Capsule reviews, by Standard-Examiner movie critic Steve Salles, of next Tuesday's releases:
THE FIGHTER **** (R) Language throughout, drug content, some violence and sexuality. This could easily be dismissed as just another boxing movie with pretty boy Mark Wahlberg. But it's so much more, and that has everything to do with a great true story and terrific supporting work from Christian Bale, Amy Adams and Melissa Leo. This is one of my favorite films of 2010. Bale and Leo won Oscars for their performances. 115 minutes.
THE SWITCH *** 1/2 (PG-13) Mature thematic content, sexual material including dialogue, some nudity, drug use and language. Jennifer Aniston gives up on love and goes straight for a baby. Her best friend, Jason Bateman, would like to help, but she chooses another man's seed. Or does she? This seemingly lame idea flourishes into one of the best-written rom coms of the year. It's a big, pleasant surprise. Jeff Goldblum and Juliette Lewis also star. 100 minutes.
THE WILDEST DREAM: CONQUEST OF EVEREST *** 1/2 (PG) Thematic elements involving hardships of climbing, and some historical smoking images. Seventy five years separate the two stories of George Mallory and Conrad Anker. Mallory disappeared in 1924 while trying to reach the summit of Mt. Everest. Anker tried to duplicate his efforts in 2009 in hopes of proving Mallory made it. Learn what happened in both case with this extraordinary documentary. 94 minutes.
HEREAFTER *** (PG-13) Mature thematic elements including disturbing disaster and accident images, and for brief strong language. Three people from around the world have brushes with death that will alter their lives forever. One dies briefly and sees beyond the curtain, one loses a brother and as a result loses himself, and the other can hear from the dead and it's destroying his life. It's a gutsy subject and effort, but it doesn't quite come together. 127 minutes.
NO ONE KNOWS ABOUT PERSIAN CATS ** 1/2 (Not rated) In Persian with subtitles. Set aside what you've seen and heard about the culture of Iran, because there's a thriving subculture of musicians and artists who sound like they're right out of a New York nightclub. These people have loads of talent, and yet they're not allowed to shine where they live. 101 minutes.
* * *
Also being released:
BAKER BOYS: INSIDE THE SURGE (Not rated) Seasoned combat photographer Jon Steele turns his camera on The Baker Company during a three-month deployment in Iraq, fighting against a particularly fierce faction of al-Qaida. 212 minutes.
FREESTYLE (PG-13) A brief sexual assault and teen drinking. An Oxford law student falls for a charming freestyle basketball player, but when the law student's overbearing mother catches wind of the burgeoning romance, she does everything within her power to separate the pair before true love takes root. 90 minutes.
HEMINGWAY'S GARDEN OF EDEN (R) Strong sexual content, nudity and some language. A young American writer completes his service in World War I and travels across Europe with his wife and her attractive Italian girlfriend. 97 minutes.
A MARINE STORY (Not rated) A woman tries to put her life back together after being expelled from the military for violating the don't-ask-don't-tell policy, in this independent drama from writer and director Ned Farr. 98 minutes.
A SHINE OF RAINBOWS (PG) Some thematic elements, mild peril and smoking. A lonely orphan's life is transformed by an extraordinary woman who teaches him to conquer grief and discover the magic in nature and himself. 101 minutes.
SPOONER (R) Brief language and sexual content. Facing eviction from his parent's home on his 30th birthday, a socially awkward guy meets the girl of his dreams and creates his own rules for growing up. 83 minutes.
Steve Salles can be reached at films@standard.net.
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