Opening 11/2/07

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

AMERICAN GANGSTER [R] 2 hrs. 35 min. Crime/Drama Trailer Cast: Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Josh Brolin, Armand Assante, RZA, John Ortiz, John Hawkes, Ted Levine, Common. Plot: when his boss suddenly dies, the quiet driver to one of the inner city's leading black crime bosses exploits the opening in the power structure to build his own empire and create his own version of the American Dream. Through ingenuity and a strict business ethic, he comes to rule the inner-city drug trade, flooding the streets with a purer product at a better price, outplaying all of the leading crime syndicates and becoming not only one of the city's mainline corrupters, but part of its circle of legit civic superstars. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Movie Machine, Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, Warren Old Town, 21st Street Warren.

BEE MOVIE [PG] 1 hr. 30 min. Animation/Comedy Trailer Voices of: Jerry Seinfeld, Renée Zellweger, Matthew Broderick, John Goodman, Chris Rock, Kathy Bates, Alan Arkin, Patrick Warburton. Plot: a bee finds himself disillusioned with the prospect of having only one career choice – honey. Venturing outside of the hive for the first time, he is shocked to discover humans have been stealing and eating honey for centuries, and realizes his calling in life is to sue the human race for theft. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Movie Machine, Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, Warren Old Town, 21st Street Warren.

MARTIAN CHILD [PG] 1 hr. 50 min. Drama/Romance Trailer Cast: John Cusack, Amanda Peet, Oliver Platt, Sophie Okonedo, Bobby Coleman, Joan Cusack. Plot: a recently widowed science fiction writer forms an unlikely family with a close friend and a young boy he adopts that claims to be from Mars. The new couple ignores some sage parenting advice from the widower's sister and gets more than they bargained for when a series of strange occurrences lead them to believe that the child's claim may be true. Based on an award-winning short story by sci-fi luminary David Gerrold. Showing at: Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, 21st Street Warren.

Leaving 11/1/2007

Derby Plaza - Elizabeth: The Golden Age, Sarah Landon
Movie Machine - The Ten Commandments, The Final Season
Northrock 14 - Rendition, The Heartbreak Kid, The Comebacks, Gone Baby Gone, The Kingdom, Sarah Landon, The Brave One
Palace West - Sydney White, No Reservations
Starlite Drive-In - Closed until Spring
Warren East 13th - Rendition, Things We Lost In The Fire, Elizabeth: The Golden Age, We Own The Night, The Kingdom, 3:10 To Yuma, The Heartbreak Kid, Mr. Woodcock, The Ten Commandments
Warren Old Town - The Comebacks, The Kingdom
Warren West 21st - Rendition, Things We Lost In The Fire, Elizabeth: The Golden Age, The Heartbreak Kid, The Kingdom, The Ten Commandments, Resident Evil: Extinction, 3:10 To Yuma

Worthwhile (or not) 10/26/07

Only three new films this weekend and the top two seem about equally ranked: THE DARJEELING LIMITED 67/100,and DAN IN REAL LIFE 65/100. The third film was obviously not screened for the critics and will no doubt do more business than the other two combined: SAW IV (not rated as of this writing).

DAN IN REAL LIFE ***

This formula driven but amiable comedy/drama was directed by Peter Hedges and stars: Steve Carell, Juliette Binoche, Dane Cook, John Mahoney, Emily Blunt, Dianne Wiest, and Amy Ryan.

Carrell is an advice columnist who's been widowed for four years and is raising three daughters. He and the girls head out for an annual family Christmas at his parent's (Wiest and Mahoney) home in Rhode Island. Before the festivities can really begin, he meets a woman he falls almost instantly in love with, Binoche, a feeling that appears to be reciprocated by her. Unfortunately, he soon discovers she's the romantic interest of his brother, Cook. Much of the rest of the time is spent with Carrell and Binoche trying to hide their feelings for each other from the rest of the family. There is a side story with Carrell going on a date with Blunt in an effort to make Binoche jealous and other stories about some problems with his three daughters, one of whom wants to drive the car, one who misses her boyfriend, and one who wants some "Daddy" time.

There is never much doubt where this film is going to end, but the trip is surprisingly enjoyable. Carrell and Cook aren't nearly as over the top as they can be and Binoche is great, as usual. Blunt is just eye candy and isn't around for long and I only mention Ryan because she was so great in last week's GONE BABY GONE, yet completely unremarkable in this production. The teens in the audience when I previewed this seemed to really enjoy it (that surprised me) and older audiences will find it captivating as well. This will do as well on CD as the big screen.

Opening 10/26/07

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

DAN IN REAL LIFE [PG-13] 1hr. 40 min. Comedy Trailer Cast: Steve Carell, Juliette Binoche, Dane Cook, John Mahoney, Emily Blunt, Dianne Wiest, Amy Ryan. Plot: an expert on relationships struggles to succeed as a brother, a son and a single parent in this heartfelt comedy. Showing at: 13th Avenue Warren, 21st Street Warren.

THE DARJEELING LIMITED [R] 1 hr. 30 min. Comedy/Drama Trailer Cast: Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, Jason Schwartzman, Anjelica Huston. Plot: three American brothers who have not spoken to each other in a year set off on a train voyage across India with a plan to find themselves and bond with each other -- but eventually find themselves stranded alone in the middle of the desert with eleven suitcases, a printer, and a laminating machine. At this moment, a new, unplanned journey suddenly begins. Showing At: 13th Avenue Warren exclusively.

SAW IV [R] 1hr. 35 min. Horror/Thriller Trailer Cast: Tobin Bell, Scott Patterson, Betsy Russell, Costas Mandylor, Lyriq Bent, Athena Karkanis, Justin Louis, Simon Reynolds, Mike Realba, Marty Adams Plot: two seasoned FBI profilers arrive to assist in sifting through Jigsaw's latest grizzly remains and piecing together the puzzle. However, when SWAT Commander Rigg is abducted and thrust into a game, the last officer untouched by Jigsaw has but ninety minutes to overcome a series of demented traps and save an old friend or face the deadly consequences. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Movie Machine, 13th Avenue Warren, Warren Old Town, 21st Avenue Warren.

Leaving 10/25/2007

Derby Plaza - The Heartbreak Kid, Final Season, We Own The Night
Movie Machine - Sarah Landon And The Paranormal Hour
Northrock 14 - Mr. Woodcock, The Final Season
Palace West - Mr. Bean's Holiday, The Last Legion, Stardust, The Simpsons Movie, I Now Pronounce You Chuck And Larry
Starlite Drive-In - Closed until Spring
Warren East 13th - Seeker: The Dark Is Rising, In The Valley Of Elah, Sarah Landon And The Paranormal Hour
Warren Old Town - The Game Plan
Warren West 21st - Sarah Landon And The Paranormal Hour, Seeker: The Dark Is Rising, Good Luck Chuck, Mr. Woodcock

Worthwhile (or not) 10/19/07

So many movies...so little time. Here's how this week's group stacked up on Metacritic. GONE BABY GONE 73/100, INTO THE WILD 73/100, THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT HOWARD 67/100, THINGS WE LOST IN THE FIRE 62/100, RENDITION 55/100, 30 DAYS OF NIGHTS 51/100, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS 25/100, and THE COMEBACKS and SARAH LANDON AND THE PARANORMAL HOUR each have no rating as of this writing.

If you're interested in the Steve Carell sneak Saturday at the 21st Street Warren (DAN IN REAL LIFE), it's an enjoyable family film I'm awarding ***. You can see it at 7:20 PM. It replaces THE GAME PLAN at that same time.

GONE BABY GONE ****

Writer/Director Ben Affleck does a great deal to redeem his artistic reputation in this gritty, realistic film starring his brother, Casey Affleck, and Michelle Monaghan, Morgan Freeman, Ed Harris, John Ashton, and Amy Ryan.

The film starts with the disappearance of Ryan's daughter and the subsequent police investigation led by Freeman and Detectives Harris and Ashton. Affleck and Monaghan are private eyes and roommates who are asked to help by the mother's Aunt because they are so familiar with the neighborhood. Shortly after getting involved, the duo determine the police haven't really figured anything correctly and tell them so. Grudgingly, the police accept their information and the investigation starts in earnest. It soon becomes obvious there's a lot more going on than initially supposed.

This is one of those plots that keeps getting more and more involved as the layers of deception are peeled away. The story is aided by the use of local characters in minor roles that give a sense of realism unusual in a Hollywood production. The cast is first rate and Ryan is terrific as one of the worst mothers you'll ever run across. What makes this film so good, however, is the ending, which I suspect anyone who sees this will be talking and thinking about for some time. The R rating is very much deserved for bloody violence and unending profanity. It feels real, but very adult.

RENDITION **½

If you're looking for a "fair and balanced" film about this subject, this is not the movie to see. Directed by Gavin Hood it stars Omar Metwally, Jake Gyllenhaal, Reese Witherspoon, Alan Arkin, Peter Saarsgard, and Meryl Streep.

Metwally is an Egyptian born engineer with an American wife he met in University, Witherspoon. They have a son and another child on the way at the beginning. He's taken from an American airport and sent back to the Middle East to be tortured and questioned at the instruction of Streep, who's head of the agency in charge of such activity, because of some cell phone calls it appears he received. His name is removed from the plane manifest and his wife is told he never got on the plane. She contacts Saarsgard, a college friend who also knew her husband, who is an aide to a Senator, Arkin, in an attempt to get some help in getting him back. Gyllenhaal is an American agent in charge of watching the interrogation. There's another whole subplot in the film concerning the interrogator and his family, but since it really has nothing to do with the main story (except to add an extra forty-five minutes), I'll leave it out.

Personally, I'm opposed to rendition, and so is this film. But, it's so obviously one sided in its approach it takes most of the tension from the plot. The film would have been a lot more effective had the rendition not been such an obvious and unnecessary error. Compound that problem with the fact that Gyllenhaal appears virtually catatonic during the first hour, and you have a picture that never really takes off. Streep's character is obviously not concerned with Constitutional guarantees and Arkin doesn't want to do anything politically inexpedient, so we're left with some histrionics from Witherspoon and a storyline ending that doesn't really seem realistic. The production values and acting are fine, but there's just not much of a plot to work with.

Opening 10/19/07

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

30 DAYS OF NIGHTS [R] 1 hr. 55 min. Thriller Trailer Cast: Josh Hartnett, Melissa George, Danny Huston, Ben Foster, Mark Boone Junior. Plot: 30 days every winter, the isolated town of Barrow, Alaska is plunged into a state of complete darkness. This winter, a mysterious group of strangers appear: bloodthirsty vampires, ready to take advantage of the uninterrupted darkness to feed, and an ever-shrinking group of survivors must do anything they can to last until daylight. Showing at: Derby Cinema, Movie Machine, Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, 21st Street Warren.

THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT HOWARD [R] 2 hrs. 40 min. Western/Action Trailer Cast: Brad Pitt, Casey Affleck, Sam Shepard, Mary-Louise Parker, Paul Schneider, Jeremy Renner, Zooey Deschanel, Sam Rockwell. Plot: as the charismatic and unpredictable Jesse James plans his next great robbery, he wages war on his enemies, who are trying to collect the reward money – and the glory – riding on his capture. But the greatest threat to his life may ultimately come from those he trusts the most. Showing at: 13th Avenue Warren exclusively.

THE COMEBACKS [PG-13] 1 hr. 30 min. Comedy/Sports Trailer Cast: David Koechner, Carl Weathers, Matthew Lawrence, Brooke Nevin, Jackie Long, Jesse Garcia. Plot: the producers of "Wedding Crashers" present a hilarious comedy spoofing the best inspirational sports movies ever made. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, Warren Old Town, 21st Street Warren.

GONE BABY GONE [R] 1hr. 50 min. Drama/Mystery Trailer Cast: Casey Affleck, Michelle Monaghan, Morgan Freeman, Ed Harris. Plot: two young private detectives are hired to take a closer look at the mysterious disappearance of a little girl and soon discover nothing is what it seems. Showing at: Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, 21st Street Warren.

INTO THE WILD [R] 2 hrs. 30 min. Adventure/Drama Trailer Cast: Emile Hirsch, Vince Vaughn, Marcia Gay Harden, William Hurt, Catherine Keener, Kristen Stewart, Zach Galifianakis, Jena Malone, Brian Dierker, Hal Holbrook. Plot: based on a true story and the bestselling book by Jon Krakauer about a top student and athlete who abandoned his possessions, gave his entire $24,000 savings account to charity and hitchhiked to Alaska to live in the wilderness. Showing at: 13th Avenue Warren.

RENDITION [R] 2 hrs. Thriller Trailer Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Reese Witherspoon, Alan Arkin, Peter Saarsgard, Meryl Streep. Plot: the American wife of an Egyptian-born chemical engineer who disappears on a flight from South Africa to Washington desperately tries to track her husband down, while a CIA analyst is forced to question his assignment as he becomes party to the man's unorthodox interrogation. Showing at: Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, 21st Street Warren.

SARAH LANDON AND THE PARANORMAL HOUR [PG] 1 hr. 25 min. Family/Mystery/Thriller Trailer Cast: Rissa Walters and a cast of complete unknowns. Plot: a 17-year-old girl has mysterious encounters with paranormal activity in the small town of Pine Valley. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Movie Machine, Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, 21st Street Warren.

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS [PG] 1 hr. 30 min. Animated/Drama Trailer Cast: voices of Ben Kingsley, Christian Slater, Alfred Molina, Elliott Gould. Plot: Biblical story of Moses and the exodus. Showing at: 13th Avenue Warren, 21st Street Warren.

THINGS WE LOST IN THE FIRE [R] 1 hr. 55 min. Drama Trailer Cast: Halle Berry, Benicio Del Toro, David Duchovny, Alison Lohman. Plot: when a woman loses her husband in an act of random violence, she forges an unlikely relationship with her husband's best friend from childhood. Showing at: 13th Avenue Warren, 21st Street Warren.

SNEAK, Saturday 10/20/07

DAN IN REAL LIFE [PG-13] 1hr. 40 min. Comedy Trailer Cast: Steve Carell, Juliette Binoche, Dane Cook, John Mahoney, Emily Blunt, Dianne Wiest, Amy Ryan. Plot: an expert on relationships struggles to succeed as a brother, a son and a single parent in this heartfelt comedy. Showing at: 21st Street Warren.

Leaving 10/18/2007

Derby Plaza - Seeker: The Dark Is Rising, The Kingdom, Good Luck Chuck
Movie Machine - The Kingdom, Seeker: The Dark Is Rising, The Heartbreak Kid
Northrock 14 - Balls Of Fury, Resident Evil:Extinction, Jane Austen Book Club
Palace West - Shrek The Third
Starlite Drive-In - Closed until Spring
Warren East 13th - The Shadow Of The Moon, The Final Season, Feel The Noise, The Brave One, Sydney Whte, The Bourne Ultimatum, Jane Austin Book Club, Resident Evil: Extinction
Warren Old Town - Good Luck Chuck, Feast Of Love
Warren West 21st - The Final Season, Jane Austin Book Club, Feast Of Love, The Brave One, The Bourne Ultimatum,

Worthwhile (or not) 10/12/07

The highest rated film this week by Metacritic is IN THE SHADOW OF THE MOON with 84/100, closely followed by MICHAEL CLAYTON with 82/100. WE OWN THE NIGHT with 62/100 is next followed by: ACROSS THE UNIVERSE 56/100, ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE 45/100, THE FINAL SEASON 41/100, and bringing up the rear, TYLER PERRY'S WHY DID I GET MARRIED? unrated at this time.

WE OWN THE NIGHT **½

Writer/Director James Gray's latest is a gritty but unrealistic crime drama starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Wahlberg, Robert Duvall, Eva Mendes, and Alex Veadov.

Phoenix and Wahlberg are the sons of Police Chief Duvall, who is very proud of Wahlberg who has followed him into the police force. Phoenix doesn't use the same last name as his father and brother and is the manager of a Russian owned night club. Mendes is the girlfriend of Phoenix. Veadov is the nephew of the owner of the nightclub and is trying to take over the drug traffic in New York, using the nightclub as a base and trying to get Phoenix to help him. When Wahlberg is attacked by one of the Russian mob members after a police raid, Phoenix must finally decide which side he will help.

This could have been a much better picture with just a little more plot reality and development. I found it hard to believe the Russians wouldn't know all about Phoenix's family, even if it was the 80's and Google and the internet weren't available. There's also no background on the two brothers so you don't know why they've taken such different directions. And there's also the fact that the brother's characters aren't all that well developed so it was hard to care what happened to them. I suspect many will like this better than I did, especially those with police backgrounds, and those who've lived on the East coast and find the characters more familiar. The biggest problem for me was that this was such a formula film...there's really no doubt what's going to happen eventually after you're into the film just a few minutes. There's lots of profanity, lots of bloody violence and just a smidgen of nudity, so fans of those elements have something to look forward to.

MICHAEL CLAYTON ****

This is the directorial debut for Tony Gilroy who also wrote the screenplay for this film and all of the Bourne films. That might lead you to expect an interesting and well paced movie, and you'll be happy to learn those expectations have been met. Starring in the lead roles are: George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson, Tilda Swinton, and Sydney Pollack.

Clooney is the "fixer" in a large law firm. He takes care of all the messy problems that can occur in a client's life, and he's very good at it. But he's not a happy man. He's divorced and deeply in debt and the only way out is to continue doing what has become a distasteful job. Wilkinson is a brilliant lawyer in the firm who discovers a client is guilty of causing the deaths of many and decides to blow the whistle on them and help the plaintiffs. Swinton is the chief attorney of the guilty firm and desperate to protect her new position. Pollack is Clooney's boss and the man capable of helping him out of his financial problem. What starts as a straight legal story turns into a thriller when Swinton hires a black ops firm to permanently resolve her problem with Wilkinson and Clooney.

Flashbacks are not my favorite story method but even though this starts with one, it's well handled. The initial hour is a little muddled but as the story progresses everything falls into place and it becomes a race to see who will be the victor, Clooney or Swinton. The casting is superb and the production values are immaculate. The R rating is basically due to language, which is quite graphic in spots, and some violence. This is a terrific drama and you will be well entertained. Highly recommended.

Opening 10/12/07

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

ACROSS THE UNIVERSE [PG-13] 2 hrs. 10 min. Musical/Romance Trailer Cast: Evan Rachel Wood, Jim Sturgess, Joe Anderson, Max Carrigan, Dana Fuchs, Martin Luther, T.V. Carpio. Plot: a love story set against the backdrop of the 1960s amid the turbulent years of anti-war protest, mind exploration and rock 'n roll, the film moves from the dockyards of Liverpool to the creative psychedelia of Greenwich Village, from the riot-torn streets of Detroit to the killing fields of Vietnam. Showing at: 13th Avenue Warren exclusively.

ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE [PG-13] 1 hr. 55 min. Historical thriller Trailer Cast: Cate Blanchett, Geoffrey Rush, Clive Owen, Samantha Morton, Abbie Cornish. Plot: Queen Elizabeth I faces bloodlust for her throne and familial betrayal. Growing keenly aware of the changing religious and political tides of late 16th century Europe, Elizabeth finds her rule openly challenged by the Spanish King Philip II--with his powerful army and sea-dominating armada--determined to restore England to Catholicism. Showing at: 13th Avenue Warren, 21st Street Warren.

THE FINAL SEASON [PG] 2 hrs. Sports drama Trailer Cast: Sean Astin, Powers Boothe, Rachel Leigh Cook, Michael Angarano, Tom Arnold. Plot: the true story of a coach who inspired his team and brought hope to a town when they needed it most. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Movie Machine, Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, 21st Street Warren.

MICHAEL CLAYTON [R] 2 hrs. Drama Trailer Cast: George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson, Tilda Swinton, Sydney Pollack, Pamela Gray. Plot: an in-house "fixer" at one of the largest corporate law firms in New York is inextricably tied to the firm by financial problems. When one of the firm's brilliant but guilt-ridden attorneys sabotages an important case, the "fixer" faces the biggest challenge of his career and his life. Showing at: Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, Warren Old Town, 21st Street Warren.

IN THE SHADOW OF THE MOON [PG] 1 hr. 40 min. Documentary Trailer Cast: Edwin E. Aldrin Jr, Alan Bean (II), James Lovell, Edgar Mitchell, David R. Scott. Plot: brings together, possibly for the first and last time, the surviving crew members from every single Apollo mission that flew to the Moon and allows them to tell their story in their own words. Showing at: 13th Avenue Warren exclusively.

TYLER PERRY'S WHY DID I GET MARRIED? [PG-13] 2 hrs. Comedy/Drama Trailer Cast: Tyler Perry, Janet Jackson, Malik Yoba, Jill Scott, Sharon Leal, Tasha Smith, Michael Jai White, Denise Boutte, Lamann Rucker. Plot: an intimate story about the difficulty of maintaining a solid love relationship in modern times as eight married college friends gather for their annual seven-day reunion. Showing at: Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, 21st Street Warren.

WE OWN THE NIGHT [R] 2 hrs. Crime/Thriller Trailer Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Wahlberg, Robert Duvall, Eva Mendes, Alex Veadov. Plot: the popular manager of a Russian-owned nightclub has changed his last name and concealed his connection to a long line of distinguished New York cops. He tries to keep a friendly distance from the Russian gangster who is operating out of the nightclub – a gangster who is being targeted by his brother, an up-and-coming NYPD officer, and his father, the legendary deputy chief of police. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, 21st Street Warren.

Leaving 10/11/2007

Derby Plaza - 3:10 To Yuma, Resident Evil: Extinction
Movie Machine - Resident Evil: Extinction, 3:10 To Yuma
Northrock 14 - 3:10 To Yuma, Feast Of Love, Good Luck Chuck, Underdog
Palace West - Daddy Day Camp, Bratz, POTC:At World's End, Shrek The Third
Starlite Drive-In - Closed until Spring
Warren East 13th - Dragon Wars, Eastern Promises, Becoming Jane, Good Luck Chuck, Feast Of Love
Warren Old Town - Resident Evil: Extinction
Warren West 21st - Sydney White, Dragon Wars

Worthwhile (or not) 10/5/07

None of this week's offerings have high ratings at Metacritic. THE JANE AUSTEN BOOK CLUB leads the pack with 64/100; followed by THE HEARTBREAK KID with 45/100; and THE SEEKER: THE DARK IS RISING with 43/100. FEEL THE NOISE evidently wasn't screened as it has no rating as of this writing.

THE HEARTBREAK KID **

Featured in the main roles in this black comedy are: Ben Stiller, Michelle Monaghan, Malin Akerman, and Jerry Stiller. The film was directed by the Farrelly brothers, Bobby and Peter.

Stiller Jr. plays an indecisive 40s man who has never been married. His father, Stiller Sr. and his friends keep encouraging him to take the plunge. One day he meets Akerman when her purse is stolen. They strike up a relationship and before long they're off to Mexico on a honeymoon. It's then he discovers she neglected to tell him several important facts about her past. And, when they consummate the marriage he discovers her sexual proclivities are both strange and extensive. Akerman gets sunburned and while she's recovering in their room, Stiller meets Monaghan and falls immediately in love, a feeling she reciprocates. Things start to go terribly awry at this point as he tries to get out of his new marriage so he can develop the relationship with Monaghan.

There are numerous crude and profanely funny bits in this film, but for me, they never coalesced into a funny comedy. Instead, after an hour or so, I started looking at my watch and I was glad when it was all over. Stiller's character did too many stupid things for me to really care what happened to him. The real scene stealer in this film is Akerman, although it's impossible for me to describe those scenes in which she shines, you'll just have to see them. Monaghan is underused and Stiller Sr. is just as annoying in this film as I usually find him to be. The R rating is very, very much deserved. Teens and younger adults are the target audience with enjoyability fading rapidly with age. There are two extra scenes in the credits, the last one being at the very end of the film.

THE SEEKER: THE DARK IS RISING **½

This film is based on the five volume fantasy series by English author Susan Cooper. Since The Seeker is not one of the titles in the series, and since I haven't read any of them, it's hard for me to know how many of the volumes this film covers. Starring in the major roles are: Ian McShane, Frances Conroy, Christopher Eccleston, and Alexander Ludwig. The feature was directed by David L. Cunningham.

The story starts as Ludwig turns 14. He's contacted by McShane and Conroy and informed he's part of a group by birth who fights for "the light" and tries to protect the Earth from "the dark." He's told he has five days to find six items hidden throughout time that will give him the power to defeat Eccleston, who's attempting to defeat those fighting for "the light."

I've always enjoyed fantasy and I enjoyed this film, more than my rating might indicate. You can think of this as Harry Potter lite. It has a teenage hero, magic and a fight against evil. It's not nearly as detailed as Potter, doesn't have as strong a cast nor nearly as many CG effects. But the time passed quickly and I was sorry to see the ending arrive. This is fine for families and teens. It's a little scary in parts, but not enough to really bother anyone for long.

Opening 10/5/07

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

FEEL THE NOISE [PG-13] 1 hr. 25 min. Drama/Musical Trailer Cast: Omarion Grandberry, Zulay Henao, James McCaffrey, Kellita Smith, Malik Yoba, Melonie Diaz, Victor Rasuk, Giancarlo Esposito. Plot: an aspiring Harlem rapper flees to a place and father he never knew, and finds his salvation in Reggaeton, a spicy blend of hip-hop, reggae and Latin beats. Showing at: 13th Avenue Warren exclusively.

THE HEARTBREAK KID [R] 1 hr. 50 min. Comedy/Drama/Romance Trailer Cast: Ben Stiller, Michelle Monaghan, Malin Akerman, Jerry Stiller, Rob Corddry, Carlos Mencia, Scott Wilson, Danny McBride, Stephanie Courtney, Polly Holliday, Roy Jenkins. Plot: a single and indecisive man proposes to an incredibly sexy and seemingly fabulous woman. While on their honeymoon in sunny Mexico, she reveals her true beyond-awful nature and he meets the woman he realizes to be his actual soul mate. Now, he must keep his new, increasingly horrid wife at bay as he attempts to woo the girl of his dreams. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Movie Machine, Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, Warren Old Town, 21st Street Warren.

THE JANE AUSTEN BOOK CLUB [PG-13] 1 hr. 45 min. Drama/Romance Trailer Cast: Kathy Baker, Maria Bello, Marc Blucas, Emily Blunt, Amy Brenneman, Hugh Dancy, Maggie Grace, Lynn Redgrave, Jimmy Smits, Kevin Zegers. Plot: five women and one enigmatic man meet to discuss the works of Jane Austen and find their love lives playing out in a 21st century version of her novels. Showing at: Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, 21st Street Warren.

THE SEEKER: THE DARK IS RISING [PG] 1 hr. 35 min. Action/Adventure/Fantasy Trailer Cast: Ian McShane, Frances Conroy, Christopher Eccleston, Alexander Ludwig, Amelia Warner, Gregory Smith, Emma Lockhart, Gary Entin, Edmond Entin, John Benjamin Hickey, Wendy Crewson. Plot: based on the acclaimed novel by Susan Cooper, the film tells the story of Will Stanton, a young man who learns he is the last of a group of warriors who have dedicated their lives to fighting the forces of the Dark. Traveling back and forth through time, Will hunts for a series of mysterious clues and encounters forces of unimaginable evil. With the Dark once again rising, the future of the world rests in Will's hands. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Movie Machine, Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, 21st Street Warren.

Starlite Drive-in will close for the winter after this Fri-Sat.

Leaving 10/4/2007

Derby Plaza - Sydney White, Balls Of Fury
Movie Machine - The Simpson Movie, Dragon Wars, Rush Hour 3, The Brave One
Northrock 14 - Eastern Promises, Rush Hour 3, Sydney White, Transformers
Palace West - Fantastic Four: Rise Of The Silver Surfer, Evan Almighty, License To Wed
Starlite Drive-In - now open weekends only
Warren East 13th - Paris, Je T'Amie, Mr. Bean's Holiday, Good Luck Chuck, Rush Hour 3, Superbad
Warren Old Town - The Brave One
Warren West 21st - Eastern Promises, Mr. Bean's Holiday, No Reservations, Superbad, Halloween