July 20: Movie Capsules
The following capsule reviews, listed alphabetically, will give you an idea of the caliber of films unreeling locally. Please refer to the movie schedule for theaters and show times. The films are graded as follows: Very Good, (A); Good, (B); Fair, (C); Poor, (D); Turkey (F). Those with (NP) have not been previewed. (To locate a Web site, go to www.google.com and type in the film’s title.)
BLACK SHEEP: (B-) In this New Zealand import, directed by Jonathan King, a genetic experiment transforms gentle farm animals into creatures who become hungrier for blood than Hannibal Lecter. Expect plenty of gory scenes during the horror spoof, which never proves as funny as it might have been. The special effects are by Peter Jackson’s Weta Workshop, which is also responsible for the visuals in the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy. (87 minutes) Very strong violence and gore, harsh four-letter profanity. (Unrated)
BROKEN ENGLISH: (B) Independent-film favorite Parker Posey (“Fay Grim”) stars in this modestly budgeted film about a single New York woman whose friends and relatives wonder if she’ll ever get married. Zoe Cassavetes, daughter of legendary filmmaker John Cassavetes (“Husbands”), directed. (97 minutes) Sexual content, brief drug use, harsh four-letter profanity. (PG-13)
BROOKLYN RULES: (B-) A gifted ensemble – including Alec Baldwin (“The Departed”), Freddie Prinze Jr. (“Scooby-Doo”), Mena Suvari (“American Beauty”) and Scott Caan (“Ocean’s Thirteen”) – anchors this crime drama. Set in the mid-1980s, the story follows three neighborhood friends who question their loyalty to each other once their lives start to go in different directions. Quality rating based on Web and wire-service reports. (99 minutes) Violence, sexual content, language. (R)
CAPTIVITY: (C-) Elisha Cuthbert (TV’s “24”) and New Zealand actor Daniel Gillies (“Spider-Man 2”) co-star in this controversial chiller about two people who are kidnapped, locked in a basement and then terrorized as the reason for their imprisonment is revealed. The picture, directed by respected filmmaker Roland Joffe (“The Killing Fields”), was set for release in May but faced strong negative publicity in Los Angeles due to a tasteless billboard that showed a woman being kidnapped and eventually murdered, with the words “abduction, confinement, torture, termination” above the images. Quality rating based on Web and wire-service reports. (98 minutes) Strong violence, pervasive terror, grisly images. (R)
CASHBACK: (B) Scottish actor Sean Biggerstaff (“Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets”) and English actress Emilia Fox (“Keeping Mum”) star in this British import about a guy who suffers from insomnia, takes a job in an all-night supermarket and then starts to have strange artistic visions. Quality rating based on Web and wire-service reports. (102 minutes) Graphic nudity, sexual content, harsh four-letter profanity. (R)
EVAN ALMIGHTY: (C) Hot comic actor Steve Carell (“The 40 Year-Old Virgin”) replaces Jim Carrey in an extremely bland sequel to “Bruce Almighty.” In the follow-up, Carell’s character, a member of congress, receives a message from God (again played by Morgan Freeman) to build an ark like Noah and gather some creatures to protect them from an upcoming flood. Lauren Graham (TV’s “Gilmore Girls”) co-stars in the $175 million production, the most expensive comedy in Hollywood’s history. (96 minutes) Mild rude humor, scenes of peril (PG)
EVENING: (C+) An ensemble cast – including Meryl Streep (“The Devil Wears Prada”), Claire Danes (“Shopgirl”), Toni Collette (“The Sixth Sense”), Vanessa Redgrave (“Julia”) and Patrick Wilson (“Little Children”) – stars in this strained drama about a dying mother who tells her two daughters the moments that helped to define her life. The picture is based on the novel by Susan Minot. Lajos Koltai (“Fateless”) directed. Quality rating based on Web and wire-service reports. (117 minutes) Adult themes, sexual material, brief accident scene, harsh four-letter profanity. (PG-13)
FANTASTIC FOUR: RISE OF THE SILVER SURFER: (B) Original cast members Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans and Michael Chiklis return as Fantastic, Invisible Woman, The Human Torch and The Thing, respectively, and battle a seemingly indestructible being that travels the galaxy via a flying surfboard. Director Tim Story, who also helmed the original, used a computer-generated image to create the Silver Surfer for this no-frills, fun-to-watch sequel, which also features Julian McMahon and Kerry Washington returning as Dr. Doom and Alicia Masters, respectively. Issue No. 1 of “Fantastic Four” was published by Marvel Comics in 1961. (89 minutes) Action violence, mild language. (PG)
1408: (B) John Cusack (“The Ice Harvest”), Samuel L. Jackson (“Snakes on a Plane”) and Mary McCormack (“Private Parts”) star in this sometimes chilling tale. It’s an adaptation of a Stephen King short story about a ghost-filled hotel room and an author of haunted-tour guides who risks his life by staying in it. Quality rating based on Web and wire-service reports. (94 minutes) Disturbing segments of violence, frightening images, harsh four-letter profanity. (PG-13)
GOLDEN DOOR: (B) In this Italian import, starring Charlotte Gainsbourg (“21 Grams”), a poor farmer from Sicily meets an attractive British woman while crossing the ocean at the beginning of the 20th century. During this romantic fable, he agrees to marry her before they reach Ellis Island. Quality rating based on Web and wire-service reports. (112 minutes) Brief graphic nudity. (PG-13)
GOYA’S GHOSTS: (B-) Javier Bardem (“Collateral”) and Natalie Portman (“Leon, the Professional”) star in this somewhat involving import concerning painter Francisco Goya (Stellan Skarsgard of “King Arthur”), who was known for his grim depictions of the brutality of war and life in 18th century Spain. In the drama, which unfolds at the end of the Spanish Inquisition and the beginning of Napoleon’s invasion of the country, the gifted artist becomes aware of a hateful scandal involving his muse and church officials who want to exploit her. Oscar-winning filmmaker Milos Forman (“One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”) directed. (114 minutes) Violence, disturbing content, some sex and nudity. (R)
HAIRSPRAY: (A-) A high-stepping ensemble – including John Travolta (“Pulp Fiction”), Queen Latifah (“Chicago”), Michelle Pfeiffer (“Scarface”) and Christopher Walken (“The Deer Hunter”) – makes all the right moves during this rousing adaptation of the Broadway musical based on a 1988 John Waters movie. In the story, a plus-sized teenage girl works to achieve her dream of dancing on a local afternoon music show and protests prejudice in Baltimore. The colorful picture, choreographed and directed by Adam Shankman (“The Wedding Planner”), provides toe-tapping fun and seems like a combination of “High School Musical” and “American Bandstand.” (107 minutes) Mild language, some suggestive content, brief teen smoking. (PG)
HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX: (B+) British teen performers Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson return for the fifth time as Harry, Ron and Hermione, respectively. The three friends at Hogwarts face the wrath of the evil Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes). The dark but rousing fantasy adventure shows the title character becoming older, showing his romantic side and facing dangerous new challenges. (138 minutes) Frightening images, scenes of fantasy violence, unsettling themes. (PG-13)
I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU CHUCK AND LARRY: (B- for fans of Adam Sandler only) Audience-favorite Adam Sandler (“Click”) is joined by Kevin James (TV’s “The King of Queens”), Jessica Biel (“The Illusionist”), Ving Rhames (“Mission: Impossible”) and Dan Aykroyd (“The Blues Brothers”) in this sit-com level comedy. The often-stale, potentially offensive humor revolves around two straight, single Brooklyn firefighters who pretend to be a same-sex couple in order to receive domestic-partner health benefits. Quality rating based on Web and wire-service reports. (110 minutes) Crude sexual content throughout, nudity, language, drug reference. (PG-13)
INTRODUCING THE DWIGHTS: (C+) British actress Brenda Blethyn (“Secrets & Lies”) stars in this Australian comedy-drama about the meltdown that occurs in a non-traditional family. The gifted performer plays a veteran bawdy comedienne whose 20-year-old, sexually inexperienced son starts dating a no-nonsense young woman with a raw sense of humor. The uneven film premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. (105 minutes) Sexual content, nudity, harsh four-letter profanity, adult themes. (R)
JOSHUA: (B) In this truly unsettling psychological drama, starring Sam Rockwell (“Matchstick Men”) and Vera Farmiga (“The Departed”), a father gradually starts to fear that his brilliant 9-year-old son (newcomer Jacob Kogan) is trying to either physically or emotionally destroy family members.
KNOCKED UP: (B-) In this crude slacker fairy tale, the prince is a bong-loving, T-shirt-wearing, ambition-challenged dude (Seth Rogen of “You, Me and Dupree”) with no focus and the princess is a career-obsessed, fashion-minded, forward-thinking lady (Katherine Heigl of “Gray’s Anatomy”) with a bright future. The two seem about as right for each other as Donald Trump and Rosie O’Donnell in this far-fetched but sometimes heartfelt tale about a success-driven woman who has a one-night stand with an aimless slacker and ends up pregnant. Despite a non-stop barrage of four-letter words, rude jokes and simplistic sight gags, director Judd Apatow (“The 40 Year-Old Virgin”) – who lets the picture run at least 20 minutes too long – still provides some hopeful moments during this beauty-and-the-least male fantasy. (129 minutes) Strong sexual elements, nudity, drug use, non-stop harsh four-letter profanity. (R)
LADY CHATTERLEY: (B+) European actress Marina Hands (“Tell No One”) stars in this sumptuously filmed version of D.H. Lawrence’s erotically charged novel. The story is seen through the eyes of the title character, who goes through a sensual awakening. Pascale Ferran (“The Kiss”) directed the picture, which is being shown in French with subtitles. Quality rating based on Web and wire-service reports. (168 minutes) (Unrated)
LA VIE EN ROSE: (B+) French filmmaker Oliver Dahan directed this biography of singer Edith Piaf (Marion Cotillard). The import follows her often-sad life from the mean streets of the Belleville district of Paris to Piaf’s dazzling success at New York’s concert halls. Cotillard delivers an unforgettable, Oscar-caliber performance. (140 minutes) Substance abuse, sexual content, brief nudity, language, adult themes. (PG-13)
LICENSE TO WED: (C) Comic Robin Williams (“Night at the Museum”), Mandy Moore (“Because I Said So”) and John Krasinski (TV’s “The Office”) star in this flat romantic comedy about a church official known for his intense encounter sessions with couples preparing to walk down the aisle. Quality rating based on Web and wire-service reports. (100 minutes) Sexual humor, language. (PG-13)
LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD: (B) Superstar Bruce Willis is back for his fourth appearance as tough cop John McClane in this old-school action tale. This time, the resourceful New York police detective challenges a deadly computer whiz attempting to shut down power grids across the country. Timothy Olyphant (HBO’s “Deadwood”) co-stars as the bland villain, and teen favorite Justin Long (“Accepted”) appears as McClane’s young helper. Len Wiseman (“Underworld”) directed the picture, which isn’t in a league with the first three titles but still has plenty of scenes of Willis – who at 52 is old enough to be an AARP member – performing a staggering number of his own stunts, which include rolling out of a moving car, bouncing off concrete walls and sliding across jagged floors. (130 minutes) Strong action scenes, profanity. (PG-13)
MANUFACTURED LANDSCAPES: (A-) Filmmaker Jennifer Baichwal directed this documentary about Canadian photographer Edward Burtynsky. He uses his camera to capture once beautiful landscapes transformed into industrial wastelands. Quality rating based on Web and wire-service reports. (90 minutes) (Unrated)
A MIGHTY HEART: (B+) In an Oscar-worthy performance, Angelina Jolie (“Mr. & Mrs. Smith”) plays Mariane Pearl in an unsettling drama about the hardships faced by the widow after her husband, Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, was kidnapped and murdered in Pakistan during 2002. (108 minutes) Harsh four-letter profanity, intense scenes, adult themes. (R)
NANCY DREW: (B for tweens only) Sixteen-year-old Emma Roberts (the niece of Julia Roberts and daughter of Eric Roberts) stars the young crime solver from the book series, which began in 1930. The old-fashioned feature, which involves a mystery surrounding the long-ago death of a Hollywood movie star, unfolds in contemporary times but harkens to a more traditional era when people wrote thank-you notes, wore sensible shoes (penny loafers being Nancy’s favorite) and believed in helping others. Andrew Fleming (“The In-Laws”) directed the feature, which co-stars Tate Donovan (“Shooter”) and Rachael Leigh Cook (“She’s All That”), and aimed it directly at the tween market. Mild violence, thematic elements and brief mild language. (PG)
OCEAN’S THIRTEEN: (B) There’s honor among thieves in this enjoyable romp with Danny Ocean and the rest of the gang gathering together for the third time and pulling off a complicated Las Vegas scam to avenge the mistreatment of one of their own. George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Don Cheadle, Matt Damon, Bernie Mac and the rest of the guys return in this lightweight project that simply drifts across the screen and asks viewers to do nothing more than sit back and relax. Andy Garcia, who plays the nemesis of Ocean’s crew in the first two installments, has a supporting role, and Ellen Barkin and Al Pacino, who previously co-starred in “Sea of Love” (1989), have been added as villains by director Steven Soderbergh. (120 minutes) Brief sexuality. (PG-13)
ONCE: (A) Guitarist Glen Hansard of the Frames, an Irish band, and Marketa Irglova, an immigrant pianist from the Czech Republic, star in this brilliantly innovative musical, shot for $130,000 in just 17 days. Writer-director John Carney (“On the Edge”) stretches the boundaries of the musical genre with this strikingly original tale about an unnamed Dublin street performer who lacks the confidence to play his compositions and a young immigrant mother trying to find her voice in a new world and dreaming of one day owning a piano. Carney creatively uses the original songs to sometimes replace dialogue, advance the narrative and comment on the emotions of the appealing characters. It’s a warm and winning cinematic work. (85 minutes) Harsh four-letter profanity. (R)
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: AT WORLD’S END: (B+) This third installment in the “Pirates” trilogy based on a Disney theme park attraction gives viewers quite a ride and rarely slows down despite a needlessly long running time that stretches to almost three hours. Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley return in this sequel that has the characters sailing beyond all charted territories, teaming with other pirates and fighting an enemy obsessed with destroying all of them. The fun-to-watch follow-up contains rousing, touching and surprising moments. Chow Yun-Fat (“Hard-Boiled”) joins the series as a lethal pirate from Singapore, and Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards makes a striking cameo appearance as the father of Depp’s Jack Sparrow. Gore Verbinski, who helmed the first two installments (“The Curse of the Black Pearl” and “Dead Man’s Chest”), directed the picture, which reportedly cost more than $300 million. (167 minutes) Strong violence, frightening images, sexual innuendo. (PG-13)
RATATOUILLE: (B-) The voices of Brad Garrett (TV’s “Everybody Loves Raymond”), Janeane Garofalo (“Reality Bites”) and Patton Oswalt (TV’s “The King of Queens”) are featured in this computer-animated tale from Pixar/Disney. Brad Bird (“The Incredibles”) wrote and directed this tale about a rat named Remy who lives in the sewers of Paris and dreams of using his cooking skills to become a chef. The rodent gets that opportunity after he infiltrates a fancy restaurant and starts to teach a young kitchen helper how to blend ingredients to make delicious meals that delight critics and customers. Bird deserves credit for creating a story about a tiny creature attempting to achieve an impossible dream, but even Mickey Mouse might sometimes feel queasy while watching rats romp through an eating establishment. (110 minutes) Some intense moments for younger children. (G)
RESCUE DAWN: (B) Christian Bale (“Batman Begins”) gives a powerful performance in this fact-based story about Navy pilot Dieter Dengler, the only American to ever break out of a POW camp in the Laotian jungle. German filmmaker Werner Herzog (“Fitzcarraldo”) directed the physically imposing, emotionally draining picture set at the time of the Vietnam War. It’s an amazing story of willpower, tenacity and passion. Steve Zahn co-stars as the mentally and physically deteriorating Air Force pilot who also attempts to escape. (126 minutes) War violence, torture. (PG-13)
SHREK THE THIRD: (B) Franchise regulars Mike Meyers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy and Antonio Banderas return as the voices of Shrek, Princess Fiona, Donkey and Puss In Boots, respectively, during this easy-going follow-up in which the title character learns to accept responsibility and ponders his future as a father. The colorful characters seek young King Arthur (voice by Justin Timberlake) to become ruler of the kingdom of Shrek’s late father-in-law and want to stop the opportunistic Prince Charming (voice by Rupert Everett) from taking over the throne. Other performers lending their vocal talents include: Amy Sedaris, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Cheri Oteri, John Cleese, Julie Andrews and Eric Idle as Cinderella, Snow White, Rapunzel, Sleepy Beauty, the King, the Queen and Merlin, respectively. The third one may not be in the same league as the first two installments, but there’s still some comfort and joy in it. (92 minutes) Crude humor, suggestive content, swashbuckling action. (PG)
SICKO: (B+) Director Michael Moore (“Fahrenheit 9/11”) created this documentary about the numerous problems with America’s health-care system. He compares this country’s lack of help for poor people, uninsured workers and unemployed individuals to the care provided in countries such as Canada, Cuba, France and England. Expect plenty of controversy and heated discussion to greet Moore and his timely work. Quality rating based on Web and wire-service reports. (113 minutes) Brief strong language. (PG-13)
SPIDER-MAN 3: (B+) Talk about a superhero assuming biblical proportions. In the emotionally uplifting second installment, Peter Parker’s web-slinger (Tobey Maguire) is a Christ figure willing to sacrifice himself for the sins of others. In this dramatically compelling third entry, the Marvel comic character transforms into a satanic figure fighting his dark side as he faces three supervillains, Sandman (Thomas Haden Church of “Sideways”), New Goblin (James Franco of “Annapolis”) and Venom (Topher Grace of TV’s “That ’70s Show”). Kirsten Dunst returns as Mary Jane Watson, and Bryce Dallas Howard (“The Village”) joins the cast as Gwen Stacy in this physically imposing, emotionally intriguing $270 million superhero epic. Sam Raimi directs for the third time and once again offers a multi-layered work with flashy action supported by important themes about guilt, vanity, compassion, sacrifice, vengeance, corruption, redemption and – most importantly – forgiveness. (156 minutes) Sequences of intense action violence. (PG-13)
SURF’S UP: (B) The voices of Shia LaBeouf (“Disturbia”), Jeff Bridges (“The Big Lebowski”), Zooey Deschanel (“Elf”) and Jon Heder (“Blades of Glory”) are featured in this computer-animated tale about a penguin in a surfing competition. If Brian Wilson, Cheech and Chong and the late Jerry Garcia had ever teamed to create an animated fable, the result might resemble this cool picture which sends out plenty of good vibrations and teaches some lessons about what’s important in life. (92 minutes) Mild language, some rude humor. (PG)
TALK TO ME: (B+) The very talented Don Cheadle (“Hotel Rwanda”) stars in this fact-based drama about Ralph Waldo “Petey” Greene, an ex-con who became a popular radio host in Washington, D.C., during the 1960s when he spoke to his listeners about racial injustice and other subjects important to them. Greene, who struggled with personal demons, also became a stand-up comic who refused to allow his observations about prejudice to be watered down so that he would appeal to a wider audience. Chiwetel Ejiofor (“Serenity”), Cedric the Entertainer (“The Cleaner”) and Martin Sheen (“The Departed”) co-star in the insightful biography, directed by Kasi Lemmons (“Eve’s Bayou”). (120 minutes) Sexual content, brief nudity, harsh four-letter profanity, substance abuse. (R)
TRANSFORMERS: (B) This butt-kicking toy story, based on the Hasbro robots, has all the subtlety of a head-on collision. Those who remember the toys and animated series about robots who change shapes and become vehicles, should have plenty of fun during this $147 million production, directed by mayhem master Michael Bay (“Armageddon”) and executive produced by feel-good specialist Steven Spielberg (“E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial”). Shia LaBeouf (“Disturbia”), Tyrese Gibson (“Four Brothers”), Josh Duhamel (TV’s “Las Vegas”), Anthony Anderson (“The Departed”) and Jon Voight (“Heat”) star in the live-action tale that delivers plenty of visual delights and slam-bang action as has the Autobots and Decepticons wage a battle that will seal the fate of Earth. (144 minutes) Outlandish violence, some crude humor. (PG-13)
WAITRESS: (B+) Keri Russell (TV’s “Felicity”), Nathan Fillion (“Serenity”), Cheryl Hines (HBO’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm”) and Jeremy Sisto (HBO’s “Six Feet Under”) star in this warmly rendered slice-of-life tale about a pregnant diner worker dealing with an abusive husband, falling in love with her caring doctor and dreaming of a better life. The picture was written and directed by Adrienne Shelly, who was murdered in her Manhattan apartment last fall shortly after completing the heartfelt film. (104 minutes) Sexual elements, adult themes, spousal abuse, adult themes. (PG-13)
YOU KILL ME: (B-) In this highly uneven comedy thriller, starring Ben Kingsley (“Lucky Number Slevin”), Tea Leoni (“Spanglish”), Luke Wilson (“Vacancy”) and Dennis Farina (“Snatch”) an alcoholic hit man from Buffalo, N.Y., is sent by the Polish mob to San Francisco to take care of his drinking problem. The shooter than must go home when Irish mobsters start to invade his old territory and knock off his family members and associates in the crime ring. He is accompanied on the return trip by an eccentric woman he met in California. John Dahl (“The Last Seduction”) directed. (92 minutes) Harsh four-letter profanity, violence. (R)
The Associated Press contributed to this report.