filmland / By Charlie Myers

See ‘City of Men,’ Quick

Plus: What’s more boorish — ‘Doomsday’ or its fans?

(March 20, 2008) Note to readers: This will be my last column until early May as I’m going on hiatus to spend about six weeks in Portland, Ore., where, among other pleasures, I may get to see a greater variety of films. I realize that “hiatus” is TV-speak for “to be canceled at a later date,” but hopefully that fate won’t befall me. Of course, I never know what’s on my editor’s mind. [Hurry home, Charlie! — Ed.]

Previews

City of Men

GALLERY >

Wouldn’t you know it: I leave town and we finally get The Other Boleyn Girl, which opens Friday, March 21, the story about two sisters, Anne Boleyn (Natalie Portman) and Mary (Scarlett Johansson), who vie to be another notch on Henry VIII’s (Eric Bana) belt. History tells that winners end up losers, but Henry’s good fortune is my loss. Rated PG-13 for mature thematic elements, sexual content and some violent images. 125 m. At the Broadway.

Tyler Perry once again plays Madea in Meet the Browns, based on Perry’s play. In the latest of these popular films, single Chicago mom Brenda goes to Georgia for the funeral of a father she never met, and meets the rowdy Brown family. Rated PG-13 for drug content, language including sexual references, thematic elements and brief violence. 110 m. At the Broadway.

Owen Wilson is featured in Drillbit Taylor, a film that sounds as ridiculous as its title. This comedy is about three school kids who hire a bodyguard on the cheap to protect themselves from a playground bully. Rated PG-13 for crude sexual references throughout, strong bullying, language, drug references and partial nudity. 112 m. At the Broadway, Mill Creek and Fortuna.

In another remake of an Asian horror film, this one Thai, Shutter is about newlyweds who honeymoon in Tokyo, where the photographs they took of an accident start to generate scary images. Sometimes, looking for the truth doesn’t pay off. Rated PG-13 for terror, disturbing images, sexual content and language. 95 m. At the Broadway, Mill Creek and Fortuna.

From Israel comes The Band’s Visit, a cultural differences comedy about a band composed of Egyptian policemen who, on the way to Israel to play at an Arab cultural center, end up in the wrong town. Rated PG-13 for brief strong language. 97 m. At the Minor.

Finally, the British crime comedy In Bruges concerns two Irish hitmen (Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson) who travel to the Belgian town of Bruges to carry out some very unclear orders from their boss (Ralph Fiennes). What to do while waiting for things to clear up? Rated R for strong bloody violence, pervasive language and some drug use. 117 m. At the Minor.

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