At the Movies: ‘Gatsby,’‘Peeples,’ more

 

OPENS TODAY

‘The Great Gatsby’ 

A Midwestern war veteran finds himself drawn to the past and lifestyle of his millionaire neighbor. Director Baz Luhrmann is the latest to adapt F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic book, and the big-budget movie stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Carey Mulligan and Joel Edgerton. (PG-13, 143 minutes)

 

‘Peeples’  Sparks fly when a man crashes an annual family reunion in the Hamptons to ask for their precious daughter’s hand in marriage. Craig Robinson, Kerry Washington and David Alan Grier star in this comedy. (PG-13, 95 minutes)

 

LIMITED RELEASE

‘Aftershock’ 

In Chile a group of travelers who are in an underground nightclub when a massive earthquake hits quickly learn that reaching the surface is just the beginning of their nightmare. At Kapolei 16 (R, 90 minutes)

 

‘In the House’ 

A teenage boy insinuates himself into the house of a fellow student from his literature class and writes about it in essays for his French teacher. At Kahala 8 (R, 105 minutes)

 

‘Renoir’ 

A lushly atmospheric drama that explores a pivotal time in the lives of master painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir and his war-wounded son, Jean. At Kahala 8 (R, 111 minutes)

NOW PLAYING

’42′ 1/2

The life story of Jackie Robinson, the first black Major League Baseball player, and his history-making signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947 under the guidance of team executive Branch Rickey. As with Robinson himself, the movie is a class act, though not always an engaging one. It’s such a familiar story that any faithful film biography almost inevitably will turn out predictable, even a bit routine. But it does feature an earnest performance by Chadwick Boseman in the title role and enjoyably self-effacing turn by Harrison Ford as Rickey. (David Germain, Associated Press) (PG-13, 88 minutes)

 

’56 Up’ 

British director Michael Apted continues his fascinating series of documentaries that revisits the same group of people that he’s spoken with since they were children, interviewing them every seven years to find out what changes over time have been made in their lives. Apted has always been the interviewer throughout the series, and that continuity has been invaluable in encouraging from-the-heart candor from the participants. (Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times) (NR, 144 minutes)

 

‘The Big Wedding’ 1/2

Robert De Niro and Diane Keaton lead a cast starring in this romantic comedy about a long-divorced couple forced to play happy for the sake of their adopted son’s wedding after his ultraconservative biological mother unexpectedly decides to fly halfway across the world to attend. This is the latest limp comedy about seniors behaving badly, and it doesn’t have a single moment of recognizable humanity. (Joe Williams, St. Louis Post-Dispatch) (R, 90 minutes)

 

‘Blancanieves’ 

A twist on the Snow White fairy tale set in 1920s Seville and centered on a female bullfighter. The film deftly blends cinematic antiquarianism, period atmosphere and primal emotions, but it never quite achieves the uncanny, haunting intensity of the silent films it so studiously and lovingly mimics. (A.O. Scott, New York Times) (PG-13, 104 minutes)

 

‘The Company You Keep’ 1/2

A former Weather Underground activist goes on the run from a journalist who has discovered his identity. Actor-director Robert Redford has made an involving but often predictable drama set in the present but dealing with volatile events that occurred in a nation roiled by the Vietnam War. What gets revealed should rattle but it doesn’t. (Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post) (R, 121 minutes)

 

‘The Croods’ 1/2

The world’s first prehistoric family goes on a road trip to an uncharted and fantastical world. This colorfully vibrant feature from DreamWorks Animation is a familiar mix of generational clashes, coming-of-age milestones and generally relatable laughs. (Christy Lemire, Associated Press) (PG, 98 minutes)

 

‘A Deeper Shade of Blue’ 

Jack McCoy’s documentary about the history of surfing. McCoy calls this the pinnacle of his 40-year career as a surf cinematographer, as he follows the surfers overhead, thanks to a Seabob underwater scooter. (R, 90 minutes)

 

‘Disconnect’ 1/2

Jason Bateman and Hope Davis star in a drama about Internet-infused alienation in an anonymous New York suburb. The film is a heavy-handed cautionary tale. Strong performances notwithstanding, the movie never connects. (Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune) (R, 115 minutes)

 

‘From Up on Poppy Hill’ 

Goro Miyazaki works from a screenplay from his father, Hayao, to tell the animated story about a group of Yokohama teens who look to save their school’s clubhouse from the wrecking ball in preparations for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. This is a sweet and honestly sentimental film. The fantastical element present in the senior Miyazaki’s films is not a factor here, but the father’s ability to transport us to other worlds is very much echoed in the son’s work. (Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times) (PG, 91 minutes)

 

‘G.I. Joe: Retaliation’ 

The battalion of soldiers not only fight its mortal enemy Cobra, but is forced to contend with threats from within the government that jeopardize its very existence. Dwayne Johnson, Channing Tatum and Bruce Willis star in what is basically a live-action version of an ’80s cartoon that was designed to sell toys. Things go boom, and the one hour and 50 minutes zip by like, oh, two hours and 10. (Roger Moore, McClatchy Newspapers) (PG-13, 110 minutes)

 

‘Graceland’ 

When a kidnapping goes wrong, a desperate father risks everything to save his daughter from the men who hold her captive. Ron Morales directs this breakout Filipino noirish thriller that may devastate or puzzle you, but it is unlikely to leave you unmoved. At times melodramatic, the film’s unexpected twists, somber cinematography and gripping story line are worth your time. (Elizabeth Kieszkowski, Star-Advertiser) (NR, 84 minutes)

 

‘Iron Man 3′ 1/2

When Tony Stark’s world is torn apart by a formidable terrorist called the Mandarin, he starts an odyssey of rebuilding and retribution. Meticulously crafted to be a box-office juggernaut, the movie rises above its naked ambitions thanks to Robert Downey Jr.’s sly charm in the title role and Ben Kingsley’s too-short and ultimately hilarious turn as the villain. (Cary Darling, Fort Worth Star-Telegram) (PG-13, 130 minutes)

 

‘It Takes a Man and a Woman’ The third and final installment of the popular “A Very Special Love” Filipino romantic comedy series, with the return of stars Sarah Geronimo and John Lloyd Cruz. (NR, 108 minutes)

 

‘Mud’ 

Two teenage boys encounter a fugitive (Matthew McConaughey) and form a pact to help him evade the bounty hunters on his trail and to reunite him with his true love. One of the best films of the year, it has the feel of a novel that’s rooted deep in American soil. McConaughey brings depth to a character who at first seems merely brashly macho, and Reese Witherspoon is nearly unrecognizable as the fugitive’s troubled girlfriend who has made many bad decisions in her life. (Cary Darling, Fort Worth Star-Telegram) (PG-13, 130 minutes)

 

‘Na Ali’i of Comedy: Da Movie’

The documentary follows longtime local comic favorites Andy Bumatai, Mel Cabang, Frank De Lima, Ed Kaahea and Augie Tulba as they embark on a tour around the state. (NR, 144 minutes)

 

‘Oblivion’ 

Tom Cruise stars as a veteran assigned to extract Earth’s remaining resources who begins to question what he knows about his mission and himself. Stitched together from spare bits of other, often better films, this is the Frankenstein’s monster of science-fiction movies. It stumbles awkwardly in story and plot, shuffling toward the predictable explosions and fireballs of the final act. Yet, despite all that, this is surprisingly well acted and so beautiful to look at that what at first seems like a cinematic monster is actually a handsomely compelling creation. (Cary Darling, Fort Worth Star-Telegram) (PG-13, 126 minutes)

‘Olympus Has Fallen’ 

Gerard Butler plays a disgraced former presidential guard who finds himself trapped inside the White House in the wake of a terrorist attack. This is basically “Die Hard in the White House” with a tin-eared script, just another movie manifestation of a first-person shooter video game. (Roger Moore, McClatchy Newspapers) (R, 120 minutes)

 

‘Pain & Gain’ 1/2

Three bodybuilders in Florida get caught up in an extortion ring and a kidnapping scheme that goes terribly wrong. Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson and Anthony Mackie star in the new movie from Michael Bay that uses all the shock and awe and noise and bluster one expects from the director. It’s a two-hour onslaught of dizzy, drunken cuts, hot bodies in empty poses, shifting perspectives (with a babble of alternating character voice-overs to accompany) and often sickening images. (David Germain, Associated Press) (R, 130 minutes)

 

‘The Place Beyond the Pines’ 

A motorcycle stunt rider turns to robbing banks as a way to provide for his lover and their newborn child, a decision that puts him on a collision course with an ambitious rookie cop navigating a department ruled by a corrupt detective. Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper, Eva Mendes and Ray Liotta star in this drama about fathers and sons and their tortured bonds. Director Derek Cianfrance has created a troubling trilogy on the legacy of one brutal encounter that cuts a destructive path through multiple lives. (R, 140 minutes)

 

‘The Sapphires’ 

Four young, talented Australian Aboriginal girls in 1968 learn about life, friendship and war when their vocal group entertains the U.S. troops in Vietnam. The movie sparkles with sass and Motown soul, and unapologetically aims for mass-audience appeal. It reduces the war, rampant racism, love troubles and showbiz chicanery to minor hurdles in this irrepressibly upbeat story. (Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star-Tribune) (PG-13, 103 minutes)

 

‘Scary Movie 5′ 

The supernatural spoofs continue in this franchise, starring Jerry O’Connell and Ashley Tisdale, with cameos by Lindsay Lohan and Charlie Sheen. It’s a series of short sketches that don’t end with a payoff, performed by actors who need a paycheck. (Roger Moore, McClatchy Newspapers) (PG-13, 85 minutes)

 

‘Storm Surfers 3D’ 1/2

The documentary follows legendary pro surfers Tom Carroll and Ross Clarke-Jones on their quest to ride big waves in previously unridden breaks. The film effectively delivers the visceral scare of riding these monster waves, but the audience also gets to know the two as people, not just athletes, and their dangerous enthusiasm is almost as fascinating as their sport. (Ryan Senaga, Special to the Star-Advertiser) (NR, 95 minutes)

‘Tai Chi Hero’ 

The sequel to Stephen Fung’s “Tai Chi Zero,” our hero is still trying to find his place in a village filled with martial arts masters, even though he helped save the town from a frightening steam-powered machine. The production quality is top-notch, and there’s undeniably an entertainment value to it, albeit an empty one. (G. Allen Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle) (NR, 144 minutes)

 

SPECIAL

Hana Hou Picture Show: ‘Top Gun’ and ’Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade’ 7 and 10 p.m. Monday (“Top Gun”) and Wednesday (“Indiana Jones”), Ward Stadium Titan XC; $10.25

Two audience favorites get the really big screen treatment: the Tom Cruise high-flying actioner from 1986 and the 1989 adventure movie starring Harrison Ford and Sean Connery.

 

DORIS DUKE THEATRE

Honolulu Museum of Art, 900 S. Beretania St., entry on Kinau Street (532-8768): $10 general, $8 museum members (tickets also available online at honolulumuseum.org)

Cinématheque Fran’aise Film Festival: ‘Paris~Manhattan’

1 p.m. today and Tuesday, 4 p.m. Saturday

A romantic comedy about a young woman whose choices in life and love are shaped by the philosophies of her favorite filmmaker, Woody Allen. (2012, 80 minutes)

 

‘A Lady in Paris’

7:30 p.m. Sunday, 1 p.m. Wednesday

An intimate and comedic portrait of a haughty, sharp-tongued elderly Estonian émigré living in Paris, and her caregiver, freshly arrived from the home country. (2012, 94 minutes)

 

‘Thérese’

7:30 p.m. today and Tuesday

Audrey Tautou plays a free-spirited woman suffocated by a provincial marriage and yearning in vain to escape to a bohemian life in Paris during the Jazz Age. (2012, 110 minutes)

 

‘Jules and Jim’

1 p.m. Saturday, 4 p.m. Sunday, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday

Fran’ois Truffaut’s 1962 French New Wave masterpiece that charts the relationship between two male friends and the alluring female object of their mutual obsession over the course of 25 years. Jeanne Moreau, Oskar Werner and Henri Serre star. (1962, 107 minutes)

 

MOVIE MUSEUM

3566 Harding Ave. (735-8771): $5 general, $4 members; reservations recommended

‘Starlet’

Noon, 2, 4 and 6 p.m. today; noon, 3:45 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday

Taking place in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles, the film looks into the odd relationship between a young, aimless actress and the lonely, aging widow she befriends. (2012, 103 minutes)

 

‘After Life’

Noon and 7:30 p.m. Monday

The newly dead are met in a way station by celestial staff who help them in choosing and then re-creating the memory — be it good or bad — that will be all that they take with them into eternity. (1998, Japan, 118 minutes)

 

‘Undertaking Betty’

Noon, 7 and 8:30 p.m. Saturday; 2 and 5:45 p.m. Sunday

A woman, whose husband is cheating on her, and an undertaker, who has been in love with her since their childhood, decide to fake her death so they can be together. Brenda Blethyn, Alfred Molina and Naomi Watts star. (2002, U.K., 94 minutes)

 

‘Memories of a Marriage’

1:45, 3:30 and 5:15 p.m. Saturday

A man looks back at his lengthy relationship with his wife during a summer garden party with friends and family. (1989, Denmark, 90 minutes)

 

‘A Love to Hide’

Noon, 2 and 8 p.m. Monday; 4:30 and 6:30 p.m. Thursday

After the slaughter of her family by the SS, a Jewish girl flees into the comforting care of her homosexual friend and his faithful lover, who are themselves hiding their secret life from the Nazi occupation. (2005, France, 102 minutes)

 

‘Mundane History’

Noon, 1:30, 3 and 8:30 p.m. Thursday

A family drama about the friendship that develops between a young paralyzed man from a wealthy Bangkok family and his male nurse. (2009, Thailand, 82 minutes)

 

MONDAY MOVIE CAFE

TheVenue, 1146 Bethel St. (436-4326); $10, $5 students

‘Resilience’

7 p.m. Monday

A story of loss and separation, this is a character-driven documentary that takes a unique look at international adoption from the perspective of a Korean birth mother and her American son, and their reunion 30 years later. (2012, 75 minutes)