Local News
S
P
O
T
L
I
G
H
T
Movies Opening This Week: April 27
K AM ’ S
C APSULES
Movie
Reviews by
Kam
Williams
BIG BUDGET FILMS
Bernie (PG-13 for violent
images and brief profanity) Jack
Black plays the title character in
this crime comedy about a small-
town, Texas mortician who goes to
great lengths to keep up the illu-
sion that the wealthy widow
(Shirley MacLaine) he’s killed is
still alive. With Matthew
McConaughey, Rick Dial and
Veronica Orosco.
The Five-Year Engagement (R
for pervasive profanity and sexu-
ality) Battles-of-the-sexes comedy
chronicling the increasingly
strained relationship of a very
busy bride and groom-to-be
(Emily Blunt and Jason Segel)
who keep having to put off their
wedding plans. Support cast
includes Kevin Hart, Rhys Ifans,
David Paymer and Mindy Kaling.
The Pirates! Band of Misfits
(PG for action, mild epithets and
crude humor) Animated kiddie
adventure about a competition
among three buccaneer swash-
bucklers (Hugh Grant, Jeremy
Piven and Salma Hayek) to cap-
ture the coveted Pirate of the Year
Award by wreaking the most
havoc on the high seas. Voice cast
includes Brendan Gleeson, Martin
Freeman and Brian Blessed.
The Raven (R for graphic vio-
C
O
lence and grisly images) 19th
Century murder mystery which
finds poet Edgar Allen Poe (John
Cusack) joining forces with a
young detective (Luke Evans) to
apprehend the serial killer on the
loose in his beloved Baltimore.
Featuring Alice Eve, M. Emmet
Walsh and Brendan Gleeson.
Safe (R for profanity and
graphic violence) Action thriller
about a retired Mixed Martial
Arts fighter (Jason Statham) who
comes to the rescue of a 12 year-
old Chinese girl (Catherine Chan)
who’s been abducted by the same
mobsters who murdered his wife
and children. With Chris Saran-
don, James Hong and Anson
Mount.
Sound of My Voice (Unrated)
Mind control drama about an
investigative journalist (Christo-
pher Denham) who, with the help
of his girlfriend (Nicole Vicius),
infiltrates a religious cult only to
fall under the spell of the charis-
matic leader (Brit Marling) he had
hoped to expose as a charlatan.
Supporting cast includes Avery
Kristen Pohl, Davenia McFadden
and Kandice Stroh.
INDEPENDENT &
FOREIGN FILMS
96 Minutes (R for violence and
pervasive profanity) Fact-based
crime thriller about a couple of
college coeds (Brittany Snow and
Christian Serratos) who find them-
selves carjacked and kidnapped by
a wannabe gangster (J. Michael
Trautmann) with a reluctant
accomplice (Evan Ross). With
David Oyelowo, Sylvia Jeffries
and Hosea Chanchez.
The Broken Tower (Unrated)
James Franco stars in this bitter-
M
M
U
N
midlife crisis drama about a
Parisian journalist inspired to
reevaluate her own sexuality
while researching an article about
college coeds who enjoy support-
ing themselves by moonlighting
as prostitutes. With Anais
Demoustier, Joanna Kulig and
Louis-Do de Lencquesaing. (In
French and Polish with subtitles)
The Giant Mechanical Man
96 Minutes
sweet biopic recounting the abbre-
viated life and career of Hart
Crane (1899-1932), a celebrated
gay poet who took his own life by
jumping off an ocean liner right
after being assaulted for making a
pass at a crew member. Support
cast includes Michael Shannon,
Stacey Miller and Vince
Jolivette.
Citizen Gangster (Unrated)
Diminished dreams saga, set in the
wake of World War II, revisiting
the real-life exploits of Eddie
Boyd (Scott Speedman), a deco-
rated Army veteran who began
robbing banks to support his fami-
ly when his fledgling acting career
failed to pan out. Featuring Kelly
Riley, Kevin Durand and Brian
Cox.
Dolphin Boy (Unrated) Over-
coming-the-odds documentary, set
in Israel, about an Arab teenager
left mute by a brutal beatdown
who makes a miraculous recovery
after his therapist prescribes a
rehab regimen that involves swim-
ming with dolphins in the Red Sea
for four weeks. (In Hebrew and
Arabic with subtitles)
Elles (NC-17 for explicit sexual-
ity) Juliette Binoche stars in this
I
T
Y
S EATTLE
C
The Highest Pass (Unrated)
Fate-tempting documentary about
Adam Schomer, a defiant 27 year-
old who takes to riding a motorcy-
cle around the Himalayas without
a helmet after an Indian guru pre-
dicts his imminent, untimely
demise in an automobile accident.
Inventing Our Life (Unrated)
Communal living documentary
examining the rise and decline of
Israel’s 100 year-old Kibbutz
Movement.
Payback (Unrated) Screen
adaptation of visionary Margaret
Atwood’s game-changing rumi-
nation of the same name explores
various forms of debt: not only
economic, but societal, spiritual,
environmental, personal and
criminal.
The Giant Mechanical Man
(PG-13 for sexuality and brief
profanity) Quirky romantic come-
dy about a soft-spoken zookeeper
(Jenna Fischer) who falls for a
struggling street performer (Chris
Messina) in spite of pressure from
her domineering sister (Malin
Akerman) to date a pompous,
self-help guru (Topher Grace).
With Lucy Punch, Bob Odenkirk
and Rich Sommer.
Headhunters (R for nudity,
graphic sexuality and gruesome
violence) Multi-layered mystery,
set in Norway, about a corporate
headhunter (Aksel Hennie) who
risks his career to steal a priceless
painting by Rubens from a well-
heeled client (Nikolaj Coster-Wal-
dau). With Julie Olgaard, Eivind
Sander and Synnove Macody
Lund. (In Norwegian and Danish
with subtitles)
A
L
E
N
D
Restless City
Restless City (R for drug use
and brief sexuality) New York
City tale of survival about an
African immigrant (Sy Alassane)
who sells bootlegged CDs on the
street of Manhattan while trying to
make it as a musician and encour-
aging his hooker girlfriend (Sky
Grey) to find a respectable line of
work. With Herve Diese, Ger
Duany and Danai Gurira. (In Eng-
lish, French, Wolof and Yoruba
with subtitles)
A
R
2012
B ULLETIN B OARD
Saturday April 28
Tuesday May 1
If you have an event you want to share
with the community, email it two weeks
in advance to The Skanner at
info@theskanner.com
2012 YOUTH AND FAMILY SUMMIT: The Summit
features two workshop tracks – one youth,
another for parents and guardians. 9 a.m. – 4
p.m. Lincoln High School, 701 S. 37th St. Tacoma.
Free breakfast and lunch will be served. Entrance
is free, pre-registration by youth and adults is
encouraged at
www.pugetsound.edi/raceandpedagogy or
forms available at all Tacoma Public Schools
Offices.
SEATTLE PARKS AND RECREATION CELEBRATES THE
RENOVATED LANGSTON HUGHES PERFORMING ART
CENTER. Join the community at the ribbon cutting
ceremony at 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. The ceremony
event will feature opera, jazz, a youth string
ensemble and more. LHPAC located at 104 17th
Ave. S.
GLENDALE LUTHERAN CRAFT AND PLANT SALE: Arts
& Crafts, variety of indoor and outdoor plants
and planters, lots of unique gift items. Free
admission, noon – 5 p.m. 13544 2nd Ave. SW.
CELEBRATE AMERICAN ART AND GET FREE COMICS.
Free comics, featuring character ranging from
Superman to Charlie Brown will be available at
comic book stores throughout the world. Get
yours from Dragon’s Lair Comics & Fantasy,
14725 NE 20th St in Bellevue. All day long event
while supplies last. For more information call 425-
562-2025.
Friday – Sunday April 27 – 29
BOOK ON OVER TO WARREN G. MAGNUSON PARK
FOR THE MINI BOOK SALE. Approximately 25,000
items will be up for sale to the public at bargain
prices. Friday 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Saturday 9 a.m. –
4 p.m. Sunday 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. 7400 Sand Point
Way N.E. Building 30 Workshop.
Page 2 The Seattle Skanner April 25, 2012
FREE GUIDED TOURS OF KUBOTA GARDEN: Learn
about the history and features of this unusual
Japanese American Garden. 10 – 11:30 a.m.
Kubota Garden, 9817 55th Ave. S.
Saturday May 5