OUT ON VIDEO
Dates in parentheses indicate a full-length review of the film in the Monitor.
* BATMAN FOREVER
Riddle me this, riddle me that, what's different about this big black bat? Behind the rubber suit is Val Kilmer, who makes his debut as the Caped Crusader. But this time, Batman is not fighting the villains alone. Robin (Chris O'Donnell) joins him when evil Two-Face (Tommy Lee Jones) crashes Robin's act at the circus.
Compared with the other two Batman movies, this is the most entertaining. It has explosions, high-tech gadgetry, and romance, and it's all the more enjoyable with Jim Carrey as the Riddler. And Nicole Kidman plays the beautiful Chase Meridian, a psychologist who is just batty about Batman. (PG-13, Warner Brothers; June 16, 1995.)
- Lisa Leigh Parney
* WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING - Sandra Bullock pulls heartstrings as a lonely token collector for the Chicago Rapid Transit. She's nursing a crush on a handsome commuter (Peter Gallagher), and finally gets a break when she saves him after a fall onto the tracks. While he's hospitalized, a series of events leads his family to believe that the two are engaged. Along comes his charming brother (Bill Pullman), who is out to uncover the truth. This pleasant little movie reminds viewers how important family can be, especially during the holidays. The cast is good, but Bullock makes an especially appealing heroine. (PG, Hollywood Pictures Home Video)
- April Austin
* THE SANTA CLAUSE
What if St. Nick can't carry out his duties? Who takes over? Scott Calvin, a divorced dad, finds out when Santa takes a fatal fall off a roof one Christmas and Calvin is forced to don the red suit and finish the rounds. He soon learns that whoever puts on the special suit must give up his previous life and become the next jolly one. Comedian Tim Allen, of TV's ''Home Improvement,'' carries the film as the baffled dad who suddenly starts growing white whiskers, gaining weight, and losing friends and family as they question his sanity. Although not one of Disney's best, the film is sweet and entertaining. (PG, Walt Disney Home Video)
- Kim Campbell
