Hi ya.

Welcome to the first installment of "The Adventures of Filmboy." It's great to be here. I'm excited to partner with my buds at Stomp Tokyo in order to share my thoughts on what's playing at your local multiplex. We're going to have a good time discussing what's new and exciting on the big screen.

Here's where my path splits from my illustrious colleagues. While they lurk in dark corners at the nearby video store, I'll be parking my butt at a current release. My main goal is to help you wade through the cinemuck to find a movie worthy of your seven bucks. Plus, I hope to entertain you in the process. Just so you know, I'm a movie reviewer -- not a film critic. There'll be no high falutin' talk about "the cinema" here. Just the true confessions of a movie maniac. Enjoy.

Are you as tired of the teen invasion as I am? I'll admit that I think Jennifer Love Hewitt looks pretty cute in a halter top, but do I really need to see her in "Scream if You Still Know She's All That?" At first, this whole self-aware teen thing was kind of fun. A throwback to the John Hughes days of the mid-eighties, but enough is enough! I hate movies that make me feel old because I'm over 21.

I'll admit that I think Jennifer Love Hewitt looks pretty cute in a halter top, but do I really need to see her in "Scream if You Still Know She's All That?"

That's why I was interested in a movie featuring stars that you won't find sucking down tequila shooters with Leo's posse at the Viper Room. The stars of "The Thomas Crown Affair," Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo, are both in their forties and their ages are key to the success of this film.

"The Thomas Crown Affair" is, of course, a remake of the late sixties' Steve McQueen caper flick of the same name. I'm not drawing any comparisons here because, well, it's been done before and, um, I haven't seen the McQueen version. I wasn't expecting much from this movie. Mainly, I hoped to see Brosnan do a variation on his James Bond role while I drooled over Russo.

Speaking of Rene Russo, here's a dame that just gets better with age. I remember watching her on TV in the late eighties and not being too impressed. Then she had to fight her way out of lame movies like "FreeJack" and "Major League." But she came into her own as Mel Gibson's sparring partner in "Lethal Weapon 3." From then on, I've been a big Russo fan, with the exception of that ape movie she did a few years ago.

Russo's specialty is playing off her leading man (as she did with John Travolta in "Get Shorty" and Kevin Costner in "Tin Cup") and she continues her winning streak as Laura Banning, a sassy insurance investigator out to nail (in more ways than one) Brosnan's Thomas Crown. The chemistry between the two leads is a major reason to see this film. They try to beat each other at their own game and the verbal and physical encounters that follow are a pleasure to watch. These actors bring a maturity to their roles that make their scenes sizzle. You believe that they have the experience to back up what they say.

These actors bring a maturity to their roles that make their scenes sizzle.

I can't tell you how refreshing it is to watch two leads with ages within five years of each other. Sure, Sean Connery still has it going on in his sixties, but that doesn't change the fact that he's three times the age of Catherine Zeta Jones in "Entrapment." I know there's a double standard in Hollywood when it comes to actresses over a certain age, but lately, these movies make me feel like I'm watching my grandfather paw the babysitter.

So, the actors in this movie are perfect for Goldilocks. Not too young and not too old. But don't get the impression that all this flick has going for it is two sexy leads. The story, about a billionaire who steals works of art because he no longer gets a thrill out of mergers and acquisitions, has a lot to keep you interested.

This movie thrills you without explosions and car chases. You get a charge out of watching Thomas Crown steal the goodies without firing a shot. Brosnan has more charm and energy in this movie than in his last two Bond flicks put together. You can tell he's enjoying himself. And you will, too.

You get a charge out of watching Thomas Crown steal the goodies without firing a shot.

Half the fun is in watching this movie unfold. There are some really clever twists, especially in the last 15 minutes or so. In the finale, Director John McTiernan has a good time playing with the camera. He's constantly cutting to the beat of Nina Simone's "Sinnerman." The marriage of the images with the music makes your head spin and you enjoy the buzz.

McTiernan can hold his head high again in the wake of this film. After strong work in the action genre with "Predator," the original "Die Hard" and "The Hunt for Red October," he got lost in the over-produced mess of stuff like "Medicine Man" and "The Last Action Hero." By the time he helmed "Die Hard With a Vengeance," I was thinking his next directing stint would be a made-for-cable actioner starring C. Thomas Howell.

But Mr. McT has redeemed himself. This is his best work since "Die Hard." It's fast, witty and fun. Like his actors, there's a maturity to his work that really adds depth to the film. I know what you're thinking. Depth in a caper film? Granted, this movie isn't "Sophie's Choice," but it's also not full of young, beautiful people blowing stuff up either. Go check it out.

Well, that wraps up our maiden voyage. I don't know about you, but I had fun. Tune in next time when I'll deliver more gratuitous name-dropping and dumb jokes at an actor's expense. Until then, keep your feet on the ground and out of my yard.