.MOVIE LISTINGS | MOVIE REVIEW ARCHIVE | THEATER INFO

 

OPENING OR RETURNING:
Films open the Friday following date of EW publication unless otherwise noted. See archived movie reviews.

Across the Universe: Julie Taymor (Titus, Broadway’s The Lion King) puts her intriguing, ambitious spin on a love story built around Beatles songs, following a young man (Jim Sturgess) and the girl he falls for (Evan Rachel Wood) amid the tumult of the 1960s. “The experience of the movie is joyous,” said Roger Ebert. PG13. 131 min. Cinemark. VRC Stadium 15.

Boom, Bust and the BLM: A locally produced film that sheds light on the BLM’s Western Oregon Plan Revisions, which endanger old-growth forests and the lands on which they grow. 7 pm Oct. 15, 175 Law, UO. Free.

Day Watch: The second film in Timur Bekmambetov’s visionary trilogy continues the story of the Night Watch and the Day Watch as they maintain the balance between the forces of light and darkness. One powerful character has joined the dark side, another is the leader of the light, and a lost magical item is the only hope. R. 132 min. Bijou.

Elizabeth: The Golden Age: Director Shekhar Kapur, star Cate Blanchett and Geoffrey Rush all return in this sequel to 1998’s Elizabeth, the movie that confirmed Blanchett as a major star and talent. The Golden Age adds Clive Owen as Sir Walter Raleigh, Samantha Morton as Mary Queen of Scots, and takes place against England’s clash with Spain. PG13. 114 min. Cinemark. VRC Stadium 15.

Final Season, The: Based on the true story of a man who puts aside wedding plans to become a high school baseball coach. Starring Sean Astin, sadly no longer a hobbit, as the underdog coach. PG. Cinemark. VRC Stadium 15.

In the Shadow of the Moon: A nearly-perfect documentary that brings together the surviving Apollo astronauts to tell their stories of visiting another planet. Beautiful, moving and inspired. PG. 100 min. Bijou. See review this issue.

Jimi Hendrix: The In-Concert late night series presents the last Jimi Hendrix Experience performance, filmed at Royal Albert Hall in 1969. Bijou LateNite.

Michael Clayton: George Clooney plays the title character, a “fixer” at a law firm. When one of his colleagues seems to snap, sabotaging a major case, Clayton is forced to take a good look at what he’s doing. “A terrifically engrossing, tethered-to-the-real-world drama,” said Entertainment Weekly. R. 119 min. Cinemark. VRC Stadium 15.

Narrative Film Forum: An evening of short films and a panel discussion with their creators, including Kaethlyn Elliott, Anne Awh, Thaddeus Konar, Julian Thieme and Jayson Bosteder. 7 pm Oct. 12, DIVA. $5, $3 stu.

Sicko: Michael Moore follows Fahrenheit 9/11 with this take on the U.S.’s healthcare and insurance systems. “An affecting and entertaining dissection of the American health care industry, showing how it benefits the few at the expense of the many,” said Variety. PG13. Movies 12. (7/5)

We Own the Night: Family and loyalty clash in James Gray’s film, in which nightclub manager Bobby (Joaquin Phoenix) hides his relationship to a NYC cop family while also keeping a distance from the gangster who operates out of his club. With Mark Wahlberg, Eva Mendes and Robert Duvall. R. 105 min. Cinemark. VRC Stadium 15.

Why Did I Get Married?: Tyler Perry (Diary of a Mad Black Woman) directs and costars with Janet Jackson, Jill Scott and others in the story of a group of college friends whose relationships are shaken by one couple’s secrets. PG13. 113 min. Cinemark. VRC Stadium 15.

Films open the Friday following EW publication date unless otherwise noted. See archived reviews at www.eugeneweekly.com

 

CONTINUING:

Bourne Ultimatum, The: “I remember everything,” says Matt Damon’s Jason Bourne in this film’s action-packed trailer. Director Paul Greengrass and the major players (Joan Allen, Julia Stiles) return to the series’ satisfying third installment, which finds Bourne hunting down his past in stunning locations. PG13. 111 min. Movies 12. (8/9)

Brave One, The: Jodie Foster plays a New York radio host who is attacked by a group of men who kill her fiancé (Naveen Andrews, from Lost). The experience leaves her shaken and transforms her into a vigilante in Neil Jordan’s dated-seeming film, which fails to fully investigate the questions its story seems to raise. R. 122 min. Cinemark. (9/20)

Eastern Promises: David Cronenberg (A History of Violence) again directs the always-stellar Viggo Mortensen, here playing a mysterious fellow with ties to a London crime family. Naomi Watts is the midwife caught up in the family’s net when she accidentally comes across evidence of their crimes. R. 96 min. VRC Stadium 15. (9/27)

Game Plan, The: The Rock stretches his dramatic skills as a football player faced with a strange challenge: a little girl who claims to be his daughter. PG. Cinemark. VRC Stadium 15.

Good Luck Chuck: Chuck (Dane Cook) has a hex on him: every girl he dates finds true love with the next guy she dates. Enter Cam (Jessica Alba), a klutzy sweetheart Chuck falls for hard. Clearly, he’s got to wiggle out from under his strange curse. R. Cinemark. VRC Stadium 15.

Hairspray: Based on John Waters’ 1988 cult classic, Hairspray is about teenagers on a local Baltimore dance show — especially one short, plump, cheery girl who loves to dance. With John Travolta in drag. PG. 117 min. Movies 12. (7/26)

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: The Ministry of Magic is in denial about the return of Lord Voldemort, Hogwarts get a nasty new teacher and Harry … Harry’s in one kind of trouble or another throughout the mostly successful and only slightly disappointing fifth HP film. It’s not quite Prisoner of Azkaban, but it’s getting there. PG13. 138 min. Movies 12. (7/19)

Heartbreak Kid, The: Ben Stiller meets the love of his life! Except … not really. Wasn’t this movie called Meet the Parents a few years ago? OK, OK, so this time it’s the girl who’s the problem. And this adaptation of Neil Simon’s 1972 play is directed by the Farrelly Brothers, who struck gold with Stiller and humiliation comedy with There’s Something About Mary. R. Cinemark. VRC Stadium 15.

I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry: Adam Sandler and Kevin James star as a couple of firefighters who, for various bureaucratic insurance reasons, claim to be domestic parners — all fun and games until the news gets ahold of the story. I’m sure all related issues are dealt with thoughtfully. Um, right. PG13. 110 min. Movies 12.

In the Valley of Elah: The latest from director Paul Haggis (Crash) is “inspired by true events” and concerns a veteran, his wife and their search for their son, who’s gone missing after returning from Iraq. It’s got a superb cast (Tommy Lee Jones, Susan Sarandon, Charlize Theron) yet never catches fire. R. 121 min. Bijou. Cinemark.

Jane Austen Book Club, The: A sweet but slightly off adaptation of Karen Joy Fowler’s bestselling novel about six people — three friends, a daughter, two strangers — who form a book group to discuss Jane Austen’s six novels. Austen’s themes resonate throughout the story, and the cast is winning, but the film never reaches above a certain level of charm. PG13. 106 min. Bijou. Cinemark.

Kingdom, The: “If Frank Capra had ever made a Rambo movie, it would have looked like this,” said Anthony Lane in The New Yorker. Peter Berg directs an interesting cast (Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, Chris Cooper) in the story of an FBI team sent to Riyadh to capture a terrorist mastermind. R. 110 min. Cinemark. VRC Stadium 15.

Mr. Bean’s Holiday: Good old Mr. Bean (Rowan Atkinson)! You either adore him, or you find him not at all funny. Here, a French vacation turns out to be full of mishaps and mistaken identity. Is Mr. Bean a kidnapper, a filmmaker or neither? G. 87 minutes. Movies 12.

Mr. Woodcock: This oft-delayed film involves a fellow (Seann William Scott) heading home to stop his mother (Susan Sarandon) from marrying his high school gym teacher (Billy Bob Thorton), who was, shall we say, no saint. PG13. Cinemark.

Ratatouille: The latest animated film from Pixar is directed by Brad Bird (whose The Iron Giant is too often overlooked) and concerns a big-dreaming rat who wants to be a chef. When he makes a deal with a garbage boy, the culinary world of Paris gets far more than it ever imagined. G. 110 min. Movies 12. (7/12)

Resident Evil: Extinction: Alice (Milla Jovovich) is still trying to get rid of that pesky zombie-making virus. For this third film in the series, Alice gets new friends (we suspect they replace those zombified last time out) including Heroes‘ Ali Larter and singer Ashanti. R. Cinemark. VRC Stadium 15.

Rush Hour 3: Did I forget this one when I made my list of this summer’s needless sequels? Did I mention I blame director Brett Ratner for the murky mess that was last year’s X-Men 3? Does it matter? Jackie Chan, Chris Tucker, questionable jokes and action humor: you know what you’re getting. PG13. 90 min. Movies 12.

Sea Monsters 3D: Computer-generated animation brings to life sea creatures from as long ago as the Late Cretaceous period in this 3D adventure. Cinemark. VRC Stadium 15.

Seeker, The: This movie was once called The Dark is Rising, for it was once (an ostensibilty still) based on Susan Cooper’s wonderful, award-winning series of books. But her books were steeped in Welsh mythology and were decidedly not about an American preteen in a Santa Cruz jacket. Still, powers of light and dark, saving the world, etc. — all good themes for us fantasy fans. PG. Cinemark. VRC Stadium 15.

Simpsons Movie, The: Well, our Springfield didn’t get the premiere, but in the film maybe we’ll still see some hints that we are the real Simpsons Springfield? Still no idea what it’s about, but does it matter? PG13. 87 min. Movies 12.

3:10 to Yuma: Russell Crowe and Christian Bale costar in this solid Western from director James Mangold (Walk the Line). Based on a short story by Elmore Leonard that was made into a film in 1957, the film follows a vicious outlaw (Crowe) and the Civil War vet (Bale) who’s volunteered to get the thief to the train that’ll take him to trial. R. 117 min. Cinemark. VRC Stadium 15. (9/13)

Transformers: It wouldn’t be summer without a Michael Bay film, right? Hot on the heels of those other ’80s toys the Ninja Turtles, the Transformers arrive, bigger and flashier than ever. Earth, it seems, will be the battleground for the war between the Autobots and the Decepticons. With Shia LaBeouf (Holes) and Megan Fox. PG13. 144 min. Movies 12.

MOVIE THEATERS
Use the links provided below for specific show times.

Bijou Art Cinemas
Bijou Theater 686-2458 | 492 E. 13th

Regal Cinemas
VRC Stadium 15 342-6536 | Valley River Center

Cinemark Theaters
Movies 12 741-1231 | Gateway Mall
Cinemark 17 741-1231 | Gateway Mall