q Photo Melinda Sue Gordon LISA Kudrow, Meg Ryan and Diane Keaton star in Hanging Up on now at Park and Tilford Cinepiex. Sister act getti B Hanging Up * 1/2 (out of 5) . Starring Meg Ryan, Diane Keaton, Lisa Kudrow and Walter Matthau. Directed by Diane Keaton. IN many ways, Henging Up is like a modern-day King Lear: three sis- ters, varying degrees of filial loyal- ty, an aging father. The only dif- ference is we wish Meg Ryan’s character (the Cordelia in this sce- nario) would strangle herself with the phone cord after the first act. Director Diane Keaton won critical acclaim for Unstrung Heroes a few years back, and you would think she'd know etter, Hanging Up is Nora (Sleepless In Seattle) and Delia Ephron’s semi-autobi- ographical tale of three sis- ters and their aging father. If the roles are supposed to reflect their family, the Ephron sisters should be blushing: they’ve created annoying, one-dimensional and self-centred characters. Eve (Meg Ryan) is the “good” sister. She’s the one burdened with midnight calls for Chinese food from eran a her forgetful father (Walter Matthau), who is back in the hospital. She takes a constant stream of calls from him while juggling family and her party- planning business. ; The fatter is laughable: it’s impossible to believe this - woman’ can keep herself together for 24 hours, much less -. plan other people’s lives. We got the whole “hanging up” metaphor in the first . scene. It takes Eve far too long to discover what the audi- .- ence already knows: she has to disconnect to connect with what really counts. In other words, we would have built a touch-tone pyre and set it alight long ago. . . Also wielding cellphones are Eve’s sisters Georgia (Diane Keaton) and Maddy (Lisa Kudrow), too absorbed in their Corplete Bathroom Package Special © Pressure Salanced Tub/Shower Valve ® Lavatory Faucet ¢ Acrylic Soaker Tub Toilet © Sink (Retail $7500) 1395 Pemberton Ave., N. Van Also visit us at 2706 Barnet Hwy., y Cog., 945-2728 own lives to show more than passing interest in the crazy demands of their father. Georgia runs a successful magazine she named after herself; Maddy is basking in limited soap- opera stardom. Meg Ryan as Fve is Meg Ryan. She is cute and scatter-brained. She pouts, cries on cue and tugs at her hair endlessly. But Ryan had better get a new schtick in a hurry: I¢ gets harder to pull off the lovable-girl-next- door routine in your 40s. Keaton is good in her limited role. Lisa Kudrow resurrects Phoebe, her Friends character, yet again. Overall, while the acting is good, the saccharine-saturated dialogue dominates every scene. The worst of these include: conversations during a tree- shopping expedition with fake snow, the requisite “I’m sorry”/“No, I'm sorry” scene, a prolonged food fight (seemingly a key ingredient in all “girl” movies). As a woman I’m offended by these vapid, self-centred portrayals of supposediy successful women. I didn’t expect an intellectual odyssey, but I expect- ed mere of a movie written, produced, directed and starring women. @ Reindeer Games wk (out of 5) Directed by John Frankenheimer. Starring Ben Affleck, Charlize Theron and Gary Sinise. oe Alliance Atiantis It'll take more than Ben Affleck in Reindeer Games. Rudolph’s shiny nose to cast a favourable light on Reindeer Games. despite big names John Frankenheimer’s follow-up to Ronin never quite takes off. Sec Ben Page 24 @ Park & Tilford Cineplex 200 — 233 Brooksbank, North Vancouver (985-3911) Scream 3 (14A) — 7:10, 9:35 p.m. Hanging Up (PG) -— 1, 3:10, 7, 9:10 p.m. Stuart Little (G) — 1:30, 3:45 p.m. American Beauty (14A) — 1:05, 3:35, 7, 9:10 p.m. Pitch Black (14A} — 1:10. 3:30, 7:20, 9:45 p.m. Reindeer Games (subject te classification) — 1:20, 3:50, 7:05, 9:20 p.m. The Beach (14A} —- 1:15, 3:40, 7:15, 9:55 p.m. @ Esplanade 6 Cinemas 200 W. Esplanade, North Vancouver (983-2762) The Whole Nine Yards — Fri, Mon-Thu 7:10, 9:30 p.m. Sat/Sun 1:50, 4:20, 7:10, 9:30 p.m. Cider House Rules — Fri, Mon-Thu 7, 9:40 p.m. Sat/Sun 1:35, 4:15, 7, 9:40 p.m. The Tigger Movie — Fri, Mon-Thu 7:15 p.m. Sat/Sun 1:30, 3:30, 5:20, 7:15 pum. The Green Mile — 9 p.m. Wonder Boys —~ Fri, Mon-Thu 7:30, 9:50 p.m. Sat/Sun 2, 4:25, 7:30, 9:50 p.m. Snow Day — Fn, Mon-Thu 7:25. 9:35 p.m. Sat/Sun 2:15, 4:40, 7:25, 9:35 p.m. Boiler Room — Fri, Mon-Thu 7:20, 9:45 p.m. Sat/Sun 1:45, 4:35, 7:20, 9:45 p.m. Caprice Park Royal South West Vancouver (926-6699) Talented Mr. Ripley (14A) — 7:40 p.m. plus Sat/Sun 2:05 p.m. End of the Affair (PG) — 7:05, 9:10 pan. The Hurricane (PG) — 7:30 p.m. plus Sat/Sun 2 p.m. Toy Story (G) — Sat/Sun 2:15 p.m. @ Fifth Avenue Cinemas 2110 Burrard at 5th, Vancouver (734-8700) The Cup (G) — 7:20, 9:25 p.m. plus Sat/Sun 2:10, 4:30 p.m. and Tue 4:30 p.m. Holy Smoke (14A) — 7:15, 9:40 p.m. plus Sat/Sun 1:50, 4:40 p.m. and Tue 4:40 p.m. American Beauty (14A) — 7:05 and 9:35 p.m. plus Sat/Sun 1:40, 4:10 p.m. and Tue 4:10 p.m. The Cider House Rules (PG) — 7, 9:30 p.m. plus Sat/Sun 1:30, 4 p.m. and Tue 4 p.m. All About My Mother (144A) — 7:10, 9:20 p.m. plus Sat/Sun 2, 4:20 p.m. and Tue 4:20 p.m. (no 7:10 p.m. show on Mon, Feb. 28) See Showtimes Page 2h New Yamaha FUpright 7 Pianos i. $3468 or 3 1 $104. 20imne \ Grand Pianos fr, $10998 or Yamaha Clavinova Digital ; Pianos ie fr. $1898 oF E S$56.97%nh* | 5 Piece Drumsets fi. $399 or” $20. 95/nuh* Rane Dj Packages i. $499 Yamaha Portable Keyboards or $38.72mch* fe. $199 or $15.46inth* gi Electric Guitars fr. $149 or ft. $139 or S11 .s6/mth® $10,780 ¢ + Planes - Koyboards + Sultare > Dram * Pro Audie -jishinedias | «Bia Lighting Equigmont- Priat Music > Brass Wind 3 Sirtays- 9 for feted customers “Acoustic Guitars { 685-8471 "6.16. °*Exchudes Sales iter s(redyetow tags}, Enjoyment of Music. ref Cooks, ics & ‘ ic, reference: * Sonies & magazines,