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.)
OPENING TODAY
CASINO JACK: (C+) This pointed satirical tale, starring Kevin Spacey (“The Usual Suspects”), Barry Pepper (“True Grit”), Kelly Preston (“Jerry Maguire”), Ruth Marshall (TV’s “Flashpoint”) and Jon Lovitz (NBC’s “Saturday Night Live”), gives a sketchy overview of lobbyist Jack Abramoff, a wheeler-dealer who devotes himself to enjoying the good life through illegal dealings. He launches schemes involving casinos owned by Native Americans and becomes the key figure in a scandal involving the rich, famous, dangerous and powerful. The late George Hickenlooper (“Factory Girl”) directed the fact-based picture, which features an energetic performance by Spacey as the title character but never emotionally involves viewers. (118 minutes) Harsh four-letter profanity, violence, brief nudity. (R)
COUNTRY STRONG: (C) Oscar winner Gwyneth Paltrow (“Shakespeare in Love”) stars in this cliche-filled melodrama about a recovering alcoholic whose country-western career blossoms after she becomes involved with a promising young performer (Garrett Hedlund of “Troy”). Country singer Tim McGraw (“The Blind Side”) co-stars. Shana Feste (“The Greatest”) directed. Quality rating based on website and wire-service reports. (112 minutes) Alcohol abuse, some sexual content. (PG-13)
SEASON OF THE WITCH: (NP) During this dark medieval fantasy, starring Nicolas Cage (“The Sorcerer’s Apprentice”), Ron Perlman (FX’s “Sons of Anarchy”) and Christopher Lee (“Horror of Dracula”), two knights capture a witch who may be responsible for starting the Black Plague. Monks plan to use her in a ritual designed to stop the deadly outbreak. Dominic Sena (“Swordfish”) directed. The distributor declined to screen the film in advance for reviewers. (113 minutes) Violence, disturbing content, adult themes. (PG-13)
RETURNING FILMS
ALL GOOD THINGS: (C+) In this factual 1980s set drama, starring Ryan Gosling (“Lars and the Real Girl”), Kirsten Dunst (“Spider-Man”) and Frank Langella (“Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps”), a wealthy heir to a New York real estate fortune appears to have murdered his wife, disposed of the body, and gotten away with it. Andrew Jarecki (“Capturing the Friedmans”) directed the downbeat picture. (101 minutes) Drug use, violence, language, sexuality. (R)
BLACK SWAN: (A-) Natalie Portman (“V for Vendetta”) delivers an Oscar-caliber performance in this unnerving psychological thriller that’s set in the world of professional ballet where two ambitious dancers compete for the starring role in “Swan Lake” and dark deeds follow. Darren Aronofsky (“The Wrestler”) directed the visually striking film, which examines the psychological effect upon an artist who embarks on an impossible quest for perfection. The supporting cast includes Vincent Cassel (“Brotherhood of the Wolf”), Mila Kunis (“Forgetting Sarah Marshall”), Winona Ryder (“Bram Stoker’s Dracula”) and Barbara Hershey (“Beaches”). (103 minutes) Harsh four-letter profanity, sex, disturbing images, adult themes. (R)
THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER: (B-) Franchise regulars Skandar Keynes and Georgie Henley return as Edmund and Lucy Pevensie, respectively, and face new adventures and dangers as they ride aboard a royal ship that brings them into contact with various creatures – including dragons – while on a trip to the edge of the world. British filmmaker Michael Apted (“Coal Miner’s Daughter”) directed. The picture will also be available in 3-D. Quality rating based on website and wire-service reports. (115 minutes) Frightening images, fantasy action. (PG)
THE FIGHTER: (B) In this factual sports drama, starring Mark Wahlberg (“The Other Guys”), Christian Bale (“The Dark Knight”), Amy Adams (“Doubt”) and Melissa Leo (“Frozen River”), Boston boxer Irish Micky Ward trains to become a champion. He’s helped by his older half-brother, a troubled recovering crack addict who fought drug addiction and a crime-filled life by focusing on training his sibling. The film abounds with boiling points both in and out of the ring, and they inform Micky’s never-say-die attitude. Although damaged by its lack of dramatic surprises, the film is ultimately a compelling boxing movie. David O. Russell (“Three Kings”) directed. (114 minutes) Harsh four-letter profanity, drug content, boxing violence, sexuality. (R)
GULLIVER’S TRAVELS: (C) In this excitement-challenged family adventure, starring Jack Black (“King Kong”), Emily Blunt (“Sunshine Cleaning”), Jason Segel (“Forgetting Sarah Marshall”), Amanda Peet (“2012”) and Billy Connolly (“Boondock Saints”), a mailroom employee sets off for Bermuda but ends up in Lilliput. In that mysterious land, he towers over the tiny residents and becomes their hero. Parents should be aware of the rude elements in the film, including a scene in which a character gets stuck in Black’s butt crack and another in which the title character literally urinates on all the little people. Honest. It will be available in 3-D. (83 minutes) Rude humor, mild language. (PG)
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART ONE: (B) The original trio – Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson – return as Harry, Ron and Hermione, respectively, in this sometimes rousing, often confusing first half of the seventh and last book in J.K. Rowling’s series about the boy wizard at Hogwarts Castle. (The second part will arrive next year.) In this installment, which may bewilder those who haven read the book, the three friends seek safe places to hide as the Snatchers and Death Eaters are out in force and pursuing them. David Yates (“Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince”) directed. (146 minutes) Sequences of intense action, violence, frightening images, brief sensuality. (PG-13)
HOW DO YOU KNOW: (B-) Some major talents, including Reese Witherspoon (“Walk the Line”), Paul Rudd (“Dinner for Schmucks”), Owen Wilson (“Wedding Crashers”) and Jack Nicholson (“As Good As It Gets”), lend their skills to this minor romantic comedy. The story follows a 31-year-old softball player who is cut from her team and becomes involved in a love triangle between a professional baseball pitcher who flirts quite often and an anxiety-ridden businessman who faces security fraud charges. The easygoing film raises issues about discovering true love, finding a job in the current economic climate, and opening yourself up to new dating experiences. James L. Brooks (“Terms of Endearment”) directed. (116 minutes) Sexual content, harsh four-letter profanity. (PG-13)
I LOVE YOU PHILLIP MORRIS: (A-) In this funny and touching comedy drama, starring Jim Carrey (“Yes Man”) and Ewan McGregor (“The Ghost Writer”), a married policeman has an automobile accident, reassesses his life, and then reveals to the world he’s gay. During this fact-based tale, the former officer becomes a con man who lands in prison, falls in love with his cellmate, and then, after his lover’s release, breaks out of jail four times to be with him. Leslie Mann (“Knocked Up”) co-stars. Glenn and John Requa co-directed. (102 minutes) Sexual content, strong sexual dialogue, language. (R)
INSIDE JOB: (A-) Screen favorite Matt Damon (“Hereafter”) narrates this unsettling documentary about how the global crisis of 2008 caused the worst recession since the Great Depression. Charles Ferguson (“No End in Sight”) directed. (108 minutes) Some drug and sex-related material. (PG-13)
THE KING’S SPEECH: (B+) A terrific ensemble, including Colin Firth (“A Single Man”), Helena Bonham Carter (“Alice in Wonderland”), Geoffrey Rush (“Shine”) and Guy Pearce (“Memento”), stars in this intriguing fact-based story about King George VI and how he received help with his nervous stammer from a maverick Australian speech therapist. The monarch desperately desires to lead his people and worries that his debilitating speech impediment will cause their hopes for a brighter future in a dark time to remain tethered to the ground. Ultimately, the import shows how the monarch, through intense vocal exercises and great personal effort, became the voice of his nation at a time when his subjects wanted to hear him the most. British filmmaker Tom Hooper (“The Damned United”) directed. (118 minutes) Harsh four-letter profanity, adult themes. (R)
LITTLE FOCKERS: (C-) Cast members Ben Stiller, Robert De Niro, Barbra Streisand, Dustin Hoffman, Blythe Danner and Teri Polo return in this third installment of the “Meet the Parents” franchise and spend most of their time participating in crude situations. This story revolves around a birthday party for the couple’s twins and the various problems the older characters are experiencing, but it wastes the talents of the gifted cast members. (98 minutes) Mature sexual humor, language, drug content. (PG-13)
LOVE AND OTHER DRUGS: (B-) In this uneven picture which the creators refer to as an emotional comedy rather than a romantic comedy, Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway, who previously appeared together in “Brokeback Mountain,” co-star in a very steamy movie about a free-spirited young woman who refuses to let anyone tie her down until she meets a charming guy who likes to live with no strings attached. It’s based on the book “Hard Sell: The Evolution of a Viagra Salesman” by Jamie Reidy. Edward Zwick (“The Last Samurai”), who in interviews has said he made the film to put some sizzle back into romantic movies, directed. (112 minutes) Sex, nudity, adult themes, language. (R)
MADE IN DAGENHAM: (B-) This factual British import, starring Sally Hawkins (“Happy-Go-Lucky”) and Bob Hoskins (“Mona Lisa”), chronicles a 1968 incident in which women employees walked out of the Ford Dagenham car plant in protest of unequal wages and challenged the policies of the automotive giant. It has an interesting message about empowerment, but it often plays like a TV movie. Nigel Cole (“Calendar”) directed. (113 minutes) Language, brief sexuality. (R)
MEGAMIND: (B) Hollywood favorites Brad Pitt (“Troy”), Will Ferrell (“Step Brothers”) and Tina Fey (“Date Night”) provide the main voices for this colorful comic-book spoof in which a brilliant super villain and a not-so-bright superhero compete for the attention of the same woman. When the evil one wins the battle, he doesn’t know what to do and discovers that victory sometimes isn’t sweet. It will also be available in 3-D. Tom McGrath (“Madagascar”) directed the “Superman” spoof, which is certainly entertaining, if not memorable. (96 minutes) Crude language, intense moments for younger children. (PG)
127 HOURS: (A) In this fact-based tale, starring James Franco (“Milk”), canyoneering enthusiast Aron Ralston cuts off his right arm after being trapped by a boulder in an isolated area of Utah. Oscar winner Danny Boyle (“Slumdog Millionaire”) directed the picture, which begins as a rugged story about outdoors survival and transforms into an uplifting spiritual tale about the importance of personal connections. (94 minutes) Some disturbing violent content, blood images. (R)
RABBIT HOLE: (B) During this unsettling drama, with Nicole Kidman (“The Hours”), Aaron Eckhart (“The Dark Knight”), Sandra Oh (TV’s “Grey’s Anatomy”) and Giancarlo Esposito (“Do the Right Thing”), a happy couple’s life shatters after the death of their young son in an automobile accident. John Cameron Mitchell (“Hedwig and the Angry Inch”) directed the intense drama, based on the play by David Lindsay-Abaire. (91 minutes) Adult themes, some drug use. (PG-13)
TANGLED: (B) The voices of Mandy Moore (“License to Wed”), Zachary Levi (TV’s “Chuck”), Ron Perlman (FX’s “Sons of Anarchy”) and stage favorite Donna Murphy (Broadway’s “The King and I”) are featured in this lively computer-animated musical that has Rapunzel possessing 70 feet of living golden hair and striking a deal with a handsome thief. She convinces him to help her escape from the tower where she’s been locked away for years by an evil woman pretending to be her mother. It will also be shown in 3-D. Byron Howard (“Bolt”) and Nathan Greno (the animated short “Super Rhino”) co-directed. (100 minutes) Brief mild violence, some scary sequences for younger children. (PG)
THE TEMPEST: (C) Oscar winner Helen Mirren (“The Queen”), Alfred Molina (“An Education”), Russell Brand (“Get Him to the Greek”), Alan Cumming (“Burlesque”) and Djimon Hounsou (“Amistad”) star in this disappointing adaptation of Shakespeare’s play that changes the gender of the sorcerer Prospero into the sorceress Prospera. Julie Taymor, whose credits include the Bard’s “Titus,” the Beatles-fueled “Across the Universe,” and the stage musical “The Lion King,” directed. Quality rating based on website and wire-service reports. (110 minutes) Some nudity, suggestive content, frightening content. (PG-13)
TINY FURNITURE: (B) Writer-director Lena Dunham created this tale that explores the depths of romantic humiliation and the heights of postgraduate confusion. The story follows a 22-year-old woman who finishes college, returns to live in her mother’s TriBeCa loft, and can’t find employment. She then considers working at a struggling restaurant and getting involved in some romantic relationships. Quality rating based on website and wire-service reports. (98 minutes) (Unrated)
THE TOURIST: (B-) Superstars Angelina Jolie (“Salt”) and Johnny Depp (the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise) team in this hit-and-miss romantic thriller about a man who visits Italy to help mend his heart after a death in the family. He then discovers that the beautiful woman he meets in Europe may pose a danger to him. Fans of the appealing Jolie and Depp might be entertained, but others may be disappointed by its uneven story and limited steam heat between the superstars. Paul Bettany (“A Beautiful Mind”) and Timothy Dalton (“The Rocketeer”) co-star. German filmmaker Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck (“The Lives of Others”) directed. (104 minutes) Violence, brief strong language. (PG-13)
TRON: LEGACY: (C+) Hard-core fans of the original might applaud this long-awaited sequel, but others may find its trapped-in-a-computer elements more headache-inducing than pulse-pounding. Jeff Bridges, who appears in the original “Tron” (1982), Garrett Hedlund (“Eragon”) and Olivia Wilde (“Year One”) co-star in this special-effects-driven fantasy about a son who goes searching for his father, who has become stranded in the digital world.
The picture is available in IMAX 3-D and digital 3-D. (125 minutes) Sci-fi violence, brief language. (PG)
TRUE GRIT: (A-) Oscar winner Jeff Bridges (“Crazy Heart”) steps into the John Wayne role as Rooster Cogburn in a this remake of the 1969 frontier favorite about a young woman seeking to avenge the murder of her father and the gruff veteran lawman who helps her.
Matt Damon (the “Bourne” franchise), Josh Brolin (“Jonah Hex”), Barry Pepper (“Saving Private Ryan”) and newcomer Hailee Steinfeld co-star. Ethan and Joel Coen, who received an Oscar for “No Country for Old Men,” directed and wrote the screenplay, based on the acclaimed lyrical novel by Charles Portis. It provides a riveting viewing experience. (113 minutes) Intense scenes of Western violence, disturbing images. (PG-13)
UNSTOPPABLE: (B) Superstar Denzel Washington (“The Book of Eli”) teams with Chris Pine (“Star Trek” reboot) and Rosario Dawson (“Death Proof”) in this pulse-pounding thriller about an out-of-control freight train that’s filled with toxic liquids and on a collision course that will destroy a city. British filmmaker Tony Scott, who previously worked with Washington on “Crimson Tide,” “Man on Fire,” “Deja Vu” and “The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3,” directed the fact-based picture and uses real trains rather than computer-generated images to give the film a realistic feel. (115 minutes) Sequences of action and peril, some language. (PG-13)
YOGI BEAR: (C) Dan Aykroyd (“Ghostbusters”) and Justin Timberlake (“The Social Network”) provide the voices for the computer-generated Yogi and Bo-Boo bear, while Tom Cavanagh (TV’s “Ed”) and Anna Faris (“The House Bunny”) play Ranger Smith and Rachel. This immediately forgettable tale, combining live-action footage and computer-generated images, is available in 3-D. The family friendly story follows Yogi as he battles to prevent a politician from closing Jellystone Park. Quality rating based on website and wire-service reports. (82 minutes) Mild rude humor. (PG)
The Associated Press and websites contributed to this report.
Lou Gaul can be reached at 609-871-8055 or lgaul@phillyBurbs.com.