OPENING OR RETURNING:
Ani DiFranco: Ninety minute concert film shot in
May 2004 includes appearances by Tony Scherr
and Dennis Kucinich. Not rated. Bijou LateNite.
Battle Royale: Controversial, violent Japanese
film in which a class of young adolescents is kid-
napped, drugged and dumped on a deserted
island with enough food and water for three days.
And a weapon each. Only one will leave alive. R.
Bijou LateNite.
Bridge to Terabithia: Adaptation of the much-
loved children’s book by Katherine Paterson, in
which two lonely kids create a fantasyland for
themselves. Despite the fantasy-film feel of the
trailer, the film is said to be very loyal to the book.
PG. Movies 12.
Finding Common Ground in New Orleans:
Documentary by Springfielder Walidah Imarisha
screens as part of “Remains and Rebirth: An
Evening About Katrina,” which also includes a
presentation by New Orleans-based organizer
Suncere Shakur and a Q&A with both. 7 pm May
23, Churchill High School Auditorium. $2-$20 ss.
Human Rights in Latin America: Class film
series is open to the public. Introductions to each
film take place at 6:30 pm. State of Fear (Peru), 7
pm May 17; La historia official (Argentina), 7 pm
May 24. 129 McKenzie, UO. Free.
Mekong: The Mother of All Waters:
Documentary by Portlander Brian Eustis chroni-
cles the first complete navigation of the Mekong
River, exploring human rights and environmental
issues resulting from the Chinese government’s
plan to dam the river. Screens with Decades: Born
in Fire, a locally-produced film exploring the
issues around the 2002 Biscuit Fire. 7 pm May 22,
100 Willamette.
Mr. Sean’s Cartoon Club: Crazy, weird and old
cartoons featuring Betty Boop, Felix, Superman
and more. Noon-1:30 pm May 20. Bijou. $4.
Power of Community: How Cuba Survived
Peak Oil: Filmmakers Faith Morgan and Pat
Murphy explore how Cuba survived the loss of
more than half its oil imports after the fall of the
Soviet Union. 6 pm May 20, Cozmic Pizza. Free.
Premonition: Linda Hanson (Sandra Bullock) is
having a very bad week: One day, her huband is
killed in a car wreck; the next, she wakes up and
he’s still alive. Does that sound interesting? Don’t
be fooled: This is an overwrought, tedious stinker.
PG13. Movies 12. 21111 (3/22)
Reaping, The: In Hilary Swank’s oft-delayed new
thriller, the two-time Oscar winner plays a former
missionary who’s turned to a life spent debunking
religious phenomena — until, of course, some-
thing really dark, creepy and Biblical starts to
happen. R. Movies 12.
Rhythm From Wreckage: A showcase of experi-
ments in time-based art, including work by Jesse
England, Nate Harrison, LoVid, Gijs Gieskes and
artists performing at Eugene Noise Fest 2007. 8
pm May 17, DIVA. $5, $3 stu., members.
Russian Sherlock Holmes: The Treasure of
Agra, part one: Holmes and Watson investigate
rare pearls sent to Mary Morstan. In Russian with
English subtitles. 7 pm May 22, 115 Pacific, UO.
Free.
Shrek the Third: When Shrek’s father-in-law
kicks the bucket, the ogre finds himself the reluc-
tant king of Far Far Away. His only hope of getting
out of the job? His wife’s slacker cousin. The big
green ogre is apparently such a cinematic threat,
his is the only mainstream film opening this
weekend. Yikes. PG. Cinemark. VRC Stadium 15.
Valerie and Her Week of Wonders: A young
Czechoslovakian girl is given a pair of magical
earrings that let her see the world around her as
it really is. 7 pm May 20, DIVA. $5, $3 stu., mem-
bers.
Valet, The: Francis Veber’s latest film to feature
a fellow named François Pignon finds Pignon,
here the titular valet, caught up in a loaded busi-
nessman’s plan to convince his wife he’s not
cheating on her with a supermodel. A sweet,
funny farce ensues. PG13. Bijou. See review this
issue.
Youth & Subcultures Film Series: Presented in
conjunction with Folklore of Subcultures class.
Afro Punk and Don’t Need You: The Herstory of
Riot Grrl, 7 pm May 17; Mondo Elvis and Almost
Elvis, 7 pm May 24, 110 Willamette, UO. Free.
Films open the Friday following EW publica-
tion date unless otherwise noted. See
archived reviews at www.eugeneweekly.com
CONTINUING:
Astronaut Farmer, The: Billy Bob Thornton
plays the title character in this based-on-a-true-
story feelgood film about a feller building a rock-
et in his barn. With Virginia Madsen and Bruce
Dern. PG. Movies 12.
Avenue Montaigne: Characters intersect in a
Paris bar where Jessica (Cecile de France) is a
new-to-town waitress. The Washington Post
called it “a delicately charming fable.” PG13. Bijou.
44411 (5/3)
Delta Farce: Larry the Cable Guy, Bill Engvall and
DJ Qualls star in this bit of nonsense about a
group of dudes who accidentally wind up in the
military — then are accidentally ejected from an
Iraq-bound plane, winding up in Mexico. PG13.
Cinemark. VRC Stadium 15.
Disturbia: Under a three-month house arrest,
teenager Kale (Shia LaBeouf) spies on the homes
around him — which leads to meeting the hot girl
next door and, you know, figuring out that the
creepy neighbor might be up to something nasty.
PG13. Cinemark. VRC Stadium 15.
Ex, The: That Zach Braff, always having lady
problems. This time, he and his wife Sofia
(Amanda Peet) move from NYC to small-town
Ohio, where Sofia’s ex still wants her and she
doesn’t want to stay home with the baby. PG13.
VRC Stadium 15.
Firehouse Dog: A fancy-pants cinematic canine,
gets lots, meets a troubled kid and learns to use
his stunt skills for good in a movie Variety called
“A likable but ungainly mutt of a movie.” PG.
Movies 12.
Fracture: Director Gregoy Hoblit, who brought
Edward Norton to our attention in 1996’s Primal
Fear, brings Ryan Gosling (Half Nelson) back to
the mainstream as an assistant D.A. working to
get a suspected murderer (Anthony Hopkins)
convicted. R. VRC Stadium 15.
Georgia Rule: The movie that overlapped with
reality when La Lohan’s part — as a rebellious,
uncontrollable teen — seemed to seep into her life
off-camera. Felicity Hoffman’s the mom who can’t
keep her daughter in line, Jane Fonda the grand-
mother who sets the girl straight. R. Cinemark.
VRC Stadium 15.
Ghost Rider: What did they do to Nicolas Cage’s
face? He looks like he lost at least 10 years to play
the titular hero, whose long-ago deal with the
devil forces him to hunt rogue demons at night.
PG13. Movies 12.
Hoax, The: Richard Gere breaks his usual bland
mold to star as Clifford Irving, who in 1971 nearly
got away with publishing a fake biography of the
reclusive Howard Hughes. Directed by Lasse
Hallström (The Cider House Rules, My Life as a
Dog), with a solid supporting turn from Alfred
Molina. R. Movies 12. 44421 (4/19)
Hot Fuzz: The team that brought us the won-
drous, gory Shaun of the Dead returns with Hot
Fuzz, in which the awesomest London cop ever
(Simon Pegg) is sent to a sleepy village so he’ll
stop making his superiors look bad. ‘Course,
other stuff happens. With Jim Broadbent and
pretty much every hysterical Brit working in film.
R. Cinemark. VRC Stadium 15. 44441
(4/26)
Invisible, The: A young man attacked and left for
dead (Justin Chatwin) tries desperately to win his
way out of limbo by discovering his killer’s identi-
ty. PG13. Cinemark.
Last Mimzy, The: A mysterious box of toys gives
two children strange powers and draws them and
their families into a magical, sometimes scary
world. With Timothy Hutton, Joely Richardson
and Rainn Wilson. PG. Movies 12.
Meet the Robinsons: Orphaned inventor Lewis
has his latest and greatest creation stolen, but a
stranger whisks him away to the future, where
adventures, and the thief, await. G. VRC Stadium
15.
Music and Lyrics: Hugh Grant is back in scruffy,
lovable mode as a washed-up pop star who has a
new chance at fame — if he can just write the right
song for a young diva. Drew Barrymore plays his
“plant lady,” who has a flair for words. PG13.
Movies 12.
Norbit: Oscar nominee Eddie Murphy plays both
the nerdy title character and his overweight, pos-
sessive fiancée. The trailer hurts us, and so does
the fact that Thandie Newton is in this movie.
PG13. Movies 12.
Pan’s Labyrinth: Writer-director Guillermo del
Toro delivers a beautifully wrought, sometimes
excruciating film that follows a young girl though
her adventures in a fantastic otherworld — and
through a difficult, frightening existence in this
one. In Spanish with English subtitles. A CADEMY
A WARDS : C INEMATOGRAPHY ; A RT D IRECTION . R. Movies
12. 44441 (2/8)
Plagues and Pleasures on the Salton Sea: A
modern-day look at the eccentrics and dreamers
clinging to life on the Salton Sea, the former
“California Riviera” that’s now an ecological dis-
aster. Narrated by John Waters. Bijou.
Spider-Man 3: Spidey (Tobey Maguire) faces an
ungodly number of new villains (including those
played by Thomas Haden Church and Topher
Grace) as the franchise trucks through its overfull
third installment. PG13. Cinemark. VRC Stadium
15. 42111
TMNT: Animated film finds the formerly-of-the-
’80s foursome fighting ancient monsters with the
help of Casey Jones (now voiced by Chris Evans)
and April O’Neil (Sarah Michelle Gellar). PG.
Movies 12.
28 Weeks Later: Six months after the “rage
virus” tore through Britain, the U.S. Army claims
the coast is clear and the country can be rebuilt.
All begins well but shortly goes to hell — as does
the movie. R. Cinemark. VRC Stadium 15. See
review this issue.
Year of the Dog: Molly Shannon stars in this
strange, compact film from writer-director Mike
White (Chuck & Buck), about a woman whose life
drastically changes following the death of her
beloved dog. Alternately endearing and off-
putting, White’s film wears its oddness a little
awkwardly. PG13. Bijou. 44411
MAY 17, 2007 35