TheState.com: Movies

'Narnia' better the second time around

Fri, 16 May 2008 10:50 EDT

REVIEW

“The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian”

3STARS

RATED: PG for epic battle action and violence

RUNNING TIME: 2:17

Lovelorn characters, blueberry pie make ‘Nights’ a sensual treat

Thu, 15 May 2008 21:49 EDT

REVIEW

“My Blueberry Nights”

3 STARS

RATED: PG-13 for mature thematic material including violence, drinking and smoking

RUNNING TIME: 1:51

Witty, violent ‘Bruges’ is full of surprises

Thu, 15 May 2008 21:49 EDT

REVIEW

“In Bruges”

4 STARS

RATED: R for strong bloody violence, pervasive language and some drug use

RUNNING TIME: 1:47

Speed Racer’ looks great, but plot runs on fumes

Fri, 09 May 2008 11:55 EDT

REVIEW

“Speed Racer”

1 1/2 stars

RATED: PG for high-speed action.

RUNNING TIME: 2:10

Crass, sweet marry well in ‘Vegas’

Wed, 07 May 2008 19:16 EDT

REVIEW

“What Happens in Vegas”

H H H

RATED: PG-13 for some sexual and crude content, and language, including a drug reference

RUNNING TIME: 1:39

Mamet’s formula lacks kick in martial-arts film

Wed, 07 May 2008 19:16 EDT

REVIEW

“Redbelt”

RATED: R for language, violence

RUNNING TIME: 1:35

Heroism or survival? ‘Counterfeiters’ explores war dilemma

Wed, 07 May 2008 19:16 EDT

REVIEW

“The Counterfeiters”

H H H

(In German with subtitles)

RATED: R for violence, brief sexuality/nudity, language

Super summer heroes (PDF)

Sat, 03 May 2008 00:51 EDT

A blockbuster with more brains than bombast

Fri, 02 May 2008 16:19 EDT

The diabolical goatee gives it away.

Tony Stark, the tycoon inside Iron Man’s shiny shell, isn’t a simplistic comic-book hero fighting for lofty ideals. He’s deeply flawed — a drinker, a womanizer, a clotheshorse, a gambler driven by greed and a lust for high living. In fact, he’s essentially heartless, depending on a nuclear pacemaker to keep his blood circulating. He’s a 21st-century Oskar Schindler, a munitions maker who reinvents himself as a champion for good.

“Iron Man” is as complex as its conflicted protagonist. It’s a slickly engineered special-effects extravaganza with a saucy sense of humor, a well-acted adult take on juvenile escapism. The first movie self-financed by Marvel Studios, it combines the thrills of a summer popcorn spectacular with the craftsmanship of a prestige picture.

Stark is played by Robert Downey Jr., who comes across as tough, wiry and smart. We meet him as a well-manicured hand holding a crystal tumbler of scotch in an armored personnel carrier rumbling over dangerous territory in Afghanistan.

A celebrity tycoon in the mold of Donald Trump (but much smarter), he brings a sense of style and showmanship to marketing weapons of mass destruction. He is no fan of deterrence, a shock-and-awe kind of guy. “I don’t like the weapon you don’t have to fire,” he tells a military audience. “I like the weapon you have to fire only once. That’s how Dad did it, that’s how America does it, and it’s worked out pretty well so far.”

Wedding comedy leaves date-movie lovers at the altar

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 21:07 EDT

REVIEW

“Made of Honor”

H H ½

RATED: PG-13 for sexual content and language

RUNNING TIME: 1:39

‘Paranoid’ a pleasure to watch but hard to explain

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 21:07 EDT

REVIEW

“Paranoid Park”

H H H

RATED: R for a graphic depiction of a dying man

RUNNING TIME: 1:18

Farce not entirely an escape from reality

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 17:00 EDT

REVIEW

“Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay”

H H ½

RATED: R for sexual content, nudity, strong language, drug use, crude humor

RUNNING TIME: 1:42

Fey is the saving grace of ‘Baby Mama’

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 00:18 EDT

REVIEW

“Baby Mama”

RATED: PG-13 for crude and sexual humor, language and a drug reference

RUNNING TIME: 1:36

Jackman stands out as villain in ‘Deception’

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 00:18 EDT

REVIEW

“Deception”

HH ½

RATED: R for sexual content, language, brief violence and some drug use.

RUNNING TIME: 1:48

Indiana Jones and the Ubiquitous Promotional Toy Tie-In

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 19:01 EDT

Consumers are struggling to stretch their budgets, control their credit cards and make their mortgage payments.

But one of the retail industry’s big lures for shoppers this spring and summer will be a cascade of the most nonessential products possible, all spun from movies such as “Speed Racer” and the long-awaited fourth installment of “Indiana Jones.”

The merchandise is coming in an array of forms, ranging from T-shirts and trading cards to glitzy electronic toys and artsy statuettes.

The target audience? Kids of all ages — including grown-up kids — as well as collectors, video game fans, film buffs and trend junkies. Basically, almost everybody.

Many of the products are about to arrive in shelf-stuffing batches because May features the release of four consecutive pop-culture flicks: The comic book-based “Iron Man” on May 2, the anime-rooted “Speed Racer” on May 9, “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian” on May 16 and “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” on May 22.