the washington post friday, december 17, 2010 l
(DRAMA)
34 EZ
movies from 33
live-action movies increasingly opting for naturalistic grit, animation may be the last refuge for sheer, unapologetic beauty. “Tangled” is a princess story, in this case that of Rapunzel (voiced by Mandy Moore), who as an infant is abducted from her parents’ castle by the vindictive Mother Gothel (Donna Murphy) and raised in a tower, her hair all the time growing, growing, growing. Her super-long (and amazingly well- conditioned) tresses have magical powers that make them light up and turn back the clock for whomever they touch—namely, the youth-obsessed Gothel. Rapunzel’s home life may be a study in passive- aggressive dysfunction, but for the most part “Tangled” is zippy and engaging, especially when the wide-eyed heroine joins forces with a cocky bandit named Flynn (Zachary Levi)—and a scene-stealing palace horse named Maximus. (PG, 100 minutes) Contains brief mild violence. Area theaters.
—A.H. r½THE TOURIST
The high wattage of stars Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie cast the film in a spotlight that would be unflattering for most movies, least of all an insubstantial, tension-free thriller like this. Less evocative of a Grace Kelly/Audrey Hepburn heroine than one made out of porcelain, Jolie portrays Elise
Clifton-Ward, a woman of profoundmystery who has brought her clipped British accent and rather dubious wardrobe to Paris, where she hopes to reconnect with her lover, the master criminal Alexander Pierce. Pierce, it should be noted, communicates with Elise via handwritten messages on monogrammed stationery. One of those notes tells Elise to get on a train to Venice, sidle up to the first guy who vaguely resembles Alexander and thus confuse Scotland Yard and its desperate lead detective, Acheson (Paul Bettany), who has built up a reservoir of hate for the elusive Alexander.When Elise foists herself upon Frank Tupelo (Depp), a kind of dopey junior college math teacher fromWisconsin, Acheson is confused, at first. In the interim, Frank falls in love with Elise. It takes about 47 seconds.We don’t buy any of it. (PG-13, 100 minutes) Contains violence and vulgarity. Area theaters.
—John Anderson .
rrrUNSTOPPABLE
The director Tony Scott achieves something close to the action movie in its ideal form with “Unstoppable,” which can be summed up thusly: Train out of control! Must stop train! A young, inexperienced railroad conductor namedWill (Chris Pine) is on his first shift with veteran train operator Frank (DenzelWashington) on the same day that a train carrying tons of hazardous materials has been sent hurtling down its tracks
“
THE CAST IS FIRST-RATE. YOU DON’T FEEL LIKE YOU ARE LISTENING TO 17TH-
CENTURY POETRY; YOU’RE LIVING IT.” STEVEN MARK, STAR ADVERTISER
IMPRESSIVE AND ENGAGING. “HELEN MIRREN IS
HERE SHE’S MOVING - SO FULL OF WISDOM, STRENGTH AND RUEFUL UNDERSTANDING OF LIFE’S LIMITS THAT SHE MAKES YOUR BREATH CATCH IN YOUR THROAT.
NOT ONCE, OR TWICE, BUT AGAIN AND AGAIN.” MICK LASALLE, SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
A MEMORABLE PERFORMANCE. HIS CALIBAN IS BY TURNS MENACING,
“DJIMON HOUNSOU TURNS IN
PLAINTIVE AND FUNNY.” CLAUDIA PUIG, USA TODAY
MARVELOUS.
without a conductor or functioning brakes. With the help of a coolheaded train executive named Connie (Rosario Dawson), who keeps in near constant contact with the men,Will and Frank narrowly escape colliding with what she calls “a missile the size of the Chrysler Building.” Out of harm’s way, their next priority is to chase the errant locomotive down and stop it before it hits a dangerous S-curve and crashes in the middle of a busy Pennsylvania city. Scott proves a master of action with “Unstoppable,” which sustains a nicely simmering level of suspense and physical peril without succumbing to bombast or deafening overkill. (PG-13, 98 minutes) Contains sequences of action and peril, and some profanity. Area theaters.
—A.H NR THEWARRIOR’SWAY
It’s Cowboys vs. Ninjas in this fantastical exercise in martial arts magical un-realism. But Korean swordsman Jang Dong-gun has a simmering charisma and a great hair stylist. And the thing is played for laughs, or at least was edited for laughs. Jang plays an assassin who has all but wiped out a rival clan. Then a cute baby stops him in his tracks, he saves it and flees to the OldWest to hide. He ends up in Lode, “The Paris of theWest” running a Chinese laundry. The fetching Lily, a girl with a tortured past—she literally was tortured—shows the new fellow, whom she calls “Skinny,” around Lode, which is peopled with circus folk who
hope the Ferris wheel they haven’t quite finished will bring the town back to life. Lynne, by the way, is played by a drawling Kate Bosworth. “Dang,” she says. “You’re slower’n molasses in January.” But Skinny is anything but slow when he whips out his “weeping sword.”Which he doesn’t, because the zing of it being unsheathed will be heard by the Sad Flutes clan. (R, 100 minutes) Contains strong bloody violence. AtAMCHoffman Center and Cinemark Egyptian.
—Orlando Sentinel Repertory
AIR AND SPACEMUSEUM/DOWNTOWNAt the Albert Einstein Planetarium: “OneWorld, One Sky: Big Bird’s Adventure,” Friday at 10:30. Free. “Black Holes: The Other Side of Infinity,” Friday-Thursday at 11, noon, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. $9 age 13 and older, $8 age 60 and older, $7.50 ages 2 to 12. “The Stars Tonight,” Saturday, Tuesday and Thursday at 10:30. Free. At the Lockheed Martin Imax Theater: “Hubble 3D,” Friday-Thursday at 10:20, 12:25, 3 and 5:05. “Legends of Flight 3D,” Friday-Thursday at 11:25, 1:30 and 4:05. “To Fly!” Friday-Thursday at 2:25. $9 age 13 and older, $8 age 60 and older, $7.50 ages 2 to 12. Sixth Street and Independence Avenue SW. 202-633-4629. 877-932-4629.
www.nasm.si.edu.
AIR AND SPACEMUSEUM/DULLES/ STEVEN F. UDVAR-HAZY CENTER “Legends of Flight,” Friday at 11, 1 and 3, Saturday-Thursday at 1 and 3. $9 age 13 and older, $8 age 60 and older, $7.50 ages 2 to 12. 14340 Air and Space Museum Pkwy., Chantilly. 202-633-4629.
www.nasm.si.edu/udvarhazy.
AMERICAN CITY DINER “Annie Hall,” Friday at 8. “It’s aWonderful Life,” Saturday at 8. “North by Northwest,” Sunday at 8. “The Bridge on the River Kwai,” Monday at 8. “A Shot in the Dark,” Tuesday at 8. “The Shawshank Redemption,”Wednesday at 8. “It’s aWonderful Life,” Thursday at 8. Free. 5532 Connecticut Ave.NW. 202-244-1949.
www.americancitydiner.com.
D.C. JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER/ AARON&CECILE GOLDMAN THEATER “The Calling,” Sunday at 3. Free, registration required. 1529 16th St.NW.
www.washingtondcjcc.org.
www.communitycinema-dc.org.
DIRECTED BY VICTOR FLEMING “Treasure Island,” Saturday at 12:45. “Captains Courageous,” Sunday at 12:45. $10, $9 seniors, $6 age 12 and younger. AFI Silver Theatre, 8633 Colesville Rd., Silver Spring. 301-495-6720.
www.afi.com/silver.
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CRITI CS’ CH OIC E AW AR D
HOLIDAY CLASSICS “The Muppet Christmas Carol,” Friday at 5, Saturday and Sunday at 3:10, Monday andWednesday at 4:30 and Tuesday and Thursday at 7:10. “It’s aWonderful Life,” Friday and Sunday at 7, Saturday at 5 and 7:45, Monday and Wednesday at 6:30 and 9:05, and Tuesday and Thursday at 4:30 and 9:05. “A Christmas Story,” Friday at 9:45, Saturday at 10:30 and Sunday at 5 and 9:45. $10, $9 seniors, $6 age 12 and younger. AFI Silver Theatre, 8633 Colesville Rd., Silver Spring. 301-495-6720.
www.afi.com/silver.
JULIEN DUVIVIER: THE GRAND ARTISAN “Poil de Carotte,” Saturday at 3:30. Free. National Gallery of Art, East Building, Fourth Street and Constitution AvenueNW. 202-737-4215.
www.nga.gov.
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS—PACKARD CAMPUS “Die Hard,” Friday at 7:30. “Prancer,” Saturday at 2. “White Christmas,” Saturday at 7:30. Free. 19053 Mount Pony Rd., Culpeper. 202-707-5840.
www.loc.gov.
NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART, EAST BUILDING “Dante’s Inferno,” Friday at 1. Cine-Concert: “A Christmas Carol,” Saturday at 1. Free. Fourth Street and Constitution AvenueNW. 202-737-4215.
www.nga.gov.
STRAUB AND HUILLET: THEWORK AND REACHES OF CREATION “Where Does Your Hidden Smile Lie?” Sunday at 4:30. Free. National Gallery of Art, East Building, Fourth Street and Constitution AvenueNW. 202-737-4215.
www.nga.gov.
-Mick LaSalle, SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
SEX DRAMA... KRISTIN SCOTT THOMAS IS OUTSTANDING.’’
LEAVING (PARTIR)
STARTS TODAY
LANDMARK THEATRES
E STREET CINEMA E STREET & 11TH STREET NW 202-452-7672 WASHINGTON, DC
WWW.IFCFILMS.COM
AVALON THEATRE
DC’s only independent nonprofit film center 5612 Connecticut Avenue NW
(202) 966-6000 * bargain show
theavalon.org VISIT US ONLINE FOR TICKETS AND MOVIE INFO! AS GOOD AS IT GETS & BROADCAST NEWS
“WITHERSPOON AND RUDD SPAR BEAUTIFULLY, RELISHING BROOKS’ LONG TAKES
AND DELICIOUSLY FUNNY DIALOGUE...” -Rolling Stone
Opens Today! Daily: *12:30, *3:00, 5:45, 8:30 FROM THE WRITER/DIRECTOR OF
Fri-Tues Only: *1:00, 5:30 (no 1pm show Sun, Dec 12)
NOWPLAYINGATTHEATRES EVERYWHERE Check Local Listings For TheatresAnd Showtimes
KIRSTEN DUNST & FRANK LANGELLA
a film by GEORGE
STARRING RYAN GOSLING,
(no 8pm show Sun, Dec 12)
HICKENLOOPER
SEE KEVIN SPACEY’S GOLDEN GLOBE-NOMINATED PERFORMANCE AS JACK ABRAMOFF!
portrait of the disgraced Washington lobbyist.” -Hollywood Reporter
Wed & Thu: *12:00, *2:40, 5:20, 8:00 “Spacey’s splendid in this brisk and engaging
CASINO JACK
Fri-Tues Only: *3:15, 8:00
FIVE DAYS ONLY!
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 22
OPENS
FIVE DAYS ONLY!
Nominated by DC Film Critics as BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM!
STARRING ISABELLE HUPPERT
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