Unattributed film synopses indicate movies not yet reviewed by HW staff.
Indicates films of unusual interest
Opening
My Blueberry Nights Hong Kong director Wong Kar-wai helms his first English-language film with an impressive cast including David Strathairn, Jude Law and Natalie Portman who do their best with the thin material of couples in (and out of) love.
Redbelt David Mamet (Glengarry Glen Ross), brings his talk-laden style to the world of the Samurai.
Speed Racer The first person to yell “Go, Speed Racer, go!” gets a screwdriver in their neck. It’s the law.
The Visitor Tom McCarthy follows up his award-winning directorial debut of The Station Agent with a tale of a man who rediscovers meaning in life through a chance encounter and an act of kindness.
What Happens in Vegas If it’s supposed to stay in Vegas, why do we have to be subjected to it? Mean-spirited comedy with Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher destroying the sacred institution.
Continuing
21 An obvious story arc involving greed and redemption makes the true story of young card-counters in Las Vegas seem mundane and by the numbers. Oscar winner Kevin Spacey seems to be here simply to cash in his chips.–Ryan Senaga
88 Minutes The worst movie Al Pacino has ever made, including Cruising. The only redeeming factor is to see how a nearly 70 year-old man maintains all that intense energy.–Bob Green
Baby Mama The sure sign that a catch phrase is dead is when they title a movie with it. Good riddance.
The Counterfeiters Well-received Nazi drama where prisoners (all Jews) are used to manufacture currency to flood the world’s economies for German gain. Based on a true story.
Dr. Suess’ Horton Hears a Who Charming and cute, the film’s multi-splendored/ With characters rendered just like we remembered/But a ten minute tale, a film does not make/And the final result is the film’s not that great.–Dean Carrico
The Forbidden Kingdom Lots of fun but kind of dumb as two of the best (and most well-known) martial arts masters mix humor with action in a quest to free the Monkey King from his stone imprisonment.
Forgetting Sarah Marshall Some laughs in the newest concoction by the disciples of Judd Apatow. Jason Segel Stars. Filmed in Hawai’i.–B. G.
Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay Who would think that the most politically charged film would involve two stoners?
Iron Man See review, page 18
Leatherheads George Clooney stars and directs. Again. He makes a Hail Mary pass to combine a sports movie with romantic comedy, and very nearly scores. –B. G.
The Life Before Her Eyes Uma Thurman used to be a bad kid, and now she has one herself in this film by the director of The House of Sand and Fog.
Made of Honor Really? Honor? Really? Patrick Dempsey is shallow (surprise!) and schemes to ruin his best friend’s wedding in order to keep her for himself.
Nim’s Island Kids think the darndest things and Jodie Foster and Abigail Breslin are along for the ride in this fantasy-adventure.
Prom Night Haven’t we graduated past these remakes of mediocre horror movies? Apparently not.
Smart People Not quite smart enough, but there are still moments of near-hilarity and Ellen Page proves that she can do more than act smart-aleckly and precocious.–R.S.
Street Kings Keanu Reeves comes in under the radar as a detective trying to find the killers of his partner. Best selling crime novelist James Ellroy had a hand in the screenplay. It didn’t help.
Superhero Movie Another limp and lame parody of a genre that was pretty close to self-mockery anyway.
Under the Same Moon Sweet to the point of saccharine and not bothering to attempt to smuggle its politics, a child tries to reunite with his mother by illegally crossing the Mexico border into the United States.–R. S.
Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden? See review, page 19.
Art House & Short Runs
4 Months, Three Weeks, Two Days (Romania, 2008) Mixed reviews greeted this politically-charged story, winner of a top prizes at Cannes, about the end of Communism in Romania. This is (probably) a generational film, with those over 35 conversant with the topic, and those under finding the film tedious and irrelevant. Doris Duke Theatre, 900 S. Beretania St., Thu 5/8, Sat 5/10 & Sun 5/11, 1 & 7:30pm; Fri 5/9 & Tue 5/13, 1pm, $7, $6 seniors, students, military, $5 members, 532-8768
Bella A crowd-pleaser love story involving soccer, a tragic accident and a restaurant. Winner of a ton of awards–mostly audience-award division. Movie Museum, 3566 Harding Ave. #4, Fri 5/9 & Sun 5/11, 2, 4, 6 & 8pm, $4 members, $5 general, 735-8771
Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid (1973) One of Sam Peckinpah’s later efforts. With music by Bob Dylan, and a cast including Dylan, Katy Jurado, Kris Kristofferson, and Richard “Golden Boy” Jaeckel. Movie Museum, 3566 Harding Ave. #4, Mon 5/12, 12:30, 3, 5:30 & 8pm, $4 members, $5 general, 735-8771
I’m Not There (U.S., Germany, 2007) Seven part, six-star fantasy bio of Bob Dylan, him of the shifting identities. Those playing Dylan include Heath Ledger, Cate Blanchett, Christian Bale, and others. Written and directed by the unstoppable Todd Haynes (Velvet Goldmine, Far From Heaven), whose movies take no prisoners. Highly recommended for all right-thinking people, hip or not. Movie Museum, 3566 Harding Ave. #4, Thu 5/8 & Sat 5/10, 12:30, 3, 5:30 & 8pm, $4 members, $5 general, 735-8771
The Witnesses (France, 2007) The latest from master writer-director Andre Techine (Wild Reeds), this is a story of an eclectic groups of friends (writer, vice cop, waiter, etc.) in l984, when the AIDS pandemic exploded. It’s a character-driven piece, beautifully acted and edited, showing how the friends react to this radical change in the social fabric. Recommended. Doris Duke Theatre, 900 S. Beretania St., Wed 5/7, 1 & 7:30pm, $7, $6 seniors, students, military, $5 members, 532-8768
Opening Soon
Chicago 10 The story of Abbie Hoffman, Bobby Seale and other infamous “yippies” who caused trouble during the 1968 Democratic convention, released just in time for election season.
Diary of the Dead We’re still chomping at the bit waiting to see if it’s anything like Romero’s other Dead films: biting satire with emphasis on the biting. Unfortunately, after a limited release, the film seems bound to skip the Islands, releasing on DVD on May 30
Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian Much is made out of the thinly-veiled Christian allegory, but as Stephen Colbert put it, “Last time I checked, Jesus wasn’t a lion.”
The City of Your Final Destination Anthony Hopkins in tale written by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala.
HellBoy 2: The Golden Army The full cast including Ron Perlman and Selma Blair returns in force with Guillermo Del Toro still living the life of credibility after Pan’s Labyrinth.
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull This will make 90 gazillion dollars. Hopefully it can restore some of George Lucas’ credibility, as we all know what happened the last time he tried to restart a beloved trilogy.
Postal This will make nine dollars, if it’s lucky. Uwe Boll makes another mediocre video game adaptation with disastrous results.
Sex in the City: The Movie Mr. Big gets even bigger.
Son of Rambow A young Brit living in isolation with a puritanical religious sect stumbles upon a pirated copy of Rambo: First Blood and figures out how to get back against the neighborhood bully.
