Kam’s Kapsules by Kam Williams

28 Weeks Later (R for sexuality, nudity, profanity, graphic violence, and gore). Sequel to 28 Days, opening a half-year after the events of the original, has the marines landing to help restore order and repopulate London only to learn that another strain of the same killer virus has been unwittingly unleashed again. Cast includes Rose Byrne, Harold Perrineau, Idris Elba and Catherine McCormack.

Away from Her (Unrated). Romance drama highlights the unorthodox love triangle which arises when a woman with Alzheimers (Julie Christie) leaves her husband (Gordon Pinsent) of many years to check herself into a nursing home where she falls in love with a deaf mute resident (Michael Murphy). Cast includes Olympia Dukakis.

Black Book (R for sexuality, profanity, gruesome violence, and graphic nudity). Paul Verhoeven directs this WWII fictional account of the exploits of a once-wealthy, Dutch Jewish singer (Carice van Houten) who joins the Resistance to track down and exact revenge on the Nazis responsible for the slaughter of her family in the Holocaust. (In Dutch, German, Hebrew and English with subtitles.)

Bug (R for nudity, sexuality, profanity, drug use and graphic violence). Claustrophobic psychological thriller about a lonely waitress (Ashley Judd) living in a dilapidated Oklahoma motel who enters an ill-advised relationship with a drifter (Michael Shannon) whose paranoia gradually gets the better of him.

Delta Farce (PG-13 for sexuality and crude humor). Action comedy about three drinking and shooting buddies (Larry the Cable Guy, DJ Qualls and Bill Engvall) who are mistaken for National Guardsmen and loaded onto an army plane headed for Fallujah only to be ejected accidentally over Mexico en route, yet convinced that they've actually landed in the Middle East. With Keith David as their hard-boiled sergeant.

Disturbia (PG-13 for sensuality, violence and terror). Psychological thriller about a troubled teenager (Shia LaBeouf) under house arrest who turns into a snoop and becomes convinced that one of his neighbors is a serial killer. Cast includes David Morse, Carrie-Anne Moss, Aaron Yoo and Viola Davis.

Fracture (R for profanity and violence). Cat-and-mouse crime thriller about an assistant DA (Ryan Gosling) intent on bringing to justice a jealous husband (Anthony Hopkins) freed on a technicality despite admitting that he shot his wife (Embeth Davidtz) in the head to her lover (Billy Burke), the investigating detective. Cast includes David Strathairn, Fiona Shaw and Zoe Kazan (Elia's granddaughter).

Georgia Rule (R for sex and expletives). Dysfunctional family drama about an uncontrollable California girl (Lindsey Lohan) who is dragged by her frustrated mother (Felicity Huffman) from San Francisco to a tiny town in Idaho to live with her disciplinarian grandmother (Jane Fonda) for the summer.

The Invisible (PG-13 for teen sensuality, profanity, criminality and violence). Remake of the Swedish sci-fi thriller about a high school senior (Justin Chatwin) who ends up invisible and in limbo between life and death after being attacked by a demented girl (Margarita Levieva) who mistook him for someone else. With Marcia Gay Harden as his frantic mother.

The Lives of Others (R for nudity and sexuality). Academy Award-Winning Best Foreign Language Film revisits repression behind the Iron Curtain during the Eighties at a time when the East German government employed an intimidating system of surveillance to keep the populace in line. (In German with subtitles)

Meet the Robinsons (G). Disney animated adventure about orphans (Daniel Hansen and Jordan Fry) attempting to invent a time machine in order to find their long-lost mother who enlists the assistance of a mysterious boy (Wesley Singerman) in the desperate quest. With additional voicework courtesy of Angela Bassett, Stephen J. Anderson and Laurie Metcalf.

The Namesake (PG-13 for sexuality, profanity, nudity, drug use and disturbing images). Cross-cultural drama, adapted from the novel of the same name by Jhumpa Lahiri, about the struggle of the son (Kal Penn) of immigrants (Irfan Khan and Tabu) from Calcutta to develop his own identity in New York City without totally losing touch with his Indian heritage. (In Bengali, Hindi and English)

Next (PG-13 for profanity and intense violence). Nicolas Cage stars in this ESP adventure about a Las Vegas magician with the ability to see a few minutes into the future who is offered an opportunity to save the day by a federal agent (Julianne Moore) tracking terrorists intent on detonating a nuclear device which would wipe out Los Angeles. With Jessica Biel, Peter Falk and Thomas Kretschmann.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (PG-13 for intense violence and frightening images). Final chapter of the Disney trilogy revolves around the efforts of Will (Orlando Bloom), Elizabeth (Keira Knightley) and Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) to free Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) who's trapped at the bottom of the ocean in Davy Jones' (Bill Nighy) locker.

Shrek the Third (PG for crude humor, suggestive language and action). Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Antonio Banderas, Rupert Everett, John Cleese and Julie Andrews reprise their voice roles for this installment in which Prince Charming seeks to prevent the lovable ogre from ascending to the throne of Far, Far Away when Princess Fiona's father suddenly falls ill.

Spider-Man 3 (PG-13 for intense action sequences). Peter Parker finds himself wrestling with inner demons beckoning him to the wrong side of the law after a strange substance turns his alter ego's superhero outfit black. With Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Thomas Haden Church, Topher Grace, Bryce Dallas Howard, James Cromwell, Bill Nunn and Theresa Russell.

Vacancy (R for nudity, profanity, terror and brutal violence). Horror flick features Kate Beckinsale and Luke Wilson as a couple whose car breaks down in the middle of nowhere forcing them to spend the night in a creepy motel where they realize that the sleazy slasher movie on TV was filmed right in the room they've rented.

The Valet (Unrated). French farce about a car parking valet (Gad Elmaleh) at a posh Paris restaurant who pretends to be dating the supermodel mistress (Alice Taglioni) of a billionaire tycoon (Daniel Auteuil) in order to help save the shameless philanderer's marriage. (In French with subtitles)

Waitress (PG-13 for sex, expletives and mature themes). Kooky cooking comedy about a pregnant pastry chef (Keri Russell) who hopes to escape her unhappy marriage to a control freak (Jeremy Sisto) by entering her special "Kick in the Pants" pie in a baking contest with a $25,000 grand prize. With Nathan Fillion as the town's tongue-tied, bachelor gynecologist who catches her wandering eye.

Year of the Dog (PG-13 for sexual innuendo). Molly Shannon stars in this bittersweet character study about a happy-go-lucky secretary whose life changes the day her beloved beagle bites the dust. Cast includes Laura Dern, Regina King, Peter Sarsgaard and John C. Reilly.

Return to Cinema Review | Return to Top