Movies playing in town
27 Dresses (PG-13, 107 minutes) Jane (Katherine Heigl) is always a bridesmaid never a bride. Literally. She’s served as bridesmaid at 27 weddings. Now she’s being forced to do the duty at her own sister’s wedding. The worst part? Sis is marrying the man (Ed Burns) that Jane secretly loves. Yes, that is the heavy odor of well-recycled “chick flick” you smell. Full review here. Playing at Regal Seminole Square Cinema 4
Atonement (R, 130 minutes) Ian McEwan’s novel comes to life in an epic and sweeping romance courtesy of director Joe Wright (2005’s Pride & Prejudice). In 1935 England, 13-year-old Briony Tallis (Saoirse Ronan) spins a lie that breaks up the budding love affair between her older sister (Keira Knightley) and a handsome groundskeeper (James McAvoy). Five years later, the repercussions of that lie are still being felt as war rages in Europe. Will our lovers be reunited? Will Briony find forgiveness? Rich in morality, emotion and metaphysical depth, this weighty drama manages to combine love and war in one gorgeously assembled package. Playing Regal Downtown Mall 6
Be Kind Rewind (PG-13) With Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) at the helm, you know you’re in for a weird ride. Jack Black and Mos Def play a couple of video store employees who accidentally erase every videotape in the store. In order to retain the store’s one loyal customer, an elderly lady with a shaky grip on reality, they set out to recreate every film in stock, armed with only a cheap video camera. The result is a two-man tour-de-force, covering The Lion King, Ghostbusters, Back to the Future, Driving Miss Daisy, Robocop and more. Soon, the whole town is getting in on the filmmaking action. Playing at Regal Downtown Mall 6
The Bucket List (PG-13, 97 minutes) Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman star as (basically) Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman in this feel-good Hallmark card comedy/drama about two old dudes dying of cancer who decide to realize their “Things to Do Before We Kick the Bucket” list. They go on safari, skydive, drive racecars, etc. It’s kind of fun to see Nicholson and Freeman having fun, but the film is a cruise-control tearjerker, pushing all the preordained buttons of the genre. Crowds will probably respond, however, right down to the patented Wise Old Morgan Freeman-Brand narration. Full review here. Playing at Regal Downtown Mall 6
Charlie Bartlett (R) Recalling the fast-and-loose teen comedies of the ’80s, this high school-set film finds the rich, new kid in town (Anton Yelchin from “Huff”) appointing himself the school’s psychiatrist. Setting up shop in the boy’s lavatory, our titular fast-talker dispenses advice (and the occasional pharmaceutical drug) to his screwed-up fellow students. A blackly comic mixture of Rushmore and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Playing at Carmike Cinema 6
Cloverfield (PG-13, 84 minutes) While intimate details remain under a cloak of secrecy, this J.J. Abrams-produced sci-fi thriller does revolve around a giant monster attack upon the city of New York. A small group of people, gathered together for a friend’s goodbye party, capture the events through the lens of their camcorder, Blair Witch-style. Playing at Carmike Cinema 6
Definitely, Maybe (PG-13) Ryan Reynolds stars in what looks like a feature film version of “How I Met Your Mother.” He plays a Manhattan political consultant in the midst of a divorce who recounts his past relationships to his 10-year-old daughter (precocious kid du jour Abigail Breslin). But which of these past relationships actually ended up as his wife? That’s a secret…for some reason. Playing at Regal Downtown Mall 6
Fool’s Gold (PG-13, 110 minutes) An estranged couple’s sense of adventure is rekindled when sunken treasure-hunting hubby (Matthew McConaughey, finding a valid excuse to act without a shirt) discovers the possible whereabouts of a fortune in gold. Naturally, he drags along his doubting ex (Kate Hudson, in no apparent hurry to land another Oscar nomination). Think Romancing the Stone with a bad case of swimmer’s ear. Playing at Regal Seminole Square 4
Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour (G, 74 minutes) OMG! Tween goddess Miley Cyrus and her Disney Channel alter ego, Hannah Montana, sing their biggest hits on screen! In 3-D! Whether or not this actually counts as the “best” depends largely on gender and age. If you’re a girl under the age of 12, you’ll probably be there screaming along. Did I mention the Jonas Brothers will be performing as well? Playing at Carmike Cinema 6
Jumper (PG-13, 90 minutes) The bestselling sci-fi series by Stephen Gould gets the action movie treatment by director Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity, Mr. and Mrs. Smith). Hayden Christensen is a confused young man born with the ability to teleport anywhere in the world. Eventually, he discovers a secret order of people with identical abilities and becomes embroiled in a superpowered war that has been raging for thousands of years. Playing at Carmike Cinema 6
Juno (PG-13, 91 minutes) A labor of love from stripper-turned-writer Diablo Cody (author of Candy Girl) and director Jason Reitman (Thank You for Smoking), this sweet, smart and very funny flick easily earns a spot as one of the best films of the year. Snarky, cynical 16-year-old Juno (Ellen Page, Hard Candy) gets pregnant after a bout of boredom-induced sex with her best friend Bleeker (Michael Cera from Superbad). Ruling out abortion, Juno decides to have the kid and give it away to "some lady with a bum ovary or a couple nice lesbos." The pitch-perfect dialogue, the lo-fi soundtrack, the spectacular cast and the perceptive story make this the cult comedy to beat. Playing at Regal Downtown Mall 6
No Country for Old Men (R, 121 minutes) The Coen brothers bring a touch of Fargo to West Texas with this gripping adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s offbeat crime novel. Josh Brolin (Grindhouse) is a humble welder who stumbles across $2 million from a drug deal gone bad. Javier Bardem (The Sea Inside) is the freaky, emotionless assassin sent to recover the cash. Tommy Lee Jones (The Fugitive) is the small-town sheriff just trying to figure out what the hell is going on. This one is darker and more serious than most Coen films, but there’s still plenty of priceless dialogue and sharp black humor on display. One of this year’s best. Playing at Carmike Cinema 6
The Other Boleyn Girl (PG-13, 115 minutes) Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson star in this glitzy adaptation of Philippa Gregory’s best-selling novel. The historical storyline finds siblings Anne and Mary competing for the affections of England’s King Henry VIII. As any halfway decent Anglophile knows, neither girl kept her head on her neck for very long—which is part of the film’s problem. It looks good, but it’s notably glum. Opening Friday; check local listings
Penelope (PG, 102 minutes) Christina Ricci stars in this modern romantic fantasy about a young, aristocratic heiress born under a curse. Seems she’s stuck with the nose of a pig until she finds true love with “one who will love her faithfully.” This whimsical ugly-duckling tale is obviously striving for Tim Burton territory. The results are cute and visually vibrant but somewhat erratic. Opening Friday; check local listings
Persepolis (PG-13, 95 minutes) This animated adaptation of Marjane Satrapi’s autobiographical graphic novel relates the author/artist/filmmaker’s life growing up in Iran during the reign of the Shah and, later, the Islamists. Satrapi went from precocious child to outspoken, punk rock-loving teenager. The highly stylized black-and-white artwork seems almost impressionistic at times, lending a simple edge to this unsentimental coming-of-age tale. Impressive English language voicecast includes Sean Penn, Gena Rowlands and Iggy Pop. Opening Friday; check local listings
The Savages (R, 113 minutes) Philip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney star as a pair of unsuccessful siblings who are suddenly burdened with caring for their nearly-gone father. Ancient and largely unspoken tales of abuse are pushed aside for more pressing burdens of adult diapers and senility. Finely observed moments of humanity and fragile humor lift what could have been a depressing look at life, death and regret. It’s still not a cheerful story, but it is a very mature and sensitively told one. Playing at Regal Downtown Mall 6
Semi-Pro (R, 90 minutes) The star player/owner/coach of a third-rate ‘70s basketball team (Will Ferrell) finds out his Michigan Topics have an outside shot at being folded into the NBA–if they can dramatically increase their attendance. With the help of his teammates (Woody Harrelson, André Benjamin), he stops at nothing to attract attention. Typical but likable retro silliness from Mr. Ferrell. Opening Friday; check local listings
The Spiderwick Chronicles (PG, 97 minutes) The popular young adult fantasy series comes to the big screen with hardly a whiff of Harry Potter about it. Three young children (including Freddie Highmore playing twins) move to a remote country mansion with their recently divorced mother (Mary Louise-Parker). There, they discover their great uncle’s legacy, a book detailing the lives of the fairies, goblins, brownies and other magical creatures that inhabit our world. Unfortunately, an evil goblin wants to get his hands on that book, forcing our young heroes to defend themselves. The cast is quite good (Nick Nolte, Joan Plowright and David Strathairn are among the adults), and the script (partially credited to John Sayles) is surprisingly mature. Way too scary for the little ones, though. Full review here. Playing at Regal Seminole Square 4
Step Up 2 the Streets (PG-13, 98 minutes) Apparently Step Up, You Got Served, Feel the Noise, Honey, Stomp the Yard, Save the Last Dance and How She Move weren’t enough for you people. So here’s another hip hop dance film about kids at a prestigious dance academy who shock the establishment with their “radical” street moves. In real life, your college dance instructor probably wrote her thesis on breakdancing. Playing at Regal Seminole Square 4
There Will Be Blood (R, 158 minutes) Paul Thomas Anderson (Boogie Nights, Magnolia) ditches his ensemble style to (loosely and magnificently) adapt an obscure Upton Sinclair novel. Daniel Day-Lewis eats up the screen as Daniel Plainview, a scrappy misanthrope who builds an oil empire with his bare hands in turn-of-the-last-century Texas. Like Citizen Kane and Giant before it, this is epic American mythmaking. Unlikable as he may be, Plainview is an icon. There Will Be Blood follows him throughout the decades as he amasses his fortune, adopts a son, founds a town and makes an enemy of the church. A gritty, roughnecked portrait of American industry, religion and politics. Playing at Vinegar Hill Theatre
Vantage Point (PG-13, 90 minutes) Reviewed here. Playing at Regal Seminole Square 4
Vince Vaughn’s Wild West Comedy Show (R, 110 minutes) Emcee Vince Vaughn and four stand-up comedians hand-picked by the actor travel the country to perform in 30 cities in 30 days. This film documents their interactions on and off stage. More jokes and fewer road movie segments might have been a better idea. Playing at Carmike Cinema 6
Welcome Home, Roscoe Jenkins (PG-13, 114 minutes) Martin Lawrence stars as Roscoe, a successful Los Angeles talk show host who reluctantly returns to his rural roots in the Deep South for a family reunion. James Earl Jones, Mike Epps, Cedric the Entertainer and Mo’Nique are among the relatives he’s trying to avoid. In the end, you can be sure lessons are learned. Playing at Carmike Cinema 6
