By Carl DiOrio

HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - ``American Pie 2'' choked down $12.8 million in estimated weekend box office, as the Universal comedy outpaced five wide openers and New Line's still-strong ``Rush Hour 2'' to become first picture in four months to finish No. 1 three times.

``Rush 2'' parked in second place for a third consecutive session with an estimated $11.4 million.

Of the bowing pictures, Miramax/Dimension's ``Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back'' performed best with roughly $11.1 million in third place. ``Jay and Silent Bob,'' representing the latest outing from writer/director Kevin Smith, was produced for an estimated $22 million.

Warner Bros.' teen romancer ``Summer Catch'' caught an estimated $7.5 million in sixth place, while Sony's John Carpenter sci-fi actioner ``The Ghosts of Mars'' scared up $3.8 million in ninth position.

DreamWorks' Woody Allen laffer ``The Curse of the Jade Scorpion'' and Disney's romantic comedy ``Bubble Boy'' bowed out of the top 10, with estimated weekend box office of $2.5 million and $2 million, respectively.

Industrywide, the estimated $94 million in total box office represented a 2% improvement from the same weekend a year ago.

Summer 2001 is 11% ahead of last year with a total $2.79 billion in receipts headed into the season-ending Labor Day frame. And in a year-to-date comparison, '01 is up 9% over 2000 with $5.44 billion so far.

Though ``Pie 2'' marked the first three-time No. 1 picture since a March-April spurt for Miramax/Dimension's kids thriller ``Spy Kids,'' the performance for the teen comedy compared with a stronger $17.4 million weekend for the studio's ``Bring It On'' in the same session last year. And the latest weekend was off a whopping 18% from box office totals just a week ago.

Tom Borys, president of box office tracker ACNielsen, noted some 40% of the nation's school kids were back in classrooms by Friday.

``It's safe to say that's part of the reason the brakes have been hit,'' Borys observed.

Miramax marketing VP David Kaminow said the ``great opening'' for ``Jay and Silent Bob'' was nonetheless hampered by Smith fans' patronizing sneaks the previous weekend. Marketing efforts will try to build on that core constituency in future weekends.

Warner Bros. distribution president Dan Fellman said he was ``very pleased'' with the performance of his company's Freddie Prinze Jr. starrer, which exit interviews showed skewing 58% female among audiences almost entirely under age 25.

Sony execs acknowledged mild disappointment in the bow for ``Ghosts of Mars.'' But with an estimated $28 million negative cost, it's expected the picture still will prove profitable.

``Jade Scorpion,'' an even more modestly budgeted picture, could turn a profit by grossing in the low double-digit millions domestically. But ``Bubble Boy,'' produced at an estimated $13 million, will look to ancillary markets to recoup even that modest investment.

Meanwhile, pictures at the top of the box office table are already well into the profitable range.

``Pie 2,'' produced for an estimated $30 million, has grossed $109.6 million already. And ``Rush Hour 2,'' carrying a $90 million negative cost, is eyeing $200 million domestically with a $183.3 million total to date.

Miramax/Dimension's Nicole Kidman starrer ``The Others,'' a co-production with Spanish film concern Sogecine, seems another clear recent winner. The suspenser had an estimated production budget of $17 million, and its fourth-place gross of $8.6 million this weekend brings the total to $46.2 million.

And Disney's ``The Princess Diaries,'' which pencils in an estimated $26 million negative cost, grossed $6.7 million in seventh place for a royal fourth-week total of $82.5 million.

Among a handful of weak openers held over from the previous weekend, Paramount's ``Rat Race'' appears something of a winning tortoise. Posting a mimimal 29% drop from opening grosses for a $8.3 million haul in its second weekend, the modestly budgeted comedy boasts a 10-day total of $25.6 million.

By contrast, Universal's ``Captain Corelli's Mandolin'' fell 46% to $3.9 million for eighth place in its second weekend. The Nicolas Cage-Penelope Cruz starrer was produced for an estimated $57 million, with Universal and corporate cousin Canal Plus absorbing two-thirds of the costs and foreign rights partner Miramax the balance.

In a limited opening this weekend, Goldwyn/IDP's ``Tortilla Soup'' laffer grossed an estimated $670,640 in 202 big-city locations for a so-so $3,320 average. Its Gotham bow is set for Friday.

Elsewhere in the specialty market, Fox Searchlight's murder drama ``The Deep End'' dove into $1.2 million in expanding 150 playdates to a total 208. That represented an enviable $5,890 per location and brings the total to $2.6 million.

United Artists' black comedy ``Ghost World'' grossed $368,000 in unspooling in another 10 venues for a total 64. The performance delivered a solid $5,754 per-venue average and $2.5 million total.

Artisan's ``Made'' made another $250,000 from 167 engagements. Though its per-theater average dropped to a wobbly $1,500, the mob comedy has now pulled in a notable $4.1 million.

Miramax's ``Apocalypse Now Redux'' grossed $387,000 in 66 locations for a sturdy $5,863 average, as the extended-cut version of Francis Ford Coppola's Vietnam War classic raised its total to $2 million.

Reuters/Variety REUTERS

(Exhibitor Relations corrects three-day total for ``Rush Hour 2'')

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Following are the final data for the top 10 movies at the North American box office during the August 24-26 weekend, according to studio figures released Monday by Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc.

Film Three-day Cumulative

Title Gross Gross

1. American Pie 2 .......... $12,517,475

BOX OFFICE SO FAR: $109,337,940

2. Rush Hour 2 .......... $11,582,818

BOX OFFICE SO FAR: $183,421,781

3. Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back .......... $11,018,543

BOX OFFICE SO FAR: $11,018,543

4. The Others .......... $8,565,868

BOX OFFICE SO FAR: $46,146,680

5. Rat Race .......... $8,110,038

BOX OFFICE SO FAR: $25,437,381

6. Summer Catch .......... $7,018,593

BOX OFFICE SO FAR: $7,018,593

7. The Princess Diaries .......... $6,602,516

BOX OFFICE SO FAR: $82,391,618

8. Captain Corelli's Mandolin .......... $4,005,815

BOX OFFICE SO FAR: $14,092,095

9. Ghosts of Mars .......... $3,804,452

BOX OFFICE SO FAR: $3,804,452

10. Planet of the Apes .......... $3,586,225

BOX OFFICE SO FAR: $167,842,258

NOTE: ``The Curse of the Jade Scorpion'' opened at No. 11 with $2,459,315. ``Bubble Boy'' opened at No. 13 with $2,038,349.

Reuters/Variety REUTERS

John L.: American Pie 2 is still the number one film this week with little competition to face. Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back had the best opening, but fell a little short compared to the hype it had received. I will have a full review of JASBSB as well as a look at all of the other Kevin Smith films in the New Jersey "Trilogy" such as Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy, and Dogma. Freddie Prinze continues to wow the box office with his quarterly appearance in the top ten. Summer Catch has opened a bit better than his last couple of films. Ghost of Mars continues the Red Planet curse of any movie about Mars without Arnold Schwarzenegger shooting Sharon Stone in the forehead will bomb.  Woody Allen could not join the pack with his Curse of the Jade Scorpion since its premise and story are a bit tired. I say bring back Diane Keaton or even Louise Lasser to spark up the place. Bubble Boy unexpectedly bombed this weekend. It had a lot of publicity about its controversial subject manner and the fact that Beetlejuice from the Howard Stern Show had a role in it. I guess people decided to listen to the pleadings of the mother of the real life Bubble Boy. This will be a pretty big report this week, so let's get to it.

Several years ago, Kevin Patrick Smith sold his comic book collection to write and direct a small film known as "Clerks." It made only about $3 million in box office grosses, but that was extremely profitable considering the basic cost of making the movie was only $27,000. Smith's little film about the day in the life of a convenience store clerk and his friends/enemies has become a hit on video and cable spawning 4 pseudo sequels. Clerks started Smith's rants on everything pop culture especially the goings on in the Star Wars universe. At least a third of the dialogue in his movies has to do with observations on how the plots of science fiction and comic books don't make sense. I believe Smith had way too much free time growing up. I am a fan of the material that Smith references in his films, but most moviegoers are not looking at these movies that closely to get the jokes. Smith tends to be a bit too inside which hurts his mass appeal. Here are my reviews of Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy, Dogma, and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, the five part New Jersey Trilogy.

My personal favorite movie of Kevin Smith's is his first one, Clerks. It is raw and bare bones, but the dialogue in it is very funny and his goofs on convenient store customers, clerks, girlfriends, stoners, and slackers is right on. Clerks is the story of Dante (Brian O'Halloran) who is ordered into work on his day off and ends up in a whole mess of misadventures that include sex, violence, lawsuits, two deaths, shoplifting, lasagna, hockey, and of course Star Wars references. Dante's best friend/enemy is Randal (Jeff Anderson) who is the poster boy for slackers worldwide. He does not care about anything except bugging Dante all day. Randal works at the video store next door and spends more time in Dante's Quik Stop than he does at his own job. Randal is a carefree sort who wants Dante to have fun in life and take chances, while Dante just wants to make through the day alive. The chemistry between these two characters is very good and it is unfortunate that Smith did not bring them back until the most recent film even though it was way too brief. The other characters that wander around the store are Jay and Silent Bob (Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith himself). These guys are in all of the Smith films and act sort of like a Greek Chorus to the action that goes on as they comment and goof on all things not dealing with drugs and sex. Jay is a corner street drug dealer who seems to use more than he sells, and is portrayed almost a bit too naturally by Jason Mewes. Mewes is very good and if you watch all of the Smith movies together you can see how he has evolved as an actor. Well, as long as he plays a stoner, he should be fine, but another type of role might be more difficult. Kevin Smith's Silent Bob is an amazing character.  Bob acts like he can't or won't talk, but he only comments when there is something important to say. Bob has one line in the movie but it is a very important one that very simply helps the Dante character understand how to make the right choices in his life. I guess Smith has trouble memorizing lines since he never gives himself much to say and wrote a character that people are forced to pay attention to in case something profound exits from his mouth. Clerks is a black and white conversation heavy film that may not appeal to the average movie goer. I bought the whole thing and even put the movie on a couple of audio tapes just so I could listen to the words in my car. There is no real plot, just moments and occurences. The central story deals with the funeral of a person and how Dante can attend it and keep the store running. That funeral story is also heavily mentioned in Mallrats and is a storyline that hides through the other films as well. Clerks is very funny and highly recommended. Final Review: 4 stars out of 5; 8 1/2 out of 10; A; thumbs up.

MALLRATS - CAPSULE REVIEW

Mallrats has one of the stronger cult followings in the New Jersey Trilogy. However, it was a big box office bomb when it was released. It was thought that it would be a "smart Porkys" whatever that is. It became a movie that was about basic movie relationship squabbles, comic book superhero sex acts, Star Wars references, and those damn Magic Eye pictures. The movie is about T. S. and Brodie (Jeremy London and Jason Lee) going to the mall to try to get back together with their girlfriends. The supposed star of this movie is London, but his performance is too much of a straight man and he just did not seem to put much effort in the role. T. S. never really gets to shine above anyone else and only has one scene in a tent with a psychic with a strange defect that he refuses to acknowledge. His girlfriend, Brandi played by Claire Forlani is being controlled by her crazy dad (Michael Rooker) who gets to do the funniest stuff between the three. London is not very good in the movie and after seeing Mallrats you realize why he has not been used again in a Smith film again. Forlani is okay, but never gets to do much beyond her first scene. There is this one moment in the film where T. C. goes to a psychic with Brodie and he refuses to acknowledge her strange defect. The reason this movie works in any way is the performance by Jason Lee. He is great at Brodie trying to get his ex girlfriend, Rene (Shannon Doherty), from going out with the evil Shannon played by long time Kevin Smith favorite, Ben Affleck. His quest to defeat Shannon and win Rene is the best running storyline in the film. Brodie is obsessed with comic books and most of his dialogue deals with that obsession. His special interest is how superheroes have sex, and he gets to go right to the source for answers when he encounters Stan Lee the creator of the Incredible Hulk and Spiderman. The meeting of the Lees is my favorite part of the film, and Stan the Man gives a pretty good performance for a guy who had to use cue cards. Kevin Smith's scripts are fairly difficult to act to, and Jason Lee is one of the better ones who can do it naturally without looking like they are trying to be overly profound. Lee has a high voice that makes him sound sort of weird, but you get used to it. Along for the ride is Jay and Silent Bob causing all sorts of ruckus during the game show that is being set up by Brandi's father played by Michael Rooker. Their adventure in the movie has its amusing moments especially Smith's tribute to Luke Skywalker in the Wampa cave from "The Empire Strikes Back," but most of what they do is fairly pointless. Their best work was yet to come. Mallrats is good as a slice of life, but there is not enough story to carry the incidental moments of humor. A few more outrageous moments, no T. S., and more Brodie could have made this better. Ben Affleck's role is small but he plays a good villain here. It is amazing to see Affleck in this and realize that he won an Oscar for Good Will Hunting. You never know. The cult following for this movie is the largest for a Smith film, but I have to be honest and say it is my least favorite. Final Review: 2 stars out of 5; 5 1/2 out of 10; C+; thumbs down.

CHASING AMY - CAPSULE REVIEW

CA is Kevin Smith's best attempt at making a regular film that mixes his obsession with pop culture and his observational humor style of dialogue in terms of how gays are treated in society. It is not as cheap looking as Clerks, and is more coherent than Mallrats. The story is about how the character of Holden (Ben Affleck) who is the creator of the comic Bluntman and Chronic based on the likenesses of Jay and Silent Bob falls in love with Alyssa (Joey Lauren Adams) who is also a comic book writer who just happens to be a practicing lipstick lesbian. Holden's best friend and tracer... err I mean inker on Bluntman is Banky played by the always very good Jason Lee who tries to tell him it is a pointless battle going after a girl who prefers the snail trail over the snake path (whatever the hell that means). Affleck is not a great actor by any means, but his confusion and lust for this unique girl is interesting to watch and is played out pretty well with some very unexpected turns in the plot. Adams gives a star making performance that seems to have stopped her from getting any role close to being as good as this one. I could have seen her get an Oscar nomination for this part. Adams was dating Smith at the time of filming, but have since broken up which may have partly hurt her career. Affleck and Adams work well together especially in the earlier parts of the film where they discuss the reasons behind sexual preferences. Their best scene is the one on the swings in the park. The first half of CA is better than the second when the movie decides to change the Alyssa character drastically to a shocking degree. It is almost a cop out how it is handled, but I forgave it because it developed the character, it expanded on what could have been a one note storyline, and Alyssa's secret is extremely funny. I will never think of Chinese finger cuffs the same way again. If the second half did not come off as well as it did, the movie would have fallen apart and been another movie that pretends to be gay friendly when in reality it is just another straight story. I am not a fan of gay cinema in general, but if you are going to do the storyline, then do it all the way and don't hold back like they do on television where the token gay characters just wander around in a daze and every once in a while get to hug a straight person and look into the camera longingly about what they are forbidden to have. When it is time to reveal that Alyssa is a lesbian, it is not explicit, but it did not shy away from showing that she really enjoys what she is. My favorite scene in the movie is the one between Banky and Alyssa at the lesbian night club where they compare their various sexual scars paying homage to the scene in Jaws where a similar thing occurred ... sort of. Jason Lee continues to be misused in Kevin Smith films as he is the best thing in the film, but still does not get the front storyline. He is still the most natural acting performer in the Smith films while most still sound like they are pontificating too much trying to memorize Smith's pop culture sci fi rants. I loved the bit with the 4 icons at an intersection and who will reach there first bit. The humor throughout this movie is very well done even as it tries to be a drama. Jay and Silent Bob appear in one scene in this movie, and it is my favorite appearance of any of the movies except maybe some moments in the new one. Their scene is just there to explain the meaning of the title that Bob gets to do in his most verbose moment in any of the movies he appears in. After seeing this part of the film you realize that Jay and Bob are best in smaller doses and not all over the place. Special note should be made of the performance of Dwight Ewell as Hooper. He plays a fellow comic book creator who pretends to be a militant black man to hide the fact that he is gay. Hooper is the guy who breaks things down in real terms for Holden as he tries to figure out how to have a romantic relationship with a lesbian. The opening rant on racism in the Star Wars movies is the funniest pop culture reference bit yet since the independent contractor diatribe from Randal in Clerks. Like Jason Lee, Ewell should have been used more in future Smith films and is sadly underused, especially in Dogma. Chasing Amy is a very good film and shows that Kevin Smith is not quite a one hit wonder. Final Review: 3 1/2 stars out of 5; 7 1/2 out of 10; B+; thumbs up.

DOGMA - CAPSULE REVIEW

Dogma was supposed to be the Ultimate Kevin Smith movie. It would take his observational pop culture humor and apply it to instead of questioning whether Superman can have sex with Lois Lane to more difficult issues like is there a God and what is the supreme being's true sex. When it was released, Dogma caused an uproar with the religious community, especially the Catholic Church who believed the film was blasphemous. It could be construed to be offensive, but what Smith really does is apply his comic book and sci fi reference dialogue towards questioning various canon or dogma of the Catholic church. It is supposed to make you think about traditional beliefs and use those doubts to somehow reaffirm their faith. The plot deals with the efforts of 2 fallen angels Bartleby and Loki (Ben Affleck and Matt Damon) finding a loophole in Catholic dogma that can get them back into Heaven after being banished to Wisconsin. However, if they succeed, that would prove that God is fallible and that can't happen so the whole universe would be destroyed including Heaven and Hell itself. God knows what's going on so he/she sends down Metaron (Alan Rickman) the voice of God who conveys messages to people who really really need to hear them. Metaron finds Bethany (Linda Fiorentino) who is given the job to stop Bartleby and Loki with as little information on how to accomplish that feat as possible. On her adventure she meets up with the prophets Jay and Silent Bob, Rufus the 13th Apostle (Chris Rock), and Serenity (Salma Hayek) the abstract muse. This movie is a road picture that has its funny moments and is fairly violent in others. Overall, it is one long rant about the inconsistencies in Catholic religion. Questioning these long held beliefs got Kevin Smith in trouble, but it is obvious he is not trying to put down the religion. The problem Smith has is that he mixes standard Biblical beliefs with strange interpretations or blatant ones. Angels are eunuchs, so he shows one with their pants down. Many people died at Golgotha the site of Christ's crucifixion, and when people die they tend to release their bowels. So, one character creates a demon made from the defecation of the dead people crucified at that location. It is a very strange scene and quite disturbing to watch. The actors try to give good performances, and they are okay, but it seems that they either struggled with the dialogue or were bored by it. Fiorentino seemed to be very bored as she wandered around this movie and with her being the main character, it does not help the film when it tries to convey any sort of positive religious message when the lead is half asleep. Chris Rock tries to make Rufus a character other than Chris Rock and does not quite do it. He still relies on his stand up routine attitude which does not work in a full length movie. Hayek looks good in Dogma, but she quickly becomes annoying spouting off her lines and then acting like the leader of the whole merry band of misfits. Jason Lee shows up again in a Kevin Smith film as Azrael the demon who has his own sinister agenda and for once Smith gives Lee a strong character that Lee can sink his teeth into. Lee needed more screen time though. Jay and Bob get their largest roles to date as they are right in the thick of the action. After seeing them in Dogma, you can get an idea of how these characters could be expanded on into their own movie. Anyone who thinks Dogma should be banned because of its subject manner never saw a Charlton Heston movie. Dogma is no worse than Heston's old religious flicks. Most people who criticized it on its religious attitude never saw the film since the ending is definitely one that reaffirms your faith especially in the existence of a God. This movie is okay as entertainment and if you are confused by its religious revelations go to church or read book interpreting the Catholic religion and figure out for yourself. This is just a movie. Not a great one, but still okay. Final Review: 2 1/2 stars out of 5; 6 out of 10; B-; thumbs up.

JAY AND SILENT BOB STRIKE BACK - FULL REVIEW

It has now come to this, a movie based around the background supporting characters of Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy, and Dogma. Jay and Silent Bob strike back at all those who have caused them trouble in their meager lives, especially the ones on the internet and those who have sold them out. JASBSB is somewhat of a direct sequel to Chasing Amy as much of its sub plot is referenced quite heavily. Jay is still played off the cuff by Jason Mewes and Silent Bob is still portrayed byt the ever verbose (at times) Kevin Smith. This time Jay gets to bust out as the crazy mofo we always knew he could be and completely runs the show the whole time from his first scene where he sings a song dedicated to the "F-word." Mewes is great in this movie, but I am afraid he will be eternally typecast as a stoner and never be able to break away from it. If he ever can, then more power to him. Smith is not an actor. He is a good writer and an okay director. He has created a character in Silent Bob that protects him from ever really ever having to actually act. In fact the only time he has ever given a performance was his story of chasing Amy in Chasing Amy. Here he is all eyebrows and various other facial expressions. I will say though, that I highly enjoy those Smiths work here and with the character in general who is so simplistic, but ends up usually being one of the more complicated and deep thinking people in the film. The plot of this movie is Jay and Bob find out that Banky (Jason Lee) from "Chasing Amy" has sold the rights to "Bluntman and Chronic" comic book that is based on Jay and Bob that they were getting paid for in their one scene in Chasing Amy. They find out this information from Brodie (Jason Lee again) from Mallrats while they are visiting a comic book store. Jay and Bob feel cheated and go to see Holden (Ben Affleck) from Chasing Amy who used to write and draw Bluntman and Chronic, but has now moved on to other things. Holden tells them that the internet movie message boards are already trashing the Bluntman and Chronic film before it is even made. This antagonism toward J&SB will ruin their good reputation, so the 2 guys set off to Hollywood to stop the movie from being made. As you can tell, it helps to have seen at least Chasing Amy before viewing this movie. Even Dante and Randal from Clerks show up to complain about Jay and Bob. It is good to see O'Halloran and Anderson back as those characters and it was somewhat odd to see them in color. Too little screen time though. Jay and Bob's road trip to Hollywood makes up the rest of the film and it is hit and miss. The big hit is Will Ferrell as a Federal Wildlife Marshall who tries to catch them Tommy Lee Jones style and fails in horrible and hilarious ways. Ferrell is an underrated talent who may one day find a movie that fully uses the talent he has shown on Saturday Night Live. If they could only make the Alex Trebek story starring Ferrell, I would be a happy internet geek. The other hit is when the movie goofs on other actors and movies. For the first time, Kevin Smith's pop culture references work since this movie does not try to really be in a normal reality and is off kilter enough to support goofing on everything from Star Wars to Dawson's Creek. In fact, Smith seems to get to live a childhood wet dream of his when he actually gets to battle Mark Hamill in a light saber duel with Hamill as more of the Darth Vader and Smith as a Luke Skywalker. Most of the outrageous comedy moments done just to be funny succeed. Ben Affleck not only plays Holden, but he plays himself in one of the funniest bits of the year. I have to give Affleck credit for having a great sense of humor to take the abuse he gets in this movie. Another thing I like is Jay and Bob's musical tastes. One of their favorite bands is the Time, and I am a huge mark for Morris Day and Jerome myself. The other thing that is funny is how they acquired the orangutan that was mentioned at the end of Mallrats. Actually, how they got the ape is not that funny, but after it is in their possession it leads to some pretty humorous moments. There are problems with this movie that hurt it in severe ways. The main problem is that it is too self referential to the other Smith movies to the extent of people who have not seen any of them will miss at least half the jokes. Jason Lee and Ben Affleck play multiple characters and it can be confusing to figure out who is playing who. It also helps to have seen every sci fi movie in the last 25 years as well as heard every pop song, and even read a couple of books to fully grasp the immense scope of this flick. Where the movie really falls apart is the main sub plot with the 4 hot girls made up of Kevin Smith's real wife Jennifer, Ali Larter, Eliza Dushku, and Shannon Elizabeth. Their roles never make much sense and way too much screen time is given to Eliazbeth as Jays possible love interest. In fact, Shannon Elizabeth the actress is mentioned as being the chick from American Pie while her character in JASBSB is someone else. The four girls are hot when they wear their leather body suit, and Larter has a very funny moment that gets a good laugh, but it would have helped if Smith had taken advantage of the R rating and showed a little skin, but these actresses are just a bit too prudish for their own good. I will say that Larter and Dushku are very attractive and I wish one of them was given the screen time that Elizabeth received. Shannon E. is hot and all, but her acting style is still a bit forced and I am still angry that when she does interviews she says that American Pie will be the last time she gets naked in a film. She needs to realize that the only reason anyone puts up with her is because of that nudity. Play a role that doesn't need that and I am cool, but this movie has a scene or two where it would have helped and aided in making JASBSB more of a homage to the Porkys era of films and so much Pee Wee's Big Adventure and Beavis and Butthead Do America. Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back is a must see for fans of the Kevin Smith films who liked these characters. This is a great showcase for them, especially for Mewes. However, I do believe it is time to retire them as full length feature stars. Their gimmick has been done to death in the afore mentioned Beavis and Butthead movie as well as Wayne's World, and Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. If you have never seen the other movies in the New Jersey Trilogy, then see one of them first before seeing JASBSB, especially Chasing Amy. Overall, I enjoyed the movie and it does bring all the movies, except maybe Dogma, full circle and ties up loose ends nicely. Of special note is the song played over the end credits sung by Afroman called "Because I Got High." Stay and listen to that because it is very funny and very anti drug. Final Review: 3 stars out of 5; 6 1/2 out of 10; B; thumbs up if you have seen at least one of the Kevin Smith movies. If you have no idea who Jay and Silent Bob are and you see this movie then my review would be 1 1/2 stars out of 5; 4 1/2 out of 10; C-, thumbs down. It is just too odd for the mainstream public to fully understand.

Summer Catch continues the long tradition of baseball movies like Pride of the Yankees, Bad News Bears, Bull Durham, Field of Dreams, Babe, League of Their Own, The Natural, Cobb, Major League, Major League II, and For the Love of the Game.  Unfortunately Summer Catch does not have Gary Cooper, Robert Redford, Tom Hanks, Kevin Costner, or even Madonna.  This movie has Freddie Prinze Jr., Jessica Biel, and da man, Matthew Lillard.  Prinze has been having trouble attracting audiences since She's All That left the theaters.  He has gone the teen heartthrob route and it gets him work, but it keeps the males away from the cinemas.  He has not crossed over so his movies get limited appeal.  His new movie is about how he is a part of a group of college baseball players who play up in Cape Cod and try to impress the scouts looking for guys good enough to enter the major leagues.  In his way is his talent, the girl coming out of the pool in the bikini, and his crazy best friend. All the elements of a FOX movie of the week, but not necessarily something worth $8.00.  Jessica Biel left her cushy job on "Seventh Heaven," but might realize it might be tougher than she thought finding a decent role.  Looks like it's back to semi-nude pics in Gear magazine.  I am a fan o Matthew Lillard, however, and it is hoped that he will one day break away from Prinze's shadow since this is the third time he has worked with Prinze and it does not end here since Lillard plays Shaggy to Prinze's Fred in the Scooby Doo movie.  Lillard reminds me of a weirder looking Jake Busey.  They both have these strange faces that you go "ewwww" at but then you sort of get used to it.  I still say that "I'll be right back" line from "Scream" Lillard said.  Summer Catch is not catching on with the public, and I think it is even turning away the few female fans that have stuck by Prinze for years like when he makes "Down to You" and "Boys and Girls."  One day both Prinze and Lillard, and maybe even Biel will grow up and act their age.  As long as they play youngins, they will still be third tier stars.

The worst thing to happen to movies in the last few years is when scientists found that damn Mars rock that had remnants of what could have been life on the red planet.  It has sparked this deluge of Mars movies that try to encourage us to wonder about life on that planet.  War of the Worlds and Invaders from Mars are some of the more fondly remembered films, but with Mars Needs Women and Santa Claus Conquers the Martians costarring Pia Zadora being made, Mars sort of lost its luster.  Mission to Mars and Red Planet deserved the poor response they received, while Mars Attacks was very underrated.  Total Recall 2 seems to be the only Mars movie that might have a chance to be successful nowadays.  John Carpenter, one of the great horror movie directors has seen fit to give us another Mars movie that bombs at the box office.  Ghost of Mars stars Natasha Henstridge and Ice Cube as 2 aggressive people on a Mars mining colony who run into the native inhabitants who resemble zombies.  The preview made the film look promising, but the people who go to see movies decided to pass on it.  Seeing Ice Cube with 2 sub machine guns in each hand mowing down Martians must have sounded cool on paper, but once you give it away in the trailer, people don't feel the need to rush out and view the carnage.  Cube is fun to watch, but he is still in his rapper mode, but if he does not portray that gruff character he is too wimpy like in Three Kings.  His onscreen and music persona is gangsta style, but seeing him in interviews, you can see that maybe one day he could do a more realistic role that does not have him getting shot at.  Heck, he even gets bullets thrown at him in the Friday movies.  Henstridge is a very attractive actress who made a splash with her role as the Species alien.  She has not done anything of substance since then including the horrible sequel to Species that had her locked in a cage for most of it.  She has a great look and could be a great action heroine.  This movie looked like it would do a lot better than the paltry $3.8 million it got this week, but Carpenter has become box office death as of late, and he did not win any new fans with his last movie "Vampires" which was terrible.  If the movie had taken place on Earth in the future or on another planet not in this solar system, it could have had a better chance, but now it had to suffer the indignity of being lumped together with all of the other crappy is there life on Mars movies.  It is time for screenwriters to give it up and forget speculating on what life would be like if intelligent life had societies or if Earthlings could ever create artificial environments that could sustain us if our population becomes to much for Earth to support.  Mars is not a great place to live and that so called face that one of the probes saw that resembles some sort of Ancient Egyptian bust was just a trick of the light on some mountain.  I want to believe that there are Martians, but if there were, there aren't any now.  If they do exist, they have no interest in bothering us and want to be left alone like we should do all Mars movies.

REST OF THE TOP 10 IN 10:

1.    American Pie 2 continues to amaze me at how well it is doing since it really has no real plot.

2.    It is the strength of the chemistry between the main cast in AP2 that keeps people coming back to see it.

3.    Rush Hour 2 received some of the worst reviews of the year, but it had absolutely zero effect on the many moviegoers that have enjoyed it.

4.    Chris Tucker has only made 2 movies in the last 3 years and they have grossed nearly $350 million in total.

5.    If the Others had been released in 2000 theatres, there is a chance it could have made the number one spot in the top ten instead of floating around in the middle.

6.    Rat Race is showing some decent staying power and is doing better than anyone ever expected.

7.    Anne Hathaway's performance as a new princess has become the true sweetheart of America that Julia Roberts failed to receive with her poor performing movie.

8.    It might be time for Hathaway to see what Benjamin Bratt is doing now that he dumped his Oscar winning girlfriend.

9.    Penelope Cruz has hurt Matt Damon, Johnny Depp, and now Nicholas Cage's careers in terms of how many box office disappointments are put on their resumes.

10.    This should be the last time we hear about the Planet of the Apes and that is probably the best for all of us.

Wholly jeeze did it take forever to write this report.  It got erased at leas 5 times before I could finish it. Damn Microsoft.  Next week will be my review of Jeepers Creepers and a look back at the successes and failures at the box office during the Summer 2001 movie season.  Before May 1, 2001, it was believed that computers would show how they would one day replace human actors and live special effects.  As of now, many films have shown that the human actor will be around for years and years to come.  Bye for now.