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Richard Sandler's The Gods of Times *
Square traces the changes undergone
by the fabled crossroads of the world's
capital. Gone are the street preachers
and religious zealots spewing fire
and brimstone; in their place, comes
Mickey, Minnie and corporate soulless
ness. Woohoo! Winner of the Gold Jury
Award at the Chicago Underground
Film Festival.
THE HANGOVER (R) The summer's
most relentlessly funny comedy may
have arrived. When three buddies—
married schoolteacher Phil (Bradley
Cooper), emasculated dentist Stu
(Ed Helms) and strange Alan (Zack
Gal if ianakis)—take their pal, Doug
(Justin Bartha), to Las Vegas for his
bachelor party, all hell breaks loose.
Too bad none of these guys can
remember one moment of it. Peppered
with familiar funny faces, The Hangover
is a perfect comedic convergence that's
funnier than it deserves to be.
HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-
BLOOD PRINCE (PG) In his sixth
year at Hogwarts, young wizard Harry
Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) and his pals.
Ron and Hermione (Rupert Grint and „
Emma Watson), must contend with
Death Eaters, a puffed-up new Potions
prof and love potions. In his second
Potter film, director David Yates gets '
what makes the books so special and
translates that quality to the big screen
unlike any of his predecessors; five
time screenwriter Steve Kloves has
perfected extracting only the essentials
from Rowlingls doorstops. Half-Blood
Prince is the prettiest Potter film as
well
ICE AGE: DAWN OF THE
DINOSAURS (PG) Don't expect any
surprises in the third installment of the
mammoth animated franchise that isn’t
Shrek or produced by Pixar. Ice Age:
DolD is just for the kiddies. If you’ve
got to see it, be sure to pay a little extra
for the 3D version. It's worth it.
JULIE 4 JULIA (PG-13) I'm afraid
I don't ■‘get’ Meryl Streep. I certainly
understand how talented she is, and
I feel it's just and deserved if the
Academy chooses to reward her for a
record 16th nomination. Ifis less her
acting prowess that boggles me than
her mystique, the power she holds
over women over 45. As I watched
Streep gloriously honk her way through
Nora Ephron’s delicious new film as
the famous TV chef Julia Child, I was
pleasantly entertained; much of the
decidedly oluer crowd was in hyster
ics. Julie & Julia is the twin culinary
tales of Julia Child and Julie Powell
(the delightful, cute Amy Adams), a
lowly government employee who finds
meaning—and a book deal—in cook
ing all 524 of the recipes in Child's
Mastering the Art of French Cooking
in 365 days and blogging about it. You
might think the Sleepless in Seattle
auteur is breaking up with her longtime
partner, the romcom, but J&J is still
about couples—three to be exact:
Julia and Paul Child (Stanley Tucci);
Julie and Eric Powsll(Chris Messina);
and Julia and Julie—in love. Julie &
Julia isn't a fancy French delicacy; it's
Hollywood comfort food prepared with
love and laughter.
LAND OF THE LOST(PG-13) Big
screen, bigger budget updates of the
cult universes conceived by brothers
Sid and Marty Krofft (*H.R. Pufnstuf’)
are best left as cheesy, campy and
bizarre as the grown-up fans, all
Some releases may not be snowing locally tms week.
ADORATION (R) For an assign
ment, high school student Simon
(Devon Bostick) weaves the story
of his parents (Noam Jenkins and •
Rachel Blanchard), both killed in a car
accident, with a news story about a
terrorist. Controversy arrives when his
fact-meets-fiction tale goes viral.
ALIENS IN THE ATTIC (PG) A fam
ily moves to Maine and discovers
the top floor of their new home has
been invaded by aliens. The cast is
all over the place. First, there's High
School Musical alum Ashley Tisdale; *
then you've got "SNL" vets Kevin
Nealon and Tim Meadows. Director
John Schultz (The Honeymooned
won some awards for his 1996 debut,
Bandwagon. I honestly can't decide
whether I’m looking forward to this or
dreading it more than I did G-Force.
ANGELS & DEMONS (PG-.13)
Angels & Demons, the Da Vinci Code
predecessor turned cinematic sequel,
offers the same lukewarm thrills as the
2006 blockbuster. Symbologist Robert
Langdon (Tom Hanks with a better
hairdo) is tasked by the Vatican with
solving a mystery involving a dead
pope, four kidnapped cardinals and the
Illuminati, a legendary cabal suppos
edly wiped out by the Catholic church *
centuries ago. Apparently, Langdotfs
brainy brand of non-action reads better
than it watches.
AWAY WE GO (R) Burt and Verona
(John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph), a
couple of self-described ‘screw-ups,’“
are searching for a place to raise their
yet-to-be-born child after BurTs selfish
parents (Catherine O’Hara and Athens-
born Jeff Daniels) announce their
plan to move to Belgium. Away We
Go, written by novelists Dave Eggers
[A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering
Genius) and his wife, Vendsla Vida
(co-founder and co-editor of The
Believer), reads like a quirky, literacy •
humorous National Book Award
finalist.
> BANDSLAM (PG-13) Outcast
Will Burton (Gaelan Connell) woos the
school's popular loner, Sa5m (High
School Musicals Vanessa Hudgens)
with music. They form a rock band with
blond Charlotte (Aly Michalka) and -
enter the biggest battle of the bands in
the country. Distributor Summit is try
ing to sell tickets by promising a sneak
peek at fall's The Twilight Saga: New
Moon. Such a move cannot bode well
for Bandslam. Director Todd Graff also
helmed the musically similar Camp.
With Lisa Kudrow.
COLD SOULS (PG-13) Charlie
Kaufman-esque! Paul Giamatti plays
an actor named Paul Giamatti, who
pays to have his soul disembodied.
Unfortunately. Paul is a victim of soul
trafficking and must travel to Russia to
retrieve it from a soap opera actress.
Writer-director Sophie Barthes’s feature
debut was nominated for Sundance's
Grand Jury Prize. Wiih Emily Watson,
David Strathaim and Lauren Ambrose
(‘Six Feet Under - ).
THE COLLECTOR (R) Certain horror
fans might be excited about the direc
torial debut of Marcus Dunstan, one
half of the writing duo behind the Feast
flicks and Saw IV, Vand the upcoming
VI. When a desperate ex-con plots a
heist of his new employers country
home, he doesn't plan on a second
criminal who has rigged the house with
deadly traps d la Jigsaw. Connections
to Saw are fitting as the movie is
reportedly an aborted prequel to the
horror juggernaut.
DISTRICT 9 (R) The Lord of the Rings
Oscar-winner Peter Jackson's name
may be above the title, but District
baby and feature debut. (Blomkamp’s
name was connected to the in limbo
Halo movie.) Aliens are among us and
segregated in South Africa, who appar
ently learned nothing from apartheid.
District 9 looks very coorand could be
a refreshing new sci-fi adventure. Or it
could be the next viral cult sensation to
fail to capture mainstream audiences
beyond week one.
FUNNY PEOPLE (R) Is the dramatic-
comic collaboration of former college
roommates, superstar Adam Sandler
and Knocked Up writer-director Judd
Apatow, the best Film either has made?
nuanced pertormance of his career
by essentially playing himself under
the pseudonym George Simmons. A
devastating diagnosis leaves George
pondering his life choices. His only
friend is a newly hired assistant, ‘
wannabe stand-up comic Ira Wright
(Seth Rogen), and his true love, Laura
(ApatowS wife, Leslie Mann) is married
(to Eric Sana) with two kids (Apatow
and Manors daughters, Maude and
Iris). But impending mortality frees .
George to amend the mistakes of his
past and he reconnects with Laura.
Meanwhile, Ira toils in the shadows
of his two pals, crappy sitcom star
Here’s the clunker—give us the cash.
Perhaps, but best and perfect are
two different things. -Funny People
is a strange animal. As raunchy and
immature as The 40-Year-0ld Virgin
and Knocked Up, Apatow^ third film
is maturely depressing. Laughs are
prolific but tempered by death's loom
ing visage. The assertive seriousness
of the films subject matter occasionally
outduels the humorous tone, slack
ening the pace to a crawl. In Funny
People, Sandler gives the best, most
MOVIE LISTINGS
Theater schedules often change after our deadline. Please call ahead.
ACC LIBRARY (706-613-3650)
The Gods of Time Square (NR) 7:00 (Th. 8/13)
BEECHWOOD (706-546-1011)
Due to production deadlines, Beechwood movie times are
only accurate through Aug. 13. Visit www.Flagpole.com for
updated times.
Allens in the Attic (PG) 12:20, 2:50, 5:10, 7:25, 9:30
The Collector (R) 12:50, 3:05, 5:20, 7:35, 9:40
Funny People (R) 12:40, 3:50, 7:00,10:05
G-Force (PG) 1:00, 3:10, 5:30, 8:00
G-Force (3D) (PG) 12:00, 2:20, 4:50, 7:15, 9:30
The Hangover (R) 4:15, 9:35 (no 9:35 show W. 8/5)
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (PG) 12:30,
3:45, 7:00,10:15*
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (PG) 1:30, 7:10 (no
7:10 show W. 8/5)
Orphan (R) 1:05, 4:05, 7:05, 9:50
The Proposal (PG-13) 1:10, 4:10, 7:10, 9:55
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (PG-13) 12:15,
3:30, 6:45, 10:00
Ugly Truth (R) 12:05, 2:30, 4:55, 7:20, 9:45
CARMINE 12 (706-354-0016)
Due to production deadlines, Carmike 12 movie times are
only accurate through Aug. 13. Visit www.Flagpole.com for
updated times.
Aliens In the Attic (PG) 12:00, 2:30, 4:45, 7:00, 9:15
The Collector (R) 12:15, 2:45, 5:15, 7:45, 10:10
Funny People (R) 1:00, 4:05, 7:10,10:15
G-Force (3D) (PG) 12:20, 1:15, 2:35, 3:30, 4:50,
5:45, 7:05, 8:00, 9:20, 10:15
The Hangover (R) 12:40, 3:05, 5:30, 7:50, 10:15
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (PG) 12:30,
1:30, 3:45, 4:45, 7:00, 8:00,10:15
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (3D) (PG) 12:40,
2:50, 5:00
Orphan (R) 1:30, 4:20, 7:10,10:00
The Proposal (PG-13) 7:10, 9:30
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (PG-13) 12:30,
3:45, 7:00, 10:15
The Ugly Truth (R) 12:25, 2:40, 4:55, 7:10, 9:25
CINE (706-353-3343)
Away We Go (R) 5:00, 9:55 (new times F. 8/14: 5:15,
9:30) (no 9:30 show Su. 8/16)
The Pink Panther (NR) 7:30 (add! times Sa. 8/15 and
Su. 8/16: 2:30) (starts F. 8/14)
Rudo y Curs! («) 5:15, 9:45 (new time Sa. 8/15: 7:15)
(no show Fr. 8/14)
Summer Hours (NR) 7:30 (ends Th. 8/13)
Tetro (NR) 5:00, 9:45 (no show Su. 8/16) (starts F.
8/14)
We Fun Atlanta (NR) 7:30 (Fr. 8/14) (add! shows Sa.
8/15 and Su. 8/16: 3:30)
West Side Story (NR) 7:00 (ends Th. 8/13)
GEORGIA SQUARE 5 (706-548-3426)
Due to production deadlines, Georgia Square Five movie
times are only accurate through Aug. 13. Visit www.Flagpole.
com for updated times.
Angels & Demons (PG-13) 4:00, 9:55
Land of the Lost (PG-13) 12:40, 7:35
Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian
(PG) 12:35, 3:00, 5:25, 7:50,10:15
The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (R) 12:50, 4:05, 7:20,
10:05
Terminator Salvation (PG-13) 12:55, 4:10, 7:25,
10:00
Year One (PG-13) 12:45, 3:00, 5:15, 7:30, 10:10
Mark (Jason Schwartzman) and more
successful fellow stand-up Leo (Jonah
Hill). Working for George is IraS
big break, and that is kind of it The
charming, one-and-a-haif-note Rogen
impresses as normal, nice Ira, but his
arc is tragically woeful for a main char
acter. His tired romantic subplot is only
redeemed by the button cute, deadpan
Aubrey Plaza (“Parks and Recreation-).
With the Academy doubling the list
of potential Best Picture nominees to
10, many see Apatow’s serio-comedy
as the funny film genres Great White
Hope. Finding the laughter in mortality
might be the only way a comedy can
trick the Academy into acknowledging
it. While no one was looking, Apatow
became the new James Brooks and
Funny People is his penis-joke-filled
Terms of Endearment.
G.l. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA
(PG-13) I don't care what anyone
says; I’m excited for the live-action
G.l. Joe movie I’ve been waiting my
entire life to see. The Global Integrated
Joint Operating Entity (G.l. JOE)—an
elite strike force led by General Hawk
(Dennis Quaid)—must stop the evil
terrorist organization known as Cobra.
Duke (Channing Tatum), Scarlett
(Rachel Nichols) and fan-favorite
Snake Eyes (Ray Park) take on Destro
(Christopher Eccleston), the Baroness
(Sienna Miller), Zartan (Arnold Vosloo)
and Cobra Commander (Joseph
Gordon-Levitt) in the fight of my life. I
cant wait.
G-FORCE (PG) G-Force is being
touted as Ober-producer Jerry ■
Bruckheimers first 3-D and family film.
The heroes may be furry, well-animated
guinea pigs voiced by Sam Rockwell,
Penelope Cruz, Tracy Morgan and
Nicolas Cage, but the loud, busy
action movie definitely hails from
Bruckheimers gated Hollywood neigh
borhood. It's as good—or as bad—as
any old Bruckheimer production.
THE GODS OF T'MES SQUARE
1999. Shot from 1993 to 1998, director
hopped up on nostalgia, remember
them.
NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM: BATTLE
OF THE SMITHSONIAN (PG)
Everything about NatM:BotS improves
on the lifeless original, especially the
thankful lack of monkey antics of which
there are a mere toned down few.
ORPHAN (R) Orphan is an above-
average horror flick in the children-
who-kill subgenre. The currently,
amusingly named parenting duo, John
and Kate (Peter Sarsgaard and Vera
Farmiga), wish to adopt. After a single
visit to an orphanage, John and Kate
decide to take home Esther (Isabelle
Fuhrman), a 19th-century Russian
orphan with ribbons tied around her
neck and wrists. Suddenly, Kate begins
to wonder, ‘What’s Esther's deal?*
Esther’s deal, my friends, is one of the
best twists in the itchily incessant rash
of twist endings audiences continue to
scratch. The revelation in Orphan actu
ally redeems the movie, turning this
imitative flick into something half-way
original.
PAPER HEART (PG-13) Athens got
a sneak peek at performance artist,
musician, writer and painter Charlyne
Yi’s hybrid romcom-documentary back
in the early summer. Star-cowriter Yi
(the funny stoned girlfriend in Knocked
Up) and director-cowriter Nicholas
Jasenovec ponder what love means
to different people. Also, Yi’s more
famous friends/former costars—
Michael Cera, Martin Starr, Seth
Rogen—show up. Winner of the Waldo
Salt Screenwriting Award at Sundance,
where it was nominated for the Grand
Jury Prize.
A PERFECT GETAWAY (R) Paradise
is lost when two couples, Cliff &
Cydney (Steve Zahn and Milla
Jovovich) and Nick and Gina (Timothy
Olyphant and Kiele Sanchez, the infa
mous Nikki of ‘Lost”s despised Nikki
and Paulo), discover a killer couple is
stalking the Hawaiian islands, murder
ing newlyweds. Pitch Black writer-
director David Twohy holds a fun,
informative screenwriting camp in this
meta-thriller. The second act twist won't
blindside you, but it may lead you to
cry, “Bullshit!’ Still, the unkillable,
off-his-rocker (or is he?), macho man,
Nick, is Twohy’s first home-run char
acter since Riddick, and lets a winking,
twinkling Olyphant, of whom I’ve
been a fan since “Deadwood,‘ finally
shine. Thriller fans may have traveled
this twisty path before, but A Perfect
Getaway is a trip worth taking.
THE PJNK PANTHER (NR) 1963
The classic comedy stars Peter Sellers
as bumbling Inspector Clouseau, on
the hunt for a jewel thief, and features
Henry Mancini's Oscar-nominated
score. Anyone who has only seen the
Steve Martin desecration—and its
even worse sequel—=heeds to get to
Cin6 forthwith. Also starring David
Niven and Robert Wagner.
PONYO (G) Beloved animator and
Academy Award-winner Hayao
Miyazaki {SpiritedAway) returns to
delight anyone willing to venture
beyond Pixar, Ice Age and Shrek. A
young goldfish princess named Ponyo
must save the world with the help of a
young boy. Can Disney get its huge,
loyal crowds to pack theaters for a
traditional animated film? I hope so.
Featuring an all-star voice cast includ
ing Cate Blanchett, Matt Damon, Liam
Neeson, Tina Fey, Lily Tomlin. Cloris
Leachman and Betty White.
THE PROPOSAL (PG-13) I was
worn out by the trailer for this Sandra
Bullock-Ryan Reynolds romantic
comedy way back in April. An unlikable
career woman, Margaret Tate (Bullock),
is about to be deported io her native
Canada. Her quick fix requires her
put-upon assistant, Andrew (Reynolds,
whom I can't help but like), to marry
her. Naturally, a trip to meet tvs fam
ily—Mary Steenburgen, ‘Coach’ Craig
14 FLAGPOLE.COM • AUGUST 12,2009