MOVIE TITLE/RATING
THE MASTER OF DISGUISE/PG
IN A NUTSHELL Bumbling man-child Dana Carvey discovers his life's calling after his father is kidnapped by an evil mastermind: He becomes a sleuth with 36 identities.
WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? Yes, but Carvey's been AWOL so long that young ones may not know his SNL impressions.
SEX/NUDITY None
DRUGS/ALCOHOL None
VIOLENCE/SCARINESS Only of the cartoonish, face-slappin' Three Stooges variety.
OBJECTIONABLE WORDS/PHRASES/STEREOTYPES Carvey disguises himself as poo; fart jokes; ethnicities broadly imitated.
THE VERDICT Kids will respond to Carvey's ''Turtle Guy'' and parents will be happy to see references to films like Jaws and Scarface.
APPROPRIATE AGES 7 and up
[MOVIE TITLE/RATING]AUSTIN POWERS IN GOLDMEMBER/PG-13
[IN A NUTSHELL]The groovy international spy (Mike Myers) thwarts a '70s villain with the help of a foxy sidekick (Beyonce Knowles) and works out issues with his swingin' superspy father (Michael Caine).
[WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?]Yes. After three installments, even first graders know how to say ''Oh, behave.''
[SEX/NUDITY]Implied in very raunchy visual jokes and shadow play suggesting an erect member.
[DRUGS/ALCOHOL]One very prominently placed Heineken bottle.
[VIOLENCE/SCARINESS]Mini-Me (Verne Troyer) is kicked around and tortured by Dr. Evil's son (Seth Green).
[OBJECTIONABLE WORDS/PHRASES/STEREOTYPES]Every word out of Fat Bastard's mouth? Every sex joke? That's the point, baby.
[THE VERDICT]As raunchy, potty-obsessed, and coarsely funny as you would expect from such an artiste of excess as Mike Myers.
[APPROPRIATE AGES]13 and up
[MOVIE TITLE/RATING]XXX/PG-13
[IN A NUTSHELL]Vin Diesel plays an X-treme rebel enlisted by the government to infiltrate a foreign terrorist group.
[WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?]For fans of the X Games this looks like Tony Hawk crossed with James Bond.
[SEX/NUDITY]Kissing and some suggestive moments between Diesel and Asia Argento; a scantily-clad, writhing seductress.
[DRUGS/ALCOHOL]Wild partying at a Prague nightclub; scenes at a Central American cocaine operation.
[VIOLENCE/SCARINESS]Lots of explosions and operatic gunplay.
[OBJECTIONABLE WORDS/PHRASES/STEREOTYPES]The standard expletives, plus women referred to as ''bitches.''
[THE VERDICT]The violence and sexuality here are on a par with the typical James Bond film, minus the 007 polish.
[APPROPRIATE AGES]13 and up
[MOVIE TITLE/RATING]SIGNS/PG-13
[IN A NUTSHELL]Will Chariots of the Gods turn into The War of the Worlds? Mel Gibson tries to decipher the mysterious messages being carved into his cornfields. (See review on page 43)
[WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?]Older kids may be drawn to the promise of this summer's August spine tingler.
[SEX/NUDITY]None
[DRUGS/ALCOHOL]Joaquin Phoenix tips back a tall-neck or two.
[VIOLENCE/SCARINESS]An alien digit is amputated; a mom's grisly death; a child's graphic asthma attack.
[OBJECTIONABLE WORDS/PHRASES/STEREOTYPES]A few fairly mild expletives.
[THE VERDICT]This will give older kids shivers but may give younger ones some serious nightmares.
[APPROPRIATE AGES]13 and up
[MOVIE TITLE/RATING]SPY KIDS 2/PG
[IN A NUTSHELL]The technosavvy siblings (Alexa Vega and Daryl Sabara) go on a super-secret mission to a strange island, meet a shy, mad scientist (Steve Buscemi), and save the world -- no sweat.
[WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?]Following the success and surprise delights of last year's original Spy Kids -- you bet.
[SEX/NUDITY]None
[DRUGS/ALCOHOL]Spiked drinks briefly knock out every adult at a fancy dinner.
[VIOLENCE/SCARINESS]Computer-animated animals fight; so do computer-animated human skeletons.
[OBJECTIONABLE WORDS/PHRASES/STEREOTYPES]One Spy Kid says a cheeky variation on the phrase full of s -- -.
[THE VERDICT]Inventive, good-natured spy fun for kids and adults; the antidote to the midget-and-mojo titters of Austin Powers.
[APPROPRIATE AGES]7 and up
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