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CNN Live Today

Look at Film Offerings for the Holiday Weekend

Aired July 03, 2003 - 10:50   ET

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

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


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Well he's back. Arnold Schwarzenegger in "Terminator 3: Rise of the machines." The 4th of July weekend always makes for good and big movie going.
Well film critic Leah Rozen of "People" magazine is with us this morning with your advice on the big pics this weekend. "T-3," of course. Nobody looks for the Terminator movies for a good plot. If anything, it's really for special effects. Will they be disappointed?

LEAH ROZEN, "PEOPLE": No. I think the special effects are pretty good but you actually have a plot this time. It's sort of a plot from the second Terminator, kind of a repeat of 2.

I actually like "Terminator 3." I think you went to the film with such low expectations, it's been a dozen years since the last film. You saw it, you know, since there's been "Matrix," "X-Men." Do we really need this?

But they've actually managed to further the story and the characters. It's got a lot of humor, you know. Did you really expect to see Arnold extend his palm and say to someone, "Talk to the hand"? "Terminator 3" is actually quite a bit of fun and it's only 109 minutes. So many...

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFIELD: And so the question is does he have more speaking parts because that's the beauty of the Terminators.

(CROSSTALK)

ROZEN: The beauty is he never has a sentence more than five words long, which you don't want to hear Arnold going on any longer than that. I think "Terminator 3" it proves there's life in those machines yet.

WHITFIELD: "Charlie's Angels," it was big last weekend. Might "T-3" knock it off? "Charlie's Angels" has gotten a lot of mixed reviews. Fun, campy, unrealistic. Isn't that kind of what it set out to be?

ROZEN: Yes. "Charlie's Angels" is simply a hoot and a holler, it is nonstop action. They're very happy with themselves, they're having a good time and they're sort of just reveling in having a good time. There is no plot whatsoever. There's barely a plot. But there's a whole lot of eye candy, both male and female. There are lots of guys walking around with their shirts off and there's nothing wrong with that.

WHITFIELD: All right.

ROZEN: So "Charlie's Angels" is actually just a lot of fun but it is completely a popcorn movie.

WHITFIELD: Wow. All right, "Legally Blonde 2." It sounds like it should be a lot fun. Some say there's really a good serious message in all of this as well.

ROZEN: I would argue with that. I mean, it's a one-joke movie. It is pretty much a replay of "Legally Blonde" except this time Elle Woods, the character played by Reese Witherspoon goes to Washington where she works for a congresswoman played by Sally Field, who is extremely good.

This is "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" done up in pink. It's pretty much one joke, but if you liked the first movie, you'll probably have a pleasant enough time at this one and Reese Witherspoon is very much a movie star and extremely likable.

WHITFIELD: I heard Reese herself say what she likes about this movie is the serious message is it sends a message to young girls out there, you can be and do anything up want and you can even make it to Capital hill.

(CROSSTALK)

ROZEN: I just wish she would take on more serious issues in her films. In this case, she's fighting for animal rights against cosmetics testing on dogs. You go, the movie is so careful not to offend anyone. However...

WHITFIELD: That's a serious topic.

ROZEN: Yes, well, you know, she's not tackling the big ones.

WHITFIELD: OK. I got you. All right, Leah, always good to see you. Thanks very much.

ROZEN: Thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired July 3, 2003 - 10:50   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Well he's back. Arnold Schwarzenegger in "Terminator 3: Rise of the machines." The 4th of July weekend always makes for good and big movie going.
Well film critic Leah Rozen of "People" magazine is with us this morning with your advice on the big pics this weekend. "T-3," of course. Nobody looks for the Terminator movies for a good plot. If anything, it's really for special effects. Will they be disappointed?

LEAH ROZEN, "PEOPLE": No. I think the special effects are pretty good but you actually have a plot this time. It's sort of a plot from the second Terminator, kind of a repeat of 2.

I actually like "Terminator 3." I think you went to the film with such low expectations, it's been a dozen years since the last film. You saw it, you know, since there's been "Matrix," "X-Men." Do we really need this?

But they've actually managed to further the story and the characters. It's got a lot of humor, you know. Did you really expect to see Arnold extend his palm and say to someone, "Talk to the hand"? "Terminator 3" is actually quite a bit of fun and it's only 109 minutes. So many...

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFIELD: And so the question is does he have more speaking parts because that's the beauty of the Terminators.

(CROSSTALK)

ROZEN: The beauty is he never has a sentence more than five words long, which you don't want to hear Arnold going on any longer than that. I think "Terminator 3" it proves there's life in those machines yet.

WHITFIELD: "Charlie's Angels," it was big last weekend. Might "T-3" knock it off? "Charlie's Angels" has gotten a lot of mixed reviews. Fun, campy, unrealistic. Isn't that kind of what it set out to be?

ROZEN: Yes. "Charlie's Angels" is simply a hoot and a holler, it is nonstop action. They're very happy with themselves, they're having a good time and they're sort of just reveling in having a good time. There is no plot whatsoever. There's barely a plot. But there's a whole lot of eye candy, both male and female. There are lots of guys walking around with their shirts off and there's nothing wrong with that.

WHITFIELD: All right.

ROZEN: So "Charlie's Angels" is actually just a lot of fun but it is completely a popcorn movie.

WHITFIELD: Wow. All right, "Legally Blonde 2." It sounds like it should be a lot fun. Some say there's really a good serious message in all of this as well.

ROZEN: I would argue with that. I mean, it's a one-joke movie. It is pretty much a replay of "Legally Blonde" except this time Elle Woods, the character played by Reese Witherspoon goes to Washington where she works for a congresswoman played by Sally Field, who is extremely good.

This is "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" done up in pink. It's pretty much one joke, but if you liked the first movie, you'll probably have a pleasant enough time at this one and Reese Witherspoon is very much a movie star and extremely likable.

WHITFIELD: I heard Reese herself say what she likes about this movie is the serious message is it sends a message to young girls out there, you can be and do anything up want and you can even make it to Capital hill.

(CROSSTALK)

ROZEN: I just wish she would take on more serious issues in her films. In this case, she's fighting for animal rights against cosmetics testing on dogs. You go, the movie is so careful not to offend anyone. However...

WHITFIELD: That's a serious topic.

ROZEN: Yes, well, you know, she's not tackling the big ones.

WHITFIELD: OK. I got you. All right, Leah, always good to see you. Thanks very much.

ROZEN: Thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com