May 21, 2007
NEW THIS WEEK:
28 Weeks Later
In disease-ravaged Britain, all but a handful of people are dead due to the contaminating "rage" virus that decimated the population in the first film, "28 Days Later." The U.S. military has taken control of the rebuilding efforts, and evacuees who dodged the original outbreak are beginning to arrive back home. Meanwhile, one family's contact with the virus could hold the key to finding a cure and ending the destruction. But for that to happen, the family's youngest members will have to escape the remaining, rampaging zombies "and" the firebombing tactics of the Americans. It's a blood-soaked adventure, full of jolts and whiplash camera moves. And though it lacks the shock of its predecessor, this is slick, tense, frightening entertainment and a welcome second chapter. B+
Kinsey Scale: 1 (Lead zombie Robert Carlyle starred in "Priest." Co-star Catherine McCormack appeared in the film "Shadow of the Vampire" about gay silent film director F.W. Murnau.)
Georgia Rule
When her alcoholic mother Lily (Felicity Huffman) can't deal with her anymore, rebellious, sexually provocative teen Rachel (Lindsay Lohan) is sent to live with her strict, controlling grandmother Georgia (Jane Fonda) for the summer. The location of this punishment is the idyllic, well-mannered, white-Mormons-only town of Hull, Idaho, and it's here that the three women eventually come together to unearth secrets and find that the bonds of mothers and daughters are stronger than any dysfunction. Of course, they're forced to do this under the guidance of a rancidly stupid script with no ear for human speech or behavior, and the buffoonish direction of Hollywood hack Garry Marshall, which negates any good feelings the three talented actresses manage to muster from their against-all-odds performances. It's Hollywood's idea of a Mother's Day gift for families to see together – which just proves that Hollywood's values are corroded beyond repair. D-
Kinsey Scale: 1 (Lohan's character experiences momentary confusion over the sexual orientation of co-star Dermot Mulroney. He turns out to be – whew! – straight. Huffman played a transgendered woman in "Transamerica.")
ALSO IN THEATERS:
Blades of Glory
The movie drags in spots and some of the gross-out jokes are more gross than funny, but this is one silly comedy that serves up lots of laughs. B+
Are We Done Yet?
Ice Cube soldiers through the torment, doing his best to reconcile his gangsta-rapper past with his family-comedy present, and sometimes succeeding. But in the end, the film is filled with so many tired been-there-done-that gags that its only appeal will be for easily amused families who don't get out to the movies very much. C-
Blades of Glory
The movie drags in spots and some of the gross-out jokes are more gross than funny, but this is one silly comedy that serves up lots of laughs. B+
Disturbia
It's a somewhat dumb-yet-efficient teen suspense jolt-fest, and the presence of the handsomely creepy David Morse is such a standard-issue example of typecasting that it's like modern movie code for "this is the bad guy, in case you hadn't already guessed." But it works on its own terms, even if the spirit of Grace Kelly and Jimmy Stewart is nowhere to be found. B
Perfect Stranger
Halle Berry's beauty and Bruce Willis' tawdry charm are formidable assets, not small considerations, since with suspense and logic in short supply, only their devoted fans are likely to warm to this lame mystery. C-
The Condemned
This bid to make "Stone Cold" Steve Austin the latest action hero utterly fails, since the wrestler-turned-actor lacks charisma, and there is nothing even remotely sympathetic about the human pit bull he plays. D
Fracture
Meanwhile, Anthony Hopkins has played this kind of creepy, too-smart killer one too many times. But the combined charisma of the two leads carries the weight of the conventional script and direction, and fills in the been-there-done-that cracks, with Ryan Gosling especially watchable as the conflicted attorney. Lowered expectations will be rewarded here. C
In the Land of Women
The film's gentle heart-tugging and somewhat sappy demeanor doesn't feel shameless or cynical, and the performances are appealing and genuine. If it's all a little cliched, the film's modest charms more than make up for it and make this a land worth visiting. B
Next
Nicolas Cage is rarely this engaging, and Julianne Moore is excellent as a ruthless government agent. Best of all, director Lee Tamahori keeps the action moving so fast that the story's vast inconsistencies scarcely matter. B
Snow Cake
Luckily, the story takes a backseat to the acting – Alan Rickman, Carrie-Anne Moss as the neighbor who becomes equally attached to Alex, and especially Sigourney Weaver are superb, delivering vibrant performances that go a long way toward deflecting the tale's mawkish elements. B
Lucky You
What seems like a full house (cool actors, acclaimed director Curtis Hanson) becomes a losing hand, missing some key storytelling cards. C-
Spider-Man 3
This third chapter also represents an evolution of both character and actor, as Tobey Maguire delivers a deeply rendered and much more human superhero, uncovering both the dark aspects lurking beneath Peter Parker's sunny exterior and his aching vulnerability. A
