MOVIES
Movies are rated on a letter-grade scale, from A to F. Opinions by R-J movie critic Carol Cling (C.C.) are indicated by initials. Other opinions are from wire service critics.
Motion Picture Association of America ratings:
G - General audiences, all ages.
PG - Parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.
PG-13 - Parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children under 13.
R - Restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or guardian.
NC-17 - No one under 17 admitted.
NR - Not rated.
THE BANK JOB
(B) In 1971 London, petty thieves (led by Jason Statham as a struggling mechanic and Saffron Burrows as his ex-model ex-flame) break into a Baker Street bank vault, unaware their record haul includes salacious photos incriminating a royal family member. It's a tangled web "The Bank Job" weaves, but under the crisp direction of Roger Donaldson ("No Way Out"), the movie keeps multiple plot threads tangle-free and multiple colorful characters in orbit -- until their various worlds collide. (111 min.) R; sexual content, nudity, violence, profanity. (C.C.)
COLLEGE ROAD TRIP
(D+) Phi beta krappa: Disney Channel star Raven-Symoné is Daddy's Little Girl heading off to college -- that is, if Daddy (Martin Lawrence), a maniacal, control-freak police chief, will let her go quietly. Alas, this crass, disposable comedy (also featuring a cameo by Donny Osmond) is so over-the-top that its sheer mindless excess is a borderline saving grace -- but not enough of one to save this movie, or us from it. (83 min.) G; all ages.
THE COUNTERFEITERS
(B) Oscar's best foreign-language film this year, inspired by a true story, takes place in a World War II concentration camp, where a Nazi officer (Devid Striesow) enlists a Jewish forger (Karl Markovics) in a scheme to counterfeit Allied currency -- saving the criminal from torture, starvation and death. Full of chilling, ironic details, director Stefan Rukowitzky's provocative drama proves that, no matter how many Holocaust stories the movies tell, there are always new and unexpected ones worth relating. In German with English subtitles. (98 min.) R; intense violence, nudity.
DEEP SEA 3-D
(B) Get up close and personal with ocean wildlife, unveiled in the reach-out-and-touch weirdness of IMAX 3-D at the Luxor. This giant-screen documentary introduces exotic denizens of the deep so extravagantly extraterrestrial, nothing created by Hollywood's special effects labs could possibly compete. (40 min.) G; all ages.
DINOSAURS 3-D: GIANTS OF PATAGONIA
(B+) Now at Luxor's IMAX theater, this excursion traces the evolution -- and extinction -- of giant prehistoric beasts that rip each other's faces off in thrilling computer-generated segments showcasing species we didn't see in "Jurassic Park." (40 min.) NR; very large, very loud dinosaurs.
DRILLBIT TAYLOR
(C) Three desperate high school dweebs (Nate Hartley, Troy Gentile, David Dorfman) solicit a beach bum who claims to be an Iraq veteran (Owen Wilson, very much in his comfort zone), hoping this budget bodyguard will protect them from a sadistic bully (Alex Frost). Watching the latest from the Judd Apatow hit machine ("The 40-Year-Old Virgin," "Knocked Up," "Superbad") makes you feel as though your arm's being twisted on your way to class. And that's not a compliment. (102 min.) PG-13; crude, racy humor, profanity, drug references, violence, partial nudity.
88 MINUTES
(C-) After receiving a death threat informing him that he has (surprise!) only 88 minutes to live, a famed forensic psychologist (gleeful scenery-chomper Al Pacino) tries to sort out the usual suspects, including a serial killer (Neal McDonough) he helped put on Death Row. This might have been slightly more tolerable if it were actually 88 minutes long, but it's too long at any length, given its lame premise, labored execution and haplessly stranded cast, which includes Alicia Witt, Amy Brenneman, Leelee Sobieski and "The O.C.'s" Benjamin McKenzie. It's not their fault -- but somebody needs to shoulder the blame for something this criminal. (108 min.) R; disturbing violent content, brief nudity, profanity. (C.C.)
EXPELLED: NO INTELLIGENCE ALLOWED
(C-) In this propaganda disguised as a documentary, Ben Stein -- actor, comedian, columnist, game show host and Nixon-era White House speechwriter -- tries to make the case for intelligent design, traveling to various universities to interview advocates on both sides of the creationism-vs.-evolution debate before turning his inquiry into a diatribe. Stein claims to denounce the tyranny of dogma, then browbeats us with his own. (90 min.) PG; mature themes, disturbing images, brief smoking.
FOOL'S GOLD
(D+) Pure pyrite: "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" sweethearts Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey reunite for a labored action romp about newly divorced couple on the trail of long-lost Spanish treasure. A tedious waste of time -- especially yours. (112 min.) PG-13; action violence, sexual situations and references, brief nudity, profanity. (C.C.)
THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM
(C+) Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore. Emerald City metamorphoses into Jade City for a martial arts fantasy about a Boston teen (Michael Angarano) who lives for kung-fu movies -- until he finds himself in one, transporting a magical staff back to its legendary owner, with more than a little help from a drunken master (Jackie Chan) and a silent monk (Jet Li). Too bad this first-time teaming of martial arts legends Chan and Li can't keep up with its resident speed demons, succumbing to draggy predictability in between kicky kung-fu sequences. (113 min.) PG-13; martial arts action, violence. (C.C.)
FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL
(C) Dumped by his TV-star girlfriend (Kristen Bell) after six years together, a struggling musician (Jason Segel, a cross between Albert Brooks' sad-eyed clown and Will Ferrell's bubbly klutz) struggles to recover with a solo trip to Hawaii -- where he winds up in the same hotel as Sarah and her new British-rocker boyfriend. Sporadically funny, yet this latest from the Judd Apatow comedy factory lacks the crackle and snap of previous Apatow-zers; the sell-by date is getting ever closer. (112 min.) R; sexual content, profanity, graphic nudity.
THE HAMMER
(B) Jerry (Adam Carolla) has just said goodbye to his live-in girlfriend, his construction job and his 30s. So, naturally, he tries out for the Olympic boxing team. Like its hero, this comedy is basically a good-natured slob. In other words, it's no classic, but , unlike recent attempts at sports comedy (we're looking at you, "Semi-Pro"), it comes through by not seeming to try to hard. (90 min.) R; brief profanity.
HORTON HEARS A WHO
(B) Finally, a Dr. Seuss tale that won't make you wail! After live-action travesties "The Cat in the Hat" and "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," your faith will be restored by this charming computer-animated adaptation, about a helpful elephant (voiced by "Grinch's" Jim Carrey) trying mightily to protect a microscopic community from his judgmental jungle neighbors. Vivid animation from the "Ice Age" folks and a top-chop vocal cast (also featuring Steve Carell, Carol Burnett, Seth Rogen and Charles Osgood) make this a true family treat. (88 min.) G; all ages. (C.C.)
LEATHERHEADS
(C+) It's not quite a fumble, but this amiable romantic romp, set during pro football's Roaring '20s stone age, never scores with its tale of a brash player (George Clooney, who acts better than he directs) trying to save his ragtag team by recruiting a war hero turned college gridiron standout ("The Office's" John Krasinski). A miscast Renée Zellweger rounds out the starring trio as an ace reporter who attracts the attention of both players. It's all good-natured and droll, but watching this is like taking a sip of champagne -- and discovering it's flat. (114 min.) PG-13; brief profanity.
LIONS 3-D: ROAR OF THE KALAHARI
(B+) This award-winning National Geographic production, filmed in the wild by Tim Liversedge, goes 3-D, focusing on a lion king's battle with a young challenger for control of his throne -- and a valuable water hole in Botswana's Kalahari desert. (40 min.) NR; animal violence.
MEET THE BROWNS
(C) Laid off from her job, a struggling single mother from inner-city Chicago (Angela Bassett) heads to Georgia for a family funeral -- and discovers the down-home Southern relatives she never knew. In other words, it's more crowd-pandering cheer from the tireless Tyler Perry, the one-man entertainment factory who once again adapts and directs his own stage hit -- and reprises his cross-dressing role as the madcap, meddling Madea. (100 min.) PG-13; drug content, profanity, sexual references, mature themes, brief violence.
MYSTERY OF THE NILE
(B+) This IMAX documentary, now playing at the Luxor, chronicles the first descent of the Blue Nile from source to sea, a 3,250-mile, 114-day odyssey that brings explorers face-to-face with rapids, crocodiles, bandits, malaria, sandstorms and the fierce desert sun. (47 min.) NR; all ages.
NATIONAL TREASURE: BOOK OF SECRETS
(B-) Dauntless treasure hunter Benjamin Franklin Gates (Nicolas Cage) returns for more fractured history lessons and Indiana Jones-ing as he searches for 18 missing pages from the diary of Abraham Lincoln assassin John Wilkes Booth -- which could prove the key to an international conspiracy. Silly, breezy escapism with nothing on its mind but unpretentious fun. (124 min.) PG; action violence.
NEVER BACK DOWN
(C-) Extreme martial arts and dark family skeletons vie for center stage in an interminable "Karate Kid"-meets-"Fight Club" workout about a rebellious teen (Tom Cruise lookalike Sean Faris) who tangles with a popular rich kid (Cam Gigandet) at his new high school -- and seeks mixed martial arts training from a wise mentor (Djimon Hounsou). This hyperkinetic bash-a-thon leaves no cornball cliché unturned, proving the ancient adage: Stay away from movies with titles providing brainless macho advice. (110 min.) PG-13; mature themes involving intense fighting/violence, sexuality, partying and profanity, all involving teens. (C.C.)
NIM'S ISLAND
(B-) When her scientist father ("300's" Gerard Butler) disappears from their remote island home, the title character ("Little Miss Sunshine's" Abigail Breslin) appeals for help to swashbuckling Alex Rover, author (and hero) of her favorite adventure books -- little dreaming that Alex (Jodie Foster) is really an agoraphobic klutz ill-equipped for life on Nim's island. This mildly diverting, kid-friendly adventure scores points for its focus on a spirited young girl who discovers how reading can inspire her to become her own hero. (95 min.) PG; mild adventure action, brief profanity.
THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL
(B-) Historical hooey: In 16th-century England, two sisters from the powerful Boleyn family -- scheming Anne (Natalie Portman) and dreamy Mary (Scarlett Johansson) -- vie for the heart (and hot bod) of lusty, zesty King Henry VIII (Eric Bana) in an adaptation of Phillppa Gregory's best-selling bodice-ripper that suggests a Tudor-era combo of "Mean Girls" and "Desperate Housewives." OK as far as it goes -- which is not far enough. (115 min.) PG-13; mature themes, sexual content, violent images.
PROM NIGHT
(D-) "Hairspray's" Brittany Snow takes over for '80s scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis in this remake of the 1980 slasher fave about an obsessed killer (has-been hottie Johnathon Schaech) determined to give a high school senior and her friends a night to die for -- literally. There's no suspense or perversity and no one seems to know what to do, unless it involves waiting for the studio's check to clear. You certainly don't care who lives or who dies -- just please make it soon. (88 min.) PG-13; violence and terror, sexual material, underage drinking, profanity.
THE RUINS
(B-) A leisurely Mexican vacation turns terrifying when five tourists (Jonathan Tucker, Jena Malone, Shawn Ashmore, Laura Ramsey and Joe Anderson) leave the beach and venture into the jungle, where they become the main course for malevolent vegetation enveloping a Mayan tomb. The usual gore-and-gristle fare, but served up with a tad more suggestiveness and smarts than usual. (91 min.) R; strong violence and gruesome images, profanity, sexual situations, nudity.
SEA MONSTERS: A PREHISTORIC ADVENTURE
(B+) Go under the sea -- and back in time -- with this IMAX 3-D documentary from National Geographic, now at the Luxor, about the 82-million-year-old creatures that swam the world's oceans -- from the Tylosaurus (the T. rex of the deep) to the most dangerous sea monster of all, the mosasaur. (40 min.) NR; all ages.
SEMI-PRO
(C) Quibble and dribble: Once again, Will Ferrell drapes his goofy man-child persona in 1970s polyester as the owner-coach-power forward of an American Basketball Association franchise on its last legs. The setups are promising, but the payoffs are as flat as an airless red-white-and-blue ball, even with Woody Harrelson, André "3000" Benjamin, "ER's" Maura Tierney, Jackie Earle Haley and Ferrell's "Blades of Glory" co-stars Will Arnett, Rob Corddry and Andy Richter on the team. (90 min.) R; profanity, sexual content.
SHINE A LIGHT
(B-) Director Martin Scorsese -- who delivered one of the greatest concert docs of all time with 1978's "The Last Waltz" -- focuses on the Rolling Stones' 2006 "Bigger Bang" gig at New York's Beacon Theater, contrasting the now-legendary rockers with interview footage from their bad-boys '60s roots. Despite Scorsese's efforts to pump up some drama, it's sorely lacking; this is just a concert film. (Even in giant-screen format.) But at least it's a concert film with one of the most formidable rock bands of all time. (120 min.) PG-13; brief profanity, drug references, smoking.
SHUTTER
(C) What "The Ring" did for videotapes and "Pulse" did for cell phones, "Shutter" tries to do for cameras, as this remake of a 2004 Thai shocker finds a young photographer (Joshua Jackson) and his new bride (Rachael Taylor) in Japan, where their vehicle suddenly plows into a young girl who appears out of nowhere and mysteriously vanishes -- until her face begins materializing everywhere they go. Occasionally, the movie's banality works in its favor; most of the time, it merely works on your (rapidly disappearing) patience. (83 min.) PG-13; gruesome imagery, sexual themes.
SMART PEOPLE
(B-) An arrogant literature professor (Dennis Quaid, having a blast as a gruff, rumpled misanthrope) finds his world turned upside down when his bad-penny brother (sly scene-stealer Thomas Haden Church) turns up -- and so does a former student (Sarah Jessica Parker) who's still got a bit of a crush on the old prof. "Juno's" Ellen Page (as Quaid's high-achieving, Young Republican daughter) rounds out the starring quartet of a comedy-drama that never goes anywhere particularly unexpected, but manages to be reasonably smart about following its familiar path. (95 min.) R; profanity, brief teen drug and alcohol use, sexual situations. (C.C.)
STOP-LOSS
(B) "Boys Don't Cry" director Kimberly Peirce returns, after nine years, with an impassioned drama about troubled Iraq war veterans (Ryan Phillippe, Channing Tatum, Joseph Gordon-Levitt) struggling to readjust to Stateside life -- until one of them is ordered back to battle, despite the fact his enlistment is up. Particularly memorable in initial sequences that focus on our heroes' psychic wounds, "Stop-Loss" loses punch when it shifts from an aftermath-of-war movie to a more conventional road-trip narrative. But powerful performances (especially from Phillippe and Gordon-Levitt) never quit. Neither does this movie's sense of urgency. (113 min.) R; graphic violence, pervasive profanity. (C.C.)
STREET KINGS
(C) "Training Day" meets "L.A. Confidential" as a violent, soul-deadened vice cop (Keanu Reeves), investigating his ex-partner's death, uncovers a web of corruption that leads him into the heart of darkness: his own cop colleagues. Despite an impressive supporting cast (including a hammy Forest Whitaker, a smirky Hugh Laurie and an earnest Chris Evans as the young detective on the case with Reeves), this is a missed opportunity, with "L.A. Confidential" author James Ellroy contributing a convoluted script that "Training Day" screenwriter Ayer directs in equally overheated style. (109 min.) R; strong violence, pervasive profanity. (C.C.)
SUPERHERO MOVIE
(D) The "Scary Movie" folks take on another ripe-for-parody tale with a "Spidey"-lite account of a high school loser (Drake Bell) who's bitten by a genetically altered dragonfly and becomes a costumed crime fighter, complete with too-tight tights. Alas, there's no gas left in the tank (figuratively speaking, that is) of a movie-spoof genre that wore out its welcome as far back as "Scary Movie 2." Only those who thrill to flatulence jokes and comedic overuse of the "s" and "f" words will cheer. (85 min.) PG-13; crude and sexual content, comic violence, drug references, profanity.
10,000 B.C.
(D+) A young mammoth hunter (Steven Strait) leads a warrior band through uncharted territory to secure his post-Ice Age tribe's future -- and save his sweetheart (Camilla Belle) -- in this tedious, ludicrous (but harmless) prehistoric epic from bombastic "Day After Tomorrow" director Roland Emmerich. It's a low-test "Apocalypto," minus Mel Gibson's gore-mongering and narrative drive. If only Emmerich cared as much about his human characters as his inanimate objects and CGI animals. (109 min.) PG-13; intense action and violence.
21
(C+) This slick, made-in-Vegas fictionalization of the best-selling "Bringing Down the House" focuses on math-whiz college students (Jim Sturgess, Kate Bosworth) who take their card-counting expertise to the Strip, winning millions at blackjack -- and attracting the ire of an old-school casino enforcer (Laurence Fishburne). Despite the presence of double Oscar-winner Kevin Spacey (who also produced) as the kids' calculating mentor, "21" never adds up. Like a gambler who won't cash in while he's ahead, "21" keeps playing, hoping another winning hand will turn up even though its luck has run out. (122 min.) PG-13; violence, sexual content including partial nudity. (C.C.)
UNDER THE SAME MOON
(B) Carlitos (adorable Adrian Alonso), a bright 9-year-old living with his grandmother in their native Mexico while his mother (Kate del Castillo) toils as a Los Angeles maid, stows away in a U.S.-bound minivan driven by two students (Jesse Garcia and "Ugly Betty's" America Ferrera), launching a dauntless quest to reconnect with his mother. This Sundance film festival hit shamelessly piles on the melodrama, but its heartfelt themes and even more heartfelt performances ultimately save the day. In English and Spanish with English subtitles. (109 min.) PG-13; mature themes. (C.C.)
VANTAGE POINT
(C+) You've gotta get a gimmick, and this thriller has one, exploring an apparent assassination and terrorist attack at an international summit from multiple perspectives, including those of Secret Service agents (Dennis Quaid, "Lost's" Matthew Fox), an American tourist (Forest Whitaker), a TV news producer (Sigourney Weaver) and the U.S. president (William Hurt) himself. Alas, once you've got a gimmick you've gotta know what to do with it, and "Vantage Point" doesn't, forcing us to try and solve a puzzle with pieces that never fit. (90 min.) PG-13; intense violence and action, disturbing images, brief profanity. (C.C.)
WHERE IN THE WORLD IS OSAMA BIN LADEN?
(C+) "Super Size Me's" Morgan Spurlock returns with another documentary challenge: tracking down the elusive Al Qaeda leader in a manhunt that leads to Egypt, Morocco, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, and finally Pakistan. Spurlock's intermittently entertaining travelogue ultimately reveals that people in disparate countries of different religions and wildly divergent ideologies are more alike than not. (Gee, tell us something we don't know.) Spurlock is the Ryan Seacrest of reality filmmaking, vamping for the camera while ducking the crossfire. (92 min.) PG-13; profanity.
ZOMBIE STRIPPERS
(C-) Las Vegas's own Jenna Jameson joins Freddy Krueger himself, Robert Englund, for this campy horror romp about a Nebraska strip joint hit by a deadly chemical virus that transforms one of the performers into a flesh-eating zombie -- and the hit of the club. The gore effects are well done and plentiful, the silicone even more impressive and generously distributed. Other than that, it's pretty bad -- although this may be your best chance ever to hear porn queen Jameson quote Nietzsche. (94 min.) R; strong violence and gore, sexuality/nudity, profanity.
