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THE ANNUAL CYCLE OF MUSIC IN
HERAT (NR) 1983 John Rally's “The
Annual Cycle of Music in Herat’ is Ihe
third film in a series collated from foot
age shot over two years ol ethnomusi-
cological fieldwork. The documentary
features performances of various tra
ditional genres of music—including
sha'er-s (poets) extemporizing, soma
and dohol. dutar. and singers accom
panied by an assortment of musical
instruments—and dance—alan, aush-
an and chub bazi A brief presentation
about traditional Afghan music and cul
ture will precede the film Sponsored
by the Georgia Humanities Council.
Shows Wednesday. 7/26 (GMOA)
► THE ANT BULLY (PG) Based on
a book by John Nickle The *ant bully’
is young Lucas Nickle. who finds him-
seil magically shrunk to ant size after
flooding a colony with his water gun
Line most animated (licks. Ant Bully is
packed with as many celebrity voices
as an anthill is with d/ones. Nicolas
Cage. Julia Roberts. Paul Giamatti.
Meryl Streep. Lily Tomlin. Bruce
Campbell and Ricardo Montalban
vocalize every kind ol ant from the
queen to a wizard. Written and directed
by *Jimmy NeufrOn’ creator John A
Davis. Opens Friday/Carmike)
THE BREAK UP.(PG-13) Dfectoc - .
Peyton Reed (Britg If On, Down with •.
Love) delivertra Woody AHen-isb in-'
sight into tailing otri of, rather than in,
love that lacks theau^tfc humorous- * •
profundity and artistry. Starring Vince
Vaughn aod Jennifer Anisfon. (Georgia
Square 5).
CARS (G) When rookie race car
Lightning McQueen (voiced with
amiable arrogance by Owen Wilson)
wrecks on his way to the champion
ship race in California, the denizens of
dried-up Radiator Springs show him
loneliness and winning arenl whal life
is all about A showy, technical marvel
(easily Pixar* finest). Cars backfires in
its epic—lor a cartoon—running time.
(Beechwood); Ends Thursday (Carmike)
CLERKS II (R) See Movie Pick.
(Beechwood. Carmike)
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA (PG-13)
Devil is a lashionista fairy tale ol ugly
duckling-turned-’gtamazon’ Andy
Sachs (Anne Hathaway), the second
assistant to fashion maven Miranda
Priestley (Meryl Streep) Andy's gradu
ate courses in workaholism, using
others as career stepping stones and
disappointing her dishy boyfriend
(the rather bland Adrian Grenier of
’Entourage), may cost her ideals, but
the style and self-determination given
as a parting gift isn’t hall bad Streep
positively glows, relishing every mo
ment of comic devilry in a performance
many call an early award contender
(Beechwood); Ends Thursday (Carmike)
“FILMS BY JORGE TORRES”
(NR) In anticipation of local filmmaker
Jorge Torres'move to New York City, a
celebration/ wake during which several
videos and some of his newest short
films will get the big screen treatment,
will be held at Little Kings Among the
music videos scheduled are Torres'
latest for Dark Meat. Ginger Envelope.
Ceramic Dvck. and the Campbell
. SJSters. Ginger Envelope will close out
the screening with a live performance
Shows Saturday, 7/29 (Lithe Kings)
" GARFIELD: A TALE OF TWO
KITTIES (PG) We get to listen to Bill
N Murray cash his paycheck, again, while
Jiaving our collective eygsgouged out
in this boring, unfunny movie about fat
ing owner
John. Ick (Margaret Moore) (Georgia
Squaie 5)
JOHN TUCKER MUST DIE (PG-13)
John Tucker (Jesse Metcalfe) is serially
cheating on Beth (Sophia Bush). Carrie
(Anelle Kebbel) and Heather (Ashanti),
so obviously he must die. Using the
cute new girl. Kate (Brittany Snow.
'American Dreams’), as romantic
ordnance, the three enraged exes plot
to break player Tucker's heart like he
did theirs. Good luck, girls Directed
by Betty Thomas (The Brady Bunch
Movie). Opens Friday (Carmike)
LADY IN THE WATER (PG-13) See
Flick Skinny. M. Night Shyamalan's
Lady in the Water sutlers much the
same late as his last film, The Village
the first hall hour. Lady requires more
patience than suspension of disbelief.
Tne supremely egotistical filmmaker
again casts himself, a non-actor at
best, in the most key of roles. Familiar
in its enchanted tropes yet original in
its construction (and beautifully shot
by noted cinematographer Christopher
Doyle). Lady in the Water shouldn't
I hate you. Tofu Baby
You'll gel no argument trom me
regarding what a first-rate storyteller
the Sixth Sense filmmaker is He's a
master at weaving mysterious tales
that hinge upon a revelatory unveiling
Unfortunately, the last two tales he’s
chosen to tell have been so unessential
as to be boring. Lady, a bedtime story
Shyamalan created for his children,
juxtaposes a fairy tale world fiiled with
make-believe narfs and scrunts with
modern-day Philadelphia Building
superintendent Cleveland Heep (the
sublime Paul Giamatti) discovers a narf
called Story (Bryce Dallas Howard) in
the complex pool and must figure out
which tenant corresponds to which
character if this story is to have a
happy ending. Pretentious from the
first frame and inaccessible for at least
MOVIE LISTINGS
Theater schedules often cnanqe after our deadline. Please call anead.
ACC LIBRARY (706-613-3650)
Hojados (NR) 7:00(Th. 7/27)
BEECHWOOD (706-546-1011)
Beechwood’* new schedule was unavailable at pres* time
Listings are only accurate through Th 7/27 Please visit
www flagpole com for updated information
Cars (G) 1:30. 4:15. 7:00. 9:45
Clerks II (R) 1:50. 4:25. 7:40. 9:55
The Devil Wears Prada (PG-13) 1:45. 4:35. 7:25. 9:55
The Lake House (PG) 4:25. 9:25 (ends Th. 7/20)
Lady In the Water (PG-13) 1:05. 4:00. 7:15. 9:50
Little Man (PG-13) 12:30. 2:50. 5:10. 7:30. 9:40
Monster House (PG) 12:15, 2:35. 4:55. 7:20. 9:40
My Super Ex-Glrtfriend (PG-13) 12:35. 2:55. 5:15.
7:35. 10:00
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (PG-13)
12:00, 1:15. 3:30. 4:45. 7:00. 8:15
Superman Returns (PG-13) 1:00, 4:30, 8 00
You, Me and Dupree (PG-13) 1:40. 4:20, 7:10, 9:40
CARJftIR! 12(706-354-0J’S)
Ant Bully (PG) 1:10, 3:15. 5:20, 7:25. 9:30 (opens
F. 7/28)
Cars (G) 12:00. 2:30. 5:00. 7:30. 9:55 (ends Th. 7/27)
Clerks II (R) 12:15. 2:25, 4:40. 7:00, 9:30 (new times
F. 7/28: 12:50. 3:00. 5:10, 7:20. 9:30)
The Devil Wears Prada (PG-13) 1:30, 4:13, 7:00. 9:30
(ends Th. 7/27)
John Tucker Must Die (PG-13) 1:00. 3:10. 5:20. 7:30.
9:40 (opens F. 7/28)
Lady in the Water (PG-13) 12:00. 2:30. 5:00, 7:30.
10:00 (new times F. 7/28: 1:30. 4:00. 7:00. 9:35)
little Man (PG-13) 12:30. 2:50. 5:10. 7:30. 9:55 (new
times F. 7/28: 1:40. 4:10, 7:00. 9:25)
Miami Vice (R) 1:30. 4:20. 7:10. 10:00 (opens F.
7/28)
Monster House (PG) 12:30. 1:00, 2:50. 3:15. 5:10,
5:30. 7:20. 7:45. 9:40, 9:55 -
My Super Ex-Girlfriend (PG-13) 12:50. 3:00. 5:10.
7:25. 9:45
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (PG-13)
12:30, 1:30. 2:50. 3:40, 5:00. 7:00, 8:15, 10:10 (new
times F. 7/28: 1:00. 1:45. 4:10. 5:00. 7:20, 8:15)
Superman Returns (PG-13) 12:30, 3:45. 7:00, 10:10
(ends Th. 7/27)
You, Me and Dupree (PG-13) 1:30. 4:15, 7:00. 9:30
GEORGIA MUSEUM OF ART (706-54?-4662)
The Annual Cycle of Music In Herat (NR) 7:00 (W.
?/26)
GEORGIA SQUARE 5 ( 706-548-3426)
Georgia Square Five’s new schedule was unavailable at
press lime listings are only accurate through Th 7/27.
Ptease visit www flagpole com for updated information
The Break Up (PG-13) 1:05, 4:05, 7:05. 9:30
Garfield: A Tale of Two Kitties (PG) 1:15, 3:15, 5:15.
7:15. 9:15
Poseidon (PG-13) 1:20. 4:20, 7:20, 9:45
RV (PG) 4:15. 9:35
The Wild (G) 1:00. 7:25
X Men: The Last Stand (PG-13) 1:10, 4:10. 7:10, 9:40
NWY 17 DtfVMN THEATERS (706-213-7693)
Lady in the Water (R) 8:30
LtttU Man (PG-13) 8:30 (different times F. 7/28 & Sa.
7/29 only: 10:00)
Monster House (PG) 8:30 (F. 7/28 & Sa. 7/29 only)
UTTU KINGS (706-369-3144)
'Films by Jorge Torres" (NR) 10:00 (Sa. 7/29)
have taken itself so seriously. It is a
bedtime story after all. (Beechwood,
Carmike. Highway 17 Theatres)
LITTLE MAN (PG-13) Dollar signs
shining in Iheir eyes, the Wayans Bros
(Shawn. Marlon and Keenen Ivory) dis
guise yet another sub-’SNL’ sketch as
a feature film. A poorly CGI-ed Marlon
grimaces and smacks his bitch before
masquerading as an inlant to recover
a stolen diamond. Once infantilized.
Marlon simply grins and bears il.
Whiny Shawn. Ihe least lunny sibling,
stumbles along as Calvin* adopted
pops, oblivious to his new son’s dis
turbingly adult hormones and strength.
Too overtly sexual for kids, but far too
juvenile hr anyone with a discriminat
ing palate, the exact audience lor Little
Man eludes me (Beechwood. Carmike.
Highway 17 Theatres)
MIAMI VICE (R) Crockett and Tubbs
are back, and series creator, writer-
director Michael Mann {Collateral has
decided lo I rego Ihe cheesy nostalgia
of most television updates. Colin Farrell
and Jamie Foxx play Miami's famous
vice duo. whose undercover work
begins to swerve dangerously close lo
Iheir personal lives Gong Li (Memoirs
ola Geisha) is the lemme fatale for
whom Crockett (Farrell) risks all Expect
lots ot blue-tinted action, but donl be
too disappointed it Don Johnson's pas
tel iackets or pet alligator don’t make
the cut Opens Friday (Carmike)
MOJADOS (NR) 2004 Mo/ados
delivers a first-person look into illegal
border crossing Director Tommy Davis
follows a family on Ihe dangerous
120-mile trek from their small Mexican
village, risking dehydration, hypo
thermia and discovery by ihe Border
Patrol, in pursuit ol a better life in Ihe
Untied States Mqados is a true lour
de force by Davis, who wrote, directed,
produced, shot, edited and narrated the
film. Pari ci the ACC Library's iFilms
series Shows Thursday. 7/27 (ACC
Library)
MONSTER HOUSE (PG) The ani
mated Monster House, from executive
producers Steven Spielberg and Robert
Zemeckis, may be—all hyperbole
aside—(he most fun I've had at a scary
kids’ movie since The Monster Squad
Like the Squad and two of producer
Spielberg* ‘80s Ihrill rides. Goonies
and Gremlins, Monster House vetches
on the adolescent precipice between
too scary lor little kids and not enough
lor true teens Heroes DJ. Chowder and
Jenny face the same difficulty—not
quite kids, not yet teenagers—on a
fateful Halloween when the house next-
door comes to life and tries lo eat them
Using motion capture animation that
creates stylistic yet reafisHc characters
reminiscent ol Tim Burton’s stop-mo
tion worlds. Monster House lakes the
universal tear of the creepy house in the
neighborhood and gives it big. wooden
plank teeth House isn’t without bite
It* probably loo terrifying for Ihe littlest
children, bul pre-teens should love its
never-condescending voice Director
Gil J(eoan and his arnjy ol soeenwrifSfrs
know kids can handle some real scares.
Frightening in that haunted house kind
ol way. Munster House should have
been held for an October release, when
its fall sensibilities would fit better and
its animated competition would be less
fierce. (Beechwood. Carmike); Shows 4
Friday. 7/28 & Saturday, 7/29 (Highway
17 Theatres)
MY SUPER EX-GIRLFRIEND
(PG-13) Superhero movies are all the
rage All the genre spooling should
have been your first clue. My Super
Fx-GtrIfriend lakes the conventions of
the superhero, subtly tweaks them, and
tacks on clumsy jokes Super Ex stars
Uma Thurman as G-Girl, whose needi
ness causes her eveiy-guy boyfriend,
Matt (Luke Wilson), to dump her. Soon.
G-Girl is using her powers lo wreak
havoc on Mall* life. Super firsucceecs
in an obvious fashion similar lo director
Ivan Reitman* Evolution. Wilson* like
able enough, and Anna Faris (Ihe Scary
Movie franchise) continues to beam
in light—as well as heavy—comedy
As gorgeous as Thurman is as G-Girl.
she* equally as unappealing as alter
ego Jenny, making it hard lo believe
Matt would’ve gone out with her in the
first place A fanboy* wet dream turned
nightmare. Super fir takes an interest
ing concept—what il Superman were a
jealous obsessive regarding Lois—and
runs with it. sometimes (the shark se
quence) more successfully than others
A good supporting cast—Rainn Wilson
ol ‘The Office’ and Eddie Izzard—make
up lor the confusingly ineffectual pres
ence ol Wanda Sykes Nothing super,
this Ex-Girlfriend will look great on
cable (Beechwood, Carmike)
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN:
DEAD MAN'S CHEST (PG-13) As
devoid ol mirth as its predecessor was
buoyed by it. PolC: DMCdisappoints
like only an over-anticipated blockbust
er can, through joyless mechanism
To escape prison. Will Turner (Orlando
B*oom) and Elizabeth Swann (Keira
Kmghtley) must retrieve the compass
ot Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny
Depp) tor a power-hungry noble
Meanwhile. Captain Jack has problems
ol his own selfish making, being pur
sued by sea demon Davy Jones (Bill
Nighy) Depp still slurs and swishes
across Ihe screen, bul. called upon
to again rescue an entire film, finds
himself a lew witty doubloons short
Director Gore Verbinski continues to
show an adept handling ol bigger and
bigg^ fireworks, but PolC DMC un
folds so formulaically. applauding his
unwavering visualization of a nautical
world caught between Blackbeard and
a theme park ride seems left-handed
Davy Jones and his men are an awe
somely grisly sight to behold, and
the spectacular technical production
should find treasure come awards sea
son. (Beechwood. Carmike)
POSEIDON (PG-13) Living an actor*
worst nightmare, Kurt Russell. Josh
Lucas and Richard Dreyfuss spend the
entire running time—minus Ihe 15
minutes needed to turn the ship upside
down—sopping wet. traipsing through
the bowels ol a luxury liner in search
of a way up and out. Poseidon is no
Adventure, but it* no disaster either.
(Georgia Square 5)
RV (PG) This film sums up Hollywood*
inadequacies in 98 minutes: A star,
past his funny prime, willing lo act in
anything; a once quirky director whose
brief period of blockbuster success
removed all traces ol hilarity from his
system, a first-time writer churning out
ancient routines Burns and Allen would
have cringed at performing, and an
audience laughing far loo loudly at tele
graphed jokes (Georgia Square 5)
SUPERMAN RETURNS (PG-13)
Bryan Singer (X-Men. X2) jumpslarts
the Superman franchise with an epic, v
elegant and grandiose new picture At
its worst, this new Superman is too
conservative, rooted in a messianic
mythology. Still. I cannot crucify the
creative team responsible *or the most
entertaining, rousing super-adven
ture since Richard Donner/ Lester*
Superman II. In Superman Returns, the
Big Guy (Brandon Routh). absent for
live years, must deal with the chang
es—Lois Lane (Kate Bcsworth) is a
single mom—that amplify the loneli
ness that drove him into space. Singer
refuses lo let Supes pity himseli.
Instead, this Man ol Steel throws him
self into his work, answering cries ot
help no matter the language That sort
ot global scale dominates Superman
Returns Everything is huge, trom the
action set pieces to the laughs lo Ihe
heart With its retro opening credits.
John Williams-inflected score and
incorruptible spirit. Superman Returns
exactly as he left, as the planet's great
est superhero (Beechwood); Ends
This day yCarmike)
THE WILD (G) Behold a seriously
gorgeous animated film whose writ
ing is Ihe exact inverse ot its graphic
splendor This mess is cobbled togeth
er from several animated features like
Finding Nemo and Lion King At least
the pathetic Doogal had Jon Stewart
in on the film* badness (Georgia
Square 5)
X-MEN: THE LAST STAND (PG-
13) Endearingly, the third film has a
kitseny. more comic book-y appeal as
thi fate of the entire world depends
upon the X-Men stopping Magneto
(lari McKellan) Irom unleashing the
strongest mutant ever known, the
Phoenix once known as Jean Grey
(Famke Janssen) With bigger, better
X-tights. X-Men The Last Stand does
bear an uncanny resemblance !n
cartoonish comic book inspiration
(Georgia Square 5)
YOU. ME AND DUPREE (PG-13)
Carl and Molly Peterson (Mall Onion
and Kate Hudson) learn ihe hard way
why it* two. no! three, that become one
when Carl* best friend Dupree (Owen
Wilson) moves in Dupree has no clear
trajectory Should Dupree learn a les
son in responsibility? Will Molly be
taugh* to loosen up by this free spirit?
The answer to all of these questions
is no Dupree's a character study* and
to get it. you've got to get Dupree
and thereby Wilson Dupree might be
the nightmare houseguest, Wilson*
snidely sincere delivery ol drolly Zen-
like platitudes ensures you donl really
wanl him to leave Dupree goes sappy-
like The WeddmQ Crashers in its final
ad I might not want to open my house
lo him. but Dupieds good tor a night
oul (Beechwood. Carmike)
Drew Wheeler
16 FLAGPOLE.COM-JULY 26.2006
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