In Her Shoes

Sure, all the main characters are women, but to dismiss this latest film from Curtis Hanson (L.A. Confidential, Wonder Boys, 8 Mile) as a mere “chick flick” would be a tragic oversimplification. Because once you get past the first few sitcom-ish setup scenes, you’ll find yourself in the middle of a constantly changing dynamic that rises above the usual family-bonding formula. It’s about two diametrically opposite sisters—Cameron Diaz as Maggie, a sexy, lazy, directionless party girl, and Toni Collette as Rose, a motivated, hardworking lawyer. After a particularly egregious social error (sleeping with her sister’s boyfriend), Maggie splits for Florida to bunk with their long-lost grandma (Shirley MacLaine playing the same tough cookie she usually plays these days, but an absolute rock in this movie), where, well, things begin to change. Hard to say which actress puts in the best performance. This intergenerational audience-pleaser has style, but substance as well, and it works on many levels. The emotions are genuine, and the tears you may shed at the end are earned. (130 min)

Cinemas 11 34 50 61 90 96 99 102 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120

Dark Water

If this latest adaptation (by Walter Salles—The Motorcycle Diaries) of a J-horror flick doesn’t quite click, it does offer a palpable sense of evil, fine atmosphere and superb acting, and its off-kilter nature keeps you guessing. A damp Jennifer Connelly (it’s always raining) is trying to hold on to her sanity while fighting a custody battle for her daughter (Ariel Gade) and dealing with the strange goings-on in her new apartment. Like that malevolent, dark water stain spreading in the bedroom ceiling. John C. Reilly, Tim Roth and Pete Postlethwaite offer amusing supporting performances. (105 min)

Cinemas 2 10 26 56 60 70 90 95 96 99 102 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120

Elizabethtown

Cameron Crowe’s (Jerry Maguire, Almost Famous) latest is not a romantic comedy, but it is romantic and it’s funny and a lot more. If you have the patience. Gigantically failed, suicidal marketer of sports shoes (Orlando Bloom) visits the Kentucky hometown where his popular dad has recently died during a visit. It’s city slicker meets country relatives, not to mention a maniacally perky Kirsten Dunst, who is determined that he will fall in love with her. Not Crowe’s best, but it’s big-hearted, dialogue-driven and quite worthwhile, the plusses outweighing the obvious flaws. Great music. (125 min)

Cinemas 3 11 26 45 61 70 90 95 96 99 102 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119

Inside Deep Throat

This amusing, occasionally enlightening look at how, in 1973, a not-very-good, mob-funded little porn flick (even its director, Gerard Damiano, calls it “crap”) became the most profitable motion picture of all time ($25,000 to make; grossed $600,000) thanks almost entirely to government censorship. Directors Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato’s (The Eyes of Tammy Faye) examination of the film is more scattershot than profound, but it’s not preachy and on the whole smart and enjoyable. Dennis Hopper narrates; interviewees include John Waters, Dick Cavett, Hugh Hefner, Larry Flynt and many more. (92 min)

Cinema 99

Millions

Danny Boyle, director of the druggie comedy Trainspotting, the gruesome Shallow Grave, and the frightening 28 Days Later, now turns his talents (and those of screenwriter Frank Cottrell Boyce) to this intelligent, kid-friendly little miracle. It’s about two young brothers finding a quarter-million pounds just 12 days before Britain goes euro and it all becomes worthless. Seven-year-old Damien (Alex Etel), who collects (and sees) Christian saints like sports stars, wants to give it to others. One of the film’s greatest charms is the cameo appearances of St. Francis of Assisi and several other rather scruffy haloed advisors. His more fiscally grounded, 9-year-old brother Anthony (Lewis McGibbon) thinks real estate might be a better bet. Or possibly the currency markets. But how do you go about disposing of such an amount when you’re still in single digits, age-wise? And, oh yes, the criminals (who else carries around that kind of cash?) want their money back. This is an emotionally complex, big-hearted and generous movie. It’s sweet, even joyous; but thanks to Boyle’s dependable irreverence, never sappy. You’ll feel rich. (98 min)

Cinema 20

Into the blue

This underwater romp is an example of a genre (the adventure movie) that is usually hampered by excessive SFX and unlikely stunts. The story, about love, sunken treasure and greed, breaks no new ground but is at least grounded in reality. The script doesn’t challenge anyone’s modest acting abilities (harder to ham it up 80 percent of the time underwater), but it for the most part avoids insulting your intelligence. The movie also delivers on its poster promises with many, many scenes of Jessica Alba (or, for those so inclined, Paul Walker) with not a lot of clothing on. (110 min)

Cinemas 112 116 117 118 119 120

Without a paddle

Or a rudder. Or a clue. Or a shred of originality. Or any conceivable reason for seeing this loathsome, desperately unfunny pile of bear pucky. Three 30-something city slickers in their early teens (Matthew Lillard, Seth Green, Dax Shepard) go treasure-hunting in the Oregon forest, get lost, etc. Crappy acting (Bart the Bear puts in the most convincing performance, as a bear), crappy direction (Steven Brill also made Little Nicky and Mr. Deeds) and crappy writing. Repeatedly and tediously exploits Deliverance-style homophobia for laughs. Am I being too subtle? Don’t see this movie! (95 min)

Cinema 43

The Merchant of Venice

No room here to tell you the plot if you don’t already know, so read the play. Remarkably, this is the first time this Shakespearean comedy has been filmed since talkies were invented, and its uncomfortable anti-Semitism is the obvious reason. But it’s also the play containing the classic “If you prick us, do we not bleed?” line, so go figure. The problem is that the Shylock character (Al Pacino) was an evil buffoon in the 1590s original, but here (and now) he’s played, necessarily, as a sympathetic, tragic figure, with feelings and wounds, who is ultimately ruined and deserted. Thus we have scenes of lighthearted love and merriment juxtaposed with those of a human being (acting, it must be said, as most of us would in similar circumstances) being totally crushed, and the result is jarring. All that said, this is a wondrous, fine-looking (filmed in Venice) adaptation by Michael Radford (Il Postino, Dancing at the Blue Iguana), in which Pacino absolutely outshines the rest of the cast. Given the state of religious intolerance in the world today, this “comedy” remains deeply relevant. (138 min)

Cinemas 8 96 119

The Brothers Grimm

Since Terry Gilliam, a poet of decay, is one of my favorite directors, I wanted to like this more than I did. It looks great, and it’s endlessly creative, but it’s scattershot. There’s no real plot to hang all this inventiveness on, and it gets a little (maniacally) tedious. The story, such as it is, presents the Grimm Brothers (Heath Ledger and Matt Damon, having a bad hair movie and sporting the worst British accent in recent memory) as sort of 18th-century, con-artist ghostbusters who are hired (forced, actually) to deal with some real, and really evil magic. It’s all just, well, silly. (118 min)


Cinemas 29 55 62 82 71 95 99 107 109 110 111 112 113 114 116 117 118

If I Should Fall From Grace: The Shane MacGowan Story

The most amazing thing about this poet, who, with The Pogues, breathed new life into contemporary Irish music, is that he’s still alive, given that he’s clearly trying to kill himself on a daily basis with booze, tobacco and drugs. Sarah Share’s uneven but interesting documentary captures the essence of the singer/songwriter and his life (no mean feat), though subtitles wouldn’t have been a bad idea, given his constant state of extreme drunkenness and having no front teeth. And he has the world’s strangest laugh. Not for everyone, but a must for music fans. (91 min)

Cinema 32

The Pacifier

This puerile rip-off of Kindergarten Cop, a one-joke movie that wasn’t all that funny either, is directed by Adam Shankman, who’s reportedly being sought by police for inflicting upon us The Wedding Planner and A Walk to Remember. The surprise-free plot’s too tedious to go into here, but basically it has Navy SEAL Vin Diesel babysitting four kids. They resist; they fight; they bond. Vin might have pulled off this attempt at genre-switching had there been a trace of taste, continuity, decent writing, rhythm or credibility to back him up. For thumb-suckers only; parents it’ll give a headache. (95 min)


Cinemas 1 27 40 71 82 96 102 112 120


Saw II

Saw had two guys chained to a public toilet with only one unthinkable, coyote-trap way out. Se7en meets Cube. Though unconvincing and fairly yucky, it had the virtue of minimalism. This psycho-slasher sequel lacks even that, with several bewildered victims waking up in a locked room slowly filling with sarin gas (!). Their captor, a character named “Jigsaw” with an apparent flair for set decoration, is the kind of serial killer that exists only in the minds of 2nd-rate serial killer flick screenwriters. They fight, they kill, they throw up a lot. Manufactured suspense, unforgivable violence. (100 min)


Cinemas 6 60 99 102 113 114 118

Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride

This merrily morbid, pleasingly perverse cadaver comedy, a Halloween valentine from that wonderfully whimsical wacko Tim Burton, has to do with a nervous groom-to-be practicing his vows in a graveyard and mistakenly placing a wedding ring on the desiccated hand (looked like a twig sticking out of the ground) of a murdered bride, visiting the underworld, pining for his real (i.e., living) bride and finally putting things right. It’s done in stop-action animation, a refreshingly non-digital technique, and is absolutely awesome. Burton has rarely been in better form, and his tricks are a real treat. The living world appears cold and drab; whereas the underworld is more brightly colored and, well, lively. It’s not a horror story. The bride is not a villain, just dead (loved the maggot). There’s lots of sly humor, and all but the smallest kids will dig it. And as in the very best fairy tales, beneath all the intrigue, flash and action, there’s a core of truth. Voice cast includes Johnny Depp, Emily Watson, Helena Bonham-Carter, Richard E. Grant, Albert Finney and Tracey Ullman. (76 min)

Cinemas 5 30 47 63 90 96 102 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120

Domino

Frenetic, maybe-true-maybe-not and ultimately pointless biopic about Laurence Harvey’s rebellious daughter Domino, who chose to walk on the wild side and became a bounty hunter. The film has only a tenuous relationship with reality and is difficult to absorb either as a character study or a conventional action flick. Any entertainment value is obliterated by director Tony Scott’s headache-inducing, overcaffeinated stylistic flourishes and his determination not to be hindered by biological truth. Keira Knightley not so much acts in the title role as strikes a variety of bad-ass poses. (125 min)

Cinemas 2 10 26 56 60 70 90 95 96 102 109 110 111 112 113 115 116 117 118 119 120

The Door in the Floor

Based on the first third of John Irving’s A Widow for One Year, which went on to span four decades, this is the tale of two fairly unlikable, mean-to-each-other characters (Jeff Bridges and Kim Basinger) whose marriage is on the rocks, as seen through the eyes of a young man (Jon Foster) they’ve hired for the summer and who becomes the catalyst to bring an end to this warped dynamic. Despite some nice, wry humor and moments of sharp intelligence, this depressing spellbinder is not for everyone. But it’s a wonderful chance to watch Bridges and Basinger do what they do best. (111 min)

Cinema 100

House of Wax

Ick. Group of students so dumb you want them to get killed happens upon this nice, quiet little village somewhere in Chainsaw County that features a wax museum in which, unbeknownst to these future dead kids, all the wax figures are formerly living people. This slasher is totally forgettable, but if you like this kind of thing, you’ll have fun. Cool ending in which the house, which is literally made of wax, burns down. It’s almost worth the price of admission to see alleged actress Paris Hilton get a stake through the forehead. Almost. And I liked the tag line: “Pray. Slay. Display.” But it’s icky. (113 min)

Cinemas 1 43 60 90 96 102 109 111 112 114 116 118 119 120

Hukkle

This hypnotic, ominously bucolic little film from director Gyorgy Palfi at first seems like nothing more than an original look at the fabric of daily life in a rural Hungarian village. There’s practically no dialogue, but some nicely droll humor. Close-ups, stop-frame photography and the superb sound challenge you to look at things in a different way. It’s clear that this one is going to move at its own, unhurried pace, but it’s never dull, and there’s always something unexpected. Like that dead body you just thought you saw. Be patient and watch this little gem closely, and you will be rewarded. (75 min)

Cinema 36

Land of Plenty

Wim Wenders’ odd, post-9/11 look at America focuses on two people: Paul (an excellent John Diehl) is a paranoid former Green Beret who has taken it upon himself to protect America, and is constantly on the lookout for the next big attack. His idealistic niece Lana (a much matured Michelle Williams, from Dawson’s Creek) has been overseas most of her life and is now helping out at a homeless shelter. The two come together with separate motives in the movie’s final third, which amounts to a road trip culminating in a cloying visit to Ground Zero. Mildly interesting but relatively pointless. (123 min)

Cinema 49

Yes

Intellectual/ socialist / feminist writer/director Sally Potter is a high-risk filmmaker who has often flirted with pretension (Orlando, The Tango Lesson) but has never been dull, and with this daring, emotionally direct and completely original film on the themes of class, love and religion, she’s earned new respect from me. Joan Allen plays the Irish-born, US-raised, neglected wife of a philandering British politician (Sam Neill) who finds solace and even happiness in a torrid affair with a Lebanese surgeon (Simon Abkarian) reduced to working in England as a chef. But sex can mask their obvious inequalities only so far, and there’s a riveting, pivotal scene about halfway through where buried tensions erupt. The potential pretension arises with the fact that the whole thing is written in iambic pentameter (think Shakespeare), which could have been a disaster were it not so brilliantly done. There’s a vibrant but subtle intensity throughout that’s heightened by the device. It’s really quite an accomplishment. Things are lightened up by Shirley Henderson as a housekeeper, who pops up now and then with the odd monologue straight into the camera. (100 min)

Cinema 52

Bukowski: Born Into This

This superb documentary on poet and novelist Charles Bukowski by John Dullaghan is as close as we’re likely to get to an accurate picture of a writer’s life. Through interviews (including Bono, Tom Waits, Harry Dean Stanton, Sean Penn, Taylor Hackford, and not least his wife Linda), archival footage of beery poetry readings, and talks with the man himself, we learn about the pain (thrice weekly beatings by his father) and the humiliation (an acne-scarred teen spying on his senior prom) that formed his lean, brutally unsentimental literary style. Much is contributed by publisher John Martin, who created Black Sparrow Press for the sole purpose of persuading Bukowski to write full-time. He was until his death in 1994 a prolific poet, starting with Notes of a Dirty Old Man, and author of largely autobiographical novels (Women, Hollywood and Barfly, in the movie version of which he thought star Mickey Rourke was “a showoff”). This is a thorough, admiring-but-fair, and completely fascinating look at a true original. (130 min)

Cinema 21

Stealth

This technologically preposterous, geographically challenged, overlong bit of war porn marries Top Gun with 2001: A Space Odyssey and adds a dash of Knight Rider to come up with a movie so stupid that even its apparent target audience of little boys will be laughing at its pure illogicality (they’ll still buy the toys). Three good-looking pilots (Josh Lucas, who makes a better villain, Jamie Foxx, who loses a lot of the points he scored in Ray, and Jessica “bikini” Biel) get a new “wingman,” a pilotless AI superjet that then gets hit by lightning, pulls a HAL 9000 and turns against them. Bomb! (121 min)

Cinemas 3 11 26 45 61 70 90 95 96 99 102 107 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120

¡Popular!

Well, don’t expect another Buena Vista Social Club. This documentary by Jennifer Paz plays more like a feature-length performance video (with a few nice sideways glances), focusing on the Cuban band Charanga Habanera, which consists of several excellent musicians and three or four very popular cute-guy vocalists who bounce around a lot in front of all-girl audiences. Oh, the music’s fine, it’s Cuban after all, but probably a lot more difficult to sell without the repeated pelvic thrusts that punctuate it. It’s more like a Cuban version of the Backstreet Boys, or SMAP, except with talent. In Spanish. (70 min)

Cinema 28

Sin city

Robert Rodriguez’s career-best, twisted masterpiece is not an adaptation of a Frank Miller graphic novel; it is a Frank Miller graphic novel. It’s sick, slick, sexy and nearly monochromatic, with shocking, highly effective splashes of color and a pulpy voiceover. But be forewarned that it’s also possibly the most violent movie I’ve ever seen (though the violence is highly stylized, and there’s an undercurrent of morality). I won’t go into the plot, because it’s not really about narrative. It consists of three episodes, each anchored by a male lead (Bruce Willis, Clive Owen and a risen-from-the-ashes Mickey Rourke) in a circular story structure. This visually inventive, fast-paced and engaging effort is something to experience, not merely to watch, with some unforgettable imagery and a dollop of macabre humor. Also a dynamic Rosario Dawson, a white-hot Jessica Alba, a menacing Benicio Del Toro, Michael Clark Duncan, Carla Gugino, Michael Madsen and Elijah Wood, who chillingly and forever shakes off that Frodo image. This is an absolute must-see. (124 min)

Cinemas 1 29 31 55 62 71 82 90 95 96 109 110 111 112 115 116 117 118 119 120

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Well, when it comes to children’s stories, you just can’t go wrong with the playfully dyspeptic Roald Dahl (James and the Giant Peach, Matilda). And you couldn’t wish for a better director of a Roald Dahl story than Tim Burton (Batman, Mars Attacks, Big Fish). Johnny Depp is the reclusive, hilariously quirky and vaguely menacing chocolatier Michael Jackson. Sorry, Willy Wonka. Add to this fractured fairy tale the talented kid Freddie Highmore from Finding Neverland and David Kelly from Waking Ned as his grandpa, and you’ve got a sweet, if slightly creepy, winner. Squirrels, too. True, this cautionary tale was filmed once before, in 1971 as Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, but rumor is that Dahl hated that watered-down, sweetened-up version. I think he’d like this one. The sets are awesome, with chocolate waterfalls and flying elevators, and the workforce Oompa Loompas (all played by a CG-replicated Deep Roy) contributes some amusing musical numbers (lyrics by Dahl, music by Danny Elfman). This one’s a sugar rush. (115 min)

Cinemas 5 30 47 63 90 96 99 102 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120

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