Crazy Train

Romero remake fails to thrill; cornball Giamatti sullies Tolstoy biopic

(March 4, 2010) Previews

Just in time for the Oscar ceremony, Precious, based on the 1996 novel Push by Sapphire, concerns a pregnant Harlem teen (Gabourey Sidibe) living with her abusive mother (Mo’Nique) who finds respite in a literacy workshop. The film garnered four major nominations: Picture, Actress, Supporting Actress and Director (Lee Daniels). Rated R for child abuse including sexual assault, and pervasive language. 110m. At the Broadway.

The Crazies.

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Johnny Depp goes crazy again in Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland. In this “re-imagining,” Alice (Mia Wasikowska) is 19 and follows the White Rabbit (Anne Hathaway) back to Wonderland, a place that needs her even if she no longer remembers her past visit. Depp is the Mad Hatter and Helena Bonham Carter is the Red Queen. Rated PG for fantasy action/violence involving scary images and situations, and for a smoking caterpillar. 108m. At the Broadway, Fortuna (3-D and 2-D) and Mill Creek.

Brooklyn’s Finest is a crime thriller that follows three police officers at different stages of their careers: Richard Gere plays a cop on the verge of retirement, Don Cheadle is an officer dangerously undercover and Ethan Hawke a family man tempted to steal confiscated drug money. Co-starring Wesley Snipes as a drug dealer. Rated R for bloody violence throughout, strong sexuality, nudity, drug content and pervasive language. 140m. At the Broadway.

Films at the Arcata Theater Lounge this week include the bottled water documentary Tapped on Thursday, Mar. 4 at 7 p.m., the ’80s skate flicks The Search For Animal Chin (1987) and Thrashin’ (1986) on Friday, Mar. 5 at 7 p.m., Mario Van Peebles’ look at the status of black men in America, Fair Game? on Saturday, Mar. 6 at 1 p.m. and the sci-fi “classics” Destination Moon (1950) and Rocketship X-M (1950) on Wednesday, Mar. 10 at 6 p.m.

Also this week, HSU and CR present the 12th Annual Latino Film Festivalat the Minor in Arcata. Films include El Compadre Mendoza (Tuesday, Mar. 9), ¡Vámonos con Pancho Villa! (Wednesday, Mar. 10) and El Principio (Thursday, Mar. 11).

Reviews

THE CRAZIES: Having copped out on disgruntled Kevin Smith’s black/white buddy film, fresh ideas for which were quickly exhausted back in the ’80s, I gave induced rural mental illness a try instead. Alas, poor Iowa! I can only be thankful that I completed my graduate degrees at UI some time ago, because at the end of The Crazies, a remake of the 1973 George Romero film, Cedar Rapids is looking to be in real trouble, and that’s just a stone’s throw from Iowa City.

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