Arts & Entertainment
Kam’s Capsules: Movie Openings March 21
BIG BUDGET FILMS
Divergent (PG-13 for
intense violence, mature
themes and some sensuali-
ty) Futuristic sci-fi, set in a
supposedly-utopian society
where people are segregated
by personality, although
anyone who fails to fit into
one of five groups ends-up
condemned to death. Star-
ring Shailene Woodley,
Kate Winslet, Mekhi Phifer,
Ashley Judd, Zoe Kravitz,
Theo James and Maggie
Q.
Muppets Most Wanted
(PG for mild action) Ani-
mated adventure set in
Europe where the Muppets
unwittingly
become
embroiled in a jewel heist
hatched by a Kermit the
Frog look-a-like (Steve
Whitmore). Voice cast
K AM ’ S
C APSULES
Movie
Reviews
by Kam
Williams
includes Tina Fey, Ricky
Gervais and Ty Burrell, with
cameos by Lady Gaga, Sean
Diddy Combs, Celine Dion,
Zach Galifianakis, Josh
Groban, Tony Bennett,
Usher and Salma Hayek.
INDEPENDENT &
FOREIGN FILMS
50 to 1 (PG-13 for sug-
gestive material and a bar
fight) Fact-based drama
chronicling the road trip
American Revolutionary
from New Mexico to Ken-
tucky undertaken by a posse
of cowboys when their
crooked-footed
horse
miraculously qualifies for
the Derby. Starring Skeet
Ulrich, William Devane and
Christian Kane.
American Revolution-
ary (Unrated) Reverential
biopic about Grace Lee
Boggs, the 97 year-old, pro-
gressive political activist
who, for many decades, has
dedicated her life to the
plight of the poor people of
Detroit. Featuring commen-
tary by Danny Glover,
Angela Davis and Bill
Ayers.
Anita (Unrated) Ugly
biopic about beauty queen-
turned-gay rights opponent
Anita Bryant (Uma Thur-
man) whose homophobic
crusade led to her divorce
and bankruptcy, and herald-
ed the demise of her show-
biz career.
Awakened
(Unrated)
Supernatural thriller about a
young woman (Julianne
Michelle) who gets help
from beyond the grave
while unearthing the truth
about whether her father
(John Savage) murdered her
mother (Kiva Dawson)
when she was a child. Fea-
turing
Steven
Bauer,
Edward Furlong and Sally
Kirkland.
A Birder’s Guide to
Everything (PG-13 for pro-
fanity, sexuality, drug use
and partial nudity) Ornitho-
logical comedy about a 15
year-old bird watcher (Kodi
Smit-McPhee)
who
embarks on an expedition
with a couple of friends in
search of the supposedly-
extinct Labrador Duck.
With Ben Kingsley, James
Le Gros and Katie Chang.
Blood Ties (R for sexuali-
ty, violence, brief drug use
and pervasive profanity)
Gangster saga, set in 1974,
revolving around two broth-
ers (Clive Owen and Billy
Crudup) operating on oppo-
site sides of the law in their
Brooklyn neighborhood.
Ensemble cast includes
James Caan, Marion Cotil-
lard, Mila Kunis, Zoe Sal-
dana, Jamie Hector and
Griffin Dunne.
Cheap Thrills (Unrated)
Dark comedy about an
unemployed auto mechanic
(Pat Healy) who, for some
much-needed cash, accepts
a rich couple’s (David
Koechner and Sara Paxton)
series of increasingly twist-
ed dares. With Ethan
Embry, Amanda Fuller and
Laura Covelli.
God’s Not Dead (PG for
mature themes, brief vio-
lence and an accident scene)
Christian-oriented drama
about a college freshman
(Shane Harper) who finds
his faith challenged by a
philosophy
professor’s
(Kevin Sorbo) pressure to
embrace atheism for a pass-
ing grade. Featuring Dean
Cain, Jim Gleason and
Willie Robertson.
It Felt Like Love (Unrat-
Page 4 The Portland and Seattle Skanner March 19, 2014
Divergent
ed) Coming-of-age drama
about an envious, 14 year-
old virgin (Gina Piersanti)
who decides to seduce an
older boy (Ronen Rubin-
stein) to match the exploits
of her sexually-active BFF
(Giovanna Salimeni). Sup-
port cast includes Nick
Rosen, Richie Folio and
Andrew McCord.
Just a Sigh (Unrated)
Serendipitous
romance
drama about the love which
blossoms when a miserably-
married
actress
(Emmanuelle Devos) and a
grieving literature professor
(Gabriel Byrne) sit across
from each other on a train
traveling from Calais to
Paris. With Gilles Privat,
Aurelia Petit and Laurent
Capelluto. (In French and
English with subtitles)
Maladies
(Unrated)
Dream deferred drama
about a mentally-ill, soap
opera star (James Franco)
who retires prematurely to a
quiet coastal town with his
deranged sister (Fallon
Goodson) and best friend
(Catherine Keener). Cast
includes David Strathairn,
Jean Carter and Jon
Prescott.
McCanick (R for profani-
ty, graphic violence and
brief drug use) David Morse
stars in the title role of this
out-of-the-closet
drama
chronicling an eventful day-
in-the-life of a cop with a
big secret. Featuring Mike
Vogel, Tracie Thoms, Aaron
Yoo and recently-deceased
Cory Monteith in the late
Glee star’s final screen
appearance.
The Missing Picture
(Unrated) Claymation docu-
mentary recreating the
crimes against humanity
committed by the Khmer
Rouge in Cambodia in the
late Seventies. (In French
with subtitles)
Nymphomaniac: Part
One (Unrated) Lars Von
Trier (Breaking the Waves)
directed this erotic drama in
which a 50 year-old woman
(Charlotte
Gainsbourg)
recounts her adventurous
sex life to the Good Samari-
tan (Stellan Skarsgard) who
came to the rescue after she
was beaten and left for dead
in an alley. With Stacy Mar-
tin, Shia LaBeouf, Christian
Slater, Jamie Bell, Uma
Thurman and Willem
Dafoe.
Rob the Mob (R for sex-
uality, drug use and perva-
sive profanity) Crime caper
about a couple (Michael Pitt
and Nina Arianda) that
stumbles upon something
unexpected at an under-
ground club in the process
of attempting to fleece the
Mafia. Support cast features
Ray Romano, Andy Garcia
and Griffin Dunne.