Cinemas - What’s still showing - 18/6/09

Jun 17 2009 by Michael Green, Ellesmere Port Pioneer

ANGELS & DEMONS (12A)

TOM Hanks returns to the role of Dan Brown’s hero Robert Langdon for this Da Vinci Code sequel set in Vatican City where a series if brutal killings puts the Pope himself in danger.

STAR RATING: ***

BURNING PLAIN (15)

GUILLERMO Arriaga – writer of 21 Grams and Babel - breaks into directing with a series of several apparently unrelated stories that eventually link together. Anoutwardly cool Oregon restaurant manager tries to deal with her inner turmoil while a young Mexican girl’s life is thrown into chaos following a terrible accident and an all-American mom in New Mexico has a passionate affair which will have explosive consequences for everyone. Starring Charlize Theron and Kim Basinger. Showing at Clwyd Theatr Cymru in Mold from Friday-Monday.

STAR RATING: ***

THE COLLECTOR (15)

THE story of a hard-nosed debt collector and his tansformation into a real human being. Luceck is the embodiment of the new capitalist values sweeping Poland – he mercilessly repossesses anything from vital hospital equipment to a statue of the Virgin Mary. One day, he realises the error of his ways but finds no one will believe he’s a changed man. Showing at Clwyd Theatr Cymru in Mold on Thursday only.

STAR RATING: ***

DOGHOUSE (15)

THE battle of the sexes turns very bloody in Jake West's tongue-in-cheek zombie horror in which a bunch of mates head for a tiny English village where women outnumber men three to one. The newcomers quickly realise that there is a very good reason why men are in such short supply: the womenfolk are bloodthirsty, flesh-eating zombies!

STAR RATING: **

DRAG ME TO HELL (15)

SAM Raimi returns to his Evil Dead horror roots for this thoroughly entertaining gore epic in which poor unfortunate Alison Lohman falls foul of a gypsy curse which puts her through all manner of nightmarish ordeals.

STAR RATING: ***

THE HANGOVER (15)

A STAG night goes hilariously awry in this new comedy from Todd Phillips, writer-director of Road Trip and Old School. Two days before he walks down the aisle with his beautiful bride, Doug (Justin Bartha) heads for the desert strip of Las Vegas with his three best buddies, Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms) and Alan (Zach Galifianakis). Several hours of heavy drinking and wild partying ensue, and in the morning Phil, Stu and Alan wake with pounding headaches and no memory of events of the night before.

STAR RATING: **

LAST CHANCE HARVEY (12A)

LOVE blossoms when two lonely people least expect it in writer-director Joel Hopkins’ gently paced and incredibly charming romance, set in bustling, modern-day London. The sensational pairing of Oscar winners Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson adds polish to very familiar material.

STAR RATING: ***

THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT (18)

LAME remake of Wes Craven’s landmark 1972 horror film, a grisly rape revenge thriller which has been rendered essentially harmless by this inept retread, spruced up with impressive make-up and special effects as two parents declare war on the thugs who brutalise their daughter.

STAR RATING: *

LOOKING FOR ERIC (15)

BRITISH director Ken Loach shot his latest bittersweet slice of life on location in Manchester, and scores possibly his most mainstream, feel-good hit to date. Featuring a pivotal dramatic role for both Manchester United Football Club and its fondly-remembered Gallic superstar Eric Cantona, this heartfelt coming-of-middle-age story finds emotional truth and earthy humour in the simple story of a single father struggling to raise two stepsons. The introduction of the eponymous footballer – a figment of the central character's imagination – provides an unusual catalyst for the subsequent journey of self-discovery and self-realisation.

STAR RATING: ***

A NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM 2 (PG)

A RARE example of a superior sequel following up a rather lame opening entry. Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson and Steve Coogan make a much greater impact although they are totally overshadowed by Amy Adams’ irresistible Amelia Earhart and Hank Azaria’s hilarious Egyptian villain.

STAR RATING: ***

PARIS 36 (15)

CHRISTOPHE Barratier (Les Choristes) returns with another musical comedy, this time set in 1936 Paris. Times are hard and the local theatre has to close, until the nearby residents decide to take over and run it themselves. Showing at Clwyd Theatr Cymru in Mold from Tuesday-Wednesday.

STAR RATING: ***

STAR TREK (12A)

THE 40 year old franchise is given a kick start and sent back into warp drive by Lost creator JJ Abrams who has directed the best reviewed Star Trek movie ever.

STAR RATING: ***

TERMINATOR SALVATION (12A)

MAN battles the machines once again in an all-guns-blazing reboot of the Terminator series, which sows the seeds of a new trilogy charting John Connor's rise to leader of the Resistance in the aftermath of Judgment Day, pitting the last vestiges of humanity, led by Christian Bale, against a fully-aware Skynet and its robotic foot soldiers.

STAR RATING: **