Sneaks 12/2, 4

For those who like to be the first to see new pics, there are 3 sneak peeks this week. On Saturday, 12/2, you have your choice of either THE HOLIDAY or BLOOD DIAMOND. Both films sneak at 7:00 p.m. at both WE and WW. Monday you have a chance to see THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS, 7:30 at WO. The first two open on 12/8 while HAPPINESS opens 12/15. There will be limited seating for these so get your tickets early.

Opening 12/1/2006

THE NATIVITY STORY [PG] 1 hr. 40 min. Drama Cast: Keisha Castle-Hughes, Oscar Isaac, Hiam Abbass, Shaun Toub, Alexander Siddig, Said Amadis, Ciaran Hinds, Shohreh Aghdashloo. Plot: chronicles the arduous journey of two people, Mary and Joseph, a miraculous pregnancy, and the history-defining birth of Jesus. Showing at: DC, MM, NR, WE, WO, WW

TURISTAS [R] 1 hr. 30 min. Mystery/Thriller Cast: Josh Duhamel, Melissa George, Olivia Wilde, Desmond Askew, Beau Garrett, Max Brown, Raul Guterres, Andréa Leal. Plot: a terrifying bus accident maroons a diverse group of young adventure travelers in a remote Brazilian beach town, where they slowly discover the white sand beaches and lush jungles are concealing a darker, unsettling secret. Showing at: NR, WE, WW

NATIONAL LAMPOON'S VAN WILDER 2: THE RISE OF TAJ [R] 1 hr. 40 min. Comedy Cast: Kal Penn, Lauren Cohan, Daniel Percival, Glen Barry, Anthony Cozens, Tom Davey, Holly Davidson, William de Coverly, Shobu Kapoor, Ashley Rae, Steven Rathman, Amy Steel, Beth Steel. Plot: Taj, Van Wilder's assistant in the first film, heads out on his own to England's prestigious Camden University to further his studies. Showing at: NR, WE, WW

Leaving 11/30/2006

Derby Cinema - Borat
Movie Machine - Casino Royale
Northrock 14 - A Good Year
Palace West - The Grudge 2, Cars, Jackass Number 2
Premiere Palace - U.S. vs John Lennon, Fast Food Nation
Starlite Drive-In - Closed until spring
Warren East - A Good Year, Let's Go To Prison
Warren Old Town - Stranger Than Fiction
Warren West - A Good Year, Let's Go To Prison, Flags Of Our Fathers

Worthwhile (and not) 11/23/2006

Of the seven new films for this holiday period, three are in the Worthwhile category: CASINO ROYALE, DEJA VU, and FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. All the rest are in the 2½ star range except for the lowest rated film. DECK THE HALLS, at 2 stars.

DEJA VU ***

I've been a science fiction fan for years so I've read a number of novels about time travel. It's too bad the screenwriters of this film haven't also done so. The might have been able to tie up a few of the logic problems in the plot.

Still, most won't notice those, preferring to gaze upon Denzel and Paula Patton as they go through the motions. The story concerns a horrible bombing and the effort of an elite group of scientists and law enforcement types attempting to change history in order to stop the carnage. The first third of the film introduces you to most of the cast and covers the bombing. The middle section rather slowly shows you the whole time travel concept. And, the final third covers once again the first third, but with the possibility the original outcome can be avoided.

Action fans will love the virtually endless stream of auto accidents, massive explosions, and shootouts. The supporting cast is just fine, although Val Kilmer looks as if he's given up all hope of being anything but a character actor. Production values are also good, as you'd expect from a Bruckheimer film. Seeing this in a large theatre with good sound will be necessary if you want to fully appreciate the explosive effects it offers. One with very comfortable seats should also be sought since the length is a tad excessive.

DECK THE HALLS **½

Those who know me are already aware of my "Bah, Humbug" attitude toward Christmas. But, I'm well aware that most really look forward to the holiday, the gifts, the time off, etc. I can tell you up front, the critics are going to hate this film but there will be a fair number who go to see it just because it has a Christmas theme. And many of them will like it just fine.

There's absolutely nothing original in this plot. Within minutes of the opening you will already be aware of what's coming next and how it will eventually end. Both DeVito and Broderick play to character type. DeVito as the mouthy hustler and Broderick as the stiff prig. Davis and Chenoweth are fine as long suffering wives, and we even get to hear a little (not nearly enough) of Chenoweth's lovely voice.

The film is a little tasteless for a Christmas pic but there's probably nothing in it the kids aren't already familiar with. Since the director had the sense to limit the length to less than 2 hours, I'm adding half a star (only seems fair since I regularly deduct for excessive length). Even so, you'd be better off saving your money for something better, like Happy Feet.

Opening 11/22-(23)/2006

(BOBBY) [R] 2hrs. Drama Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Demi Moore, Sharon Stone, Lindsay Lohan, Elijah Wood, William H. Macy, Helen Hunt, Christian Slater, Heather Graham, Laurence Fishburne, Freddy Rodriguez, Nick Cannon, Emilio Estevez, Martin Sheen, Shia LaBeouf, Jacob Vargas, Brian Geraghty, Joshua Jackson, Joy Bryant, Svetlana Metkina, Kip Pardue, David Krumholtz, Harry Belafonte, Mary Elizabeth Winstead. Plot: revisits the night Robert F. Kennedy was gunned down at the Ambassador Hotel in 1968. Showing at: NR, WE, WW

DECK THE HALLS [PG] 1hr. 35 min. Comedy/Family Cast: Danny DeVito, Matthew Broderick, Kristin Davis, Kristin Chenoweth, Alia Shawkat, Sabrina Aldridge, Kelly Aldridge. Plot: A family comedy about one-upsmanship, jealousy, clashing neighbors, home decoration...and the true spirit of the holidays. Showing at: DC, MM, NR, WE, WW

Déjà Vu [PG-13] 2 hrs. 10 min. Suspense/Thriller Cast: Denzel Washington, Val Kilmer, Paula Patton, Bruce Greenwood, Adam Goldberg, Jim Caviezel. Plot: called in to recover evidence after a bomb sets off a cataclysmic explosion on a New Orleans Ferry, an ATF agent discovers what most people believe is only in their heads is actually something far more powerful – and will lead him on a mind-bending race to save hundreds of innocent people. Showing at: DC, MM, NR, WE, WO, WW

THE FOUNTAIN [PG-13] 1 hr. 35 min. Fantasy/Sci-Fi Cast:Hugh Jackman, Rachel Weisz, Ellen Burstyn, Sean Gullette, Sean Patrick Thomas, Donna Murphy. Plot: an odyssey about one man's thousand-year struggle to save the woman he loves. Showing at: NR, PP, WW

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION [PG-13] 1 hr. 25 min. Comedy Cast: Carrie Aizley, Bob Balaban, Ed Begley, Jr., Jennifer Coolidge, Paul Dooley, Ricky Gervais, Christopher Guest, Rachael Harris, John Michael Higgins, Michael Hitchcock, Don Lake, Eugene Levy, Jane Lynch, Michael McKean, Larry Miller, Christopher Moynihan, Catherine O'Hara, Jim Piddock, Parker Posey, Harry Shearer, Deborah Theaker, Fred Willard, Scott Williamson. Plot: focuses on the making of an independent movie and its cast who become victims of the dreaded awards buzz. Showing at: WE

RUNNING WITH SCISSORS [R] 2 hrs. Comedy/Drama Cast: Annette Bening, Joseph Cross, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jill Clayburgh, Brian Cox, Joseph Fiennes, Evan Rachel Wood, Alec Baldwin, Gabrielle Union, Kristin Chenoweth, Heather Clark, Beth Grant, Colleen Camp. Plot: When his parents divorce, a boy's mother sends him to live with her wildly unorthodox psychiatrist. Showing at: PP

TENACIOUS D IN THE PICK OF DESTINY [R] 1 hr. 35 min. Comedy/Musical Cast: Jack Black, Kyle Gass, Will Ferrell, David Koechner, Jason Reed, Ronnnie James Dio. Plot: the story of how "The D" became the self-proclaimed greatest band on earth. Showing at: NR, WE, WW

Leaving 11/21-(22)/2006

Derby Cinema - A Good Year
Movie Machine - The Departed, Flushed Away
Northrock 14 - The Prestige, Flags Of Our Fathers, The Return, Saw III, (Facing The Giants)
Palace West - Gridiron Gang, Wicker Man, Invincible, The Devil Wears Prada
Premiere Palace - The Guardian, Man Of The Year, Horrorfest, Open Season, Marie Antoinette, The Illusionist
Starlite Drive-In - Closed until spring
Warren East - Babel, The Prestige, The Departed, The Return, Harsh Times, Flicka, (Flags Of Our Fathers)
Warren Old Town - Flushed Away
Warren West - Saw III, The Return, The Prestige, Flicka, The Departed, Facing The Giants, Man Of The Year, (Babel)

Worthwhile (and not) 11/17/2006

This week virtually everything is worthwhile. With two exceptions, all of the new films are in the 3-4 star range. What doesn't have the seal of approval are the Horrorfest films and LET'S GO TO PRISON. The latter wasn't shown to critics in advance of today's opening which means the critics will hate it. And the Horrorfest films appear to be the type that were made to go directly to DVD or Cinemax. With so many highly rated films opening this week why waste your money on anything else?

CASINO ROYALE ***

Roger Moore and Pierce Brosnan have both played Bond as a playboy with cool tools and a slight edge. That's not the Daniel Craig version of Bond. There's hardly a gadget to be found in this film and the car equipment is minimalist to say the least. And while Craig's Bond can toss off the occasional quip, there's no doubt he's all business...definitely a person you'd want as a friend rather than as an enemy.

There are other changes from previous Bond films. The opening credits are different in style and the Bond musical theme is not heard, at least not until the end. Also, I don't recall that earlier Bonds ran all that much. This one runs so much you'd think it was his favorite mode of transportation.

All in all, I liked this new Bond and the steely edginess he brings to the character. If the director had just seen fit to trim the film down to two hours, this would easily have gotten an even higher rating.

Opening 11/17/2006

CASINO ROYALE [PG-13] 2 hrs. 25 min. Action/Drama Cast: Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Eva Green, Mads Mikkelsen, Jeffrey Wright, Giancarlo Giannini, Caterina Murino, Simon Abkarian, Tobias Menzies, Ivana Milicevic, Clemens Schik, Ludger Pistor, Claudio Santamaria, Isaach de Bankole. Plot: James Bond's first "007" mission leads him to Le Chiffre, banker to the world's terrorists. In order to stop him, and bring down the terrorist network, Bond must beat Le Chiffre in a high-stakes poker game at Casino Royale. Showing at: DC, NR, MM, WE, WO, WW

FAST FOOD NATION [R] 1 hr. 55 min. Drama Cast: Patricia Arquette, Bobby Cannavale, Luis Guzman, Ethan Hawke, Ashley Johnson, Greg Kinnear, Kris Kristofferson, Avril Lavigne, Esai Morales, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Lou Taylor Pucci, Ana Claudia Talancon, Wilmer Valderrama. Plot: a marketing director leaves the cushy confines of his company's Southern California boardroom for the immigrant-staffed slaughterhouses, teeming feedlots and cookie cutter strip malls of Middle America, and discovers a "Fast Food Nation" of consumers who haven't realized it is they who are being consumed by an industry with a seemingly endless appetite for fresh meat. Showing at: PP exclusively

HAPPY FEET [PG] 1hr. 50 min. Animated/family/comedy/adventure Voices of: Elijah Wood, Robin Williams, Brittany Murphy, Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman, Hugo Weaving, Anthony LaPaglia, E.G. Daily, Miriam Margoyles, Magda Szubanski, Carlos Alazraqui, Johnny Sanchez III, Jeff Garcia, Lombardo Boyar. Plot: in the great nation of Emperor Penguins, deep in Antarctica, a young penguin and his friends set out across vast landscapes and, after some epic encounters, prove that by being true to yourself, you can make all the difference in the world. Showing at: DC, NR, MM, WE, WO, WW

HORRORFEST [NR] various times. Horror There are nine horror films in this collection which will be showing Friday through Tuesday. Three different films on Fri, Sat, and Sun with selected repeats on Mon-Tue. Separate admission for each film. Check the title link for more details. Showing at: PP exclusively

LET'S GO TO PRISON [R] 1 hr. 30 min. Comedy Cast: Dax Shepard, Will Arnett, Chi McBride, Dylan Baker, Steve Dahl, David Koechner, Michael Shannon. Plot: felon John Lyshitski has figured out the best way to get revenge on the now-dead judge who sent him to jail: watch the official's obnoxious son, Nelson Biederman IV, survive the clink. Showing at: WW, WE

THE U.S. vs JOHN LENNON [PG-13] 1 hr. 45 min. Documentary Cast: John Lennon, Yoko Ono. Plot: a little-known chapter of modern history, when a president and his administration used the machinery of government to wage a covert war against the world's most popular musician. Showing at: PP exclusively

Leaving 11/16/2006

Derby Cinema - The Prestige, Saw III
Movie Machine - Operation Stormbreaker, Flags Of Our Fathers, Man Of The Year
Northrock 14 - Man Of The Year, Flags Of Our Fathers, The Guardian, The Departed
Palace West - The Last Kiss, All The King's Men
Premiere Palace - Operation Stormbreaker, This film Is Not Yet Rated, Employee Of The Month, Infamous, Keeping Mum, Little Miss Sunshine, Jackass 2, POTC:Dead Man's Chest
Starlite Drive-In - Closed until spring
Warren East - Marie Antoinette, Man Of The Year, One Night With The King, The Guardian, Facing The Giants
Warren Old Town - Saw III, The Departed
Warren West - Open Season, The Guardian

Worthwhile (and not) 11/10/2006

Based on the reviews I'm seeing, this week's Worthwhile (3-4 stars) group include STRANGER THAN FICTION, BABEL, THIS FILM NOT YET RATED, and THE QUEEN. The Not (1½-2½ stars) group includes HARSH TIMES, A GOOD YEAR, and ALEX RIDER. THE RETURN was evidently not screened for reviewers so you know what the film company thought the reviews would be!

STRANGER THAN FICTION is the only comedy in the Worthwhile group and will no doubt be the leader of this week's films. The other Worthwhile pics all tend to fall in the art house category, although if you like to see all the Academy Award nominated films you may want to see THE QUEEN since the buzz on it is quite good.

Opening 11/10/2006

ALEX RIDER: OPERATION STORMBREAKER [PG] 1 hr, 35 min. Action/Family. Cast: Sarah Bolger, Jimmy Carr, Robbie Coltrane, Stephen Fry, Damian Lewis, Ewan McGregor, Bill Nighy, Sophie Okonedo, Alex Pettyfer, Missi Pyle, Andy Serkis, Alicia Silverstone, Ashley Walters, Mickey Rourke. Plot: based on the best selling young adult adventure book series about a 14-year-old orphan who has been unwittingly trained all his life by his uncle with the skills to become a secret agent, and then must use those skills. Showing at: PP exclusively

A GOOD YEAR [PG-13] 2 hrs. Drama. Cast:Russell Crowe, Albert Finney, Abbie Cornish, Marion Cotillard, Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi, Didier Bourdon, Tom Hollander, Freddie Highmore. Plot: an Englishman inherits a vineyard in Provence that an American woman claims is hers. Showing at: NR, WE, WW

BABEL [R] 2 hr, 25 min. Drama. Cast: Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Gael Garcia Bernal, Rinko Kikuchi, Adriana Barraza, Koji Yakusho, Michael Pena, Clifton Collins Jr., Elle Fanning. Plot: two Morrocan boys set out to look after their family's herd of goats and decide to test their rifle... but the bullet goes farther than they thought it would and in an instant the lives of four separate groups of strangers on three different continents collide. Showing at: WE, WW

HARSH TIMES [R] 1 hr, 55 min. Action/Crime/Drama. Cast: Christian Bale, Freddy Rodriguez, Eva Longoria. Plot: from the creator of "Training Day," a gritty look at friendship, loyalty and ambition set on the extremely rough streets of south central Los Angeles. Showing at: WE exclusively

THE QUEEN [PG-13] 1 hr, 45 min. Drama. Cast: Helen Mirren, Michael Sheen, James Cromwell, Sylvia Syms, Alex Jennings, Helen McCrory, Roger Allam, Tim McMullan. Plot: when news of the death of Princess Diana breaks, Queen Elizabeth II retreats behind the walls of Balmoral Castle, unable to comprehend the public response to the tragedy. Showing at: PP exclusively

THE RETURN [PG-13] 1 hr, 25 min. Drama/Supernatural Thriller. Cast: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Kate Beahan, Peter O'Brien, Adam Scott, Sam Shepard. Plot: a tough young Midwesterner determines to learn the truth behind her increasingly terrifying supernatural visions. She is guided by her nightmares to a town where she discovers some secrets can't be buried and some spirits never die. Showing at: NR, WE, WW

STRANGER THAN FICTION [PG-13] 1hr, 50 min. Comedy/Romance. Cast: Will Ferrell, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Dustin Hoffman, Queen Latifah, Emma Thompson. Plot: a novelist struggling to complete her latest book discovers her main character is inexplicably alive and well in the real world and suddenly aware of her words. Showing at: DC, NR, WE, WO, WW

THIS FILM IS NOT YET RATED [NR] 1 hr, 25 min. Documentary. Cast: Wayne Kramer, Allison Anders, David Ansen, Darren Aronofsky, Jamie Babbit, Maria Bello, Kirby Dick, Atom Egoyan, Steven Farber, Martin Garbus, Mary Harron, Richard Heffner, Lindsey Howell, Kimberly Peirce, Kimberly Price, Bingham Ray, Kevin Smith, Matt Stone, Michael Tucker, Mark Urman, John Waters. Plot: a breakthrough investigation into the MPAA film ratings system and its profound effect on American culture. Showing at: PP exclusively

Leaving 11/9/2006

Derby Cinema - Open Season, Man of the Year, Flags of our Fathers, Flicka
Movie Machine - Saw III, The Guardian, Open Season
Northrock 14 - Catch a Fire, Flicka, Open Season
Palace West - Crank, Black Dahlia
Premiere Palace - Catch a Fire, The Grudge 2, The Marine, Factotum
Starlite Drive-In - Closed until spring
Warren East - Employee of the Month, Open Season
Warren Old Town - Flags of our Fathers, Man of the Year
Warren West - The Marine, Catch a Fire, One Night With The King, Employee of the Month, The Grudge 2

Borat Adds More Theatres On Friday

Those of you who tried to see BORAT this weekend and couldn't get in...take comfort in the fact the film is expanding its runs in Wichita. I haven't seen the Northrock schedule yet but in addition to its run at WE, the film will be playing at DC, NR, WW and WO starting Friday.

Worthwhile (and not) 11/3/2006

Read my review below and you'll see what I think is the best film of the week. It's also averaging 3½-4 stars from the critics. For family oriented entertainment you have two choices, FLUSHED AWAY and SANTA CLAUSE 3. The first is the preferred critic's pic with a 3-3½ average while Santa only averages 2½. It sounds like Tim Allen should consider moving on to new roles. KEEPING MUM is also earning a 2½ average but those who really enjoy British humour should find it entertaining.

BORAT: CULTURAL LEARNINGS OF AMERICA FOR MAKE BENEFIT GLORIOUS NATION OF KAZAKHSTAN ***½

I thought I'd seen every possible plot, but I was wrong. This film is like nothing I've ever seen before and I'm betting the response to it will be wildly polarized. In other words, you will either laugh hysterically or be highly offended. Count me as one of the first.

The genius of the film is that Mr. Cohen stays in the character of Borat throughout the film as he visits various people and groups who are unaware he's a comedian and whose prejudice's make them perfect foils for his supposed ignorance of American customs and mores. We watch as he tries to buy a gun suitable for killing Jews (Mr. Cohen is Jewish), sings a different version of our National Anthem to a Southern rodeo crowd, starts speaking in tounges at a Pentecostal revival and wrestles nude in front of a crowd of investment bankers. That's just for starters!

If you feel political correctness is a virtue and you're offended by lots of full frontal male nudity and very graphic bathroom humor, you should stay far, far away from this film. If you enjoy ribald humor and don't have a PC bone in your body, you'll laugh yourself sick!