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BEVERLY HILLS CHIHUAHUA (PG)
I have lo give credit to Beverly Hills
Chihuahua, it's not as appallingly awful
as its premise or its trailer portend.
Disney has foisted worse talking
animal movies on the world. Children
and adult animal lovers who think pets
dressed in tiny people clothes are cute
will love the misadventures of Chloe (v.
Drew Barrymore), a pampered Beverly
Hills Chihuahua lost in Mexico.
BOLT (G) Bolt (v. John Travolta)
doesn't realize he's the doggie star of
a TV hit, the recipient of powers by
special effect, not extra-natural ability.
When the confused pup hits the road
to save his fictional owner, Penny (v.
Miley Cyrus), it is up to a stray cat
and a strange hamster to help Bolt get
home. Boll may not be a Pixar film, but
it does boast one of the most charming
animated trailers of the year.
THE CHANGELING (R) On a Saturday
in 1928, switchboard supervisor
Christine Collins (Angelina Jolie)
goes to work, leaving her nine-year-
old son. Walter, home alone. When
she returns that evening, Waller has
disappeared, but Christine’s nightmare
has just begun. Five months later, the
L.A.P.D., represented by the forced
cheerful grin of Captain J.J. Jones
(Jef f rey Donovan), return Walter to
his distraught mother amid popping
flashbulbs and scribbling reporters.
But Christine doesn't recognize this
new, shorter, circumcised boy. Captain
Jones keeps insisting the child is
Christine's son, but a mother knows.
Christine’s story soon comes to the
attention of Reverend Gustav Briegleb
ing, long-distance doom of their high
school romance. Every routine shows
creative vitality light years ahead of
the familiar story. The songs aren't
bad either; they simply suffer from that
factory-crafted sound that makes so
much radio-driven pop disposable and
torgettable. Alas, that same fate may
await High School Musical 3. despite
how easily my inner teen caved to its
cheesy charm.
THE HOUSE BUNNY (PG-13)
Beautiful, bubbly Anna Faris has made
a nice career out of hilarious vapidity.
In The House Bunny, The Scary Movie
star shows off her assets—humorous
and otherwise—as former Playboy
bunny Shelley, who. after getting
booted from the Mansion, finds a
home amongst the ZETAs, the misfits
of sorority row. The House Bunny my
set feminism back a few thousand
years (moral; it's better to be hot than
yourself, but the real you better be
a super hottie). but considering it's
produced by the House of Sandler,
Happy Madison Productions, what can
one expect?
IN SEARCH OF A MIDNIGHT KISS
(R) Writer-director Alex Holdridge's
bitter romantic comSdy, In Search of
a Midnight Kiss, carries on a torrid,
Woody Allen-esque love affair with
its third lead, the City of Angels, in
the vulgar confines of a Kevin Smith
screenplay. Frustrated writer Wilson
(Scoot McNairy) is desperate for
something good to happen before his
year ends. On the advice of his best
friend and roommate, Jacob (Brian
McGuire), Wilson uses Craig'sList
to find a date for New Year’s Eve. His
discovery, Vivian (Sara Simmonds),
is a beautiful wannabe actress as
MOVIE LISTINGS
Theater schedules often change after our deadline. Please call ahead.
ACC LIBRARY (706-613-3650)
A Charlie Brown Christmas (G) 3:00 (Tu. 11/25)
Noise (NR) 7:00 (Th. 11/20)
BEECHWOOD (706-546-1011)
Due to production deadlines, Beechwood movie times are
only accurate through November 20. Visit www.Fiagpole.com
for updated times.
Beverly Hills Chihuahua (PG) 4:30
Changeling (R) 4:00, 6:55, 9:55
High School Musical 3: Senior Year (G) 4:10, 7:10,
9:45
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (PG) 4:30, 5:15, 7:00,
7:45, 9:15, 10:00
Metropolitan Opera (NR) 7:00 (W. 11/19)
Quantum of Solace (PG-13) 4:00, 5:00, 6:30, 7:30,
9:00, 10:00
Role Models (R) 5:10, 7:30, 9:50
Saw V (R) 7:05, 9:25
The Secret Life of Bees (PG-13) 4:20, 6:50, 9:20 (no
6:50 & 9:20 shows W. 11/19)
Soul Men (R) 4:55, 7:15, 9:40
Zack and Miri Make a Porno (R) 4:45, 7:35, 10:05
CARMIKE 12 (706-354-0016)
Bolt (PG) 12:30, 1:15, 2:45, 3:30, 5:00, 5:45, 7:15,
8:00, 9:30, 10:15, midnight (starts F. 11/21)
A Christmas Story (PG) 7:00 (Tu. 11/18 & Th. 11/20)
Changeling (R) 1:00, 7:00 (no 7:(fo show Tu. 11/18 &
Th. 11/20) (ends Th. 11/20)
Fireproof (PG) 4:00, 10:00 (ends Th. 11/20)
High School Musical 3: Senior Year (G) 1:15, 4:00,
7:15, 10:00
Madagascan Escape 2 Africa (PG) 1:00, 1:30, 3:10,
3:40, 5:20, 5:55, 7:30, 8:00, 9:40, 10:10 (new times
F. 11/21: 1:00, 1:30, 3:10, 3:40, 5:20, 5:55, 8:00,
10:10, 12:10 a.m.)
Quantum of Solace (PG-13) 12:00, 12:30, 1:45, 2:30,
3:00, 4:20, 5:00, 5:30, 7:00, 7:30, 8:00, 9:40, 10:00
(new times F. 11/21: 12:30, 1:45, 3:00, 4:20, 5:30,
7:00, 7:30, 8:00, 9:40, 10:00, 10:30, 12:10 a.m.)
RocknRolla (R) 1:00, 4:00, 7:00, 10:00 (ends Th.
11/20)
Role Models (R) 1:00, 3:15, 5:30, 7:45, 10:00
Saw V (R) 1:00, 3:15, 5:30, 7:45, 10:00 (ends Th.
11/20)
Soul Men (R) 1:15, 4:30, 7:15, 10:00 (ends Th.
11/20)
Twilight (PG-13) 12:00, 12:30, 1:00, 1:30, 2:40, 3:10,
4:15, 4:45, 5:25, 5:55, 7:00, 7:30, 8:10, 8:40, 9:45,
10:15, 10:50, 11:20, 12:20 a.m. (starts F. 11/21)
Zack and Miri Make a Porno (R) 1:30, 4:30, 7:15,
9:45 (ends Th. 11/20)
CINE (706-353-3343)
Choke (R) 11:15 (ends Th. 11/20)
In Search of a Midnight Kiss (NR) 5:15, 7:15 (ends
Th. 11/20)
Rachel Getting Married (R) 5:00; 7:30, 9:45 (add'l
time Sa. 11/22-Su. 11/23: 2:30) (no 9:45 show Su.
11/23)
Religulous (R) 9:15 (new time F. 11/21: 9:30) (add'l
time Sa. 11/22-Su. 11/23: 2:00) (no 9:30 show Su.
11/23) •
Super High Me (R) 4:20 (F. 11/21-Su. 11/23) (add'l
times F. 11/21: 8:00; 10:00)
W. (PG-13) 4:15, 7:00 (starts F. 11/21)
GEORGIA SQUARE 5 (706-548-3426)
Due to production deadlines, Georgia Square Five movie
times are only accurate through November 20. Yisit www.
Flagpole.com for updated times.
The Dark Knight (PG-13) 4:10, 7:45
The House Bunny (PG-13) 4:15, 9:50
Journey to the Center of the Earth (3D) (PG) 7:20
Max Payne (PG-13) 5:30, 7:50, 10:10
Miracle at St. Anna (R) 4:05, 7:40
Traitor (PG-13) 7:15
WALL-E (G) 4:20, 9:45
HWY 17 DRIVt-IN THEATERS (706-213-7693)
The Haunting of Molly Hartley (PG-13) 7:00 (F.
11/21-Su. 11/23)
Zack and Miri Make a Porno (R) 7:00 (F. 11/21-Su.
11/23)
showing locally this week.
(John Malkovich), a local activist
crusading against police corruption. He
convinces Christine to take her story
to the media, an act that leads Captain
Jones to commit the poor woman to
the psychiatric ward. If director Clint
Eastwood didn't insist upfront that
the story was true, you'd think writer
J. Michael Slraczynski had made this
crazy-creepy tale up. Unsurprisingly,
The Changeling is another superb
notch in the ever-expanding, ever-
elegant belt that holds up Eastwood's
directing slacks.
A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS
(G) 1965. The Christmas classic comes
* to the big screen via the ACC Library.
Charlie Brown wishes to find the true
meaning of Christmas by directing the
school Christmas pageant, but no one
is happy with his decisions, especially
regarding the pitiful little fir tree he
selects. This first TV special featuring
Charles Schulz's ageless characters is
as charming today as it was when it
originally aired in 1965. Presented by
the Special Needs Library with audio
narration for visually impaired viewers.
CHOKE (R) Victor Mancini (Sam
Rockwell) proclaims himself to be a
pretty bad guy. He’s a sex addict who
cruises sex addiction recovery meet
ings to pick up chicks. By day. he
reenacts history as the backbone of
Colonial America, an Irish indentured
servant. By night, he chokes on food
so he can financially leach off the kind
ness of his saviors. First-time director
Clark Gregg’s film perfectly mimics
the absurd, anarchic tone of Chuck
Palahniuk's novel. Like the novel, the
film unfolds in an episodic, uncon
nected way that doesn't quite build to
anything. The ■‘aha!" moment never
arrives But Victor’s various misadven
tures are as funny on the big screen
as on the page Gregg’s film version
of Choke fails to accomplish any goal
larger than humorously and bawdily
tweaking society, at which it enthusias
tically succeeds. Choke may be noth
ing more than a funny riff on modern
civilization, but at least it's funny.
A CHRISTMAS STORY (PG) 1983.
Relive Ralphie Parker's all-American
Christmas yet again.
THE DARK KNIGHT (PG-13) A comic
book-based film has never been so
dark, so real, so mystifying, and so
deep, rich with characterization, nimble
plotting, and intricate set pieces.
FIREPROOF (PG) Despite its non
professional acting, clunky dialogue
and uninspired direction. Fireproof
will please its congregation. Watching
Fireproof is like watching a feature-
length infomercial about God.
THE HAUNTING OF MOLLY
HARTLEY (PG-13) This pitiful excuse
for a scary movie might have been
more entertaining had it been The
Haunting of Nina Hartley, then again,
that would have been another type
of movie altogether. The Haunting ol
Molly Hartley s exactly what some no
talent moneybags thinks a teen horror
flick is. Pretty faces, nonsensical plot,
telegraphed jump scares, and a “twist"
ending.
HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 3:
SENIOR YEAR (G) As the title
reveals, HSM3chronicles senior year
for the familiar faces of East High.
Basketball star and drama king Troy
Bolton (Zac Efron of Hairspray) and
his singing sweetie, Gabriella Montez
(Vanessa Hudgens), sense the impend-
You're like the Banana Republic version of Dracula.
desperate for a good time as Wilson.
Wandering about the city, waiting for
that magic ball to drop and ring out
one bad year amid the hope of a better
one to come, Wilson and Vivian talk
and fight and engage in blue banter
that might not make Clerks' Dante and
Randa|j,blush but would make them
laugh. Meanwhile, cinematographer
Robert Murphy prettifies L A. in gor
geous. cinematic black and white. With
Midnight Kiss, Athens finally gets a
downtown-worthy date movie.
JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF
THE EARTH (30) (PG) Brendan
Fraser goofs around as tectonic physi
cist Trevor Anderson, who takes his
13-year-old nephew, Sean (the always
welcome Josh Hutcherson, Zathura and
Bridge lo Terabithia), on a search for
the mythical lost worlo underneath the
earth’s crust. 3D may not make Journey
a better movie, but it does make the
jovial action more entertaining.
MADAGASCAR;ESCAPE 2
AFRICA (PG) Former New York City
Zoo residents Alex (v. Ben Stiller),
Marty (v. Chris Rock), Gloria (v. Jada
Pinkett Smith), and Melman (v. David
Schwimmer) are jazzed to finally leave
Madagascar, but their plane, piloted by
those psycho penguins, crash lands
in Africa On the beautiful savannas of
an animal reserve, these not-so-wild
animals get in touch with their roots.
Alex meets his parents (v. Bernie Mac
and Sherri Shepara); Marty learns
zebras share a strange collective mind;
Gloria finds a hippo, Moto Moto (v.
Will.i.Am), looking for some big loving;
and Melman becomes a witch doctor.
Sacha Baron Cohen's King Julien again
gets the best lines, and the penguins
garner the most laughs. The animal
antics are cute, and the PG jokes are
harmless. Still, the Madagascar fran
chise was built on an underwhelming
but popular foundation, and the second
story is no different.
MAX PAYNE (PG-13) Max Payne is a
hard boiled cop with a haunted past He
will stop at nothing to take revenge on
the murderer of his wife and son, even
if it means unraveling a conspiracy
larger than he could ever imagine. If
that sounds really lame and generic
that's just because Max Payne sucks.
MIRACLE AT ST. ANNA (R) Postal
worker Hector Negron (Laz Alonso)
murders a man in 1984, and the
investigation leads to World War II
Italy where an all-black Army unit is
trapped behind enemy lines. Spike Lee
films are always intriguing, and after
the firebrand’s war of words with Clint
Eastwood, Miracle at St. Anna is no
exception. However, the trailer doesn’t
quite inspire confidence that Lee can
go two-for-two at the box office. With
Derek Luke, Michael Ealy (“Sleeper
Cell"), John Leguizamo and Joseph
Gordon-Levitt.
NOISE (NR) 2007. A suburban com
munity is left reeling after two heinous
crimes. Graham McGahan (Brendan
Cowell), a young police officer afflicted
with tinnitus, must deal with the
suspicious, guilty wreckage left by the
criminals. Noise was nominated for
the Sundance Film Festival's Grand
Jury Prize, along with nine Australian
Film Institute Awards, Oz’s highest
film honor, including Best Film, Best
Direction, Best Lead Actor and Best
C/'rppnnlav
QUANTUM OF SOLACE (PG-13) See
Movie Pick.
RACHEL GETTING MARRIED (R)
Weddings can be tough to plan, tough
to attend, and tough to watch. The wed
ding of Rachel (an excellent Rosemarie
DeWitt) is no different, especially the
arrival of her fresh out of rehab sis.
Kym (surefire Oscar nominee Anne
Hathaway). With the assistance of her
doting father, Paul (Tony Award winner
Bill Irwin), Kym attempts to takeover
the weekend. In his best film since The
Silence of the Lambs, director Jonathan
Demme has organized an Altman-ian
affair that is less a narrative film than
a wedding video with high production
values. With a handheld camera, the
director invites the audience to Rachel s
big multicultural soiree. Demme and
first-time screenwriter Jenny Lumet
(yes. she is Sydney's daughter) mine
this family's dark, grief-filled cave for
small chunks of raw emotion Rachel
Getting Married reveals as much about
the long-term effects of familial grief
as Ordinary People anti with no big
tissue moments (that comparison is
not meant to denigrate Redford s never
ordinary Oscar winner). Demme has
done an extraordinary job engagingly
translates these often darkly tragicomic
common experiences to the big screen
without sacrificing any of the joy or
the pain. •
RELIGULOUS (R) Smug comedian
Bill Maher usually has a lot of answers,
but in the irreverent, funny Religulous,
he has a lot of questions. As offensive
as Maher can get, he never comes off
as mean-spirited during his cross
country querying of several religious
leaders and followers. He allows his
subjects to indict themselves with fal
lacious biblical claims and statements
that sometimes betray stupidity like
an “Idiot on Board" placard. Notorious
Borat director Larry Charles doesn't
resort to the same “Gotcha!" tactics;
instead, he cleverly utilizes film clips
and titles like Michael Moore. Believers
blindly clinging to their faith will prob
ably have a hard time hearing Maher's
doubt-laden conclusions, but anyone
with an open mind should walk away
with a few complex questions where
once existed simple answers.
ROCKNROLLA (R) The top lad of
English gangster flicks, Guy Ritchie
returns to form, for what little that's
truly worth. Ritchie pics are like his
bumbling, criminal protagonists: brash,
likable and more than a tad overcon
fident. So long as the writer-director
doesn't set his Mockney sights too
high, he usually hits the entertaining
target (Lock. Stock and Two Smoking
Barrels and Snatch). (We can all forget
about Swept Away now that he and
Madge are getting divorced) A large
chunk of stolen cash and a missing
painting pits the Russians against old
school English bully. Lenny Cole (Tom
Wilkinson), the Wild Bunch, a group of
colorfully named small timers led by
One Two (Gerard Butler) and Mumbles
(Idris Elba), and a rocker named
Johnny Quid (Toby Kebbell). The
super-charming Butler ably replaces
former Ritchie regular Jason Statham,
who I guess is a real movie star now,
as the Regular-ish Joe antihero, but
it's Mark Strong, who also stood out
in Body of Lies, that makes the big
gest impression as Lenny’s right-hand
man, Archie. RocknRolla is every bit as
inconsistently amusing and dripping
with style as you’d expect from a Guy-
step flick.
ROLE MODELS (R) Danny (Paul
Rudd), working the same pointless
job—he shills an energy drink called
Minotaur—for 10 years, is in a rut..
He hates his life, and consequentially,
the world. Winding up on the wrong
side of the law. Danny and his best
friend/coworker, Wheeler (Seann
William Scott) are sentenced to 150
hours of community service at a Big
Brother program called Sturdy Wings.
Naturally, life lessons are learned by
12 FLAGPOLE.COM • NOVEMBER 19,2008