SwingBatta

While Ridley Scott ("Alien," "Blade Runner") continues to get the pick of the litter, younger brother Tony ("Days of Thunder," "The Last Boy Scout") is sometimes relegated to the leftovers, and "The Fan" is no exception. Unemployed knife salesman and San Francisco Giants fan Gil Renard (Robert DeNiro) is obsessed with his favorite player, $40 million acquisition Bobby Rayburn (Wesley Snipes). When Rayburn suffers through the worst slump of his career, Renard is more than willing to do anything to help him break out of it. It plays just as hokey as it sounds and is saved by good acting from a strong cast. Snipes has little to do in the thankless jock role but makes the most of it, and John Leguizamo is memorable as Rayburn's sleazy agent, but DeNiro, way over the top here but through no fault of his own, is more Max Patkin than Max Cady in a film that contains moderate bang for the buck yet ultimately fails to generate any actual thrills. "The Fan" tries to include a commentary on the relationship between high-priced ballplayers and the fans who pay their salary (one memorable line: "We're the ones who get you your $40 [expletive] million"), but it's drowned out by the tepid script, frenzied cinematography, and director Scott's peculiar fixation with the Nine Inch Nails catalog. The telltale sign that "The Fan" doesn't deliver as a thriller is when the most memorable scene consists of DeNiro swallowing his pride and shaving his legs with a hunting knife during in-store demonstrations. 7/10

There's probably no point in discussing the plot of "Empire," since the whole movie is all but divulged in the trailers, but it's not in my best interest to leave people in the dark. Victor Rosa (John Leguizamo, also providing voice-over narration) is a South Bronx drug dealer who wants to get out of the business and lead a normal life with his pregnant girlfriend (Delilah Cotto), who is expecting their first child. Victor believes Wall Street investment banker Jack Wimmer (Peter Sarsgaard) is his lifeline to quick – and legal – financial freedom. It's not long before his alliance with Wimmer begins to alienate relationships with his friends and partners, which in turn yields serious consequences. This solid storyline is lost in the abyss of director Franc. Reyes' world of near-pitch black sets, endless gunplay, flat dialogue that's composed mainly of colorful metaphors, and rappers playing trigger-happy drug dealers (in this case, Treach and Fat Joe; at least they're a major improvement over stiffs like Ja Rule and DMX). The third act collapses under the weight of its predictability; a field guide and binoculars won't be needed to spot twists that can be seen from a country mile away. Denise Richards pops up in the egregious role of Wimmer's sexpot girlfriend, but don't let that deter you from seeing an otherwise fairly entertaining movie. It's difficult to argue, though, that Leguizamo's talents were better put to use in "Ice Age." 7/10

Sleepy Hollow High (2000): A group of high school students performing community service on Sleepy Hollow park grounds are knocked off one by one by someone wearing a pumpkin mask and carrying a big sword. Released straight to home video, this movie has the depth of a thimble (as well as an asinine ending) and was clearly made in an attempt to capitalize on Tim Burton's 1999 masterpiece, but there are far worse ways in the world to spend $16,000. The acting is decent, and directors Kevin Summerfield (who also appears in the film as a student counselor named Mr. E) and Chris Arth make the most of their limited resources. The DVD has quite a few extras for a low-budget hole-in-the-wall flick, including directors' commentary, cast and crew interviews, and a "deleted scenes" reel – actually a stale collection of outtakes – plus hidden footage of the film's April 2000 "world premiere" at Towson State University (the movie was shot in Maryland). "Sleepy Hollow High" is the cinematic equivalent of a Snickers bar; satisfying but quickly forgotten, and yet more fulfilling than many $100-million summer blockbusters. 7.5/10