Weekly Film Listings Oct. 27- Nov 2
Opening
down the road again -(Capitol) Forty years ago Don Shebib directed Goin’ Down The Road, a road picture about two friends driving from Cape Breton to Toronto. It proved to be a landmark film, and, rather belatedly, the one surviving lead actor appears in this bittersweet sequel. Starts Fri.
anonymous -(Odeon) This unusual political thriller is centred on the provocative — and definitely credible — notion that Edward De Vere, the Earl of Oxford, was in fact the true author of the plays attributed to William Shakespeare. With Rhys Ifans, Vanessa Redgrave and David Thewlis. Starts Fri.
Puss in boots -(Capitol/SilverCity/Westshore/Uni 4) The endearing feline furball from Shrek gets his own swashbuckling prequel. Featuring the vocal talents of Antonio Banderas. Starts Fri.
in time -(Odeon/SilverCity/Westshore) Justin Timberlake stars in a sci-fi thriller about a fascist future world where everyone stops aging at age 25 — as long as they have enough money to keep buying immortality. Starts Fri.
the rum diary -(Capitol/SilverCity/Westshore) Johnny Depp and Giovanni Ribisi star in an adaptation of Hunter S. Thompson’s wacky novel about an American freelance journalist in 1950s Puerto Rico who has trouble balancing the demands of his job and the challenges of fitting in with the ex-pat community on the island. Starts Fri.
Continuing
the big year -(Odeon) Three very different bird watchers compete ruthlessly in a prestigious annual ornithological event. The critics have plucked this feather-brained comedy starring Steve Martin, Owen Wilson, and Jack Black.
dolphin tale -(Caprice) This true-life story focuses on the friendship between a boy and a dolphin who was given a prosthetic tail. Starring Morgan Freeman and Ashley Judd.
★★★½ 50/50 -(Odeon/Caprice) Seth Rogen (Knocked Up) stars in an engaging and very funny emo-comedy about a young man struggling with a cancer diagnosis that gives him a 50 per cent chance of survival.
★★★ footloose -(SilverCity/Uni 4/Westshore) The hormone-stirring anarchy of dancing to good ol’ rock ‘n’ roll is banned in one small town — until a rebellious city kid arrives on the scene and decides to shake things up.
★★½ the help -(Odeon/Caprice) This film exposes the genteel racism prevalent amongst upper-class white women in Mississippi in the 1960s. It’s an interesting but uneven effort where a few great performances are stuck in the middle of what is essentially a misguided attempt to turn the civil rights movement into an uplifting feel-good comedy-drama.
★★★ the ides of march -(Odeon/SilverCity/Uni 4/Caprice) The new political drama directed by and starring George Clooney features a morally flawed presidential candidate and an idealistic campaign strategist (Ryan Gosling) who learns that even nice guys play dirty politics. Co-starring Philip Seymour Hoffman and Paul Giamatti.
★★★ johnny english reborn -(Odeon/SilverCity/Caprice) The great Rowan Atkinson reprises his role as England’s most inept spy. This Bond spoof is silly slapstick, but very funny (for boys of all ages). See review.
★★★★ moneyball -(Capitol/Uni 4/Caprice) Even people with no interest in sports (or sports movies) will enjoy this riveting account of Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane (Brad Pitt), an underdog who bucked the standard way of doing things and used computer analysis in search of a winning team.
mr. popper’s penguins -(Caprice) Jim Carrey stars in an amiably goofy comedy about an uptight businessman who learns to unwind when his fancy Manhattan apartment gets invaded by a flock of cute penguins.
paranormal activity 3 -(Odeon/SilverCity/Westshore) The Blair-Witch-as-a-home-movie series is back with more moments of shock and terror as two young sisters make the mistake of befriending an invisible entity that lives in their house..
★★½ real steel -(Capitol/SilverCity/Westshore) Hugh Jackman is an over-the-hill pugilist (and deadbeat dad in recovery) in a slightly futuristic world where “robot boxing” is the globe’s most popular sport. Uneven, overly long but certainly entertaining.
★★ the three musketeers -(Capitol/SilverCity/Westshore) The classic Alexandre Dumas tale of swashbuckling à la Français is here turned into a giant fromage-fest of overblown special effects and a preposterous plot. Mon Dieu! See review.
Screenings
Movie Monday – Screening Corpse Bride. A gruesomely entertaining afterlife is the focus of this delightful and macabre piece of stop-motion animation by the incomparable Tim Burton. Happy Halloween! 7:30pm MONDAY in the 1900-block Fort. By donation. 595-FLIC. moviemonday.ca.
the truth about wired & wireless technologies -Disturbing information about wireless and microwave pollution is presented in a documentary, followed by a discussion featuring Dr. Magda Havas. FRIDAY, 7 pm, at the Scout Hall, 459 Chester Ave. (off Fairfield).
boys of st. vincent, part 1 -This acclaimed 1992 docudrama by the NFB is a harsh portrayal of sexual abuse at the Mount Cashel Orphanage for boys in Newfoundland that occurred in the 1960s and ’70s. Presented for free by the Victoria Secular Humanist Society. SUNDAY, 10:30 am, Cedar Hill Rec Centre.
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.
★★★½ the whistleblower -(Wed.-Thurs., Oct. 26-27: 7:00, 9:15) Rachel Weisz is superb in a harrowing true-life drama about an American police officer who travels to post-war Bosnia as a peacekeeper only to discover that the U.N. is covering up a huge sex scandal involving its own people. With Vanessa Redgrave and Monica Bellucci.
★★★ crazy, stupid, love -(Fri.-Sat., Oct. 28-29: 3:00, 7:00, 9:20) 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.
★★★★★ wizard of oz -(Sat.-Sun., Oct. 29-20: 1:00 matinee) Put on those ruby slippers and head off for a superb fantasy adventure!
don’t be afraid of the dark -(Sun., Oct. 30: 3:00, 7:00, 9:00 & Mon., Oct. 31: 7:00, 9:00) Katie Holmes and Guy Pearce star in a horror flick about a young girl who is sent to live with her father and his new girlfriend. But what really sucks is that the house is haunted by creatures that want to claim her as one of their own.
★★★½ bridesmaids -(Tues., Nov. 1: 7:00, 9:25) 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).
★★★★ cave of forgotten dreams -(Wed.-Fri., Nov. 2-4: 7:10, 9:00) The critics are purring about the new film from quirky cine-genius Werner Herzog (Grizzly Man), who has made a unique documentary about a newly-discovered cave in France with walls covered with 30,000-year-old caveman art. This is an awe-inspiring delight.
The Roxy
attack the block -(7:00, except Monday)
★★½ the thing -(8:40 Fri., Sun., & Tues.-Thurs.9:15 & 4:10, Sat.-Sun.)
★★★ rocky horror picture show -(10:00 Sat., 8:00 Mon.)
dolphin tale -(2:00, Sat.-Sun.)
smurfs -(4:00, Sat.-Sun.)
