Opening Films

by Inlander Staff


The Day After Tomorrow -- Roland Emmerich's newest film is his best, despite the fact that the dramatic premise of a father (Dennis Quaid) trying to rescue his son (Jake Gyllenhaal) is more preposterous than the special effects. Yes, you get to see the mother of all global-warming generated storms, and the visual effects are fantastic. Even though this is the end of the world as we know it, you'll feel fine. (ES) Rated: PG-13





Raising Helen -- Kate Hudson is perky as a petunia in this happy-sappy story of a nice but self-centered Manhattanite who's given her older sister's three children after a tragedy. Helen, who knows only fashion shows and nightclubs, suddenly knows everything about motherhood, which is part of the problem of this wholly unbelievable story. Lots of side plots get in the way, even a possibly romantic one between Helen and a religious school principal (John Corbett). Hudson plays it well, but Joan Cusack, as another sister, overdoes the hamming to annoyance. (ES) Rated: PG-13





Soul Plane -- You don't really need to know much more about this than that Snoop Dogg is the captain of a purple-and-chrome, fully pimped-out, runway-thumping jumbo jet. Also, Tom Arnold plays a belligerent white guy passenger, the plane's entire female staff consists of two different types of stereotypes ("fat & amp; sassy" or "tall & amp; sexy"), and the flight number is, of course, "0-69." Clever. Rated: R





Publication date: 05/27/04