Tamra Davis

Over the past seven years Tamra Davis has made a name for herself directing cutting-edge videos for some of the thorniest acts in popular music. As director of choice for alternative performers such as N.W.A, Sonic Youth and Black Flag, Davis surprised people familiar with her work when she dipped into Hollywood's past and chose the venerated film noir tradition for her debut film.

Few artists' public images have been as important to their early careers as Jean-Michel Basquiat's. But these days, the image most people have of the 1980s New York painter comes mainly from the press and a 1996 film by Julian Schnabel. Basquiat lived too briefly to leave much more of a record than his often sensationalistic interviews and incandescent, jazz-and-graffiti-influenced paintings.

Few artists' public images have been as important to their early careers as Jean-Michel Basquiat's. But these days, the image most people have of the 1980s New York painter comes mainly from the press and a 1996 film by Julian Schnabel. Basquiat lived too briefly to leave much more of a record than his often sensationalistic interviews and incandescent, jazz-and-graffiti-influenced paintings.

Over the past seven years Tamra Davis has made a name for herself directing cutting-edge videos for some of the thorniest acts in popular music. As director of choice for alternative performers such as N.W.A, Sonic Youth and Black Flag, Davis surprised people familiar with her work when she dipped into Hollywood's past and chose the venerated film noir tradition for her debut film.

Tamra Davis' "Half Baked," starring Dave Chappelle, a comedy in which three party dudes try to break one of their buddies out of prison, also opens today. Because Universal Studios did not make the film available for screenings, The Times' review will appear on Monday.

As whenever a new Western is announced, I'm looking forward to "Bad Girls," the Tamra Davis-directed feature Goldstein mentions. It's interesting to note that the scene she describes from her film, in which a woman turns oral sex into blood revenge, was anticipated 16 years ago in the Julius J. Epstein-Herbert Asmodi script for "Cross of Iron." That film was directed by the noted feminist Sam Peckinpah. JIM BEAVER Van Nuys

The titular painter and graffiti artist of Tamra Davis' documentary "Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child" continues to garner fascination and analysis. Getting its title from an article in Artforum that first brought the sprout-headed artist to the attention of the New York gallery scene, the film builds upon footage of an interview Basquiat did in 1985. Davis, a close friend of the artist, who died in 1988 of a heroin overdose, gives the documentary a deep, emotional core. Landmark Nuart Theatre, 11272 Santa Monica Boulevard.

No matter how often we've seen it, if it's done right--as this 1992 film was--there's something endlessly watchable about violence-prone young lovers fighting off a fatalistic universe. Borrowing its title (here shortened to one word) and some broad concepts from Joseph Lewis's 1949 film noir classic and "Bonnie and CLyde," first-time director Tamra Davis and writer Matthew Bright have brought an empathetic approach to this latest version.

"Billy Madison" looks as if it were made to fill the void left by Pee-wee Herman. We never needed Pee-wee more. Adam Sandler plays Billy Madison, a spoiled rich nudnik who stands to inherit the family business from his hotel tycoon father (Darren McGavin)--except Madison Sr. seems to think his jerky scion isn't up to it. For one thing, the only reason he graduated public school is because his father paid off the teachers.

In Adrian Lyne's new film, "Indecent Proposal," billionaire playboy Robert Redford comes to visit Demi Moore at her realty company. As he walks into her office, we catch a glimpse of Moore's secretary, a blond bimbo busily filing her nails and reading "Backlash," Susan Faludi's 1991 expose of the war against women's rights. The shot is meant as a playful jab at Faludi. But after seeing Lyne's new film, in which Redford offers a happily married young couple $1 million for a one-night stand with the sultry wife, the outspoken author--and many of her female Hollywood peers--are in no laughing mood.

* New this week: Sex and Britney Spears go together like the little bubbles in Coca-Cola. One ingredient sells the other. That said, "Crossroads" is no "Glitter." Spears acquits herself as well as anyone might in a movie as contrived and lazy as this one. She has a natural screen presence and, despite all those irritating vocal tics, makes herself likable. This may come as a shock, but she's OK. This is one of those thankless projects that directors usually take on so they can do something else.

Sex and Britney Spears go together like the little bubbles in Coca-Cola. One ingredient sells the other. So for Spears to be playing the virginal valedictorian of her high school class is a little like Carson Daly starring in a remake of "Goodbye, Mister Chips." That said, "Crossroads" is no "Glitter." Spears acquits herself as well as anyone might, in a movie as contrived and lazy as this one. She has a natural screen presence and, despite all those irritating vocal tics, makes herself likable.