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Family tale, documentary and revenge picture arrive in theaters

By Lou Gaul Calkins Media Film Critic 4 min read

A family tale (“Akeelah and the Bee”), an insightful documentary (“The Devil and Daniel Johnston”), a revenge picture (“Hard Candy”), a broad comedy (“RV”), a sports title (“Stick It”) and a factual drama (“United 93”) are the top titles arriving on this final weekend of April. The new films (with all dates subject to change) opening at a theater near you include:

– “Akeelah and the Bee,” with Laurence Fishburne (“The Matrix”) and Angela Bassett (“What’s Love Got to Do With It”) in a PG-rated story about a poor 11-year-old girl (Keke Palmer) from the South Central section of Los Angeles. The youngster realizes her dream of competing in a national spelling bee thanks to the tutoring of a college professor and then begins to recognize the good things in life that are all around her. The feel-good picture was the opening attraction at the Philadelphia Film Festival.

– “Hard Candy,” with Patrick Wilson (“The Phantom of the Opera”) and Ellen Page (“Touch & Go”) in an unnerving R-rated thriller about a 14-year-old girl who physically and psychologically tortures a thirtysomething pedophile she meets on the Internet. The intense film, which recently played at the Philadelphia Film Festival, seems certain to cause discomfort among many viewers. Music-video specialist David Slade made his directing debut.

– “Lonesome Jim,” with Casey Affleck (“Ocean’s Eleven”) and Liv Tyler (the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy) in a modestly mounted R-rated picture about a guy who returns to his hometown in Indiana after failing to make it on his own in New York City. Soon, he’s once again dealing with his complicated mother (Mary Kay Place), remote father (Seymour Cassel) and depressed brother (Kevin Corrigan). His salvation appears to come in the form of a nurse and single mother who captures his heart as their relationship develops. Actor-turned-filmmaker Steve Buscemi (“Fargo”) directed.

– “RV,” with Robin Williams (“Mrs. Doubtfire”) and Cheryl Hines (HBO’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm”) in a PG-rated comedy about a father who insists that his wife and two children vacation with him in a recreational vehicle. The dad, who views the trip as a way to spend quality time with his family, hits roadblocks at every bend in the highway. According to the production notes, the script resulted from a real-life RV vacation taken by married producers Lucy Fisher and Douglas Wick and their three very young children. The producers thought the funny situations that happened during the trip could be adapted into a screenplay. Barry Sonnenfeld (“Men in Black”) directed.

– “Stick It,” with Jeff Bridges (“The Big Lebowski”) in a PG-13 sports picture about a hard-driving coach who operates an elite gymnastics academy and discovers a student (newcomer Missy Peregrym) who may be able to help his team to win matches in the intensely competitive world of women’s gymnastics. Several stars from the world of professional gymnastics – including 2004 Olympic champion Carly Patterson, two-time Olympic champion Bart Conner, two-time Olympian Allana Slater and two-time U.S. junior champion Nastia Liukin – make cameo appearances. Jessica Bendinger, who wrote the cheerleader film “Bring It On” and was a competitive gymnast from age 9 to 12, penned the script and made her directing debut.

– “United 93,” with Paul Greengrass (“Bloody Sunday”) directing a real-time drama showing how the brave passengers on United Airlines Flight 93 – the fourth hijacked plane on Sept. 11, 2001 – prevented the terrorists from completing their hateful mission. Greengrass, who received permission from the families of the victims before filming began, pulls no punches with the powerful R-rated picture, which had critics crying at the screening I attended.

At the buck$ office

Horror was hot at the box office last weekend as “Silent Hill” opened with more than $20 million, the Associated Press reported.

The R-rated fright film easily defeated the other big opening, “The Sentinel,” an expensive thriller with Michael Douglas, Eva Langoria and Kiefer Sutherland. The PG-13 picture grossed a little more than $14 million.

Moviegoers weren’t in the mood for satire last weekend.

“American Dreamz,” starring Hugh Grant, Mandy Moore and Dennis Quaid in a political spoof revolving around an “American Idol”-like show, bombed. The PG-13 comedy debuted with just $3.7 million.

According to AP, the top-10 movies last weekend were:

1. “Silent Hill” ($20.2 million)

2. “Scary Movie 4” ($17 million)

3. “The Sentinel” ($14.65 million)

4. “Ice Age: The Meltdown” ($12.8 million)

5. “The Wild” ($8.05 million)

6. “The Benchwarmers” ($7.3 million)

7. “Take the Lead” ($4.25 million)

8. (tie) “American Dreamz” ($3.7 million)

9. (tie) “Inside Man” ($3.7 million)

10. “Friends With Money” ($3.55 million)

Coming soon!

The films scheduled to open May 5: “Mission: Impossible III” (with Tom Cruise returning and using every trick in the book to defeat a villain played by Oscar-winner Philip Seymour Hoffman of “Capote”) and “Hoot” (a family tale about three teens trying to save endangered owls in Florida).

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