Bo Welch

Aside from Jack Nicholson's high-camp turn as the Joker, the most attention-getting element of the 1989 "Batman" was the movie's dazzling production design by British artist Anton Furst. A dark, menacing netherworld at once futuristic and old-fashioned, Furst's Gotham City quoted liberally from the entire spectrum of sci-fi classics from Fritz Lang's "Metropolis" to Ridley Scott's "Blade Runner."

Aside from Jack Nicholson's high-camp turn as the Joker, the most attention-getting element of the 1989 "Batman" was the movie's dazzling production design by British artist Anton Furst. A dark, menacing netherworld at once futuristic and old-fashioned, Furst's Gotham City quoted liberally from the entire spectrum of sci-fi classics from Fritz Lang's "Metropolis" to Ridley Scott's "Blade Runner."

A sweet silly story with a girl and a boy, the book was created for wordplay and joy. The artist behind it was a Geisel called Seuss, a genius cartoonist and baby-boom Mother Goose. The movie takes place in a bright-colored town, a twee little burg unblighted by frowns. The girl and the boy are quiet as slugs, when along comes a Cat dressed up in a rug. The Cat is played by the comic Mike Myers, a zany Canuck whom I tend to admire.

"Magic has to be believed to be real," an understanding father tells his daughter in "A Little Princess," a philosophy this enchanting fantasy has taken as its own. Unlike the creators of far too many children's films, those responsible here have taken their story's events exactly as seriously as they expect their small audience to, with appealing results.

"Beetlejuice" (citywide), an uproarious ghost comedy, kills off its likable stars after eight minutes, but that's just the first of the chances it takes. By the time this irresistible treat is over, it has created some of the funniest moments and most inspired visual humor and design we may expect to experience at the movies all year. The film is a dazzling display of director Tim Burton's unique pop culture sensibility.

"Austin Powers" star Mike Myers returned fire Monday in an intensifying legal battle over aborted plans to make the movie "Sprockets." The star countersued Universal Pictures for damages in excess of $20 million alleging assault and invasion of privacy, as well as fraud. The countersuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, follows a $30-million breach of contract suit filed last week by Imagine Entertainment, which was producing "Sprockets" for Universal.

Dr. Seuss' The Cat in the Hat Mike Myers, Alec Baldwin Universal, $27 This big-budget version of the beloved Dr. Seuss book is far from the cat's meow. Though the production design, costumes and the animated title sequence beautifully capture the mood and style of the book, the script is a crude mess unfit for kiddie consumption. And Myers comes across as a feline version of the "Coffee Talk" character he created for "Saturday Night Live," and his cat quickly wears out all of his nine lives.

It's hardball time again in Hollywood. Universal Pictures has sued "Austin Powers" star Mike Myers for breach of contract, angered that the comedian has abruptly walked away from his new film, "Sprockets," which was due to begin shooting in early August. The movie, Myers' first project since last summer's runaway hit "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me," was slated to be Universal's big summer comedy for 2001.

"Leaving Las Vegas," the downbeat drama about a hopeless alcoholic and the prostitute who loves him, was voted best picture of 1995 on Saturday by the Los Angeles Film Critics Assn. The movie by Mike Figgis captured four of the critics' awards. Nicolas Cage won for best actor, and best actress went to Elisabeth Shue. Figgis received honors for best direction. Figgis also was runner-up in the screenplay category.

The Movie: "Primary Colors" The Setup: Committed, yet emotionally flawed, Bill Clinton-like Southern Gov. Jack Stanton (John Travolta) runs for president with his brainy, tough-skinned wife, Susan (Emma Thompson), at his side, based on the novel by Joe "Anonymous" Klein. The Costume Designer: Ann Roth, an eight-time regular on director Mike Nichols' team (including "The Birdcage," "Working Girl" and "Heartburn"), who won an Academy Award for "The English Patient."

THE BIG 8 Picture Kenneth Turan: Apollo 13 Kevin Thomas: Apollo 13 Hollywood Consensus: Apollo 13 Actress Kenneth Turan: Susan Sarandon (Dead Man Walking) Kevin Thomas: Susan Sarandon Hollywood Consensus: Susan Sarandon Actor Kenneth Turan: Nicolas Cage (Leaving Las Vegas) Kevin Thomas: Nicolas Cage Hollywood Consensus: Nicolas Cage Supporting Actress Kenneth Turan: Kate Winslet (Sense and Sensibility) Kevin Thomas: Joan Allen (Nixon) Hollywood Consensus: Mira Sorvino (Mighty Aphrodite)