HIDALGODisney bills this as the true story of history’s greatest long-distance horseman, Frank Hopkins. But the angry Long Riders’ Guild is calling it
bupkis. They say Hopkins (Viggo Mortensen) was never invited to take his mixed-breed mustang to the
Middle East to face the world’s best purebred horses in a 3,000-mile race across the desert. Thus, Hopkins could not have met The Sheik (Omar Sharif), who could not have correctly warned Hopkins that the other riders would literally be gunning for him — trying to make sure that he never finished. Thus, Hopkins could not have been helped in the race by The Sheik’s stunning daughter (Zuleikha Robinson from TV’s
The Lone Gunmen). Maybe the Guild is right. Maybe Disney is. But, hey, this ain’t no documentary — all that really matters is that the film is action-packed and plenty of fun. March 5
TAKING LIVES<
br/>Montreal police enlist FBI-profiler
Angelina Jolie to catch a serial killer. Jolie lies down in a grave and otherwise acts weird, leading her to determine that the killer — who might be
Kiefer Sutherland — is assuming the identity of his victims. Next thing you know, Jolie is making out with another investigator, played by
Ethan Hawke. That, like some of the film, is not really surprising. But the cast is handsome, and with Montreal and
Quebec City as backdrops, the movie is, at least, nice to look at. March 19
— JOE GUINTO