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Some releases may not be showing locally this week.
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• 21 JUMP STREET (R) 2012^5
biggest surprise to date has to be this
brilliantly dumb comedy from star-
producer-story contributor Jonah Hill.
A pair of pathetic new cops. Schmidt
and Jenko (HiB and comedy revela
tion Charming Tatum), blow their first
bust. As a result, they are transferred
to a special undercover unit that sends
fresh-faced poficemat into local
schools to nab drug dealers and the
like. Schmidt and Jenko hilariously
discover that todays high school flips
their previous experiences. Former
--aI UW UnLn t* KnnLih_nj-| uJUt
cool no jenxo is oantsneo witn to
nerds, while Schmidt experiences what
ITS like to be popular. What should not
work in this remake of the fate ’80s/
early '90s Fox program, most famous
as a launching pad for Johnny Depp,
does with surprising comic force.
ACT OF VALOR (R) At times, Act of
Valor betrays its humble origins as a
military recruiting tool (think of the
National Guard/Three Doors Down
video for “Citizen Soldier expanded to
feature length), but at its high-octane
best, this action experiment rivals its
bigger-budgeted, star-laden com
petitors. What really sets Act of Valor
apart from its action brethren is its
non-professional acting trcwrpe. an elite
team of active duty Navy SEALs playing
an elite team of Navy SEAls.
ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS:
CH1PWRECKED (6) Come on, Fox!
If you’re going to keep releasing new
Chipmunks entries each holiday
season, the least you can do is make
a Christmas-themed movie featuring
the furry trio's classic holiday tunes.
Instead, Alvin, Simon, Theodore, the
Chipettes and Dave (poor, paycheck-
cashing Jason Lee) start out on a
cruise ship and wind up on a deserted
island.
THE ARTIST (PG-13) Rims today
do not come as precious or charming
as Michel Hazanavicius' Best Picture
winner. A silent him that is all about
talking, The Artist (A title refers to
matinee idol George Valentin (Academy
Award winner Jean Dujardin. who
absolutely must be a silenUilm star
Hazantvicius recently thawed from ice),
who finds it difficult to transition from
silent fikns to talkies, unlike rising star
Peppy Miller (Academy Award nominee
Berenice Beio).
BUUY (R) Who knows whether the
final rating will be R or PG-13, but
could the Weinsteins have paid for
better publicity than toe recent MPAA
firestorm? Nope. This documen
tary from Lee Hirach (AmandMA
Revolution in Four Part Harmortf (figs
mto me dairy mgremare ot me over i j
million Idds who are bullied online,
at school, on the bus. N home and
anywhere else they go Hopefully, the
MW win rwem arw anow mts tmpor-
tarn aoc to oe released wnn me more
teen/classroom friendly PG-13 rating
THE CLEAN AIN PROJECT (NR)
2010. The ACC Recycling Division is
sponsoring a free screening of Grant
aawwins ins ue&i an noted, si,
which partners Jen and Grant compete
to answer the question, “felt possible
to fife completely waste free?* Welch
toe fifrn and see who produces toe feast
garbage In an entire year Screening
alongside The Clean Bin Project
Song ot the Spindle, Drew Christie's
animated conversation between a man
and a sperm whaie. Part of the 2012
Ecofocus Rim Festival.
DECLARATION OF WAR (NR)
2011. Vaterie Donzelll* film examines
how two parents, Romeo and Juliette
(Donzetli and real life partner J$r6mie
ElkaFm), deal with their infant son* '
brain tumor. The film was nominated
for seven C&ar Awards and won three
prizes from the Gijon International Rim
Festival. Part of the French Film Series.
Of). SEUSS’ THE LORAX (PG)
Released on Dr. Seuss’ 108th birthday,
this pleasant animated adaptation of
the beloved childrens author* envi
ronmental table falls to utterly charm
like the filmmakers' previous animated
smash. Despicable Me. TheLoraxmay
visually stun you, and Danny DeVito's
brief time as voice of the Lorax could
stand as his greatest role, one that will
go unrecognized by any professional
awards outside of the Annies.
DRYING FOR FREEDOM (NR)
2011. Drying lor Freedom examines
clotheslines and Right-To-Dry legisla
tion. Seriously, who's trying to ban
clotheslines? Screening with Drying .
tor Freedom is Pipe Dreams about the
controversial Keystone XL Pipeline.
After the screening, stick around tor a
discussion with Drying for Freedom
director Steven Lake, producers Adam
Merrifield and Dan Pringle and Dr.
Chris Cuomc, a UGA Philosophy prof
who will discuss her involvement with
the Keystone XL Pipeline issue. Pad of
the 2012 EcoFocus Rim Festival.
FATHER OF MY CHILDREN (NR)
2009. A French family struggles to
survive as Its patriarch, film producer
Gregoke (touis-Do de Lencquesaing),
hemorrhages money. Mia Hansen-
Lave's film won the Un Certain Regard
Special Jury Prize from the Cannes
Film Festival. Part of toe French Film
Series sort of sponsored by the UGA
French program, the film will be
introduced by Dr. Richard Neupert, film
studies coordinator at UGA, as well as
ottra Quests. /
FOOD STAMPED (NR) 2010. Watch
real life couple Shira and Yoav Potash
attempt to eat a well-balanced diet on
a food stamp budget They meet with
members of Congress, nutrition experts
and food justice activists in their
quests to eat healthy tor liftte money.
The screening will be followed by a
discussion with local groups involved
in hunger, poverty and nutrition issues.
Screening with Food Stamped^
American University professor Larry
Engel’s Potato Heads: Keepers of the
Crop about one of toe work!* favorite
foods. Part of toe 2012 EcoFocus Film
Festival. -
FRIENDS WITH KIDS (R) Jessica
oiein nersen, nissing Jessica osan star
ano writer jennner wesnewt, reads
back to toe Mg screen fit her torecto-
031Q0DUL I WO DSSttfB, JUWJ NnW
and Jason Flyman (WBStWdt and toe
increasingly awesome Adam Scott),
decide to nave a Daoy loganer, intnwng
thefrptatonfcrelaOonsWp will suffer
less from ehfidrearing than a romantic
one would L -
GOOD DEEDS (PG-13) Good Deeds
is another awage melodrama from
the entertainment juggernaut that is
Atlanta* Tyler Perry Perry stars as
Wesley Deeds, toe uptight CEO of a
software company who befriends a
struggling widowed mother, Lindsey
Wakefield (Thandle Newton), on toe
virtual eve of Ms wedding. NaturaHy,
his relationship with Lindsey and her
cute daughter, Ariel, awaken the spark
Of life that* been lying dormant in
Oeeds for the bulk of his adult life, a
course Med by Ns domineering
mother (Phyticia Rashad).
GOON (R) A former bouncer and
family outcast (Seann William Scot!)
leads his semi-pro hockey team to
glory by beating the crap out of anyone
standing In their way. Director Michael
Dowse brought us the ‘80s homage
Take Me Home Tonight Co-scripter
Jay Baruchei {Tropic Thunder) is a
hockey nut trying nis hand at feature
scr eenwiting tor tne nrst ctme, fontH
natety, he* teamed with Seth Rogen*
Supertax partner. Evan Goldberg. With
Ailison PHI. Uev Schreiber and Eugene
Levy.
THE GREY (R) Formerly acclaimed
Liam Neeson las almost completed his
transformation into an English Denzel
Washington, whose filmography Is fill
ing up with inconsequential paychecks
jobs. At least Joe Carnahan (Afarc; The
was handled with more appropriately
bloody violence in the Japanese film,
Battle Royale, and America* version
of the game needed more of a visceral
gut-punch to look less like “Survivor:
Teen Island.* The book* R-rated vio
lence was deliberately shot with near
incomprehensibility so as to retain a
PG-13 rating.
IF A TREE FALL8 (NR) 2011. If a Tree
Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation
Front looks at the rise and fall of the
organization the FBI once called the
"number one domestic terrorism
threat* in America Screening with If
a Tree Faitste Journey to the Forest
(Reisezum Waktj, about the mythic
German forest A discussion with Dr.
Chris Cuomo and Dr. Piers Stephens
(UGA philosophy Department) and
local Occupy Athens activist Gretohen
Eisner will follow the movie. Part of the
2012 EcoFocus Rim Festival.
INTO THE ABYSS (PG-13) In the
legendary Werner Herzog* newest film,
his 25to documentary, the German
filmmaker interviews death row inmate
Michael Perry to understand why
people and the government chooses to
kill. Convicted of triple homicide, Perry
Who is this BjOrfc you speak of?
A-Taarrtj is writing and directing this
tale of an Alaskan Milting team strug
gling to defeat a pack of wolves hunt
ing them after their plane crashes in the
wilderness. With Dermot Mulroney and
James Badge Dale (The Pacific*).
HUGO (PG) Despite Its near perfec
tion, this 3D family fHm—Martin
Scorsese* first-may be the loveliest
wide release to struggle to find Its
audience this year. Yet It* to wonder
Scorsese, himself a film historian as
welt as a film lover, decided to adapt
Brian Sefcmick* The (mention of Hugo
Cabret whose central mystery revolves
around an early cinematic master.
Parisian orphan Hugo (Asa Butterfield),
who lives inside toe docktower ot the
train station, seeks toe answer to a
mysterious automaton, left unsolved
by his tato father and ckjckmaker (Jude
Law), with the help ota toymaker
named Georges (Ben Kingsley) and his
charge, tsabetie (Chioe Grace Moretz)
• THE HUNKIER GAMES (PG-13)
White a successful ad^rtsbon of a
ill Ik mm L UkmI fWli!rtJ* AKUIlAMk Umm
aunojit dook mat near everyone nas
read, The Hunger Games has ffltteon-
ematic spark, It* a visual book report
that merely summarizes toe plot. H* a
wew-wnnen dook report, out hs stiii a
book report SMfrscufr director Gary
Ross was not toe most obvious choice
to direct this dystopian adventure
in which 24 teenagers are randomly
selected for a contest in which only
one wit! survive. That bleak premise
was executed eight days after Herzog
conducted his Interviews; his accom
plice. Jason Burkett, who was treated
to the lesser sentence ot life in prison,
is also interviewed. A festival hit, Into
the Abyss won awards from the British
Film Institute and the National Society
ot Film Critics. The sneak preview on
3/22 also features Athens native Jeff
Reynolds' short documentary, Jerry,
and a trailer for his upcoming feature,
Corpus: The Case of Justin Wolfe.
INTRUDERS (R) Juan Carlos
Fresnadiilo, who did a fine job with the
thanklessly difficult task ot following
up 28 Days Later. . (you should also
cnecx out nts intactuj, returns wnn a
nifty-sounding horror Hick. Two chil
dren, who live in different countries, are
haunted by a faceless being seeking to
possess them. Clive Owen and Caries
van Houten {Black Book) are toe bm
recognizable adults. Intruders sounds
like an intriguing addition to 2012*
surprisingly strong horror lineup.
JOHN CARTER (PG-13) CM! War
veteran John Carter (“Friday Night
Lights" atom Taykx Kitsch, whose
career Is poised to blow up or implode
in 2012) is transported to Mars, where
12-fooMaH barbarians rule WALLS
director Andrew Stanton becomes toe
tateSi nxar nimmaKcr to maxe me jump
from animation to five action, fd tore
to see Ns film be as successful as 8rad
Bird* Mission: Impossible--Most
Protocol.
« 1 8 1
JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING
TECHNICOLOR OREAMCOAT (NR)
Are-mastered, filmed version of the
stage musical in London* Pinewood
Studio starring Donny Osmond and
featuring a sing-a-!ong, a live introduc
tion and post-film Q&A with Osmond
himself and a never-before-seen ani
mated opening sequence featuring an
80-ptece orchestra.
JOURNEY 2: THE MYSTERIOUS
ISLAND (PG) Journey 2: The
Mysterious Islands biggest problem
might be time. Marty of the young
people who enjoyed its 2008 forebear.
Journey to the Center of the Earth,
might have outgrown the Brendan
Fraser/Dwayne “The Rock* Johnson
brand of family adventure movie.
< MIRROR MIRROR (PG)
Everybody knows the Grimm fairy tale
of Snow White. An evil queen, a magic
mirror, seven dwarfs, a poisoned apple,
Prince Charming. In the new version
from Immortals director Tarsem Singh,
Julia Roberts stars as the wicked queen
and Uly Collins from The Blind Side
plays the exiled princess seeking to
get her kingdom back. Armie Hammer
from The Social Network appears as
the prince ot Snow White* dreams. If
nothing else, this Disney-looking live-
action flick will beat its fairy tale com
petitor, Snow While and the Huntsman,
out ot the gate.
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE—GHOST
PROTOCOL (PG-13) Mission:
Impossible is that rare franchise that
has actually gotten better with each
new installment and in Inverse propor
tion to its megastar* popularity. Tom
Cruis8 had few peers in 1996 when the
weak, original M:l opened; now he*
more often a punchline, albeit a badass
punchline who does many ot his own
death-defying stunts, like climbing the
outside of the world* tallest building.
PARADISE S^YED (NR) 1982.
Should allowed attendance at the
Cumberland Island National Seashore
be increased? What could happen as a
result? The post-screening discussion
with Dr. Gary Green, associate profes
sor of Natural Resources, Recreation,
and Tourism in UGA* Warned School
of Forestry and Natural Resources,
should enlighten audiences as to what
has happened since 1982. Part ot the
2012 EcoFocus Film Festival.
POINT BLANK (R) 2010. A nurse
must help a thief escape his hospital
imprisonment after the crook* hench
men take his pregnant wife hostage.
Point Blank, which won a National
Board of Review Award as one of the
top-five foreign language films ot the
year, sounds like a summer tentpoie
pic. Part of the French Rim Series sort
ot sponsored by the UGA French pro
gram; intro by Dr. Richard Neupert.
PROJECT X(R) Three unpopular
high schoolers—Thomas (Thomas
Mann), Costa (Oliver Cooper) and JB
(Jonathan Daniel Blown}—throw a -
party so wild (sex, drugs, alcohol, fire,
a midget ft* like toe boys go to Bret
Easton EHis High) that not even the
cops can stop ft, a conceit that play
rights into teenagers’already overin
flated egos
REVENGE OF THE ELECTRIC CAR
(NR) 2011. Director Chris Paine makes
the rare documentary sequel to Ns
2006 murderish-mystery Who Killed
toe Electric Cartas many major auto
makers—GM, Nissan, etc.—compete
to create toe first and toe best efectric
10 FLA6POLE.COM • MARCH 28,2012
car, in order to win over consumers.
The film Is narrated by Tim Robbins
and features the beau coups of celebs
toat love their ‘lectrics. Screening with
Revenge of the Electric Car ls Isaac
King* Second Hand, which asks view
ers to decide whether you would rather
save time or save stuff. Part of the 2012
EcoFocus Film Festival.
SAFE HOUSE (R) For Safe Housds
target fans of Denzel Washington, whiz
zing bullets and car chases, the action
flick is critically bulletproof; for me, it
was competently boring.
SUSHI: THE GLOBAL CATCH
(NR) 2011. Screening at the Georgia
Museum of Art as part of the EcoFocus
Rim Festival* NigW at the Museum,
Sushi: The Global Catch examines how
our hunger for raw fish may upset the
entire oceanic ecosystem. Screening
with Sushi is Eel'Water’Rock'Man,
In which audiences are introduced to
the last man on the east coast that still
fishes tor eel with an ancient stone
weir. The movies will be followed by
a discussion with filmmaker Mark
Hall, local restaurateur Peter Dale
(The National) and fisheries biologist
Dr. Duncan Elkins. Part of the 2012
EcoFocus Film Festival.
.THIS MEANS WAR (PG-13) Two
of the CIA* top agents/besties, FDR
(Chris Pine) and Tuck (Tom Hardy),
wind up dating the same girt, Lauren
Scott (Reese Witherspoon). You know
the drill. FDR and Tuck* friendship is
tested, as both fall for Lauren, but it*
more important that the player of the
duo falls in love than the already sensi
tive one with a kid.
A THOUSAND WORDS (PG-13) An
A literary agent, Jack McCall (Eddie
Murphy), is taught a lessen on fruth by
a spiritual guru via the Bodhi tree that
appears on Ns property. Every word
Jack speaks leads to a fallen leaf; when
the last leaf falls, so does Jack. With
Cliff Curtis, Kerry Washington. Ailison
Janney, Jack McBrayer and Clark Duke.
TOMBOY (NR) 2011. A 10-year-old
girl moves to a new town and is mis
taken for a boy. Living up to that new
identity proves difficult Part of the
French Film Series sort of sponsored
by the UGA French program, the film
will be introduced by Dr. Richard
Neupert, film studies coordinator at
UGA, as well as other guests, during its
Mar.26-Apr.5run.
UNOERWORLD: AWAKENING
(R) IVe never understood why the
Underworld mm are so under
whelming. Vampires versus were
wolves, Kate Beckinsale in skin-tight
Mack leather, and Michael Sheen
should add up to an awesome movie.
Instead, the previous Underworlds
make great cures for insomnia.
-WAR HORSE (PG-13) Steven
Spielberg* adaptation of the Tony
Award-winning play, told through
life-size puppris, about a young man
named Albert* (Jeremy Irvine) journey
through WW1 to find Ns beloved horse,
Joey, which was sold to the cavalry.
WRATH OF THE TITANS (PG-13)
The Greek hero is dispatched into the
underwork! to rescue chief god, Zeus
(Liam Neeson), who* the victim of
a kidnapping plot cooked up by one
ot Ns kids, God ot War Ares (Edgar
Ramirez), and Ns brother, God of the
Underworld Hades (Ralph Rennes).
YOU’VE BEEN TRUMPED (NR)
2011. Filmmaker Anthony Baxter*
You've Been Tnrmped looks at the
Donald* attempts to build “the world*
greatest golf course* on an envi
ronmentally sensitive stretch of the
Scottish coast. Screening with You've
Been Trumped an Bryan Redding*
noted uowntown Atnens—Amens
Raise Your Votes about the effects ol
iVm nr/lAumlAMjn L4Jm1 ft Xm(4 mm/I
the proposed downtown wat-Man ano
Song of the Spindle. Part of toe 2012
EcoFocus Rim Festival
Drew Wheeler