Scheduled to open Wednesday
MEET THE FOCKERS (PG-13) -- Jack (Robert De Niro) and Dina Byrnes (Blythe Danner) meet the parents (Dustin Hoffman, Barbra Streisand) of Greg Focker (Ben Stiller) after Greg marries their daughter (Teri Polo) in this sequel to the hit 2000 comedy, Meet the Parents. Jay Roach returns to direct.
A VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT (R) -- Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Audrey Tatou of Amelie fame reunite in this World War I epic about a woman who vigilantly waits for her fiance to return home from battle. Based on Sébastien Japrisot's novel.
Scheduled to open Saturday
THE AVIATOR (PG-13) -- Martin Scorsese (Gangs of New York) returns with another epic, this one about millionaire Howard Hughes' (Leonardo DiCaprio) early forays into aviation and clashes with government and industry figures. Co-stars Kate Beckinsale, Cate Blanchett, Jude Law, Willem Dafoe, Alec Baldwin, Alan Alda, Gwen Stefani and Rufus Wainwright.
DARKNESS (R) -- Teenager Anna Paquin (Almost Famous) discovers her family's new countryside home has more than a few skeletons in the closet in this horror thriller directed by Jaume Balaguero (The Nameless) and co-starring Lena Olin and Giancarlo Giannini.
FAT ALBERT (PG) -- TV series creator Bill Cosby makes his feature screenwriting debut and Joel Zwick (My Big Fat Greek Wedding) directs a cast of unknowns in this live-action version of Cosby's cartoon show about inner-city youths who learn life's lessons through voiceovers.
THE LIFE AQUATIC WITH STEVE ZISSOU (R) -- B+ Director Wes Anderson (The Royal Tenenbaums) continues to develop and expand his skills while not necessarily making a better film than his previous work in this ³comedic sea adventure² about a fading, Cousteau-like oceanographer (Bill Murray) and his wacky crew out to recapture their past filmmaking glory while dealing with myriad problems. Anderson, like his film's heroes, might be over-reaching a little in this effort, but you cannot help but enjoy his trademark wit, quirky ensemble characters (maybe too many characters this time) and visual underwater splendor courtesy of award-winning animator Henry Selic. Co-stars Owen Wilson, Cate Blanchett, Anjelica Huston, Willem Dafoe and Bud Cort. (Simmons) (Reviewed in this issue.)
Now Showing
AFTER THE SUNSET (PG-13) -- Suave thief Pierce Brosnan thinks he's pulled off his last heist and is set for retirement when his nemesis, an FBI agent, visits him on his remote island to keep tabs on him and winds up striking up the old rivalry. Brett Ratner (Red Dragon) directs; supporting cast includes Woody Harrelson, Salma Hayek and Don Cheadle.
ALEXANDER (R) -- A- A fine movie with its share of brilliant moments, Alexander makes you wonder if the way director Oliver Stone sees his title character is also the way he wants to see himself: great and greatly misunderstood. The film is the most conventionally coherent that Stone has made to date, and the staggering fight scenes of the battle at Gaugamela represent Stone's technical mastery at its finest. Good performances all around (especially from Angelina Jolie as Alexander's mad mother, Olympias) complement a screenplay steeped in magic and mythology. (Carlson)
BLADE: TRINITY (R) -- Wesley Snipes returns once again as the part-human, part-vampire who battles full-fledged vampires in their quest for world domination. Co-stars Jessica Biel and Ryan Reynolds.
BRIDGET JONES: THE EDGE OF REASON (R) -- C- Beeban Kidron's sequel to Sharon Maguire's delightful 2001 hit comedy about a slightly overweight reporter's romantic involvement with two different men begins a couple of months after she ended up with the right one at the end of the original. Renée Zellweger, Colin Firth and Hugh Grant are back as the romantic triangle, but the script is at once broadly predictable and narrowly so contrived as to elicit scoffs. (Barton)
CHRISTMAS WITH THE KRANKS (PG) -- F Like Santa himself, Jamie Lee Curtis and Tim Allen -- as a couple deciding to opt for a Caribbean cruise over celebrating Christmas -- magically dropped off this lump of coal into multiplexes everywhere, all on a single night. Christmas is a season of iconic imagery: a jolly gift-giver, a lighted tree, a babe in a manger. To this list, now add Curtis and Allen overflowing from their teeny swimsuits as they prance in a shopping mall tanning salon. (Tisserand)
CLOSER (R) -- A Adapted from Patrick Marber's play, Mike Nichols' film examines the emotional and sexual entanglements of four young people in contemporary London. Searingly brave performances by Natalie Portman, Julia Roberts, Jude Law and Clive Owen make this picture particularly memorable. It's theme that many people use ³love² as a defense for self-indulgence rings sadly true. (Barton)
DOLPHINS (NR) -- Fa love Pa! Actor Pierce Brosnan narrates Greg MacGillivray's documentary about the study of dolphins' communication skills. Featuring music by Sting. Entergy IMAX
EULOGY (R) -- A fractured, multi-generational family gathers to pay respects to the deceased patriarch in an ensemble comedy featuring Ray Romano, Debra Winger, Zooey Deschanel and Hank Azaria. Written and directed by Michael Clancy.
FINDING NEVERLAND (PG) -- A- Marc Foster (Monster's Ball) directs Johnny Depp as author and playwright J.M. Barrie, in this lovely little film which documents the origins of the Scotsman's most enduring work, Peter Pan. Depp is a gentle giant, infusing Barrie with a charming mix of melancholy and mischief, and Kate Winslet ably plays single-mother Sylvia Llewelyn Davies, whose brood of boys inspire the timeless tale. A bighearted, imaginative film from Foster, Finding Neverland is sure to be a classic, especially among those who never want to grow up. Co-stars Dustin Hoffman, Julie Christie and Radha Mitchell. (Carlson)
FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX (PG-13) -- A plane carrying laid-off oil workers back from a rig to Beijing crash-lands in the Gobi Desert, and the survivors struggle with the elements and themselves to rebuild the plane in this remake of a 1965 film based on Elleston Trevor's novel. Plane-happy John Moore (Behind Enemy Lines) directs Dennis Quaid, Tyrese Gibson, Giovanni Ribisi and Amanda Otto.
FORCES OF NATURE (NR) -- George Casey's documentary about the study of such natural phenomena as earthquakes, hurricanes and tornadoes. Directed by Kevin Bacon. Kenner MegaDome
GARDEN STATE (R) -- B+ Zach Braff (TV's Scrubs) wrote, directed and stars in this self-consciously offbeat comedy-drama about a semi-successful actor who returns home to New Jersey for his mother's funeral and to confront both his past and his future. Admittedly inspired by Harold and Maude, Braff sometimes relies too heavily on character quirks as character development, but his honesty and earnestness shine through in an effort to explore the painful confrontation with adulthood. Natalie Portman, Peter Sarsgaard, Ian Holm, Jean Smart and Method Man form an impressive supporting cast, and Braff in particularly is delightfully subdued. (Simmons)
THE GRUDGE (PG-13) -- Japanese director Takashi Shimizu takes the trend of American directors adapting Japanese thrillers one step further by remaking his own film into English, with Sarah Michelle Gellar trapped in a haunted house.
I &127; HUCKABEES (R) -- A- David O. Russell fulfills the promise of earlier works Spanking the Monkey, Flirting With Disaster and Three Kings with the most novel film of the year so far: a slapstick existential comedy with noir tendencies. Rare is the director who can work a film on such seemingly disparate intellectual levels, which Russell does here in exploring the psyche of an environmentalist (Jason Schwartzman), a corporate drone (Jude Law) and an embittered firefighter (Mark Wahlberg), with a little help from ³existentialist detectives² Dustin Hoffman and Lily Tomlin. A pitch-perfect ensemble cast (which also features Naomi Watts and Isabelle Huppert) and a breezy pace balances the heady themes explored by Russell, who co-wrote the script. (Simmons)
THE INCREDIBLES (PG) -- A- Director Brad Bird follows up his animated mini-masterpiece Iron Giant with a CGI mini-masterpiece that depicts a family of superheroes trying to conceal their powers in a witness protection program. Like the best old Marvel comics (especially The Fantastic Four), the film succeeds by combining clever action sequences with fresh humor and honest character development. (Tisserand)
INDECENT EXPOSURE -- Microcinema International/Black Chair Label presents this monthly program of international, award-winning short films. 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Zeitgeist
INTO THE DEEP (NR) -- IMAX cameras take a journey through the undersea world. Entergy IMAX
JAY-Z: FADE TO BLACK (R) -- Concert documentary about the soon-to-retire rapper (and Beyonce squeeze) on his farewell tour stop at Madison Square Garden, directed by Patrick Paulson and Michael John Warren.
KINSEY (R) -- A- Bill Condon's (Gods and Monsters) biography of seminal sex researcher Alfred Kinsey offers terrific lead performances by Laura Linney as Kinsey's wife and Liam Neeson. The film appropriately views Kinsey as a hero who shined light where darkness had hitherto reigned but also as a complicated and flawed human being sometimes as blind to the spirit as his opponents were to the body. (Barton)
LEMONY SNICKET'S A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS (PG) -- The wildly popular children's book series comes to the big screen, with this film based on the first three novellas about three young orphans who get bounced from household to household searching for a permanent home (including a stint with the devious Count Olaf, played by Jim Carrey). Daniel Handler adapts from his own materiall, while Brad Silberling (Moonlight Mile) directs a stellar ensemble cast featuring Jude Law, Meryl Streep, Jennifer Coolidge, Cedric the Entertainer, Catherine O'Hara, Timothy Spall, Emily Browning, Billy Connolly and Jane Adams.
THE LIVING SEA (NR) -- Entergy IMAX's premiere film returns with its look at aquatic life, narrated by Meryl Streep. Oscar-nominated for Best Documentary Short. Entergy IMAX
THE MACHINIST (R) -- Lathe operator Christian Bale (who reportedly dropped 60 pounds for the role) questions his sanity when he suffers from an acute and potentially deadly case of insomnia in this thriller directed by Brad Anderson (Next Stop Wonderland). Co-stars Jennifer Jason Leigh
MEAN CREEK (R) -- Writer-director Jacob Aaron Estes' drama about a bunch of teens who unite to fend off a bully stars Josh Peck, Rory Culkin and Trevor Morgan.
METALLICA: SOME KIND OF MONSTER (R) -- B+ Joe Berlinger and Brude Sinofsky (Brother's Keeper) chronicle two years in the life of Metallica as the band struggled to produce its latest album, St. Anger, through artistic differences, rehab and personnel changes. Hopefully this will earn heavy metal musicians the respect they may have lost two decades ago with the mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap, with singer-guitarist James Hetfield coming off as wholly sympathetic in his struggles with alcohol abuse, clashes with drummer Lars Ulrich, and the middle-age trappings of marriage and fatherhood. (Simmons)
NAPOLEON DYNAMITE (PG) -- A- Co-writer and director Jared Hess has created one of the most blissfully abstract comedies in recent memory in his story about Napoleon Dynamite (Jon Heder), a dorky high school student who might actually be a superhero. In what almost feels like a goof on John Hughes' '80s teen comedies, Hess has produced something thoroughly offbeat and surprisingly profound, displaying a love for people who aren't nearly as ordinary as we think. Plus, it has one of the coolest opening title sequences of all time. (Simmons)
NATIONAL TREASURE (PG) -- C+ Action-flick producer Jerry Bruckheimer's latest stars Nicolas Cage as a man who believes the Founding Fathers hid a vast treasure from the British and planted clues to its whereabouts on our currency and in invisible ink on The Declaration of Independence. Filled with stock chases, the picture is preposterously but cleverly enough plotted for brainless diversion, but it doesn't send you because Cage doesn't dare to take his character to the lunatic fringe. (Barton)
OCEAN'S TWELVE (PG-13) -- C- Steven Soderbergh and his buddy-buddy cast including George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Julia Roberts and Catherine Zeta-Jones with cameos from Bruce Willis and Albert Finney, among others, wink and grin through this crime flick with a script that would be lucky to get a passing grade in a screenwriting class. I have little doubt that this inside joke of a flick was a lot more fun to make than to watch. (Barton) (Reviewed in this issue.)
THE POLAR EXPRESS (PG) -- B A young boy who is losing his belief in Santa Claus is whisked away to the North Pole by train conductor Tom Hanks in this Robert Zemeckis film. The strangeness of computer-generated images based on live-action, motion-capture images is a constant reminder that while this film will certainly entertain older children and train enthusiasts, it will never be the Christmas classic the book has become. (Carlson)
RAY (PG-13) -- B+ Taylor Hackford's vibrant if sometimes cliched biopic of American music icon Ray Charles (here portrayed admirably by Jamie Foxx) features a strong ensemble cast, wonderful recreations of Charles performing his greatest hits, and deft use of New Orleans scenery and musicians and actors. Hackford's films have almost always been affairs of the heart, one way or another, and it's a shame the original title, Unchain My Heart, wasn't kept, because this film has plenty of it. Co-stars Kerry Washington, Regina King, Aunjanue Ellis, Richard Schiff, Larenz Tate and New Orleans' own Chris Thomas King. (Simmons)
SANTA VS. THE SNOWMAN (NR) -- The holiday season warms up with this story about a jealous snowman who decides to battle Santa and the North Pole. Entergy IMAX
SAW (R) -- Cary Elwes (The Princess Bride) and Leigh Whannell are stalked by a serial killer in this thriller directed by James Wan.
SEED OF CHUCKY (R) -- The fifth installment in the killer-doll series features Chucky facing fatherhood. (Shudder the thought). Features the voices of Brad Dourif as Chucky, Jennifer Tilly as Tiffany, and John Waters doing God knows what. Directed by first-timer Don Mancini, who wrote Bride of Chucky and the Child's Play series.
SHALL WE DANCE? (PG-13) -- C Richard Gere is rich and in love with his wife (Susan Sarandon) and two kids, but he's nonetheless having a midlife crisis. He might undertake civic service, but instead he takes dancing lessons without informing his family. This film has laudable values and some wisdom to share about marriage, but the script is very weak and the tone entirely uneven. (Barton)
SHARK TALE (PG) -- The mafia goes truly underworld, or more accurately, underwater, in this animated story about a little fish (voice of Will Smith) who is mistakenly blamed for the accidental death of the son of a shark mob boss (Robert De Niro).
SIDEWAYS (R) -- B+ Sideways, like Alexander Payne's earlier works Election and About Schmidt, is a witty and delightful comedy with more than its share of drama. The loserly Miles (Paul Giamatti) and his aging TV star friend Jack (Thomas Haden Church) take a bachelor-party tour through wine country, in which the fruit of the grape serves as a not-always-subtle metaphor for life. Giamatti does his work well (he just might garner an overdue Oscar nod), and his chemistry with Church is a pure comic delight. (Simmons)
SPANGLISH (PG-13) -- Writer-director James L. Brooks (As Good As It Gets) directs Adam Sandler in this comedy about the culture clash that occurs when a young Mexican woman (Paz Vega) and her daughter move in with a white-bread L.A. family that features Sandler, Téa Leoni and Cloris Leachman.
THE SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS MOVIE (PG) -- B Nickelodeon maintains its fairly impressive track record of stretching its half-hour kiddy shows into decent full-length movie fare. While efforts such as The Wild Thornberrys went for the heartstrings, SpongeBob stays true to the TV show's frenetic slapstick as it follows our everysponge on his journey from Bikini Bottom to rescue a stolen crown. Just when things threaten to slow down, a still-buff David Hasselhoff appears to save the day (and the movie). (Tisserand)
VOLCANOES OF THE DEEP SEA -- Actor Ed Harris narrates this look at life 12,000 feet below sea level, including the strange creatures that thrive near underwater volcanoes. Entergy IMAX
