These are Maui Scene Editor Rick Chatenever's mini-reviews, excerpts of wire service reviews and previews provided by studios and other sources.
Opening Friday
"Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'hoole" (3-D) PG, 1:55, Kaahumanu 6, Kukui Mall 4 and Lahaina Wharf Cinemas.
Article Photos
Michael Douglas shows Shia LaBeouf around his old stomping grounds in “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps.”
20th Century Fox photo via AP
With the cutest faces to hit the big screen since the penguin invasion a few years ago, this 3-D animated adventure plays out the age-old battle between good and evil among owls! Jim Sturgess is owl Soren, at odds with a jealous brother. Boasting flying sequences and dreamlike landscapes reportedly rivaling "Avatar," the owls have an impressive roster of actors providing their voices including Abbie Cornish, Sam Neill, Hugo Weaving, Joel Edgerton, David Wenham and Oscar winners Geoffrey Rush and Helen Mirren. Zack Snyder, of "Watchmen" and "300" fame, directs.
"The Virginity Hit" R, 1:26, Kaahumanu 6.
An ill-fated attempt to lose his virginity, compounded by the mother of all diarrhea attacks, would be life-scarring enough for nerdy Matt Bennett, but, oh, no! His friends, including Zack Pearlman, Jacob Davich and Justin Kline, recorded the whole thing and posted it online where it becomes a viral sensation. Why he thinks they're his friends is the first mystery in this raunchy comedy that bring hormonal teendom into the age of YouTube. Krysta Rodriguez, Nicole Weaver and Savannah Welch co-star. Andrew Gurland and Juck Botko share the writing and directing duties.
Fact Box
It's Showtime
Times in the movie ads are subject to change on the weekend. It's a good idea to call the theater, just to be sure. For showtimes at Kaahumanu 6 and Kukui Mall 4, call 1 (800) FANDANGO visit www.consolidatedtheatres.com.
For showtimes at Lahaina Wharf Cinemas, Front Street Theatres and Maui Mall Megaplex call 249-2222 or check www.gohollywood.com.
"Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps" PG-13, 2:28, Maui Mall Megaplex, Kukui Mall 4 and Front Street Theaters.
Michael Douglas reprises his Oscar-winning role as amoral Wall Street player Gordon Gecko, whose cynical "Greed is good" mantra of the '80s resonates in new, and more relevant, ways in 2010. After doing a long stretch in prison for his misdeeds, Gecko returns to his old line of work, mentoring Shia LaBeouf while keeping the audience guessing what he's up to. Frank Langella, Susan Sarandon, Josh Brolin and Carey Mulligan co-star, reportedly giving great performances under the operatically over-the-top direction of Oliver Stone.
"You Again" PG, 2:00, Kaahumanu 6, Kukui Mall 4 and Lahaina Wharf Cinemas.
High school rivalries never die in this comedy that traces at least two generations' worth of them. Kristin Bell stars as the sister of soon-to-be-groom James Wolk, who realizes that his bride (Odette Yustman) was her arch tormentor in high school. When aunt Sigourney Weaver flies in for the wedding, it turns out she has the same issues with old classmate Jamie Lee Curtis. Throw in Betty White for good measure, and you've got the recipe for one uncomfortable wedding day. Andy Fickman directs.
*****
Still playing
"Alpha and Omega" PG, 1:28, Maui Mall Megaplex (in 3-D with a ticket surcharge).
Young wolves Humphrey (Justin Long) and Kate (Hayden Panettiere) might be a good match, if she weren't an alpha being groomed to lead the pack, and he weren't an amiable but unambitious omega. Things get complicated when they're rounded up and relocated to an Idaho national forest by park rangers who don't realize wolves from such different destinies aren't supposed to breed. The audience, of course, knows better in this animated family comedy featuring the voices of the late Dennis Hopper, Danny Glover and Christina Ricci. Anthony Bell and Ben Gluck direct.
"The American" R, 1:45, Maui Mall Megaplex; ends tonight at Kukui Mall 4.
Fresh from an honorary Emmy for his wide-ranging humanitarian work, George Clooney stars in this moody piece about an assassin on the lam in a picturesque Italian village. Hardly your typical action figure, Clooney brings "Michael Clayton" or "Up in the Air" resonance to the role of the man with secrets. Anton Corbijn, continuing his evolution from famed photographer and music-video director to the big screen, surrounds Clooney's understated performance with all the trappings of an art film. Think "Blow Up" for a new millennium. As action movies go, it's slow, but as a meditation on loneliness, Clooney is in his element. Paulo Bonacelli and Violante Placido co-star.
"Avatar 3-D Special Edition" PG-13, 2:45, Maui Mall Megaplex
Writer-director-producer-cameraman James Cameron added about nine minutes to the running time of this nouveau classic for this big-screen return to Pandora one more time before the special edition DVD release. Setting cinematic and box-office history, Cameron's brilliant sci-fi epic rewrote the book on how to tell a story on-screen and made other 3-D technology look amateurish in the process. Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Long and Giovanni Ribisi star but you already knew that.
"Devil" PG-13, 1:35, Maui Mall Megaplex and Front Street Theaters.
M. Night Shyamalan provides the story for this thriller about a group of strangers trapped in an elevator. As though that's not frightening enough, one of them happens to be the devil. Chris Messina, Logan Marshall Green, Jenny O'Hara, Bonny Novakovic, Bokeem Woodbine, Geoffrey Arend and Jacob Vargas star; Drew Dowdle and John Erick Dowdle share the directing credit.
"Easy A" PG-13, 1:47, Maui Mall Megaplex, Kukui Mall 4 and Lahaina Wharf Cinemas.
"Zombieland's" terrific Emma Stone finds a star-vehicle worthy of her talents and charm in this high school comedy about a girl who starts that trashy rumor about herself, and reaps all sorts of unexpected benefits. With references to the classic "The Scarlet Letter," it's more a cross between "Juno" and "Clueless." Amanda Bynes, Dan Byrd, Thomas Haden Church, Patricia Clarkson, Lisa Kudrow, Malcolm McDowell, Aly Michalka and Stanley Tucci make up the amazing supporting cast; Will Gluck directs and Bert V. Royal provides the clever script around Stone's smart, lovable star turn.
"Eat Pray Love" PG-13, 2:35, Maui Mall Megaplex.
Julia Roberts steps into the role of author Elizabeth Gilbert, whose chronicle of her round-the-world search for her soul became a huge best-seller. Director Ryan Murphy brings the odyssey to the screen with sumptuous visuals, both of the luminous Roberts and settings in Italy, India and Bali. The title explains the scope of her journey, mixing pleasures of the senses with deeper spiritual realizations and self-fulfillment. Richard Jenkins, Billy Crudup, James Franco and Javier Bardem co-star.
"The Expendables" R, 1:58, ends tonight at Kaahumanu 6.
Sylvester Stallone is an older, wiser "Rambo" on both sides of the camera, directing, co-writing and starring in this guerrilla-action thriller. Playing -what else? - the leader of a group of disenfranchised mercenaries, the story bounces from one battle to the next with other mercenaries who can't keep track of which side they're on. Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Eric Robert, Randy Couture, Steve Austin, David Zayas, Giselle Itie, Charisma Carpenter, Gary Danields, Terry Crews and Mickey Rourke co-star in the endless series of tests to see who's got the most testosterone.
"Get Low" PG-13, 1:42, Maui Mall Megaplex.
Screen immortal Robert Duvall, boasting a shaggy beard out to here, plays rascal Felix Bush in this mystery-comedy-drama set in the 1930s. Also featuring Bill Murray and Sissy Spacek, the title refers to being buried, an idea that Felix realizes he will have to deal with after hearing about the death of a friend. How he goes about making his own funeral arrangements - Murray plays the undertaker -provides the heart, soul and laughs, under the direction of Aaron Schneider. A hillbilly parable nicely surrounded by '30s atmosphere and music, it doesn't break new ground -but provides plenty of pleasure just watching Duvall, Spacek and Murray work together. Recommended.
"Going the Distance" R, 1:58, ends tonight at Kaahumanu 6 and Lahaina Wharf Cinemas.
Drew Barrymore and Justin Long translate their real-life on-again, off-again relationship to a romantic comedy, playing a long-distance couple trying to figure out how to maintain the passion from thousands of miles away. She plays a journalism student and he's a junior executive, and besides their geographical challenges, there are obstacles from friends and family (including Christina Applegate, Charlie Day and Jason Sudeikis) to overcome. Nanette Burstein directs.
"The Last Exorcism" PG-13, 1:43, ends tonight at Maui Mall Megaplex.
Prompted by his conscience to stop performing fake exorcisms, charismatic evangelical minister Patrick Fabian lets a documentary film crew accompany him on his last one to reveal the tricks of the trade. The victim is the teenage daughter (Ashley Bell) of a remote farm family, but things don't quite go as planned in this cross between a Christopher Guest-style mockumentary and "The Blair Witch Project" directed by Daniel Stamm. Boasting hand-held camera swings and a self-destructing final reel, those going to see it should heed the warning: Bring Dramamine!
"Machete" R, 2:00, ends tonight at Kaahumanu 6 and Front Street Theaters.
Writer-director Robert Rodriguez gets back into "Mexploitation" mode with this ultra-violent '70s-style action fest set against current anti-immigration tensions on the Texas border. Danny Trejo stars, incorporating an actual machete among the many sharp items in his arsenal. A former federale now on the other side of things, his nemeses include a drug kingpin (Steven Seagal), a bigoted state senator (Robert DeNiro), a sleazy businessman (Jeff Fahey) and a nutso vigilante (Don Johnson). Cheech Marin and Jessica Alba are the cast members on his side. It's politically incorrect, raunchy, needlessly violent and great fun for those in the mood for such things.
"Mao's Last Dancer" PG, 1:57, ends tonight at Kukui Mall 4.
Based on a true story, this biography blends "The Company" with "White Knights," telling of the son of a Chinese peasant picked by authorities to attend the Beijing Dance Academy. His dedication to his art is set against U.S.-Sino relations leading him to well, you'll have to see the movie to find out. Directed by Oscar nominee Bruce Beresford, this elegant award-winning meeting of dance and politics stars Chi Cao with "Center Stage's" Amanda Schull, Bruce Greenwood and Kyle MacLachlin co-starring
"Nanny McPhee Returns" PG, 2:04, Kaahumanu 6.
Try as she might to make herself look hideous, everyone knows Emma Thompson's iron-willed English nanny is truly a saint under the snaggle tooth and moles. Scripting as well as starring in this sequel to the charming original, she plays the remedy for ill-behaved children everywhere. The movie is set in the English countryside in the 1940s, with the men away fighting World War II. Colin Firth, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Maggie Smith and Rhys Ifans co-star with a bunch of kids, and Susanna White directs.
"The Other Guys" PG-13, 2:02, ends tonight at Kaahumanu 6.
Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg star in this offbeat, whimsical parody of the mismatched-cop-buddies formula. Wahlberg is the hot-headed one, like his Oscar-nominated role in "The Departed." The brilliant Ferrell is the earnest, goofy one. How they manage to outshine hotshot detectives Samuel L. Jackson and Dwayne Johnson is one of the running gags, written and directed by Adam McKay. With sly jokes everywhere you look, the co-stars include Michael Keaton, Rob Riggle and Eva Mendes.
"Resident Evil: Afterlife" R, 2:00, Kaahumanu 6 and Front Street Theaters; ends tonight at Kukui Mall 4.
Milla Jovovich reprises her role as Alice, the no-nonsense survivor of a global viral plague now battling the forces of the undead and the nasty Umbrella Corporation making life miserable on the planet. Ali Larter, Kim Coates, Shawn Roberts and Sergio Peris-Mencheta co-star. Paul W.S. Anderson writes
and directs the action.
"Step Up 3-D" PG-13, 1:47, ends tonight at Kaahumanu 6.
This latest addition to the street-dancing franchise brings 3-D to the equation and moves the action to New York. There NYU freshman Adam G. Sevani breaks his promise to his parents to study, getting drawn instead into hip-hop nirvana with the House of Pirates crew. Alyson Stoner plays his on-again, off-again best friend. Jon M. Chu directs with Rick Malambri and Sharni Vinson co-starring.
"The Switch" PG-13, 1:40, ends tonight at Maui Mall Megaplex.
Artificial insemination gives birth to laughs in this sitcom-y comedy starring Jennifer Aniston and Jason Bateman. Following a now familiar Hollywood plotline, she plays a successful career woman whose biological clock tells her she doesn't have any more time to wait for Mr. Right. Instead she throws a turkey-baster party, but winds up with the contribution of the wrong guy, her uptight stock-broker pal Jason Bateman. Wait - do you feel like you've seen this all before? Juliette Lewis, Patrick Wilson and Jeff Goldblum co-star; Josh Gordon and Will Speck direct.
"Takers" PG-13, 2:02, Maui Mall Megaplex; ends tonight at Lahaina Wharf Cinemas.
This latest crime-caper adventure casts Paul Walker, Idris Elba, Hayden Christensen, Michael Ealy and Chris Brown as highly effective bank robbers who set their sights on an armored car heist. Matt Dillon and Jay Hernandez are the dogged cops on their tail. John Luessenhop directs.
"The Town" R, 2:20, Maui Mall Megaplex, Kukui Mall 4 and Front Street Theaters.
Ben Affleck gets high marks as director and co-writer while registering the best performance in his acting career in this gritty heist thriller set in the streets of Boston's blue-collar Charleston neighborhood. He plays the leader of an ingenious gang of bank robbers, whose ranks include the hot-headed Jeremy Renner. The best-laid plans of the gang get put to the test after Ben starts a relationship with a bank manager (Rebecca Hall) taken hostage on the last job, just to find out what she knows. Of course you know where that's headed. Jon Hamm and Chris Cooper make strong contributions in the supporting ranks, as the script keeps the audience guessing right up to the end. Combining a flair for working with actors with an assured sense of his setting, Affleck is the star on both sides of the camera, producing a tasty blend of action and drama. Recommended.
