originally published June 18, 2008

51 BIRCH STREET

(NR) 2005. Filmmaker Doug Block thought he knew his parents. But when Doug’s father, Mike, moves in with his former secretary only months after the death of Doug’s mother, questions about the past surface. 51 Birch Street was lauded as one of the year’s 10 best films by The New York Times and Siskel & Ebert, and as one of the year’s best documentaries by the National Board of Review.

88 MINUTES

(R) Nine years earlier, Dr. Jack Gramm (a distractingly coiffed Al Pacino), a forensic psychiatrist and college professor, gave the damning evidence that sent Jon Forster (Neil McDonough) to death row. On the eve of his execution, one of Jack’s students is murdered using Forster’s exact M.O., and Jack receives a phone call declaring the gruff prof has 88 minutes to live, and must solve the mystery before time runs out.

92 IN THE SHADE

(R) 1975. Peter Fonda and Warren Oates followed up the awesome slice of '70s horror, Race with the Devil, with more B-grade fun. As soon as Tom Skelton (Fonda) starts a fishing charter business in the Everglades, he runs afoul of his veteran competition (Oates). The two wage vengeful, violent war over the overheated Florida landscape.

ATHENS, GA-- INSIDE/OUT

(NR) 1987. Presented in association with AthFest 2008, Athens, GA.—Inside/Out chronicles the Classic City’s rise to national prominence as one of the most happening, vibrant musical scenes of the mid-'80s. Tony Gayton’s documentary features live performances and interviews with R.E.M., The B-52s, Pylon, The B-B-Que Killers, Time Toy, Jim Herbert, Flat Duo Jets, Love Tractor, Kilkenny Cats, The Squalls, folk artist Reverend Howard Finster and others. The screening will be followed by live performances and a discussion with Paul Butchart, Ort Carlton, Bob and Vanessa Hay, Michael Lachowski, Dexter Romweber and more.

ATHENS PICTURE SHOW

(NR) This RockDoc is a showcase of highlights and previews for new productions by Athens filmmakers followed by a colorful collection of vintage footage and rare performances from Athens' music past. Films include The B-52s: Live at the Downtown Café 1978., Love Tractor: 1983 Live at the Mad Hatter with Members of R.E.M., and R.E.M.: Live at Stitchcraft. Part of AthFest 2008.

BABY MAMA

(PG-13) Former “SNL” Weekend Update anchors Tina Fey and Amy Poehler have reteamed for a seriously funny movie about infertility and surrogacy, not exactly two subjects naturally associated with yuks. Baby Mama is not simply an “SNL” sketch stretched beyond its limits. The rest of the supporting cast executes their roles properly as well. As the token love interest, Greg Kinnear pretty much makes cute and stays out of the way. But this baby belongs to the mamas, Fey and Poehler, not the daddies, finally putting to rest the sexist assumption that men are funnier than women.

THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: PRINCE CASPIAN

(PG) The return trip to Narnia is not nearly as magical as the first, 2005’s The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. All 144 minutes of Prince Caspian are either preparation for a massive battle or the bloodless, kid-friendly conflict.

COLLEGE ROAD TRIP

(G) Martin Lawrence is Chief James Porter, the overprotective policeman father who decides to accompany - and mortify - his daughter, high school senior Rachel (Raven-Symoné), on a cross-country trip to pick a college.

DRILLBIT TAYLOR

(PG-13) This Judd Apatow production may lack the raunch of its older siblings, Knocked Up and Superbad, but the flick still packs its share of juvenile laughs. Three newly minted high schoolers hire a homeless veteran (Owen Wilson), who goes by the nom de guerre Drillbit Taylor, to protect them from a bully. So long as one goes into Drillbit Taylor realizing that it’s Superbad for the preteens whose parents wouldn’t let them see Superbad, one shouldn’t be disappointed.

THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM

(PG-13) Jackie Chan and Jet Li’s first on-screen pairing is the only exciting aspect of the listless Forbidden Kingdom. Modern American teen, Jason Tripitikas (Michael Angarano), gets transported to ancient China when he discovers a magical staff in a pawn shop. The fighting sequences are well-choreographed Crouching Tiger knockoffs at which Li could excel blindfolded, and the 54-year-old Chan retains his comic charm. However, every scene than doesn’t involve fighting is poorly paced and blandly shot. The silly story has potential; this family friendly chopsocky flick would have been a perfect English-language debut for Kung Fu Hustle’s Stephen Chow.

FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL

(R) Nothing special can be said about Nicholas Stoller’s direction, but the cast and Segel’s script, balancing lowbrow sex gags with a heartfelt tale of heartbreak and woe, are darn near perfect. I haven’t laughed so hard with a theater full of strangers since Superbad.

GET SMART

(PG-13) Maxwell Smart (Steve Carell), CONTROL’s newest agent, must battle KAOS with his more competent partner, Agent 99 (Anne Hathaway). I used to love watching “Get Smart” on Nick at Nite, but I am less than thrilled by a feature film directed by the guy behind the awful Nutty Professor II and written by the duo behind Failure to Launch. Props should be given to the casting director, who may have saved this comedy. Carell, Alan Arkin, The Rock and Terence Stamp were all inspired choices. If the trailer can be believed, the laughs could be as huge as the box office.

THE HAPPENING

(R) See Flick Skinny. The Happening sheds the pounds of pretention Shyamalan’s films have been gaining and harnesses the power of corny dialogue and silly acting to nostalgically travel back to the sci-fi silliness of the 1950s while playing in the backyard of those pissed off nature movies that so intrigued the '70s. Mark Wahlberg goofs it up as a science teacher stumbling through the Pennsylvania backwoods in the hope of outrunning some unnamable, inescapable, fatal affliction, and lo and behold, The Man Who Would Be Auteur proves he can have fun - with himself, his characters and the audience. Hints of a misanthropic Walden and War of the Worlds mingle with some seriously R-rated, non-gory scares in a rare horror movie for adults.

HAPPY FEET

(PG) Mumble the penguin (voiced by Elijah Wood) takes an eye-popping, breathtaking journey from dropped egg to societal savior. Happy Feet taps out a fresh rhythm to which you can dance when it’s not delivering pat lessons on religious intolerance and environmental destruction.

HEIMA: A FILM BY SIGUR RÓS

(NR) 2007. Iceland’s Sigur Rós can be seen in all its live glory in this filming of an unannounced tour of the group's native soil (heima means either “at home” or “homeland”). In Heima, Sigur Rós plays shows both large (the Reykjavik homecoming was the country’s largest ever) and small, songs both released (all four albums, including the latest, Takk…) and unreleased (“Gitardjamm”).

HORTON HEARS A WHO!

(G) The 1954 children’s classic about Horton the elephant (v. Jim Carrey), whose giant ears allow him to communicate with the tiny speck that is the town of Whoville is one of the good doctor’s most beloved tales, right behind Green Eggs and Ham. The laughs in Horton are never cheap or juvenile, yet they are perfectly pitched for little ones’ ears.

THE INCREDIBLE HULK

(PG-13) See Movie Pick.

INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL

(PG-13) Crystal Skull is a cinematic rollercoaster ride that only Steven Spielberg and George Lucas could build, delivering the most constant amusement of the year.

IRON MAN

(PG-13) When Stan Lee created billionaire industrialist/playboy Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) in 1963, the comic book legend could not have imagined how relevant he would remain in 2008. One of Marvel’s greatest heroes, Iron Man lacks the celebrity quotient of Spider-Man, and Iron Man director Jon Favreau (Elf) takes shrewd advantage of that relative anonymity. Downey makes the most of a screenplay that never takes itself too seriously without ever making its metal-clad superhero a joke. Iron Man opens the summer season with the ideal bang of effects, brawn and brains.

JEREMIAH JOHNSON

(PG) 1972. Recently deceased director Sydney Pollack received his only Palme d’Or nomination for this western starring Robert Redford. A soldier seeking to escape the Mexican War, Jeremiah Johnson becomes entangled in a vendetta with the Crow Indians that costs him his wife, his adopted child, and his idyllic frontier life. Cowritten by John Milius (a prolific, underrated screenwriter of the '70s and early '80s) Jeremiah Johnson also won a Bronze Wrangler from the Western Heritage Awards. Discussion and performance by singer/songwriter Bobby Bridger following the screening. Part of AthFest 2008.

KUNG FU PANDA

(PG) Jack Black fans may not be too pleased with Kung Fu Panda, but I was. JB keeps himself pretty well in check as the out-of-shape panda, Po, who comes off like “Lost”’s Hurley, a lovable couch potato thrust into an unlikely hero’s role when his wildest dreams come true. Dreamworks, the home of Shrek, may just be milking the family film cash cow again, but the awesomeness of Kung Fu Panda ensures that you will not care.

LET'S GET LOST

(NR) 1988. Filmed during the final years of singer-trumpeter Chet Baker’s life, Let’s Get Lost records the toll hard living - and an addiction to speedballs - will take. Filmmaker Bruce Weber interviews Baker, his numerous ex-wives, and his abandoned children to paint a beautiful black and white portrait of one of the kings of West Coast cool jazz. Let’s Get Lost was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature and for the Sundance Film Festival’s Grand Jury Prize. Part of AthFest 2008.

THE LOVE GURU

(PG-13) I’m pretty much over Mike Myers, and I doubt You Don’t Mess with the Zohan’s only real competition for summer’s most offensive comedy will change my mind. Pitka (Myers) is an American raised by gurus. When he returns to the U.S. to break into the self-help industry, Pitka is hired to refocus a star NHL player (Romany Malco, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, “Weeds”), whose wife left him for a rival (Justin Timberlake), before the Stanley Cup finals. With Jessica Alba.

MEET THE BROWNS

(PG-13) Perry’s last faith-driven dramedy is especially atonal - screeching gospel one moment, giant drippy ballad the next, and silly novelty song the next. These Browns aren’t worth meeting.

MR. MAGORIUM'S WONDER EMPORIUM

(G) Edward Magorium (Dustin Hoffman), the proprietor of the Wonder Emporium, has decided it’s time to retire, and he hopes the store will profit on under the watchful eye of store manager Molly Mahoney (Portman). In his feature debut, writer-director Zach Helm strives to build a less dark Chocolate Factory, but fails.

A NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM

(PG) A barely amusing romp due in large part to everyone but its star (Ben Stiller), showcases the comedian in all his childish unlikability. After taking a job as a night guard at the Museum of Natural History, he discovers the displays come to life when the sun goes down.

THE PIRATES WHO DON'T DO ANYTHING: A VEGGIE TALES MOVIE

(G) Larry the Cucumber, Mr. Lunt and Pa Grape leave the Pirate Times Dinner Theater to have morally-correct, biblically-based adventures on the high seas of the 17th century. 'Nuf said.

SEMI-PRO

(R) Semi-Pro, stealing shamelessly from the annals of sports cinema as it does, may be the closest we get to a new Slap Shot, minus the Paul Newman classic’s dramatic depression. Player/owner/coach Jackie Moon is Ferrell’s most lovable man-child; he truly cares about his misfit players (including Woody Harrelson and OutKast’s André Benjamin), his losing team and Flint, Michigan. Semi-Pro may be a rank amateur when it comes to originality, but it’s a seasoned professional when it comes to laughs.

SEX AND THE CITY: THE MOVIE

(R) Sex and the City: The Movie has everything for which fans of the popular, Emmy-winning HBO series have been waiting and dreaming these last four years. Their fairy tale lives have moved on in our absence, but the four ladies remain as true to each other as the day the show began in 1998. Writer/director Michael Patrick King does a wonderful job enlarging the show for its big screen debut. The writing is snappy, and the direction breezy. The film wears its two-and-a-half-hour running time like Carrie wears Dolce: well.

SHINE A LIGHT

(NR) Academy Award-winning filmmaker Martin Scorsese and The Rolling Stones unite in this engaging rock concert movie. Part of AthFest 2008.

SON OF RAMBOW

(PG-13) This British flick was a hit at Sundance and could be a small summer charmer. A shy boy (Bill Milner) and his tough neighbor (Will Poulter) collaborate to make a shot-for-shot home version of the first Rambo movie, First Blood. Written and directed by Garth Jennings, Son of Rambow could ride the nostalgia wave, but not as long or as high as Sly’s January sequel did.

SPROCKETS MUSIC VIDEO SHOW

(NR) Encore screening in the CINELAB.

SPY KIDS

(PG) 2001. Spy Kids creatively blends Mission: Impossible and James Bond into appealing fun for the whole family. Two siblings (Alexa Vega and Daryl Sabara) must save their parents (Antonio Banderas and Carla Gugino), two of the world’s greatest spies. The Special Needs Library presents this family friendly movie featuring a non-intrusive track for visually impaired viewers.

THE STRANGERS

(R) The Strangers - a shotgun blast of genuine domestic terror, delivered to the gut, then the chest, and finally the face - is the scariest film I’ve seen in years and, quite possibly, the most frightening film I’ve ever seen in a theater. The Strangers lacks a lick of the fun irony of the post-Scream horror genre and has been cleansed of the malicious good humor of Hostel as well as the overstimulation of Saw. First-time writer/director Bryan Bertino pulls no punches, and he knows how - and where - to land them most effectively. The Strangers is not a fun horror movie, but it is a cathartic one.

TEENSCREEN FILMFEST

(NR) Encore screening in the CINELAB.

THE VISITOR

(PG-13) If you were enamored with The Station Agent, you’ll probably be interested to know writer/director Thomas McCarthy has finally crafted a follow-up. When college professor Walter Vale (Richard Jenkins, “Six Feet Under”) walks into his NYC apartment, he is surprised to find two illegal immigrants (Haaz Sleiman and Danai Gurira) living there; imagine how much more surprised Walter is when the three become friends.

WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS...

(PG-13) How funny you find Vegas will depend greatly on how well you tolerate selfishness in others and how entertaining/cute you find the two mismatched stars. Kutcher spends much of the film being nauseatingly obnoxious (and this after he’d started to grow on me). Diaz shows little of her own comic spark. Corddry supplies a few insufficient, idiotic laughs. Like the ads say, What Happens in Vegas... should stay in Vegas.

YOU DON'T MESS WITH THE ZOHAN

(PG-13) Though You Don’t Mess with the Zohan starts out thuddingly, explosively unfunny, the latest Adam Sandler comedy actually improves over its 112-minute running time. The opening sequence establishing Zohan as an Israeli James Bond, a curly-haired, macho man who loves hummus, hacky sack and hairdressing, comes off like another in the noxious (insert genre) Movie franchise. Rather than fighting terrorism, the former Mossad man is tasked with keeping peace amongst his new Arab and Israeli neighbors. You don’t mess with the Zohan, but you can laugh at him; he’s actually pretty funny.

YOUNG @ HEART

(PG) Young @ Heart documents the Young at Heart Chorus, a group of New England senior citizens that rock out to contemporary tunes and classic rock hits by everyone from The Clash to Coldplay.

Drew Wheeler