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The Box—In 1976 Richmond, Va., a cash-strapped suburban couple (Cameron Diaz and James Marsden) find themselves in a moral dilemma when a mysterious, disfigured stranger (a haunting Frank Langella) presents them with a device that, if they choose to activate it, will kill someone unknown to them but will also gain them a $1 million payment. Spiritually well-grounded adult viewers willing to overlook some improbabilities in writer-director Richard Kelly’s intelligently challenging, if over-elaborate, screen version of Richard Matheson’s 1970 short story “Button, Button” may be intrigued by this reflection on ethical choices and consequences, but the evolving parable includes actions that would be blatantly unacceptable in a more realistic context. Mature themes, complex moral issues, a few uses of profanity, a couple of sexual references.
L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. (PG-13)
2009
Full Review
The Men Who Stare at Goats—Fact-based satire, set during the early stages of the Iraq War, in which an eccentric military veteran (George Clooney) regales a reporter (Ewan McGregor) with the history of a secret Army unit (led by Jeff Bridges) to which he once belonged that experimented with psychic and paranormal techniques of warfare. Director Grant Heslov's mildly diverting, though disorganized adaptation of Jon Ronson's 2004 best-seller, which also features Kevin Spacey as the squad's selfish nemesis, sends up the soldierly excesses of both the Cold War era and the more recent conflict, but also showcases pantheistic New Age spirituality and implicitly condones its main characters' indulgence in some questionable high jinks. Rear and brief upper female nudity, neo-pagan religious practices, drug use, a dozen instances of profanity, frequent rough and crude language.
A-III -- adults. (R)
2009
Full Review
A Christmas Carol—Lavish, well-crafted but frequently eerie 3-D animated adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic 1843 novella in which miserly misanthrope Ebenezer Scrooge (voice of Jim Carrey) is urged to change his ways by the tortured specter of his late business partner (voice of Gary Oldman) and by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come (all voiced by Carrey). Though free of objectionable content, and unabashed about the Christian context of its conversion story, writer-director Robert Zemeckis' largely faithful retelling features images and special effects likely to disturb the most sensitive youngsters. Also shown in Imax.
A-I -- general patronage. (PG) 2009
Full Review
The Fourth Kind—Supposedly fact-based thriller about a recently widowed Alaska psychologist (Milla Jovovich) who becomes convinced that several patients she has been treating for a sleep disorder are in fact victims of alien abduction, and that the malevolent interplanetary visitors also killed her husband, though the local sheriff (Will Patton) and a colleague (Elias Koteas) she consults remain skeptical. The occasional jolt aside, writer-director Olatunde Osunsanmi's pseudo-dramatization, which intersperses "actual" video and audio of the case with alleged re-enactments, is slow-moving and largely ineffective, though the script's fleeting, potentially troublesome foray into theology is at least partially set right by the main character's explicitly Christian faith. Some violence, including a short scene of gory murder, brief nongraphic marital lovemaking, a half-dozen uses of profanity and a few crude terms.
A-III -- adults. (PG-13)
2009
Full Review
Michael Jackson's This Is It —Posthumous documentary capturing the planning and rehearsals for the titular series of comeback concerts by the controversial "king of pop," scheduled to begin in London in July, but forestalled by Jackson's untimely death at age 50 the previous month. Using footage originally intended for other purposes, director Kenny Ortega, who was one of the singer's principal collaborators in crafting the ill-fated live show, creates an energetic, largely unobjectionable tribute that, while casting little light on the eccentric -- if not inscrutable -- personality of an iconic entertainer, does provide insight into the talent, vision and discipline that lay behind his global professional success. Some skimpy costuming and suggestive dancing, and at least one vaguely crass term.
A-II -- adults and adolescents. (PG)
2009
Full Review
Paranormal Activity—
Cohabiting San Diego yuppies (Katie Featherston and Micah Sloat) use a video camera to record disturbing phenomena they fear are being caused by a demonic spirit that has pursued the young woman since childhood. Writer-director Oren Peli's ostensibly fact-based feature debut is mostly gore-free, playing instead -- subtly and quite effectively -- on viewers' primal fears of the unseen, but his script fails to show the same restraint with regard to language and sexual topics. Some sexual content, including a premarital situation, an off-screen encounter and a few jokes and references, a half-dozen uses of profanity, pervasive rough and crude terms, and at least two obscene gestures.
L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. (R)
2009
Full Review
The Nightmare Before Christmas—Rerelease in 3-D of the minor fantasy of the macabre with puppet animation telling the tale of Halloweentown's skeleton king replacing the kidnapped Santa Claus to spread Christmas fear with scary toys until stopped by a missile, then returning home to free Santa in time to make his accustomed rounds. Producer Tim Burton's story centers on the dark world of hobgoblins and monsters suddenly intruding on the bright expectations of St. Nick's annual visit, but the narrative proves tiresome in padding out the thin concept, despite all its stylish puppetry and ghoulish humor. Considerable menace and threatening atmosphere.
A-II -- adults and adolescents. (PG)
2009
Full Review
Saw VI—The blood flood continues in this predictably gruesome horror sequel as the sadistic life-or-death games initiated by the now-deceased psychopath Jigsaw (Tobin Bell, seen in flashbacks) are secretly carried on by a police detective (Costas Mandylor) even as he pretends to investigate the crimes, his principal current victim being a coldhearted health insurance executive (Peter Outerbridge). Neither its attempts at social relevance nor its twisted moral mutterings can disguise the fact that director Kevin Greutert's needless extension of a noisome franchise is simply a 90-minute descent into gratuitous cruelty. Pervasive gory violence, including graphic torture and mutilation, a half-dozen profanities, at least 40 uses of the F-word, and some crude and crass language.
O -- morally offensive. (R)
2009
Full Review
Amelia—Hilary Swank portrays aviatrix Amelia Earhart in a handsome, mellifluous biography suitable for viewing by multiple generations yet which nevertheless fails to soar as an adventure or romance. No one could expect director Mira Nair, using two literary biographies as source material, to offer the definitive take on Earhart's personality, let alone solve the mystery of her disappearance over the Pacific in 1937, but the vague insights into her character and relationships, both with husband George Putnam (Richard Gere) and intimate friend Gene Vidal (Ewan McGregor), though ultimately affirming the bonds of marriage, prove frustrating, particularly coupled with the film's lack of sustenance for aviation buffs. Discreetly handled adulterous and premarital sexual situations, one instance of crass language, and one use of profanity.
A-II -- adults and adolescents. (PG)
2009
Full Review
Astro Boy—Set in a futuristic world where an underclass of mechanical servants wait on disdainful human masters, this charming animated adventure concerns a scientist (voice of Nicolas Cage) who, after losing his son (voice of Freddie Highmore) in a lab accident, uses the lad's DNA to program the titular robot replica (also voiced by Highmore) but swiftly rejects his creation, leaving the superpowered but innocent boy 'bot vulnerable to widespread prejudice and the designs of a militaristic politician (voice of Donald Sutherland) intent on using the youth's life-giving energy source for weaponry. Director and co-writer David Bowers' adaptation of Osamu Tezuka's globally popular comic book series, begun in 1951 and previously the basis for three TV series, is by turns amusing, exciting and poignant as it chronicles its altruistic hero's struggle to discover his place in the world. Considerable stylized violence, some menace, and brief instances of vaguely irreverent and mildly scatological humor.
A-II -- adults and adolescents. (PG)
2009
Full Review
Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant—A strait-laced high school student (Chris Massoglia) and his rebellious best friend (Josh Hutcherson) get mixed up in a centuries-old conflict between a race of human-friendly vampires (led by John C. Reilly) and a group of homicidal bloodsuckers known as the Vampaneze. Director and co-writer Paul Weitz's unfocused adaptation of three novels in Darren Shan's "Cirque du Freak" series of children's books, which gets off to a stylish start but bogs down in a meandering plot and overlong fight scenes, offers such a bleak outlook on conventional family life that joining the community of the undead and being adopted by the traveling sideshow of the title -- populated by a beard-sprouting lady (Salma Hayek), a Japanese giant (Ken Watanabe) and the like -- is presented as an inviting alternative. Considerable hand-to-hand and knife violence, some crude and crass language, and a pornography reference.
A-III -- adults. (PG-13)
2009
Full Review
Law Abiding Citizen—Brutish, blood-soaked and ultimately nonsensical revenge fantasy in which, following the murder of his wife and young daughter, an inventor who specializes in killing terrorists (Gerard Butler), goes on an elaborately staged rampage, eventually making deals with a prosecutor (Jamie Foxx) in his search for "justice." Director F. Gary Gray and screenwriter Kurt Wimmer begin with an homage to the hyper-violent "Death Wish" films and concoct an implausible ending reminiscent of an old “Scooby-Doo” cartoon. A rape, explicit torture, gun and knife violence, explosions, rear male nudity, pervasive rough and crass language.
O -- morally offensive. (R)
2009
Full Review
The Stepfather—Slack thriller in which a young man (Penn Badgley) suspects his divorced mother’s (Sela Ward) seemingly affable live-in fiance (Dylan Walsh) may be a murderous psychopath. With viewers deliberately tipped off to the mystery man’s true identity from the start, director Nelson McCormick’s tedious remake of Joseph Rubin’s 1987 chillfest is as lacking in suspense as its villain is devoid of a coherent motive, while J.S. Cardone’s script implicitly endorses an incidental lesbian relationship. Benign view of homosexual acts, cohabitation, brief nongraphic nonmarital (possibly underage) sexual activity, moderate criminal violence, a half-dozen uses of profanity, a few crude and crass terms.
O -- morally offensive. (PG-13)
2009
Full Review
Where the Wild Things Are—Intriguing though melancholy fantasy in which a rambunctious young boy (Max Records) quarrels with his divorced mother (Catherine Keener) and runs away from home, eventually sailing to the island abode of the Wild Things, a close-knit but emotionally unstable community of giants (voiced, most prominently, by James Gandolfini and Lauren Ambrose) whose personalities reflect various aspects of the youth's real-life experiences and of his unsettled psychological state. While objectionable elements are minimal, director and co-writer Spike Jonze's subtle adaptation of Maurice Sendak's classic 1963 children's book -- which combines live action, puppetry and computer-generated animation -- far from being a film for kids, is instead a wistful adult meditation on the interior struggles of childhood. Also shown in Imax. Occasional menace and a few mild oaths.
A-II -- adults and adolescents. (PG)
2009
Full Review
Capitalism: A Love Story—Hard-hitting but at times overly simplistic documentary in which filmmaker Michael Moore highlights numerous dysfunctional aspects of the capitalist system in the U.S. and their negative effects on working people, who are thrown into unemployment or have their homes seized in foreclosure, ultimately calling for an economic revolution that would bring democracy to the workplace. Though Moore interviews two Catholic priests and Auxiliary Bishop emeritus Thomas Gumbleton of Detroit, who are unanimous in condemning capitalism as inherently sinful, this is not the teaching of the full magisterium, which instead recognizes both the efficiencies of the free market system and its need to be prudently regulated, while upholding the human dignity of workers, particularly their right to unionize. At least three uses of the F-word, a couple of crude terms.
A-III -- adults. (R)
2009
Full Review
Couples Retreat—Mostly dull, sexually wayward comedy in which a suburban couple (Jason Bateman and Kristen Bell) on the verge of divorce convince a group of their friends (most prominently Vince Vaughn and Malin Akerman) to join them at a South Pacific resort whose founder (Jean Reno) specializes in marriage therapy. While Peter Billingsley's directorial debut ultimately affirms marital fidelity, viewers have to endure waves of constantly suggestive, occasionally smutty humor and a tide of New Age psychobabble -- an obviously inadequate substitute for faith as a basis for lifelong commitment -- before reaching that safe shore. Strong sexual content, including brief but aberrant adulterous activity, fleeting nongraphic sexual activity within marriage, a flash of rear nudity, many sexually themed jokes, and some crude and much crass language.
L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. (PG-13) 2009
Full Review
No Impact Man—Thought-provoking documentary charting a year-long experiment by a New York City couple, author Colin Beavan and his journalist wife Michelle Conlin, during which they gradually give up every aspect of their lifestyle that could cause a negative environmental effect, a formidable list of sacrifices that eventually includes all motorized transport, even elevators, all food not grown locally, disposable diapers for their toddler daughter, air conditioning, heating and electric lights. While their undertaking obviously carries conscientiousness to an extreme unlikely to be imitated by many, as captured by filmmakers Laura Gabbert and Justin Schein, the pioneering experience does have its potentially inspiring rewards in the form of increased exercise, improved diet and intensified family life, though the incidental portrait of a real-life marriage mixes mutual commitment with sometimes misguided reproductive values. Some rough and crude language, a half-dozen crass terms, birth control references.
A-III -- adults. Not rated by the Motion Picture Association of America.
2009
Full Review
Toy Story—Toys come to life when humans aren't looking in this animated fantasy about the rivalry between a cowboy doll (voiced by Tom Hanks) and a flashy plastic spaceman (voiced by Tim Allen) whose subsequent misadventures teach them a lesson in friendship. Director John Lasseter makes good use of computer animation in a slim but imaginative tale featuring the frantic antics of mischievous playthings, though little ones may be frightened by some scenes of a nasty child who enjoys destroying toys. A-I -- general patronage. (G) 1995
Full Review
Toy Story 2—The animated adventures of toys that come to life when humans aren't looking continues as cowboy Woody (voice of Tom Hanks) is stolen by a greedy toy collector (voice of Wayne Knight), sending Woody's toy buddies, led by Buzz Lightyear (voice of Tim Allen), to a breathless rescue. Briskly directed by John Lasseter with even better animation, the lively cartoon sequel is a little less original but zippy action scenes and gentle humor should amuse small fry. A-I -- general patronage. (G) 1999
Full Review
The Invention of Lying—Venomous supposed comedy, set in a world where lying is unknown and every word spoken is accepted as truth, and where God does not exist until a failed documentary screenwriter (Ricky Gervais) discovers the ability to deceive and, to comfort his dying mother (Fionnula Flanagan), invents the fable of an afterlife, going on to fabricate the story of a "man in the sky" who rewards good deeds and punishes evil, all of which is eagerly accepted by the credulous masses who flock to hear his message. Along with his co-writer and co-director Matthew Robinson, Gervais launches an all-out, sneering assault on the foundations of religious faith such as has seldom if ever been seen in a mainstream film, despicably belittling core Judeo-Christian beliefs and mocking both the person and the teaching of Jesus Christ. Pervasive blasphemy, some sexual humor and references, and a few rough and crude terms. O -- morally offensive. (PG-13) 2009
Full Review
Whip It—Rough-and-tumble coming-of-age tale about a small-town Texas high school student (Ellen Page) who, with the help of her best friend (Alia Shawkat), defies her socially ambitious mother (Marcia Gay Harden) by secretly joining a hard-edged roller derby team (led by Kristen Wiig), eventually falling for a local rock singer (Landon Pigg) she meets at one of their matches. First-time director Drew Barrymore's adaptation of Shauna Cross' novel is buoyed by heartfelt performances from the principals, but the skimpy outfits and bruising smackdowns of the showcased competition come across as more exploitative than empowering, while Cross' script at least partially glamorizes irresponsible sexuality. Nongraphic nonmarital underage sexual activity, brief partial nudity, underage drinking, occasional irreverence, a few uses of profanity, some sexual humor and references, about a dozen crude terms and much crass language. L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. (PG-13) 2009
Full Review
Zombieland—Wryly amusing but at times wildly gruesome comedy, set in a ruined world where hordes of cannibal zombies prey on the few remaining humans, tracks the odd-couple adventures of a phobia-plagued slacker (Jesse Eisenberg) and a fearless gunslinger (Woody Harrelson) as they team up and hit the road, eventually crossing paths with two sisters (Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin) whose unpredictable antics repeatedly put a strain on their partnership. Adults with a high tolerance for graphic nastiness may discern, behind the uproarious, corpse-ridden proceedings of director Ruben Fleischer's feature debut, a touching nostalgia for more innocent times as well as a beleaguered yearning for solidarity, whether expressed through friendship or romance. Much gory violence, including cannibalism, partial upper female nudity, drug use, a few profanities, frequent crude and crass language, and an obscene gesture. L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. (R) 2009
Full Review
Fame—
Ensemble drama with music follows a class of gifted students (most prominently Kay Panabaker, Asher Book, Naturi Naughton and Collins Pennie) and their dedicated teachers (among them Kelsey Grammer, Charles S. Dutton and Bebe Neuwirth) through four years at a New York City high school for the performing arts. Director Kevin Tancharoen's remake of Alan Parker's 1980 celebration of creative exuberance jettisons most of the original's objectionable elements but, some enjoyable musical numbers aside, the results are mostly tepid. A scene involving suicide, a sexual situation, underage drinking, at least one use of profanity, and a half-dozen crude and a few crass terms. The A-III -- adults. (PG) 2009
Full Review
Pandorum
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Complex and deeply cliched sci-fi horror excursion in which two astronauts (Dennis Quaid and Ben Foster) awaken from an eight-year hypersleep to learn that their spacecraft, a sort of Noah's Ark designed to keep life from Earth in existence, has a balky power plant and a violent past. Director Christian Alvart serves up a heaping helping of pesky mutants with ninja skills, but the largely routine proceedings are somewhat redeemed by a surprisingly upbeat double-twist ending. At least one rough term, occasional profane and crass language, and some martial arts and knife violence. A-III -- adults.(R) 2009
Full Review
Surrogates
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Generally intriguing futuristic thriller, set in an America where people live their lives through ideal-looking robotic surrogates that they remote-control by their thoughts, follows an FBI agent (Bruce Willis) and his partner's (Radha Mitchell) investigation of a high-profile murder as well as his struggle to reconnect with his wife (Rosamund Pike) who refuses to interact with him except via her mechanical alter ego. Director Jonathan Mostow's adaptation of Robert Venditti's graphic novel is a cautionary tale about the perils of technology, especially its potential to cut us off from human contact and the world of nature, and an exploration of the values undergirding a successful marriage. Considerable action violence, drug use, brief sexual situations, a couple of uses of profanity and a few crude and crass terms.A-III -- adults. (PG-13)2009
Full Review
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs—
Loosely based on the 1978 children's book, this animated fantasy concerns a previously ridiculed young inventor (voice of Bill Hader) who fashions a machine that makes food fall from the sky, and who finds a kindred spirit in a rookie weather reporter (voice of Anna Faris) assigned to cover the bizarre climactic phenomenon. Serving to warn against overindulgence and extol the virtues of persistence and ingenuity, the film boasts dazzling 3-D visuals deployed to entertaining, if not always appetizing, effect by co-writers and directors Chris Miller and Phil Lord. Considerable cartoon violence, some rude expressions, a scatological reference and a few moderately scary action sequences. A-II -- adults and adolescents. (PG) 2009
Full Review
Current Movies - Alphabetical
All About Steve —
Tiresome romantic comedy about a motormouthed, trivia-spouting crossword-puzzle writer (Sandra Bullock) whose isolated life is transformed when she falls instantly for a TV news cameraman (Bradley Cooper) she meets on a blind date, her obsessive love prompting her first to throw herself at him in a bid for immediate intimacy, then to dog him from one news event to the next, egged on, as a practical joke, by a vain reporter (Thomas Haden Church) for his network. Director Phil Traill's feature debut is hobbled by a central character whose supposed quirkiness is grating rather than endearing and, a few digs at media excess aside, neither the humor nor the more serious moments affirming individuality and emotional sensitivity succeed. Nongraphic nonmarital sexual activity, some sexual humor and references, a half-dozen uses of profanity, frequent crude or crass language, and an obscene gesture. A-III -- adults. (PG-13) 2009
Full Review
Aliens in the Attic
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Mostly harmless comic adventure in which a group of young cousins (principally Carter Jenkins, Austin Butler and Ashley Tisdale) battle a quartet of aggressive extraterrestrials (voices of Josh Peck, J.K. Simmons, Thomas Haden Church and Kari Wahlgren) who've invaded their vacation home as a preliminary step to world domination. Director John Schultz's mildly diverting fantasy offers lessons about family unity and the value of education, but also includes dialogue inappropriate for younger viewers, who might otherwise enjoy it most. A few sexual references, occasional innuendo and at least one crass term. A-II -- adults and adolescents. (PG) 2009
Full Review
District 9
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Exceedingly violent yet powerful science fiction parable in which, two decades after the arrival in South Africa of an unwelcome race of human-sized but insect-shaped aliens, a bureaucrat (Sharlto Copley) for a multinational corporation charged with relocating them from the titular ghetto to a concentration camp finds his condescending attitude transformed when a chemical accident turns him into a fugitive from the system he previously served. Propelled by Copley's intense performance, director and co-writer Neill Blomkamp's unflinchingly harsh feature debut employs a mock documentary format to create an incisive study of prejudice and societal indifference. Considerable gory violence, including brief torture, pervasive rough and some crude language, and a few sexual references. L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. (R) 2009
Full Review
Easy Virtue
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Glossy but ho-hum retread of an early Noel Coward play (1924), adapted by director and co-writer Stephen Elliott, wherein a landed young Englishman (Ben Barnes) brings home his vivacious new bride, a glamorous American widow (likable Jessica Biel) with a "past," who clashes with her husband's stodgy mother (Kristin Scott Thomas) and sisters, though winning the admiration of his more bohemian father (Colin Firth). The colorful period and background tunes are enjoyable, but performances are generally flat and the dated and unconvincing story is further sabotaged by a couple of morally problematic plot additions. Unconventional view of marriage, divorce, assisted suicide, nongraphic sexual marital encounters, brief rear and partial nudity, some crass language and heavy smoking. O -- morally offensive. (PG-13) 2009
Full Review
Extract —
The successful owner (Jason Bateman) of a flavor extract factory is convinced by his best friend (Ben Affleck) to hire a young gigolo (Dustin Milligan) to seduce his sex-withholding wife (Kristen Wiig) so that he can have a guilt-free affair with an attractive new employee (Mila Kunis), not realizing that the newcomer is a con artist who is manipulating a fellow worker (Clifton Collins Jr.) into suing him over an on-the-job injury in order to make off with the wounded man's award money. Though the dialogue is at times undeniably clever, and though the plot moves toward a generally moral wrap-up, writer-director Mike Judge's comic portrait of a personally and professionally beleaguered entrepreneur showcases skewed marital values and, in at least one instance, gives a pass to infidelity. Adultery, a repeated blasphemous joke, much sexual humor, some profanity and rough language, and frequent crude and crass terms. O -- morally offensive. (R) 2009
Full Review
The Final Destination —
Repellent horror sequel in which a young man’s (Bobby Campo) premonition of impending death saves him, his girlfriend (Shantel VanSanten), two of their pals (Haley Webb and Nick Zano) and a number of strangers from perishing in a speedway accident, but the Grim Reaper is not to be cheated, and the survivors begin to die off in a series of horrifically gruesome misadventures. Director David R. Ellis’ utterly callous fourth installment in the franchise amounts to little more than an exercise in gross-out special effects, with a gratuitous scene of debased casual sex tacked on for bad measure. Conventional and 3D formats. Pervasive gory violence, including mutilation, brief graphic nonmarital sexual activity, a couple of uses of profanity, some rough and much crude language. O -- morally offensive. (R) 2009
Full Review
Gamer —
Brutal futuristic gladiator tale in which a wrongly convicted death row inmate (Gerard Butler) who has been bio-engineered for remote control battles to stay alive and eventually win his freedom under the online direction of a rich teen (Logan Lerman) in a combat game developed by an evil genius (Michael C. Hall). Co-writers and directors Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor’s dystopian mishmash also samples the mastermind’s other game where players use similarly altered people to act out their sexual fantasies. Constant action violence, much of it gory, mutilation, brief graphic aberrant sexual activity, upper female and rear nudity, a few uses of profanity, much rough and crude language. O -- morally offensive. (R) 2009
Full Review
G-Force
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3-D fantasy adventure, combining live action and animation, in which a team of three guinea pigs (voices of Sam Rockwell, Tracy Morgan and Penelope Cruz) and a mole (voice of Nicolas Cage), all trained and equipped as government agents by an innovative scientist (Zach Galifianakis), work to foil the plans of a sinister industrialist (Bill Nighy) bent on world domination. As directed by Hoyt H. Yeatman Jr., this exuberant, at times spectacular, rodent romp portrays the crime-fighting team, which eventually includes an enthusiastic but inept pet-store guinea pig (voice of Jon Favreau), as an improvised family, sustained by cooperation, self-sacrifice and forgiveness; these are positive lessons for all but the most impressionable viewers, who might be frightened by repeated scenes of peril.
A-I -- general patronage. (PG)
2009
Full Review
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra
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Futuristic combat fantasy in which two soldier buddies (Channing Tatum and Marlon Wayans) join an elite international force (led by Dennis Quaid) to thwart an evil arms dealer (Christopher Eccleston) bent on world domination. Special effects are expensive and the lives of the extras are cheap in director Stephen Sommers' slick but uninvolving action excursion, developed from a line of Hasbro toys. Pervasive action violence, brief gore, at least two uses of profanity and about a dozen crude or crass terms.
A-III -- adults. (PG-13) 2009
Full Review
Halloween ll —
Writer-director Scott Zombie creates a horror film so boring and predictable, even Michael Myers (Tyler Mane) looks embarrassed to be put through his desultory homicidal paces. Deborah Myers (Sheri Moon Zombie, the director's wife), is Michael's semi-spooky, cliche-spouting ghost of a mother, and Scout Taylor-Compton reprises her scream-queen role as Michael's disturbingly foulmouthed sister Laurie, with whom he longs to have a violent, delusional reunion. Strong violent content, including multiple stabbings, a strangling and a fatal stomping, fleeting upper female nudity, pervasive rough and crass language and occasional sexual banter. O -- morally offensive. (R) 2009
Full Review
The Hangover
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A 100-minute assault of crude behavior, violence, racial stereotypes and male nudity strung along a thin plot of three groomsmen (Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Justin Bartha) searching for their pal the bridegroom (Bradley Cooper) after a drunken and drugged Las Vegas debauch the night before the wedding. Producer-director Doug Phillips and screenwriters Jon Lucas and Doug Moore work on the assumptions that any loutish behavior is hilarious, and if it's funny when a grown man gets hit in the face by a car door, it's even funnier when it later happens to an infant. Intermittent violence; pervasive crass, crude and profane language; upper female and explicit male nudity; drug use; frequent urination; and crude sexual gags, one involving an infant. O -- morally offensive. (R) 2009
Full Review
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
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At the behest of his mentor (Michael Gambon), the now-teenage wizard (Daniel Radcliffe) ingratiates himself with a returning Hogwarts instructor (Jim Broadbent) who once taught his archenemy Lord Voldemort and whose memories may hold the key to defeating the villain, while adolescent romantic tensions complicate the lad's relationship with his two closest friends (Rupert Grint and Emma Watson). As directed by David Yates, this sixth adaptation of J.K. Rowling's hugely popular fantasy novel series is a richly textured, though at times overcrowded, adventure narrative in which good and evil are clearly delineated, but characters present a range of moral shading. Also shown in Imax. Moderate action violence, occasional peril, a couple of crass expressions, and a few vaguely sexual references. A-II -- adults and adolescents. (PG) 2009
Full Review
I Love You, Beth Cooper
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A nerdy high school valedictorian (Paul Rust) uses his speech to declare his love for the head cheerleader (Hayden Panettiere) after which the unlikely pair have a series of graduation night adventures in the company of his sexually conflicted best friend (Jack T. Carpenter) and her two closest pompom pals (Lauren London and Lauren Storm). In director Chris Columbus' comic misfire, adapted by Larry Doyle from his novel, a potentially charming central relationship gets lost in the shuffle of well-worn social stereotypes, harshly violent confrontations with the heroine's boyfriend (Shawn Roberts) and freewheeling sexual attitudes and behavior. Brief nongraphic, nonmarital sexual activity, an off-screen three-way encounter, benign view of group sex and homosexuality, underage drinking, drug references, much sexual and occasional irreverent humor, at least one use of the F-word, much crude language and a half-dozen uses of profanity. O -- morally offensive. (PG-13) 2009
Full Review
I Can Do Bad All By Myself —
A selfish club singer (Taraji P. Henson) learns the redemptive power of unselfish love when she finds herself caring for her dead sister's three children (Hope Olaide Wilson, Kwesi Boakye and Frederick Siglar). Writer-director Tyler Perry's adaptation of his own stage drama is a hard-driving, if entirely predictable, morality play with music in which his trademark comic character, "Madea" Simmons, has only a brief supporting role. Implied adultery, a brief scene of sexual menace, a fleeting glimpse of a male backside and a bit of crass language. A-II -- adults and adolescents. (PG-13) 2009
Full Review
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
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Mostly delightful animated sequel in which a mammoth couple (voices of Ray Romano and Queen Latifah), a tiger (voice of Denis Leary) and two possums (voices of Josh Peck and Seann William Scott) search for the missing sloth (voice of John Leguizamo) who rounds out their improvised herd, and discover the underworld of dinosaurs to which he has been unwillingly carried. A few touches of vaguely crude humor aside, director Carlos Saldanha's epic 3-D quest, which also features Simon Pegg voicing the adventurers' wacky weasel guide, is well calculated to charm viewers of all ages with its portrayal of loyalty and teamwork.
A-I -- general patronage. (PG)
2009
Full Review
Inglourious Basterds —
Provocative World War II fantasy in which a team of ruthless Jewish-American commandoes led by a hard-bitten Southern officer (Brad Pitt) and a young French Jewish woman (Melanie Laurent) passing as a gentile cinema owner in occupied Paris plot independently to assassinate key Nazi leaders during a gala film premiere, even as the German officer (Christoph Waltz) who killed her family threatens both schemes. Between episodes of graphic bloodletting, writer-director Quentin Tarentino weaves a suspenseful, though somewhat lurid, alternate history, but the Americans' systematic brutality toward enemy soldiers can only be accepted within a genre far removed from Strong violent content, including torture and mutilation, brief graphic sexual activity, complex moral issues, a few uses of profanity, and much rough and some crude language. L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. (R) 2009
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Jennifer's Body
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A fetching but cynical high school student (Megan Fox) is mysteriously transformed into a cannibalistic demon preying on her male schoolmates, much to the distress of her timid best pal (Amanda Seyfried) whose boyfriend (Johnny Simmons) may become the next item on the monster's menu. Director Karyn Kusama's failed attempt to satirize teen female rivalry by inflating it into an occult struggle for life or death relishes gore and exploits adolescent sexuality. Frequent savage violence, cannibalism, strong sexual content, including graphic (presumably underage) sexual activity and lesbian kissing, a couple of profanities, irreverence and much rough and crude language. O -- morally offensive. (R) 2009
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Julie & Julia —
Charming, frequently funny dramatization of passages in the lives of master chef Julia Child (a marvelous Meryl Streep) and Internet blogger Julie Powell (Amy Adams), who, 40 years after the publication of Child's 1961 blockbuster, "Mastering the Art of French Cooking," sets out to prepare every recipe in the extensive volume over the course of a year, aided by her supportive husband (Chris Messina) -- whose solicitude parallels that of Child's own spouse (Stanley Tucci) decades earlier. Writer-director Nora Ephron whips up a delicious melange of the two women's memoirs and, more significantly, details the ingredients, ranging from passion to patience, requisite for a successful marriage. Fleeting nongraphic sexual activity, a few sexual references, a suicide reference, at least one use of the F-word and about a dozen crude or crass terms. A-III -- adults. (PG-13) 2009
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Love Happens
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Serious but overly slick romantic drama about a widowed self-help guru (Aaron Eckhart) who guides others through the grieving process but who, after returning to his wife's hometown to host a seminar and falling for a local florist (Jennifer Aniston), gradually realizes he has unfinished emotional business of his own. Despite Eckhart's complex performance, and an admirably mature central relationship, director and co-writer Brandon Camp's feature debut, a study of personal loss and recovery in a strictly secular context, is too timid to sound the spiritual depths that would make it truly memorable. A half-dozen uses of profanity, occasional crude and crass language, a few sexual jokes and an obscene gesture. A-III -- adults. (PG-13) 2009
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My Life in Ruins
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Cotton-ball-soft romantic comedy about a travel guide in Greece (Nia Vardalos) who learns to absorb the spirit of the Greek islands in order to enjoy life and find romance with -- who else? -- a handsome Greek (Alexis Georgoulis). Director Donald Petrie and screenwriter Mike Reiss duplicate the slow, ambling formula of Vardalos' monster hit, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," to the letter, replacing her passel of eccentric but lovable relatives with a busload of eccentric but lovable tourists. So devoid of objectionable elements, it's acceptable for older adolescents who probably will be dragged to the theater by Vardalos-adoring grandmothers. A couple of implied premarital encounters, mild sexual banter and innuendo. A-II -- adults and adolescents. (PG-13) 2009
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My Sister's Keeper
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Generally well-acted if sometimes soggy family drama about a strong-willed mother (Cameron Diaz excellent in a not-always-likable part), in denial about her teenage daughter's (Sofia Vassilieva) losing battle with cancer; the loving but conflicted father (Jason Patric); and sister (Abigail Breslin), who hires a lawyer (Alec Baldwin) for "medical emancipation" so she won't be forced to donate her kidney to her sister. Affecting, despite basic plot contrivances and a couple of morally questionable elements, co-writer and director Nick Cassavetes' tear-jerker ultimately presents a positive view of marriage and family. A nongraphic nonmarital sexual encounter, in vitro conception, disturbing hospital imagery, brief rough and crude language and a couple of profanities, domestic discord, some mild sexual talk and brief teenage drinking. L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. (PG-13) 2009
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Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian
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Enjoyable sequel, again directed by Shawn Levy, has the ex-Museum of Natural History night guard (Ben Stiller) traveling to Washington to rescue his formerly inanimate friends -- the museum's display figures (Owen Wilson, Robin Williams, Steve Coogan) -- from being archived in the Smithsonian. With the help of Amelia Earhart (Amy Adams) and General Custer (Bill Hader), they must ward off Egyptian pharaoh Kahmunrah (funny Hank Azaria), Ivan the Terrible (Christopher Guest), Napoleon Bonaparte (Alain Chabat) and Al Capone (Jon Bernthal). Kids will love the gags (the humor stays clean) and excellent special effects, and adults will appreciate the wit of some of the D.C. museum's most iconic paintings and sculptures springing to life. A-I -- general patronage. (PG) 2009
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9 —
Artistically accomplished but intellectually problematic animated fantasy in which the doll-like titular creature (voice of Elijah Wood) leads a band of similar beings (voiced by, among others, Christopher Plummer, Martin Landau, John C. Reilly and Jennifer Connelly) -- each also identified by a number -- as they battle giant mechanical monsters amid the ruins of a post-apocalyptic world. Director Shane Acker's feature debut, an expansion of his 2004 short of the same title, implicitly contrasts a naysaying version of religious faith with enlightening science, a false dichotomy that, despite some eventual modifications, requires mature deliberation by spiritually well-grounded viewers. Complex religious themes, moderate action violence and frequent menace. L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. (PG-13) 2009
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Orphan
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Atmospheric but ultimately exploitative chiller about a couple (Peter Sarsgaard and Vera Farmiga) who adopt a 9-year-old Russian-born girl (Isabelle Fuhrman) from a Catholic orphanage, only to find that her inexplicable, manipulative behavior is tearing their marriage apart, and may pose a physical threat to their two other children (Jimmy Bennett and Aryana Engineer). Director Jaume Collet-Serra's horror outing begins promisingly enough by relying on Fuhrman's ability to unsettle the audience, but interludes of excessive violence and distasteful psychosexual complications soon take hold, leading to a conclusion that plays on viewers' most visceral emotions. A few scenes of gory violence, brief graphic sexual activity, fleeting images of upper female and rear nudity, some rough and crass language, and a couple of uses of profanity.
L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. (R)
2009
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Ponyo
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Enchanting English-language version of a Japanese animated fable about a determined goldfish (voice of Noah Cyrus) who escapes from the underwater realm of her domineering wizard father (voice of Liam Neeson) to explore the world beyond, and comes under the protection of a plucky, affectionate 5-year-old boy (voice of Frankie Jonas), whose love for her is tested both before and after her mysterious transformation into a little girl. Originally written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, the mythic tale, inspired by Hans Christian Anderson's "The Little Mermaid," uses masterful artistry to recapture the innocence and wonder of childhood, while deftly delivering a warning against environmental carelessness
. A-I -- general patronage. (G)
2009
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Post Grad —
After failing to secure her dream job, a recent college graduate (Alexis Bledel) is forced to return home to her eccentric parents (Jane Lynch and Michael Keaton) and feisty grandmother (Carol Burnett) whose antics distract her from her employment search and from her efforts to choose between her longtime boyfriend (Zach Gilford) and a Brazilian-born ladies' man (Rodrigo Santoro). A talented cast is becalmed, in veteran animation director Vicky Jenson's live-action debut, by a listless script which, though it boosts family solidarity, also features a passionate encounter between characters who have barely met and repeatedly refers to the importance of condom use. Brief nongraphic, nonmarital sexual activity, occasional sexual references, a half-dozen uses of profanity, at least one use of the F-word, and some crude and crass language. A-III -- adults. (PG- 13) 2009
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Sorority Row —Cut-rate exploitative horror tale in which a prank by a group of sorority members (Briana Evigan, Leah Pipes, Rumer Willis, Jamie Chung and Margo Harshman) goes terribly wrong, resulting in the death of one of their sisters (Audrina Patridge), a mishap they manage to conceal until they themselves begin to fall prey to a black-robed slasher. As directed by Stewart Hendler, the gruesome proceedings are interspersed with "Animal House"-style high jinks, gratuitous nudity and the early stages of a number of utterly promiscuous sexual encounters. Frequent bloody violence, brief nongraphic nonmarital sexual activity, upper female and rear nudity, a couple of profanities, and much rough and crude language. O -- morally offensive. (R) 2009
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Shorts —
Clever children's fantasy about a rainbow-colored rock that grants the wishes of anyone holding it, and the chaos its misuse wreaks on the lives of a bullied schoolboy (Jimmy Bennett), his parents (Jon Cryer and Leslie Mann), his chief persecutor (terrific newcomer Jolie Vanier), her tycoon father (James Spader) and their suburban community in general. Told in a series of nonsequential episodes, writer-director Robert Rodriguez's lively yarn, which carries messages about the dangers of power and the isolating effects of contemporary technology, generally makes for appealing family entertainment, though perilous special effects may overwhelm the most sensitive viewers, while some parents may find a story line about a mucus monster unpleasant. Occasional menace and mildly gross humor. A-II -- adults and adolescents. (PG) 2009
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The Stoning of Soraya M.
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Compelling and often moving, if necessarily violent, fact-based drama set in Iran, in which a philandering husband (Navid Negahban) falsely accuses his wife (Mozhan Marno) of adultery with her employer (Parviz Sayyad), eventually convincing her neighbors (David Diaan and Ali Pourtash, among others) to condemn her, despite the vigorous protests of her courageous aunt (Shohreh Aghdashloo). Director and co-writer Cyrus Nowrasteh's adaptation of the best-selling book, which also features Jim Caviezel as author-journalist Freidoune Sahebjam, takes an admirable stand against injustice, but depicts the climactic execution extremely graphically. A sequence of intense violence, torture, sexual references, one rough and a few crude and crass terms. In Farsi. Subtitles. L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. (R) 2009
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The Time Traveler's Wife
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A librarian (Eric Bana) afflicted with a genetic disorder that causes him to disappear from the present and travel -- involuntarily and randomly -- through time pursues romance with an artist (Rachel McAdams) who has known him since childhood, when he befriended her during visits from his future. At its core the enjoyable tale of a lifelong committed relationship, director Robert Schwentke's adaptation of novelist Audrey Niffenegger's 2003 best-seller features persuasive central performances that divert attention from the logical loose ends, though not from some behavior that would be objectionable in less far-fetched circumstances. Brief nongraphic premarital sexual activity, rear nudity, a sterilization theme, a few uses of profanity, and some crude and crass language.
A-III -- adults. (PG-13)
2009
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Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
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Overlong, mindlessly violent action adventure sequel in which a college freshman (Shia LaBeouf) and his girlfriend (Megan Fox) assist a group of friendly, shape-shifting alien robots as they battle to defend humanity against the designs of a hostile horde of similar creatures. Derived from the back story of a line of Hasbro toys, director Michael Bay's globe-trotting explosion fest offers only a modicum of human interest amid the thunderous special effects. Also shown in Imax. Pervasive action violence, brief rear nudity, brief nongraphic nonmarital sexual activity, drug use, occasional rough and crude and some crass language, and frequent sexual references.
L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. (PG-13)
2009
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The Ugly Truth
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Low-minded relationship comedy in which a romantically inept TV producer (Katherine Heigl) enlists the help of the boorish new star (Gerard Butler) of her morning news program -- a shock jock who proclaims the supposed ugly truth that all men are sex-obsessed animals -- to inveigle her gentlemanly neighbor (Eric Winter) into a relationship. As directed by Robert Luketic, the formulaic odd-couple proceedings feature a relentless barrage of raunchy humor. Brief graphic premarital sexual activity, fleeting rear nudity, pervasive sexual humor and references, much rough and crude language, and a few uses of profanity. O -- morally offensive. (R) 2009
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Up
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Off we go into the wild blue yonder -- literally -- with this instant classic, the story of Carl Frederickson (voice of Ed Asner), a grumpy septuagenarian who decides to get away from it all by relocating his home to South America with the help of thousands of colorful balloons. Joined by an earnest 8-year-old stowaway named Russell (Jordan Nagai), a gigantic squawking bird, and a "talking" dog, Carl finds the adventure of a lifetime as the ragtag group battles evil in the Venezuelan jungle. This touching fable from director/co-writer Pete Docter ("Monsters, Inc.") offers lessons for young and old on love and loss, marriage, friendship, and perseverance in a gorgeously rendered, very amusing and highly entertaining film. Some serious thematic material and a few scenes of intense peril may disturb small children. A-I -- general patronage. (PG) 2009
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Whatever Works
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A pessimistic New York grouch (Larry David) finds his life transformed when he reluctantly shelters a homeless but irrepressibly cheerful young Southerner (Evan Rachel Wood), and they fall for each other. Though undeniably clever at times, writer-director Woody Allen's comedy of manners mocks evangelical Christians through the waif's parents (Patricia Clarkson and Ed Begley Jr.) and heavy-handedly rams home the message that, in a meaningless universe, any path to temporary fulfillment, particularly that of unbridled sexuality, ought to be pursued. Adultery, implied group sex and homosexual activity, images of full nudity, a suicide theme, some sexual humor, at least one crude and one crass word, and about a dozen uses of profanity. O -- morally offensive. (PG-13) 2009
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Whiteout —
Lackluster thriller in which a federal marshal (Kate Beckinsale) and a U.N. official (Gabriel Macht) investigate a series of murders in Antarctica, assisted by a government medic (Tom Skerritt). Though there are some suspenseful snow-blinded confrontations with the killer, logic is among the casualties in director Dominic Sena's often grisly adaptation of Greg Rucka's graphic novel. Frequent gory images, brief streaking scene with full male nudity, partial female shower nudity, suicide, a few uses of profanity, and occasional rough and crude language. L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. (R) 2009
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Yoo-Hoo, Mrs. Goldberg
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Warmhearted documentary celebrating the life and career of Gertrude Berg, the creator, principal writer and star of "The Goldbergs," a popular radio series about a middle-class Jewish family that became one of TV's first sitcoms in 1949. Filmmaker Aviva Kempner's accomplished profile of this media pioneer, whose scripts promoted familial relationships over possessions, offers insights into the early history of broadcasting, the widespread anti-Semitism against which Berg courageously struggled, and the anti-communism crusade of the 1950s which temporarily drove the show off the air. Mature themes, including suicide, and incidental but negative treatment of Catholic historical figures.
A-II -- adults and adolescents. Not rated by the Motion Picture Association of America.
2009
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