Newspaper Page Text
Some releases may not be showing locally this week.
• indicates new review
BAD GRANDPA (R) Much funnier and
more poignant than one would expect
from a production company named
Dickhouse, Bad Grandpa expounds
upon the “Jackass” sketch featuring
Johnny Knoxville’s elderly alter ego,
Irving Zisman. Like Borat, Knoxville
and company capture people’s real
reactions to the interactions of a
naughty, oversexed grandfather and his
eight-year-old grandson, Billy (Jackson
Nicoll).
THE BEST MAN HOLIDAY (R) Taye
Diggs, Morris Chestnut, Terrance
Howard and Harold Perrineau return
as the former college pals audiences
first met in 1999’s The Best Man. Now
most are married and facing numerous
grown up problems. A holiday movie
clad in melodrama and mostly on tar
get humor, The Best Man Holiday is the
sort of film Tyler Perry has never quite
made. Writer-director Malcolm D. Lee
handles the tonal shifts from laughter
to tears much more deftly.
BLACK NATIVITY (PG) Kasi
Lemmons, whose debut feature Eve's
Bayou must be seen, bravely brings
Langston Hughes’ musical version of
the Nativity story to the big screen for
a modern audience. A young mother
(Jennifer Hudson) sends her troubled
teenage son (Jacob Latimore) to live
with his estranged relatives (Forest
Whitaker and Angela Bassett). The
musical’s cast is rounded out by Tyrese
Gibson, Mary J. Blige and Nas.
THE BOOK THIEF (PG-13) I always
intended to read Marcus Zusak’s novel
before I saw the filmed adaptation. That
does not look like it’s going to happen
now. A tale set in Nazi Germany and
narrated by Death, The Book Thief stars
Monsieur Lazhafs Sophie Nelisse as
young Liesel Meminger, who steals
books. Geoffrey Rush and Emily
Watson star as Liesel’s foster parents,
Hans and Rosa Hubermann.
CAPTAIN PHILLIPS (PG-13)
Recounting the real life story of Captain
Richard Phillips (Tom Hanks), who was
kidnapped by Somali pirates and held
hostage in a claustrophobic lifeboat for
several days, director Paul Greengrass
crafts his best film since United 93. The
taut effectiveness of Billy Ray’s script
certainly should not be undervalued,
but will be due to the incredible work
done by Greengrass, whose greatest
films seem like reality unfolding before
our eyes.
DALLAS BUYERS CLUB (R) See
Movie Pick. (Cine)
DELIVERANCE (R) 1972. Just when
you thought it was safe to get back in a
raft, the legendary film that frightened
an entire generation of men out of
the woods shows in Cine’s Southern
Classic Film Series. Considering
the Peach State connections (it stars
Waycross native Burt Reynolds, is
based on a novel by Georgia-born
James Dickey and was shot on the
Chattooga), an Athens-town screening
seems fitting. Four friends’ decision
to spend a weekend rafting rather than
golfing ends in “Dueling Banjos,” pig-
squealing, compound fractures, and
that eerie hand in the lake. (Cine)
DELIVERYMAN (PG-13) In Ken
Scott’s remake of his own Canadian hit,
Vince Vaughn stars as Dave Wozniak,
a guy who, 20 years earlier, donated
nearly 700 samples to a sperm bank.
Now, the 500 plus kids that resulted
from his sperm want to know who their
daddy is via a class action lawsuit.
Vaughn gets to show a touch more
vulnerability as Dave, who’s more of a
woebegone charmer than his typical
fast talkers. Chris Pratt, the movie’s true
standout, and Vaughn are not enough
to make this likable, comedic slacker
worth a theatrical viewing. This cute,
intriguing story might be better off on a
smaller screen.
DESPICABLE ME 2 (PG) When a new
super villain steals a dangerous, exper
imental serum, the Anti Villain League
enlists Gru’s (v. Steve Carell) assis
tance. Watching this enjoyable kiddie
flick with a kid definitely increases the
appeal of the little yellow Minions, who
will get their own spinoff in 2014.
DON JON (R) Jersey boy Jon (writer-
director Joseph Gordon-Levitt) loves
the ladies, his pad, his car, his family,
his boys, his church and his porn.
But when he meets Barbara Sugarman
(Scarlett Johansson), Jon learns he
might have to give up his favorite
pastime. JG-L proves a technically
superb filmmaker in his rookie out
ing. This awfully adult dramedy might
make some viewers uncomfortable with
its rather frank sexuality, especially
regarding Jon’s porn watching habits.
But mature audiences will enjoy an
all too topical discussion of how the
Internet has potentially changed young
people’s sexual expectations with its
easy access pornography.
ENDER’S GAME (PG-13) The filmed
adaptation of Ender’s Game, written
and directed by Gavin Hood, is not
an adequate replacement for reading
Orson Scott Card’s modern science fic
tion classic. Young Ender Wiggin (Asa
Butterfield, Hugo) is handpicked by
Colonel Graff (Harrison Ford) to be the
potential savior of humanity, which is
being threatened by an alien race, and
must compete against starship troop
ers on a simulated battlefield. Hood
struggles to adequately portray Ender’s
grueling exhaustion in the Command
School finale, which seems much more
like a middle school graduation play
than the potential end of humanity.
THE FAMILY (R) Fred Blake nee
Giovanni Manzoni (Robert De Niro)
and his family are in international wit
ness protection under the gruff, watch
ful eye of Tommy Lee Jones’ FBI agent.
The FamilywW not be remembered as
one of director Luc Besson’s stronger
efforts. Great mob movies are a trea
sure; mob comedies, as a genre, need
to be buried.
FREE BIRDS (PG) More an oddity
than a cute family movie, Free Birds
features the voices of Woody Harrelson
and Owen Wilson as two turkeys,
Jake and Reggie, that travel back in
time to stop turkey from making the
Thanksgiving Day menu. Harrelson’s
militaristic idiot is much more enter
taining than Wilson's too talky turkey.
The strange Free Birds will not become
a new holiday viewing tradition, but it’s
pleasant enough to be watched once.
FROZEN (PG) A young princess, Anna
(v. Kristen Bell), must venture into the
frozen wilds to save her sister, recently
crowned Queen Elsa (v. Idina Menzel),
who has lost control over her icy pow
ers. Anna is assisted in her search
by ice salesman Kristoff (v. Jonathan
Groff, “Glee”), his reindeer, Sven, and a
goofy, talking snowman named Olaf (v.
Josh Gad). The narrative, adapted from
Hans Christian Anderson’s “The Snow
Oueen" by l/V7 r ecA'-/7 /?a/p/7 scripter
Jennifer Lee (who co-directed), is as
Disney formulaic as they come, and
the animation shines without standing
out. Nonetheless, the characters are
winning and the songs are catchy. Little
kids will love Frozen, and parents who
grew up on Disney classics will not feel
left out in the cold.
GRAVITY (PG-13) An astronaut
(George Clooney) and a doctor (Sandra
Bullock) must work together to survive
an accident in the cold, silent confines
of space. Gravity is an acting tour
de force by Bullock and the most
incredible special effects driven film I
have ever seen. You feel like you are
in space, which is simultaneously
awe-inspiringly beautiful and coldly
dangerous. Taking two mega-stars
and placing them in a straight up
disaster movie that is heavily reliant on
special effects takes so much vision
and control to keep the spectacle from
overwhelming the humanity.
V THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION
OF SMAUG (PG-13) Peter Jackson's
return to Middle Earth continues with
the middle installment of his three-
part Hobbit adaptation. Bilbo (Martin
Freeman) and his new possession,
a magic ring, continue working with
the Dwarves and Gandalf the Grey
(Ian McKellan) to recover Erebor
from Smaug (voiced by Benedict
Cumberbatch). The first film failed
to recapture the magic of Jackson’s
Lord of the Bings trilogy without being
disappointing. Look for the return of
some familiar faces (Orlando Bloom)
amidst the new ones (Evangeline Lilly
of “Lost").
HOMEFRONT (R) So the best thing
about this Jason Statham actioner,
written by Sylvester Stallone, is the
casting of James Franco as the meth-
cooking local baddie, Gator Bodine. He
menaces with the proper combination
of charm, crazy and family values.
Retired DEA super-agent Phil Broker
does nothing unexpected of a Statham
hero. He kicks small-town, “Loo”-siana
ass with relish, even when his impres
sionable, motherless daughter (Izabela
Vidovic) is looking on with awe. A
supporting cast that includes Winona
Ryder, Kate Bosworth and Clancy “The
Kurgan” Brown elevates this standard
action fare, but Franco is the only rea
son anyone will remember this Statham
flick over another.
THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING
FIRE (PG-13) The Hunger Games
returns, and its sequel, while more a
formality setting up the series’ final,
revolutionary entry, improves upon an
original that was more of a visual book
report than an exciting cinematic adap
tation. (Original director Gary Ross’
absence was addition by subtraction.)
After surviving the 74th Hunger Games,
Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence)
and Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson)
are the Capitol’s newest celebrities.
But all is not well in the Districts,
and creepy President Snow (Donald
Sutherland) lets Katniss know it by put
ting her back in the next year’s Games.
New director Francis Lawrence (I Am
Legend) paces the film better once we
escape District 12, and the Quarter
Quell is excitingly envisioned. Largely
dismissed as repetitive upon the nov
el’s release, the underrated Catching
Fire successfully adds more wrinkles
to the Suzanne Collins’ formula than its
more straightforward predecessor.
INSIDIOUS: CHAPTER 2 (PG-13)
When Josh (Patrick Wilson) returned
from the spirit world at the conclusion
of Insidious, he didn’t return alone, and
his family—wife Renai (Rose Byrne)
and sons Dalton (Ty Simpkins) and
Foster (Andrew Astor)—is in danger.
Chapter 1 had its chilling, mysterious
first two acts bogged down by Josh’s
blah final stroll through the spirit
world. The sequel painfully explicates a
dumb story for two acts, relying on trite
haunted house tropes like slamming
doors and flying household objects,
before a strong final act that finally
brings the scary and some nifty call
backs to the first movie.
IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE 1946.
Frank Capra’s holiday classic gets the
big screen treatment at Cine as part of
a seasonal fundraiser. George Bailey
(Jimmy Stewart) reconsiders suicide
after Clarence (Henry Travers), an angel
seeking his wings, shows George the
difference he’s made on the world. This
admission is free with an unwrapped,
new toy for Toys for Tots or a cash
donation to Cine. Complimentary pop
corn and refreshments will be provided
while they last. You know you’re going
to watch it, so why not do it for charity
and on the big screen? (Cine)
KILL YOUR DARLINGS (R) Harry
Potter himself, Daniel Radcliffe, con
tinues to distance himself from the Boy
Who Lived. (Too bad it doesn’t matter
what roles he plays; he will never
escape that career defining character.)
In Kill Your Darlings, director John
Krokidas’ feature debut, Radcliffe plays
famed beat poet Allen Ginsberg. Also
appearing are fellow legends Jack
Kerouac (Jack Huston, “Boardwalk
Empire”) and William Burroughs (Ben
Foster). (Cine)
LAST VEGAS (PG-13) The comedy is
funnier than expected, and the drama is
worse than one can imagine. Four old
friends—Paddy (Robert De Niro), Billy
(Michael Douglas), Archie (Morgan
Freeman) and Sam (Kevin Kline)—
head to Vegas for Billy’s bachelor party.
Director Jon Turteltaub smartly lets his
four strong leads do their thing, and
they are an appealing quartet. They
work well together, no matter how
unimaginative the script.
LEE DANIELS’ THE BUTLER
(PG-13) This slice of historical nos
talgia chronicles the major events of
the second half of the 20th century
through the eyes of White House butler
Cecil Gaines (Forrest Whitaker). With
its exceptional cast—Robin Williams,
James Marsden, Liev Schreiber, John
Cusack and Alan Rickman appear
as Presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy,
Johnson, Nixon and Reagan—The
Butler overcomes the natural tendency
of such films to drift into sentimental
nostalgia.
MONSTERS UNIVERSITY (G) In
this prequel to Monsters, Inc., we learn
how Mike (v. Billy Crystal) and Sully (v.
John Goodman) met: as scaring rivals
at Monsters University. This Revenge
of the Monster Nerds doesn't creatively
bend college life for monsters as one
would expect from Pixar. Fortunately,
the animation, especially the creature
design, is as lush and lifelike as ever.
•OUT OF THE FURNACE (R) Like
an episode of “Justified" minus the
deft, light touch of Elmore Leonard,
CINEMAS
Movie showtimes are not available by our deadline. Please check cinema
websites for accurate information.
CINE • 234 W. Hancock Ave. • 706-353-3343 • www.athenscine.com
GEORGIA MUSEUM OF ART • (UGA Campus) 90 Carlton St.
• 706-542-GMOA • www.uga.edu/gamuseum/calendar/films.html
TATE STUDENT CENTER • (UGA Campus) 45 Baxter St.
• 706-542-6396 • www.union.uga.edu/movies
BEECHWOOD STADIUM CINEMAS II • 196 Alps Rd.
• 706-546-1011 • www.georgiatheatrecompany.com
CARMIKE 12 • 1570 Lexington Rd. • 706-354-0016
• www.carmike.com
GEORGIA SQUARE VALUE CINEMAS 5 • 3710 Atlanta Hwy
• 706-548-3426 • www.georgiatheatrecompany.com
UNIVERSITY 16 CINEMAS • 1793 Oconee Connector
• 706-355-9122 • www.georgiatheatrecompany.com
Terrapin introduces Dwarf IPA.
Out of the Furnace focuses on working
class heroes and backwoods baddies.
After a tragic accident, steel mill worker
Russell Baze (Christian Bale) faces
more bad news as his soldier brother,
Rodney (Casey Affleck), runs afoul of
a meth-ed up MF-er named Harlan
DeGroat (a natural role for Woody
Harrelson). Despite warnings from the
local policeman (Forest Whitaker), who
just so happens to be dating Russell’s
ex-girlfriend (Zoe Saldana), Russell
tackles Harlan head-on. Crazy Heart
filmmaker Scott Cooper follows up
his Academy Award-winning debut,
mostly renowned for its performances,
with another heavy drama whose best
feature is its actors. Bale and Harrelson
are standouts, though Harrelson nearly
succumbs to hamminess with his lol
lipop routine. Clumsy plot devices and
characters (cough, Rodney, cough)
that almost erase all of their sympathy
recur, but the tension of Russell’s
sad world will suck you in. Plus, the
soundtrack features Pearl Jam; it's hard
to say no to Pearl Jam.
PHILOMENA (PG-13) DameJudi
Dench stars as Philomena Lee, a
woman looking for her long lost son
with the help of BBC correspondent
Martin Sixsmith (Steve Coogan). This
film is based on Sixsmith’s book The
Lost Child of Philomena Lee, a true
story about her 50 year search.
PLANES (PG) A cropduster named
Dusty Crophopper (v. Cook) longs to
race across the skies. Unfortunately,
he's afraid of heights. With the help of
his friends, Dusty conquers his fears
and the skies.
THOR: THE DARK WORLD (PG-13)
The movie’s generic plot and its sci
ence fiction aesthetic resemble an
even-numbered Star Trek movie more
than a Marvel superhero feature. With
frequent “Game of Thrones" director
Alan Taylor at the helm, the movie’s
Asgard could have benefitted from a
grittier, Westeros look; instead, Asgard
could be any Naboo-like world from the
Star Wars prequel. Oddly enough, what
seemed like a weakness of the first
film—Thor’s unpowered banishment to
Earth—is exactly what’s missing from
its sequel. Thor becomes more enter
taining when the action leaves Asgard.
12 YEARS A SLAVE (R) Will art
house sensation Steve McQueen
(Hungerand Shame) succeed on a
larger scale? Chiwetel Ejiofor stars
as Solomon Northup, a free black
man who is kidnapped and sold into
slavery. As glad as I am to see Ejiofor
in a starring role, I’m equally jazzed
about Quvenzhane Wallis, Michael
K. Williams (aka Omar Little), Scoot
McNairy, Paul Giamatti, Benedict
Cumberbatch, Paul Dano, Michael
Fassbender and Brad Pitt.
TYLER PERRY’S A MADEA
CHRISTMAS (PG-13) Uber-
hyphenate Tyler Perry unleashes his
matronly alter ego, Madea, on the
holiday season. Madea travels to the
country with a friend (Anna Maria
Horsford), who wishes to surprise her
daughter, and runs into Larry the Cable
Guy. After Madea’s Witness Protection,
Perry continues to expand his white
casting in increasingly odd directions
(Chad Michael Murray, Alicia Witt and
Kathy Najimy?). A holiday Madea was
bound to happen sooner or later.
WE’RE THE MILLERS (R) After run
ning afoul of his drug kingpin pal (Ed
Helms), Dave (Jason Sudeikis) must
smuggle a smidge that turns out to be
a lot more than a smidge of marijuana
across the border. Dave hatches a bril
liant plan to fake a family with stripper
Rose (Jennifer Aniston), runaway teen
Casey (Emma Roberts) and virginal
Kenny (Will Poulter). Everything works
out great until the big-time Mexican
drug lord to whom the weed really
belongs to catches up with them.
Drew Wheeler
14 FLAGPOLE.COM DECEMBER 11,2013