Sunday, January 23, 2011

Our critics recommend...

Movies Another Year See Steven Rea's preview on H2 .

Bhutto This documentary looks at the life, career, and assassination of Benazir Bhutto, the late prime minister of Pakistan.

The Mechanic See Steven Rea's preview on H2.

The Rite See Steven Rea's preview on H2.

Reviewed by critics Carrie Rickey (C.R.) and Steven Rea (S.R.). W.S. denotes a wire-service review.

Black Swan Natalie Portman in the performance of her career as a fiercely disciplined prima ballerina struggling with the dual roles of Swan Lake and with a newly recruited dancer (Mila Kunis) threatening to steal her part. Vincent Cassell, Barbara Hershey, and Winona Ryder are on board for this thrilling, nutty psychodrama from The Wrestler 's Darren Aronofsky. 1 hr. 43 R (sex, nudity, drugs, physical torment, profanity, adult themes) - S.R.

The Illusionist Full of bittersweet whimsy and gorgeous hand-drawn animated tableaux, this gem from the director of the Oscar-nominated The Triplets of Belleville follows an aging magician as he ekes out a living and runs into an innocent girl who changes his life, and he hers. Inspired by Jacques Tati, and adapted from the French comedy great's unproduced screenplay. 1 hr. 20 PG (adult themes) - S.R.

The King's Speech Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush star in this rousing odd-couple comedy, drawn from real life, about King George VI, a stutterer, and his speech therapist. 1 hr. 51 R (profanity, but otherwise family-friendly for those 12 and older) - C.R.

The Fighter Based on the real-life career, and comeback, of welterweight champ "Irish" Micky Ward and his relationship with his wacko half-brother, erstwhile prizefighter Dicky Eklund, this roiling, colorful film is great in the ring, and great outside the ring, too. Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale are the pugilist sibs, Melissa Leo their mom; Amy Adams is Micky's bare-knuckle barkeep girlfriend. 1 hr. 55 R (violence, profanity, drugs, sex, adult themes) - S.R.

127 Hours Gripping true story of a mountain climber (James Franco) who is trapped for five days under a boulder in a Utah canyon before taking drastic steps to survive. 1 hr. 37 R (profanity, disturbing violent content, bloody images) - C.R.

True Grit The Coen Brothers adapt Charles Portis' novel about a plucky girl who hires a bounty hunter to collect her father's killer and rides on the hunt herself, determined to see things set right. With Jeff Bridges as the one-eyed, boozy gunslinger Rooster Cogburn, Matt Damon as a comically fussy Texas Ranger, Josh Brolin as the villain, and newcomer Hailee Steinfeld as the impossibly composed and gumptious 14-year-old heroine. 1 hr. 50 PG-13 (violence, cussing, adult themes) - S.R.

The Dilemma *1/2 Vince Vaughn and Kevin James are best buds, Jennifer Connelly and Winona Ryder the respective girlfriend and wife, in this Ron Howard-directed infidelity comedy distinguished by its resounding unfunniness and emotional dishonesty. 1 hr. 58 PG-13 (profanity, violence, adult themes) - S.R.

The Green Hornet *1/2 Seth Rogen cowrote and costars in this superhero spoof that aims for irreverence and settles for irrelevance. Director Michel Gondry fails to put his surrealist stamp on the material. Only Jay Chou, as the Hornet's sidekick who is really his superior, emerges with any personality. PG-13 - C.R.

Little Fockers ** Robert De Niro returns as the suspicious father-in-law who places unreasonable expectations on his daughter's spouse (Ben Stiller). Sporadically funny, with Viagra jokes that don't provoke laughs so much as cringes. 1 hr. 38 PG-13 (sexual candor) - C.R.

No Strings Attached *** Affable comedy with Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman as friends with benefits. She'd like to keep the arrangement strictly physical, but his emotions keep getting in the way. 1 hr. 48 R (sexual content, profanity, drugs) - C.R.

TRON: Legacy ** With its Zen jargon, martial-arts moves, and neon glow, the sequel to the 1982 cult picture that explored the inner life of video games demonstrates that you can teach an old dog new Matrix. But for the hipster ravings of Jeff Bridges, the sequel would otherwise be merely be a gaudy Nintendo prototype. 2 hrs. 06 PG (lots of flashing lights and loud noise) - C.R.

Yogi Bear 3D * A computer-animated Yogi and Boo-Boo inhabit a real-world Jellystone Park in this weak big-screen adaptation of the animated children's character. Dan Aykroyd provides the voice of Yogi and Justin Timberlake is Boo-Boo Bear. 1 hr. 15 PG (mild rude humor) - W.S.

Theater Reviewed by critics Wendy Rosenfield (W.R.), Howard Shapiro (H.S.), and Toby Zinman (T.Z.). Amadeus (Walnut Street Theatre) Music, envy, and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, in Peter Shaffer's Tony-award winner about obsession and genius. Currently in previews, opens Wednesday.

First Lady of Philadelphia: Deborah Franklin (Hedgerow Theatre) The Man's wife tells it the way she sees it in Roberta Sloane's piece, which she performs. Opens Saturday.

Lidless (InterAct Theatre Company) New play about a woman who once interrogated prisoners at Guantánamo Bay - a life that comes back to haunt her. Currently in previews, opens Wednesday.

The Little Prince (Bristol Riverside Theatre) Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's beloved fable, reimagined with puppets. Previews Tuesday and Wednesday, opens Thursday.

Love Lessons from Abu Ghraib (InterAct Theatre Company) Yoga teacher Jennifer Schelter's one-woman show about her experiences with torture and healing. Opens Saturday.

Race (Philadelphia Theatre Company) David Mamet's play about race, the law, and the nature of justice is fresh from Broadway in this locally produced version. Currently in previews, opens Wednesday.

Annie (Media Theatre) Wanda Sykes is Miss Hannigan and sweet Tori Heinlein is Annie in a pleasant production whose orphans are the cutest. Ends Sunday. - H.S.

Source: http://www.philly.com

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