December 4, 1995 -- ``The Usual Suspects'' shown Dec. 3 at the Wyo Theatre was the last film in the Fall Film Series and it was a good one, meanwhile, Ace Ventura II continues to roll on and on.

A cross between a whodunit and a caper film, ``The Usual Suspects'' keeps you guessing right up to the end. The story starts out with a fire and a murder on a boat. I had heard about this film before so I paid particular attention to that scene.

It turns out that the killer's voice is disguised in that scene, which threw me off for the most of the film, but I finally figured it out before the final revelation.

The film reminded me a little of ``Reservoir Dogs'' in that it is told mainly in flashback and it is centered around a bunch of low-life crooks. Gabriel Byrne does a good job as a reluctant crook who gets blackmailed into a caper. Kevin Spacey also is effective in the role of ``Verbal,'' a small time con man who is part of the same scheme with four other crooks.

Chazz Palminteri also stars as a cop trying to piece together a case out all the stories he is hearing from Verbal and others. The story unfolds gradually throughout the film, forcing the viewer to pay close attention and to re-evaluate everything he has seen before.

It is a complex story, but I found it fun. It should be out on home video soon. The name of the film is taken from a famous line of dialogue from one of the greatest films of all time, "Casablanca." "The Usual Suspects" rates a B.

Click here for links to places to buy this movie in video and/or DVD format, the soundtrack, books, even used videos, games and lots of other stuff. I suggest you shop at least two of these places before buying anything. Prices seem to vary continuously. For more information on this film, click on this link to The Internet Movie Database. Type in the name of the movie in the search box and press enter. You will be able to find background information on the film, the actors, and links to much more information.