TRAILERS OFF LIMITS Willem Dafoe ("Platoon") and Gregory Hines ("Running Scared") star as two temperamental Military Policemen who try to solve a series of prostitute murders in Saigon, as the Vietnam war rages around them. Amanda Pays ("Max Headroom") co-stars as the nun who helps them in their search. The film is written and directed by Christopher Crowe, and was shot on location in Thailand. 20th Century Fox was supposed to release the film at Christmas but, perhaps embar- they had with rassed by the riches that "Wall Street" and "Broadcast News," decided to hold it back. BILOXI BLUES Despite the fact that "Brighton Beach Memoirs" was one of the big disappointments of Christmas, 1986, hopes are high for this second installment in Neil Simon's autobiographical trilogy. For one thing, Matthew Broderick is playing the lead role of the wisecracking Eugene, just as he had when the play first opened on Broadway. Add to that the fact that Mike Nichols ("The Graduate," "Silkwood") is directing the film, and you've got a major project that demands to be taken seriously This seems to be the month where bumped Christmas releases have come to settle. Originally promised for late 1987, THE MILAGRO BEANFIELD WAR this much-anticipated directorial effort from Robert Redford (his first since the Oscar-winning "Ordinary People") is described as a magical and humorous film about a group of people who fight in their own unique way to protect a:id preserve a way of life. Our hero is a Chicano handyman named Joe Mondragon, who illegally diverts water for his fields frotn a major development firm and sets off a chain of events that have overwhelming consequences for Joe and his people. The ensemble cast includes (in alphabetical order) Ruben Blades ("Fatal Beauty"), Richard Bradford, Sonia Braga ("Moon Over Parador"), Julie Carmen, James Gammon, Melanie Griffith ("Stormy Monday"), John Heard ("After Hours"), Carlos Riquelme, Daniel Stem ("Bom in East LA."), Chick Vennera and Christopher Walken ("Biloxi Blues"). The script, which is based on John Nichols's novel, is by David S, Ward, who wrote "The Sting." A Universal release. In the film, Eugene is shipped off to boot camp, where he quickly learns about life, death and sex, all imder the eyes of a demanding drill sergeant (played by Christopher Walken). The story is much more serious-minded than "Brighton Beach Memoirs-' and judging from the trailer that we've seen, the play has been "opened up" quite a bit and makes good use of the great outdoors during the basic training sequences. Casey Siemaszko ("Three O'clock High"), Penelope Miller, Corey Parker and Matthew Mulhern costar. A Universal release. D.O.A. With the exceptions of "E.T." and "M*A*S*H," films with titles cotnprised of only initials haven't done too well (remember "C.H.O.M.P.S.?" How about "F.I.S.T?") But this new film has enough star power in front of and behind the camera — and a unique enough premise — to probably rise above this minor stigma. Dennis Quaid stars as a jaded writer who has lost his lust for life — until he is slipped a lethal, slow-acting poison and is forced to set out on a campaign to find his own murderer. Meg Ryan, who played Quaid's love interest in "Innerspace" and who (reportedly) fills a similar role in real life, co-stars. The film is based on the 1949 film of the same name starring Edmund O'Brien, but new writer Charles Edward Pogue has reportedly kept the basic premise and dumped the rest (as he did with his remake of "The Fly"). Directors Rocky Morton and Annabel Jankel are credited with creating "Max llc;:droom," and have imposed their uniquely offbeat vision on the film. A Buena Vista release. SWITCHING CHANNELS okay, go ahead and remake "D.O.A.;" most people have never heard of it, and it wasn't that good to begin with. But "His Giri Friday???" Forget the fact that the Gary Grant /Rosalind Russel gem was itself a remake of "The Front Page," that furiously-paced look at love in the newsroom set a standard for screwball romances that remains out of most filmmaker's reach. Why, oh why, try to recapture its brilliance? "Why not?," asks producer Martin Ransohoft", who cast Burt Reynolds and Kathleen Turner in the lead roles, updated the whole story so that it now takes place in a CNN-like newsroom, and is obviously hoping that lightning can strike twice. Also along for the ride is Christopher Reeve, filling Ralph Bellamy's role as the schmuck who wants to marr\' Turner and take her away from the news beat and her ex-husband (Reynolds, in a role that was originally to be essayed by Michael Caine). Unfortunately, Turner still has both in her blood. A Tri-Star release. 8 BOXOFFICE
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