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CNN Live Today

'People' Film Reviewer: Weekend Picks

Aired August 23, 2002 - 13:54   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: If reality bites at your job, you can always escape to the unreality of the movies.
My old friend Leah Rozen is film reviewer for "People" magazine -- joins us live from our New York bureau. She has got a preview of new releases at the box office.

Hey, Leah.

Hey, Anderson, how are you?

COOPER: I'm good. How are you?

LEAH ROZEN, "PEOPLE": I'm getting by.

COOPER: So, "Simone" -- I've been seeing commercials for this movie. It stars Al Pacino. Is it any good?

ROZEN: Yes, it's actually pretty good. This one is -- we are really in the dog days of summer here. This one is probably the smartest movie opening this weekend. Al Pacino plays a director down on his luck in Hollywood until he creates a virtual star -- you see her right there -- named Simone. Basically, he is the only one that knows she is nothing but pixalated. And his movie and she become these massive hits. So essentially, what you have here is a satire on Hollywood about how we worship celebrities, what the price of fame that, that sort of thing.

What's interesting is this film is directed -- written and directed -- by Andrew Niccol, who wrote "The Truman Show" and wrote and directed "Gattaca." And clearly, he is preoccupied with questions of reality and created reality.

COOPER: This is a lot different than "Gattaca." "Gattaca" was based on science fiction.

ROZEN: Sci-fi -- but again, you had sort of cloned people. And so it's this question of what's real, what do we accept, what did we really want in people. A lot of it is very, very funny. And a lot the Hollywood satire stuff is right on target -- but that's an easy target. Half way through the movie, it becomes clear that Pacino is really going to be the only real character in the film, and you sort of go, They could have made this a little quicker.

COOPER: What about Matthew Perry? He has some new movie opening out this weekend. And I think Elizabeth Hurley is in it as well. ROZEN: Yes, this would be called "Serving Sara." It's a (UNINTELLIGIBLE) comedy. This is the movie that Matthew Perry, half way through, had to shut down production, when he went into rehab. Good for him, and I wish him well -- and I wish I could say nicer things about it. But this film has loser stamped on its forehead. It just has real script problems. It is just not very funny. It's the kind of movie you can sort of see the flop-sweat dripping off it. Matthew Perry plays a process server. He and Elizabeth Hurley are on the road to serve her cheating husband with divorce papers. Allegedly, hilarity ensues.

COOPER: The other movie that opened up this weekend, "Undisputed" -- is that any good -- Ving Rhames?

ROZEN: "Undisputed" has very nice acting by Ving Rhames and Wesley Snipes, two terrific actors, but they are stuck in a rather predictable boxing in prison movie. Wesley Snipes is the champ of the prison; Ving Rhames is the real champion -- the sort of type and overtones. He is in for a rape. There can only be one champ in prison. So the whole thing is leading to the big climactic fight.

COOPER: I say skip all three of those, go see "My Big Fat Greek Wedding." What do you say?

ROZEN: A lot of America agrees with you. That is clearly the sleeper hit of the year.

COOPER: Leah Rozen, thanks very much for joining us, from "People" magazine.

ROZEN: You're welcome.

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