Eugene Weekly : Movies : 1.8.09


.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.

Appaloosa: Ed Harris directs and stars as Virgil Cole, a lawman hired (with Viggo Mortensen’s Everett Hitch) to bring “vigilante entrepreneur” Jeremy Irons to justice. Renée Zellweger costars as just about everyone’s love interest at one time or another. Solid and effective work from the director of Pollock. R. 116 min. Movies 12. (10/9/08)

Bride Wars: Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson play friends who really can’t be that great of friends, seeing as they get into a raging catfight over their mutual favorite wedding location. This preview is almost as embarrassing as the one for Confessions of a Shopaholic. What gives? PG. Cinemark. VRC Stadium 15.

Channeling: Touring film and video program subtitled “An Invocation of Spectral Bodies and Queer Spirits.” Curators Latham Zearfoss and Ethan White will be present to introduce their experimental program. 7:30 pm Monday, Jan. 12, DIVA. $5-$10.

Gran Torino: Clint Eastwood directs and stars as a bigoted veteran who finds himself in a reluctant friendship with a Hmong kid and his family. “A rueful comedy of enlightenment,” said The New Yorker. R. 116 min. Cinemark. VRC Stadium 15.

OpenLens Film Festival: The fifth annual festival celebrates the work of regional directors, and is hosted this year by animator Joanna Priestly, whose work will be shown at 7 pm Friday, Jan. 9. Other events include the Youth Visions Teen Video Challenge (3 pm Saturday, Jan. 10, and 1:30 pm Sunday, Jan. 11), Southwest Oregon Short Film and Video Competition (7 pm Saturday, Jan. 10, and 3:30 pm Sunday, Jan. 11) and Award and Wrap Party (5 pm Sunday, Jan. 11). All events at DIVA; admission varies. Full schedule at openlens.proscenia.net

Religulous: Bill Maher takes aim at organized religion around the world in this documentary directed by Larry Charles (Borat). “A provocation, thinly disguised as a documentary, that succeeds in being almost as funny as it is offensive,” says The Wall Street Journal. R. 101 min. Movies 12.

Swedish Film Series: Begins with As It Is in Heaven, Kay Pollack’s 2004 film about a successful conductor who quits his job and takes off for the small village where he grew up. There, he’s asked to listen to the church choir, and everything, naturally, changes. 132 min. 7 pm Friday, Jan. 9, 177 Lawrence, UO.

Unborn, The: Signs and portents lead a young woman to discover she had a twin who died in the womb — and who wants to be born, like, now. There’s also a family curse. Of course. With Odette Yustman, Gary Oldman and Idris Elba. PG13. Cinemark. VRC Stadium 15.

Wackness, The: Jonathan Levine directs this coming of age in the early ’90s flick about a young pot dealer, Luke (Josh Peck), wrestling with a crush on Stephanie (Olivia Thirlby) and an odd friendship with her stepfather, Dr. Squires (Ben Kingsley), who’s both Luke’s customer and his shrink. R. 110 min. David Minor Theater. (7/31/08)

 

CONTINUING:

Appaloosa: Ed Harris directs and stars as Virgil Cole, a lawman hired (with Viggo Mortensen’s Everett Hitch) to bring “vigilante entrepreneur” Jeremy Irons to justice. Renée Zellweger costars as just about everyone’s love interest at one time or another. Solid and effective work from the director of Pollock. R. 116 min. Movies 12. (10/9/08)

Bride Wars: Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson play friends who really can’t be that great of friends, seeing as they get into a raging catfight over their mutual favorite wedding location. This preview is almost as embarrassing as the one for Confessions of a Shopaholic. What gives? PG. Cinemark. VRC Stadium 15.

Channeling: Touring film and video program subtitled “An Invocation of Spectral Bodies and Queer Spirits.” Curators Latham Zearfoss and Ethan White will be present to introduce their experimental program. 7:30 pm Monday, Jan. 12, DIVA. $5-$10.

Gran Torino: Clint Eastwood directs and stars as a bigoted veteran who finds himself in a reluctant friendship with a Hmong kid and his family. “A rueful comedy of enlightenment,” said The New Yorker. R. 116 min. Cinemark. VRC Stadium 15.

OpenLens Film Festival: The fifth annual festival celebrates the work of regional directors, and is hosted this year by animator Joanna Priestly, whose work will be shown at 7 pm Friday, Jan. 9. Other events include the Youth Visions Teen Video Challenge (3 pm Saturday, Jan. 10, and 1:30 pm Sunday, Jan. 11), Southwest Oregon Short Film and Video Competition (7 pm Saturday, Jan. 10, and 3:30 pm Sunday, Jan. 11) and Award and Wrap Party (5 pm Sunday, Jan. 11). All events at DIVA; admission varies. Full schedule at openlens.proscenia.net

Religulous: Bill Maher takes aim at organized religion around the world in this documentary directed by Larry Charles (Borat). “A provocation, thinly disguised as a documentary, that succeeds in being almost as funny as it is offensive,” says The Wall Street Journal. R. 101 min. Movies 12.

Swedish Film Series: Begins with As It Is in Heaven, Kay Pollack’s 2004 film about a successful conductor who quits his job and takes off for the small village where he grew up. There, he’s asked to listen to the church choir, and everything, naturally, changes. 132 min. 7 pm Friday, Jan. 9, 177 Lawrence, UO.

Unborn, The: Signs and portents lead a young woman to discover she had a twin who died in the womb — and who wants to be born, like, now. There’s also a family curse. Of course. With Odette Yustman, Gary Oldman and Idris Elba. PG13. Cinemark. VRC Stadium 15.

Wackness, The: Jonathan Levine directs this coming of age in the early ’90s flick about a young pot dealer, Luke (Josh Peck), wrestling with a crush on Stephanie (Olivia Thirlby) and an odd friendship with her stepfather, Dr. Squires (Ben Kingsley), who’s both Luke’s customer and his shrink. R. 110 min. David Minor Theater. (7/31/08)

 

 

MOVIE THEATERS
Use the links provided below for specific show times.

Bijou Art Cinemas
Bijou Theater 686-2458 | 492 E. 13th

Regal Cinemas
VRC Stadium 15 342-6536 | Valley River Center

Cinemark Theaters
Movies 12 741-1231 | Gateway Mall
Cinemark 17 741-1231 | Gateway Mall