These are Maui Scene's mini-reviews, excerpts of wire service reviews and previews provided by studios and other sources.
Opens Friday
"A Secret Affair," R, 1:10, Maui Mall Megaplex. Directed by Nuel Naval, this romantic drama about lies and temptations stars Anne Curtis and Derek Ramsey along with Andi Eigenmann. While rich girl Rafi (Curtis) is in love with Anton (Ramsey) she belongs to a Friday social club and likes to flaunt her looks and wealth there. But then something happens as Sam (Eigenmann) gets thrown into the mix and a major life shift occurs. Of note is that just two months before the film's release, the name was changed from "Nothing Compares To You."
Article Photos
Daniel Craig reprises his action-packed role of James Bond in Columbia Pictures latest installation of the classic spy series in “Skyfall.”
Photo by Francois Duhamel
"Skyfall," PG-13, 2:23, Lahaina Wharf Cinema Center, Kaahumanu Center. James Bond buffs who wish to be shaken, not stirred will want to watch what director Sam Mendes does with the latest installment in the long-running spy series that now stars Daniel Craig in the cool and collected roll of 007. This time around, M's past comes back to haunt her and Bond's loyalty to her is put to the test. Action-packed scenes include train-top brawls, explosions and other fun surprises.
*****
Still Playing
"Flight," R, 2:19, Maui Mall Megaplex. An airline pilot saves a flight from crashing, but an investigation into the malfunctions reveals something troubling. Captain Whip Whitaker (Denzel Washington) is behind the controls when treacherous weather and engine failure threatens the lives of the crew and passengers. Whitaker's drug and alcohol issues suggest another title for the film, "Crash Landing." John Goodman and Kelly Reilly co star. Robert Zemeckis directs.
"Wreck-It Ralph," PG, 1:41, Lahaina Wharf Cinema Center, Kaahumanu 6. Wreck-It Ralph (voice of John C. Reilly) longs to be as beloved as his game's perfect Good Guy, Fix-It Felix (voice of Jack McBrayer). Problem is, nobody loves a Bad Guy. But they do love heroes . . . so when a modern, first-person shooter game arrives featuring tough-as-nails Sergeant Calhoun (voice of Jane Lynch), Ralph sees it as his ticket to heroism and happiness. He sneaks into the game with a simple plan - win a medal - but soon wrecks everything, and accidentally unleashes a deadly enemy that threatens every game in the arcade. Ralph's only hope? Vanellope von Schweetz (voice of Sarah Silverman), a young troublemaking "glitch" from a candy-coated cart racing game who might just be the one to teach Ralph what it means to be a Good Guy. But will he realize he is good enough to become a hero before it's "Game Over" for the entire arcade? Rich Moore directs.
"The Man with the Iron Fists," R, 1:36, Kaahumanu 6. On the hunt for a fabled treasure of gold, a band of warriors, assassins, and a rogue British soldier descend upon a village in feudal China, where a humble blacksmith looks to defend himself and his fellow villagers. Russell Crowe, Cung Le and Lucy Liu star. RZA directs.
"Cloud Atlas," R, 2:12, , Kukui Mall, Maui Mall Megaplex. Based on the novel by David Mitchell, "Cloud Atlas" is an exploration of how the actions of individual lives impact one another in the past, present and future, as one soul is shaped from a killer into a hero, and an act of kindness ripples across centuries to inspire a revolution. Stars Tom Hanks, Halle Berry and Hugh Grant. Tom Tykwer, Andy and Lana Wachowski direct.
"Chasing Mavericks," PG, 1:56, Kaahumanu 6, Kukui Mall, Lahaina Wharf Cinema Center. The inspirational true story of real life surfing phenom Jay Moriarty. When 15 year old Jay discovers that the mythic Mavericks surf break, one of the biggest waves on Earth, is not only real, but exists just miles from his Santa Cruz home, he enlists the help of local legend Frosty Hesson to train him to survive it. As Jay and Frosty embark on their quest to accomplish the impossible, they form a unique friendship that transforms both their lives, and their quest to tame Mavericks becomes about far more than surfing. Stars Jonny Weston, Gerard Butler and Elisabeth Shue. Michael Apted and Curtis Hanson direct.
"Silent Hill: Revelation 3D," R, 1:34, Maui Mall Megaplex. Heather Mason and her father have been on the run, always one step ahead of dangerous forces that she doesn't fully understand. Now on the eve of her 18th birthday, plagued by horrific nightmares and the disappearance of her father, Heather discovers she's not who she thinks she is. The revelation leads her deeper into a demonic world that threatens to trap her forever. Sean Bean, Radha Mitchell and Carrie-Anne Moss star. Michael Bassett directs.
"Fun Size," PG-13, 1:30, Maui Mall Megaplex. Wren's Halloween plans go awry when she's made to babysit her brother, who disappears into a sea of trick-or-treaters. With her best friend and two nerds at her side, she needs to find her brother before her mom finds out he's missing. Stars Victoria Justice, Chelsea Handler and Ana Gasteyer. Josh Schwartz directs.
"Paranormal Activity 4," R, 1:28, Maui Mall Megaplex, Kukui Mall. It has been five years since the disappearance of Katie and Hunter, and a suburban family witness strange events in their neighborhood when a woman and a mysterious child move in. Directors Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman are back after directing "Paranormal Activitiy 3" and they do an admirable job of keeping things believeable, considering the franchise's challenge of providing a seemingly never-ending series of jump scares. Katie Featherston, Kathryn Newton and Matt Shively star.
"Argo," R, 2:00, Lahaina Wharf Cinema Center. The Iran hostage crisis of 1979-81 was a dire turning point in modern history. Based on a "declassified true story," Director Ben Affleck handles this political thriller with intelligence, great period detail and a surprising amount of humor. The story begins as the Iranian revolution reaches a boiling point and a mob takes 52 American embassy workers hostage. A CIA "exfiltration" specialist concocts a risky plan to free six Americans who have managed to slip away and find shelter at the home of the Canadian ambassador. Affleck also stars with Bryan Cranston and John Goodman.
"Seven Psychopaths," R, 1:49, Maui Mall Megaplex. A struggling screenwriter inadvertently becomes entangled in the Los Angeles criminal underworld after his oddball friends kidnap a gangster's beloved Shih Tzu. The colorful cast includes actors Colin Farrell, Woody Harrelson and Sam Rockwell. Director Martin McDonagh's absurd satire of the writing process includes plenty of one-liners that poke fun at crime-movie cliches.
"Here Comes the Boom," PG, 1:45, Maui Mall Megaplex. A high school biology teacher looks to become a successful mixed-martial arts fighter in an effort to raise money to prevent extra-curricular activities from being axed at his cash-strapped school. Kevin James plays Scott Voss, the teacher who wants to save the job of music teacher, Marty Streb (played by Henry Winkler). Frank Coraci directs.
"Frankenweenie," PG, 1:27, Maui Mall Megaplex, ends tonight. Young Victor Frankenstein (voiced by Charlie Tahan), conducts a science experiment to bring his beloved dog Sparky back to life, only to face unintended, sometimes monstrous, consequences. "Frankenweenie" is Tim Burton's latest exercise in animation and reanimation. The black and white, stop-motion picture is an ideal medium for displaying the director's unique world of whimsy. The cast inlcudes Chatherine O'Hara and Martin Short as Victor's doting parents (among other roles), Martin Landau as a Vincent Price-inspired science teacher and Winona Ryder as Elsa Van Helsing.
"Taken 2," PG-13, 1:31, Maui Mall Megaplex. In Istanbul, retired CIA operative Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) and his wife are taken hostage by the father of a kidnapper Mills killed while rescuing his daughter. The orginal "Taken" helped redefine Neeson as a bankable action star. This second installment makes no attempt to tamper with the macho formula except that the violence is toned down significantly. As a result, "Taken 2" is more engaging and even funnier than its predecessor. Stars Famke Janssen and Maggie Grace. Olivier Megaton directs.
"Hotel Transylvania," PG, 1:31, Kaahumanu 6 ends tonight. Hotel Transylvania is Dracula's lavish resort, where monsters and their families can live it up without humans to bother them. On one special weekend, Dracula has invited some of the world's most famous monsters to celebrate his daughter Mavis' 118th birthday. For Dracula, catering to all of these legendary monsters is no problem - but his world could come crashing down when a human stumbles on the hotel for the first time and takes a shine to Mavis. Adam Sandler is the voice of Dracula. Andy Samberg and Selena Gomez play love-struck Jonathan and Mavis. Genndy Tadtakovsky directs.
* Movie listings are subject to last-minute changes. Visit www.mauigateway.com/~rw/ movie/ for updates.
