Weekly Film Listings Aug 11-17
Opening
the help -(Odeon) This provocative film exposes the genteel racism prevalent amongst upper-class white women in the South of the 1960s. Starring Emma Stone and Viola Davis (Doubt). Starts Wed.
glee: the concert movie -(SilverCity/Uni 4) As though they weren’t rich enough already, the stars of the insanely popular TV musical set in high school took their singing and dancing on the road. This doc shows what they did on their summer vacation. Starts Fri.
30 minutes or less -(Capitol/SilverCity) A teen slacker gets violently coerced into committing a bank robbery and much comedic craziness ensues. Starring Jesse Eisenberg (Zombieland, Social Network). Starts Fri.
final destination 5 -(Capitol/SilverCity/Westshore) The horror series that just won’t die returns with another bunch of baroque executions of pesky young people who were rude enough to “cheat death” and are about to pay the ultimate price. Starts Fri.
Continuing
★★★½ bridesmaids -(Capitol/Caprice) SNL’s Kristen Wiig co-wrote and stars in this raucous but smart and heartfelt comedy that celebrates female friendship (while often being rather rude). This is now the top-grossing female comedy of all time.
★★★ captain america: the
first avenger -(Odeon/SilverCity/Uni 4/Westshore) Corny but packed with retro charm, this new comic book adaptation is highly entertaining as it depicts a patriotic wimp who doesn’t meet the physical standards to join the army so instead volunteers for a wild science experiment. Needless to say he’s transformed into a superhero with great powers. Watch out, Nazis!
★★½ the change–up -(Odeon/SilverCity/Westshore/Uni 4) Jason Bateman and Ryan Reynolds are mismatched friends— one is a prim family man and lawyer, the other a debauched slacker and ladies man — who find themselves in one of those comedies where two people unexpectedly switch bodies. Although unnecessarily vulgar, this is funny stuff and the two leads have great chemistry.
★★ cowboys & aliens -(Odeon/SilverCity/Westshore) The Wild West gets wacky (and silly) when space aliens invade 1873 Arizona and all that stands between us and world domination is a posse of cowboys. This War of the Worlds meets Stagecoach goof-off stars Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford, and is directed by Jon Favreau (Iron Man).
★★★ crazy, stupid, love -(Odeon/SilverCity/Westshore/Caprice) A nice but slightly sappy guy (Steve Carell) gets dumped by his wife (Julianne Moore) and looks to a young stud (Ryan Gosling) to get some tips on how to deal with women. Thanks to a great cast and a clever script this is a fine and very funny romantic comedy.
★★★ friends with benefits -(Odeon) In a raunchy romantic comedy in the spirit of the recent No Strings Attached, Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake are surprised to discover that adding some steamy sex to their once-platonic friendship is a recipe for trouble.
★★½ harry potter and the
deathly hallows: part 2 -(Capitol/SilverCity/Uni 4/Westshore) The long-running fantasy series by JK Rowling comes to a disappointingly ho-hum climax as the plucky boy wizard has that deadly, long-anticpated final confrontation with nostril-challenged supervillain Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes).
the smurfs -(Capitol/SilverCity/Westshore) A nasty wizard chases those cute blue blobs out of their magical medieval world and all the way to Manhattan.
★★½ horrible bosses -(Capitol/SilverCity/Westshore) Three guys with truly appalling bosses gradually realize that all their lives would be better off if the bosses were dead. This being a comedy, the guys are dumb and don’t plan well. At all. Starring Jason Bateman, Kevin Spacey and Jennifer Aniston.
★★★ rise of the planet
of the apes -(Odeon/SilverCity/Westshore) James Franco stars in a thoughtful reboot of this classic sci-fi series about war between mankind and intelligent apes. In this origins story set in the present day, a medical experiment gets out of hand . . . and some very pissed-off apes get out of the lab. See review.
winnie the pooh -(Caprice) John Cleese narrates this (hand-drawn!) animated adaptation of the classic tale about the honey-loving bear and his menagerie of friends. This is a gentle, charming, and altogether superb piece of filmmaking.
leaving thurs.
the tree of life -(Capitol)
transformers: dark of the moon -(Capitol/SilverCity)
midnight in paris -(Odeon)
cars 2 -(Caprice)
Imax
★★★★ born to be wild -(noon, 2:00, 4:00, 7:00) Take a remarkable safari as this documentary takes you up close and personal with the people who nurture orphaned baby elephants and orangutans en route to re-releasing them into the wild. Narrated by Morgan Freeman. This is a great film!
★★ pirates of the caribbean:
on stranger tides -(8:00) Penelope Cruz sets sail with Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush and the other piratical ne’er-do-wells of The Black Pearl in the fourth edition of this increasingly tedious — and alarmingly lucrative — action-comedy series.
journey into amazing caves -(6:00)
rescue: disaster response -(11am, 1:00, 5:00) This high-adrenaline film depicts the courageous men and women who respond when global disaster strikes.
★★★★ whales -(10am, 3:00) The perennial, much-loved classic about those noble leviathans of the deep makes another return visit.
Screenings
Movie Monday – Screening My Kid Could Paint That. A four-year-old painting prodigy is at the heart of this provocative documentary that examines the nature of art and creativity. 6:30pm MONDAY in the 1900-block Fort. By donation. 595-FLIC. moviemonday.ca
free b–movie festival -The Victoria Film Festival’s annual B-Movie mash-up once again takes over the Cameron Bandshell in Beacon Hill Park. Muppets From Space features drama and excitement as Gonzo is kidnapped and Kermit and the gang ride to the rescue. 9pm FRIDAY.The Mel Brooks comedy Young Frankenstein. Merely one of the most classic comedies ever. 9 pm SATURDAY
Cinecenta
Cinecenta at UVic screens its films in the Student Union Building. Tickets are available 40 minutes prior to showtime. Info: 721-8365. cinecenta.com.
★★★ potiche -(Wed.-Thurs., Aug. 10-11: 7:00, 9:10) When the owner of a company is taken hostage by striking workers, his trophy wife (Catherine Deneuve) takes over the reins of the business and proves to be surprisingly effective. This charming comedy is directed by the reliably clever Francois Ozon (Eight Women, Swimming Pool). Co-starring Gerard Depardieu.
★★½ thor -(Fri.-Sat., Aug. 12-13: 7:00, 9:15) Directed, rather improbably, by Kenneth Branagh, this is a 3D account of the hammer-swinging Norse god after he gets the boot out of Asgard and ends up on earth — which he then has to save from annihilation. Two of the stars not playing Thor are Anthony Hopkins and Natalie Portman. Silly and awkward, but often entertaining.
★★½ water for elephants -(Sun.-Mon., Aug. 14-15: 7:00, 9:20) Robert Pattinson and Reese Witherspoon star in a crowd-pleasing adaptation of the bestselling novel about an illicit love affair set in the exotic world of a travelling circus during the Depression. Glamorous but sentimental and cliched and reeking with phoniness, this romantic melodrama benefits hugely from a stirring performance by Rosie the elephant.
★★★½ days of heaven -(Tues., Aug. 16: 7:00, 9:00) The visually rapturous 1978 drama by Terrence Malick stars Richard Gere, Brooke Adams and Sam Shepard in a love triangle set amidst the wheat fields of Texas during the First World War.
marion woodman: dancing in the flames -(Wed.-Thurs., Aug. 17-18: 7:15, 9:00) People eager to brush up on the metaphysics of mortality should check out this documentary on Marion Woodman, a “spiritual intellectual” who combines Jungian analysis with feminism and an interest in joining spirituality with professional psychology.
The Roxy
★★★★ midnight in paris -(7:15; Sat.-Sun., 5:05) The latest from Woody Allen is a delightfully romantic whirl through Paris, both in the present day and during the fabled 1920s. The fine cast includes Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams and Marion Cotillard.
★★½ bad teacher -(9:00) Cameron Diaz sets a bad example — and has lots of fun — playing a foul-mouthed, lazy and scheming junior high teacher. Co-starring Justin Timberlake.
★★ transformers: dark of the moon -(Sat.-Sun., 12:45) Michael Bay returns to blow up whatever escaped his clutches in the first two iterations of this bombastic and noisy series about those shape-shifting Autobots and Decepticons.
★★★¼ kung fu panda 2 -(3:15, Sat.-Sun.) It’s sequel time and Po (Jack Black) joins forces with other kung fu masters to defeat a dire villain. Although the plot is pretty basic, the set design is both clever and gorgeous and the characters have heart. With voicings by Angelina Jolie, Gary Oldman and Seth Rogen.
