Worthwhile (or not) 9/27/07

No clear winners this week as far as the Metacritic ratings are concerned. IN THE VALLEY OF ELAH leads the list with 65/100 followed by THE KINGDOM with 55/100, FEAST OF LOVE with 54/100, and THE GAME PLAN with 43/100.

THE KINGDOM ***½

This action thriller with political overtones stars: Jamie Foxx, Chris Cooper, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, and Ashraf Barhom in the major roles. Actor turned director for this film is Peter Berg.

After a brief history of modern Saudia Arabia the pic opens with an explosive suicide bombing in an American compound. Among the casualties are two FBI agents. A stateside team of agents (Foxx, Cooper, Garner and Bateman) manages to get permission to go to the scene of the explosion in an attempt to determine who is responsible. The Saudis don't really want them but finally agree only if they are under the strict supervision of Barhom. As the team begins to make progress it soon becomes obvious the bombers have decided the team would make an excellent second target. With the plot racing to its conclusion, the question becomes who will be eliminated, the bombers or the team.

This is not a non-stop action film like THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM since it's also covering some of the political intrigue inherent in dealing with a Middle Eastern culture. But it has enough action to keep you interested throughout. The cast is excellent although I personally question whether Garner's character would be so emotional in real life...but that's the plot, not her. Unknown Ashraf Barhom is excellent as the Saudi police officer who must carefully tread the line between being an investigator and a loyal Saudi citizen. Both action and political junkie fans should find this film entertaining. Lots of violence and profane language. The big screen will show this film most effectively.

THE GAME PLAN **½

This family formula film from Disney stars: Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Roselyn Sanchez, Kyra Sedgwick, and Madison Pettis. Andy Fickman, a relatively new director, is at the helm.

The plot is simplistic and the resolution is obvious from the start. The Rock is a football quarterback trying to win a league championship. One day he opens the door to find a daughter, Pettis, he was never aware of. She tells him her mother had to go to Africa and sent her to live with her father for a month. This doesn't happen to be true but it's relatively unimportant to the story. The pair slowly acclimate and he enrolls her in the ballet lessons she wants with a very attractive teacher, Sanchez. The Rock's agent, Sedgwick, is terribly concerned the daughter will negatively affect the financial worth of her client and continually tries to get rid of her.

Based on that outline, if you've ever watched a Disney family film, you know exactly where this is going. That isn't to say it doesn't have its enjoyable moments, but plot surprises are no where to be seen. The cast is fine; Johnson has already proved he can play this type of role and Sanchez and Sedgwick are familiar faces and very competent performers. The scene stealer is Pettis, who does a delightful job as a very precocious little girl. Families with children in tow will be entertained. Teens on up, not so much.

Opening 9/28/07

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

FEAST OF LOVE [R] 1 hr. 40 min. Drama Trailer Cast: Morgan Freeman, Greg Kinnear, Radha Mitchell, Jane Alexander, Alexa Davalos, Toby Hemingway, Selma Blair, Stana Katic, Billy Burke, Fred Ward, Erika Marozsan. Plot: in a coffee shop in a tight-knit Oregon community, local professor Harry Stevenson witnesses love and attraction whipping up mischief among the town's residents. Showing at: Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, 21st Street Warren.

THE GAME PLAN [PG] 1 hr. 45 min. Comedy Trailer Cast: Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Roselyn Sanchez, Kyra Sedgwick, Morris Chestnut, Madison Pettis, Gordon Clapp, Kate Nauta, Paige Turco. Plot: a rugged superstar quarterback whose Boston-based team is chasing a championship, discovers the 7-year-old daughter he never knew he had – the product of a last fling before parting years ago with his young wife. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Movie Machine, Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, Warren Old Town, 21st Street Warren.

IN THE VALLEY OF ELAH [R] 2 hrs. Drama/War Trailer Cast: Tommy Lee Jones, Charlize Theron, Susan Sarandon, Jason Patric, Jonathan Tucker, James Franco, Frances Fisher, Tim McGraw, Mehcad Brooks, Wes Chatham. Plot: the story of a war veteran, his wife, and the search for their son, a soldier who recently returned from Iraq but has mysteriously gone missing, and the police detective who helps in the investigation. Showing at: 13th Avenue Warren exclusively.

THE KINGDOM [R] 1 hr. 50 min. Thriller Trailer Cast: Jamie Foxx, Chris Cooper, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, Jeremy Piven, Danny Huston, Richard Jenkins. Plot: when a terrorist bomb detonates inside a Western housing compound in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, an elite team of FBI agents negotiates a secret five-day trip into Saudi Arabia to locate the madman behind the bombing. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, Warren Old Town, 21st Street Warren.

Leaving 9/27/2007

Derby Plaza - Mr. Bean's Holiday, Underdog
Movie Machine - Balls of Fury
Northrock 14 - Dragon Wars, Bourne Ultimatum, War
Palace West - Hot Rod, The Invasion
Starlite Drive-In - now open weekends only
Warren East 13th - The Nanny Diaries, Shoot 'Em Up, Balls of Fury, Halloween, No Reservations
Warren Old Town - 3:10 To Yuma, Bourne Ultimatum
Warren West 21st - The Nanny Diaries, Rush Hour 3, Balls Of Fury, I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry

Worthwhile (or not) 9/21/07

EASTERN PROMISES is the clear winner this week as far as MetaCritic is concerned with 83/100. SYDNEY WHITE earns 41/100 and GOOD LUCK CHUCK gets a wimpy 26/100. RESIDENT EVIL: EXTINCTION doesn't appear to have been screened for the critics (surprise, surprise) so it has no rating yet.

GOOD LUCK CHUCK **

This romance/comedy stars Dane Cook, Jessica Alba, and Dan Fogler along with a cast of mostly naked young women too numerous to mention. The film is the directorial debut of Mark Helfrich.

Comedian Cook plays a character who was cursed as a young boy to never be the groom. Every woman he sleeps with ends up marrying the next man in their life. After the word gets out, this works fine for him until he meets a girl he wants to marry, Alba. Because of the curse, he's afraid to sleep with her for fear she'll end up with someone else. His best friend is Fogler who lives vicariously through him and has a thing for grapefruit (I'm not going to explain that, you'll just have to see it if you really want to know).

This is occasionally funny but more often annoying, with Cook's character completely over the top throughout the middle of the film. Given a better script and perhaps a more experienced director he gives the impression he's capable of much better. Alba is basically just eye candy and Helfrich is even more annoying than Cook. There's lots of female nudity, numerous sex scenes, and extremely graphic profanity. This film just doesn't have enough going for it to recommend but might be worth a look on dollar day at the DVD store.

EASTERN PROMISES ***

Director David Cronenberg and actor Viggo Mortensen last teamed in A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE, a film about a character with hidden depths whom no one really knew. Once again they explore the same subject, this time with a cast including: Naomi Watts, Vincent Cassel, and Armin Mueller-Stahl.

Set in London, Mortensen is a Russian émigré who acts as a driver for a group of Russian mobsters headed by Mueller-Stahl. Cassel is the son and heir apparent of Mueller-Stahl and is close to Mortensen even though he treats him as a servant.Watts is a midwife who helps deliver a baby from a young Russian girl who then dies. Anxious to find relatives of the baby, she sets out to have the girl's diary translated. Unfortunately, for Watts and her family, the diary contains information that would be very hurtful to the gang. As the story progresses, Mortensen is revealed as being far less brutal than the gang members and something far more than a driver.

This story is interesting although rather slow paced. Cast and production values are very good. This will not, however, be a picture for everyone. It is very adult, containing graphic sex scenes, full frontal male nudity (I saw more of Mortensen than I really wanted to), and savage violence. The dialog contains all of the obligatory profane language seemingly required in today's films. If the sex, nudity, violence and profanity aren't bothersome to you, it is a film that will hold your attention.

Opening 9/21/07

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

EASTERN PROMISES [R] 1 hr. 40 min. Thriller Trailer Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Naomi Watts, Vincent Cassel, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Sinead Cusack, Donald Sumpter, Jerzy Skolimowski. Plot: a driver for one of London's most notorious organized crime families' carefully maintained existence is jarred once he crosses paths with a midwife at a North London hospital. Showing at: Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, 21st Street Warren.

GOOD LUCK CHUCK [R] 1 hr. 35 min. Comedy Trailer Cast: Dane Cook, Jessica Alba, Dan Fogler. Plot: a successful dentist discovers at an ex-girlfriend's wedding that every woman he's ever slept with has found true love – with the next guy after him. Before he knows it, his reputation as a "good luck charm" has women – from sexy strangers to his overweight receptionist – lining up for a quickie.When he finds the girl of his dreams he's got to find a way to break his good-luck curse... before she winds up with the next guy she meets. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, Warren Old Town, 21st Street Warren.

PARIS, JE T'AIME [R] 2 hrs. Drama/Romance Trailer Cast: Natalie Portman, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Fanny Ardant, Elijah Wood, Nick Nolte, Bob Hoskins, Juliette Binoche, Emily Mortimer, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Rufus Sewell, Barbet Schroeder, Ludivine Sagnier, Gena Rowlands, Miranda Richardson and Steve Buscem. Plot: celebrated directors from around the world, including the Coen Brothers, Gus Van Sant, Gurinder Chadha, Wes Craven, Walter Salles, Alexander Payne and Olivier Assayas, have come together to portray Paris in a way never before imagined. With each director telling the story of an unusual encounter in one of the city's neighborhoods, the vignettes go beyond the 'postcard' view of Paris to portray aspects of the city rarely seen on the big screen. Showing at: 13th Avenue Warren exclusively.

SYDNEY WHITE [PG-13] 1 hr 45 min. Comedy Trailer Cast: Amanda Bynes, Matt Long, Sara Paxton, John Schneider, Jack Carpenter, Crystal Hunt, Jeremy Howard, Samm Levine, Danny Strong, David Skyler. Plot: a tomboy freshman ditches her conniving sorority sisters and finds a new home with a group of very dorky outcasts. Fed up with the way they've all been treated, she's off to war against the reigning campus royalty. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, 21st Street Warren.

RESIDENT EVIL: EXTINCTION [R] 1 hr 35 min. Action/Horror Trailer Cast: Milla Jovovich, Oded Fehr, Ali Larter, Iain Glen, Ashanti, Chris Egan, Spencer Locke, Jason O'Mara, Mike Epps. Plot: in the third and final film of this series a group of survivors try to eliminate the deadly virus that threatens to make every human being undead... and to seek justice. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, Warren Old Town, 21st Street Warren.

Leaving 9/20/2007

Derby Plaza - Halloween, Bourne Ultimatum, Nanny Diaries
Movie Machine - Halloween, The Brothers Solomon
Northrock 14 - Becoming Jane, Halloween, Shoot 'Em Up, Superbad
Palace West - 1408, Live Free Or Die Hard
Starlite Drive-In - now open weekends only
Warren East 13th - Death At A Funersl, Arctic Tale, Stardust, Hairspray
Warren Old Town - Halloween, Superbad
Warren West 21st - Shoot 'Em Up, Hairspray, War, Transformers

Worthwhile (or not) 9/14/07

The MetaCritic ratings seem a little strange to me this week but here's what they are: ARCTIC TALE (64/100), THE BRAVE ONE (55/100), MR. WOODCOCK (42/100), and DRAGON WARS (unrated as of this writing but something will show up later). Foster's picture ratings are lowered by a number of terrible reviews that indicate those reviewers are only reviewing for art and not for entertainment. Trust me, most will thoroughly enjoy her pic.

At least there's something for almost everyone. Arctic Tale for families, Brave One for adults, Woodcock for teens, and Dragon Wars for those who march to the beat of a different drummer.

THE BRAVE ONE ****

A few weeks back we had Kevin Bacon's reprise of the old Charles Bronson DEATH WISH. This week we have a much, much better telling of the same basic story but this time starring: Jodie Foster, Terrence Howard, Nicky Katt, Naveen Andrews, and Mary Steenburgen. The director is Neil Jordan.

Foster and Andrews are lovers about to be married when they go out to walk the dog one night in Central Park (even I know better than to do that, and I've never been there). They are mugged by a gang and Andrews is killed and Foster barely survives. After several weeks of recovery she goes to the police to see if any progress has been made and is basically put on hold. She decides justice is probably not going to be served, gets a gun and almost immediately, but accidentally, must use it to protect herself. She's appalled at the fear she feels because of her attackers and decides she doesn't want to feel that emotion any longer and sets out to remove those who cross her path intending to do her harm. Howard notices her at the scene of a subway killing and remembers her from the earlier attack. They meet, talk, like each other but he starts to put two and two together and the rest of the film is spent figuring out what he will do about the "Vigilante Killer" if he can find enough actual evidence to charge her.

Nicole Kidman was originally slated for this film but it's hard to imagine how she could have done this part nearly as well as Foster, who is absolutely mesmerizing. We watch as she turns from a loving companion into a grief stricken woman who finds herself completely alone. Then she is fearful, vengeful and finally totally bewildered at the person she has become. She reaches a point where she doesn't care if she's caught as long as she can achieve a sense of closure for the loss she has suffered. This is Foster's picture from start to finish. Howard is fine as is Katt, Andrews is hardly there since he's killed early on, and Steenburgen is basically unimportant to the story. There is a fair amount of violence, although it isn't overly stressed, a brief flash of nudity, and some profanity that seems realistic. This is a first class drama that should bring Foster rave reviews. Highly recommended.

Opening 9/14/07

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

ARCTIC TALE [G] 1 hr. 25 min. Documentary Trailer Cast: Queen Latifah. Plot: from National Geographic Films, an epic adventure that explores the vast world of the Great North. Narrated by Queen Latifah, the film features music from Cat Stevens, Ben Harper, Aimee Mann, and The Shins. Showing at: 13th Avenue Warren exclusively.

THE BRAVE ONE [R] 2 hrs. Psychological Thriller Trailer Cast: Jodie Foster, Terrence Howard, Naveen Andrews, Mary Steenburgen. Plot: after her fiancé is killed in a brutal attack, a radio host begins prowling the city streets at night to track down the men she holds responsible. Showing at: Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, Warren Old Town, 21st Street Warren.

DRAGON WARS [PG-13] 1 hr. 30 min. Action/Fantasy Trailer Cast: Jason Behr, Amanda Brooks, Robert Forster, Aimee Garcia, Craig Robinson. Plot: based on a Korean legend, unknown creatures return and devastate Earth, and only an investigative reporter and a young woman (they're reincarnated, don't you know) can stop this from happening. Showing at: Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, 21st Street Warren.

MR. WOODCOCK [PG-13] 1 hr. 25 min. Comedy Trailer Cast: Billy Bob Thornton, Seann William Scott, Susan Sarandon, Ethan Suplee, Melissa Sagemiller, Amy Poehler. Plot: a self-help author returns to his hometown only to discover his mother has fallen in love with his old high school nemesis – the gruff, no-nonsense gym teacher who had put him through years of mental and physical humiliation. Determined to prevent history from repeating itself, he sets out to stop his mother from marrying the man who had made life miserable for him and his classmates. Showing at: Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, 21st Street Warren.

Leaving 9/13/2007

Derby Plaza -
Movie Machine - The Nanny Diaries
Northrock 14 - Death Sentence, No Reservations, Nanny Diaries
Palace West - Knocked Up
Starlite Drive-In - now open weekends only
Warren East 13th - The Brothers Solomon, La Vie En Rose, Death Sentence, War, I Now Pronounce You Chuck And Larry
Warren Old Town - Balls Of Fury
Warren West 21st - Death Sentence, Harry Potter

Worthwhile (or not) 9/7/07

Here's how the critics averaged on MetaCritic. The top rated film was the classic Western, 3:10 TO YUMA (73/100), followed by the British comedy, DEATH AT A FUNERAL (67/100), the French film about Edith Piaf, LA VIE EN ROSE (66/100), the over-the-top action pic, SHOOT 'EM UP (53/100) and bringing up the rear, the SNL cast comedy, THE BROTHERS SOLOMON (33/100).

SHOOT 'EM UP **½

This over-the-top action film has a cast of hundreds of dead bodies but only three that are really important to the plot: Clive Owen, Monica Bellucci, and Paul Giamatti. The director is Michael Davis.

The story has Owen sitting around eating a carrot (really) when a pregnant woman about to give birth runs by him being chased by a man who clearly wants to kill her. Owen rescues her (you won't believe how lethal a carrot can be) initially but she's soon killed, leaving Owen with the newborn baby. He takes the baby to a lactating prostitute and the real action begins, as Giamatti arrives on the scene determined to kill the baby for reasons you won't discover until the movie is almost over.

Perhaps Saving Private Ryan had a higher body count but this film would give it a good run for the highest total. You are clearly not meant to take the slaughter seriously. This is a film where you just sit back and go along for the ride, seeing just how many ways one man can take out an army of killers. Owen is perfect for his role and Giamatti absolutely shines as a maniacal killer who's constantly interrupted by his wife wanting him home for their son's birthday party. Bellucci is gorgeous to looks at and participates with Owen in one of the most unusual sexual orgasms you're ever likely to see. As you might surmise, the movie is extremely violent and there's a fair amount of nudity. If you can suspend belief while watching, this is a quick paced action film many will greatly enjoy.

3:10 TO YUMA ***½

Based on an Elmore Leonard short story, 3:10 To Yuma was first made as a Western in 1957 starring Van Heflin as the rancher and Glenn Ford as the desperado. This time around the cast includes: Christian Bale, Russell Crowe, Dallas Roberts, Gretchen Mol, Alan Tudyk, Ben Foster, Logan Lerman, Luce Rains, Peter Fonda, and Vinessa Shaw.

The plot is fairly typical for a "Code of the West" film. Bale is a desperate rancher who's about to lose his spread due to lack of water. Crowe is a well-known desperado who's high on the Pinkerton Agency's list. When he's captured while dallying with a bar maid, the rancher offers to help take him to meet the 3:10 train to Yuma in return for $200 which will help save his ranch. It's obvious this won't be an easy task as Crowe has a gang willing to do anything to gain his freedom. To compound the rancher's problems, his oldest son (14) insists on going along on the deadly trip. Is the rancher as honorable as he appears? Is the bandit as evil as he appears? Those are the questions answered as the trip draws to its conclusion.

No matter what you may think of Crowe's real life actions, he is a terrific actor, (Bale is no slouch, either). Together they bring this story to life and give us an entertaining Western drama, something we haven't seen a lot of in the past few years. There's lots of violence and a little profanity, but this is basically a character study that becomes more absorbing as the plot progresses. Highly recommended for Western and action fans.

Opening 9/7/07

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

3:10 TO YUMA [R] 2 hrs. 10 min. Western Trailer Cast: Alan Tudyk, Ben Foster, Christian Bale, Dallas Roberts, Gretchen Mol, Logan Lerman, Luce Rains, Peter Fonda, Russell Crowe, Vinessa Shaw. Plot: in Arizona in the late 1800's, an infamous outlaw is captured and a Civil War veteran, struggling to survive on his drought-plagued ranch, volunteers to deliver him alive to the "3:10 to Yuma", a train that will take the killer to trial. Showing at: Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, Warren Oldtown, 21st Street Warren.

THE BROTHERS SOLOMON [R] 1 hr. 30 min. Comedy Trailer Cast: Chi McBride, Kristen Wiig, Malin Akerman, Will Arnett, Will Forte. Plot: two good-hearted but romantically-challenged brothers set out to find someone to have a baby with but their social skills prove to be somewhat lacking and their attempts at fatherhood go hysterically and disastrously wrong. Showing at: 13th Avenue Warren exclusively.

DEATH AT A FUNERAL [R] 1 hr. 30 min. Comedy/Drama Trailer Cast: Alan Tudyk, Andy Nyman, Daisy Donovan, Jane Asher, Kris Marshall, Matthew Macfayden, Peter Dinklage, Rupert Graves. Plot: a dignified funeral for a loved one erupts into uproarious chaos when romance, jealousy, in-laws, hallucinogens, dark secrets, life-long yearnings and a spot of bold blackmail all collide in this irreverent British comedy. Showing at: 13th Avenue Warren exclusively.

LA VIE EN ROSE [PG-13] 2 hrs. 20 min. Drama/Foreign Trailer Cast: Marion Cotillard, Sylvie Testud, Clotilde Courau, Pascal Greggory, Marc Barbé, Caroline Sihol, Emmanuelle Seigner, Catherine Allégret, Jean-Pierre Martins. Plot: Edith Piaf's life was a battle to sing and survive, live and love. But in her audacious attempt to tame her tragic destiny, the Little Sparrow - her nickname - flew so high she could not fail to burn her wings. Showing at: 13th Avenue Warren exclusively.

SHOOT 'EM UP [PG-13] 1 hr. 25 min. Action/Thriller Trailer Cast: Chris Jericho, Clive Owen, Daniel Pilon, Greg Bryk, Jane McLean, Monica Bellucci, Paul Giamatti, Stephen McHattie. Plot: a mysterious loner teams up with an unlikely ally to protect a newborn baby from a determined criminal who hunts them throughout the bowels of the city. Showing at: Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, 21st Street Warren.

Leaving 9/06/2007

Derby Plaza -
Movie Machine - Nothing
Northrock 14 - Hairspray, Resurrecting The Champ, Invasion
Palace West - I Know Who Killed Me
Starlite Drive-In - now open weekends only
Warren East 13th - Once, Underdog, September Dawn, Harry Potter 3, Invasion, Ratatouille, Resurrecting The Champ
Warren Old Town - Rush Hour 3
Warren West 21st - Stardust, Underdog, I Now Pronounce You Chuck And Larry, Invasion, Ratatouille, Resurrecting The Champ