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Some releases may not be showing locally this week.
10,000 B.C. (PG-13) 10,000BC.
isn't epic enough to overcome its
historical inaccuracies, nor is it cheesy
enough to defeat a complete lack of
entertainment. Without an engaging
story or characters to cling to. 10,000
B.C. left me with far too much time to
struggle—and fail—to make a whole
out of the ill-fitting pieces of this shat
tered lost world.
21 (PG-13) Based on the true life-story
of card-counting MIT kids who bilked
some Las Vegas casinos for millions,
21 is a crowd pleasing slice of instantly
forgettable entertainment. 21 isn't a bad
story, but it deals some cliched cards.
A better director and a more challeng
ing script could have turned 2Ts true
tale into something more significant,
ATHENS. GA- INSIDE/OUT (NR)
1987. This RockDoc chronicles the
mid-'80s, when Athens, Georgia was
the most happening music scene in
the country. Screening is followed by a
panel discussion and live performances
with Ort Carlton, Bob and Vanessa Hay,
Dexter Romweber and more special
guests. Part of AthFest 2008
ATHENS PICTURE SHOW (NR) This
RockDoc is a showcase of highlights
and previews for new productions by
Athens filmmakers followed by a color
ful collection of vintage footage and
rare performances from Athens' s’oried
music past Films include The B-52s
Live at the Downtown Cate 1978 , Love
Tractor. 1983 Live at the Mad Hatter
with Members of R.E.M.. and R E M
Live at Stitchcraft. Part of AthFest 2008.
BABY MAMA (PG-13) Former "SNL'
Weekend Update anchors Tina Fey
and Amy Poehler have reteamed for a
seriously funny movie about infertility
and surrogacy, not exactly two subjects
naturally associated V/ith yuks. Baby
Mama is not simply an ‘SNL’ sketch
stretched beyond its limits. The rest
of the supporting cast executes their
roles properly as well. As the token
love interest. Greg Kinnear pretty much
makes cute and stays out of the way.
But this baby belongs to the mamas.
Fey and Poehler, not the daddies,
finally putting to rest the sexist
assumption that men are funnier than
women
BLACK SHAMPOO (R) 1976 Director
Greydon Clark's blacksploitation film
focuses on Jonathan Knight (John
Daniels) the owner of the most suc
cessful women's hair salon in L A
who has a cool time bedding all of
the ladies until he gets mixed up with
the mob.
BLEACH: MEMORIES OF NOBOOY
(NR) 2006. A feature-length adapta
tion of the Japanese anime and manga
series Bleach. Directed by Noriyuki Abe
and written by Masashi Sogo.
THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA:
PRINCE CASPIAN (PG) The return
trip to Narnia is not nearly as magical
as the first, 2005's The Lion, the Witch
and the Wardrobe. All 144 minutes of
Prince Caspian are either preparation
for a massive battle or the bloodless,
kid-friendly conflict
COLLEGE ROAD TRIP (G) Martin
Lawrence is Chief James Porter, the
overproteclive policeman father who
decides to accompany—and mortify—
his daughter, high school senior Rachel
(Raven-SymonS), on a cross-country
trip to pick a college.
EVAN ALMIGHTY (PG) Evan Baxter
(Steve Carell) has just won a seat in
Congress when God shows up with Ark
Building (or Dummies A weak attempt
Jo co-opt religion for box office gain.
Evan Almighty is errantly, inherently
unfunny.
FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL
(R) Since January, 2008's best films
have all been holdovers from 2007,
allowing the juvenilely mature, bust-a-
gut hilarious Forgetting Sarah Marshall
to waltz right into that vacant top spot
Peter Bretter has just had his heart
broken by his TV star girlfriend. Sarah
Marshall Now Peter must get over
Sarah, with her and Aldous constantly
humping in his face, with the help of
his new friends. Nothing special can be
said about Nicholas Stoller's direction,
but the cast and Segel's script, balanc
ing lowbrow sex gags with a heartfelt
tale of heartbreak and woe. are darn
near perfect. I haven't laughed so hard
with a theater lull of strangers since
Superbad.
THE HAPPENING (R) Something
is happening, and science teacher
Elliot Moore (Mark Wahlberg) goes
on the run with his family to avoid it.
Twisty filmmaker M Night Shyamalan
has become less than the divisive,
extremely talented storyteller of The
Sixth Sense and Signs Once a box
office juggernaut, he's relegated himself
to a punchline With Zooey Deschanel
and John Leguizamo.
HORTON HEARS A WHO! (G) The
1954 children's classic about Horton
the elephant (v Jim Carrey), whose
giant ears allow him to communicate
with the tiny speck that is the town of
Whoville is one of the good doctor’s
most beloved tales, right behind Green
Eggs and Ham. The laughs in Horton
are never cheap or juvenile, yet they are
perfectly pitched for little ones' ears.
THE INCREDIBLE HULK (PG-13)
Marvel Comics reboots the not-so-
jolly green giant's film franchise with
a new director, writer, stars and a
new-look Hulk. Transporter director
Louis Leterrier and new Bruce Banner.
Edward Norton (who cowrote the film
with X2and JO scribe Zak Penn),
are looking to ratchet up the action,
pitting the Hulk against his nemesis.
Abomination, a mutated form of Emil
Blonsky (Tim Roth). Liv Tyler is the
new Betty Ross and William Hurt
plays her father, General Thaddeus
'Thunderbolt' Ross
INDIANA JONES AND THE
KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL
SKULL (PG-13) Crystal Skull \s a
cinematic rollercoaster ride that only
Steven Spielberg and George Lucas
could build, delivering the most con
stant amusement of the year Though
entertaining and briskly paced. Crystal
Skull tastes funny, like a favorite dish
missing some crucial ingredient The
story's science fiction tendencies lack
the satisfying mythological realism of
Indy's hunts for the artifacts of Judeo-
Christiamty But all those qualms van
ish when Ford, who doesn't miss a beat
after the 20-year absence, flashes that
lopsided grin after besting a Russkie
hall his age in a fistfght
IRON MAN (PG-13) When Stan Lee
created billionaire industrialist/playboy
Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) in
1953. the comic book legend could not
have imagined how relevant he would
remain in 2008 One of Marvel's great
est heroes. Iron Man lacks the celebrity
quotient of Spider-Man, and Iron Man
director Jon Favreau (Etf\ takes shrewd
advantage of that relative anonymity
Downey makes the most of a screen
play that never takes itself too seriously
without ever making its metal-clad
superhero a joke. Iron Man opens the
summer season with the ideal bang of
effects, brawn and brains.
IVAN’S CHILDHOOD (NR) 1962
The first major film of Cannes lave
Andrei Tarkovsky (the director/cowriter
of Solaris won ten awards and was
nominated for three of the renowned
festival's coveted Palmes d'Or in his
30-year career). Ivan's Childhood
chronicles the dangerous duty of a
12-year-old spy working along the
Eastern Front. Tarkovsky shared the
Venice Film Festival's Golden Lion with
Valerio Zurlini's Cronaca lamiliare,
and the famed Russian filmmaker won
the San Francisco International Film
Festival's Golden Gate Award for Best
Director. Part of the ACC Library’s
iFilms series.
JEREMIAH JOHNSON (PG) 1972
Set in the mid-19th century, after the
Civil War, Sydney Pollack’s picturesque
film canters on the story of Jeremiah
(Robert Redford), an ex-soldier who
is disillusioned with the ways of his
civilization and the ravages of war. Part
• of Western Matinee.
THE JIM WHITE SHOW (NR)
Musician, writer, filmmaker and artist
Jim White presents an evening of short
films, spoken word and a visual art
exhibit. Films include The Beautiful
World, a love story involving a mentally
ill homeless man and a mysterious
woman from France, and Eyes of a Blue
Dog, an adaptation of a Gabriel Garcia
Marquez story by the same title
KUNG FU PANDA (PG) See Movie
Pick.
LET’S GET LOST (NR) This RockDoc
features the newly restored 35mm print
of the 1988 documentary on the tur
bulent life and career of jazz trumpeter
and drug addict Chet Baker Part of
AthFest 2008
THE LIFE BEFORE HER EYES (R)
Director Vadim Perelman follows his
depressing, Oscar nominated House ol
Sand and Fog with another adaptation,
this one of award winning poet and
author Laura Kasischke's 2002 novel.
Suburban housewife and mother. Diana
(Uma Thurman), begins to question
her perfect life on the 15th anniversary
ol a tragic event involving her younger
sell (Evan Rachel Wood) and her best
friend, Maureen (Eva Amurri). Formerly
titled In Bloom, the Life Before Her
Eyes sounds intriguing, but the trailer
does not impress
MEET THE BROWNS (PG-13) In
Meet the Browns, single mom Brenda
(Angela Bassett) struggles to raise her
three kids in inner-city Chicago. When
the father she never knew dies, Brenda
hops a bus down to Georgia where she
meets her siblings. Perry's latest faith-
driven dramedy is especially atonal-
screeching gospel one moment, giant
drippy ballad the next, and silly novelty
song the next. These Browns aren't
worth meeting.
SEMI-PRO (R) Without writer/director
Adam McKay, I'd written off Semi-Pro
as another minor Will Ferrell movie
on par with the immediately funny,
ultimately unmemorable Blades of
Glory Yet Semi-Pro. stealing shame
lessly from the annals of sports cinema
as it does, may be the closest we get
to a new Slap Shot, minus the Paul
Newman classic's dramatic depres
sion Player/owner/coach Jackie Moon
is Ferrell's most lovable man-child:
he truly cares about his misfit play
ers (including Woody Harrelson and
OutKast's Andr6 Benjamin), his losing
team and Flint. Michigan Semi-Pro
may be a rank amateur when it comes
to originality (Major League totally got
here first), but it's a seasoned profes
sional when it comes to laughs.
SEX AND THE CITY: THE MOVIE
(R) Sex and the City: The Movie has
everything tor which fans of the popu
lar, Emmy-winning HBO series have
been waiting and dreaming these last
four years. Their fairy tale lives have
moved on in our absence, but the four
ladies remain as true to each other
as the day the show began in 1998.
Writer/director Michael Patrick King
does a wonderful job enlarging the
show for its big screen debut. The writ
ing is snappy, and the direction breezy.
The film wears its two-and-a-half-hour
running time like Carrie wears Dolce:
well. As a fan of the show. I found
nothing out of place, no hint of charac
ter malfeasance. The plot turnings are
never cheap, and the teary “awwws' are
well-earned. I doubt I’m the only one
screaming for more Sex; please.
SPROCKETS MUSIC VIDEO SHOW
(NR) Encore screening in the CINELAB.
THE STRANGERS (R) I typically
shy away from the massive declara
tions that infect the print ads for most
movies, but in a market flooded with
torture porn (I prefer the term gorno)
and PG-13 remakes of Japanese ghost
MOVIE LISTINGS
Theater schedules often change after our deadline. Please coll ahead.
ACC LIBRARY (706-613-3650)
Ivan’s Childhood (NR) 7:00 (Th. 6/12)
BEICHWOOD (706-546-1011)
Due to production deadlines. Beechwood movie times are
only accurate through June 12. Visit www.Flagpole.com tor
updated times.
Bleach: Memories of Nobody (NR) 7:30 (W. 6/11-Th.
6/12)
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince of Caspian (PG)
12:20, 3:25, 6:55, 9:55
Evan Almighty (PG) 10:00 a.m. (Th. 6/12)
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
(PG-13) 1:05, 4:15, 7:15, 10:15
Iron Man (PG-13) 1:00, 4:00, 7:00, 10:00
Kung Fu Panda (PG) 12:15, 1:00,2:30, 3:15, 4:45,
5:30, 7:00, 7:45, 9:15, 10:00
Sex and the City: The Movie (R) 12:50, 1:50, 3:50,
4:50, 6:50, 7:50, 9:50
The Strangers (R) 1:15, 3:20, 5:25, 7:30, 9:35
• The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep (PG) 10:00
a.m. (Th. 6/12)
What Happens in Vegas... (PG-13) 1:30, 4:20, 7:20,
9:45
You Don’t Mess with the Zohan (PG-13) 1:30 2:15
4:20 5:05 7:25 8:15 10:05
CARMIKI 12 (706-354-0016)
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince of Caspian (PG)
1:00, 4:30, 8:00
The Happening (R) 1:00, 1:30, 3:15, 4:15, 5:30, 7:00,
7:45, 9:30, 10:00 (opens F. 6/13)
The Incredible Hulk (PG-13) 1:00,1:45, 4:00, 4:30,
7:00, 7:15, 9:45, 10:00 (opens F. 6/13)
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
(PG-13) 1:00, 1:20, 1:40, 4:00, 4:20. 4:40, 7:00,
7:15, 7:30, 9:45, 10:00 (new times F. 6/13: 1:00,
4:00, 7:00, 9:45)
Iron Man (PG-13) 1:00, 4:00, 7:00, 9:50
Kung Fu Panda (PG) 1:00, 1:45, 3:10, 4:30, 5:20,
7:00, 7:30, 9:20, 9:45 (new times F. 6/13: 1:00, 3:10,
5:20, 7:30, 9:45)
Sex and the City: The Movie (R) 1:00, 1:30, 4:00,
4:30, 7:00, 7:30, 10:00 (new times F. 6/13: 1:00,
4:00, 7:00, 10:00)
The Strangers (R) 1:00, 3:15, 5:30, 7:45, 10:00
You Don’t Mess with the Zohan (PG-13) 1:30, 1:45,
4:15, 4:30, 7:00. 7:15, 9:35. 9:50
CINE (706-353-3343)
Athens, GA—Inside/Out (NR) 8:00 (W. 6/18)
Athens Picture Show (NR) 7:00, 10:30 (W. 6/18)
Jeremiah Johnson (PG) 2:15, 4:15 (Sa. 6/14-Su.
6/15)
The Jim White Show (NR) 7:00 (F. 6/13-Sa. 6/14)
Let’s Get Lost (NR) 4:15, 10:15 (F. 6/13) 10:15 (Sa.
6/14) 7:15, 9:30 (Su. 6/15) 4:15, 7:15, 9:30 (M.
6/16-Tu. 6/17) 4:15 (W. 6/18)
The Life Before Her Eyes (R) 4:30, 7:30, 9:45 (ends
Th. 6/12)
Sprockets Music Video Show (NR) 7:00, 9:00 (W.
6/18)
Underskatement (NR) 7:00, 9:00 (W. 6/11)
The Visitor (PG-13) 4:15, 7:15, 9:30 (new times F.
6/13: 4:30, 7:30, 9:45)
FUCKER THEATRE & BAR (706-546-0039)
Black Shampoo (NR) 8:30 (W. 6/11)
GEORGIA SQUARE 5 (706-548-3426)
Due to production deadlines, Beechwood movie times are
only accurate through June 12. Visit www.Flagpole.com for
updated times.
21 (PG-13) 4:00, 9:30
Baby Mama (PG-13) 1:10, 4:10, 7:10, 9:50
College Road Trip (G) 1:05, 3:10, 5:15, 7:30, 9:35
Forgetting Sarah Marshall (R) 1:15, 4:15, 7:15, 9:45
Horton Hears a Who! (G) 1:00, 7:25
Meet the Browns (PG-13) 1:20, 4:20, 7:20, 9:40
HWY 17 DRIVE-IN THEATERS (706-213-7693)
Sex and the City: The Movie (R) 9:00 (starts F. 6/13)
What Happens in Vegas... (PG-13) 9:00
TATE CENTER THEATER (706-542-6396)
10,000 B.C (PG-13) 8:00, 10:00 (W. 6/11)
Semi-Pro (R) 8:00, 10:00 (M. 6/16 & W. 6/18)
stories, The Strangers—a shotgun
blast of genuine domestic terror,
delivered to the gut, then the chest, and
finally the face—is the scariest film
I've seen in years and, quite possibly,
the most frightening film I've ever
seen in a theater The terror is-palpable
from the moment, 10 or so minutes
into the movie, when two disconsolate
lovers, James Hoyt (Scott Speedman)
and Kristen McKay (Liv Tyler), answer
a knock at the door of his family's
middle-of-nowhere summer home. The
ensuing 75-80 minutes are relentlessly
cruel, utterly vicious and seemingly
never-ending First-time writer/director
Bryan Bertino pulls no punches, and
he knows how—and where—to land
them most effectively The Strangers
is not a fun horror movie, but it is a
cathartic one
UNDERSKATEMENT (NR) An annual
touring film festival that focuses on
short films made by skateboarders with
the goal of promoting creative endeav
ors within the skateboard community
and to bridge the gap between skate
board films and 'legitimate' cinema
THE VISITOR (PG-13) If you were
enamored with The Station Agent.
you’ll probably be interested to know
writer/director Thomas McCarthy has
finally cratted a follow-up. When col
lege protessor Walter Vale (Richard
Jenkins, “Six Feet Under') walks into
his NYC apartment, he is surprised
to find two illegal immigrants (Haaz
Sleiman and Danai Gurira) living there;
imagine how much more surprised
Walter is when the three become
friends. I'm looking forward to seeing
Jenkins, the consummate character
actor and stalwart supporting player,
shine in a well-deserved starring role
THE WATER HORSE: LEGEND OF
THE DEEP (PG) Based on a book by
Sate author Dick King-Smith. The
Water Horse is the taie of a lonely boy
(Alex Etel. Millions) who finds a myste
rious egg that hatches into the legend
ary Scottish sea creature, the Loch
Ness Monster As silly as it sounds
WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS...
t PG-13) How funny you find Vegas
will depend greatly on howrwell you
tolerate selfishness in others and how
entertaining/cute you find the two mis
matched stars Kutcher spends much of
the film being nauseatingly obnoxious
(and this after he'd started to grow on
me) Diaz shows little of her own comic
spark Corddry supplies a few insuf
ficient, idiotic laughs. Like the ads say,
What Happens in Vegas should stay
in Vegas.
YOU DON’T MESS WITH THE
ZOHAN (PG-13) Though You Don't
Mess with the Zohan starts out thud-
dingly, explosively unfunny, the
latest Adam Sandler comedy actually
improves over its 112-minute running
time. The opening sequence establish
ing Zohan as an Israeli James Bond,
a curly-haired, macho man who loves
hummus, hacky sack and hairdressing,
comes off like another in the noxious
(insert genre) Movie franchise. But then
Zohan goes to America, changes his
name to Scrappy Coco, and starts botf-
ing old ladies. Surprisingly enough, as
unsurprising as the movie's gags are,
they're funny, and Zohan's later acts
attain a satirical beefiness I'll attribute
to Sandler's cowriters, Robert "Triumph
the Insult Comic Dog’ Smigel and^
Judd Apatow. Suddenly, rather than
fighting terrorism, the former Mossad
man is tasked with keeping peace
amongst his new Arab and Israeli
neighbors. Sandler, who accepted and
failed an assignment to fight stereo
types with stereotypes in last summer's
humorless I Now Pronounce You
Chuck & Larry, gets it more right with
Zohan. You don't mess with the Zohan.
but you can laugh at him; he's actually
pretty funny.
Drew Wheeler
22 FLAGPOLE.COM JUNE 11,2008
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