WEEKEND PIC: Aug 3 - 5 2007

Your Guide To The Weekend Viewing:

1. BECAUSE I SAID SO (Romantic comedy with Diane Keaton, Mandy Moore and Gabriel Macht) Rated: * * * (out of 4): Unabashedly derivative and formulaic, this comedy works because of Keaton who can ham her way through any movie and still look funny.

2. DISTURBIA (suburban thriller with Shia LaBeouf, Sarah Roemer (pic), David Morse and Carrie-Anne Moss) Rating * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): A watchable suburban mystery that looks like a recycled "Rear Window". However, it seems to have taken a wrong turn and ends like a slasher movie.

3. FLASHPOINT (action thriller with Donnie Yen, Louis Koo and Fan Bing Bing) Rating * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): Like "Invisible Target", we have another cop-versus-Vietnamese gang in this over-indulgent fightfest that insults our intellect.

4. THE SIMPSONS MOVIE (animated comedy with voices of Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright and Yeardley Smith) Rated: * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): Homer gets chased out of town but somehow redeems himself in this rather tame big-screen rendition that seems to recycle the gags of the TV series. Mainly for Simpsons fans.

5. RISE: BLOOD HUNTER (Vampire actioner with Lucy Liu, Michael Chiklis and Carla Gugino) Rated: * * (2 stars): This one is mainly for fans of Lucy Liu as a reporter who goes for revenge after becoming a vampire.