Opening
THE CABIN IN THE WOODS -(Capitol/SilverCity) Noted screenwriter Joss Weedon (Toy Story) went over to the dark side for an over-the-top horror flick about five kids who go to party at a remote cabin and get way more than they bargained for. Starts Fri.
THE THREE STOOGES -(Capitol/Uni 4/SilverCity/Westshore) The Farrelly Brothers helm this spirited tribute to the original icons of lowbrow physical comedy. Starts Fri.
LOCKOUT -(Westshore) Guy Pearce (who should have known better) stars in a sci-fi thriller about a guy who has to rescue the American President’s daughter from an outer space prison that has been taken over by inmates. The clichés start Fri.
Continuing
★★ AMERICAN REUNION -(Odeon/SilverCity/Westshore/Uni 4) The original American Pie was a raunchy but sweet-natured comedy classic. The sequel is like week-old pastry: crude, crumbly and tasteless.
★★ DR. SEUSS’ THE LORAX- (SilverCity/Caprice) This is an over-stuffed, garishly coloured eco-parable that is preachy and only fitfully engaging. Featuring the voices of Danny DeVito, Zac Efron and Taylor Swift.
GHOST RIDER: SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE -(Caprice) Nicholas Cage once again reprises his role as an avenger from beyond the grave in a third-tier Marvel Comic adaptation that has staggered from bad to worse.
★★½ THE HUNGER GAMES -(Capitol/SilverCity/Uni 4/Westshore) With Twilight fading fast, the latest teen sensation is undoubtedly this fantasy account of a future world where every year 24 young people are selected to fight to the death on live TV. Everyone else seems to love this movie, but other than for the great lead performance by Jennifer Lawrence I found this derivative and a bit on the cheesy side.
★★★ THE IRON LADY -(Caprice) Meryl Streep finally got a date with Oscar for her amazing turn as Margaret Thatcher in a biopic of England’s first female prime minister that explores her polarizing politics and the price she paid for power. Smoothly directed, although a bit of a standard “greatest hits” kind of biography.
★★★½ JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI -(Odeon) Sushi fans should swoon thanks to this delightful portrait of Japan’s 85-year-old master of sushi, the Yoda of raw fish. See review.
JOURNEY 2: THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND -(Caprice) There’s lots of action and adventure in this fantasy tale of a rescue mission to a mysterious island that is home to lots of strange — and dangerous — critters. With Dwayne Johnson and Michael Caine.
★★½ MIRROR MIRROR -(Odeon/SilverCity/Westshore/Uni 4) Here’s an over-the-top but still entertaining retelling of the Snow White fairy tale starring Julia Roberts, Nathan Lane, and Armie Hammer. Directed by noted visual stylist Tarsem Singh (The Cell).
★★★½ THE RAID: REDEMPTION -(Odeon) Fight fans won’t believe the brutal perfection achieved by the Indonesian martial artists performing in this blood-soaked tale about a SWAT team that gets into trouble raiding a tenement building ruled by a ruthless mobster with an army of thugs. See review.
★★★ SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN -(Odeon) Lasse Hallström (Chocolat) directs Ewan McGregor and Emily Blunt in a whimsical tale, part satire and part romantic comedy — about a fisheries expert who becomes a consultant to a sheik who wants to bring the sport of fly fishing to the desert.
★★★½ the secret world of arrietty -(Caprice) This Japanese-influenced animated tale features a family of four-inch-tall people who live secretly amongst normal humans — until their daughter gets discovered. Although aimed at younger kids, this is a delight for all fans of great animation.
★★★½ TITANIC -(Capitol/SilverCity/Westshore) James Cameron celebrates the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the supposedly unsinkable Titanic by re-releasing his epic version of the story, the second-highest grossing film of all time.
★★★ 21 JUMP STREET -(Capitol/SilverCity/Westshore) The TV show about undercover cops in high school jumps to the silver screen, getting a spoofy and raunchy makeover in the process. As guilty pleasures go, this one is pretty darned funny. Starring Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum.
★★ WANDERLUST -(Caprice) Two impoverished yuppies explore the world of a hippie commune in a hit-and-miss comedy starring Paul Rudd and Jennifer Aniston.
★½ WRATH OF THE TITANS -(Odeon/SilverCity/Westshore) Wrath of the classics scholars will be more like it, as Hollywood delivers a particularly cheesy tale about how half-mortal Perseus braves the underworld to rescue his father (a.k.a. Zeus) as Ares and Hades unleash the brutal Titans upon the world. This fantasy epic stars Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, and Rosamund Pike.
Leaving Thurs.
★★ JOHN CARTER -(SilverCity)
★★½ WE BOUGHT A ZOO -(Caprice)
PEOPLE OF A FEATHER -(Capitol)
Screenings
MOVIE MONDAY – Screening Mothers and Daughters. Veteran Vancouver director Carl Bessai probes many facets of the mother-daughter relationship in this six-person ensemble drama. 6:30pm MONDAY in the 1900-block Fort. By donation. 595FLIC. moviemonday.ca.
★★★½ MONSIEUR LAZHAR -Don’t miss the reprise of this Oscar-nominated/Genie-winning drama from Quebec that explores compassion in the face of a culture gap between grieving Montreal school kids and their substitute teacher, an Algerian immigrant with his own tragic past. THURSDAY-FRIDAY 7pm & SATURDAY 4pm at The Vic Theatre (808 Douglas). CASH ONLY!
quote-along classics -Arnold has rarely been more classic than in Predator, one of the smartest and creepiest creature-features ever. SATURDAY 8 pm at Vic Theatre (808 Douglas). CASH ONLY!
Cinecenta
Cinecenta at UVic screens its films in the Student Union Building. Info: 721-8365. cinecenta.com.
LE BONHEUR DES AUTRES -(Wed., April 11: 7:00 only) The director and lead actress will be present for the screening of this ambitious, Denys Arcand-style drama that tackles a dysfunctional family plus larger social themes.
★★★ THE DESCENDANTS -(Thurs., April 12: 7:00, 9:15 & Fri., April 13: 3:00, 7:00 only & Sat., April 14: 3:00, 7:00, 9:15) The newest film from Alexander Payne (About Schmidt, Sideways) stars George Clooney as a wealthy man who has to rebuild relationships with his daughters after his wife has a terrible accident. Although episodic and digressive, this is an affecting drama.
★★★★ HUGO -(Sat., April 14: 1:00 matinee & Sun., April 15: 1:00, 3:25, 7:00 & Mon., April 16: 7:00 only) A beguiling tale of a 1930s Paris orphan who lives in the walls of a train station and gets involved with a legendary filmmaker from the earliest days of cinema. The great cast includes Ben Kingsley, Sacha Baron Cohen and Christopher Lee.
65 REDROSES -(Tues., April 17: 7:15, 8:45) Here’s a truly affecting documentary exploring the exceptional, all-too-short life of UVic theatre student Eva Markvoort, who conducted a remarkable battle against cystic fibrosis.
SCARLET ROAD -(Wed., April 18: 7:00 only) This possibly unique documentary celebrates Rachel Wotton, an Australian sex worker who fights not only for rights for sex workers but has a strong commitment to the idea that people with disabilities should have full access to exploring and expressing their sexuality.
