Reviews by Dan Hudak.


Film Capsules

Cassandra’s Dream **1/2

(Ewan McGregor, Colin Farrell, Tom Wilkinson) Writer/director Woody Allen returns to Match Point territory in this London-set drama about two destitute brothers (McGregor and Farrell) whose wealthy uncle (Wilkinson) offers to fix their financial woes if they’ll kill his rival. The acting is solid, but the plot is predictable and a lack of empathy with the brothers prevents us from getting swept up in the suspenseful drama. Rated PG-13.

 

Starting Out in the Evening ***

(Frank Langella, Lauren Ambrose, Lili Taylor) A jaded writer (Langella) reluctantly allows a graduate student (Ambrose) to interview him and use his four out-of-print novels for her master’s thesis. The subplot involving the writer’s daughter (Taylor) doesn’t quite fit and the ending lacks punch, but overall it’s a well-acted, smart drama that explores the often suggested connection between a writer’s “fictional” work and his real life. Rated PG-13.

 

Jimmy Carter: Man From Plains ***

(Jimmy Carter, Rosalynn Carter, Wolf Blitzer) Jonathan Demme (Silence of the Lambs) helms this documentary that follows former President Jimmy Carter during his book tour to promote “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid” in late 2006. It’s not a biopic of the 39th president of the United States, but rather a candid look at a man who maintains a rigorous schedule in order to do what he believes is right. To Demme’s credit, in the short time we’re with Carter we get a sense of who he is, how passionately he believes in the issues and how others receive him. Rated PG.

 
The Bucket List **

(Jack Nicholson, Morgan Freeman, Sean Hayes) Two terminally ill cancer patients (Nicholson and Freeman) travel the world with a list of things to do before they “kick the bucket.” The heavy-handed melodrama takes what could’ve been a sweet tale about two old coots on a grand adventure and makes it a sorry excuse for a tearjerker. Sure, there are a few decent laughs and you’re eyes may tear up a bit toward the end, but ultimately it’s yet another disappointment from director Rob Reiner (Alex & Emma). Rated PG-13.

 
The Orphanage ***

(Belen Rueda, Fernando Cayo, Roger Princep) Now an adult, Laura (Rueda) returns with her husband (Cayo) and young son (Princep) to the orphanage in which she was raised and plans to turn it into a home for special needs children. When her HIV-positive son disappears, Laura believes his “imaginary” friends may have something to do with it. Fantasy and reality blend nicely in director J.A. Bayona’s suspenseful, at times scary thriller that holds your interest to the very end. Rated R.

 
There Will Be Blood ****

(Daniel Day-Lewis, Paul Dano, Dillon Freasier) Oil prospector Daniel Plainview (Day-Lewis) and his young son H.W. (Freasier) travel to a small California town in the early 1900s and find success to the chagrin of the town pastor, Eli Sunday (Dano).

It’s the most unlikable masterpiece you’ll ever see, but it’s near impossible to deny that the acting, camerawork, sound, pacing and overall mood make it a true work of art. Day-Lewis (My Left Foot) should deservedly win his second Oscar for playing one of the most hateful men to ever grace the silver screen. It’s the best film of 2007. Rated R.

 
Youth Without Youth **

(Tim Roth, Alexandra Maria Lara, Bruno Ganz) On the cusp of WWII an elderly, despondent professor (Roth) who grieves for his inability to finish his life’s work and his lost love (Lara) is struck by lightning and finds his body has reverted back to its form from decades earlier. Now younger and considered a scientific miracle, he’s chased by the Nazis and finds a new love (Lara again). Francis Ford Coppola’s movies have always been slow (including The Godfather and Apocalypse Now), but at least they’ve also been coherent. Youth, on the other hand, is a dense, existential picture that’s slow-moving and doesn’t build in suspense because the focus is never quite clear. Rated R.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly ***

(Mathieu Amalric, Emmanuelle Seigner, Marie-Josee Croze) Jean-Dominique Bauby (Amalric) was the editor of French Elle when a stroke left him paralyzed and unable to speak. Determined, Bauby dictates his memoirs using a letter-by-letter system communicated by blinking his left eye, which is the only body part he can control. The first-person perspective of Bauby’s working eye is challenging at times but never dull, thanks largely to Amalric’s strong performance and director Julian Schnabel’s (Before Night Falls) painterly touch. Moments not from his point of view are equally as affecting because we can see Bauby’s tormenting daily struggle. Based on a true story.
Rated PG-13.
 

The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep **1/2

(Alex Etel, Emily Watson, Brian Cox) The story of E.T. meets the legend of the Loch Ness Monster as a young boy (Etel) discovers a mysterious egg in the waters of Scotland during World War II. The egg soon hatches and, with the help of some nice visual effects, grows into a massive sea creature who also becomes the boy’ best friend. It’s an upbeat British family piece that kids can enjoy and adults can tolerate, which is a rarity at the movies these days. Rated PG.
 

The Great Debaters ***

(Denzel Washington, Forest Whitaker, Nate Parker) At a small African-American college in 1935 Texas, a histrionic professor (Washington) leads the school’s debate team to an encounter with debaters from Harvard University. This is a solid drama produced by Oprah Winfrey that features racism as an element of these people’s lives, but not as something that defines them. Rated PG-13.

 

Sweeney Todd **1/2

(Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman) After 15 years of exile, Sweeney Todd (Depp) returns to London and vows revenge on the corrupt judge (Rickman) who tore him away from his wife and daughter (Jayne Wisener). Director Tim Burton’s adaptation of the Stephen Sondheim Broadway classic looks appropriately dark and grim, but Depp, Carter and Rickman aren’t accomplished enough singers to handle the challenges of Sondheim’s complex melodies. You’ll admire the effort, but the end result is underwhelming. Rated R.

 

Charlie Wilson’s War ***

(Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Philip Seymour Hoffman) A boozing Congressman (Hanks) teams up with a Houston socialite/power broker (Roberts) and a grizzled CIA veteran (a chipper Hoffman) to drive the Soviets out of Afghanistan in the 1980s. Director Mike Nichols’ (The Graduate) film is a nicely crafted, almost lighthearted depiction of high-stakes political warfare that has obvious connections to today. Smartly, Nichols and writer Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing) keep all references to the long-term detriments of Wilson’s operation very subtle. Rated R.

 

The Savages ***

(Philip Seymour Hoffman, Laura Linney, Philip Bosco) Jon Savage (Hoffman) and his sister Wendy (Linney) place their elderly father (Bosco) in a nursing home after he’s stricken with dementia. Writer/director Tamara Jenkins’ film is not as depressing as it could’ve been, and strong performances from Hoffman and Linney make the story touching and engaging. Rated R.

 

Juno ***1/2

(Ellen Page, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman) Facing an unplanned pregnancy, 16 year-old Juno MacGuff (Page) decides to give her child to a wealthy couple (Garner and Bateman) who can’t have their own kids. The script by newcomer Diablo Cody is sharp, quirky and clever, and Page gives a standout performance that could make her a star. There’s an indie comedy that catches our hearts every year — last year it was Little Miss Sunshine, this year it’s Juno. Rated PG-13.

 

The Kite Runner ***

(Khalid Abdalla, Homayoun Ershadi, Shaun Toub) A fiction writer (Abdalla) returns to his homeland of Afghanistan in an attempt to make amends for his inaction years earlier, when he witnessed his childhood friend get sexually molested. It’s a moving story that’s slightly uneven at times but never fails to capture the heart of its characters, and because we always either like, sympathize and/or pity them, the movie works. Based on the critically-acclaimed novel by Afghanistan native Khaled Hosseini. Rated PG-13.

 

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story **1/2

(John C. Reilly, Kristen Wiig, Jenna Fischer) Singer Dewey Cox (Reilly) has great success in his career despite a life of promiscuous sex, drug and alcohol abuse, and an emotionally crippling father in this faux musical biopic co-written by Judd Apatow (Knocked Up). There are certainly some good laughs, but they don’t come as often as they should; it’s as if the genre demands certain things be spoofed, and the movie so dutifully moves from one thing to the next that there’s no comic consistency or flow. Rated R.

 

P.S. I Love You ***

(Hilary Swank, Gerard Butler, Lisa Kudrow) Before he dies of a brain tumor, Gerry Kennedy (Butler) leaves a series of gifts and letters for his wife (Swank) to receive in the succeeding year, all of which are designed to help her embrace life once again. It’s a sad story, but rather than being a depressing melodrama there’s enough comic relief to make it a truly enjoyable tearjerker. Rated PG-13.

 

I Am Legend **

(Will Smith, Alice Braga, Charlie Tahan) Believing he is the last man on Earth, Dr. Robert Neville (Smith) explores New York City with his German Shepherd while trying to find a cure for the virus that wiped out mankind. He also can’t go out at night, as that’s when the “undead” (vampires) prowl the streets. Smith’s charm and a few action sequences hold our interest, but there’s really not much happening in this flat, uninspired movie from director Francis Lawrence (Constantine). Based on the 1954 novel of the same name by Richard Matheson. Rated PG-13.

 

Atonement *1/2

(Keira Knightley, James McAvoy, Saoirse Ronan) A 13-year-old girl (Ronan) ruins the lives of her older sister (Knightley) and her lover (McAvoy) by telling the police he raped their cousin. It’s a lie, and per the title she spends a long time trying to make up for her wrongdoing. It takes 45 minutes for the lie to occur and, after it does, the film tangentially veers into separate stories during WWII and lacks focus and flow. Worse, it’s deliberately misleading and not clever enough to “atone” for its misdirection. Rated R.

 

Margot at the Wedding **

(Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jack Black) Sisters Margot (Kidman) and Pauline (Leigh) use one another as a verbal punching bag in the latest from writer/director Noah Baumbach, who also explored dysfunctional family dynamics in The Squid and the Whale. The acting is solid, but the heavy-handed drama lacks wit and likeable characters, which makes it an unpleasant viewing experience with few redeeming virtues. Rated R.
 

The Perfect Holiday *1/2   (Opens 12/12)

      (Morris Chestnut, Gabrielle Union, Queen Latifah) A young girl (Khail Bryant) asks a department store Santa and aspiring musician (Chestnut) to give her mother (Union) a compliment. He does, and a bland Christmas-themed romantic comedy ensues. It’s not very funny, and is so formulaically schmaltzy that even Frosty will be rolling his charcoal eyes. Rated PG.

Revolver **

      (Jason Statham, Ray Liotta, Andre Benjamin) A spurned gambler (Statham) vows revenge on a casino boss (Liotta), but is blackmailed by two loan sharks (Benjamin and Vincent Pastore) before enacting his plan. The story is an absolute mess that lacks the energy and chaotic clarity of writer/director Guy Ritchie’s better works (“Snatch,” “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels”). Rated R.

The Mist ****

      (Thomas Jane, Andre Braugher, Marcia Gay Harden) A mysterious mist that harbors mutated monsters traps an artist (Jane), school teacher (Laurie Holden), religious fanatic (Harden) and others inside a New England grocery store. It’s both a brilliant character study and a genuinely scary thriller, and the script by writer/director Frank Darabont is smart enough to make it the best horror movie in quite some time. Based on the novel by Stephen King; Darabont previously directed the film versions of King’s “The Shawshank Redemption” and “The Green Mile.” Rated R.

Hitman **

      (Timothy Olyphant, Dougray Scott, Olga Kurylenko) With an Interpol agent (Scott) on his trail, an assassin (Olyphant) is aided by a leggy brunette (Kurylenko) as he tries to figure out who set him up in a plot to kill the Russian president. There are some gaping plot holes, but the entertaining action keeps it from being a total waste. Rated R.

Enchanted ***

      (Amy Adams, James Marsden, Patrick Dempsey) Disney gamely pokes fun at the fairy tale genre it helped define in this enchanting live action and animated send up of its cartoon classics. After a young maiden (Adams) finds true love in the gallant Prince Edward (Marsden), she’s banished to the real world (New York City, to be exact) by his evil stepmother (Susan Sarandon). It’s charming and fun, and likely to be a hit through the holiday season. Rated PG.

I’m Not There **

      (Richard Gere, Cate Blanchett, Christian Bale) An opening title card reads “Inspired by the music and many lives of Bob Dylan,” and indeed six different personas (public, personal, childhood, etc.) of the icon’s life are depicted, each of which is played by a different actor. You have to already be familiar with the life and lore of Dylan to decipher the chaotic randomness of Todd Haynes’ (“Far From Heaven”) film, although fine performances from Blanchett, Bale and Heath Ledger make it tolerable. Rated R.

Beowulf ***1/2

      (Ray Winstone, Angelina Jolie, Crispin Glover) Based on the Old English poem that you’ve probably forgotten since reading it in high school, director Robert Zemeckis’ (“Forrest Gump”) film follows the hero Beowulf (Winstone) as he slays the monster Grendel (Glover) and then faces the vengeance of Grendel’s mother (Jolie). Yes, the characters look like they belong in a video game, but in truth 3-D animation has never before been this clear or effective, and it very nicely compliments one helluva story. Rated PG-13.

No Country for Old Men ***

      (Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin) The Coen Bros. (“Fargo”) latest follows a psychopathic killer (Bardem) as he chases a trailer-park dweller (Brolin) who found $2 million in a satchel after a drug deal gone wrong. Bardem’s performance is Oscar-worthy, but the occasionally unorthodox narrative and surplus of characters renders it a bit too high-minded for a movie with such carnage. Rated R.

Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium **1/2

      (Dustin Hoffman, Natalie Portman, Jason Bateman) A 243 year-old magic store owner (Hoffman) decides he’s “leaving” and plans to leave the store to a former piano prodigy (Portman) in search of her purpose in life. There is nothing at all here for adults, but the life and personality of the store should keeps kids 10 and younger entertained. Rated G.

Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead ****

      (Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, Marisa Tomei) Complications ensue after brothers Andy (Hoffman) and Hank (Hawke) plot to rob a mom and pop jewelry store in upstate New York. Director Sidney Lumet’s (“Network”) film is brilliantly structured to keep you guessing until the very end, and fine performances from the talented cast make this one of the best films of the year. Rated R.


The Mist ****
       (Thomas Jane, Andre Braugher, Marcia Gay Harden) A
mysterious mist that harbors mutated monsters traps an
artist (Jane), school teacher (Laurie Holden),
religious fanatic (Harden) and others inside a New
England grocery store. It’s both a brilliant character
study and a genuinely scary thriller, and the script
by writer/director Frank Darabont is smart enough to
make it the best horror movie in quite some time.
Based on the novel by Stephen King; Darabont
previously directed the film versions of King’s “The
Shawshank Redemption” and “The Green Mile.” Rated R.

Hitman **
       (Timothy Olyphant, Dougray Scott, Olga Kurylenko)
With an Interpol agent (Scott) on his trail, an
assassin (Olyphant) is aided by a leggy brunette
(Kurylenko) as he tries to figure out who set him up
in a plot to kill the Russian president. There are
some gaping plot holes, but the entertaining action
keeps it from being a total waste. Rated R.


Elizabeth: The Golden Age **

      (Cate Blanchett, Geoffrey Rush, Clive Owen) Queen Elizabeth I (Blanchett) develops a crush on adventurer Sir Walter Raleigh (Owen) and fends off an impending attack from Spain in director Shekhar Kapur’s sequel to “Elizabeth.” The costumes and sets are magnificent, but average performances and a story that’s above the heads of those not already familiar with the era make this a limp effort in what Kapur envisions as his “Elizabeth” trilogy. Rated PG-13.

The Heartbreak Kid **

      (Ben Stiller, Michelle Monaghan, Malin Akerman) Nice guy Eddie (Stiller) falls in love with his dream girl (Monaghan) while on his honeymoon with Lila (Akerman), who’s holed up for the week with a bad sunburn. This remake of the beloved 1972 Charles Grodin/Cybill Shepherd classic is a tamer, less funny and not very charming movie than what you expect from directors Peter and Bobby Farrelly (“There’s Something About Mary”). Rated R.

Ira & Abby **1/2

      (Jennifer Westfeldt, Chris Messina, Fred Willard) A Manhattan couple (Westfeldt and Messina) impulsively marry after their first meeting, and then get to know one another. The comedy was written by Westfeldt (“Kissing Jessica Stein”) and has some moments of charm, so if you can accept the foolhardy and impulsive premise there are enough laughs to keep you amused. Rated R.

Trade **

      (Kevin Kline, Paulina Gaitan, Cesar Ramos) A 13 year-old girl (Gaitan) is kidnapped on the streets of Mexico City and transported through the U.S. by sex traffickers. Her 17 year-old brother (Ramos) and a beleaguered cop (Kline) try to track her down before it’s too late. If reading that description doesn’t make you squirm, then director Marco Kreuzpaintner lingering camera on unthinkably awful atrocities will surely set your soul aflutter. It’s well made, socially relevant and engaging, but so darn unpleasant to watch that it’s hard to recommend. Rated R.

Sharkwater **1/2

      (Rob Stewart, Paul Watson, Patrick Moore) Shark expert Rob Stewart takes us to the depths of the ocean to explain how sharks have been unfairly labeled as enemies of man, and he fights shark poaching in Costa Rica and the Galapagos Islands in this spirited documentary. Some beautiful underwater photography doesn’t salvage the often choppy editing or preachy feel that Stewart, a first time filmmaker, can’t help but include. Rated PG.

In the Shadow of the Moon ***

      (Buzz Aldrin, Jim Lovell, Alan Bean) Crew members from NASA’s “Apollo” missions to the moon discuss their voyages. This documentary is endlessly fascinating if you’re already interested in the subject matter, and if not it also offers a wonderful history of the Apollo program that will likely make you a fan of the 24 men who’ve ventured to the moon. It’s not perfect and needs an ending with more closure, but (much like the missions themselves) the movie is one helluva ride. Rated PG.

The Game Plan *

      (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Kyra Sedgwick, Madison Pettis) An all-pro quarterback (Johnson) learns he has a seven year-old daughter (Pettis) from a long forgotten about fling. Now he must care for her and maintain his swingin’ bachelor lifestyle as the playoffs begin. It’s 110 unbearable minutes that includes Johnson dancing in a ballet and a little girl who’s more blatantly disrespectful than she is cutesy annoying. Not even the credit cookies are funny. Rated PG.

Good Luck Chuck **

      (Dane Cook, Jessica Alba, Dan Fogler) A dentist (Cook) who believes that all women find their “one true love” after sleeping with him goes to great lengths to keep the klutzy Cam (Alba) from moving on. There’s a lot of nudity and sex here (none involving Alba) for a comedy, but it’s never all that funny or amusing. And for all her beauty, Alba’s unfunny pratfalls prove that physical comedy is a stretch for her. Rated R.

In the Valley of Elah ***

      (Tommy Lee Jones, Susan Sarandon, Charlize Theron) Upon learning that his son has disappeared after returning from military service in Iraq, a Vietnam veteran (Jones) investigates the case with occasional help from a local detective (Theron). Writer/director Paul Haggis’ follow up to his Oscar-winning “Crash” has all the melodrama and intrigue you’d expect, but never validates it by bringing the viewer to an understanding of what his son endured in Iraq. Jones is in line for an Oscar nomination for his powerful performance. Rated R.

Eastern Promises **1/2

      (Viggo Mortensen, Naomi Watts, Vincent Cassel) A London midwife (Watts) unwittingly gets entangled with the Russian mafia after she discovers a diary that has incriminating evidence against its boss (Armin Mueller-Stahl). Director David Cronenberg (“A History of Violence”) has crafted a well-acted, intriguing character study with some riveting moments, including a fight scene in a bathhouse you will not soon forget. But it also gets less interesting as it goes, the ending is anti-climactic, and it leaves you with the impression that a lot of explanatory scenes were unnecessarily left on the editing room floor. Rated R.

Sydney White ***

      (Amanda Bynes, Matt Long, Sara Paxton) College freshman Sydney White (Bynes) encounters seven dorks, a cute guy named Tyler Prince (Long) and evil sorority sister Rachel Witchburn (Paxton) in this cute re-imagining of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” Some moments may be straight out of the teen comedy playbook, but Bynes’ endearing presence and the ingenious way director Joe Nussbaum works in “Snow White” elements (especially the poison apple!) makes the movie a real treat. Rated PG-13.

The Hunting Party ***

      (Richard Gere, Terrence Howard, Jesse Eisenberg) A disgraced television news reporter (Gere) takes his former cameraman (Howard) and a young producer (Eisenberg) into the mountains of Montenegro to catch “The Fox,” a Bosnian war criminal with a $5 million bounty on his head. It’s not as bitingly funny as writer/director Richard Shepard’s “The Matador,” but it’s always an engaging drama with lighthearted moments and daring social relevance. Rated R.

The Brave One ***1/2

      (Jodie Foster, Terrence Howard, Naveen Andrews) After her fiancé (Andrews) is murdered after a brutal attack by three street thugs, Erica (Foster) buys a gun and goes vigilante on New York City. Terrence Howard (“Pride”) plays the jaded homicide detective on her trail who secretly agrees with her motives. The idea that an ordinary citizen can be led to such violence is both disturbing and plausible, and made all the more real by Foster’s hauntingly intense performance. Rated R.

Mr. Woodcock *1/2

      (Billy Bob Thornton, Susan Sarandon, Seann William Scott) A successful self-help author (Scott) returns home to Nebraska and learns his mother (Sarandon) is dating the gym teacher (Thornton) who used to pick on him in middle school. Is this a comedy? The silence throughout the theater would suggest otherwise. Thornton has exhausted his appeal of playing jerks, Scott (Stifler in “American Pie”) is best as a sidekick, not a leading man, and the gags are woefully predictable and unfunny. Rated PG-13.

The Brothers Solomon *1/2

      (Will Forte, Will Arnett, Kristen Wiig) Two socially inept brothers (Forte and Arnett) believe having a child will give their comatose father a reason to live, so they settle on a surrogate mother (Wiig) after the dating scene yields no results. Painfully unfunny and featuring two of the worst performances you’ll ever see from Forte and Arnett, the movie’s lone saving grace is Chi McBride’s comic turn as the stereotypical “angry black man.” Rated R.

Shoot ‘Em Up ***

      (Clive Owen, Monica Bellucci, Paul Giamatti) The title says it all: A man known only as Mr. Smith (Owen) is pursued by a crime lord (Giamatti) after delivering a baby during a shootout. The premise is irrelevant — this movie is all about action, and it has stuff we’ve never seen before such as gunfights during sex and while skydiving. It’s so absurd and yet so comically entertaining that it’s hard not to laugh and enjoy the ride. Oh, and look out for the killer carrots. Rated R.

3:10 to Yuma **

      (Russell Crowe, Christian Bale, Gretchen Mol) In the old west a rancher (Bale) who’s desperate for money agrees to transport an outlaw (Bale) to the city of Contention, where he’ll be put on a train to Yuma and subsequently go to prison. Solid performances from Crowe and Bale are wasted in director James Mangold’s flat and un-suspenseful remake of the 1957 western of the same name, which itself was inspired by a short story by Elmore Leonard. Rated R.

The 11th Hour **

      (Narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio) Leonardo DiCaprio appears in and narrates this global warming treatise that tells us what a horrible condition the planet is in, but if we act now we can save it for our great grandkids. Nice try, Leo, but there’s nothing in your boring documentary that your friend Al Gore didn’t already cover in the Oscar-winning “An Inconvenient Truth.” Rated PG.

Death Sentence **1/2

      (Kevin Bacon, John Goodman, Garrett Hedlund) After his teenage son is murdered during a gang robbery, Nick Hume (Bacon) gets revenge by killing his son’s attacker. The dark, grim story is appropriately given a few emotional jolts by director James Wan (“Saw”), but when you stop sympathizing for Nick as a grieving father (i.e. after he kills his son’s murderer) there’s little left to do but observe horrible violence. Rated R.

Balls of Fury **

      (Dan Fogler, George Lopez, Christopher Walken) An FBI agent (Lopez) recruits a former ping pong phenom (Fogler) to enter an exclusive tournament run by a Mafioso named Feng (Walken) and gather incriminating evidence. If you’re able to embrace the idiocy and utter stupidity it offers, there’s a fair amount of laughs during the first hour. Unfortunately, the jokes all but grind to a halt as the movie rallies to an end. Rated PG-13.

2 Days in Paris **1/2

      (Adam Goldberg, Julie Delpy, Daniel Bruhl) After a two-week vacation in Venice, Italy, bickering unmarried couple Jack (Goldberg) and Marion (Delpy) visit Paris on their way home to New York. Writer/director Delpy’s quirky, smart script loses its edge after the first hour and becomes a one-note riff on Jack’s possessive jealousy rather than a true exploration of whether or not they belong together. Rated R.

September Dawn ***

      (Jon Voight, Terence Stamp, Trent Ford) A wagon train is greeted by untrusting Mormons in Cedar City, Utah, leading to one of the greatest atrocities in American history on September 11, 1857. This caustic allegory of current U.S. foreign relations suffers through a lengthy exposition and unnecessary love story until a heart-wrenching genocide puts everything in perspective. Based on the true story of the Mountains Meadows Massacre. Rated R.

Resurrecting the Champ ***

      (Samuel L. Jackson, Josh Hartnett, Teri Hatcher) After learning that a homeless man (Jackson) who calls himself “Champ” used to be a top contender as a professional boxer, a sports reporter (Hartnett) documents Champ’s story and discovers a lot about himself along the way. The acting is solid and it’s a touching story of fathers and sons, the decisions we make and the consequences we live with. Rated PG-13.

The Nanny Diaries **

      (Scarlett Johansson, Laura Linney, Alicia Keys) Fresh out of college and with no idea what she wants to do with her life, Annie (Johansson) takes a job as a nanny for the bratty kid (Nicholas Art) of rich New Yorkers. There are two remarkable things about this supposedly cute family movie: 1) The parents (Linney and Paul Giamatti) are more annoying and horrible than the kid, and 2) nothing in this movie is funny — it’s like writer/directors Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini (“American Splendor”) have made a drama out of a premise that can only be a comedy. Nice performances from Linney and Keys as Annie’s friend prevent it from being a complete waste of time. Rated PG-13.

My Best Friend ***

      (Daniel Auteuil, Dany Boon, Julie Gayet) A cold-hearted and impersonal antiques dealer (Auteuil) bets his business partner (Gayet) that he has a best friend, and has ten days to prove it. But with nary a friend in the world, he must recruit the help of a sociable taxi driver (Boon) to learn some people skills. This charming French comedy has an endearing sweetness that is very quaint and pleasant, and is a welcome reminder that simplicity can still be very funny. Rated PG-13.

Ghosts of Cite Soleil ***

      (Winson “2Pac” Jean, Wyclef Jean, James “Bily” Petit Frere) The brutality and violence in Haiti’s Cite Soleil is hauntingly captured in this 2006 documentary that is just now being released in domestic theaters. The film, which was shot in 2004, follows teenage gangsters and their followers as they support then-President Jean-Bertrand Aristide even after he denounces criminal warfare. Haitian singer Wyclef Jean speaks with gang leader 2Pac on the phone, and also contributed to the musical score. Not Rated (includes pervasive strong language, children wielding machine guns, violence and brief nudity).

Goya’s Ghosts **

      (Javier Bardem, Natalie Portman, Stellan Skarsgard) The first half of the film takes place in the late 1700s as painter Francisco Goya (Skarsgard) helps a wealthy patriarch whose daughter (Portman) has been arrested by the Catholic Church. The second half of Milos Forman’s (“Amadeus”) film is set 15 years later in the midst of political upheaval. Although it contains some well acted scenes and is always thought-provoking, the fatally uneven tale of unjust religious persecution and intolerance never gels into a cohesive whole. Rated R.

Rocket Science **

      (Reece Thompson, Anna Kendrick, Nicholas D’Agosto) A stuttering, awkward teenager (Thompson) is asked to join the high school debate team by an ultra-intense girl (Kendrick) who’s obsessed with winning. The subtle, dry humor found in the inanities of life is well conveyed, but this Wes Anderson (“Rushmore”) rip-off doesn’t have the charm or endearing cuteness to really work. Rated R.

Superbad **1/2

      (Jonah Hill, Michael Cera, Seth Rogen) From the creators of “Knocked Up” comes this teen comedy about two high school buddies, Seth (Hill) and Evan (Cera), as they search for sex and alcohol shortly before graduation and going their separate ways. Watching the guys trying to get laid is funny, but two immature cops (Rogen and Bill Hader) take too much time away from the movie’s strength, which is the realistic banter between Seth and Evan. Rated R.

The Invasion **

       (Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Jeremy Northam) After a space shuttle crash, a psychiatrist (Kidman) and her doctor boyfriend (Craig) discover that people are becoming vacant, emotionless entities after sleeping. The remake is based on “Invasion of the Body Snatchers,” which when released in 1956 was a tart Communist allegory and engrossing thriller. The newer version is void of biting political overtones (thoughit still tries), and not even 17 days of re-shoots from the Wachowski Brothers (“The Matrix” trilogy) can provide enough thrills to keep it interesting. Rated
PG-13.

Death at a Funeral **

      (Matthew Macfadyen, Rupert Graves, Peter Dinklage) During the funeral of its patriarch, a dysfunctional British family is blackmailed by a little person (Dinklage) with big secrets about the deceased. It’s supposed to be a crazy comedy in which chaos ensues during what should be a peaceful day, but director Frank Oz (“Bowfinger”) never finds a consistent tone. Call it a collision of comedy styles: Dry British humor is mixed with farcical antics such as a naked man running around in a hallucinogenic stupor, with the end result being an uneven movie that only occasionally makes you laugh. Rated R.

Arctic Tale **

      (Narrated by Queen Latifah) With the same eco-friendly message as “Happy Feet” and documentary approach of “March of the Penguins,” this tale of an infant polar bear and walrus as they endure the changing hardships of the Arctic is too cutesy to be inspiring and/or taken seriously. Although the family-oriented intentions are noble, it’s at the same level of quality as a television documentary. Rated G. 

Moliere **

      (Romain Duris, Ludivine Sagnier, Laure Morante) French playwright/actor Jean-Baptiste Poquelin dit Molière (Duris) is summoned to the house of a wealthy aristocrat to help him woo the girl of his dreams (Sagnier). Plot points from various Moliere plays are interspersed a la “Shakespeare in Love,” but whether you pick up on the sly allusions or not is irrelevant: It’s not funny either way, and at best only reaches levels of mild amusement during its tedious two hours. Rated PG-13.

Stardust ****

      (Charlie Cox, Claire Danes, Michelle Pfeiffer) A teenager (Cox) finds love and becomes a man as he protects a fallen star (Danes) from an evil witch (Pfeiffer) and power hungry prince (Mark Strong). The combination of top-notch visual effects and classic fairy tale storytelling make the film an experience that is both enchanting and uplifting. It’s the best movie of the summer. Rated PG-13.

Rush Hour 3 *

      (Chris Tucker, Jackie Chan, Max von Sydow) The mismatched Inspector Lee (Chan) and L.A. cop James Carter (Tucker) travel to Paris to stop a Chinese crime syndicate in the third and hopefully last installment of the series. The jokes aren’t funny, the ending is as anti-climactic as can be and you’ll never get the words “really, what’s the point?” out of your head as you watch it mindlessly unfold. Rated PG-13.

Interview **

      (Steve Buscemi, Sienna Miller, Tara Elders) Despite a political crisis in Washington, D.C., a political journalist (Buscemi) is forced to interview a young starlet (Miller) of trashy soaps and B-movies. Nice performances from Buscemi and Miller can’t save this uneven, talky drama that has too much bickering and little dialogue that actually engages the viewer. Rated R.

El Cantante **1/2

      (Mark Anthony, Jennifer Lopez, John Ortiz) Yet another talented-musician-with- personal-demons story follows Salsa kingpin Hector Lavoe (Anthony) as he struggles with substance abuse and promiscuity throughout his acclaimed career. Anthony’s real-life wife, Lopez, plays his nagging screen wife, Puchi. The music is fun and Anthony’s performance is impressive, but Lopez (who also produced the film) gives Puchi too much screen time and we never really get a sense of why Lavoe was so emotionally distant. Rated R.

The Bourne Ultimatum ***

      (Matt Damon, Julia Stiles, Joan Allen) The best “Bourne” yet follows the covert agent as he tracks down the powers-that-be at the CIA who took his identity and made him an assassin. Familiarity with the previous two films greatly enriches this third installment, and the tense, frenetic pacing from director Paul Greengrass (“The Bourne Supremacy”) makes it one of the better action movies of the summer. Rated PG-13.

David & Layla *1/2

      (David Moscow, Shiva Rose, Callie Thorne) David (Moscow) is Jewish, Layla (Rose) is Muslim, and they’re supposedly in love, much to the chagrin of their families. There’s some nice real-world humor here, but once religion and the love story take over everything goes downhill. You also never really believe they’re anything more than physically attracted to one another, and after countless movies in which star-crossed lovers defy obstacles to be together, this indie has the leads so concerned with what their families think that they to forget to figure out if they’re a good match. Rated R.

Vitus **

      (Teo Gheorghiu, Julika Jenkins, Urs Jucker) A child (Fabrizio Borsani at age six, Gheorghiu at age 12) with an “incalculable IQ” is pushed into being a piano prodigy by his well-meaning but obtuse parents (Jenkins and Jucker). Some clever writing takes the film in an interesting direction before it settles for the easy way out, meaning you’ll be intrigued but not moved by this Swiss import. Rated PG.

The Simpsons Movie **

      (Voices of Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright) After Homer (Castellaneta) dumps a silo full of his pet pig’s excrement into Lake Springfield, the town is enclosed in a transparent dome and the family must escape to Alaska for safety. The movie was undoubtedly intended to reignite the fledgling franchise, but the fact that it’s only as good as the TV show right now is not a compliment. Rated PG-13.

No Reservations ***

      (Catherine Zeta-Jones, Aaron Eckhart, Abigail Breslin) A workaholic chef (Zeta-Jones) is forced to care for her niece (Breslin) after her sister dies in a car accident. To make matters worse, an eccentric new chef (Eckhart) is threatening to take over her restaurant’s kitchen. The movie gets points for being a charming comedy that works on most levels, and bonus points for sparing us the melodramatic “don’t you know how hard this is for me!” scene between Zeta-Jones and Breslin, both of whom are very good here. A remake of the 2001 German film “Mostly Martha.” Rated PG.

Talk to Me ***1/2

      (Don Cheadle, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Martin Sheen) It’s the turbulent late ‘60s in Washington D.C., and radio talk show host/ex-con Ralph Waldo “Petey” Greene (Cheadle) and his program director (Ejiofor) are “telling it like it is” in ways that have never been heard before. Great performances from Cheadle and Ejiofor and flawless pacing from director Kasi Lemmons (“Eve’s Bayou”) make the movie a resounding success. Rated R.

Sunshine **1/2

      (Cillian Murphy, Chris Evans, Cliff Curtis) With the sun losing its power and the earth beginning to freeze, a team of astronauts travels to detonate a “payload” (bomb) inside of the sun in an attempt to restore its natural state. This is a slow but compelling space drama for 90 minutes, but then foolishly regresses into a space thriller and almost completely falls apart. Rated R.

Hairspray ***

      (John Travolta, Nikki Blonsky, Michelle Pfeiffer) Idealistic teenager Tracy Turnblad (Blonsky) wants to be on “The Corny Collins Show,” but a vile station manager (Pfeiffer) and Tracy’s mother (Travolta) don’t think it’s a good idea. The songs are enjoyable and it’s fun to see Travolta in drag, even if his performance isn’t anything special. And yet the musical’s lack of energy gives the distinct impression that it’d be much better on stage, where it debuted on Broadway in 2002. That version was inspired by 1988 John Waters movie of the same name. Rated PG.

I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry ***

      (Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Jessica Biel) Brooklyn firefighters Larry (James) and Chuck (Sandler) begin a “domestic partnership” to ensure that Larry will receive a pension plan for his two young children. No gay stereotype goes unused in this awkwardly homophobic yet charming comedy. It’s also occasionally moving, but avoids overdoing its social message by always staying true to its comedic form. Rated PG-13.

Rescue Dawn ***1/2

      (Christian Bale, Steve Zahn, Jeremy Davies) U.S. fighter pilot Dieter Dengler (Bale) is shot down in Laos during the Vietnam War, then captured and tortured in a P.O.W. camp before leading his fellow prisoners in a daring escape. Bale (“Batman Begins”) gives a great performance in a powerful movie about one man’s determination and courage during a time when hope could’ve easily been lost. Based on a true story. Rated PG-13. 

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix **

      (Daniel Radcliffe, Michael Gambon, Imelda Staunton) With the Ministry of Magic refusing to believe Harry (Radcliffe) and Dumbledore (Gambon) when they claim Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) has returned, Harry trains his classmates to defend themselves in case of an attack. Meanwhile, a Ministry stooge named Dolores Umbridge (Staunton) seizes control of Hogwarts. There’s nothing magical or remotely fun about this gloomy movie that remains loyal to the core story of J.K. Rowling’s fifth novel to a fault. Yes, the story is a dark one, but it’s not supposed to be this dour. Rated PG-13.

Angel-A **1/2

       (Jamel Debbouze, Rie Rasmussen, Gilbert Melki) A Parisian man (Debbouze) who’s a born liar and deep in debt decides to kill himself by jumping into the Seine River. He aborts his plan when he spots a statuesque blonde (Rasmussen) about to jump into the river and
saves her life instead. It’s a black-and-white, Capra-esque (similarities to “It’s a Wonderful Life”
abound) yarn that melodramatically brings virtue to a scuzzy scam artist without getting you to care about him. Rated R.

Eagle vs. Shark *1/2

      (Jemaine Clement, Loren Horsley, Joel Tobeck) Two oddballs named Jarrod (Clement) and Lily (Horsley) take an odd path to love in this New Zealand import with “Napoleon Dynamite” quirkiness. Eccentric characters are fine as long as their weirdness is likable. While Lily is cute and awkward enough to be endearing, Jarrod is so callous toward her that you not only don’t care if they end up together, you genuinely long for her to come to her senses and want someone better. Worse, none of this is funny at all. Rated R.

You Kill Me *1/2

      (Ben Kingsley, Tea Leoni, Luke Wilson) A Buffalo hit man (Kingsley) with an alcohol problem is sent to San Francisco to clean up; he figures once he stops drinking he can start killing again, which will make everything normal. A meet-cute and subsequent relationship with the acerbic Laurel (Leoni) helps him recuperate. There’s a lot of dry, dark humor that misses completely, and as a result the acting is flat and one-dimensional. What an awkward, weird movie. Rated R.

Transformers ***1/2

      (Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel) The popular ‘80s toys and cartoon have come to the big screen as an ordinary teen (LaBeouf), his crush (Fox), military men (Duhamel and Tyrese Gibson) and others find themselves in the middle of a centuries-old war between robots from a distant planet, the Autobots (heroes) and Decepticons (villains). At 144 scintillating minutes a lot could’ve gone wrong, but director Michael Bay and his team have made a live action effects extravaganza that is truly unlike anything we’ve ever seen. It’s just plain awesome. Rated PG-13.

Live Free or Die Hard ***

      (Bruce Willis, Justin Long, Timothy Olyphant) The fourth “Die Hard” film follows an aging John McClane (Willis) as he tries to stop a former national security agent (Olyphant) from taking over the nation’s information systems. The “virtual terrorism” is an appealing idea for a post-9/11 world, and the action scenes are the best the franchise has offered. But it still lacks the humor, charisma and sheer adrenaline rush of the original. Rated PG-13.

Sicko ***

      (Michael Moore) Muckraker Michael Moore (“Fahrenheit 9/11”) exposes flaws in American health care by documenting political corruption, personal injustices and the “Universal” health care systems in Britain, France, Canada and Cuba. Yes, you have to take his manipulated “facts” with a grain of salt, but Moore is such a talented filmmaker that he still makes you choke up with sympathy. Rated PG-13.

Ratatouille **

      (Voices of Patton Oswalt, Ian Holm, Brad Garrett) The Paris rat (Oswalt) who loves food convinces a garbage boy (Lou Romano) to act as his marionette so he can cook in a gourmet restaurant. It had to happen sooner or later: Pixar Studios (“Toy Story,” “The Incredibles”) has finally released its first disappointment. The story is too adult for little kids (the four year-old I saw it with was sound asleep half way through), it’s not that funny and there’s something inherently distracting and weird about blue rats. Rated G.

Evening **1/2

      (Claire Danes, Patrick Wilson, Toni Collette) On her deathbed, the elderly Ann Lord (Vanessa Redgrave/Danes in flashbacks) recalls the marriage of her best friend (Mamie Gummer) and her love affair with the guy all the girls wanted, Harris Arden (Wilson). If you can accept the idea of a woman spending one weekend with a guy and having him be the true love of her life, then you’ll have no problem with this well-acted, moving drama. But if you think the premise is far-fetched expect to be oddly detached and indifferent to the proceedings. Rated PG-13.

1408 **1/2

      (John Cusack, Samuel L. Jackson, Mary McCormack) Despite a stern warning against it from the hotel manager (Jackson), supernatural writer Mike Enslin (Cusack) stays in room 1408 at the fictional Dolphin Hotel in New York City, and very bad things happen from there. The first hour is a tense thrill ride full of genuine scares, but the last half-hour degenerates into a contrived mess. Based on the short story of the same name by Stephen King. Rated PG-13.

Evan Almighty **
       (Steve Carell, Morgan Freeman, Lauren Graham) Former Buffalo anchorman and newly elected congressman Even Baxter (Carell) is told by God (Freeman) to build an ark for an impending flood. Much of the humor is supposed to come from Carell’s awkwardness and gradual
transformation into Noah (whom you’ll recall built the original ark), but his jokes miss more often than they hit and the hilarious supporting cast (including Wanda Sykes and “Knocked Up’s” Jonah Hill) doesn’t get enough screen time. It’s a sort-of sequel to the 2003
Jim Carrey hit “Bruce Almighty.” Rated PG.

La Vie En Rose ****

      (Marion Cotillard, Gerard Depardieu, Sylvie Testud) The life of French singer Edith Piaf, including her rise from poverty to fame and stark decline, is captured in this powerful and moving biopic. Cotillard gives one of the most intense performances you’ll ever see as Piaf, a singer who was small in stature, loved to party hard and died relatively young (at age 47), but due to heartbreak and a morphine addiction looked at least 20 years older. The fact that Cotillard embodies her with such spirit both as an ambitious teen and feisty starlet makes it one of the best performances and movies of the year. Rated PG-13.

A Mighty Heart ***

      (Angelina Jolie, Dan Futterman, Archie Panjabi) Based on the book of the same name by Mariane Pearl, the film follows the investigation into the disappearance and subsequent murder of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl (Futterman) in Pakistan in January 2002. Jolie reminds us how extraordinarily talented she is as Pearl’s embattled wife Mariane, a woman on the verge of an emotional breakdown but remaining hopeful and strong not only because she has to, but because that’s what her husband would’ve wanted. Rated R.

Paprika **

      (Voices of Megumi Hayashibara, Toru Furuya, Akio Otsuka) A Japanime story about a device called the “DC Mini,” which is intended to be used by people who would like to know their unconscious thoughts as they dream. When the device is stolen and the possibility of a person’s entire personality being erased becomes plausible, scientists must retrieve it before it falls into the wrong hands. Japanime fans will be amused, but those not familiar with the style will likely find it a confounding experience. Rated R. 

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer ***

      (Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans) The Fantastic Four (Gruffudd, Alba, Evans and Michael Chiklis) must save the world after the enigmatic Silver Surfer (voiced by Laurence Fishburne) warns them that the planet will be destroyed in mere days. Some great visual effects work and an interesting story make it a fun 92 minutes of silliness. Rated PG.

Crazy Love **

      (Burt Pugach, Linda Pugach, Jimmy Breslin) A documentary that depicts what is by far one of the most bizarre true love stories you’ll ever hear, complete with deception, stalking, blindness, verbal/emotional abuse and (supposed) wedded bliss. Just because the love-hate-HATE-love story has been in the tabloids for the last forty-plus years doesn’t mean co-directors Dan Klores and Fisher Stevens should have played parts of it for laughs, which they do to a disturbing degree. Between that and a somewhat sluggish pace, it’s clear that a better movie could’ve been made with such juicy material. Rated PG-13.

Surf’s Up **

      (Voices of Shia LaBeouf, James Woods, Jeff Bridges) A young penguin named Cody Maverick (LaBeouf) enters a professional surfing competition, but needs the help of a sage and elderly island recluse known as Geek (Bridges) before his dreams can come true. Little kids may be entertained, but the unoriginal story, flat vocal performances and mediocre animation provide nothing for anyone older than ten years of age. To put it in surfing terms, the movie is a total wipeout. Rated PG.

Ocean’s Thirteen ***

      (George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Al Pacino) After a casino owner (Pacino) wrongs one of their own, Danny Ocean (Clooney) reunites his team of thieves for revenge. It’s exactly what you want and expect from an “Ocean’s” movie, only better than the second film. So go, laugh, enjoy. Try to have as much fun watching it as the cast clearly did while making it. Rated PG-13.

Mr. Brooks **1/2

      (Kevin Costner, Demi Moore, William Hurt) Earl Brooks (Costner) is a loving husband, caring father and successful businessman. And with the help of his devious alter ego (Hurt), he’s also the serial killer detective Tracy Atwood (Moore) has been after for years. Brooks’ compelling storyline is frequently undermined by the hammy melodrama of Atwood’s, giving the movie a split personality that’s just as destructive as the titular character’s. Rated R.

Knocked Up ***1/2

      (Katherine Heigl, Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd) A one-night stand turns into nine months of pregnancy in this hilarious comedy from writer/director Judd Apatow (“The Forty Year-Old Virgin”). To their credit, aspiring television personality Alison (Heigl) and stoner Ben (Rogen) do the honorable thing and stick together, leading to one great scene after another as their unlikely union gains substance. With due respect to “Blades of Glory,” this is the funniest movie of the year. Rated R.

Gracie **

      (Carly Schroeder, Dermot Mulroney, Elisabeth Shue) With no women’s soccer team at her high school in 1970s New Jersey, Gracie Bowen (Schroeder) defies her parents (Mulroney and Shue) and attempts to play on the boy’s soccer team. It’s a staid, feel-good sports movie in which the underdog who’s told she can’t do something perseveres. But given that today there are women’s soccer teams in high schools, the entire movie is outdated and even misses its target audience of teenage girls. And here’s an idea: if you want to be accepted into the boy’s world, show up on time for practice. Based on Elisabeth Shue’s real-life upbringing. Rated PG-13.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End **

      (Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley) Picking up where “Dead Man’s Chest” left off, Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush), Will Turner (Bloom) and his fiancé Elizabeth Swann (Knightley) search for Jack Sparrow (Depp) while Lord Beckett (Tom Hollander) and Davy Jones (Bill Nighy) try to stop them. A long, laboring 168 minute endeavor that’s more concerned with business dealings than swashbuckling action. It’s just not any fun at all. Rated PG-13.

Jindabyne **

      (Laura Linney, Gabriel Byrne, Chris Haywood) When Stewart Kane (Byrne) and his friends discover a dead body during a fishing trip but don’t report it immediately, the entire town of Jindabyne, Australia turns on the men and their families. Seeming to have the most trouble is Stewart’s wife Claire (Linney), who tries in vain to make things right with the community. It’s a well acted and interesting story, but it’s also painfully slow and with few moments of pure engagement. Rated R.

Bug **1/2

      (Ashley Judd, Michael Shannon, Harry Connick Jr.) Adapted by Tracy Letts from his off-Broadway play, a Gulf War veteran (Shannon) who sees bugs everywhere moves in with a lonely woman (Judd) who lives in a run down Oklahoma motel. Strong performances from Judd and Shannon highlight this dreary look into intense paranoia, but the movie doesn’t have the sociopolitical punch to which it aspires. Rated R.

Shrek the Third **

      (Voices of Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy) After the king’s (John Cleese) death, Shrek (Myers), Donkey (Murphy) and Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas) venture to find the rightful heir while Fiona (Diaz) stays behind to defend the castle from Prince Charming’s (Rupert Everett) attempted coup d’etat. This is an unfunny extension of a franchise that started brilliantly, declined slightly in its sequel and has now clunked completely. There’s nothing here for adults, and kids will not enjoy it as much as they did the first two movies. Rated PG.

28 Weeks Later **

      (Catherine McCormack, Robert Carlyle, Amanda Walker) The incurable virus that created zombies in the cult hit “28 Days Later” (2002) returns in mutated form in this sequel, which follows a new set of survivors as they desperately run for their lives. A solid opening gets this sequel off to a promising start, but stock characters and a bland, inane story make this little more than a blood-spitting gore fest. Rated R. 

Georgia Rule ***

      (Jane Fonda, Felicity Huffman, Lindsay Lohan) A defiant teenager (Lohan) is sent by her embattled mother (Huffman) to live with her strict grandmother (Fonda) for the summer. This could’ve easily been a stale chick flick, but strong writing and performances take the movie in unexpected directions and make it a solid drama. Rated R. 

The Ex *1/2

      (Zach Braff, Amanda Peet, Jason Bateman) A down on his luck nice guy (Braff) moves with his pregnant wife (Peet) to Ohio and takes a job at her dad’s (Charles Grodin) ad agency. It is there that he works under the wheelchair-bound Chip (Bateman), who knew his wife in high school and still has feelings for her. Everything about this movie is annoying, from Bateman’s smarmy passive-aggressive performance to Grodin’s infernal cheeriness. The movie goes to great pains to put Braff in the same awkward situations in which he excels in “Scrubs,” but here they’re just not funny. Rated PG-13.

Waitress ***1/2

      (Keri Russell, Nathan Fillion, Jeremy Sisto) A pregnant, unhappily married waitress (Russell) falls for her gynecologist (Fillion) while her deadbeat husband (Sisto) treats her like a second-class citizen. It may be aggressively anti-male, but writer/director Adrienne Shelly’s film is also a wonderfully touching work with a star-making performance from Keri Russell (“Felicity”). Shelly, who also co-stars as a waitress, was murdered in her Manhattan apartment in November 2006, shortly before the film opened to critical acclaim at the Sundance Film Festival. Rated PG-13.

Spider-Man 3 **1/2

      (Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco) Lovers Peter Parker (Maguire) and Mary-Jane (Dunst) have problems while Spider-Man faces three new villains: Sandman (Thomas Haden Church), the New Goblin (Franco) and Venom (Topher Grace). The action and visual effects are spectacular, but too many characters lead to an uninteresting story that goes nowhere. Rated PG-13.

Lucky You **

      (Eric Bana, Drew Barrymore, Robert Duvall) A Las Vegas poker pro (Bana) tries to escape the shadow of his father (Duvall) as he pursues a naïve lounge singer (Barrymore). If you don’t know anything about poker, don’t bother, because the only interesting scenes in the movie hinge on what’s happening at the poker table. And even if you do know that three of a kind beats two pair, there’s little drama, a forced romance and not much energy in this labored, scattershot movie. Rated PG-13.

Gringo Wedding **

      (Ana Lucia Dominguez, Justin Kane, Adrian Campos) A lovelorn Colombian woman (Dominguez) and a womanizing Miamian (Kane) meet through an online dating service, abruptly fall in love when he visits Colombia, and the title tells you the rest. It’s supposed to be a comedy, but the laughs get lost in an illogical and predictable story that’s based on stereotypes (both Latin and Jewish) rather than real people. To her credit, Dominguez does what she can in lead role, but her beauty and blossoming talent isn’t enough to save this indie dud. Rated R.

Year of the Dog *

      (Molly Shannon, Peter Sarsgaard, John C. Reilly) A woman (Shannon) tries to get her life in order after her beloved dog dies. It’s not just that the story is bland and lacks direction; the film is also horribly made. Writer/director Mike White frames everything as a straight-on one shot and never moves the camera, which makes the proceedings extremely dull. Rated PG-13.

The Condemned ***1/2

      (“Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Vinnie Jones, Robert Mammone) An Internet reality show producer (Mammone) leaves ten death row inmates to fight to the death on a remote island while people around the world log on and watch the carnage. It has the fighting and violence you expect from an action movie, but it’s also a condemnation of pop culture’s obsession with reality television and the ramifications therein. Rated R.

Hot Fuzz **

      (Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Jim Broadbent) From the creators of the zombie-spoof “Shaun of the Dead” comes this satire of action movies, complete with the tough cop (Pegg), his bumbling partner (Frost) and the sleepy town that has more to hide than meets the eye. There are some funny moments here, but not nearly enough to justify a running time of almost two hours. Rated R.

Fracture ***

      (Ryan Gosling, Anthony Hopkins, Embeth Davidtz) After confessing to the murder of his wife, Ted Crawford (Hopkins) defends himself in court and frustrates the young and cocky district attorney (Gosling) assigned to the case. This is a solid drama that’s a testament to good acting and smart writing. Rated R.

Black Book ***

      (Carice van Houten, Sebastian Koch, Thom Hoffman) Inspired by true events, Paul Verhoeven’s (“Basic Instinct”) film tells the story of a Jewish torch singer (Van Houten) who joins the Dutch resistance during World War II. The ending drags a bit, but this is a thoroughly engrossing drama that hits all the right points of sentimentality and action. Rated R.

In the Land of Women ***

      (Adam Brody, Meg Ryan, Kristen Stewart) A struggling screenwriter (Brody) moves to middle-of-nowhere Michigan to care for his elderly grandmother (Olympia Dukakis) and befriends the ailing mother (Ryan) and her teenage daughter (Stewart) across the street. This is a nice, moving drama about genuinely good people and the ugly twists of fate that come their way. Rated PG-13.

Disturbia **

      (Shia LaBeouf, Sarah Roemer, David Morse) After he’s placed under house arrest for punching his Spanish teacher, teenagers Kale (LaBeouf) and the sexy new girl (Roemer) next door suspect their other neighbor (Morse) of being a serial killer. Odes to Hitchcock’s “Rear Window” are plentiful, but director D.J. Caruso only offers a standard modern thriller with some suspense but no real thrills. Rated PG-13.

Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters *

      (Voices of Dana Snyder, Dave Willis, Carey Means) Based on the late night Adult Swim program on the Cartoon Network, the crudely animated movie follows three fast food items named Master Shake (Snyder), Meatwad (Willis) and Frylock (Means) as they pursue the origins of a piece of gym equipment. It’s a niche movie for a niche audience that has zero — and I mean ZERO — appeal to those not already familiar with the product. If you do see it and can bear to stay a bit longer, there’s more fun after the credits. Not for children. Rated R.

Perfect Stranger **1/2

      (Halle Berry, Bruce Willis, Giovanni Ribisi) A journalist (Berry) goes undercover at an advertising agency to see if its owner, Harrison Hill (Willis), killed her childhood friend. It’s a well-cast and an interesting conceit, but there are only a few memorable moments in this otherwise average thriller. Rated R.

The Hoax ***

      (Richard Gere, Alfred Molina, Marcia Gay Harden) Based on what is considered by many to be the greatest hoax of the 20th century, struggling author Clifford Irving (Gere) lies to McGraw-Hill Publishing by saying he’s obtained the exclusive rights to the autobiography of enigmatic billionaire Howard Hughes. His hippie wife (Harden) and friend Dick Suskind (Molina) also conspire in the cover-up. Gere and Molina highlight this intriguing and engaging drama in which otherwise ordinary Americans do extraordinarily naughty things and nearly get away with it. Rated R.  

Grindhouse ***

      (Rose McGowan, Freddy Rodriguez, Kurt Russell) Robert Rodriguez (“Sin City”) directs “Planet Terror” and Quentin Tarantino (“Pulp Fiction”) helms “Death-Proof” in this double-feature homage to the “exploitation” films of the 1970s. At 191 minutes it’s a lot of blood-splattering hyper-violence for the price of a single admission, and those who recall the exploitation movement are bound to be pleased. “Planet Terror” is the superior movie of the two, while “Death Proof” is a bit too talky until its pulse-pounding car chase finale. In the end, though, it’s certainly an experience you will not soon forget. Rated R.  

First Snow **1/2

      (Guy Pearce, Piper Perabo, J.K. Simmons) After being told by a roadside psychic (Simmons) that he will not live past the first snow of the year, a sleazy salesman (Pearce) must come to terms with his life while tracking down an old childhood friend he betrayed. The beginning and end work as convincing drama, but a lackluster middle section inhibits the movie from doing more. Strong performances by Pearce and Piper Perabo as the salesman’s girlfriend allow the film to warrant a moderate recommendation. Rated R.

The Reaping * 1/2

      (Hilary Swank, David Morrissey, Idris Elba) A former Christian missionary (Swank) who now specializes in finding scientific explanations for religious phenomena is called to a remote town to investigate what could be a recurrence of the Bible’s Ten Plagues. This silly, unnecessary exercise in cheap scares is as loyal to the story of the Ten Plagues as Judas was to Jesus. There hasn’t been a great religious thriller/horror movie since “The Exorcist” (1973), and it’s looking doubtful there will ever be one again. Rated R.

Are We Done Yet? *1/2

      (Ice Cube, Nia Long, John C. McGinley) Nothing goes right when a married couple (Cube and Long) buy a fixer-upper in the country and get little help from the real estate agent/contractor (McGinley). Tired and predictable gags make the would-be comedy a trying experience to endure, which is a shame because Ice Cube can be a very engaging screen presence when given the right material. And McGinley, who’s so effective on “Scrubs,” struggles desperately for laughs in a multifaceted role that doesn’t work on any level. Rated PG.

Meet the Robinsons **1/2

      (Voices of Angela Bassett, Tom Selleck, Harland Williams) A boy genius (Daniel Hansen and Jordan Fry) meets a stranger named Wil Robinson (Wesley Singerman) at a science fair, and together the two journey to the future to stop Bowler Hat Guy (voiced by director Stephen J. Anderson) from ruining the world. The film is being shown in 3-D in select theaters, an option that’s worthwhile as the tacky glasses do add depth and detail to the presentation — just don’t expect anything to convincingly jump out at you. As for the movie itself, the story can be difficult to follow and some scenes may be too scary for small children. Disney would like for kids of all ages to attend, but it’s unlikely that any younger than seven will find it enjoyable. Rated G.

Blades of Glory ***

      (Will Ferrell, Jon Heder, Jenna Fischer) After getting banished from singles skating, world champions Chazz Michael Michaels (Ferrell) and Jimmy MacElroy (Heder) team up to compete in pairs figure skating. Yes, it’s stupid, inane and completely without artistic merit, but my goodness is it laugh-out-loud funny. Rated PG-13.


The Lookout **

      (Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Matthew Goode, Jeff Daniels) After a car accident leaves him with partial brain damage, a nighttime janitor (Gordon-Levitt) at a rural bank is befriended by thieves who plan to rob the bank. The premise is interesting, but the film is curiously devoid of life and as a consequence falls flat when it should be captivating and suspenseful. Rated R. 

Shooter ***

      (Mark Wahlberg, Michael Pena, Danny Glover) A former Marine Corps sniper (Wahlberg) is framed for an assassination attempt on the president and must prove his innocence before he’s killed by government traitors. You’ve seen this formula before (“The Fugitive”), but Wahlberg’s performance is solid and director Antoine Fuqua (“Training Day”) combines beautiful aerial shots with great action sequences to make this an energetic and fun time at the movies. Rated R.

Reign Over Me ***1/2

      (Adam Sandler, Don Cheadle, Jada Pinkett Smith) A grief-stricken New York City man (Sandler) who lost his wife and kids on 9/11 bumps into his college roommate (Cheadle) and they slowly rekindle an old friendship. Cheadle is solid in an understated “everyman” role, but it’s Sandler who steals the movie with a dramatic performance that is by far the best of his career. Even if you don’t care for the story, you have to admit that Sandler has come a long way since talking to imaginary penguins (“Billy Madison) and fistfights with Bob Barker (“Happy Gilmore”). Rated R.

Pride ***

       (Terrence Howard, Bernie Mac, Kevin Phillips) With
the Philadelphia Department of Recreation about to
close in the summer of 1974, building employees Jim
Ellis (Howard) and Elston (Mac) begin a swim team
comprised of young African-Americans. In many senses
it’s just another sports movie, but with strong
performances from Howard and Mac it earns the right to
touch your heart. Based on a true story. Rated PG.

TMNT **

      (Voices of Patrick Stewart, Chris Evans, Kevin Smith) The four pizza-loving teenage mutant ninja turtles are back, this time in an animated film about a 3,000 year-old curse that’s threatening New York City. Some will argue it’s about as good as a movie that goes straight-to-video, but the animation is decent and the story keeps things moving. It’s unlikely, however, that this will reignite the dormant franchise. Rated PG.

Premonition **

      (Sandra Bullock, Julian McMahon, Amber Valletta) After learning her husband (McMahon) was killed in a car accident, a mother (Bullock) of two wakes the next morning and finds him alive. The next day he’s dead again. Then alive again, and so on. The idea of a traumatic week being lived out of order is an intriguing one, but director Mennan Yapo isn’t able to build tension with each passing day, which makes the film more tiring than it is suspenseful. Rated PG-13.

I Think I Love My Wife *1/2

      (Chris Rock, Gina Torres, Kerry Washington) Although he’s loyal to and in love with his wife (Torres), Richard Cooper (Rock) finds himself tempted when a sultry old acquaintance (Washington) comes to town. A tiring comedy that isn’t funny and relies on phony deception (Richard doesn’t tell his wife about his new “friend,” even though he’s technically not doing anything wrong) for tension. Throw in a cheap condom joke and Richard’s continued stupidity and the movie is a real clunker. Rated R.

300 ***

      (Gerard Butler, Lena Headey, Dominic West) Based on the graphic novel by Lynn Varley and “Sin City” creator Frank Miller, King Leonidas (Butler) leads 300 Spartan warriors into the Battle of Thermopylae against the vast Persian army in 480 B.C. The movie looks like a comic book come to life, with enough slow-motion blood splatter and machismo to keep guys happy until the summer movie season begins in a few months. Rated R. 

The Ultimate Gift **1/2

      (Drew Fuller, James Garner, Abigail Breslin) After the death of his grandfather (Garner), the twenty-something Jason Stevens (Fuller) must complete a variety of tasks in order to earn his inheritance. The premise alone makes the movie worth watching, but you know things have gone too far when the hero is imprisoned by drug lords in the middle of the South American jungle. As for the Oscar-nominated Breslin (“Little Miss Sunshine”), she struggles with a precocious character who’s stricken with leukemia but surprises people with her bold personality. Rated PG.

Zodiac **

      (Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr, Mark Ruffalo) Based on the true story of the infamous “Zodiac” killer who terrorized northern California for more than 20 years starting in the late ‘60s, the film follows San Francisco Chronicle employees (Gyllenhaal and Downey, Jr.) and police officers (Ruffalo and many others) as they search for the murderer. It starts off well, but evolves into a long, tedious bore that becomes consumed with minute details such as who drew a movie poster and accurate handwriting analysis. Rated R.

Black Snake Moan ***

      (Samuel L. Jackson, Christina Ricci, Justin Timberlake) From the writer/director of “Hustle and Flow” comes the story of a symbiotic bond between a sexually abused, nymphomaniac teenager (Ricci) and the drinking and swearing religious man (Jackson) who tries to help her. Ricci (who wears nothing but a skimpy t-shirt and underwear during the first half of the movie) gives the best performance of her young career and Jackson is touching and effective as the patriarchal caregiver. Rated R.

The Lives of Others ***1/2

      (Ulrich Muhe, Sebastian Koch, Martina Gedeck) Shortly before the fall of the Berlin Wall, an agent (Muhe) for the East German Stasi (secret police) spies on a writer (Koch) and his girlfriend (Gedeck) who are believed to be anti-Socialist. This Oscar-winner for Best Foreign Language Film is a stark and unforgiving tale of political oppression and the human beings who made drastic decisions in an effort to fight the system. It’s extremely powerful, wonderfully acted and very worthy of its Academy Award. Rated R.

Wild Hogs ***

      (John Travolta, Tim Allen, Martin Lawrence, William H. Macy) Four men (Travolta, Allen, Lawrence and Macy) facing a mid-life crisis hit the open road on their motorcycles and find trouble along the way. This is a genuinely delightful comedy with the four actors playing off of one another remarkably well, which gives the movie enough charm to make it a real winner. Rated PG-13.

Reno 911!: Miami **

      (Ben Garant, Mary Birdsong, Cedric Yarbrough) The cast of the Comedy Central show hits the big screen in a movie that feels like one long episode of the popular series. Fans of the program will get their money’s worth, but if you’ve never seen the half-hour sketch comedy show this isn’t going to inspire you to check it out. Still, there are some genuinely funny scenes and a few cameos to keep things interesting. Rated R.

The Number 23 *1/2

      (Jim Carrey, Virginia Madsen, Danny Huston) After his wife (Madsen) gives him a book entitled “The Number 23,” Walter Sparrow (Carrey) begins to believe it is telling his life story and becomes paranoid that the number will lead to his death. The random ways Walter manipulates numbers to conform to his “23” obsession is humorous in an unintentionally cheeky sort of way, but this is an inane thriller with an intriguing visual style but absolutely no substance. Rated R.

The Astronaut Farmer **1/2

      (Billy Bob Thornton, Virginia Madsen, Bruce Willis) A former NASA astronaut named Charles Farmer (Thornton) builds a rocket in his backyard with the intention of launching himself into space. Government officials and locals think he’s crazy, but he has the support of his wife (Madsen) and family, which to him is all that matters. The film is subversive but not as unusual as other efforts from the Polish Brothers (“Twin Falls Idaho,” “Northfork”), making it a family-friendly nice time with sweetness to spare. That said, there’s not much here beyond the fluff. Rated PG.

Amazing Grace **1/2

      (Ioan Gruffud, Albert Finney, Michael Gambon) In late 18th century England, slavery abolitionist William Wilberforce (Gruffud) tries to convince his colleagues in Parliament that slavery is inhumane and must be stopped. The origins of the song “Amazing Grace” lie within the story, which is noble and tries very hard to be deep and moving but never elevates above the level of a made-for-TV movie. Rated PG.

Ghost Rider **1/2

      (Nicolas Cage, Eva Mendes, Peter Fonda) Stunt motorcyclist Johnny Blaze (Cage) sells his soul to the Devil (Fonda) and, per the Devil’s bidding, now must fight the angry spirit Blackheart (Wes Bentley). Faustian allusions (in which deals are made with the Devil in return for one’s soul) often make for fun cinema, and true to form the movie is an entertaining but generally unremarkable visual effects extravaganza. Based on the Marvel comic. Rated PG-13.