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by Mary K. Morgan - member of the St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association.
Sex and the City (R) Four years ago when 12 million viewers said good-bye to their friends Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), Miranda (Cynthia Nixon), Samantha (Kim Cattrall) and Charlotte (Kristin Davis), who knew they’d be back to fill us in on their lives? Now it’s 2008 and “the girls” have the big screen to fill with their escapades, friendships and love dramas. They’re still shopping for labels, having cocktails, and offering advice, condolences and support to each other, but this time around they are mature forty-somethings.
The film begins with a crash course in the Sex and the City series (all six seasons) which can serve as a quick review for fans or as a tutorial for the uninitiated. The catch-up is narrated by Carrie (Parker) who quickly takes center stage in the major drama that is about to erupt. The pivotal question is, will Carrie wed Mr. Big (Chris Noth) or will the planned nuptials end unceremoniously?
As if a whole season of angst had to be crammed into one feature-length film, there are three other satellite dramas in play that parallel the wedding conundrum. There seems to be almost too much to consider in so short a time frame, but that’s life in the big city. For some viewers, the almost two-and-a-half-hour run time was a bit long. On the other hand, the die-hard fans of the television series were still begging for more as the final credits rolled down the screen. Note: Few males will enjoy this Sex, so let’s allow the girls to have their fun night out with a chick flick and a Cosmo.
Indiana Jones: The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (PG-13) Dr. Henry “Indiana” Jones (Harrison Ford) is back and no Soviet Communists, no matter how many of them, can pull anything over on him. An archeologist by education and a wily street-fighter by necessity, the graying adventurer manages another encore after a nearly 20-year hiatus. And, he does it with the same witty, sarcastic attitude that made him so famous. With his signature brown fedora, leather bomber jacket and trusty bull-whip, Dr. Jones once again bursts into a theater near you and entertains you for two full hours.
This time around the date is in the mid- 1950s and the treasure at hand is a mysterious and powerful crystal skull, unearthed in an archeological dig and surreptitiously warehoused by the United States government. The Soviets are well aware of its potential as a Cold War weapon and will stop at nothing to gain the treasure. Enter Indiana Jones and his new young sidekick, Mutt Williams (Shia LaBeouf). Let the games begin as the good guys and bad guys vie for the prize.
Your enjoyment of the film will be a function of your willingness to sit back and be shamelessly entertained by the inflated exploits of Indiana and his crew. The divisive factor here might be the age of the audience. Those who fondly recall the original Indiana Jones trilogy will be the most satisfied, the younger set will be looking at all of the obvious, and sometimes gigantic, flaws of logic in the plot. One thing’s for sure though, and that’s who is being groomed to take over for Harrison Ford’s “Indiana.”
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (PG) Time is relative, and none are so aware of this fact than the dimension-traveling Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy Pevensie as they return to the Kingdom of Narnia after a one-year absence. In Narnian time, this translates into 1,300 years, and all has changed in the foreign land of their previous adventure (The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe). The Golden Age is history and Narnia has fallen to the evil conquers, the Telmarines, led by King Miraz. The king has but one desire, to place his newborn son on the throne of Narnia. But one small detail has to be taken care of first, Prince Caspian: the rightful heir.
Driven from his life of luxury at the castle, Caspian must learn the ways of the forest if he is to survive. Fortunately, the young Kings and Queens of Narnia have returned to help him escape the evil Miraz and, with the help of Aslan, restore him to the throne. Along the way, Reepicheep, a very helpful and entertaining mouse; Trufflehunter, a friendly badger; a few willing dwarfs and all of the assorted Narnian beings lend their talents to save the day, and Narnia, from certain doom.
The battles are fierce, but surprisingly, not at all bloody, therefore the mild PG MPAA rating is appropriate for this exciting adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ children’s book. But, there is no doubt that a violent war is raging throughout most of the film. Battle scenes are a bit long, grueling and scary for the younger viewers.
What Happens in Vegas (PG-13) A new take on the old accidental marriage in Vegas after a night of too much free alcohol, What Happens in Vegas is still catchy enough to create a good-enough story for an audience seeking some light entertainment. When virtual strangers Joy McNally (Cameron Diaz) and Jack Fuller (Ashton Kutcher) awaken in a Vegas hotel, they soon discover that they are man and wife. Familiarity seems to have bred all kinds of contempt and the two immediately launch into a relationship built on dislike. And that would have resulted in a standard annulment procedure had not Jack borrowed a quarter from Joy, won a huge slot jackpot and thoroughly complicated the whole relationship. Therein lies the rest of the movie.
Kutcher fans will be more than pleased with this movie. His role is true to his usual screen persona and is easy watching for those who relish the romantic comedy genre. It’s the rest of you who will be looking at your watches about mid-way through the story. But the good news for the restless is that the movie is just a few minutes past the one and one-half-hour minimum set by today’s standards. Cinematic fluff, with a payout for some, assuming you don’t go in expecting too much.
The Strangers (R) With an exhaustingly thin plot, this film manages to capture your attention for an hour and a half, only to leave you reminiscing about all the better “slasher” movies that you have seen over the years. Shortly after attending a wedding reception, Kristen (Liv Tyler) and James (Scott Speedman) arrive at his family’s vacation home at 4 a.m., exhausted from a stressful evening. Kristen is ready to crash, but James has prepared the house for a romantic interlude. Then, a loud knock on the door and a troubling visit from a stranger breaks the silence of the early hour, and we get an unsettling feeling that all is not well. And we are correct.
When James goes out for cigarettes and a drive, Kristen is left home alone with shadowy, masked stalkers who lurk in the background, quietly making their presence known. A thoroughly spooked Kristen calls James for help. He returns, certain that Kristen is over-reacting, but soon realizes that they are the designated mice in a classic game of cat-and-mouse, perpetrated by the sadistic masked strangers.
The action is predictable, horrific and sometimes painful to watch, let alone enjoy. However, it’s a good entertainment choice for those who enjoy watching extreme acts of torture with their popcorn. It is hinted that the story may have some basis in fact, but the disclaimer at the end indicates that it is entirely fictional. I hope that is the case.
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