filmland / By Charlie Myers

Lindsay Lohan’s bad week

(Aug. 2, 2007) Previews

Opening Friday, August 3 is the concluding film of the Bourne trilogy, The Bourne Ultimatum , which began in 2002 with The Bourne Identity . These spy thrillers, based on the novels of Robert Ludlum, are on my all-time top five list for this genre (which, pending my actually seeing Ultimatum , only leaves two others). I largely credit Matt Damon for elevating this series above the genre norm, and he returns here as a Jason Bourne who may be recovering his memory. That spells bad news for his CIA handlers. I was very sorry to see the wonderful Franka Potente eat it early in The Bourne Supremacy , but Julia Stiles was very good in Supremacy and she returns here as naïve agent Nicky Parsons. Sadly, I will be in Maryland this Friday and will not get to see the film nor review it. The rest of you, enjoy. Rated PG-13 for violence and intense sequences of action. 121 m. At the Broadway, Minor, Mill Creek and Fortuna.

I Know Who Killed Me

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From Walt Disney comes Underdog , a film about an ordinary beagle that acquires superpowers, including the power of speech, due to a scientific experiment gone wrong. As he has to save a city, the superpowers may come in handy. Based on the cartoon and TV series, Underdog is voiced by Jason Lee ( My Name Is Earl ). The film also features Alex Neuberger from Running Scared , Peter Dinklage and James Belushi. Rated PG for rude humor, mild language and action. 94 m. At the Broadway.

On the movie musical front, Once is the winner of audience awards at the 2007 Dublin International and Sundance Film Festivals. Filmed in the streets of Dublin, the story is about a street musician (Glen Hansard, The Commitments ) with a guitar and a recent heartbreak who meets a piano playing Czech woman (Mark√©ta Irglov√°). Will they make beautiful music together? Don’t expect a Dreamgirls extravaganza, just a good small-scale film. Rated R for language. 95 m. At the Minor.

Saturday Night Live strikes again as Andy Samberg slithers to the big screen in Hot Rod as stuntman Ron Kimble, who wants to jump over 15 school buses with his motorcycle to raise money for his ornery stepfather’s (Ian McShane) heart operation. Why can’t SNL people stay where they belong, on the small screen? Despite the presence of McShane and Sissy Spacek, I won’t miss reviewing this film. Rated PG-13 for crude humor, language, some comic drug-related and violent content. 98 m. At The Movies, Mill Creek and the Fortuna.

Also opening is Bratz , based on the fashion dolls who love to shop. As the four friends enter Carrie Nation High, Jade (Janel Parrish), Chloe (Skyler Shaye), Yasmin (Nathalia Ramos) and Sasha (Logan Browning) have to struggle to remain close in the face of those high school mean girls. Rated PG for thematic elements. 120 m. At The Movies.

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