MOVIE
'1492'
"1492: Conquest of Paradise" is a revisionist version of the discovery of the New World from the painterly hand of Ridley ("Blade Runner") Scott. Gerard Depardieu plays a Columbus who saw in the New World a chance for an escape from European oppression and ended up with a violent revolution on his hands. The movie meanders toward the end, but it's great to see a big budget, intelligent, moving costume drama of the sort that hasn't shown up in years. PG-13. ** 1/2 stars. Gladiator" is one of those thumping boxing movies that seems to have stepped out of the '30s with only its musical score adjusted to rock. Cuba Gooding Jr. and James Marshall of "Twin Peaks" fame star as young boxers exploited by crooked promoter Brian Dennehy. It's loud and crude, somewhat over obvious, but it does hold your attention. R. ** 1/2 .
Stephen Hunter "Troilus and Cressida" is part history, part romance, part comedy, part tragedy and, most of all, hakespeare's experiment in satire. The current production at the Washington's Shakespeare Theatre (450 Seventh St. N.W.) is not only a rich blend of these disparate elements, it incorporates added
resonances, reminding us that the war on stage is not unlike those raging today in, say, Sarajevo or Somalia. Weekend
performances are today at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and tomorrow at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $24-$42. For more information, call (202) 393-2700.
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J. Wynn Rousuck
TELEVISION
For women only
NBC and ABC are counterprogramming baseball on CBS Sunday night with shows they think women will like. "Jackie Collins' Lady Boss," at 9 on WMAR (Channel 2), will probably get the big ratings. But "Overexposed," at 9 on WJZ (Channel 13), is the one to watch. It's the story of a married woman (Marcy Walker) tricked into an affair with a sleazeball (Terence Knox) who videotapes their low-rent romance and then uses the tape to try and destroy her. Knox plays a great nutball.
David Zurawik