5-23: At the Movies
A long-awaited sequel – “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” – is the one and only major arrival at theaters on this Memorial Day weekend. Fans of the series have waited almost two decades for this fourth installment of the adventure series and plan to enjoy it over the extended holiday weekend.
For complete descriptions, critical evaluations of previewed films and explanations of the Motion Picture Association of America ratings in terms of violence, language and sexual content, please refer to the Movie Capsules.
The films (with all dates subject to change) opening at a theater near you include:
“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,” with Harrison Ford returning in the title role. It took 19 years, but director Steven Spielberg, producer George Lucas and Ford finally got their schedules in sync, found a script they liked and embarked on the fourth Indy adventure. The PG-13 picture follows 1989’s “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.” The plot involves a powerful crystal skull being sought by Indy and some Soviet villains. Shia LaBeouf (“Transformers”) plays Indy’s ready-to-rumble teen sidekick, and Karen Allen returns from the original “Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1981) to recreate her role as Indy’s hard-drinking love interest, Marion Ravenwood. (Opens Thursday)
“Jellyfish,” with Sarah Adler in an unrated drama about three unrelated Tel Aviv women who are at very different points in their lives, which intersect at a wedding ceremony. Their worlds collide due to problems with communication, questions about fate and issues involving affection as they navigate Israel’s most cosmopolitan city. Shira Geffen penned the script and co-directed with Etgar Keret.
“Refusenik,” with filmmaker Laura Bialis (“Daybreak Berlin”) directing an unrated documentary about the three-decade struggle to free Soviet Jews from Russia, where they long faced anti-Semitism. The story is partially told through the eyes of activists and previously unseen 16mm footage.
“Standard Operating Procedure,” with Errol Morris (“The Thin Blue Line”) directing an R-rated documentary on the photos taken by soldiers at Abu Ghraib prison. He examines how those unsettling images changed the war in Iraq and altered the views of Americans on their country’s participation in the conflict.
At the Buck$ Office
“Prince Caspian” enjoyed a royal welcome at theaters last weekend.
“The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian,” the second picture in the franchise, opened with more than $56 million. (The 2005 original, “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” ultimately grossed $745 million worldwide.)
“Iron Man” continued to show box-office muscle.
The PG-13 adventure, adapted from the Marvel comic and starring Robert Downey Jr., grossed more than $31 million.
According to the Associated Press, the top-10 films last weekend were:
1. “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian” ($56.6 million)
2. “Iron Man” ($31.2 million)
3. “What Happens in Vegas” ($13.9 million)
4. “Speed Racer” ($7.6 million)
5. “Baby Mama” ($4.6 million)
6. “Made of Honor” ($4.5 million)
7. “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” ($2.5 million)
8. “Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay” ($1.8 million)
9. “The Forbidden Kingdom” ($1 million)
10. “The Visitor” ($687,000)