movie clips
welcome
NICO DeROSA
FRISBEE
congratulations
MARK & MINDY
january 8, 2010
OPENING OR RETURNING:
Extraordinary Measures: Harrison Ford glowers! Brendan
Fraser looks intense! Medical mysteries need solving! Trailers
get cobbled together out of clichés! Also, this drama was
fi lmed in Portland and is directed by Tom Vaughan, who
made the sweet, underseen Starter for 10. PG. Cinemark.
VRC Stadium 15.
Food, Inc.: Even if you’re tired of the glut of information
— which seemingly goes ignored by so many — about the
problems with our food industry, this new documentary
about the fl aws in the system, which pulls together all the
big guns (Michael Pollan, Joel Salatin), is worth your time.
7 pm Wednesday, Jan. 27, Memorial Union Ballroom, OSU,
Corvallis. Free. 44441 (7/23)
Heckler’s Night: Get guffawing at Cyborg, 7 pm Wednesday,
Jan. 27, Wandering Goat. Free.
Horror and the Horrifi c: UO fi lm series explores “the
multiplicity of ways in which cinematic horror has been
achieved through experimentation with narrative, style,
technology, and genre.” The winter term’s run begins with
Jaws 3-D, 6 pm Thursday, Jan. 21, and continues with Pink
Floyd’s The Wall, 6 pm Thursday, Jan. 28, 110 Willamette, UO.
Free.
Just a Drop … the Ripple Effect: Produced by Makai Ohana
Films of Gold Beach, this two-part documentary explores
the lives of the residents of a rural African village whose
water source is a dried riverbed. The fi lmmakers, Tony and
Terri-Lynn Kalhagen, helped raise money for the village to
build a clean well, the construction of which is documented
in the fi lm’s second part, which also “shows fi rst hand the
daily experience of rural African life.” The fi lm screens as a
fundraiser to help build the next clean water well. 8 pm Friday,
Jan. 22, Cozmic Pizza ($12 donation) and 5 pm Saturday, Jan.
23, Un Solo Pueblo (1022 Willamette; $10 donation). See www.
theworldlovefoundation.org for more.
Legion: The trailer for this apocalyptic disaster fl ick — c’mon,
hordes of angels attacking mankind counts as a disaster,
right? — includes Doug Jones (Abe Sabien in Hellboy, among
other roles) as a messed up ice cream man, and an angel-on-
angel fi ght between Paul Bettany and the guy who played
Keamy on Lost. Also, there’s an evil granny, a diner in the
middle of nowhere, a magical baby and more. Bring on the
apocalypse! Again. R. Cinemark. VRC Stadium 15.
More Than a Game: Five Ohio basketball players — including
this dude you may have heard of named LeBron James — are
the focus of this documentary, which follows their seven-
year journey to the possibility of a high school basketball
championship. “A knockout of a sports documentary,” said
the L.A. Times. Movies 12.
Tooth Fairy, The: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson gets dolled
up as the magical creature who trades kids money for
their teeth. And he’s all skeptical and stuff. And he plays
hockey. Does anyone else suspect that this entire script was
built around the phrase “You can’t handle the tooth?” PG.
Cinemark. VRC Stadium 15.
Films open the Friday following EW publication date
unless otherwise noted. See archived reviews at www.
eugeneweekly.com
CONTINUING:
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel: Annoying
voices! Jason Lee! Girl chipmunks singing “Single Ladies!”
Every time I have to watch this preview, God kills a kitten. PG.
Cinemark. VRC Stadium 15.
Avatar: James Cameron’s latest multi-hundred-million
gamble — a sci-fi tale about an ex-Marine whose consciousness
is put into an alien body, leading to all kinds of confl ict and
realizations about the worlds — is so ideologically slippery,
everyone who’s seen it has a convincing argument for why
their take is the right one. It’s pretty, and it’s tired. PG13.
Cinemark. VRC Stadium 15. Also in 3D. 44421 (12/24)
Blind Side, The: Sandra Bullock stars as a rich Southern
lady who takes in a homeless African-American kid who
becomes a star footbal player. Tell me you see the problems
with this. “What The Blind Side offers is a kind of liberal
Hollywood version of conservative values: all rock-solid valor,
all the time,” said Entertainment Weekly. PG-13. Cinemark.
VRC Stadium 15. 44411 (1/7)
Book of Eli, The: Bring on the apocalypse, man. Between
this, Legion and … some other movies about the end of
the world, we’re clearly in the middle of a trendlike thing.
Anyway. Denzel Washington kicks ass and carries a bible as
the one man who carries a hope for the future. With Gary
Oldman and Mila Kunis. R. Cinemark. VRC Stadium 15.
Broken Embraces: The latest from writer-director Pedro
Almodóvar is a tale of love and movies, stories and lies, and
the plot is way too complicated to sum up quickly. “A vibrant,
mature love letter to the making of movies, the meaning
of movies, and the dark-eyed muse Penélope Cruz,” said
Entertainment Weekly. R. Bijou. 44441 (1/14)
Christmas Carol, A: Robert Zemeckis turns his 3-D obsessed
attention to the classic holiday story. I’m assuming this will
have less dick jokes than did Beowulf. PG. Movies 12.
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs: Portland critics were
abuzz about this animated kids’ movie, which is apparently
far more charming than the previews led us all to believe.
Based on the book of the same name, it’s about a town where
food, rather than the more ordinary forms of precipitation,
falls from the sky. Movies 12.
Couples Retreat: Four Midwestern couples — among them
Vince Vaughn, Jason Bateman, Kristen Bell and Malin
Ackerman — head off on a group retreat to a couples resort
where couples therapy turns out to be necessary. Directed by
Peter Billingsley, aka that kid from A Christmas Story. PG13.
Movies 12.
Daybreakers: “Millions of people, all walking around … like
Happy Meals on legs,” said Spike (James Marsters), in a long
ago episode of Buffy. But what happens when everyone’s a
vampire (those dratted viruses again!) and the snacks are
running out? Starring Ethan Hawke and Willem Dafoe. R.
Cinemark. VRC Stadium 15.
Fantastic Mr. Fox: Wes Anderson (Rushmore) steps into
the animated world with this adaptation of the Roald Dahl
book about a thieving Fox (George Clooney) who gets himself
in a battle with three nasty farmers (the leader of whom is
voiced by Michael Gambon). Anderson’s stop-motion world
is delightful, but the fi lm feels a little distant. PG. 88 min.
Movies 12. 44411 (12/3)
(500) Days of Summer: Oh, Joseph Gordon-Levitt. If only
this movie were as good as you are in it. A quirky sorta-
romance with a carefully created indie aesthetic, Marc Webb’s
feature debut has a lot of charming offerings, but suffers from
an ill-defi ned female character, played as if from a distance
by Zooey Deschanel. PG-13. 95 min. David Minor Theater.
44411 (8/6)
Hangover, The: This summer’s dirty-fun buzz movie stars
Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifi nakis and Ed Helms as three
guys who have no idea what happened at the bachelor party
last night. Where’d that guy’s tooth go? Where’d the baby
come from? Why does this movie start strong and then fall
into unfunny cliché halfway through? David Minor Theater.
44421 (6/11)
28 JANUARY 21, 2010
EUGENE WEEKLY
Hurt Locker, The: Director Kathryn Bigelow returns with
an incredible, intense fi lm about soldiers trained to defuse
homemade bombs in Iraq. The L.A. Times’ Kenneth Turan
said it’s “Overwhelmingly tense, overfl owing with crackling
verisimilitude.” R. David Minor Theater. 44442 (9/3)
Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, The: The latest fi lm
from Terry Gilliam arrives under a dark banner; it includes
Heath Ledger’s last role. The fantastical fi lm tells the story
of a traveling theater owner who made a deal with the devil
a very long time ago, and another deal less long ago — one
that’s about to cause some problems. The preview is more
than enticing. PG-13. 122 min. Bijou. 44421 (1/14)
Inglorious Basterds: Quentin Tarantino’s long-anticipated
WWII movie stars Brad Pitt as the leader of a group of Jewish
soldiers who “engage in targeted acts of retribution” against
the Third Reich. “Energetic, inventive, swaggering fun,” said
The Village Voice. R. David Minor Theater. 44441
(8/27)
It’s Complicated: Nancy Meyers (Something’s Gotta Give) —
recently the subject of a fawning and grating NYT Magazine
profi le — tells yet another story of the romantic problems
of the rich and middle aged. Here, Meryl Streep is caught
between her amorous ex (Alec Baldwin) and her architect
(Steve Martin). R. Cinemark. VRC Stadium 15.
Law Abiding Citizen: Ten years ago, Clyde Shelton (Gerard
Butler)’s family was murdered, but a plea bargain set one of
the killers free. When the killer is released, he quickly turns
up dead — and assistant DA Nick Rice (Jamie Foxx)’s family
might be next! R. Movies 12.
Leap Year: Amy Adam’s character wants to get married to
the perfect guy, who, one suspects from the poster, is not
the dude she’s is dating at the start of this fi lm (Adam Scott),
but Matthew Goode, last seen stiff and blonde in Watchmen.
This romance-goes-to-Ireland romance is directed by Anand
Tucker (Hilary and Jackie). PG. Cinemark. VRC Stadium 15.
Lovely Bones, The: The reviews of Peter Jackson’s
adaptation of Alice Sebold’s novel — about a girl who watches
life continue on Earth after her murder — suggest that
perhaps the director ought to head back to Middle-Earth. But
with the fantastic Saoirse Ronan (Atonement) as poor Susie
Salmon, there must be some redeeming qualities here, right?
PG13. Cinemark. VRC Stadium 15. See review this issue
Men Who Stare at Goats, The: The funny is all in the preview
for this wishy-washy semi-satire that looks, in fl ashbacks, at
the peculiar military attempt to train soliders to use psychic
powers as weapons. George Clooney and Ewan McGregor are
game, but the story gets lost somewhere in the Iraq desert.
R. 93 min. Movies 12. 44111 (11/12)
Moon: Duncan Jones’ feature fi lm debut stars Sam Rockwell
as the lone worker on a lunar mining outpost. As his three-
year contract draws to a close, things start to get very
strange. Intimate in scope but with larger themes under
the surface, Moon is a science fi ction fi lm that’s not been
crossbred with the horror or action genres; it’s a modest
delight, but absolutely worth seeing and with surprising
staying power. David Minor Theater. 44421 (7/9)
Ninja Assassin: Doesn’t the title kind of say it all? He’s a
ninja! And an assassin! And there’s a secret society, and a
government conspiracy, and a gorgeous woman who needs
saving … “Even diehard fans of the genre would be advised
to skip this one,” said the not-pulling-punches A.O. Scott on
At the Movies. R. Movies 12.
Planet 51: In this animated tale, Dwayne Johnson voices an
astronaut who fi nds, after landing on a strange planet, that
not only is he not alone — he’s not normal. He’s the alien to
the alien creatures who live there, and who really fear alien
invasion. PG. Movies 12.
Precious: Lee Daniels’ widely praised fi lm (based on the
novel Push by Sapphire, as its awkward subtitle tells you) is
the story of a 16-year-old African-American girl with a truly
horrible life. A place at a new school sets her on a new road.
Starring Gabourey Sidibe, Mo’Nique, Paula Patton and Lenny
Kravitz. R. Bijou. 44421 (12/24)
Princess and the Frog, The: The latest princess fi lm from
Disney sets the classic “Frog Prince” in New Orleans, where
hardworking waitress Tiana (Anika Noni Rose) meets a frog
(Bruno Campos) who, on his less green days, is a penniless,
lazy, music-loving prince. G. Cinemark. VRC Stadium 15.
44411 (12/17)
Sherlock Holmes: Guy Ritchie (Snatch) turns out what’s said
to be a steampunky Sherlock (Robert Downey Jr.), in which
Holmes is kind of a badass and has a hot Watson (Jude Law),
an entertaining nemesis (Mark Strong) and a mystery to
solve — that threatens all of England, of course. With Rachel
McAdams. PG-13. Cinemark. VRC Stadium 15. 44421
(12/31)
Spy Next Door, The: Jackie Chan defends neighborhood
kids from some bad spies. With George Lopez, Billy Ray Cyrus
and Amber Valletta. PG. Cinemark. VRC Stadium 15.
2012: Roland Emmerich continues his series of fi lms in which
the world is destroyed (Independence Day, The Day After
Tomorrow) with this disastertastic absurdity starring John
Cusack as a dad trying to keep his family together while the
word dissolves around them. (This summary entirely based
on conjecture from the preview.) Look, it’s just there for the
special effects and we all know it, right? Why are you going?
PG13. Movies 12. 41111 (11/25)
Up in the Air: Juno’s Jason Reitman (I prefer to remember
him as the director of Thank You For Smoking) follows up
his megahit with this story of a man (George Clooney)
whose job is to fl y all over the country and fi re people. His
lifestyle is complicated by a young, threatening colleague
(Anna Kendrick, from Twilight) and an interesting fellow
frequent fl yer (Vera Farmiga). “A classic in the making,” said
A.O. Scott on At the Movies. R. Cinemark. VRC Stadium 15.
44442 (12/31)
Where the Wild Things Are: Spike Jonze adapts Maurice
Sendak’s beloved children’s book into something more
complicated and more elaborate than expected — yet
it’s also decidedly handmade, unexpedtedly diffi cult and
sweetly unsentimental, for the most part. With Max Records,
Catherine Keener and the voices of James Gandolfi ni, Paul
Dano, Catherine O’Hara and Lauren Ambrose. PG. Movies 12.
44441 (10/15)
Young Victoria: Emiy Blunt’s earned a Golden Globe
nomination for her portrayal of the queen as she’s crowed,
a young woman caught in court machinations and pressed
to marry. “Blunt makes [her] journey at once authentic and
relevant,” said Entertainment Weekly. Bijou. 44411
(12/31)
Youth In Revolt: I have three words for this adaptation of
the funny novel: Please. Don’t. Suck. Michael Cera stars as
Nick Twisp, who creates an alter ego in order to win the love
of Sheeni Saunders (Portia Doubleday). Also, a lot of other
stuff happens. Destruction and stuff. R. 90 min. VRC Stadium
15. See review this issue
Zombieland: Jesse Eisenberg (Adventureland) goes back
to the amusement park (OK, so the fi lms aren’t related, but
it is kinda funny) in this zombie fl ick that costars Woody
Harrelson, Emma Stone (Superbad) and … Abigail Breslin?
Little Miss Sunshine fi ghts zombies? I’m in. R. Movies 12.
44421 (1/7)
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