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Rip It Up, Issue 177, 1 April 1992, Page 32

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BILL AND TED'S BOGUS JOURNEY: They're back! Keanu

Reeves and Alex Winter as those two irrepressible surfer dudes. This time taking the ultimate trip — Death! The evil De Nomolos seeks to change the course of history by sending back two robot minions who look remarkably like Bill and Ted. Our moronic twosome is not to be beaten as they set about thwarting the plan and saving the babes. Not as good as the first (are sequels ever?) but saved by the special effects. BLUE DESERT: Twice a rape victim, Lisa escapes the Bad Apple (New York) for a peaceful rest in the country. Naturally it's not that simple. Caught between two men she wonders who to trust, who not to. A good cast make for a good suspense thriller. CARTEL: A cast of B-Grade and no-name actors in a stock action film about the corruption and connivance of the drug underworld. Yup. DRIVING ME CRAZY: Another John Hughes film, this one directed by Peter Faiman and starring Ed O'Neill ■ from Married With Children. Essentially a road film with O'Neill picking up Ethan Randall from boarding school to drive him home for thanksgiving. Randall plays the son of O'Neill's new girlfriend and O'Neill sees the ride as an opportunity to 'bond'' with the boy. A typically Hughes film, not without its flaws and not without its humour. KICK BOXER 2: THE ROAD BACK After being defeated by Kurt Sloan (Van Damme) in the first film, Kung Po seeks to regain his honour by forcing younger brother David Sloan into the ring and beating the shit out of him. Lots of bloody fight sequences but not a trace of Van Damme in this film. Not that that should matter to action fans.

NOT WITHOUT MY DAUGHTER: American movie studios woke up to the untapped female

audience and cashed in on Desert

Storm Fever with this film? Possibly. This vid will certainly end up on our TV screens as the standard Monday night '... film of the decade... every woman's nightmare... a tale of terror and

tremendous personal triumph.' Sally Field stars as the middle class

Michegan mother married to an Iranian who wants to pop back home for a quick "holiday." She doesn't but they do anyway. When they get to Iran he reverts to his fundamentalist

Moslem ways and decides to keep the family there. She decides to leave, but not without her daughter... OBJECT OF BEAUTY: John Malkovich and Andie MacDowell are living the good life in an expensive hotel on their diminishing largesse.

Conflict arises when their precious bronze statuette disappears (it

symbolises their love) and each accuses the other of flogging it. Actually the chambermaid has swiped it, not for its value but its beauty. The point of it all gets a bit muted in places, but worth watching despite its flaws. ONE MAN'S JUSTICE: This film hit movie screens as One Good Cop and stars Hollywood's invisible star Michael Keaton. How this man got to be Batman still infects every role he plays (for me). Not that he isn't bad here, and it's a good enough film. Officer Keaton's life is turned upside down when he is landed with the three

daughters of his slain police partner. On his cop's salary he is unable to afford (or permitted to keep) the three orphans' To get the money he needs would mean dropping every upstanding principle he ever held. (What should he do customers? Money or the bag?)

THE PERFECT WEAPON: Jeff Speakman is the perfect weapon. He's the new action man on the block and Variety Magazine called him sexier than Jean Claude Van Damme. His diction is better too, but considering Swarzeneggers success that may not be wise. As a first film for Speakman this is worth seeing, its well made,

action a-plenty, and evidently . Paramount Pictures have mega plans for the boy. ROBIN HOOD: PRINCE OF THIEVES: Such is my hatred of Bryan Adams and his theme song I was one of the few people in NZ not to see this film at the theatres. Seeing it on video I still didn't like it. The Yanks have taken over Sherwood Forrest!! Not that I'll deny it's a film most will enjoy. Alan Rickman as the Sherriff of Nottingham * is as good as the film critics said he was. Also starring whatsisname? Kevin Costner? WHITE FANG: A new version of the Jack London classic. (You might have read it at Intermediate). Set in Alaska during the goldrush of the late 1900 s Ethan Hawke has come from San Francisco to stake his dead fathers claim. Hardship and rip-offs abound. Excellent cinematography makes for a good film to watch when you're stuck at home minding the young 'uns (assuming they're old enough to handle dogfights).

NICK D'ANGELO