Eugene Weekly : Movies : 09.14.06
.MOVIE LISTINGS | MOVIE REVIEW ARCHIVE | THEATER INFO
OPENING OR RETURNING:
Films open the Friday following date of EW publication unless otherwise noted. See archived movie reviews.
ArchaeologyFest Film Series: Best of 2006: Selected films from the 2006 Archaeology Film Festival screen as a benefit for The Archaeology Channel. The Secrets of the Karakoum and Queen of the Mountain show at 7:30 pm Sept. 15 at DIVA. $6.
Battle Royale: Japanese thriller starring Takeshi Kitano is both extreme and controversial. A class of young adolescents is kidnapped, 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.
Black Dahlia, The: Brian De Palma's new film is based on James Ellroy's novel about two cops searching for a killer in 1940s L.A. Josh Hartnett and Aaron Eckhart play the cops; Scarlett Johansson and Hilary Swank are their significant others — one of whom has connections to the killer's victim. R. Cinema World. Cinemark.
City of God: Rio de Janeiro is home to one of the most notorious slums in the world, called City of God. Based on the true story of a young man from the 'hood whose photographs may be his only way out. Directed by Fernando Meirelles, this acclaimed, unflinchingly brutal film stars Matheus Nachtergaele. Highly recommended if you can handle violence. R. Plays at 7 pm Sept. 15 at Unity of the Valley. Free. Online archives.
Clerks II: Eminently quotable writer-director Kevin Smith returns to the mini-mart clerks with whom his career began. Randal (Jeff Anderson) and Dante (Brian O'Halloran) face fast food jobs, grown-up matters and, of course, endless geek-centric debates. R. Movies 12.
Everyone's Hero: A plucky young fellow teams up with a friend for a cross-country quest to help the Yankees win the World Series. Animated feature's original director was Christopher Reeves; Jake T. Ausin and Raven-Symone provide the voices. G. Cinema World. Cinemark.
Gridiron Gang: In a variation on at least a dozen other inspirational sports movies, The Rock plays a counselor at a juvenile detetion facility who teaches his young charges life lessons via football. PG-13. Cinema World. Cinemark.
Guardian, The: A hotshot young Coast Guard rescue swimmer (Ashton Kutcher) learns how to be a real hero from a retired swimmer who lost his team in an accident (Kevin Costner). PG-13. Sneak preview at 7:30 pm Sept. 16 at Cinemark.
Heart of the Game, The: Filmed over seven years at a Seattle high school, this widely praised documentary is about a girls' basketball team — particularly its troubled star player and her struggles to stay on the court. PG-13. Bijou.
Last Kiss, The: Zach Braff is a 30ish guy whose early-life crisis seems to take the form of wondering if he'd rather date a younger woman (Rachel Bilson) than settle down with his longtime girlfriend (Jacinda Barrett). With Blythe Danner and Tom Wilkinson. R. Cinema World. Cinemark.
Night Listener, The: Toni Collette and Robin Williams star in this adaptation of a novel by Amistead Maupin, about a radio show host who develops a by-phone friendship with a young boy (Rory Culkin). Strange circumstances make the boy's tale seem a bit less than likely. R. Movies 12.
Nightmare on Elm Street: Freddy returns for a two-night-only engagement, 8 pm Sept. 20 and 21 at Cinemark.
Sir! No Sir!: David Zieger's important documentary tells the suppressed story of the efforts by thousands of American soldiers to end the Vietnam War. Plays at 7 pm Sept. 19 at CALC, 458 Blair Blvd. Free.
CONTINUING:
Accepted: Putting the liberal in liberal arts, "B" Gaines (Justin Long) and friends open their own university. It's just to impress a girl, of course, but the "college" is way more popular than B anticipated. And, like, totally illegal, too. What's a fellow to do? PG-13. Cinemark.
Barnyard: When the farmer's away, the cows will … order pizzas and throw a party? Don't think too much about this animated feature from the creators of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, or you might begin to wonder why the carefree lead cow, Otis (Kevin James) has udders. PG. Cinemark.
Cars: The animation wizards at Pixar (Toy Story, Finding Nemo) team up with Disney for the story of a rookie race car (voiced by Owen Wilson) taking an unexpected detour on his way to a big race. Bonnie Hunt and Paul Newman also voice characters. G. Movies 12. Online archives.
Click: Christopher Walken gives Adam Sandler a truly universal remote: it lets him put the wife on fast forward, put the boss on pause, help the kid get even … until the remote goes all TiVo on him and starts making decisions on its own. PG-13. Movies 12.
Covenant, The: Renny Harlin (Cutthroat Island) directs the story of four teens with supernatural powers — and the fifth that turns up to stop all their fun. It's got something to do with ancient bloodlines, family banishment — the usual where eerie abilities are concerned. R. Cinemark.
Crank: Oh, Jason Statham. Once so charming (in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels), you took a turn for the deeply mediocre with The Transporter and now you're playing a guy who's been poisoned and, um, has to keep his adrenaline flowing? Are you serious? R. Cinemark.
Devil Wears Prada, The: Meryl Streep stars as demanding, high-powered fashion magazine editor Miranda Priestley, whose new assistant (Anne Hathaway) is fresh from college and totally clueless about fashion. Based on Lauren Weisberger's bestselling novel. PG-13. Movies 12. Online archives.
Hollywoodland: The buzz about this debut film from TV director Allen Coulter ("The Sopranos") is, surprisingly, about Ben Affleck, who plays former Superman George Reeves. Adrien Brody is the detective trying to discover whether Reeves' death was really a suicide. With Diane Lane and Bob Hoskins. R. Cinema World. Cinemark. See review this issue.
How to Eat Fried Worms: The classic children's book by Thomas Rockwell comes squirmingly alive on the screen as, on a dare, an 11-year-old comes up with creative ways to eat 10 worms in one long day. PG. Movies 12.
Illusionist, The: In the first of the year's two magician movies (the second, the buzzworthy The Prestige, comes out in October), Edward Norton plays a Venetian stage magician caught up with an old love (Jessica Biel), a dogged inspector (Paul Giamatti) and a crown prince (Rufus Sewell). PG-13. Cinema World. Cinemark. Online archives.
Invincible: Mark Wahlberg stars in the based-on-a-true-story tale of Vince Papale, an ordinary guy who made the team at an open tryout for the Philadelphia Eagles. With Greg Kinnear and Elizabeth Banks. PG. Cinema World. Cinemark. Online archives.
Lady in the Water: Paul Giamatti (Sideways) plays a building super who finds, in the building's pool, a creature called a "narf" who needs to get back to her world. Director M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense) continues to alienate his audience. PG-13. Movies 12. Online archives.
Little Man: Director Keenen Ivory Wayans' new film follows a height-challenged thief (Marlon Wayans) who dresses up like a baby and gets himself adopted in order to recover a diamond. PG-13. Movies 12.
Little Miss Sunshine: Directors Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton guide a stellar cast (particularly Paul Dano, Steve Carell and Abigail Breslin) through a quirky family trip on the road to the titular beauty pageant. Sweet, smart and funny, though you can see the road bumps coming a mile off. R. Bijou. Cinemark. Online archives.
Monster House: Three kids face off against a creepy neighborhood house that's something other than haunted. With the voices of Maggie Gyllenhaal, Steve Buscemi and Jon Heder. PG. Cinemark, in 3D for an additional $1.50. Online archives.
Mr. Sean's Cartoon Club: Crazy, weird and old cartoons featuring anchor tattoos, partying cats and dancing buildings. Noon-2 pm Sundays at the Bijou. Program consists mostly of shorts, so punctuality is not essential. $4.
Nacho Libre: Jack Black stars as Nacho, a cook in a Mexican monastery with a secret second life as a lucha libre wrestler. Goofball flick is directed by Napoleon Dynamite's Jared Hess and written by Hess, his wife Jerusha and Mike White (School of Rock). PG. Movies 12. Online archives.
Over the Hedge: A gang of woodland creatures wakes up from their winter hibernation to find a big green thing has appeared in their world. On the other side, they hear, wacky creatures called "humans" exist. Bruce Willis, William Shatner and Steve Carrell are among those voicing critters. PG. Movies 12.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest: Johnny Depp reprises his role as over-the-top swashbuckler Jack Sparrow in the second Pirates film, which we rather fervently hope is as entertaining as the first. Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley are the in-love eye candy — actually, it's a toss-up as to which of the three leads is prettiest. With Bill Nighy all betentacled as watery bad guy Davy Jones. PG-13. Cinemark. Online archives.
Protector, The: A Thai fighter (Tony Jaa) must travel to Australia to reclaim his family's elephants, which were stolen by a gang before they could be given to the king of Thailand as a sign of devotion. Jaa, the star of Ong-Bak, makes the action scenes look pretty sweet. R. Cinemark. See review this issue.
Quinceañea: Directing team Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland succeed by not trying to do too much with the story of almost-15-year-old Magdalena (Emily Rios), who lives in the L.A. neighborhood of Echo Park and whose life gets complicated just before her birthday. R. Bijou. Online archives.
Scanner Darkly, A: Richard Linklater (Before Sunset) adapts Philip K. Dick's novel about addiction. Live performances were filmed, then painted over for a trippy, surreal look that works well with the film's themes of identity confusion and paranoia, but the story is a bit distant. R. Bijou LateNite. Online archives.
Snakes on a Plane: Samuel L. Jackson and Julianna Margulies fight reptiles in midair in the summer's most unlikely buzz film. R. Movies 12. Online archives.
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby: Will Ferrell and NASCAR. What more do you need to know? OK, well, Ricky Bobby (Ferrell) and his racing partner face a new challenge when a French Formula One driver (Sacha Baron Cohen) arrives on the scene. PG-13. Cinema World. Cinemark. Online archives.
Wicker Man, The: Director Neil LaBute (In the Company of Men, Possession) remakes the 1973 horror film about a police officer (Nicolas Cage) searching for a missing girl on an island with dark secrets. PG-13. Cinemark.
World Trade Center: Oliver Stone directs the story of two policemen, John McLoughlin (Nicolas Cage) and Will Jimeno (Michael Peña) rescued from the rubble of the World Trade Center on 9/11. With Maggie Gyllenhaal and Maria Bello as the officers' wives. PG-13. Cinemark. Online archives.
You, Me and Dupree: Kate Hudson and Matt Dillon star as a newly married couple whose new life together takes a sharp turn when perpetual bachelor Dupree (Owen Wilson) crashes at their place. Don't be fooled by Wilson's potential charm: This is a complete dud. PG-13. Movies 12.
MOVIE THEATERS
Use the links provided below for specific show times.
Bijou Art Cinemas
Bijou Theater 686-2458 | 492 E. 13th
Regal Cinemas
Cinema World 342-6536 | Valley River Center
Cinemark Theaters
Movies 12 741-1231 | Gateway Mall
Cinemark 17 741-1231 | Gateway Mall
