"Finding Forrester" brings together as unlikely a set of talents as you'd want to spend two and a half hours with. That's a lot of time. Some say perhaps too much.
Anyhow, Forrester (Sean Connery) is a crusty, old reclusive writer living in a mostly black Bronx ghetto who is drawn out of his shell by a young African-American college student, Jamal (Robert Brown), who has a basketball scholarship and a knack for the written word.
Sound corny? Well, the saving grace is director Gus Van Sant who saves the story from prohibitive sentimentality, according to most of the people who review movies.
Forrester wrote a hugely successful novel about 40 years ago, after which he hasn't strayed far from the family apartment in the South Bronx. Critics wonder if the appearance of Jamal in Forrester's life is enough reason to bring about the about face in Forrester, as he takes on the task of mentoring Jamal.
Jamal attends an elite prep school on his scholarship where he has to contend with a hostile instructor, none other than F. Murray Abraham, who did a bang-up job of tormenting Motzart in "Amadeus."
This is a film debut for Brown, and by all accounts, a very good one. Reviews say he captures Jamal's intelligence as well as his street smarts. And he wins over Connery in the process, so he must know a thing or two – after all, 007 you may remember, is nobody's fool.
The movie is rated PG-13 for some language and sexual reference.
It is playing at Diamond Cinemas.

Ang Lee has taken the martial arts movie out of the high kick genre, and into high art in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." This is the expressed opinion several movie critics, who rarely ever agree on anything.
And they just might have something. Director Ang's career has always been exciting as he moves between such different dramatic venues as "Ride with the Devil," Sense and Sensibility," and "The Ice Storm." His obsession with his childhood upbringing on sword-slashing Hong Kong epics is evident in this film, but with a difference.
"The film is a kind of dream of China that probably never existed except in by boyhood fantasies in Taiwan," Ang has said of the movie. He also said, "The film isn't crafted in a realistic style, but is choreographed as a kind of martial art."
Having said that, the film explores familial relationships, as have his previous films. Here we have the legendary martial arts guru Li Mu Bai (Chow Yun-Fat) about to retire, and to pass on his sword, the Green Destiny, to a friend.
However, his talented, fight-crazy daughter Jen (Zhang Ziyi) slyly appropriates it first. Jen is far more interested in controlling her own destiny – with the help of the Green Destiny – than she is in her upcoming arranged marriage to a diplomat. This is just the beginning of travails to come.
There's no easy answer to the family dilemma here, no matter how many fortune cookies they break open.
Action choreographer Yuen Wo Ping, ("Matrix") stages fights, or dances, that flow over rooftops, rivers and bamboo trees with the action punctuated by cello solos from Yo Yo Ma, yes the real one. Well, could you ask for anything more?
Produced and directed by Lee, it is rated PG-13 for martial arts violence and some sexuality. It is written by five different writers, which usually is a sign to stay home with a good book, but, apparently, not here.
It starts Thursday at Diamond Cinemas.

Ang Lee has taken the martial arts movie out of the high kick genre, and into high art in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." This is the expressed opinion several movie critics, who rarely ever agree on anything.
And they just might have something. Director Ang's career has always been exciting as he moves between such different dramatic venues as "Ride with the Devil," Sense and Sensibility," and "The Ice Storm." His obsession with his childhood upbringing on sword-slashing Hong Kong epics is evident in this film, but with a difference.
"The film is a kind of dream of China that probably never existed except in by boyhood fantasies in Taiwan," Ang has said of the movie. He also said, "The film isn't crafted in a realistic style, but is choreographed as a kind of martial art."
Having said that, the film explores familial relationships, as have his previous films. Here we have the legendary martial arts guru Li Mu Bai (Chow Yun-Fat) about to retire, and to pass on his sword, the Green Destiny, to a friend.
However, his talented, fight-crazy daughter Jen (Zhang Ziyi) slyly appropriates it first. Jen is far more interested in controlling her own destiny – with the help of the Green Destiny – than she is in her upcoming arranged marriage to a diplomat. This is just the beginning of travails to come.
There's no easy answer to the family dilemma here, no matter how many fortune cookies they break open.
Action choreographer Yuen Wo Ping, ("Matrix") stages fights, or dances, that flow over rooftops, rivers and bamboo trees with the action punctuated by cello solos from Yo Yo Ma, yes the real one. Well, could you ask for anything more?
Produced and directed by Lee, it is rated PG-13 for martial arts violence and some sexuality. It is written by five different writers, which usually is a sign to stay home with a good book, but, apparently, not here.
It starts Thursday at Cinema One.

A former police officer on St. Croix was in U.S. District Court on Thursday following an indictment handed down by a grand jury on Tuesday. It was the fourth indictment this week against current or former officers on St. Croix.
Lawrence Benjamin, who resigned from the force in November after eight years, pleaded not guilty at his advice of rights hearing before Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Resnick on Thursday. Benjamin’s hearing followed that of officer Adrian Williams, who was indicted on a variety of charges with two other officers on Tuesday. Williams also pleaded not guilty.
Thursday’s court action followed that of Wednesday, when Luis Torres and John Hardy were released on $25,000 bail by Resnick. Williams was also released on $25,000 bail. Torres, Hardy and Williams were indicted as a result of an ongoing FBI investigation into 13 charges of civil rights violations, theft and unlawful arrest.
Benjamin, who has a detention hearing set for Friday afternoon, faces eight charges, including attempted murder, civil rights violations, using a firearm during a crime of violence and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.
According to the indictment against the former officer, on Nov. 9, 1999, Benjamin allegedly shot Ray Romero in the leg under the color of the law. Additionally, Benjamin is accused of breaking into a home in order to get 103 pounds of cocaine, which he intended to distribute.
Torres, Williams, both three-year veterans, and Hardy, a six-year veteran, are accused of conspiring to injure, threaten, oppress and intimidate two men on Dec. 4, 1999. Hardy is also charged with filing a false police report in regard to an arrest by the three officers.
Jury selection for all four officers is set for sometime after April 9.
The current spate of indictments follows convictions of three St. Croix officers on a variety of charges last July, including civil rights violations, assault with a deadly weapon, brandishing a handgun, and oppression. Ronald Pickard, Dean Bates and Renaldo Philbert are in a federal prison on Puerto Rico awaiting sentencing for incidents that occurred between Jan. 1, 1995 and Oct. 31, 1999. The civil rights violations carry a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison while the handgun violations carry five-year sentences.
A fourth officer, Victor Suarez, was also accused of a number of crimes, but was freed after the jury couldn’t agree on three of the counts levied against him and found him not guilty on the others. He has since resigned from the force.

"Finding Forrester" brings together as unlikely a set of talents as you'd want to spend two and a half hours with. That's a lot of time. Some say perhaps too much.
Anyhow, Forrester (Sean Connery) is a crusty, old reclusive writer living in a mostly black Bronx ghetto who is drawn out of his shell by a young African-American college student, Jamal (Robert Brown), who has a basketball scholarship and a knack for the written word.
Sound corny? Well, the saving grace is director Gus Van Sant who saves the story from prohibitive sentimentality, according to most of the people who review movies.
Forrester wrote a hugely successful novel about 40 years ago, after which he hasn't strayed far from the family apartment in the South Bronx. Critics wonder if the appearance of Jamal in Forrester's life is enough reason to bring about the about face in Forrester, as he takes on the task of mentoring Jamal.
Jamal attends an elite prep school on his scholarship where he has to contend with a hostile instructor, none other than F. Murray Abraham, who did a bang-up job of tormenting Motzart in "Amadeus."
This is a film debut for Brown, and by all accounts, a very good one. Reviews say he captures Jamal's intelligence as well as his street smarts. And he wins over Connery in the process, so he must know a thing or two – after all, 007 you may remember, is nobody's fool.
The movie is rated PG-13 for some language and sexual reference.
It is playing at Market Square East.

"Finding Forrester" brings together as unlikely a set of talents as you'd want to spend two and a half hours with. That's a lot of time. Some say perhaps too much.
Anyhow, Forrester (Sean Connery) is a crusty, old reclusive writer living in a mostly black Bronx ghetto who is drawn out of his shell by a young African-American college student, Jamal (Robert Brown), who has a basketball scholarship and a knack for the written word.
Sound corny? Well, the saving grace is director Gus Van Sant who saves the story from prohibitive sentimentality, according to most of the people who review movies.
Forrester wrote a hugely successful novel about 40 years ago, after which he hasn't strayed far from the family apartment in the South Bronx. Critics wonder if the appearance of Jamal in Forrester's life is enough reason to bring about the about face in Forrester, as he takes on the task of mentoring Jamal.
Jamal attends an elite prep school on his scholarship where he has to contend with a hostile instructor, none other than F. Murray Abraham, who did a bang-up job of tormenting Mozart in "Amadeus."
This is a film debut for Brown, and by all accounts, a very good one. Reviews say he captures Jamal's intelligence as well as his street smarts. And he wins over Connery in the process, so he must know a thing or two – after all, 007 you may remember, is nobody's fool.
The movie is rated PG-13 for some language and sexual reference.
It is playing at Market Square East.

Ang Lee has taken the martial arts movie out of the high kick genre, and into high art in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." This is the expressed opinion of several movie critics, who rarely ever agree on anything.
And they just might have something. Director Ang's career has always been exciting as he moves between such different dramatic venues as "Ride with the Devil," Sense and Sensibility," and "The Ice Storm." His obsession with his childhood upbringing on sword-slashing Hong Kong epics is evident in this film, but with a difference.
"The film is a kind of dream of China that probably never existed except in my boyhood fantasies in Taiwan," Ang has said of the movie. He also said, "The film isn't crafted in a realistic style, but is choreographed as a kind of martial art."
Having said that, the film explores familial relationships, as have his previous films. Here we have the legendary martial arts guru Li Mu Bai (Chow Yun-Fat) about to retire, and to pass on his sword, the Green Destiny, to a friend.
However, Jen (Zhang Ziyi), daughter of the local governor, slyly appropriates it first. Jen is far more interested in controlling her own destiny – with the help of the Green Destiny – than she is in her upcoming arranged marriage to a diplomat. This is just the beginning of travails to come.
There's no easy answer to the family dilemma here, no matter how many fortune cookies they break open.
Action choreographer Yuen Wo Ping ("Matrix") stages fights, or dances, that flow over rooftops, rivers and bamboo trees with the action punctuated by cello solos from Yo Yo Ma – yes, the real one. Well, could you ask for anything more?
Produced and directed by Lee, it is rated PG-13 for martial arts violence and some sexuality. It is written by five different writers, which usually is a sign to stay home with a good book, but apparently not here.
It starts Thursday at Cinema One.

According to the acting principal of Addelita Cancryn Junior High School, Yvonne Pilgrim, the student injured during a fight earlier this week was not a Cancryn student. Pilgrm said Thursday that the minor boy was a Charlotte Amalie High School student and the fight did not occur on the Cancryn campus but in the parking lot of a nearby convenience store and gas station.
Pilgrim said Thursday she does not know whether any of her students were involved because the injured student will not talk to anyone about the incident. She said it is her understanding that he is recovering satisfactorily from lacerations suffered from blows by a baseball bat.
Without the injured student's cooperation, police have been unable to complete their investigation of the incident.
Meanwhile, the CAHS student who was stabbed near the high school Tuesday afternoon is reported to be recovering from wounds that were not life-threatening. Police said Thursday a suspect has been identified, and that an arrest is imminent. The suspect is believed to be a minor.

In approving the bill merging the Industrial Development Commission, the Government Development Bank, the Industrial Park Development Corp. and the Small Business Development Agency into a new Economic Development Authority, Gov. Charles W. Turnbull substantially cut IDC benefits. He halved the original proposal's initial term for benefits from 20 to 10 years, limited renewal of benefits and made the benefit percentage subject to review.
But Sen. Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg said Thursday he is still concerned that the tax benefits program amounts to "corporate welfare."
Turnbull announced the bill's signing Monday, saying "it will lead to more efficient and effective use of our limited resources to promote economic development through the expansion of established business, and luring of new businesses to set up their operations in the territory through the creation of a more streamlined organization."
Proponents of the measure hope it will avoid duplication of services and positions, reduce expenses for personnel, physical plant and operations, and develop comprehensive programs for the islands' economic development.
The administration also made some important changes to the bill, some of them in line with earlier suggestions from Donastorg, who objected to provisions that could have granted 100 percent benefits for up to 40 years.
Through line-item vetoes, the governor amended the bill to provide 100 percent benefits to eligible entities for 10 years, with the possibility of one 10-year renewal at a percentage to be determined "after public hearing and with the governor's approval."
But Donastorg remains concerned that the IDC program amounts to "corporate welfare."
"While the governor has addressed some of my concerns by line-item vetoes, in particular minimizing the number of years of eligibility, there still remains two major problems," Donastorg said.
He said the bill apparently does not allow the IDC to negotiate the percentage of benefits for the initial 10-year term, thus depriving the government of much-needed revenues. In addition, Donastorg said, "the IDC was established to lure new investment, new capital, create new jobs, but that is not happening here. You have existing companies that will be applying not only for renewals but for additional benefits."
Last month, Donastorg said he was concerned that the bill would allow current beneficiaries, particularly V.I. Telephone Corp.'s parent company, Innovative Communication Corp., to apply for exemptions for its other holdings.
Vitelco is now the only Innovative company to receive IDC benefits. Innovative owns several other V.I. telecommunications companies, including VitelCellular, Vitelcom, St. Thomas-St. John Cable TV, St. Croix Cable TV, ICC TV and an internet service provider, VIPowerNet. ICC also owns the Virgin Islands Daily News.
Existing companies such as Innovative, Donastorg said, "are not hiring more, not investing more. All they're doing is trying to improve their profit margins by taking advantage of IDC benefits."
Before signing the bill, the governor also changed the types of businesses under Category III, which originally included "Regulated Utilities, Banking, Health Care Facilities, and such other industries or businesses as may be deemed appropriate by the Commission." Eliminated were the words "regulated" and "banking."
Thus the four new categories created are as follows:
Category I – Rum and dairy production; watch and jewelry manufacturing/assembly.
Category II – Production/assembly other than jewelry and watches; agriculture/food processing; food processing, marine industry, raw materials processing; hotel/guest houses; transportation and telecommunications.
Category IIa – Service businesses including but not limited to investment management and advisors; research and development; business consultants and management consultants; software developers; e-commerce businesses; international public relations firms; international trading and distribution.
Category III – Utilities; health-care facilities; recreational facilities.
The semiautonomous board of the Economic Development Authority would consist of seven members appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the Legislature. Three members, one from each island, cannot be government employees, three will be from the cabinet or executive departments and one would be appointed from the Government Employees Retirement System, V.I. Port Authority or the University of the Virgin Islands.
The new authority originally included the Bureau of Economic Research as well. Turnbull eliminated that language in the bill to keep the bureau under the aegis of the executive branch.
The bill is slated to go into effect on March 1.

APPETIZERS
BLACK BEAN CAKE with sour cream, $ 6.25
THREE TIMES TUNA: Sashimi; Tartar; Carpaccio, $12.50
FRIED MUSHROOMS with Tartar sauce, $ 6.75
BEEF CARPACCIO with Parmesan shavings, $ 9.75
TRUFFLE MOUSSE PATE with toast points, $ 10.75
FRIED CALAMARI with lemon mayonnaise, $ 7.75
GRILLED VEGETABLE NAPOLEON, $ 9.75
HOMEMADE SOUP DU JOUR, $ 5.50
All pasta dishes are available as appetizers
SALADSMIXED GREEN DINNER SALAD, $ 6.50
FRESH SPINACH with Stilton cheese and strawberries, $ 8.50
GREEK SALAD with cucumbers, tomatoes, feta & olives, $ 7.50
CLASSIC CAESAR SALAD, $ 7.25
With grilled or blackened chicken, $ 11.75
With grilled or blackened sirloin, $ 16.00
With grilled or blackened shrimp, $ 17.25
GRILLED VEGETABLE SALAD with mixed berry vinaigrette, $ 9.00
With fresh fish of the day, $ 20.00
ENTREES
ALEXANDER’S OCEAN TREASURE PASTA With Shrimp, Crawfish, Mussels and Salmon, $ 24.75
CAJUN PASTA With Andouille Sausage, Chicken and Shrimp, $ 22.75
PESTO PASTA
With Cream, $ 14.75
With Chicken, $ 16.75
With Shrimp, $ 20.75
MEATSAUCE PASTA With ground Sirloin, Sausage, Onions, and Peppers in Marinara sauce, $ 17.25
With Marinara sauce only, $ 12.75
BANANA FRIED SHRIMP
With a sweet & sour sauce ** $ 22.75
BLACK SESAME CRUSTED SALMON
On a bed of Ginger Honey Carrots ** $ 24.75
THREE TIMES TUNA
Sashimi; Tartar; Carpaccio, $ 22.75
SEARED GINGER TUNA
With buttered oyster sauce ** $ 24.75
WIENER SCHNITZEL
Lightly breaded veal** $ 17.75
SALZBURGER SCHNITZEL
Veal in a lemon,butter,caper sauce** $ 18.75
SCHNITZEL JAEGER
Veal in a mushroom cream sauce** $ 18.75
NUERNBERGER ROSTBRATEN Sirloin Steak breaded lightly on one side with a Mustard Sauce** $ 19.75
MARINATED SIRLOIN TRITIP
With a brandy,green peppercorn cream sauce** $ 21.75
STUFFED CHICKEN BREAST Stuffed with spinach, pinenuts, provolone cheese & garlic in a fresh basil cream sauce** $ 17.75
BONELESS CHICKEN BREAST
With a gorgonzola,spinach cream sauce, $ 17.75
GRILLED VEGETABLES
With grilled chicken, $ 14.75
With grilled tuna, $ 20.75
Items with ** have a choice of two of the following side dishes:
french fries
mixed vegetables
baked potato
red cabbage
rice du jour
cole slaw
potato du jour
garlic mashed potato
broccoli
pasta
black bean cake
Cigarette smoking will be limited to the bar area.