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MOVIES AS OF 07 - 21 - 2008

New Releases

THE DARK KNIGHT Anarchy in Gotham City, Fascism in the Hero's Soul? Reviewed by John P. McCarthy Will chaos and fear reign in Gotham City? That's one question posed in Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight," a profoundly disturbing study of how terror can destabilize individuals and whole societies. Although the stunning action sequences derive from a traditional superhero plot, this chilling film is more sophisticated crime drama than special effects extravaganza. The ideas are as memorable as the brilliant spectacle. At least two characters are tagged as "dark knights" and the movie amounts to a long, bleak night with only the faintest rays of sunlight peaking through at the end. Heath Ledger's Joker, a fiendish knave for the ages, wreaks havoc by igniting a battle for the souls of these two conflicted figures. They are Batman -- portrayed as in Nolan's "Batman Begins" by Christian Bale -- and the zealous young district attorney Harvey Dent, played by Aaron Eckhart. Their Manichean struggle to find a balance between their own noble and base instincts is entwined with a contest for the soul of the metropolis itself. Tormented crime-fighters have ably filled movie screens this summer. Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Hellboy, and Hancock are all divided against themselves. But in the cases of Batman and Dent, this fundamental superhero tension is explored with a rare depth and attention to its political implications. With the help of Lt. Gordon (Gary Oldman), Alfred (Michael Caine), and Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman), they endeavor to uphold justice while avoiding crossing the line into a kind of fascistic elitism. Their exceptional abilities and accomplishments put them in a potentially messianic position littered with pitfalls. A syndicate of multi-ethnic gangs is running rampant in Gotham City. Batman and Gordon, head of the major crimes unit, plan to seize the mobsters' ill-gotten lucre. Before they get the chance however, the criminals' Hong Kong colleague takes their pooled cash out of the country, leading Batman to kidnap him and bring him back to Gotham. The Joker then steps in and assures the bosses that he'll get their money back and, in the process, kill Batman. Public opinion has already started to turn against the Caped Crusader and Bruce Wayne believes it's time to find a successor -- someone to provide the citizenry with a new vision of hope and justice. Dent might fit the bill. Unfortunately, no one is prepared for the fiendish campaign of terror unleashed by the Joker, armed with an array of pyrotechnic devices, greasy hair, sweat-smudged make-up, and a reedy voice. He blackmails Batman by announcing that more people will die if he doesn't reveal his identity. Then, with maniacal ingenuity, he uses Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhal) -- Bruce Wayne's ex and Dent's fiance -- to force a literal and figurative fissure in Dent's identity and push Batman to the brink of becoming a force of evil himself. The Joker's motives for conducting his sadistic social experiment are pure: he disrupts the city's equilibrium by killing and maiming with no goal other than the pleasure of fomenting chaos. As Alfred puts it, "Some men just want to watch the world burn." Even if Ledger hadn't died earlier this year, his sublimely wicked performance would generate Oscar buzz. Taking in every overt and nuanced dimension of the character he creates is enough to make "The Dark Knight" a great film. Yet Nolan goes much further, extending the defining motif of noble vigilantism that he broached in "Batman Begins" by asking how one responds to such unbridled amorality. Do you fight brutality with brutality, ignore conventional boundaries between right and wrong and adopt equally warped methods? Do you exploit fear with the same cynicism as your enemy? "The Dark Knight" asks hard, relevant questions about the ethics of leadership in desperate times. Some will see it as a cautionary tale concerning the psychology of fear (drawing parallels with the Patriot Act and the Bush Administration's tactics following 9/11) and others will interpret it as an endorsement of a certain authoritarian license that those in power must wield in order to be effective. Every superhero movie boils down to the angels and demons within the individual. Few have been this elegant, this steely, this riveting -- boasting a visual splendor that matches its trenchant themes and inspired performances. (PG-13) GREAT ACTION-DRAMA Dir-Christopher Nolan Lead-Christian Bale RT-152 mins.

COPYRIGHT 2008 BY THE DOORMAN Other than aspiring Sacha Baron Cohens, the only people who might want to pay to see this mockumentary about a gatekeeper at trendy NY nightclubs are celebrity hounds desperate to rub shoulders with D-listers. An unevenly executed stunt, it belongs on TV where it can be freely ogled by those with no hope of ever being allowed past the velvet rope at an Olive Garden. Actually, if his willingness to make himself look foolish is any indication, Lucas Aksoskin, who plays the titular Trevor, may be more than a Cohen wannabe. A top-notch doorman can make any joint seem exclusive. The same isn't true of this feature film. (N/R) BORING DOCUMENTARY Dir-Wayne Price RT-76 mins.

FELON As with the brilliant HBO series "Oz," this visceral expose about the American penal system sees prisoners and guards as two sides of the same dehumanizing coin. What makes this stint in the hoosegow stand out are solid performances from a quartet of actors. Stephen Dorff plays a Californian unfairly sent up for murder; Val Kilmer is a philosophical lifer; Harold Perrineau portrays a sadistic guard, and Sam Shepard has a small, pivotal role. The deck is so stacked it's hard to believe anything positive could come of the brutal scenario. However, unlike in the jailhouse, justice is almost always served in the movie house. (R) FAIR DRAMA Dir-Ric Roman Waugh Lead-Stephen Dorff RT-104 mins.

MAMMA MIA! Apollo, the god of music, isn't smiling but fans of the ABBA-inspired stage show can't complain since the same team is responsible for this faithfully cheesy film version. Although they decided to draft Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, and a boatload of other actors not known for their vocal prowess, at least the producers chose to film on a real Greek island. The staging of the musical numbers is generally limpid, yet the rough, homemade quality of the material remains a big part of its infectious charm. Expect to get wet if you dip a toe into Aphrodite's fountain and carp at your own risk. (PG-13) FAIR MUSICAL Dir-Phyllida Lloyd Lead-Meryl Streep RT-108 mins.

SPACE CHIMPS How many monkey puns can we squeeze into eighty-one minutes? That must have been the principle guiding the makers of this animated dud about three simian astronauts -- with the voices of Andy Samberg, Cheryl Hines and Patrick Warburton -- sent by NASA to a distant planet to retrieve a lost probe. The sphere is inhabited by all manner of ugly aliens, one of whom is on a power trip. While the colors are bright, the same can't be said of the dim story, jokes or performances. Families looking to cut back on their entertainment spending can start by crossing this one off the list. (G) BORING ANIMATED COMEDY Dir-Kirk DeMicco Lead-Andy Samberg RT-81 mins.

TAKE "Take" charts a grieving mother and a death row inmate's concurrent stories, on the day of the tragedy and the day of the execution. Director Oliver's editorial structure, which habitually flip-flops between time periods, starts off a bit bumpy before settling into a comfortable groove, and his leads embody their characters with controlled distress, grief and remorse that lends weight to the plot's slow build to dual climaxes: the crime itself and the punishment. Unfortunately, the movie veers off course near the end thanks to a twist that invalidates everything that came before it and, in the process, nullifies engagement with the characters' prior plights. (R) FAIR DRAMA Dir-Charles Oliver Lead-Minnie Driver RT-99 mins.

TRANSSIBERIAN Trains and suspense naturally go together as demonstrated by a nifty thriller that puts a Yankee couple played by Emily Mortimer and Woody Harrelson aboard the express from Beijing to Moscow. Their cabin mates during the eventful journey along a popular if chilly drug-smuggling route are a young American (Kate Mara) and a Spanish lothario (Eduardo Noriega). Ben Kingsley portrays a Russian narcotics detective. Writer-director Anderson knows the details are as important as the big picture, so there's plenty to recommend the trip, including first-class cinematography, atmospherics and story bends. Each character is and isn't what they seem, the lesson being: don't underestimate innocents abroad. (R) GOOD THRILLER Dir-Brad Anderson Lead-Emily Mortimer RT-111 mins.

Current Showings

GET SMART (PG-13) Steve Carell - Classic TV spy spoof becomes big-budget action extravaganza (FAIR)

HANCOCK (PG-13) Will Smith - Vehicle for ornery superhero falls apart after promising start (FAIR)

HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY (PG-13) Ron Perlman - Red comic book hero busts more underworld baddies (GOOD)

THE INCREDIBLE HULK (PG-13) Edward Norton - Credible summer battle between comic book rage and romance (GOOD)

INDIANA JONES & THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL (PG-13) Harrison Ford - Indy IV: adequate (FAIR)

JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH (PG) Brendan Fraser - What lies beneath is a B-ticket ride (BORING)

KIT KITTREDGE: AN AMERICAN GIRL (G) Abigail Breslin - Depression-era tyke sleuths in snazzy family film (GOOD)

KUNG FU PANDA (PG) Jack Black - Couch potato becomes warrior of destiny in marital arts cartoon (GOOD)

MEET DAVE (PG) Eddie Murphy - Actor falls to earth and scores some points in halfway decent sci-fi comedy (FAIR)

SEX AND THE CITY (R) Sarah Jessica Parker - Prolix big-screen version of popular HBO television series (FAIR)

WALL-E (G) Ben Burtt - Pixar masterpiece has two robots fall in love and bring humans back to Earth (GREAT)

WANTED (R) James McAvoy - Ancient bevy of assassins ensnares cubicle drone in dynamic action flick (GOOD)

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