Vol. LXI, No. 30
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Wednesday, July 25, 2007
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1408 (PG-13 for horror, violence, disturbing images, terror, profanity and mature themes). Fright flick adapted from a Stephen King short story about a skeptic (John Cusack) who has built his career selling books debunking claims of paranormal phenomena. Everything changes the day he decides to spend a night in a haunted hotel room. With Samuel L. Jackson as the night manager.
Evan Almighty (PG for peril and crude humor). Sequel to Bruce Almighty sans Jim Carrey instead stars Steve Carrell in the title role as a newscaster-turned-congressman implored by God (Morgan Freeman) to build an ark in anticipation of another great flood. Cast includes Wanda Sykes, John Goodman and Molly Shannon, with a cameo by Jon Stewart.
Evening (PG-13 for sex, expletives, mature themes, and an accident). Star-studded flashback flick based on the bittersweet Susan Minot best seller revolving around the morphine-induced reminiscences of an ailing dowager (Vanessa Redgrave) who shares a long-hidden secret with her daughters (Toni Collette and Natasha Richardson) on her deathbed. With Meryl Streep, Glenn Close, Claire Danes, Patrick Wilson and Hugh Dancy.
Goya's Ghosts (R for nudity, sexuality, disturbing images and violence). Milos Forman directs this costume drama, set during the Spanish Inquisition, revolving around the relationship of celebrated artist Francisco Goya (Stellan Skarsgard) and his young muse, Ines (Natalie Portman), a nurse arrested for heresy at the behest of a cleric (Javier Bardem) who himself becomes infatuated with the fetching teenager. With Randy Quaid as King Carlos IV.
Hairspray (PG for teen smoking, mild epithets and suggestive content). Adaptation of the Broadway musical, set in Baltimore in 1962, about the efforts of a light on her feet portly pepperpot (Tracy Turnblad) to integrate a local, TV dance show after she realizes the producers don't allow black kids to appear on the program. Star-studded cast includes John Travolta, Queen Latifah, Christopher Walken, Amanda Bynes, Michelle Pfeiffer, James Marsden, Elijah Kelley, Allison Janney and Jerry Stiller.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (PG-13 for fantasy violence and frightening images). Fifth year at Hogwarts School finds Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) frustrated that his fellow wizards are in denial about the apparent return of Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes).
I Know Who Killed Me (R for sexuality, nudity, profanity, gory violence and gruesome images). Grisly psychological thriller starring Lindsay Lohan as a traumatized kidnap victim who manages to escape the clutches of a sadistic serial killer only to end up with amnesia and convinced that she's a stripper, a character she created in a short story for an English assignment.
I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry (PG-13 for nudity, profanity, crude sexuality, and drug references). Adam Sandler and Kevin James co-star in this buddy comedy as NYC firefighters who pretend to be a gay couple in order to qualify for benefits as domestic partners. Supporting cast includes Dan Aykroyd, Jessica Biel, Steve Buscemi, Richard Chamberlain, Ving Rhames and Nicholas Turturro.
Introducing the Dwights (R for sex and expletives). Dysfunctional family drama from Australia about a shy, 21 year-old virgin (Khan Chittenden) who still lives at home with his washed-up comedienne mother (Brenda Blethyn) and a mentally-handicapped brother (Richard Wilson). Plot thickens when overbearing mom has trouble controlling her son after he falls in love with a gorgeous girl (Emma Booth).
Joshua (R for profanity and disturbing behavior). Psychological thriller, set in Manhattan, about a previously contented couple (Sam Rockwell and Vera Farmiga) whose perfect home life is ruined when their nine year-old piano prodigy (Jacob Cogan) reacts rather badly to the birth of their second child.
Knocked Up (R for sex, drugs and profanity). Romantic comedy about a 24 year-old slacker (Seth Rogen) who gets the surprise of his life when a reporter (Katherine Heigl) with whom he shared a drunken one-night stand turns-up to inform him she's two month's pregnant. Ensemble cast includes Paul Rudd, Leslie Mann, American Idol's Ryan Seacrest, Dr. Ken Jeong, Debbie Matenopoulos and Charlyne Yi.
License to Wed (PG-13 for sex and expletives). Robin Williams stars in this romantic comedy as an intermeddling, manipulative minister who puts an engaged couple (Mandy Moore and John Krasinski) through a grueling series of marriage preparation tests before agreeing to perform their wedding ceremony. With DeRay Davis, Eric Christian Olsen and Peter Strauss.
Live Free or Die Hard (PG-13 for sex, expletives, and intense violence). Bruce Willis is back to save Independence Day after a terrorist (Timothy Oliphant) tries to bring America to its knees by sabotaging the internet to shut down the nation's infrastructure.
The Lives of Others (R for nudity and sexuality). Winner of the Best Foreign Film Oscar, this espionage drama, set in the Eighties, revolves around an East German government spy (Ulrich Muhe) assigned to spy on a couple (Sebastian Koch and Martina Gedeck) suspected of being enemies of the Communist state. (In German with subtitles).
No Reservations (PG for mild epithets and some sensuality). Catherine Zeta-Jones stars in this romantic comedy about the master chef at a trendy, Greenwich Village bistro whose need for help in raising her adorable orphaned niece (Abigail Breslin) conveniently dovetails with addition to her staff of a handsome sous chef (Aaron Eckhart) who knows how to relate to kids. With Patricia Clarkson, Bob Balaban and Zoe Kravitz (daughter of Lenny and Lisa Bonet).
Once (R for profanity). Irish love story, set in Dublin, revolving around the whirlwind romance between a street musician (Glen Hansard) and the Czech immigrant (Marketa Irglova) who becomes his collaborator.
Ratatouille (G). Animated adventure from Walt Disney about a rodent (Patton Oswalt) who dreams of becoming a famous French chef. With voiceover work by Brad Garrett, Brian Dennehy, Janeane Garofalo, Ian Holm and Peter O'Toole.
Sicko (PG-13 for brief profanity). The American healthcare system gets the Michael Moore treatment in this documentary which makes much of the fact that 45 million people living in the richest country on Earth have no medical insurance.
The Simpsons Movie (PG-13 for crude humor). Screen adaptation of the long-running TV series. With voicework by regular cast members Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, Kelsey Grammer, Joe Mantegna, Pamela Hayden and Harry Shearer.
Skinwalkers (PG-13 for sexuality, profanity and intense violence). Horror flick follows the efforts of the mother (Rhona Mitra) of an almost 13 year-old boy (Matthew Knight) to protect her half-breed son from the two warring wolf packs coveting the superhuman powers he's about to inherit in fulfillment of an ancient prophecy.
Talk to Me (R for pervasive profanity and some sexual content). Don Cheadle stars in the biopic about Ralph "Petey" Greene, an ex-con turned radio DJ who brought an inspiring sense of social activism to the airwaves in Washington, DC during the turbulent Sixties. Kasi Lemmons directs ensemble cast which includes Chiwetel Ejiofor, Martin Sheen, Cedric the Entertainer, Mike Epps, and her husband, Vondie Curtis-Hall.
Transformers (PG-13 for profanity, sexuality, and intense action violence). Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox as co-star in this sci-fi spectacular about a couple of high school students hoping to save the planet after all-out war breaks out between two races of shape-changing robots. Cast includes Josh Duhamel, Bernie Mac, Tyrese and John Turturro.
La Vie en Rose (PG-13 for nudity, profanity, sexuality, substance abuse and mature themes). Marion Cotillard portrays Edith Piaf (1915-1963) in this bittersweet bio-pic about the tragic life and times of the legendary chanteuse who started as a lowly street performer till she was discovered by the nightclub owner (Gerard Depardieu) who put her name up in lights. (In French with subtitles).
Who's Your Caddy (PG-13 for nudity, profanity, sexuality, crude humor and drug use). Shades of Caddyshack in this ghetto-meets-suburbia comedy. Cast includes Jeffrey Jones, James Avery, Terry Crews, Faizon Love, Finesse Mitchell, Tony Cox, Tamala Jones, Garrett Morris and Jenifer Lewis.