& Pack & Tiiford Cineplex
200 — 333 Brooksbank,
North Vancouver (985-3911)
Final Destination (subject to
classification) —- Fri-Tue 1:25,
4, 7:25, 9:40 p.m. Wed/Tho
1:25, 7:25, 9:40 p.m.
American Beauty (14A) —
Fr-Tue 1:05, 3:35, 6:50, 9:20
p.m. Wed/Thu 1:05, 6:50,
9:20 p.m.

The Ninth Gare (14A) —
Fri-Tue 1:10, 3:40, 6:45, 9:30
p.m. Wed/Thu 1:10, 6:45,
9:30 p.m.

What Planet are you from?
(14A) — Fri-Tue 1:20, 3:55,
7:10, 9:35 p.m. Wed/Thu
1:20, 7:10, 9:35 p.m.
Drowning Mona (?'G) —
7:20, 9:25 p.m.

To Walk with Lions (PG) —
Fri-Tue 1:15, 3:50 p.m.
Wed/Thu 1:15 p.m.

Eris. Brockovich (14A) —
Fri-Tue 1, 3:45, 7, 9:50 p.m.
Wed/Thu 1, 7, 9:50 p.m.

Wi Esplanade 6 Cinemas
200 W. Esplanade, North
Vancouver (983-2762)
Mission to Mars — 1:50,
4:20, 7:10, 9:50 p.m.

Cider House Rules — 1:35,
4:15, 7, 9:40 p.m.

The Tigger Movie — 1:30,
3:30, 5:20, 7:15 p.m.
Mission to Mars — 9:50
p.m.

Wonder Boys —
Fri/Sat/Sun/Mon/Tue 2,
4:25, 7:30, 9:55 p.m.
Romeo Must Die —
Wed/Thu 2, 4:25, 7:30, 9:55

Mm.
The Whole Nine Yards —
2:15, 4:30, 7:25, 9:45 p.m.
My Dog Skip — 1:45, 4,
7:05, 9:25 p.m.

Caprice Park Royal
South

West Vancouver (926-6699)

Stuart Litsle (G) — 7 p.m.

pins Sun 2:15 p.m.

Angela’s Ashes (PG) — 7:40
.m. plus Sun 2 p.m.

The lurricane (PG) — 8:45

Next Best Thing (PG) —
7:05, 9:10 p.m. Sun 2:05
p.m.

Fifth Avenue Cinemas
2110 Burrard at Sth,
Vancouver (734-8700)
The Cup (G) — 7:20, 9:25
p.m. plus Sat/Sun 2:10, 4:40
_ p.in. and Tue 4:40 p.m. (no "
7:20 5 ae on Mon,
Bosetta (PG) — 7:15, 9:15
p.n. plus Sat/Sun 2, 4:30
p.m. and Tue 4:30 p.m.
American Beauty (14A) —
7:05, 9:35 p.m. Sat/Sun
1:40, 4:10 p.m. and Tue 4:10

Dh.
The Cider House Rules
(PG) -- 7, 9:30 p.m. Sat/Sun
1:30, 4 p.m. and Tue 4 p.m.
All About My Mother (14A)
— 7:10, 9:20 p.m. plus
Sat/Sun 1:50, 4:20 p.m. and
Tue 4:20 p.m. (no 7:10 p.m.
show on Thu, March 23)

Park Theatre
3440 Cambie at 18th,

. Vancouver (876-2747)
Topsy Turvy (PG) —- Fri
6:30, 9:30 p.m. Sat 3:30,
6:30, 9:30 p.m. Sun 3:30, 7
p-m. and Mon-Thu 7:15 p.m.

& Mision to Mars k*
(out of 5) Directed by
Brian De Palma. Starring
Gary Sinise and Tim
Robbins. Now playing at
Esplanade 6.

AIRLESS, weightless
and sometimes aimless
.. is the best way to
describe the conditions
on Mission to Mars.

There are a couple of yreat
scenes in the film, and one or
two moments of genuine sus-
pense. But these are eclipsed
by cringe-worthy dialogue and
lackfustre performances from
an impressive cast.

After the crew on the first
mission to Mars is all but
wiped out by a mysterious and
deadly force, a rescue crew
(played by Tim Robbins, Gary
Sinise, Connie Nielsen and
Jerry O°Connell) follows.

There is definite tension
when the team is forced to
abandon ship and jet about
looking for an alternate way to
enter Mars’ atmosphere. But
again, half-hearted acting
results in us not really caring
that only three crew members
make it to the surface.

Once on the red planet
(actually parts of the Lower
Mainland) the crew is given
the opportunity to break an
alien code and find answers to
some of the mysteries of the
cosmos.

The premise is good. The

Friday, March 17. 2000 — North Shore Hews ~ 19

pac
ee

ASTRONAUTS dance in zero gravity on their way to Mars. Mission to Mars is now playing at Esplanade 6.

dialogue is not.

On occasion the actors
seem to be in an oxygen-
deprived stupor; but if you
had to recite some of these
tines you would be too.

ually disappointing is a
prolonged fourth of July pic-
nic scene, with a poorly script-
ed attempt to bring the audi-
ence up to speed, served
alongside some blatant visual
plugs for Budweiser and Dr.
Pepper.

One of the highlights of
the film is Ennio Morricone’s
score: he never fails to deliver
music that blends seamlessly
with a film’s emotional com-

ition.

The special effects hark

back to the early days of sci-
ence fiction, and may seem
amateurish to computer
effects junkies but endearing
to sci-fi film connoisseurs.

Set designers did an excel-
lent job with the ship, which
looks the part, right down to
the rivets. Some of the more
interesting shots are of the
crew waiking, and dancing,
around the ship, defying grav-
ity.

De Palma made a wise
decision in cutting the stan-
dard shots of countdowns and
blast-offs, which have lost
their impact over the years
through overuse in film.
Instead the director cuts ic
the crew months later en

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route Mars.

But while he economizes,
De Palma also takes too much
time with more mundane
scenes, leaving the impression
of an incomplete editing job.
The result is a start-and-stop
pace that is jarring to viewers.

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The film was whispered to

“be the 2001: A Space Odyssey _

of our generation. But while
some thought Kubrick’s film
too obtuse, De Palma’s will be
remembered as too obvious.
Overall, Miston to Mars fails
to get off the ground.

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