DATE=4/1/2002

TYPE=ENGLISH FEATURE

NUMBER=7-36127

TITLE=HOLLYWOOD HIGHLIGHTS 2002-14a (Top 5 Films)

BYLINE=ALAN SILVERMAN

TELEPHONE=619-1024 (editor)

DATELINE=HOLLYWOOD

EDITOR=vicki swaney

CONTENT=

( INSERTS AVAILABLE FROM AUDIO SERVICES; VOICED VERSION 3:42vo, 7:36mo )

Intro: A thriller starring Jodie Foster scares up a record opening for the Oscar-winning actress; and a fact-based drama of dreams and baseball also hits a home run in its opening week. Alan Silverman lists the top five most popular films now showing at North American theaters, starting with a youthful sci-fi adventure at number five:

CUT ONE "CLOCKSTOPPERS" CLIP

"HOW DID YOU DO THAT?"

"I JUST PUSHED THIS BUTTON." (SFX)

"SO YOUR WATCH STOPS TIME?"

"NO, I DON'T THINK TIME HAS STOPPED. I THINK WE'RE JUST MOVING REALLY FAST."

TEXT: That's the concept of "hyper time" in "CLOCKSTOPPERS," a comic adventure of two teenagers who get hold of a top-secret device that lets them whiz around undetected. Jesse Bradford stars with Colombian-born Paula Garces as his hyper time companion:

/// OPT /// CUT TWO GARCES

I LOVE THE FACT THAT FRANCESCA IS SUCH A SMART LADY AND EVEN THOUGH SHE'S WHOLESOME AND SWEET, SHE'S NEVER THIS 'DAMSEL IN DISTRESS.' SHE'S ALWAYS VERY MUCH EMPOWERED. SHE HAS HER OWN IDEAS AND SHE ACTUALLY COMES UP WITH MOVES TO SAVE HER GUY INSTEAD OF HIM SAVING HER ALL THE TIME. I THINK IT WAS A VERY POSITIVE ROLE FOR YOUNG WOMEN TODAY. /// END OPT ///

TEXT: Directed by former "STAR TREK" co-star Jonathan Frakes, "CLOCKSTOPPERS" clocks in at number five.

Last week's top film tumbles to fourth place. The sequel "BLADE-TWO" stars Wesley Snipes, reprising his role as the vampire hunter who is half-vampire himself. In this adventure an even more deadly adversary forces him to team up with his usual prey:

CUT THREE "BLADE TWO" CLIP

"LET ME GET THIS RIGHT; YOU WANT ME TO HUNT THEM FOR YOU?"

"WHEN THEY ARE FINISHED WITH US, WHO DO YOU THINK THEY'LL TURN ON NEXT? YOUR PRECIOUS HUMANS: N-O-T ONE OF THEM WILL BE LEFT."

TEXT: "BLADE TWO" ends up at number four:

CUT FOUR "THE ROOKIE" CLIP

"DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY GUYS CAN THROW THE BALL 98 MILES AN HOUR?"

"N-O-T MANY."

TEXT: "THE ROOKIE" is based on a true story. Dennis Quaid stars as Jim Morris, a high school teacher who became the oldest "rookie" player ever recruited by a major league baseball team:

/// OPT /// CUT FIVE QUAID

WHEN I WAS READING THE SCRIPT I WAS REALLY TAKEN WITH IT AND WANTED TO DO IT, BUT I SAID AS A PIECE OF FICTION THIS IS TOTALLY UNBELIEVABLE. BUT ALL THESE THINGS REALLY HAPPENED TO THIS GUY IN QUICK SUCCESSION. IN MAY HE WAS TEACHING HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE IN THIS LITTLE TOWN OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF WEST TEXAS AND IN SEPTEMBER HE WAS STANDING ON TOP OF A MOUND IN A MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PARK, FULFILLING HIS LIFELONG DREAM. IT'S TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE. /// END OPT ///

TEXT: "THE ROOKIE" also features Rachel Griffiths and scores a big hit at number three.

"ICE AGE" is held over in second place. The animated family adventure follows an unlikely trio a wooly mammoth, a three-toed sloth and a saber-toothed tiger who find a lost human baby:

CUT SIX "ICE AGE" CLIP

"ALL RIGHT, I'LL HELP YOU BRING IT TO ITS HERD; BUT PROMISE ME YOU'LL LEAVE ME ALONE AFTER THAT."

"OKAY, IT'S A DEAL. WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM?"

"YOU ARE MY PROBLEM."

TEXT: "ICE AGE" is doing hot business and remains at number two; but the new first place film is the home invasion thriller "PANIC ROOM:"

CUT SEVEN "PANIC ROOM" CLIP

"WHAT IS HE DOING?"

"THEY'RE LOCKING US IN."

TEXT: When burglars break in to their upscale New York townhouse, a single mom and her teenaged daughter take refuge in a specially designed vault a "PANIC ROOM" and are trapped there by the crooks who are determined to get into the room. Jodie Foster stars as the mom acting out a parents' nightmare:

/// OPT /// CUT EIGHT FOSTER

IN A WEIRD WAY THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF BEING AN ACTOR. YOU GET TO LIVE OUT THINGS YOU ARE AFRAID OF AND YOU GET TO SAY 'MAYBE I CAN GET TO THE END OF IT AND SURVIVE INTACT. I CAN BE THE HERO OF MY OWN STORY.' IT'S KIND OF A WAY OF EXORCISING THAT FEAR. YOU HOPE YOU NEVER LIVE SOMETHING LIKE THIS. I CERTAINLY HAVE NEVER LIVED SOMETHING LIKE THIS. /// END OPT ///

TEXT: Directed by David Fincher, "PANIC ROOM" opens up at number one: the new most popular movie at North American theaters. (signed)