March 16: 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.)
THE ABANDONED: (B) In this Spanish supernatural thriller with Anastasia Hille (“Immortality”), a woman returns to her home in native Russia and then faces numerous strange occurrences, including coming face-to-face with a ghost that looks exactly like her. The import was directed by Nacho Cerda, whose credits include the controversial gore film “Aftermath.” (94 minutes) Violence, nudity, harsh four-letter profanity, disturbing images. (R)
AMAZING GRACE: (B) Ioan Gruffudd (“Fantastic Four”) stars in the modestly mounted biography of William Wilberforce (1759-1833), the forward-thinking British politician who headed the abolition movement in England and fought to pass a law to end the slave trade in the late 18th century. Albert Finney (“Tom Jones”) portrays John Newton, the reformed slave-ship captain who wrote the hymn “Amazing Grace” and urged Wilberforce to continue to fight for his cause. The supporting cast includes Rufus Sewell (“Dark City”), Michael Gambon (“Sleepy Hollow”), Toby Jones (“Infamous”) and, in his screen debut, African-music pioneer Youssou N’Dour. Michael Apted (“Coal Miner’s Daughter”) directed. (111 minutes) Thematic elements involving slavery, mild language. (PG)
THE ASTRONAUT FARMER: (B-) In this far-fetched but heartfelt story, Billy Bob Thornton (“School for Scoundrels”) plays a hard-working rancher who once was an astronaut and had an opportunity to blast off with NASA. Due to a family tragedy, he was never able to do that, so he convinces his wife (Virginia Madsen of “Firewall”) and three children to help him build a rocket in his barn so that he can blast into space. On the surface, it seems silly and some of the plot turns stretch credibility to the breaking point, but certain uplifting elements should touch the hearts, if not the minds, of forgiving family audiences. (104 minutes) Scenes of danger and peril, mild language. (PG)
BECAUSE I SAID SO: (C-) In this loud and annoying comedy, a driven mother (Diane Keaton of “The Family Stone”) is obsessed with finding an eligible bachelor for her youngest daughter (Mandy Moore of “A Walk to Remember”). Those suitors include a down-to-earth architect (Tom Everett Scott of “One True Thing”) and a head-in-the-clouds rocker (Gabriel Macht of “The Good Shepherd”). The well-meaning but misguided mom also meddles in the affairs of her other two daughters (Lauren Graham of TV’s “Gilmore Girls” and Piper Perabo of “Coyote Ugly”). Michael Lehmann (“The Truth About Cats and Dogs”) directed the disappointing picture. Quality rating based on Web and wire-service reports. (102 minutes) Adult dialogue, mature themes, partial nudity. (PG-13)
BLACK SNAKE MOAN: (B-) Equally inventive, demanding and bizarre, this offbeat tale, starring Samuel L. Jackson (“Snakes on a Plane”) and Christina Ricci (“Sleepy Hollow”), blends blues music, sex and redemption. In the gritty picture, which viewers will either admire or attack, a young Tennessee woman is saved from her self-destructive behavior by a musician who chains her to his remote cabin and inspires her to give up her reckless ways. Craig Brewer (“Hustle & Flow”) wrote and directed, and Justin Timberlake (“Alpha Dog”) appears in a supporting role. (115 minutes) Strong sexual content, harsh four-letter profanity, some violence, drug use. (R)
BREACH: (B) TV-movie production values slightly damage this chilling fact-based drama about Robert Hanssen (Oscar-winner Chris Cooper of “Adaptation”), the FBI agent who for 22 years sold secrets to the Russians, caused operatives from the United States to be compromised and cost our country billions. Ryan Phillippe (“Crash”) co-stars as Eric O’Neill, the young agent-in-training selected by the FBI to help gather evidence against Hanssen by working as the nefarious spy’s assistant. The degree to which Hanssen was able to manipulate his superiors at the FBI proves absolutely shocking. (110 minutes) Violence, sexual content, harsh four-letter profanity. (PG-13)
BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA: (B) Teen performers Josh Hutcherson (“RV”) and AnnaSophia Robb (“Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”) star in this melodrama fantasy. The tale follows a 14-year-old boy and girl who together create a magic kingdom that contains fantastic creatures, beautiful forests and dangerous enemies. The touching tale, presented by Walt Disney Pictures and based on the Newbery Award-winning novel by Katherine Paterson, contains a heart-breaking twist that may upset some children. Parents should be prepared for it. (95 minutes) Scenes of bullying, unsettling emotional issues, mild language. (PG)
CHILDREN OF MEN: (B) With its nightmarish theme about mankind having nothing to live for, this cautionary tale gets off to an exceedingly chilling start. Clive Owen (“Sin City”), Julianne Moore (“The Hours”) and Michael Caine (“The Prestige”) star in this 2027-set thriller about how humans have lost their ability to reproduce, and consequently, the future of mankind has been threatened. That dire situation could change thanks to the appearance of a miraculously pregnant woman. Mexican filmmaker Alfonso Cuaron (“Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban”) directed the disturbing picture, which warns about the dangers of violence, greed, hate and prejudice. (108 minutes) Strong violence, harsh four-letter profanity, drug use, brief nudity, adult themes. (R)
DADDY’S LITTLE GIRLS: (B-) Gabrielle Union (“Bad Boys II”), Idris Elba (HBO’s “The Wire”) and Louis Gossett Jr. (“An Officer and a Gentleman”) star in this romantic drama about a single father who works as a garage mechanic in a poor neighborhood and struggles to raise three daughters on his own. When his drug-dealing ex-wife wins back custody, the dad hires a brilliant attorney to take his case and ends up romantically involved with the lawyer. Tyler Perry (“Madea’s Family Reunion”) wrote and directed. Quality rating based on Web and wire-service reports. (95 minutes) Adult themes, drug and sexual content, some violence, language. (PG-13)
DEAD SILENCE: (NP) Amber Valletta (“Transporter 2”) and Donnie Wahlberg (“The Sixth Sense”) co-star in this fright film about a crazed ventriloquist who manipulates a reign of terror in a small town. Leigh Whannell and James Wan, co-creators of the “Saw” trilogy, created the story and screenplay, and Wan directed. The distributor declined to screen it in advance for reviewers. (98 minutes) Violence, horror images. (R)
THE DEPARTED: (A-) Director Martin Scorsese (“Raging Bull”) gathered a dream cast – including Jack Nicholson (“As Good As It Gets”), Leonardo DiCaprio (“Titanic”), Matt Damon (“The Bourne Supremacy”) and Mark Wahlberg (“Invincible”) – for this gritty Boston-set crime drama. In the picture, government officials are trying to infiltrate the Irish mob with an undercover officer while a gang kingpin is attempting to plant one of his underlings in the state police. It’s based on the acclaimed Chinese crime thriller “Infernal Affairs” (2002). This extremely hard-edged film will turn off many viewers, but fans of Scorsese, who won a Golden Globe award as best director for his work, will find much to applaud. It received Oscars for best picture, director and adapted screenplay. (149 minutes) Very strong and brutal violence, sexual elements, non-stop harsh four-letter profanity, drug use. (R)
DREAMGIRLS: (A-) A new star is born and a veteran star is reborn in this glossy, glistening and energizing adaptation of Michael Bennett’s Broadway musical. Beyonce Knowles (“The Pink Panther”) and Jamie Foxx (“Ray”) may get top billing, but the $75 million production really belongs to former “American Idol” contestant Jennifer Hudson in her screen debut and Eddie Murphy (“The Nutty Professor”). They rock the house whenever they’re on screen during this film that is set in the 1960s and is loosely based on the rise of the Supremes and Berry Gordy in Motown. Bill Condon (“Gods and Monsters”) directed. Hudson won an Oscar for best-supporting actress. (131 minutes) Sexual elements, drug use, harsh four-letter profanity, adult themes. (PG-13)
FACTORY GIRL: (B-) A troubled script plagues this biography, which stars the gifted Sienna Miller (“Casanova”) in a decadent drama about the initially glamorous, ultimately tragic life of Andy Warhol’s 1960s’ “it girl” Edie Sedgwick. Guy Pearce (“Memento”) plays the controlling Warhol, and Hayden Christensen (“Star Wars: Episode I”) appears as a Bob Dylan-like folk singer who tries to coax the ill-fated Sedgwick away from the eccentric artist. (91 minutes) Pervasive drug use, strong sexual content, nudity, harsh four-letter profanity. (R)
GHOST RIDER: (C) Nicolas Cage (“National Treasure”) has the title role in this adaptation of the Marvel comic about a motorcycle stunt driver who sells his soul to the devil to save a loved one and then becomes an eerie superhero known for exploding into flames. Quality rating based on Web and wire-service reports. (114 minutes) Horror violence, disturbing images. (PG-13)
GOD GREW TIRED OF US: (B) Australian actress Nicole Kidman (“The Hours”) narrates this documentary about some pre-teen boys who in 1983 fled from southern Sudan to avoid the violence of a deadly civil war raging in their homeland. Some of them eventually settled in the United States, where they had to make many adjustments to the American way of life. Quality rating based on Web and wire-service reports. (86 minutes) Adult themes, disturbing images. (PG)
GRAY MATTERS: (C) Heather Graham (“Boogie Nights”), Thomas Cavanaugh (TV’s “Ed”) and Bridget Moynahan (“I, Robot”) star in this contrived romantic comedy about a brother and sister who live together in New York City and have a wonderful relationship while sharing a beautiful apartment. Those happy days end when the guy and the girl both fall for the same gorgeous woman. Quality rating based on Web and wire-service reports. (96 minutes) Sexual content, profanity, mature themes. (PG-13)
THE HOST: (B+) This inspired creature-feature import, starring Kang-ho Song, ranks as South Korea’s highest-grossing movie of all time. In the picture, directed by the very talented Joon-ho Bong, the U.S. military dumps some toxic chemicals into Seoul’s Han River. A couple of years later, a flesh-eating monster, which is about the size of a Hummer and faster than a Porsche, comes out of the depths and hits the shore looking for food. It’s simultaneously funny, scary and touching. It will be presented in Korean with subtitles. (119 minutes) Violence, harsh four-letter profanity. (R)
I THINK I LOVE MY WIFE: (B) Comic actor Chris Rock (“Head of State”) is joined by Kerry Washington (“Little Man”), Gina Torres (“Serenity”) and Steve Buscemi (“Con Air”) in this dark romantic comedy about a married guy bored with his wife. He starts having fantasies about other women after an old girlfriend enters his life and reminds him of his carefree, sex-filled days as a bachelor. Rock also wrote and directed the picture, which is a loose remake of director Eric Rohmer’s French favorite, “Chloe in the Afternoon” (1972). Quality rating based on Web and wire-service reports. (98 minutes) Sexual content, harsh four-letter profanity. (R)
THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND: (B+) Gifted Forest Whitaker (TV’s “The Shield”) won a Golden Globe award as best actor/drama for his terrific performance as the equally charismatic and chilling Idi Amin. In the 1970s’-set story, a young Scottish doctor (James McAvoy of “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe”) becomes the personal physician of the Ugandan dictator, a post he lands because of Amin’s respect for the Scottish people due to their fight against England’s oppression. Kerry Washington (“She Hate Me”) co-stars. Whitaker received an Oscar as best actor. (121 minutes) Some strong violence, gruesome images, sexual content, harsh four-letter profanity. (R)
LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA: (A-) Director Clint Eastwood created this impressive cinematic bookend to “Flags of Our Fathers,” his stirring war picture about the brave Marines and Navy personnel who fought in one of the bloodiest battles of World War II. In this second title, which is presented in Japanese with subtitles, Eastwood, who won Oscars as best director for “Unforgiven” and “Million Dollar Baby,” shows the fight on Iwo Jima from the viewpoint of the Japanese soldiers who died by the thousands either by enemy fire or committing suicide. Ken Watanabe (“The Last Samurai”) stars. (141 minutes) Strong war violence. (R)
THE LIVES OF OTHERS: (A-) This involving political drama, which is set before the fall of the Soviet empire, reveals the surveillance methods used by the East German government to spy on citizens. The import follows a party loyalist who begins to question his allegiance after being ordered to infiltrate the life of a playwright and his actress/girlfriend and report on them. It won an Oscar as best-foreign-language film. (137 minutes) Sex, nudity. (R)
MAFIOSO: (B+) Foreign favorite Alberto Sordi stars in this dark Italian comedy (1962) about a man who brings his wife and two children to visit relatives in Sicily and then is ordered by a local mobster to travel to New York City and track down an enemy of the mob. Alberto Lattuada directed the picture, which has been restored for this re-release. It will be presented in Italian with subtitles. Quality rating based on Web and wire-service reports. (105 minutes) (Unrated)
THE MESSENGERS: (C) Dylan McDermott (“In the Line of Fire”), Penelope Ann Miller (“Kindergarten Cop”), John Corbett (TV’s “Sex and the City”) and Kristen Stewart (“Panic Room”) star in a thriller about a couple who leave Chicago to escape the stress of city life and purchase a farm house in North Dakota. Once in the rural area, apparitions start appearing to their 16-year-old daughter and 3-year-old son. The horror thriller marks the U.S. filmmaking debuts of co-directors Danny and Oxide Pang, identical-twin brothers whose credits include “The Eye” and “Bangkok Dangerous.” Director Sam Raimi (“Spider-Man”) and his producing partner, Rob Tapert (the “Evil Dead” trilogy), co-produced the picture via their company, Ghost House Pictures, which specializes in modestly budgeted fright fare. Quality rating based on Web and wire-service reports. (118 minutes) Adult themes, disturbing violence, scenes of terror. (PG-13)
MUSIC AND LYRICS: (C) Highly appealing stars Drew Barrymore (“50 First Dates”) and Hugh Grant (“Four Weddings and a Funeral”) work hard to generate some good vibrations in this featherweight romantic comedy about a fading singing star who approaches an eccentric young woman who possesses a way with words and asks her to help him write a pop song. The mismatched couple soon find they were made for each other in the mildly intriguing tale. (96 minutes) Some sexual content. (PG-13)
THE NAMESAKE: (B+) In this multi-generational melodrama, the members of an Indian-American family move from Calcutta to New York and then try to come to terms with living in a foreign land while maintaining their traditions. Mira Nair (“Monsoon Wedding”) directed the import, which is based on the novel of the same name by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jhumpa Lahiri. Kal Penn (TV’s “24”) stars. Quality rating based on Web and wire-service reports. (122 minutes) Sex, nudity, drug use, some disturbing images, profanity. (PG-13)
NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM: (C+) In this bland, family-friendly comedy, a night guard (Ben Stiller of “Dodgeball”) at New York City’s American Museum of Natural History discovers that all of the displays – including one of a T-rex’s skeleton – come to life and run wild each night. Robin Williams (“Good Will Hunting”) and screen veterans Dick Van Dyke and Mickey Rooney co-star. (108 minutes) Mild action, brief rude humor. (PG)
NOMAD: (B-) This historical tale, which is set in the 18th century and stars Jay Hernandez (“Hostel”), chronicles the life of a man destined to unite the three warring tribes of Kazakhstan. Quality rating based on Web and wire-service reports. (112 minutes) Violence. (R)
NORBIT: (C) Comic actor Eddie Murphy (“Dreamgirls”) uses state-of-the-art shape-shifting imagery to play numerous roles in a broadly staged, vulgar comedy about a sad-sack guy who vows to get out of his unhappy marriage to a tyrannical wife (also portrayed by Murphy) and marry the girl (Thandie Newton of “Mission: Impossible II”) of his dreams. Brian Robbins (“Varsity Blues”) directed. Quality rating based on Web and wire-service reports. (90 minutes) Crude and sexual humor, some nudity, language. (PG-13)
NOTES ON A SCANDAL: (B) In this intense melodrama, a married teacher (Cate Blanchett of the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy) begins an affair with one of her teenage boy students. She is then blackmailed by an older instructor (Judi Dench of “Casino Royale”), a closeted lesbian with her own possessive agenda. Bill Nighy (“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest”) co-stars as the husband who can’t understand how his wife could do such a thing to her spouse and their children. The film, which features flawless performances from the two British actresses, is based on the 2003 novel “What Was She Thinking?: Notes on a Scandal” by Zoe Heller. (92 minutes) Harsh four-letter profanity, strong sexual content involving a minor, adult themes. (R)
THE NUMBER 23: (C) In this strained psychological thriller, a seemingly ordinary guy (Jim Carrey of “The Truman Show”) blames a series of numbers for causing his world to be turned into a living hell. The material, which concerns a man who’s haunted by extreme and bizarre visions, has potential but fails to grab the viewer. Virginia Madsen also stars and Joel Schumacher (“The Phantom of the Opera”) directed. (96 minutes) Violence, sex, harsh four-letter profanity, disturbing images. (R)
PAN’S LABYRINTH: (A-) Mexican writer-director Guillermo del Toro (“Blade II”) has created what might be described as a magical misery tour. This dark, violent and chilling gothic fairy tale concerns a 12-year-old girl (Ivana Baquero) seeking refuge from her fascist stepfather by entering a magical labyrinth. During the hard-edged picture, she comes to believe those in her secret universe will help her cope with the dangers of the outside world and soon finds she can trust no one. Despite long stretches of darkness, the brilliantly rendered import concludes with a sliver of light. (120 minutes) Very strong violence, harsh four-letter profanity. (R)
PREMONITION: (C) During this flimsy psychological thriller, a wife (Sandra Bullock of “The Lake House”) is told by police that her husband (Julian McMahon of TV’s “Nip/Tuck”) died in a car crash. Upon awakening the next morning, she finds him still alive, realizes she has had a premonition and then struggles to change the future by keeping him safe. Nia Long (“Are We There Yet?”) co-stars, and German filmmaker Mennan Yapo makes his directing debut with the disappointing suspense tale that seems like a combination of a soap opera, “Twilight Zone” episode and Dr. Phil marriage-encounter seminar. (110 minutes) Violence, disturbing images, adult themes, profanity. (PG-13)
PUCCINI FOR BEGINNERS: (B-) Gretchen Mol (“The Notorious Bettie Page”) stars in this screwball sex comedy about a woman who loves her girlfriend but can’t totally commit to the same-sex relationship. Quality rating based on Web and wire-service reports. (82 minutes) (Unrated)
THE QUEEN: (A-) British favorite Helen Mirren (“Calendar Girls”) plays Elizabeth II in this involving import about the seemingly indifferent reaction of the queen to the death of Princess Diana in 1997. Mirren, who won an Oscar as best actress, delivers an often icy, sometimes warm performance that makes her a frontrunner for an Oscar nomination as best actress. Stephen Frears (“Dirty Pretty Things”) received an Oscar nomination as best director. (103 minutes) Brief strong language. (PG-13)
RENO 911!: MIAMI: (B for fans of the series; C- for anyone else) In this big-screen adaptation, the characters of the Comedy Central series leave their home base to attend a police convention. The offbeat officers soon become involved in a battle against terrorists in this romp that’s filled with in-your-face sex gags. (84 minutes) Sexual content, nudity, crude humor, harsh four-letter profanity, drug use. (R)
STARTER FOR TEN: (B) A working-class British student (James McAvoy of “The Last King of Scotland”) runs into various problems and has different relationships during his first year at the upper-crust Bristol University in 1985. David Nicholls wrote the screenplay based on his novel. Quality rating based on Web and wire-service reports. (96 minutes) Sex, profanity, a scene of drug use. (PG-13)
300: (A-) Blood, sweat and spears dominate the screen in this epic adaptation of Frank Miller’s popular graphic novel abut the battle of Thermopylae in which just 300 Spartan warriors held off the army of Persia, killing thousands of the invaders and changing the course of history. Zack Snyder (“Dawn of the Dead” remake) directed the visually impressive, heavily stylized picture, which was created via state-of-the-art, computer-enhanced imagery. The actors playing the Spartan soldiers, including Gerald Butler (“The Phantom of the Opera”), spent six hours a day – two devoted to sword-fighting moves and four to body-building techniques – over a six-week rehearsal period preparing for the highly intense action scenes in the strikingly original cinematic achievement that ranks as a work of pop art. (116 minutes) Graphic battle sequences, some sexual elements and nudity. (R)
VOLVER: (A-) Spanish actress Penelope Cruz (“Vanilla Sky”) stars in this striking comedy-drama import about two sisters who discover the mother they believed died years ago in a fire may be alive. Talented Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodovar (“Bad Education”) directed the colorfully enjoyable tale. (121 minutes) Sexual content, adult themes, harsh four-letter profanity. (R)
WILD HOGS: (C-) A strong ensemble – John Travolta (“Pulp Fiction”), Martin Lawrence (“Big Momma’s House”), Tim Allen (“The Santa Clause”) and William H. Macy (“The Cooler”) – can’t save this boring mid-life-crisis comedy from crashing and burning. Like the far superior “City Slickers,” the strained comedy follows four good buddies after they decide to rejuvenate their boring lives by traveling together on a motorcycle road trip. The journey, which is more mild than wild, comes to a quick halt when they run into outlaw motorcycle gang members who hassle the middle-class guys. (99 minutes) Crude humor, sexual content, gay-bashing jokes, some broad violence. (PG-13)
ZODIAC: (B) Director David Fincher (“Fight Club”) takes almost three hours to tell the story of the elusive serial killer who terrorized residents in the San Francisco area in the late 1960s and early 1970s and how his ugly crimes impacted the detectives who investigated the case and the journalists who covered it. Jake Gyllenhaal (“Brokeback Mountain”), Robert Downey Jr. (“Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang”), Anthony Edwards (TV’s “ER”) and Mark Ruffalo (“Collateral”) star in the intense, detailed picture, which proves ultimately unnerving and truly gets under a viewer’s skin. (156 minutes) Strong violence, harsh four-letter profanity, brief sexual images, drug material. (R)
The Associated Press contributed to this report.