It Takes Two

At a cineplex near you, Nov. 1, 2002 will be a day...not long remembered. But anyone relentlessly searching the typically banal fall Hollywood marquee for diverting entertainment this weekend won’t be too disappointed. Though the two premiering films are a sequel and a TV-series spin-off, good laughs and good times will likely ensue, especially for those who have seen Sweet Home Alabama and My Big Fat Greek Wedding just too many times.

The biggest advantage to checking out this weekend’s new schmuckbusters is that everyone can get their Yuletide spirit in gear, and a full three weeks before Turkey Day to boot. This is because one of the illustrious films is The Santa Clause 2. Though the public wasn’t exactly picketing for a sequel to the 1994 original, the sparkly $145 million that the film cashed in at the U.S. box office was enough for our friends at Disney to ask funnyman Tim Allen to put on his fat suit once again. But as Santa rushes to save Christmas once again, the plot of The Santa Clause 2 remains as predictable as an episode of “Home Improvement.”

In his eighth year as Santa, Scott Calvin (Allen) is vastly enjoying all the praise he receives from his elves, who laud him as the best Santa ever. However, things go sour as Calvin not only begins losing weight, but sees his son Charlie being placed on the year’s “naughty” list. Putting himself square in the middle of a bad case of dramatic contrivance, he quickly hires a substitute Santa so he can head home to save his son from the dregs of youngish angst. Unfortunately, the substitute turns into a Scrooge, and it’s Calvin’s job to rescue Christmas once again. Whether or not he does this with the help of an analyst has not yet been revealed.

The other cinematic gemstone opening around the country this weekend is the new buddy-buddy Eddie Murphy action comedy, I Spy. This time, however, instead of being paired with Nick Nolte or Robert DeNiro, Owen Wilson fills the other shoe in the buddy equation.

A rehash of the 60s TV series, I Spy concerns top spy Alex Scott’s (Wilson) mission to recover the United States’ classified prototype stealth jet fighter, the Switchblade, from nasty illegal arms dealer Arnold Gundars (Malcolm McDowell). Foiling his evil plan becomes more complicated, however, when Scott is paired with the pompous Kelly Robinson (Murphy), a boxing champion and civilian who has some helpful connections. Though it is possible that director Betty Thomas of Doctor Dolittle fame will take unexpected dramatic turns, I Spy will probably be hailed by “top critics” as an exciting mix of action and laughs, with sizzling chemistry between the “unlikely duo” of Murphy and Wilson.

But if these offerings don’t sound tantalizing, the brilliant post-modern document that is XXX is probably still playing somewhere in the Boston area.