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New Films from Tim Burton, Roman Polanski, and a Couple of New Talents from Quebec Arrive in Town

Volkmar Richter
Mar 5th, 2010

Alice is grown up and back in Wonderland

Now that the Olympics are over, you may have more time for the movies. You're going to need lots of it to see the new ones now playing. There are eight of them and they include some very good ones.
 

ALICE IN WONDERLAND: You won’t recognize this new Alice. She’s now 13 years older and something of a feminist icon. She starts by rejecting an upper-class twit’s marriage proposal and ends as a world-trade visionary. (Yes. Check it out). In between she makes a return visit to “Underland” eventually picking up sword and armor to battle a dragon (actually the Jabberwock, imported from a poem and not previously found down this rabbit hole).Tim Burton’s vision of life down there is darker than we’re used to. The first point of entry is all grey like a graveyard and the unremarkable 3D also adds a dim shading to much of the film. Some of the characters, notably Tweedledum and Tweedledee, are creepy. And the story reaches for Narnia or Lord of the Rings adventure, thereby all but losing both the satire and sense of wonder and, at times, the momentum.  

Casualties of War, Mexican Drug Dealers and Rampaging Zombies and a Religious Film for Teens are New in Theatres

Volkmar Richter
Feb 25th, 2010

War’s other collateral damage brings out Woody Harrelson’s acting chops. He’s even nominated for an Academy Award. Bruce Willis teams up with Kevin Smith in a cop story and some George A. Romero almost-zombies are brought back to life. They’re your top new movie choices this week.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Woody Harrelson Have New Movies Now Playing, Both With Elias Koteas

Volkmar Richter
Feb 19th, 2010

Martin Scorsese examines insanity. Woody Harrelson portrays delusion. And Hollywood’s twisted view of Indians gets documentary scrutiny. Also note the brief appearance by the Olympics in this week’s movie offerings. 

Valentine’s Day, The Wolfman, Percy Jackson and Shah Rukh Khan Try to Compete with the Olympics

Volkmar Richter
Feb 11th, 2010

Taylor Swift turns from singer to actress in Valentine's Day

For the next few weeks, the Olympics will make this column less complete than usual. I’m a volunteer and won’t get to all the previews. This week there were three on the same night, and I went to none of them. I was at the dress rehearsal for the opening ceremonies instead. Can’t tell you much about it, except that it’s a fabulous show and I’ll be watching it again on TV. One thing I’ll say though: they’ve finally fixed the bad acoustics in BC Place. The muggy echoey sound was gone Wednesday night.  

 If you’re more interested in the movies than the Olympics, these are your newly-arrived choices. I’ve seen two of them.

A Mild Tearjerker, a Violent War on Terrorists and an All-Too Quirky First Film Are New in Movie Theatres

Volkmar Richter
Feb 5th, 2010

Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried in Dear John

There are only three new movies opening this week, and not a gem among them. That’s OK. More time for those Oscar nominees crowding the theatres right now. Or maybe a new festival, you can read about below. 

Mel Gibson, Helen Mirren, Christopher Plummer, and the Former “Veronica Mars” Have New Movies Opening This Week

Volkmar Richter
Jan 29th, 2010

Mel Gibson is looking for redemption. He may even have dreams of bumping Avatar out of #1. We’ll have to wait and see what the people say. Meanwhile, we can travel the movies to Russia, Rome, Romania and Winnipeg. Or check out a couple of short festivals.

God, Angels and Science are Big this Week But a Black and White Award Winner Outdoes them All

Volkmar Richter
Jan 22nd, 2010

Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly star in Creation

In two separate movies this week, Paul Bettany turns against God. He’s an angel refusing his orders in one, and Charles Darwin writing to demote him in the other. Maybe you prefer Harrison Ford as a research scientist or (surely not) The Rock as the tooth fairy. Better to try some quality and art from Austria’s favorite misanthrope.

THE WHITE RIBBON:
Michael Haneke from Austria won big awards both at Cannes and now the Golden Globes for this mesmerizing and beautifully staged examination of life in a German village just before World War One. True to his now-familiar inclination, he finds mostly unpleasantness, or as one character puts it, “malice, envy, apathy, brutality, persecutions and petty acts of revenge.” Only a school teacher and a nanny are nice people. A baron rules like in medieval times; a parson is a strict disciplinarian to his children; a doctor abuses both his midwife and his daughter. Somebody seriously injures him by tripping him off his horse, other accidents follow and fear sets in. A farm hand tries sabotage. The children move around mysteriously like a gang.

God, Angels, and Science are Big this Week but a Black and White Award Winner Outdoes them All

Volkmar Richter
Jan 22nd, 2010

Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly star in Creation

In two separate movies this week, Paul Bettany turns against God. He’s an angel refusing his orders in one, and Charles Darwin writing to demote him in the other. Maybe you prefer Harrison Ford as a research scientist or (surely not) The Rock as the tooth fairy. Better to try some quality and art from Austria’s favorite misanthrope.

THE WHITE RIBBON:
Michael Haneke from Austria won big awards both at Cannes and now the Golden Globes for this mesmerizing and beautifully staged examination of life in a German village just before World War One. True to his now-familiar inclination, he finds mostly unpleasantness, or as one character puts it, “malice, envy, apathy, brutality, persecutions and petty acts of revenge.” Only a school teacher and a nanny are nice people. A baron rules like in medieval times; a parson is a strict disciplinarian to his children; a doctor abuses both his midwife and his daughter. Somebody seriously injures him by tripping him off his horse, other accidents follow and fear sets in. A farm hand tries sabotage. The children move around mysteriously like a gang.

Crazy Heart is the One To See...Eli, A Spy, and Those Lovely Bones Can Wait

Volkmar Richter
Jan 15th, 2010

A great performance by Jeff Bridges leads this week’s new movies while Denzel Washington gets both religious and violent, Jackie Chan looks after the kids and Peter Jackson takes a misstep.

CRAZY HEART: It doesn’t matter if you like country music or not, you have to see this film. Jeff Bridges turns in a remarkable performance as a singer who used to be somebody. He’s now a train-wreck, laid low by his drinking and reduced to playing for aging fans in bowling alleys. He gets a chance to turn his life around when he eases into a sweet romance with a single-mother journalist (Maggie Gyllenhaal).

Leap Year, Youth in Revolt, Daybreakers Lead the Week’s New Movies for Jan. 8

Volkmar Richter
Jan 8th, 2010

In the mood for a pleasant romantic comedy? Amy Adams has one for you. Michael Cera tries.

And for big laughs try the Yes Men. They deliver outrageously. You can also start the new year with vampires, a political rant, a sitcom pioneer or a Bollywood star.

LEAP YEAR: Romantic comedies have had a bad time of it lately. Here’s a good one due almost single-handedly to a sparkling performance by the charming Amy Adams. She’s anxious to get married and schemes to follow her cardiologist boyfriend from Boston to Ireland where she’s told that on Feb. 29 women can pop the question. (Feminist this film is not). All the usual set backs get in her way, a diverted plane, a missed train, a muddy slide down a hill and, naturally, a handsome Irish innkeeper (Matthew Goode). Formulaic? Sure but also a pleasant, underplayed comedy with gorgeous scenery and even a couple of surprise twists. (Tinseltown, Criterion White Rock, Grande Surrey and several area Cineplex theatres). 3 ½ out of 5

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