An Oversentimental 'Simon' By Jane Horwitz Special to The Washington Post Friday, September 11, 1998

Also Playing Okay for 6 and Up "The Parent Trap" (PG). Slick, likable update of Disney classic makes twins separated by divorce even spunkier. Graphic ear-piercing scene;reference to fatherhood as "the F-word"; drunk adult. "Air Bud: Golden Receiver" (G). Basketball-playing pooch moves into football in friendly, fun sequel. Non-scary villains; Buddy slightly injured in game; issues of grief, loss as boy thinks about dead father. More for 10 and Up "Dance With Me" (PG). Sugary but likable romantic fable of Cuban immigrant who gets a job at a dance school; stars Latino star Chayanne and Vanessa L. Williams. Terrific, steamy Latin dancing, smoldering glances. PG-13's "Ever After." Light, lavish take on "Cinderella" tale has 16th-century lass master her own fate and win prince with Leonardo da Vinci's help. Heart attack; subtle sexual innuendo; sword fights with a little blood; rare crude language. R's, Commercial or Artsy "54." Kid hires on at Studio 54 in 1979, drawn into promiscuity, drugs, in well-acted tale of disco days. Drug use, one overdose death; explicit sexual situations, innuendo, nudity, homosexual themes; profanity. Mature high-schoolers. "Slums of Beverly Hills." Funny, poignant tale of awkwardly budding girl living with divorced, broke dad. Sexual situations; nudity; drug use; discussion of sexuality, portrayal of masturbation, menstruation; profanity, racial slur. Mature high-schoolers. "Blade." Wesley Snipes as Marvel Comics superhero on crusade to kill vampires in tedious, blood-soaked thriller. Throats ripped, heads exploded; much profanity; brief sexual situation; sexual innuendo. Older high-schoolers. "Why Do Fools Fall in Love." Glitzy fact-based tale of '50s rock star Frankie Lymon and ex-wives' fight over royalties. Strong profanity; sexual innuendo; semi-explicit sexual situations; drugs; drinking; violence; shoplifting; off-screen death of dog. High-schoolers. "There's Something About Mary." 30-ish guy tracks down high school crush in tasteless, riotous comedy. Gags about privates, masturbation, mentally, physically challenged; fake pooch abused; profanity; partial nudity; marijuana, liquor. High-schoolers. – Jane Horwitz

"Simon Birch" (PG)
A wonderfully acted but oversentimentalized fable about faith, bravery and being born different, "Simon Birch" will coax tears from many a family audience and appeal to lots of kids ages 10 and up. Despite the mild rating, the story deals with the deaths of a parent and child, depicts a harrowing school bus accident and contains comic sexual innuendo about a preteen boy's fascination with girls' developing breasts. There is rare profanity, and a character smokes.

The movie was inspired by but sharply diverges from John Irving's popular novel "A Prayer for Owen Meany." Set in a 1960s small town, the film recounts the twists, turns and tragedies that befall two young friends. Tiny Simon Birch (Ian Michael Smith) is a dwarf and an embarrassment to his parents, who mostly ignore him. His best pal, Joe (Joseph Mazzello), and Joe's mom (Ashley Judd) are Simon's real family. Simon always speaks the unadorned truth, often to comical effect, and believes he's been chosen by God to be a hero. Most of the townspeople think he's a bit of a pain, until destiny strikes. This absorbing tale would have been as touching without the violins and heavenly lighting.

"Rounders" (R)
A smart-talking, breezily original tale of folk who frequent high-stakes poker games, "Rounders" might appeal to older teens who like character-driven stories and snappy dialogue. The film's message about following one's passion may resonate with them, though parents may have problems with the gambling theme. The rating covers strong profanity, topless dancers and fist violence.

Matt Damon plays Mike, a law student who's only recently given up winning his tuition money at high-stakes poker games. But when his best pal, nicknamed Worm (Edward Norton), gets out of prison, Mike is lured back into the life. Worm is an incorrigible cheat and his debts to Russian mafia types (John Malkovich) and loan sharks tarnish Mike's good name. The friends try to get out of their fix as the stakes rise.

"Knock Off" (R)
Teens who relish action flicks may appreciate the boat, car and rickshaw chases, interspersed with gun, knife, fist and foot fights, in this Hong Kong action thriller. Profanity and mild sexual innuendo contribute to the rating. Star Jean-Claude Van Damme lacks the Jackie Chan-style lightness needed to sail past the ridiculous plot and awkwardly dubbed dialogue of an international cast. Van Damme plays the buff playboy partner (with Rob Schneider) in a blue jeans firm who learns that the company's product is being knocked off-not by sleazy competitors but by the Russian mafia, which plans to smuggle miniature "nano-bombs" disguised as buttons. Huh?

"Let's Talk About Sex" (R)
Explicit chatter about sex, marijuana use, graphic sexual innuendo and sexual situations earn the rating in this romantic comedy, making it questionable for teens under 16 or 17. The movie's frank dialogue and overheated sexuality will pique teen interest, but "Let's Talk About Sex" seems a bit of a fraud. While purporting to offer a fresh look at young women's concerns about love, sex and relationships, it has a mindless soft-core tone and a glitzy look that make it seem more like a screen test for its three lead actresses (Troy Beyer, Paget Brewster and Randi Ingerman). The trio of Miami roommates, trying to create a pilot for a TV talk show, interview women and get such steamily frank answers that they begin to look at their own problems-choosing wrong men, losing good men-more closely.