Star Trek (2009)

Betsy Sharkey gives the Critics' Choice award for 'Star Trek' 2009:

Star Trek Warp speed has never felt so fast, the deep rumble of the engines as they power up a visceral experience as much as anything else. The black witchy menace of the Romulan spacecraft, like a dark ghost ship floating across the sky, never so lethal. The wave of nostalgia never so sweet as when the words "USS Enterprise" first come into view against the white sweep of the starship. With a "Top Gun"-styled James T. Kirk infused with arrogance and smarts thanks to Chris Pine and a cerebral, sly and wry Spock from Zachary Quinto, you've got a classic not so much remade as reimagined by director J.J. Abrams. Now that "Star Trek" is settling into its second weekend, all that will be far easier to savor, with the crowds thinning a little. So go where many have boldly gone before, because "Star Trek" 2009 is on its way to becoming a classic in its own right.

Kenneth Turan pitches in too:

Here's a challenge: How do you implant a potentially lethal alien organism into a body that desperately needs the help but might die if things don't go just right? No, it's not the plot of an old "Star Trek" episode, it's the back story of the new "Star Trek" motion picture.

It's no secret that director J.J. Abrams and his writers of choice, Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, were brought in by Paramount to reformulate the venerable space opera franchise that was viewed as requiring a jolt of energy. What was not often focused on was that the differences between what they wanted to do and what had gone before made this a perilous endeavor.

So it is pleasant to report that though it's not perfect, the reconstituted "Star Trek" is successful enough for everyone to breathe a sigh of relief. Though it has its over-caffeinated aspects and its missteps, this "Star Trek" has in general bridged the gap between the old and the new with alacrity and purpose.

Read Kenneth Turan's full review of Star Trek (2009) at the LA Times

Monsters vs Aliens

Betsy Sharkey gives "Monsters vs Aliens" a thumbs-up, despite what she describes as a "very U.S.-centric movie:

If you haven't yet, consider working the animated action fable "Monsters vs. Aliens" into your schedule before the tsunami of summer movies hits. This is a very U.S.-centric movie, with the monsters using our military muscle to fight back an alien invasion, and there is a lot of flag-waving any time victory comes, which might be why the film hasn't been the hit overseas that it has been here. Which is too bad, because "Monsters' " central theme -- that being different is not just OK but something to celebrate -- is a good one in any language.

Monsters vs Aliens is showing in both 3D and 3D IMAX

The Merry Gentleman

A Critics' Choice award from LA Times movie critic Betsy Sharkey for "The Merry Gentleman":

Like a fog-shrouded hill, "The Merry Gentleman" might slip by you unnoticed. Don't let it. This small gem of a movie is the first directed by Michael Keaton, who stars along with the exceptionally talented young Scottish actress Kelly Macdonald. The dialogue is exquisitely spare, a gift from screenwriter Ron Lazzeretti, and the Christmastime Boston that cinematographer Chris Seager has conjured up is yet another present under the tree. Betsy Sharkey's review of "The Merry Gentleman"

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Synopsis The Merry Gentleman
The Merry Gentleman tells the story of Kate Frazier, a young woman running away from a troubled marriage in the hopes to find anonymity with a new home and a new job in Chicago. When Kate meets Frank Logan, the two discover unexpected satisfaction in their mutual shared silence. Haunted by the troubling choices he has made, Frank finds a kindred spirit in the younger Kate, and, for a moment, the two seem destined to redeem and remake each other. As the holidays and New Year pass against an urban landscape that seems both breathtakingly beautiful and starkly quiet, Kate and Frank’s friendship becomes one of necessity and survival. But, neither lonely soul can escape the lives they have left behind. As events unfold and the painful truth slowly emerges, Frank is forced to face the man he truly is, while Kate struggles to become the woman she needs to be.

Opened May 1, 2009 Runtime:1 hr. 39 min.
Cast: Michael Keaton, Kelly MacDonald, Tom Bastounes, Darlene Hunt, Guy Van Swearingen
Director: Michael Keaton
Genres: Psychological Drama, Drama

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Il Divo

Kenneth Turan writes in his capsule review of "Il Divo":

Il Divo If you plan to see "Il Divo," and you should, be prepared to hold onto your seats. This story of veteran Italian politician Giulio Andreotti, variously known as the Sphinx, the Hunchback and the Black Pope, is simultaneously exhilarating and confounding, dazzling and confusing. If you don't think a film about Italian politics could possibly interest you, Paolo Sorrentino's virtuoso direction and an uncanny performance by Toni Servillo, one of Italy's best actors, will change your mind. Read Kenneth Turan's review of Il Divo

Synopsis Il Divo

Il Divo tells this story of mind-blowing corruption and chaos at the highest level of politics with a sardonic wit and cinematic bravado. Bringing youthful energy and boldness to a tale of Shakespearean proportions, director Paolo Sorrentino firmly establishes himself as one of the most exciting and original young filmmakers in Europe today.

*Note: Film is presented in Italian with English subtitles.

Opened April 24, 2009 Runtime:1 hr. 50 min.

Cast: Toni Servillo, Anna Bonaiuto, Giulio Bosetti, Flavio Bucci, Carlo Buccirosso, Giorgio Colangeli
Director: Paolo Sorrentino

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The Garden

Kenneth Turan of the LA Times comments:

It's tempting to call "The Garden" a story of innocence and experience, of evil corrupting paradise, but that would be doing a disservice to the fascinating complexities of a classic Los Angeles conflict and an excellent documentary that does them full justice. Produced and directed by Scott Hamilton Kennedy, “The Garden” takes us behind the scenes into the fierce battle over a 14-acre community garden at 41st and Alameda known as the South-Central Farm, a dispute that turned so bitter and protracted it is still going on. As much as it is a potent human drama, “The Garden” is a case study in how hardball politics is played and why it is so difficult to take on the system. Not that anyone has given up the fight.

Synopsis of "The Garden"
The Garden is an engaging and powerful look at the famous political and social battle over the largest community garden in the U.S (located in south central Los Angeles). A follow-up to Kennedy's award-winning documentary, OT: Our Town, the film shows how the politics of power and greed (backroom deals, land developing, green politics, money) tragically intersect with working class families who rely on this communal garden for their livelihood. Equal parts The Wire and Harlan County, USA, The Garden exposes the fault lines in American society and raises crucial and challenging questions about liberty, equality, and justice for the poorest and most vulnerable among us.

Opened April 24, 2009 Runtime:1 hr. 20 min.
Cast: Derek Jarman, Tilda Swinton, John Mills, Jody Graber, Kevin Collins, Pete Lee-Wilson, Philip MacDonald, Roger Cook
Director: Derek Jarman
Genres: Gay & Lesbian Films, Drama, Avant-garde / Experimental, Surrealist Film

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