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PCR # 235  (Vol. 5, No. 39)  This edition is for the week of September 20--26, 2004.

This Week's PCR
Movie Review
"Mr. 3000"

Movie review by:
Michael A. Smith

Three stars

Movies are rated 0 to 4 stars

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"Mr.  3000"
 by Mike Smith
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How Pop Culture Drives Horror/Sci-Fi/Fantasy Films
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SPLASH PAGE
It Begins In The Fifth Grade?....Andy Is Right....Coming Soon To A Message Board Near You
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 by Mike Smith
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Touchstone Pictures     
Starring: Bernie Mac, Angela Bassett, Michael Rispoli, Chris Noth and Paul Sorvino
Directed by: Charles Stone III
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 1 hour 44 mins


Attention Barry Bonds! I hope you go see "Mr. 3000," because this could be the story of your life, bubba.

Stan Ross (Mac) is a star player for the Milwaukee Brewers. Tolerated by his teammates, Stan has made it clear to fans and the media that he is out for numero uno (sound familiar, Barry?) With his team in the midst of a pennant race, Ross collects his 3000th hit. He then stuns his manager (Sorvino) and the media by announcing his retirement. He opens a strip mall of businesses capitalizing on his achievement. Be it 3000 Woks or 3000 Hit Bar and Grill, Ross gets the most out of his hits. The one thing that irks him is that, after nine years, he still hasn't been elected to the Hall of Fame. The Brewers even try to help him by holding a day in his honor and retiring his number. Ross comments that he doesn't know the guest speaker. He is told it is a pitcher who played with him for a few days in 1979.........and even he doesn't have a lot of nice things to say about him! Thinking he is now a lock for the Hall, Ross is stunned to find out that an error in addition has suddenly left him with only 2997 hits! Assuming that 3000 hits will make him a lock, Ross decides to return to the game and claim his plaque.

As a movie buff and a baseball fan, I look forward when both are combined well. Mac, who has shone in supporting work in "Oceans 11" and "Bad Santa," takes center stage here and positively glows in the spotlight. As a man who slowly loses the chip on his shoulder and learns that there is no "I" in "TEAM," Mac shows himself capable of carrying a film by himself. Not that he doesn't have help. Bassett, in a rare comedic role, does a fine job as an ESPN reporter who shares a past with Ross. Noth is calculating as the team general manager who mandates that Ross only play at home, thereby selling more tickets. As Ross' former teammate and only friend, Rispoli looks and acts like an ex-ball player should. And Sorvino, whose entire amount of dialogue in the film is shorter then this sentence, says more with his expressive face then some actors say in an entire movie.

Does Ross get his magical hit? Does he make the Hall of Fame? Does he have to change the names of all of his businesses? Take a swing and find out for yourself. On a scale of zero to four stars, I give "Mr. 3000"  Three stars


This week's movie review of "Mr. 3000" is ©2004 by Michael A. Smith.  All graphics this page are creations of Nolan B. Canova, ©2004, all rights reserved. All contents of "Nolan's Pop Culture Review" are ©2004 by Nolan B. Canova.