Eastern Promises (R)
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Who’s in it: Viggo Mortensen, Naomi Watts, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Sinead Cusack, Vincent Cassel
What it’s about: Midwife Anna (Watts) crosses paths with Nikolai (Mortensen), a driver for a Russian crime family, while trying to learn what happened to teenage prostitute Tatiana, who died while giving birth. The more Anna digs, the more she learns about Nikolai, the Russian mob and Tatiana’s unhappy life.
Worth watching? “In claustrophobic settings both bleak and garishly opulent, the film holds you in an increasingly tight grip and then it just ends, clipped suddenly, leaving you longing for more. Until the last possible second, though, Viggo Mortensen coolly dominates …”
[ CHRISTY LEMIRE, AP ]Mr. Woodcock (PG-13)
(0 EXCLAMATION POINTS)
Who’s in it: Billy Bob Thornton, Seann William Scott, Susan Sarandon
What it’s about: Self-help book author John Farley (Scott) was verbally abused by gym teacher Mr. Woodcock (Thornton) 13 years ago in high school. Bad memories flood back when Farley returns home to learn that his mother (Sarandon) is dating Mr. Woodcock.
Worth watching? ” ‘Mr. Woodcock’ is a cruel, loathsome, worthless piece of garbage for which anyone who buys a ticket should be handed a written apology. Then again, there is nothing that could be said that would justify this mess.”
[ RICK BENTLEY, THE FRESNO BEE ]Silk (R)
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Who’s in it: Michael Pitt, Keira Knightley, Alfred Molina
What it’s about: French villager Harve (Pitt) falls in love with the concubine of a Japanese warlord, but returns home to his small village. His wife, Helene (Knightley), picks up on what has happened, and they both try to pretend that nothing has changed.
Worth watching? “If there were an award for the gloomiest movie of the year, ‘Silk’ would win hands down. … In fact, it would have to be picked as the vote-leader for the gloomiest movie of the decade.”
[ JEFF STRICKLER, MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE ]In the Shadow of the Moon (PG)
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Who’s in it: Mike Collins, Alan Bean, Jim Lovell, Dave Scott, John Young
What it’s about: A documentary about the Apollo lunar missions and the only humans to have set foot on another world.
Worth watching? “It’s the men themselves — perhaps the most exclusive club that’s ever existed — who give the film its heart and a glimpse into an adventure that may never be repeated.”
[ JOHN ANDERSON, NEWSDAY ]
