Short Subjectives June 07 2006

Opening Friday

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· CARS (G) Having found huge hits with talking toys, bugs and fish, those swell computer animators at Pixar give voices to automobiles in their latest family comedy. A hot-shot race car (Owen Wilson) gets waylaid in a sleepy town on Route 66 and receives life lessons from a rusted tow truck (Larry the Cable Guy) and a 1951 Hudson Hornet (Paul Newman).

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· AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH 3 stars. (PG) See interview.

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· A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION 2 stars. (PG-13) See review.

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Duly Noted

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· ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL (NR) See cover story.

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· CAMPUS MOVIEFEST (NR) The best entries from this year’s Campus MovieFest — in which 25,000 students created short films in one week — will be showcased. Sat., June 10, noon. Georgia State University Speakers Auditorium, 33 Gilmer St. www.campusmoviefest.com.

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· C.S.A.: THE CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA 5 stars. (NR) The South wins the Civil War in Kevin Willmott’s scorchingly satirical mockumentary. Presented as a Ken Burns-style history film broadcast in the present-day Confederacy, the film switches between 150 years of convincing alternative history and the outrageous commercial breaks of a modern slave-holding nation (like a promo for a “Cops”-style show about capturing runaway slaves). Willmott demonstrates a sense of humor worthy of “Chappelle’s Show” and a keen awareness that racism in the “real” America runs deeper than we’d like to admit. Thurs., June 8. Cinefest, GSU University Center, Suite 211, 66 Courtland St. $5 ($3 until 5 p.m.). 404-651-3565. www2.gsu.edu/~wwwcft. — Curt Holman

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· HARAKIRI (1962) (NR) The acclaimed Tatsuya Nakadai plays a penniless samurai who begs a powerful lord for assistance in committing ritual suicide and recounts the tale of his disillusioned life. Rebel Samurai. Sat., June 10, 8 p.m. Woodruff Arts Center, Rich Theatre, 1280 Peachtree St. Free. 404-733-4570. www.high.org.

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· LIBERATED ZONE (2004) (NR) An economically depressed town in Eastern Germany sees a reversal of fortune thanks to the arrival of a soccer star, but his romantic entanglements cause increasing problems. Wed., June 14, 7 p.m. Goethe Institut Atlanta, 1197 Peachtree St. $3-$4. 404-894-2388.

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· RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1981) 5 stars. (PG) All popcorn movies aspire to the nonstop pace and exhilarating sense of fun in every frame of Steven Spielberg and George Lucas’ tribute to old cliffhanger serials. Harrison Ford has never been better, and that’s Alfred “Doc Ock” Molina as the quickly dispatched “Throw me the whip!” guy in the first sequence. Coca-Cola Summer Film Festival. Mon., June 12, 8 p.m. Fox Theatre, 660 Peachtree St. $7. 404-881-2100. www.foxtheatre.org. — Holman

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· THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW (1975) (R) The cult classic of cult classics, the musical horror spoof follows an all-American couple (Susan Sarandon and Barry Bostwick) to the castle of Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Tim Curry), a drag-queen/mad scientist from another galaxy. It’s all fun and games until Meat Loaf gets killed. Dress as your favorite character and participate in this musical on acid. Midnight Fri. at Lefont Plaza Theatre and Sat. at Peachtree Cinema & Games, Norcross.

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· THE WIZ (1978) (NR) Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell and Richard Pryor star in this ill-received, African-American musical take on The Wizard of Oz. It probably deserves a second viewing as either underrated entertainment or unintentional camp. Screen on the Green. Thurs., June 8, sunset. Free. Piedmont Park Meadow near 10th Street and Monroe Drive. Free. 404-878-2600.

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Continuing

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· AKEELAH AND THE BEE (PG) The spate of spelling bee films (Spellbound, Bee Season) continues with this tale of a girl (Keke Palmer) from Los Angeles attempting to compete in the National Spelling Bee. The cast includes What’s Love Got to Do With It? co-stars Angela Bassett and Laurence Fishburne.

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· ART SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL 1 star. (R) Hard to believe the man who brought us the heartfelt alienation of the R. Crumb documentary Crumb and the profound teen misanthropy of Ghost World has veered so badly off course in his blandly cynical adaptation of graphic novelist (and Ghost World collaborator) Daniel Clowes’ comic. Ostensibly following the growing disillusionment of an art school freshman (Max Minghella) with his conceptual-art-centric NYC school, in truth the film is just a sex-obsessed, wisecracking and out-of-date revisitation of the tone and quality of the crass teen sex comedies of the ’80s. — Felicia Feaster

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· THE BREAK-UP (PG-13) See review.

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· THE CELESTINE PROPHECY (PG) In this adaptation of James Redfield’s best-selling novel, rainforest explorers discover ancient scrolls that could usher in a new age in human spirituality.

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· THE DA VINCI CODE 2 stars. (PG-13) In Ron Howard’s sluggish adaptation of the oft-imitated best seller, Tom Hanks plays a symbolism professor who becomes embroiled in a mystery that reaches back to the Last Supper. The original novel used a secondhand Robert Ludlum plot to link some gossipy bits of religious and art history, but the long, draggy film takes the thin characters too seriously and finds no conspiratorial fun in its overheated content. — Holman

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· DISTRICT B13 3 stars. (R) In sort of a Euro-Disney version of Escape from New York, a high-jumping underworld Robin Hood (David Belle) and a two-fisted undercover cop (Cyril Raffaelli) break into a walled-off Parisian ghetto to disarm a neutron bomb. Written by La Femme Nikita director Luc Besson, this virtually plotless action flick never slows down enough to worry that it makes no sense. With fights and chases worthy of Jackie Chan, District B13 turns out to be a deliriously fun guilty pleasure worthy of the drive-in, despite its French pedigree. — Holman

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· DRAWING RESTRAINT 9 4 stars. (NR) Multimedia conceptual artist Matthew Barney puts his reproductive Cremaster fascinations (partly) on the back burner in his latest film epic centered on Japanese rite and ritual and their analogy to artistic creation. Barney and real-life partner Björk play “Occidental Guests” on the only remaining Japanese whaling ship, the Nisshin Maru, where they engage in an elaborate tea ceremony and mutual evisceration, for starters. As imaginatively potent as ever, Barney’s vision continues to haunt and beguile, though here it is given additional weight in dealing so scrupulously and thoughtfully with matters of culture and tradition. — Feaster

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· IMAX THEATER Amazon (NR) This documentary traces the Amazon River from its source in the Andes mountains to the Amazon river basin and captures the beauty of its diverse wildlife. Through Aug. 18. Wild Safari: A South African Adventure (NR): This 5,000-mile journey from the lush grasslands of the Southern Cape to the desert expanse of the Kalahari tracks elephants, Cape buffaloes, rhinos, leopards and lions. Through June 2. Fernbank Museum of Natural History IMAX Theater, 767 Clifton Road. 404-929-6300. www.fernbank.edu.

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· JUST MY LUCK (PG-13) When Lindsay Lohan’s lucky young executive shares a chance dancefloor kiss with an unfortunate loser (Chris Pine), their “luck” reverses in this supernatural romantic comedy.

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· KEEPING UP WITH THE STEINS (PG) Spy Kids’ Daryl Sabara stars in this comedy about a Jewish boy whose Californian Bar Mitzvah becomes an oversized event sponsored by his social-climbing parents (Jami Gertz and “Entourage’s” Jeremy Piven).

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· MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE III 4 stars. (PG-13) Audiences may not be buying what Tom Cruise is selling any more, but any desperation in the megastar’s performance only ramps up the tension of this terrific action flick. “Alias” creator J.J. Abrams employs seemingly every trick he’s learned on five seasons of the spy-chick TV show for this fun, fast-paced thriller, anchored by a superbly villainous turn by Oscar-winner Phillip Seymour Hoffman as a vicious arms dealer. — Holman

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· THE NOTORIOUS BETTIE PAGE 4 stars. (R) Mary Harron, director of I Shot Andy Warhol and American Psycho, explores more extremes of gender politics in this deceptively lighthearted biopic of the 1950s’ “Pin-Up Queen of the Universe.” Gretchen Mol superbly captures the mixed feelings of the devout Christian sex goddess as she becomes an erotic fantasy figure. Though presented (mostly) in sleek black and white comparable to 1950s cautionary films, Bettie Page emphasizes the gray areas in the morality of kinks. — Holman

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· THE OMEN (R) Being released on June 6 (that’s 6/6/06), this remake of the 1976 occult hit depicts a couple (Liev Schreiber and Julia Styles) who grow to suspect that their son Damien is the Anti-Christ. Haven’t all parents been there at one time or another?

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· OVER THE HEDGE 3 stars. (PG) A fast-talking raccoon (voiced by Bruce Willis) cons a surrogate family of woodland creatures into raiding a regimented suburb for junk food. Compared to DreamWorks’ other computer-animated cartoon features like Madagascar, Hedge keeps pop references to a minimum and comes up with some highly amusing satire of humanity’s culture of consumption. The bathroom humor might be too high for some parents’ approval, so consider the film as a Toy Story for grown-ups. It’s anti-development themes would be right at home in Gwinnett County. — Holman

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· POSEIDON 3 stars. (PG-13) In this remake of 1972’s The Poseidon Adventure, a giant wave overturns an ocean liner and a ragtag group of passengers (including Kurt Russell and Josh Lucas) band together to survive. Twice the explosions, twice the bodies and twice the peril does not equal twice the fun, but The Perfect Storm director Wolfgang Petersen still provides thrills by going enthusiastically overboard. — Allison Keene

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· THE PROPOSITION 3 stars. (R) The Australian Outback provides a stark backdrop for this dark Western from Down Under. Guy Pearce’s young outlaw must track down his murderous older brother (Danny Huston) to save the life of a naïve younger arrested by a brutal lawman (Ray Winstone). Following a stark, explosive introduction, this persistently violent film turns strangely passive, muting the power of its imagery. — Holman

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· SEE NO EVIL (R) Pro wrestler Kane stars in this violent thriller about a psychotic shut-in who stalks eight petty criminals in an abandoned hotel. Directed by the appropriately named Gregory Dark.

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· THANK YOU FOR SMOKING 4 stars. (R) Aaron Eckhart of In the Company of Men plays Nick Naylor, a proudly unprincipled tobacco lobbyist who tries simultaneously to be a professional liar and a good father. Smoking takes palpable delight at the double-speak of the spin industry — Nick claims that lobbyists like him stick up for “little guys” like loggers, sweatshop owners and land mine developers — and features many hilarious set pieces. As Nick weighs being a good role model to his son (Cameron Bright), the film never cops out by giving him a bogus change of heart, and he takes pride in his lack of integrity. — Holman

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· UNITED 93 3 stars. (R) Director Paul Greengrass and a cast of relative unknowns (including air traffic controllers playing themselves) re-create the hijacking of United Airlines Flight 93, as well as the first response to the Sept. 11 attacks on the ground. Greengrass handles explosive material with taste and respect to create a visceral experience that places audience members in the seats alongside terrorists and hostages alike. Greengrass’ approach, however, also causes the ordinary heroes to blur together, so the undeniably harrowing film has surprisingly little staying power. — Holman

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· WAH-WAH (R) English character actor Richard E. Grant writes and directs this semi-autobiographical tale about a boy (Nicholas Hoult) growing up in the twilight of the British Empire in South Africa in 1969. Featuring Gabriel Byrne and Emily Watson.

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· WATER (NR) Set amid India’s colonial independence movement of the 1930s, Deepa Mehta’s film depicts a group of impoverished widows and a man who follows Mahatma Gandhi despite his lower-caste status.

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· X-MEN: THE LAST STAND 2 stars. (PG-13) The last film in the comic-book trilogy trades former director Bryan Singer’s witty approach to despised superheroes for newcomer Brett Ratner’s sloppy, overstuffed story. The invention of a “cure” for superpowered mutants leads to a stand-off between the good guys of Professor X (Patrick Stewart) and the tattooed baddies of Magneto (Ian McKellan), and theoretically serves as a potent metaphor for real-world discrimination. Despite some admittedly rousing battle scenes, The Last Stand looks cheap, suffers from too many plot threads and fails to give comic book movies a good name. — Holman