Movie minis: Synopses of current films

By North County Times | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 11:21 AM PDT ∞

B+ "Brick Lane"

A workable and sometimes poetic character drama, "Brick Lane" follows a young Bangladeshi village girl sent at age 17 to live a life of arranged marriage to an older man in London. Being dutiful, despite longing for a better life, becomes more difficult when she becomes enamored of a young activist. It's a mature, reflective film addressing universal needs and conflicting desires. PG-13. 101 min. (Dan Bennett)

B- "The Dark Knight"

The vigorous revival of Batman on screen continues with writer-director Christopher Nolan's bold, grim sequel to his excellent "Batman Begins." In this outing, the Joker, played at peak performance by the late Heath Ledger, runs amok and deadly on Gotham's streets, while Batman (Christian Bale), a crusading D.A. (Aaron Eckhart), the rock-steady policeman Gordon (Gary Oldman) and Batman gal pal Rachel (Maggie Gyllenhaal) fight to stop the mayhem. And there is mayhem aplenty in this sleek, electric summer-action vehicle, though too often the overload and onslaught outmans character development and cultural commentary ---- the heart of Batman's origins on paper. Still, what a ride, if you can hang with the repetitive, if spectacular, action sequences. PG-13. 152 min. (Dan Bennett)

B "Elsa & Fred"

From Argentine director Marcos Carnevale, "Elsa & Fred" is both a movie about love and a love letter to movies ---- as well as a movie about two older people in a romance. Concerning a relationship between a 78-year-old widower ready for a quiet life and an inveterate liar of indeterminate age, the story traces their awkward, prickly affair. PG. 108 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. (The New York Times)

C+ "Encounters at the End of the World"

For decades, German filmmaker Werner Herzog has been going down his own road, with his own style, oblivious to standard practices and expectations. Here, he is on location with the National Science Foundation at McMurdo Station in Antarctica. He narrates the documentary, blending the work of the intrepid travelers with the lives and the locals and the lay of the land. G. 99 min. (Dan Bennett)

C+ "Get Smart"

Mildly effective remake of the classic TV sitcom, with Steve Carell as the bungling American agent, teamed with Agent 99 (Anne Hathaway) to stop a nefarious Russian crime syndicate from creating worldwide havoc. Moves back and forth from comedy to strenuous action, and the mix is unsettling. Works best when Carell is allowed to free-form his comic style. PG-13. 114 min. (Dan Bennett)

B- "Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson"

The latest documentary to tackle the rich material of the life of the late author and journalist makes the same mistake the two feature films based on his writing did: It tries to emulate his "gonzo" style ---- and of course, fails miserably. Still, there are some wonderfully revealing moments in old video clips of Thompson reminiscing about himself and his work, and in interviews with his family, friends, colleagues and even onetime foes like Patrick Buchanan. Not perfect, but fans of Thompson are likely to enjoy. R. 110 min. (Jim Trageser)

C+ "Hancock"

Will Smith plays the barely likable crime fighter, a moody, drunken inhabitant of the Los Angeles mean streets, who arouses himself from alcohol-fueled snoozes to stop bad guys from causing trouble and harming others, but often leaves much property damage and an overall surly attitude behind. A personality makeover from a do-good PR man (Jason Bateman) helps, as does a mid-movie plot twist. "Hancock" will likely please those looking for an offbeat summer escape, even if it can't fly at breakaway speed for the duration. PG-13. 92 min. (Dan Bennett)

B "Hellboy II: The Golden Army"

In following up the original "Hellboy" from 2004 and his Oscar-winning 2006 masterpiece "Pan's Labyrinth," Guillermo del Toro has outdone himself in both absurd humor and wild imagination. At times, there's almost too much to take in all at once ---- everything from hulking trolls with thick tusks to tiny tooth fairies that look delicate but actually delight in feasting on human bones. The visuals are the star, of course. But the sequel, which del Toro scripted from a story he co-wrote with "Hellboy" comic book creator Mike Mignola, wouldn't be nearly as much fun without Ron Perlman returning as its wisecracking, beer-guzzling, kitten-nuzzling hero. Not only does Perlman completely get del Toro's twisted sense of humor, he thrives on it. This time, Hellboy and the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense must stop a power-hungry, underground prince (Luke Goss) from awakening a dormant army of indestructible golden soldiers. PG-13. 110 min. (Associated Press)

C+ "The Incredible Hulk"

Despite the presence of Edward Norton, an actor capable of going just as deep as Robert Downey Jr., we don't feel a strong sense of Bruce Banner's inner conflict. That's surprising, given that the famously detail-oriented Norton worked over Zak Penn's script. Liv Tyler seems a bit stiff as Bruce's long-lost love, Dr. Betty Ross, but the movie is livened up by Tim Roth as Bruce's new nemesis and Tim Blake Nelson as the mad scientist who is trying to help Bruce rid his body of gamma rays. PG-13. 114 min. (Associated Press)

B+ "Journey to the Center of the Earth"

Summer action-adventure for families, based on the Jules Verne classic. Brendan Fraser plays a scientist who joins his nephew and a hiking guide on a somewhat accidental trip to the center of the earth, where they encounter an endless series of thrill rides and dangerous situations, not to mention 125-degree temperatures and a rampaging dinosaur. In 3-D (where available), it's like a long amusement park ride. A fun, even semiscientific (however outlandish) escape. PG. 89 min. (Dan Bennett)

B- "Kit Kittredge: An American Girl"

This third "American Girl" movie, based on the series of books of the same name, is the first to go to the big screen instead of direct to TV, and it's a comfortable fit ---- particularly as the movie has more on its mind than most films for pre-teen girls. It contains useful lessons about decency, charity and perserverance, rather than the usual extolling of beauty, popularity and materialism. Plus, Abigail Breslin proves again she's wise beyond her years in the title role. Some of the humor is a little corny, and the ending is too neat. G. 100 min. (Associated Press)

B+ "Kung Fu Panda"

Animated feature from DreamWorks, makers of "Shrek" and "Ice Age," features Jack Black as voice of Po, a tubby Panda bear who dreams of becoming a kung fu warrior. Under the tutelage of a wise teacher (Dustin Hoffman), Po defies the odds and defends friends against an invading snow leopard. Funny and mostly gentle story of courage and self-esteem. PG. 88 min. (Dan Bennett)

C "Mamma Mia!"

The musical evil that is the song "Dancing Queen" inspired a hugely successful Broadway musical a decade ago and is now the basis for a big summer movie. Built around the music of ABBA, "Mamma Mia!" is a massive mess, but it's fun. The plot is wedged in among all the ABBA songs, and concerns a bride who wants to find out who her father was before she marries. Stars Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan. PG-13. 108 min. (Associated Press)

C- "Meet Dave"

In the latest in a long line of disposable Eddie Murphy vehicles, the star talks funny, walks funny and enters a bathroom stall for some rather less humorous noisy business. The story is about some itty-bitty aliens who land on Earth for some reason or other. By no means the worst of Murphy's, the movie is cliched but innocuous. Still, the movie plays like a half-hour sitcom episode that has been stretched ---- principally Murphy's walking and talking ---- to feature-length running time. PG. 90 min. (The New York Times)

B "Mongol"

A stubborn defense of old-fashioned, grand-scale moviemaking, this Russian production tells the story of the rise to power of Genghis Khan. The first of a planned trilogy, this story does not force Khan into conformity with modern sensibilities, but leaves him in a world that feels authentically raw, refreshingly archaic and strangely beautiful. R. 99 min. (The New York Times)

A- "Space Chimps"

The name combined with the G rating might have parents thinking they should stay in the car while the kiddies go into the theater, but that would be a mistake. It would, among other things, cause them to miss one of the better one-liners of the summer. The story concerns a risky space flight, one too dangerous for humans ---- so chimpanzees are sent instead. And if "Wall-E" pushes the boundaries of what can be done in an animated movie, "Space Chimps" proves that the old formula is still pretty effective when executed well. G. 82 min. (The New York Times)

B+ "Tell No One"

This delicious contemporary thriller is "Vertigo" meets "The Fugitive" by way of "The Big Sleep." It's a French adaptation by the best-seller by Harlan Coben, and the plot is so twisty that by the middle of the movie you stop trying to figure it out. As a man tries to solve the murder of his wife and clear his own name, more bodies keep turning up. It's pure, nasty fun. Not rated. 125 mins. In French, with English subtitles. (The New York Times)

A- "The Visitor"

New character drama from the writer-director of "The Station Agent" has Richard Jenkins ("Six Feet Under") as a reserved college professor and widower who has lost his passion for life, but finds his zeal renewed when he befriends a Syrian drummer and his Senegalese girlfriend, who are living in his Manhattan apartment. Intelligent, invigorating portrait of late-life renewal and hope. PG-13. 95 min. (Dan Bennett)

A "WALL-E"

Slower to unfold, and even then slower than earlier Pixar films, "WALL-E" relies more on character development than the action scenes that drove such Pixar classics as "The Incredibles" and "Toy Story." Ironic in that the two main characters in "WALL-E" are robots who don't even talk ---- but the artists at Pixar imbue their futuristic creations with so much personality that a half-closed "eye" or a shrug can convey as much as a sentence. And make sure you're on time ---- the short film before "WALL-E" is another Pixar gem, "Presto," concerning a magician and his rabbit. G. 97 min. (Jim Trageser)

B- "Wanted"

Nonstop action-thriller based on the graphic novel, with James McAvoy as an everyday guy who discovers that he is genetically linked to an ancient fraternity of assassins, killers with heightened powers whose duty is to eliminate evildoers before they commit their acts. Special-effects sequences galore ---- along with plenty of blood, and dark humor ---- in this roller-coaster cinematic experience of the post-Matrix world. With Angelina Jolie, Morgan Freeman. R. 110 min. (Dan Bennett)

C "You Don't Mess With The Zohan"

Adam Sandler stars as the titular character, an Israeli commando who fakes his own death to escape to the United States and pursue his lifelong dream of becoming a hairdresser. He's a superhuman trained killer, but he also finds he's fallen for his boss, Dalia (Emmanuelle Chriqui), a salon owner who happens to be Palestinian. He also must elude a group of Arabs, led by cab driver Salim (old "SNL" buddy Rob Schneider), who want to report Zohan's existence to the Palestinian terrorist (John Turturro) who thought he'd killed him. Sandler co-wrote the script with longtime friends and comedy titans Robert Smigel and Judd Apatow, so it features smarter and more grown-up laughs than you would expect from a typical Happy Madison Production. PG-13. 113 min. (Associated Press)