Sun, 02 Jul 2000

Film synopses

Petualangan Sherina (Sherina's Adventure). Children-musical; starring Sherina Munaf, Didi Petet, Butet Kartarajasa and Derby Romero. Directed by Riri Riza.

A crowd-pleasing film featuring the talented child singer every mother wished she had, Sherina. The story revolves around Sherina's moving with her family from Jakarta to Bandung.

In this new city, Sherina adapts well and soon has many new friends at her school, except for Romero, the class troublemaker who succeeds in getting on her nerves. But when Romero is kidnapped by a gang of comical bad guys, including impersonator Kartarajasa, Sherina decides to go to his rescue.

This effort by Kuldesak codirector Riri Riza is seen as having a chance to revive Indonesia's film industry, evidenced by the long lines people are willing to stand in to get tickets to the movie. (08)

Mission: Impossible 2. Action, 127 minutes; starring Tom Cruise, Thandie Newton, Dougray Scott and Ving Rhames. Directed by John Woo.

Woo proves himself an action maestro with this movie about an agent (Cruise) trying to prevent a villain from infecting the world with a deadly virus. You will enjoy the jaw-dropping and finely choreographed action scenes, including the double-handed gunplay which has become Woo's trademark.

Talented Newton stars opposite Cruise as a vulnerable professional thief who decides to help Cruise, while Rhames stars as Cruise's associate.

Although not as highly acclaimed as Woo's Face/Off, last weekend's data showed the movie had already earned US$188.9 million at the U.S. box office since its premier on May 24. (08)

Halloween: H2O. Slasher-horror, 92 minutes; starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Michelle Williams. Directed by Steve Miner.

Curtis, the heroine of the original Halloween, returns to star in a sequel which takes place 20 years after the first movie about the knife-wielding, unstoppable maniac Michael Myers. This time she is Laurie Strode, the psychotic killer's sister. She has managed to build a new life for herself and her son when her brother decides to pay a visit. Soon her fight to save her family and friends from her brother turns into a bloodbath, as the maniac refuses to leave any survivors.

This gory, yet darkly humorous horror flick surprisingly was acclaimed by a number of prominent critics. Kevin Williamson, who wrote Scream, the movie that revived slasher films, co-executive- produced this latest installment of the Halloween franchise. (08)