July 30, 2007
NEW THIS WEEK:
Sunshine
Astronauts fly toward the dying sun aiming to re-ignite the solar furnace with a nuclear device before a perpetual winter extinguishes all life on Earth. A complicated quest becomes even riskier when the crew – led by physicist Robert Capa (Cillian Murphy) – decides to increase its odds for success by retrieving a bomb from a crashed spaceship. In this sci-fi/horror blend, the fact that the fate of mankind hangs in the balance takes a back seat to the danger the crew faces on its increasingly out-of-control mission. This is basically a high-minded Armageddon yarn, but the sets are stylish; the effects are low-key, yet effective; and the ensemble cast is convincing. Best of all is the aura of suspenseful, creeping menace that director Danny Boyle creates.
Grade: A-
Kinsey Scale: 1 (Murphy played a transsexual in "Breakfast on Pluto." Among the co-stars, Rose Byrne appeared in "The Dead Girl," a drama centered on a murdered lesbian, and Troy Garity starred as murdered queer soldier Barry Winchell in "Soldier's Girl.")
ALSO IN THEATERS:
Evan Almighty
Though clearly aimed at Christian moviegoers, the inane, simplistic story – a follow-up to 2003's "Bruce Almighty" – and the portrayal of the Almighty as jovial, but mean-spirited are insults to that target audience. What humor there is mostly falls flat; even the usually hilarious Carell is not funny. D
Evening
This adaptation based on Susan Minot's novel delivers too many characters and not enough restraint, substituting visual shorthand and easy emotional cues for real depth. It's a valiant effort from a gifted writer and an A-list cast that includes Meryl Streep and Glenn Close, but in the end it suffers from a too-heavy touch. C+
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
Children – the target audience of this PG-rated live-action cartoon – will enjoy themselves quite a bit, and parents won't be too put out by the experience. Here's hoping the inevitable third film delivers the goods. C+
1408
Assisted by some truly creepy atmosphere and freaked-out jolts, he turns what could have been a by-the-numbers disposable haunted-house film (adapted from a Stephen King story) into a really fun ride into the dark. B+
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Audiences expecting a lighthearted romp through a magical teenage fantasyland will get a big dose of angst and adolescent brooding instead. That's not to say the film shortchanges viewers on adventure or action – both of which are in plentiful supply – but the higher the stakes in the war of good vs. evil, the darker the tunnels the maturing characters have to travel. In other words, leave the little ones at home. B+
Knocked Up
It's a no-holds-barred adult comedy that maintains a sense of genuine sweetness amidst the R-rated humor, making it the best American comedy of the year so far. A
License to Wed
It's a slog through unfunny material of the most trying kind, all for a plot resolution anyone can see coming and the continued stroking of a lazy actor's ego. But if nothing else, it's proof that Hollywood should issue licenses to make films – and hand them out a lot more stingily. D-
Live Free or Die Hard
As always, Bruce Willis excels in a role that perfectly fits his sardonic, "regular Joe" persona. John McClane is less action hero than blue-collar, stand-up guy determined to set aside personal safety and fear to get the job done. A
Ratatouille
Because the movie's from Disney/Pixar, a happy ending is an absolute guarantee, and the trip to that ending is not only hilarious but a visually impeccable new standard-bearer in digital animation. Sophisticated enough for adults and full of cute comic animals children will love, it's that rarest of dishes: an animated feature any age will happily eat with a spoon. A
