Everything is Illuminated

Lovingly crafted directorial debut by Liev Schreiber has an obsessive young American (Elijah Wood) and his Ukrainian guide (who violently murders the English language at every opportunity) along with the guide’s blind grandpa at the wheel and grandpa’s “seeing eye bitch” (named Sammy Davis Junior Junior) setting off in a Yugo to locate the woman who saved his own grandpa from the Nazis. Starts out as a hilarious, surreal ethnic comedy and segues nicely into something more meaningful but no less engrossing. Nice location shots and unique music. Complete the title with “...in the light of the past.” (106 min)

Cinemas 1 35

Good night, and good luck

Fascinating and compelling real-life drama (cautionary tale, thriller) about how, between October 1953 and April 1954, visionary TV news pioneer Edward R. Murrow and CBS went up against anti-communist demagogue Joseph McCarthy and defeated him (or brought about his self-destruction) without stooping to his level or violating the rules of journalistic objectivity. This historic face-off is filmed in black & white, which seems perfect, and, in one of cinematic history’s most brilliant examples of creative casting, the role of Senator McCarthy is played by… Senator McCarthy, in actual newsreel footage. Murrow is flawlessly portayed, down to the smallest nuance, by David Strathairn, and writer/director George Clooney has a small part as Murrow’s producer, Fred Friendly. This brain-food movie is completely non-manipulative, though its none-too-subtle message is that those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it. It incidentally casts a less-than-admiring eye on the state of today’s journalism, and if you replace “communism” with “terrorism” you’ll see how vitally resonant it is today. Nominated for six Oscars. (93 min)

Cinema 99

BloodRayne

This outstanding example of what actors will do for a paycheck is yet another gory video game adaptation from Uwe Boll, Germany’s answer to Ed Wood (uses travel posters of Bavarian castles as positioning shots). Cast of faded character actors includes Michael Madsen, Meat Loaf, Michael Paré and even Geraldine Chaplin. And Ben Kingsley, sir, it’s time to give back your Oscar. But Billy Zane’s funny. Kristanna Loken (Terminator 3) plays a vampire/human half-breed (can’t you guys come up with anything NEW?). Graceless, plodding and edited with a sharpened wooden stake. A sequel is threatened. (94 min)

Cinema 6

Broken Flowers

In this understated comedy-drama from Jim Jarmusch, Bill Murray, a rich, depressed, over-the-hill Don Juan, currently a world-class couch potato (no one does nothing as drolly amusingly as Murray), receives an unsigned letter telling him that he has, somewhere, a 19-year-old son. He doesn’t really care, but his neighbor (Jeffrey Wright), an amateur sleuth, does and helps him narrow down his many past conquests to four possible moms, and he hits the road to visit them. Funny yet reflective, Jarmusch’s most accessible film to date is not a mystery; don’t expect closure. The fun’s in the journey. (106 min)

Cinemas 7 20 52 64 109 112 116 119

The Longest Yard

While Robert Aldrich’s 1974 flick starring Burt Reynolds wasn’t the director’s best work, it certainly didn’t deserve this heavy-handed Adam Sandler remake. Sandler is a disgraced and incarcerated pro quarterback (right; the man isn’t even an adult) tapped by the warden to organize an inmates’ team to play against the guards. What follows is charmless, lazy, borderline sadistic, tediously homophobic and contemptuous of its audience. That the gifted Chris Rock appears as Sandler’s sidekick is kind of sad. And did Burt Reynolds (who also appears) get a face-lift or recently turn Asian? (113 min)

Cinemas 9 43

Rent

This clumsy adaptation by Chris Columbus (who did the clumsy adaptations of the first two Harry Potter books) of the Broadway musical about AIDS, gays and not paying the rent left me less than enchanted. Eight dorky faux-bohemians (four of whom are infected) sing almost continuously and jump about a lot. Bright spots: a sizzling Rosario Dawson and transvestite Wilson Jermaine Heredia. Recommended only for those who have already experienced and liked the stage version as part of a live audience and would like to reprise their enjoyment. For all others it’s a two-and-a-quarter-hour slog. (525,600 min)

Cinemas 22 44 112 119 120

Roots Rock Reggae

Re-release of a 1977 documentary on reggae music during one of the genre’s most inventive eras and the roots of the genre in Jamaica (and Ethiopia) offers only a few glimpses of Bob Marley but makes up for it with some fascinating (now-archival) footage of record producer/recording engineer/musician doing a bit of mixing in his Black Ark studio, and some concert and behind-the-scenes footage of and/or interviews with Ras Michael, U-Roy, the Mighty Diamonds, Jimmy Cliff, Joe Higgs, the Gladiators, Third World and Inner Circle. Its political message (“Jamaica is poor”) is managed less effectively. (60 min)

Cinema 19

V for Vendetta

Near-future scenario has Britain being run by a fascist dictator (John Hurt) with only one wraith-like dark knight in a Guy Fawkes mask and calling himself “V” (Hugo Weaving) conspicuously willing to stand up to the tyrant. This Guy makes his presence known mainly by blowing up buildings (the Old Bailey, Parliament). Natalie Portman is a young TV reporter who gets caught up in the conflict when V rescues her from intended rape by a pair of the dictator’s thugs. This pseudo-philosophical romp from the Wachowski Brothers (The Matrix movies) is getting criticism from conservatives (Dubya is going to hate it) for glorifying terrorism, but it’s the old terrorist vs. freedom fighter thing, so read it as you will. Tempest in a teapot. This maniacal concoction is idea-powered, provocative, disturbing and brutally gorgeous. Yes, it’s subversive, but in an easy-to-follow, teenage kind of way. Mostly it’s just a bit of Orwellian fun, and at least it makes you think. Great British cast includes Stephen Rea, Rupert Graves, Tim Pigott-Smith and Stephen Fry. (132 min)

Cinemas 1 27 40 65 71 82 90 96 99 102 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120

Ice Age: The Meltdown

In 2002’s Ice Age, three mammals that would make Darwin gag try to return a human baby to its tribe as the glaciers edge south. Now our furry threesome is trying to outrun global-warming-caused advancing floodwaters. This would make them tens of thousands of years old, but let’s not quibble. This accounting office-mandated sequel, though hopelessly padded (even musical numbers), is entertaining in a scattershot sort of way, but hasn’t a tenth of the soul of the original. The antics of the saber-toothed squirrel thingy and his acorn, however, are alone worth the price of admission. (90 min)

Cinemas 2 10 26 56 61 70 95 96 99 102 107 109 111 112 114 115 116 117 118 120


The New World

Terrence Malik makes slow films that require patience to watch (Days of Heaven, The Thin Red Line), and this more truthful telling of the story of Pocahontas (not a difficult thing, Disney), the Algonquian princess who helped the first settlers at Jamestown and later traveled to England (thus a double meaning for the title), is more like watching a painting being created. Lush and visually sumptuous, though marred by some badly written voiceovers, this is an often-fascinating rumination on the true nature of civilization. 14-year-old Q’Orianka Kilcher stars opposite Colin Farrell and Christian Bale. (155 min)

Cinemas 1 29 55 62 71 82 90 95 96 99 102 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120


The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie

I confess to stopping on Nickelodeon from time to time while channel surfing and finding this unashamedly childish kids’ program to be wittier than expected, and eventually just had to have the SBSP underwear. Kidding. How can you not like a program that has character names like Eugene H. Krabs, Squidward Tentacles and a starfish named Patrick? Theme of this nautical nonsense is the eternally optimistic title character’s efforts at self-improvement in the seabedroom community of Bikini Bottom. It’s not all that deep (sorry), but it’s fun. And anyone who says it isn’t is just a big Goofy Goober. (87 min)

Cinemas 33 96


Underworld: Evolution

What’s there to say about this unintelligently designed sequel to the witless, humorless vampire-versus-werewolves original? You liked the first one; you’ll like this noisy, violent mess. Kate Beckinsale for some reason again stuffs herself into a squeaking black neoprene body suit (hubby is the director). Continuous chases and repetitive, lengthy battle scenes alternate with dull, endless exposition. The CG fangs and fur fly furiously as the wolfmen and bloodsuckers (plus a few hybrids) go at it, but I had the same problem I had with the first: Who are the good guys? Why do I not care? No fun. (106 min)

Cinemas 2 51 61 90 99 102 109 112 113 114 116 118 120

Nanny Mcphee

After a poverty-stricken (but somehow grandly domiciled) widower has run through 17 governesses for his seven unmanageable brats, a kind of grim Mary Poppins on steroids shows up on his doorstep, mystically confident that she can bring the children into line. No spoonful of sugar for this crone. Ugly, fat and with several facial warts, this is a governess you don’t want to cross. But with each life lesson learned by the children, she loses a wart or a pound or two and becomes more becoming. On the one hand, this children’s film (not for all ages) boasts a fine British cast (screenwriter Emma Thompson, Colin Firth, Angela Lansbury, Imelda Staunton, Derek Jacobi) and is refreshingly free of those annoying pop-culture references. But it’s not especially witty or original, those fine actors are confined to broad caricatures, it gets a bit gooey at times, and it’s curiously lacking in charm and warmth. Still, it is sure to delight its small target audience (young children, mainly young girl children) if not their parents. (97 min)

Cinemas 7 57 102 109 114 116 120

The Libertine

Though Johnny Depp is usually the best thing about his movies, it took some courage to take on this portrayal of John Wilmot, the Second Earl of Rochester, who died in 1680 of syphilis at age 33. A Restoration-era sex addict, drunk and writer of poetry and plays of astounding obscenity to whom moderation did not come easily, the earl tells us early on, “You will not like me.” We don’t, but we still watch, and Depp even elicits an illogical sadness from us toward the end. Directed by Laurence Dunmore from the screenplay by Stephen Jeffreys and also starring John Malkovich and Samantha Morton. (120 min)

Cinemas 8 24 96 112 116 117 119 120

Me and You and Everyone We Know

The central plot in this lovingly crafted indie has two people, a divorced shoe salesman (John Hawkes) and a struggling performance artist (promising writer/director Miranda July), trying to breach the barriers to communication. As the title suggests, there are several interesting subplots involving characters we all meet every day. The whole thing moves elliptically toward its destination at a slow and deliberate, even poetic pace. It’s sweet, funny, whimsical, unpredictable, idiosyncratic, a little eerie and entirely original. A true independent film that may leave you a better person. (90 min)

Cinema 21

The Producers

Some filmed musicals work (Oliver!), and some don’t (The Phantom of the Opera). This filmed adaptation of the stage adaptation of Mel Brooks’ 1956 directorial debut kept me busting a fairly constant gut. Pair of greedy Broadway producers (Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick) connives to stage a musical so offensive (Springtime for Hitler) that it will immediately close and they can keep the (multiple) backers’ money. Includes some of the funniest gay guys to ever hit the screen (“Keep it Gay!”). Helped immeasurably that the songs and lyrics were written by Brooks and not, say, Andrew Lloyd Webber. (128 min)

Cinemas 2 11 26 45 60 70 90 95 96 99 102 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120

Tom Dowd and the Language of Music

John Coltrane, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, Ornette Coleman, The Allman Brothers, Eric Clapton, Les Paul, and on and on. All great artists, but the success of their records was due to the efforts of a visionary recording engineer named Tom Dowd. Mark Moormann’s documentary on this entertaining, gregarious fellow, seven years in the making, examines Dowd’s career, starting from when records were cut directly onto discs through his development of slide faders and a workable eight-track to today’s digital techniques. Dowd was (he died in 2002, just before this film was completed) more than the “guy in the booth.” He was to many artists a father figure, psychologist, musically sophisticated technological innovator and as much a genius on the mixing board as the greats he recorded. The film includes some awesome archival footage and a wondrous ending sequence, when as a demonstration for the movie he remixes the 30-year-old master tracks of “Layla.” This film is not for everyone, only people who like music. (82 min)

Cinema 38

Loverboy

This gooey, turgid, feature-length directorial debut of Kevin Bacon features his wife Kyra Sedgwick as an obsessive, controlling and immature woman who craves motherhood but none of the responsibility that should come with it. Her much more mature six-year-old (Dominic Scott Kay) begins to resent his nickname (title) and realizes that maybe regular school would be preferable to the stream-of-consciousness home-schooling nonsense he’s getting from his non-conformist wacko mom. Numerous cameos by the Bacons’ famous friends can’t save the unconvincing script and overall sense of self-importance. (84 min)

Cinema 36

Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit

Dry English wit meets gothic horror in this Oscar-winning masterpiece by stop-action animation genius Nick Park (Chicken Run). If you’re not familiar with this dynamic duo—the ever-optimistic, reality-challenged inventor Wallace and his vastly more intelligent and mature dog Gromit—the film starts out with a few sequences to bring you up to scratch. Plot has to do with Lady Tottington’s upcoming annual Giant Vegetable Fete, for which Wallace and Gromit are responsible for seeing that none of the entrants gets eaten by those pesky (but cute) rabbits. The pair operates a PETA-approved animal control service (called “Anti-Pesto”) in which they utilize a giant bunny vacuum. But their skills are challenged with the emergence of what seems to be a giant, ravenous super-rabbit. (The movie’s tag line is “Something wicked this way hops.”) Voice talent includes Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter and Peter Sallis (as always) as Wallace; Gromit doesn’t talk. It’s an antidote to all those recent dazzling but content-free CG animations and the feel-good movie of the year. (85 min)

Cinemas 35 49

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