DATE=4/8/2002

TYPE=ENGLISH FEATURE

NUMBER=7-36151

TITLE=HOLLYWOOD HIGHLIGHTS 2002-15a (Top 5 Films)

BYLINE=ALAN SILVERMAN

TELEPHONE=619-1024 (editor)

DATELINE=HOLLYWOOD

EDITOR=vicki swaney

CONTENT=

( INSERTS AVAILABLE FROM AUDIO SERVICES; VOICED VERSION 3:54vo, 4:54mo )

Intro: A thought-provoking thriller and a mindless romp are the two new entries on the North American box office chart this week. Alan Silverman lists the top five films, starting with a crude collegiate comedy at number five:

CUT ONE "VAN WILDER" CLIP

"WHERE CAN I FIND VAN WILDER?"

"IN THE GUINESS BOOK OF WORLD RECORDS, MAN, UNDER 'THE RADDEST' [COOLEST] DUDE ALIVE."

"I LOVE THIS PLACE."

TEXT: "VAN WILDER" is the latest higher education high jinks from "National Lampoon," source of the famously funny "ANIMAL HOUSE." Ryan Reynolds stars as the title character, a perpetual student who never attends class, but is revered on campus for his rowdy parties. Full of below-the-belt "gross-out" humor, "VAN WILDER" debuts in fifth place.

"THE ROOKIE" slides down to number four. Based on the true story of a teacher who pursues his dreams of big league baseball fame, the sentimental drama stars Dennis Quaid:

/// OPT /// CUT TWO QUAID

THERE IS SENTIMENT IN THIS FILM, BUT THE SENTIMENT IS EARNED BECAUSE YOU'RE SEEING WHAT THIS GUY IS GOING THROUGH. BY THE TIME YOU GET TO THE EMOTIONAL MOMENTS IN THE MOVIE IT'S BACKED BY SOMETHING RATHER THAN JUST THE MUSIC COMING UP TELLING THAT IT'S TIME TO BE A LITTLE TEARY-EYED. /// END OPT ///

CUT THREE "THE ROOKIE" CLIP

"I'M N-O-T TALKING ABOUT COLLEGE. I'M TALKING ABOUT WANTING THINGS IN LIFE. I'M TALKING ABOUT HAVING DREAMS AND ALL THAT STARTS RIGHT HERE. IF YOU DON'T HAVE DREAMS YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING."

TEXT: "THE ROOKIE" ends up in fourth place.

The year's biggest hit so far slips to number three:

CUT FOUR "ICE AGE" CLIP

"FROM NOW ON REFER TO ME AS 'LORD OF THE FLAMES.'"

"HEY LORD OF THE FLAMES, YOUR TAIL IS ON FIRE." (SCREAMS)

TEXT: The computer-animated family adventure "ICE AGE" is a blockbuster in North America and is setting new box office records as it opens internationally. The English-language version features John Leguizamo as the voice of Sid the Sloth and Ray Romano as his reluctant companion, wooly mammoth Manfred. "ICE AGE" thaws out a bit to third place, bumped down by the debut of a court martial courtroom drama co-starring Ashley Judd and Morgan Freeman:

CUT FIVE "HIGH CRIMES" CLIP

"THE MILITARY HAS SET UP MY HUSBAND."

"TELL YOUR HUSBAND TO 'COP A PLEA' TRY TO MAKE A DEAL WITH THE JUDGE. MILITARY JUSTICE IS TO JUSTICE AS MILITARY MUSIC IS TO MUSIC, MRS. KUBIK. WAKE UP AND SMELL THE NAPALM."

TEXT: In "HIGH CRIMES," Freeman plays a retired military lawyer who knows his way around the system; Judd plays a civilian attorney whose husband is accused of committing murder while on a top secret mission. /// OPT /// Judd says characters in jeopardy are interesting to her:

CUT SIX JUDD

THERE IS JUST SOMETHING SO INTRINSICALLY JUICY ABOUT IT BECAUSE THEY GET TO BE BOTH STATIC AND DYNAMIC. THERE IS AN INTERIOR AS WELL AS AN INTERIOR ACTION TO BE FACING. THAT SOUNDS KIND OF CLINICAL. I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN EXPLAIN IT WITH THE SAME VERVE THAT I FEEL WHEN I READ SOMETHING AND SEE IT ALL THERE ON THE PAGE. /// END OPT ///

TEXT: "HIGH CRIMES" has a strong opening at number two; but first place again belongs to Jodie Foster in the thriller "PANIC ROOM." /// OPT /// Director David Fincher draws the audience in with breathtaking and seemingly impossible camera moves; and Foster says it was a real test for the cast:

CUT SEVEN FOSTER

YOU CAN'T BE UNAWARE OF IT. WHEN YOU HAVE A HIGHLY TECHNICAL MOVIE THAT'S VERY CRAFTED, SCULPTED AND COMPOSED, PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THE DEMANDS ON THE REST OF THE CREW AND ACTORS. IT MEANS THAT YOU HAVE 40 TAKES REGULARLY . . . BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO ACCOMMODATE EVERY SINGLE CAMERA, LIGHT AND FACET. I LOVE THAT. I LOVE HAVING A DIRECTOR WHO KNOWS WHAT HE WANTS. NO MATTER HOW CONTROLLING IT IS, I LOVE BEING TOLD WHAT TO DO.

CUT EIGHT "PANIC ROOM" CLIP

"WHAT IS HE DOING?"

"THEY'RE LOCKING US IN."

TEXT: "PANIC ROOM" locks up first place: the most popular movie at North American theaters for the second straight week. (signed)

MUSIC by Howard Shore, composer of "PANIC ROOM" soundtrack