Opening 6/1/07

AWAY FROM HER [PG-13] 1 hr, 50 min. Drama Trailer Cast: Julie Christie, Gordon Pinsent, Olympia Dukakis, Wendy Crewson, Michael Murphy, Kristen Thomson, Alberta Watson. Plot: screenplay adaptation of celebrated author Alice Munro's short story "The Bear Came Over the Mountain," a beautifully moving love story that deals with memory and the circuitous, unnamable paths of a long marriage and the toll Alzheimer's can take on that marriage. Showing at: Premiere Palace exclusively.

GRACIE [PG-13] Drama Trailer Cast: Elisabeth Shue, Dermot Mulroney, Carly Schroeder, Andrew Shue. Plot: an inspirational film about a teenage girl who overcomes the loss of her brother and fights the odds to achieve her dream of playing competitive soccer at a time when girls' soccer did not exist. Showing at: Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, 21st St. Warren.

KNOCKED UP [R] 2 hrs. 5 min. Comedy Trailer Cast: Seth Rogen, Katherine Heigl, Paul Rudd, Leslie Mann, Jay Baruchel, Jonah Hill, Jason Segel, Martin Starr. Plot: an up-and-coming entertainment journalist on the fast track gets seriously derailed when a drunken one-nighter with a slacker results in an unwanted pregnancy. Faced with the prospect of going it alone or getting to know the baby's father, she decides to give him a chance. Showing at: Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, Warren Old Town, 21st Street Warren.

MR. BROOKS [R] 2 hrs. Thriller Trailer Cast: Kevin Costner, William Hurt, Demi Moore, Dane Cook, Marg Helgenberger. Plot: a successful businessman, a generous philanthropist, a loving father and devoted husband has a secret -- he is an insatiable serial killer, so lethally clever no one has ever suspected him -- until now. Showing at: Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, 21st Street Warren.

Leaving 5/31/07

Derby Plaza -
Movie Machine - nothing
Northrock 14 - 28 Weeks Later, Georgia Rule
Palace West - Grindhouse
Premiere Palace - Next, The Invisible, Year Of The Dog
Starlite Drive-In - nothing
Warren East 13th - 28 Weeks Later, Disturbia
Warren Old Town - nothing
Warren West 21st - Disturbia

Worthwhile (or not) 5/25/07

This is a week where the national critics give the lowest rating to the obviously most popular film...so what's new. The top film at MetaCritic is WAITRESS (73), followed by AVENUE MONTAIGNE (64), BUG (63) and finally POTC: AT WORLD'S END (54). AVENUE is in French with English subtitles, so you know that crowd will be small. BUG was loved by Roger Ebert and many other biggies, but most audiences will absolutely hate it. POTC may have the lowest rating and you may be stiff and sore after watching it, but that's where everyone is going.

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: AT WORLD'S END **½

And yet another threequel, this time starring: Johnny Depp (Jack Sparrow), Geoffrey Rush (Barbossa), Orlando Bloom (Will Turner), Keira Knightley (Elizabeth Swann), Jack Davenport (Norrington), Bill Nighy (Davy Jones), Jonathan Pryce (Gov. Weatherby Swann), Stellan Skarsgard (Bootstrap Bill), Tom Hollander (Cutler Beckett), Naomie Harris (Tia Dalma), Chow Yun-Fat (Captain Sao Feng) and Keith Richards (Captain Teague).

This film starts where last year's ended, looking for Capt. Jack, who's been sent to Davy Jones Locker. They need him in order to get all the Pirate Captains together so they can decide what to do about the combination of Davy Jones and his crew and the navy of the British East India Company and the battle they're waging on the pirate ships. After a rather dull hour and a half, they get Jack and then it's on to the final battle and wrapping up all the plot loose ends. Now if I can describe the plot in three sentences, why does it take this film 2 hours and 45 minutes to accomplish the same thing?

The length of AT WORLD'S END is its major fault. It has the action and comedy of the first and it's much more satisfying than the second, but a little judicious editing would have been greatly appreciated. There are spectacular CGI effects and the quality is high, so it has that in its favor. The only place to really appreciate this is in a large theatre with good sound. Just be sure you find an auditorium with a comfortable seat.

BUG *½

In a film directed by William Friedkin and starring Ashley Judd (Agnes White), Michael Shannon (Peter Evans), Lynn Collins (R. C.), Brian F. O’Byrne (Dr. Sweet) and Harry Connick Jr. (Jerry Goss) you have a director and cast with enough experience to make one hopeful of a good film. Alas, in BUG, those hopes have been squashed.

Judd portrays a barmaid who leads a lonely existence in a cheap motel room. She's divorced but her abusive ex-husband Jerry, still considers her to be his. To get a little companionship, she occasionally gets together with R.C. in a relationship that seems more than friendship although neither appear to be gay. Along comes Peter who is nice, non-threatening and who thinks she's pretty. The develop a relationship rather quickly, and then the bugs start to appear.

I'm stopping the plot outline at that point because I'm not sure what happens, which is the primary problem with this pic. There are several possible interpretations of what happens but the plotline is not going to explain which one is true. If you stay through the ending credits you'll see a couple of still pictures that cast doubt on what you've seen before but don't really add anything to the story. I will say that Judd does a terrific job as an actress and the supporting cast is also fine but the overall film simply isn't satisfying enough to recommend. I will also tell you if dental visits bother you, avoid this film at all costs!

Opening 5/25/2007

For showtimes select your theatre under the SHOWIMES AT: header in the left column. Weekend times normally start appearing on Wednesday.

AVENUE MONTAIGNE [PG-13] 1 hr. 45 min. Comedy/Drama/Romance Trailer Cast: Cecile de France, Valérie Lemercier, Claude Brasseur, Albert Dupontel, Laura Morante, Sydney Pollack. Plot: centers around Jessica, a beautiful young woman from the provinces who comes to Paris and lands a job waiting tables at a chic bistro on fabled Avenue Montaigne, the city's nexus for art, music, theater and fashion. Because she doesn't know how celebrated her customers are, her guileless and completely unintimidated engagement in their lives has a transforming effect on them – and ultimately her. Showing at: Premiere Palace exclusively.

BUG [R] 1 hr. 40 min. Psychological thriller Trailer Cast: Ashley Judd, Harry Connick, Jr., Lynn Collins, Brían O'Byrne, Michael Shannon. Plot: when a lonely waitress with a tragic past begins a tentative romance with an eccentric, nervous drifter, she starts to feel hopeful again - until the first bugs arrive. Showing at: Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, 21st Street Warren.

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: AT WORLD'S END [PG-13] 2 hrs. 45 min. Action/Adventure Trailer Cast: Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Geoffrey Rush, Bill Nighy, Chow Yun-Fat, Stellan Skarsgård, Jack Davenport, Naomie Harris, Kevin R. McNally, Lee Arenberg, Mackenzie Crook, Andy Beckwith, Reggie Lee. Plot: in this threequel we find our heroes in a desperate quest to free Captain Jack Sparrow from his mind-bending trap in Davy Jones' locker – while the terrifying ghost ship, The Flying Dutchman and Davy Jones, under the control of the East India Trading Company, wreaks havoc across the Seven Seas. Showing at: Derby Plaza (2 prints), Movie Machine (2 prints), Northrock (5 prints), Starlite Drive-In, 13th Avenue Warren (7 prints), Warren Old Town (2 prints), 21st Street Warren (6 prints). Many of these theatres will be starting this film Thursday evening. Check show times (left column) for specific times and for continuing pictures who are dropping showtimes Thursday evening.

WAITRESS [PG-13] 1 hr. 45 min. Comedy/Romance Trailer Cast: Keri Russell, Nathan Fillion, Cheryl Hines, Adrienne Shelly, Jeremy Sisto, Andy Griffith, Eddie Jemison, Lew Temple. Plot: At first, things seem hopeless for a pregnant waitress with a needy husband, her dreams for a better life in ruins, until a good-looking doctor arrives in town and mixes things up. Showing at: 13th Avenue Warren exclusively.

Leaving 5/24/2007

Derby Plaza - Georgia Rule
Movie Machine - Disturbia, Meet The Robinsons
Northrock 14 - Delta Farce, Disturbia, Meet The Robinsons, Next
Palace West - The Reaping, Premonition, Amazing Grace, Reign Over Mr
Premiere Palace - 300, The Last Mimzy, Lucky You, The Land Of Women, Shades Of Glory, The Namesake
Starlite Drive-In -
Warren East 13th - Next, The Invisible, Hot Fuzz, Meet The Robinsons, Wild Hogs, Delta Farce, The Ex
Warren Old Town - 28 Weeks Later, Next
Warren West 21st - Next, The Invisible, Wild Hogs, The Ex, Meet The Robinsons, Fracture

Worthwhile (and not) 5/18/07

The Italian (73) and Year Of The Dog (71) are both more highly rated than Shrek The Third (54) but we all know which will attrack the largest crowds. Check here to read multiple reviews of these films.

SHREK THE THIRD ***

The first Shrek oozed from the swamp in 2001, followed three years later by Shrek 2. Now, it's time for Shrek The Third. Most of the characters are back with a few fairy tale favorites added for good measure. In case you're interested, the voices in this opus are: Mike Myers (Shrek), Eddie Murphy (Donkey), Cameron Diaz (Princess Fiona), Antonio Banderas (Puss in Boots), Julie Andrews (Queen), John Cleese (King), Rupert Everett (Prince Charming), Eric Idle (Merlin), Justin Timberlake (Artie), Amy Sedaris (Cinderella), Maya Rudolph (Rapunzel), Amy Poehler (Snow White), Larry King (Doris) and Regis Philbin (Mabel).

The story is relatively simple (as you might surmise). Just before the King croaks, Shrek is asked by him to accept the throne. Wanting instead to return to his swamp with Fiona, he sets out in search of Art, the only other legitimate heir to the throne. Prince Charming presents a problem, however, He also wants to be King and enlists the aid of assorted fairy tale rabble (witches, cyclops, Captain Hook, etc.) to help him achieve his goal. Further complications occur when Fiona announces she's pregnant. A battle royal ensues with Shrek and Fiona's happiness at stake along with the future of the Kingdom.

I had read some advance reviews indicating this was the worst of the three stories. But, it appears to me to be the equivalent of the others and should be enjoyed by all who liked the previous films. The humor seems to be a little more adult this time but there's still plenty for the kids to enjoy. The soundtrack is good with music styles ranging from classical to broadway to pop...something for almost everyone. The animation is very good and appears very realistic at times (look at the whiskers on the male faces). I watched a digital presentation of this film and it was absolutely crystal clear and bright. In my opinion, the digital version is slightly better than film so you might check to see if there is a digital auditorium in the theatre you attend.

Opening 5/18/2007

For showtimes select your theatre under the SHOWIMES AT: header in the left column. Weekend times normally start appearing on Wednesday.

THE ITALIAN [PG-13] 1 hr. 40 min. Drama/Family/Foreign Trailer Cast: Kolya Spiridonov, Denis Moiseenko, Sasha Syrotkin, Andrei Elizarov, Vladimir Shipov, Polina Vorobjeva, Olga Shuvalova, Yuri Itskov, Mariya Kuznetsova, Dariya Lesnikova, Nikolai Reutov. Plot: an abandoned Russian child sets off in search of his mother. Showing at: Premiere Palace exclusively.

SHREK THE THIRD [PG] 1 hr. 35 min. Animated comedy Trailer Cast: voices of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Antonio Banderas, Rupert Everett, Justin Timberlake, Julie Andrews, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Cheri Oteri, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Amy Sedaris, John Krasinski, Ian McShane. Plot: when his father-in-law, King Harold, falls ill, it is up to Shrek to find a suitable heir or he will be forced to give up his beloved swamp for the throne. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Northrock, Movie Machine, 13th Avenue Warren, Warren Old Town, 21st Street Warren.

YEAR OF THE DOG [PG-13] 1 hr. 40 min. Comedy/Drama Trailer Cast: Molly Shannon, Regina King, Peter Sarsgaard, John C. Reilly, Laura Dern. Plot: when a woman's beloved dog dies, she embarks on a journey of personal transformation that is hilarious, poignant and heartbreaking. Showing at: Premiere Palace exclusively.

Leaving 5/17/2007

Derby Plaza - Lucky You, Meet The Robinsons
Movie Machine - Fracture
Northrock 14 -
Palace West - Redline, Norbit, Ghost Rider, The Number 23, The Astronaut Farmer, Because I Said So
Premiere Palace - Reign Over Me, TMNT, The Amazing Grace, Vacancy, Are We Done Yet
Starlite Drive-In -
Warren East 13th - Lucky You, In The Land Of Women, Blades Of Glory
Warren Old Town - Hot Fuzz
Warren West 21st - Lucky You, Hot Fuzz, Blades Of Glory

Worthwhile (and not) 5/11/07

28 Weeks Later (79) and Black Book (70) are the clear MetaCritic leaders this week with the rest following in their dust. Delta Farce evidently wasn't screened as there are no early critical comments on it. You can read all about this weeks selections and numerous reviews on each (by clicking on the title) here. Since the summer blockbusters start in earnest next week (Shrek The Third) I wouldn't count on most of these being around for long.

28 WEEKS LATER **

This film, a sequel to 2002's 28 Days Later, features a new director as well as a new cast, including: Robert Carlyle (Don), Rose Byrne (Scarlet), Jeremy Renner (Doyle), Harold Perrineau (Flynn), Catherine McCormack (Alice), Mackintosh Muggleton (Andy), Imogen Poots (Tammy), Idris Elba (General Stone) and Emily Beecham (Karen).

Starting 6 months after the first film, the zombies have been allowed to starve to death and England is ready for repopulation. The American military is assigned the task (you'd have thought an EU force would have been more appropriate) and starts getting rid of the remains of the previous inhabitants and then allowing Brits living abroad to return to a safe zone on an island in London. Two of the returnees are children, Andy and Tammy, who were abroad in Spain on an educational trip when the first outbreak occurred. They are reunited with their father, Don, a man of little bravery who allowed their mother to be attacked by the zombies as he fled in fear. Against strict orders, the children manage to cross back into the city in an attempt to get a picture of their mother at their old home. You can imagine their surprise when they discover she's still alive and living in that home. While infected with the virus, she shows no symptoms and is brought back into the safe zone for study in case she could be the source of a cure. Not a good move since the virus soon reappears, with disastrous consequences.

This was a disappointing film to me as it has a great deal of potential, most of which is wasted because of plot flaws. The single biggest flaw is the lack of sympathy you feel for the featured victims du jour since they are the very ones responsible for the spot they're in. Without that sympathy, the story looses the tension it needs to be really suspenseful. There are also several stupid decision that kept me muttering "whatever were they thinking" as the plot unraveled. There are a plethora of shocks and gore aplenty for those who are just there to scream but those who prefer rational responses will not be satisfied. Never mind, though. Perhaps they can get it right in the threequel, which is clearly indicated by the ending scene. A large theatre screen and sound system add to the effects in this film.

THE EX **½

This romantic comedy isn't as light as it should be but does star a cast of recognizable, competent actors who can do comedy well, including: Scrubs star, Zach Braff; Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip star, Amanda Peet; Arrested Development star, Jason Bateman; and Charles Grodin; in addition to brief appearances by Mia Farrow, Donal Logue, Amy Poehler, and Amy Adams.

The plot is about a couple with a new baby, where the wife, Peet, a well paid lawyer and the family's main breadwinner, decides to leave her job to become a stay-at-home mom. That means her husband, Braff, must pick up the financial slack, which is difficult since he's never held a job for long. They end up moving to Ohio so he can go to work in an advertising firm her father works for. Problems immediately erupt as his immediate supervisor, Bateman, has been in love with Peet for years and sets out to break up the marriage by making life incredibly difficult for Braff at work. To make things even worse, Bateman has been in a wheelchair for years and is a master at playing the sympathy card.

This is a pleasant, amusing comedy that never becomes really funny although a few selected outtakes come close during the end credits. Braff, and especially Peet, portray characters you like and wish the best for. Bateman is very good as the sneaky romantic competition. Grodin, who hasn't made a film in ten years, is fine as Peet's father but doesn't have a particularly strong role. The rest of the cast is only seen briefly. If you're in the mood for a few chuckles, this will do. But, it will be just as enjoyable on your home TV when the DVD is released.

Opening 5/11/2007

For showtimes select your theatre under the SHOWIMES AT: header in the left column. Weekend times normally start appearing on Wednesday.

28 WEEKS LATER [R] 1hr. 40 min. Horror/Sci-Fi/Thriller Trailer Cast: Robert Carlyle, Rose Byrne, Jeremy Renner, Harold Perrineau, Catherine McCormack, Imogen Poots, Idris Elba, Mackintosh Muggleton. Plot: six months after the rage virus has annihilated the British Isles, the US Army declares that the war against infection has been won, and that the reconstruction of the country can begin. But, the virus is not yet dead, and this time, it is more dangerous than ever. Showing at: Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, Warren Old Town, 21st Street Warren.

BLACK BOOK [R] 2 hrs. 25 min. War/Thriller Trailer Cast: Carice van Houten, Sebastian Koch, Thom Hoffman, Halina Reijn, Waldemar Kobus, Derek de Lint. Plot: the final years of the Second World War in Holland provide the setting for this story about a woman's attempt to escape death by the Germans and her desire for revenge against those responsible for the death's of her family and friends. Showing at: Premiere Palace exclusively.

DELTA FARCE [PG-13] 1 hr. 30 min. Action/Comedy Trailer Cast: Larry the Cable Guy, Bill Engvall, DJ Qualls, Marisol Nichols, Danny Trejo, Keith David. Plot: comedy about three blue collar heroes who mistakenly end up on the military's front line, in Mexico not Iraq. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, 21st Street Warren.

THE EX [PG-13] 1 hr. 90 min. Comedy/Romance Trailer Cast: Zach Braff, Amanda Peet, Jason Bateman, Charles Grodin, Mia Farrow, Donal Logue, Amy Poehler, Amy Adams. Plot: a couple are in for some major changes after the birth of their first baby.The husband ends up going to work for his father-in-law's firm and his boss is a man who still carries the torch for his wife and is determined to break up the marriage. Showing at: 13th Avenue Warren, 21st Street Warren.

GEORGIA RULE [R] 1 hr. 50 min. Drama Trailer Cast: Jane Fonda, Lindsay Lohan, Felicity Huffman, Dermot Mulroney, Cary Elwes, Garrett Hedlund. Plot: a film about the power of redemption, freedom in forgiveness and the unbreakable bonds of motherhood. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, 21st Street Warren.

Leaving 5/10/2007

Derby Plaza - Next, Wild Hogs
Movie Machine - Blades of Glory, Kickin' It Old Skool
Northrock 14 - Blades Of Glory, Hot Fuzz, Kickin' It Old Skool, The Condemned
Palace West - Happy Feet, Zodiac
Premiere Palace - Firehouse Dog, Perfect Stranger, Shooter, Premonition
Starlite Drive-In -
Warren East 13th - Vacancy, Are We Done Yet, The Condemned, Kickin' It Old Skool
Warren Old Town - Fracture
Warren West 21st - The Condemned, Kickin' It Old Skool, Are We Done Yet, Vacancy

Worthwhile (and not) 5/4/07

Both Spider-Man 3 and Lucky You are in the 2½ star range as far as the national critics are concerned. You can read more of the reviews here.

SPIDER-MAN 3 *½

As I was leaving the theatre after watching this film I had to fight my way through a large crowd trying to get in to see the latest installment of Spidey. If I'd thought it would do any good I would have yelled, "save your money." That would have been useless, however, just as this review won't really affect anyone who's been anxiously awaiting this pic...there's too much pent up anticipation.

The plot is more of the same...a lot more of the same. Spidey and MJ continue their on again, off again romance, giving us tearful Spidey. An outer space entity takes over Spidey, giving us psychotic Spidey. A new romantic interest enters, leading to vengeful Spidey and Saturday Night Fever Spidey (you have to see this to believe it). The entity moves onto a new host, eventually giving us bruised Spidey and imperiled MJ. Sandman shows up, giving new meaning to the phrase, "pounding sand." Will Spidey win? If this grosses $350 million as projected you know he has to so there can be a fourth installment.

What you've got here is a 2½ hour soap opera with a plot so stupid it boggles the imagination and causes spontaneous outbursts of embarrassed laughter. The highlight of the show is the French restaurant sequence but if you're lucky it will show up on YouTube and you can trade 2½ hours for 5 minutes. The CG special effects are very good and easily the most impressive part of the movie. I can hardly wait until computers can write a decent plot. Then, we'll be talking entertainment.