Mars Attacks! 

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When Martians come to earth, the citizens celebrate—until the Martians fry all of us. Directed by the always-over-the-top Tim Burton ("Batman," "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure"), the Martians themselves look a little like the underworld bug-eyed creatures from "Beetlejuice," and they're the best thing about the flick. Done in ultra-cheesy '50s B-movie style, it's pretty funny, but somehow never reaches the fever pitch it promises.

Hauntingly like "Independence Day" in both plot and budget, sometimes it seems like Tim Burton is riding his saucer on auto-pilot. With Jack Nicholson, Glenn Close, Annette Bening, Pierce Brosnan (awesome as the ubiquitous "professor" character) and Sarah Jessica Parker. Rated PG.

—Ian Williams

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