Daily Herald | Posted: Wednesday, September 24, 2008 11:00 pm
OPENING THIS WEEK
EAGLE EYE Review on 17
FOREVER STRONG Review on 16
MIRACLE AT ST. ANNA Review on 17
ALSO OPENING
NIGHTS IN RODANTHE (1 hr., 37 min.; Rated PG-13 for some sensuality) Another of the sweetly sentimental novels of Nicholas Sparks makes its way to the silver screen, this time with lonelyhearts Richard Gere and Diane Lane discover love (and each other) in the Outer Banks. Awwww. No reviews of this film were available prior to the UV deadline.
LARGE FORMAT FILMS
Cricket Imax Theater at Jordan Commons
EAGLE EYE (1 hrs., 58 min.; PG-13 for intense sequences of action and violence, and for language) Shadow government goons vs. Shia LaBeouf in IMAX widescreen!
THE DARK KNIGHT (2 hrs., 32 min.; PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and some menace) Batman vs. Joker in IMAX widescreen!
Showtimes daily. 9355 S. State St., Sandy. (801) 304-INFO.
Xango Mammoth Screen Theater at Thanksgiving Point
DINOSAURS: GIANTS OF PATAGONIA (40 min.; No MPAA rating) Learn about the discovery of super-large dino in South America.
WILD OCEAN 3D (45 min.; No MPAA rating) Massive aquatic feeding frenzies off the coast of Africa in 3D!
SEA MONSTERS: A PREHISTORIC ADVENTURE (40 min.; No MPAA rating) Learn about the humongous beasts that used to swim in the sea.
Showtimes daily. 3003 N. Thanksgiving Way, Lehi. 768-2300.
CONTINUING
BABYLON A.D. (1 hr., 30 min.; Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, language and some sexuality) In the not-too-distant future, a mercenary (Vin Diesel) attempts to protect a mysterious woman. French director Matthieu Kassovitz cried foul against Hollywood for destroying his vision, but this intriguing sci-fi isn't half-bad. C+
BANGKOK DANGEROUS (1 hr., 40 min.; Rated R for violence, language and some sexuality) Nicolas Cage plays a hitman with a heart of gold (the male equivalent of Hollywood's archetypal hooker with a heart of gold) who reexamines his empty existence while on assignment in Thailand. Visually muddy, the film is a tension-free, super-violent slog. D
BURN AFTER READING (1 hr., 36 min.; Rated R for pervasive language, some sexual content and violence) This lightweight spy spoof, written and directed by filmmaking brothers Joel and Ethan Coen, is almost Shakespearean (admirably so) in the clockwork complexity of its plotting, but the characters and situations fail to engage our sympathies, or our interest. [C+]
THE DARK KNIGHT (2 hrs., 32 min.; PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and some menace) With crisp, comprehensible action scenes, stellar acting and a dense, thoughtful script, this dark, hard-egded chapter would be the high point of the long-running Batman saga even without the amazing, chilling performance of the late Heath Ledger as Joker. [A]
THE FLYBOYS (2 hrs., 3 min.; Rated PG-13 for some violence and language) This locally made family adventure film (co-written by Richard Dutcher) tells the story of two ne'er-do-well lads who get more than they bargained for after hiding out in a Mob-owned private plane. The Mob stuff is an awkward fit, but the other parts of the movie are enjoyably exciting. [B-]
GET SMART (1 hr., 50 min.; PG-13 for some rude humor, action violence and language) Steve Carell is all Ca-wrong for the Ca-role of secret agent man and '60s TV icon Maxwell Smart. The spy games that Carell and Anne Hathaway (taking over for Barbara Feldon as Agent 99) get up to aren't enjoyable either as action or as comedy. The Rock is wasted in a supporting role. [D+]
GHOST TOWN (1 hr., 42 min.; Rated PG-13 for some strong language, sexual humor and drug references) After discovering that he can see dead people, Bertram Pincus, D.D.S. (Ricky Gervais) finds himself falling for a sweet widow -- against her late husband's wishes. British comedy icon Gervais brings his "A" game to this snarky, sweetly romantic comedy. [A-]
HANCOCK (1 hr., 32 min.; PG-13 for some intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence, and language) There's a train wreck in "Hancock," and the movie itself is a bit of a train wreck. Will Smith is especially engaging as a loutish, indifferent superhero, however, and the movie gets off to a solid start before an intriguing different, yet cumbersome twist puts a kink in the movie's style. [B-]
THE HOUSE BUNNY (1 hr., 37 min.; Rated PG-13 for sex-related humor, partial nudity and brief strong language) Anna Faris stars as a revered "Playboy" Playmate who gets booted from the House of Hef after she turns 27 and tries to make a new life for herself in the house of Zeta Alpha Zeta. Funnier than you might expect, thanks to the fearless Faris. [C-]
IGOR (1 hr., 20 min.; Rated PG for some thematic elements, scary images, action and mild language) Mad scientists are the rock stars of Malaria, and humble hunchback Igor dreams of trading the back-hunching labor of stealing brains and throwing the switch for a taste of scientific glory. The concept is clever, but the film fumbles away its early momentum. [C+]
INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL (2 hrs., 2 min.; PG-13 for adventure violence and scary images) He's back! Indiana Jones's famous fedora fits Harrison Ford as well as it ever has. A lot of the plotting of Dr. J's latest adventure has a logic-defying, seat-of-the-pants heedlessness, but the movie is fast, fun and funny, with great interaction between its stars. [A]
IRON MAN (2 hrs.; PG-13 for some intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence, and brief suggestive content) Giving the freshest superhero performance in many a moon, Robert Downey Jr. electrifies this fast, funny chronicle of the Marvel Comics cover boy who fights injustice with the power of heavy metal (and some cool weapons technology). [B+]
JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH (1 hr., 32 min.; PG for intense adventure action and some scary moments) It's Jules Verne for Dummies! Brendan Fraser deploys his exaperated action hero persona from the "Mummy" movies as a geologist who, after being trapped with his nephew in the bowels of the Earth, discovers that deeply silly action gimmicks are what lies beneath. [D+]
KUNG FU PANDA (1 hr., 30 min.; PG for sequences of martial arts action) With gorgeous animation and excellent kung fu action, this heroic saga of humor and adventure, in which a tubby panda with a love of kung fu discovers an unlikely destiny, more than delivers on its marketers' promise of "awesomeness." Distinguished by its sharp characters, gentle wisdom and excellent acting. [A]
LAKEVIEW TERRACE (1 hr., 46 min.; Rated PG-13 for intense thematic material, violence, sexuality, language and some drug references) Bad, bad Leroy Brow -- er, make that Abel Turner is a man on the edge. On the edge of homicidal harrassment of his new neighbors, that is. Obvious, silly scenes chug toward an obvious, silly resolution. [D+]
MAMMA MIA! (1 hr., 48 min.; PG-13 for some sex-related comments) Meryl Streep can sing! Meryl can dance! Meryl Streep is having the time of her life. You may not have the time of your life, however, unless you really, really dig ABBA songs. The movie slavishly adheres to the empty-headed Broadway fluff it's based on. [C+]
MY BEST FRIEND'S GIRL (1 hr., 41 min.; Rated R for strong language and sexual content throughout, including graphic dialogue and some nudity) Continuing the long tradition of stark realism in lame romantic comedy movie professions, Dane Cook is a "bad date for hire" who makes Kate Hudson long to be with Jason Biggs again. Or does he?! It's not worth your time to find out. [D]
RIGHTEOUS KILL (1 hr., 41 min.; Rated R for violence, pervasive language, some sexuality and brief drug use) Robert De Niro and Al Pacino are definitely together in the same scenes, at the same time, as NYPD detectives who find that the book may be open again on a case long thought solved. The admittedly engaging all-star team up is the only real reason to see the movie. [C]
STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS (1 hr., 38 min.; PG for sci-fi action violence throughout, brief language and momentary smoking) Anakin Skywalker has to rescue the infant son of Jabba the Hutt or ... well, let's not find out. Despite a silly plot and lighthearted vibe, the new "Star Wars" movie has cool action and some of the old familiar camaraderie. [B-]
TAKE (1 hr., 39 min.; No MPAA rating) Despite its downbeat tone, this thoughtful Death Row drama asks intriguing questions about forgiveness and healing. Minnie Driver, as a rattled young wife and mother, and Jeremy Renner, as a no-account gambling addict attempting to care for his sick father, give strong, persuasive lead performances. [B+]
TRAITOR (1 hr., 54 min.; Rated PG-13 for intense violent sequences, thematic material and brief language) Don Cheadle ("Hotel Rwanda") plays a U.S. black ops supersoldier who may have gone rogue. Fine acting by Cheadle and above-average excution of action scenes keep this fairly unsurprising espionage thriller humming along. B-
TROPIC THUNDER (1 hr., 47 min.; R for pervasive language including sexual references, violent content and drug material) This broad, hard-edged showbiz satire about the complicated production of an expensive Vietnam war action movie begins with a bang and then gradually slows to a crawl. Robert Downey Jr., however, is very, very funny throughout. [B]
THE WOMEN (1 hr., 52 min.; Rated PG-13 for sex-related material, language, some drug use and brief smoking) These women don't seem to have as much sexy fun as their R-rated counterparts in "Sex and the City." They do like to talk, though, and it's fun to watch all of the interaction between these grand old (and not-so-old) dames of American cinema. [B]