedly nontraditional story. Stitch is a dangerous creature from another world, being hunted by his own, who lands on Earth and manages to get adopted by orphaned sisters Nani and Lilo, who are having their own problems with each other. (ES) RATED: PG





Martin Lawrence Live: Runteldat


In recent years, he's been taken into custody for standing in the middle of an L.A. freeway shouting at drivers, he's been in a three-day coma after collapsing on a run while wearing too many layers of clothing and he's been arrested for punching out a fellow nightclub patron. Now, the self-described "bad boy of comedy" is turning these experiences into fodder for his latest standup tour. Rated: R





The Master of Disguise


As high as Mike Myers climbs in choice sections of Goldmember, that's how low his Wayne's World partner Dana Carvey embarrassingly falls in this awful, misguided little movie. He plays an idiot of an Italian waiter whose family has for generations practiced secrets of do-gooding disguisery. The rest is downhill. Over bumps. It's not funny. (ES) Rated: PG





Men in Black II


In the relentless 88 minutes of Men In Black II, Director Barry Sonnenfeld does justice to the now-familiar Laurel and Hardy-style teaming of secret agent/planetary guardians Jay (Will Smith) and Kay (Tommy Lee Jones) without deepening the earlier installment. (RP) Rated: PG-13





Minority Report


Steven Spielberg's latest finds Tom Cruise the head of the D.C. "Department of Pre-Crime," which has prevented homicides for six years through the exploitation of the "Pre-Cogs," a mysterious trio of seers who can predict the future. Minority Report elaborates Philip K. Dick's seething paranoia in a Hitchcock-style murder mystery, while also using the sci-fi genre's conventions to reflect disturbing social themes. RATED: PG-13 (RP)





Mr. Deeds


Adam Sandler takes on the old Gary Cooper role of Longfellow Deeds. He's a simple man who comes into an inherited fortune and is brought to the big city, only to be taken apart by the media and duped by a woman. (ES) Rated PG-13





My Big Fat Greek Wedding


This Chicago-set, Second City-developed comedy is the slobbo American version of Four Weddings and a Funeral, getting no marks for subtlety but laughs from those of us who can laugh at the idea of an obnoxious ethnic family getting into the marital spirit -- funny Greeks in this case. A hit nationwide, its writer Nia Vardalos plays the plain-Jane live-wire bride; John Corbett is her signficantly non-Greek other. (RP) RATED: PG





Reign of Fire


TV vet and director of the X-Files movie, Rob Bowman does his best with this allegedly future-set story of ash-coveting hungry dragons who want to burn London's humans to the ground. (RP) RATED: PG-13





Road to Perdition


Is July too early to talk about Oscar nominations? Not if they concern this 1930s, Chicago-set gangster piece about father-son relationships and dishonor among murderers. Paul Newman plays the boss, Tom Hanks is his major hitman and "adopted" son; newcomer Tyler Hoechlin is Hanks' son, who finds out what Dad does for a living, thereby setting into motion some disastrous situations. Terrifically acted and directed (by Sam Mendes). (ES) Rated: R





Scooby-Doo


The ridiculously awful TV cartoon makes a surprisingly good transition to the screen, thanks to the spirited cast and to the creative use of computer-generated animation for the big, hungry dog. The story is about the former pals of Mystery Inc. getting back together to figure out the strange goings on at Spooky Island. Goofy fun for all. (ES) RATED: PG





Signs


The newest outing from M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable) focuses on what some call fact and what others hope is fiction in a story of what happens when crop signs -- the flattening of farm fields into huge, bizarre shapes -- start popping up all over the world. The focus is on a small, troubled family, headed by former reverend Mel Gibson, who experience some terror on their home turf. With Joaquin Phoenix. (ES) Rated: PG-13





Space Station


The newest IMAX experience shoots its giant screen cameras up to the International Space Station to watch its assembly and visit with different crews during their long stays. It also generates amazing special effects, magnificently showing astronauts and cosmonauts out in the middle of spacewalks. (ES) Rated: G3





Spider-Man


As superhero origin stories go, Sam Raimi does a decent job of bringing zing and neurosis to the screen, and the web-swinging along the real and imagined streets of New York City is a thrill. Tobey Maguire's very good; Kirsten Dunst is sweet. (RP) Rated: PG-13





Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones


Clones is a mix of exciting action and youthful romance. It's 10 years later, and young Anakin has become a feisty apprentice to Obi-Wan in the ways of the Jedi. Queen Amidala is now a senator, with assassins on her trail. Obi-Wan and Anakin do their best to save the day. (ES) Rated PG





Stuart Little 2


I do love this little mouse. Sweetly calculated, building on the good humor and good will of the first, the 78 minutes of Stuart Little 2 don't have to stress lessons: a three-inch-high critter accepted by his family against the crushing outer world says it all. Geena Davis, Jonathan Lipnicki, Nathan Lane's grumpy-puss Snowbell and Michael J. Fox's Stuart repeat; the storybook Manhattan is a glistening treat. Directed by Rob Minkoff. (RP) RATED: PG





Ultimate X


The note under the Rated PG symbol says it all: "Daredevil sports action and mild language." ESPN's wildly popular Summer X Games 2001 in Philadelphia come to life on the five-story IMAX screen, with breathtaking footage of street luge, moto X, biking, skateboarding and more. RATED: PG





Capsule reviews are written


by Ed Symkus (ES) and Ray Pride (RP),


unless otherwise noted.