Page 3 of 3
PAYCHECK This futuristic yarn is adapted from a story by Philip K. Dick, but the result is less like Blade Runner and Minority Report (both based on Dick works) than just another run-of-the-mill action tale, directed in "hired gun" fashion by John Woo. Woo made the preposterousness in Face/Off exciting, but here he barely seems interested in putting a movie on the screen, showing no discernible style with this initially intriguing thriller about a genius-for-hire (Ben Affleck) who tries to uncover a conspiracy after his memory has been wiped clean. Instead of smartly building on its premise, this merely gets sillier as it unfolds, and Uma Thurman, killing time between Kill Bill release dates, is wasted as Affleck's love interest. 
PETER PAN I've never been a fan of this classic tale in any of its numerous incarnations, so imagine my surprise as I fell victim to the rapturous spell of this live-action version, which rivals A Little Princess and The Secret Garden as a prime example of adding both artistry and adult sensibilities to a family project without placing it out of reach for the youngest viewers. Certainly, the small fry will enjoy watching Peter Pan (Jeremy Sumpter) sailing through the air or the slapstick shenanigans of Tinkerbell (Ludivine Sagnier), but this PG-rated adaptation of J.M. Barrie's original tale often adopts a darker tone that provides added subtext for older viewers. Kudos to director P.J. Hogan and his team for creating such an eye-popping world. 1/2
21 GRAMS Whiplashing between past and present, writer-director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (Amores Perros) has fashioned an absorbing drama that's as much about loneliness, retribution and redemption as it is about matters of the heart. Much of the movie's potency comes from viewers being allowed to slowly connect its pieces, so suffice it to say that the story centers on three individuals (Sean Penn, Naomi Watts, Benicio Del Toro, all terrific) whose lives are all affected by the same car crash. As narrative fragments bombard us and the storyline circles back on itself repeatedly, it becomes apparent that the melodramatics are merely a necessity to forward the movie's exploration of the manner in which life and death are constantly stepping on each other's toes. 1/2
