Rating
Outstanding 5
Very Good 4
Good 3
Fair 2
Poor 1
OPENING
Celeste and Jesse Forever
(Cineplex Odeon Victoria) Celeste (Rashida Jones) and Jesse (Andy Samberg), a couple who have been together for a long time, struggle to maintain their close friendship while exploring new relationships with other people.14A
The Possession
(Cineplex Odeon Westshore. Empire Capitol 6, SilverCity) The divorced parents of a 10-yearold girl are troubled by her increasingly erratic behaviour, which seems to be linked to an antique wooden box she purchased at a yard sale. With Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Kyra Sedgwick. 14A
Robot and Frank
(Cineplex Odeon Victoria) In the near future, an aging former cat burglar's two adult children buy him a humanoid robot helper, with whom he forms an unexpected partnership. With Frank Langella, Susan Sarandon, James Marsden and Liv Tyler. PG
CONTINUING
The Amazing Spider-Man 3D Rating 3 1/2
(Caprice, IMAX) A reboot of the superhero franchise with Andrew Garfield as a leaner, more intense Spider-Man and Emma Stone as his love interest. It's a more intimate telling of a familiar story, including the part about a giant lizard that threatens New York. - Jay Stone. PG
The Apparition
(Empire Capitol 6) When a young couple is haunted by a presence conjured during a university parapsychology experiment, they enlist an expert in the supernatural to try to save themselves. With Ashley Greene and Sebastian Stan. 14A
Beasts Of the Southern Wild Rating 4
(Star) Winner of the Grand Jury prize at this year's Sundance Film Festival, Behn Zeitlin's feature-directing debut tells the story of a sixyear-old named Hushpuppy who lives on the bayou with her daddy. When a great storm approaches, and her father gets sick, Hushpuppy is forced to use her wits to survive in an increasingly hostile landscape. A bleak fairy tale with elements of Southern Gothic and black martyrdom, Beasts of the Southern Wild is a memorable, if contrived, window into the 21st-century American soul. - Katherine Monk. PG
Bernie Rating 3 1/2
(Star) Jack Black gives a delicate and winning performance as Bernie Tiede, a real-life mortician in Carthage, Texas, who commits a terrible crime but is forgiven because everyone loves him. Using actors and real-life townspeople, director Richard Linklater creates a dark and eerily comic piece of the American mosaic. - Jay Stone. PG
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel Rating 3
(Caprice, Roxy, Star) An all-star cast of veterans led by Judi Dench and Maggie Smith stars in this new film from John Madden that takes us to an old-folks home in India. Hoping to revitalize his dilapidated hotel with English guests, Sonny (Dev Patel) takes on a group of crusty personalities who eventually transform the hotel, as well as each other. Contrived and laden with clich脙漏, the movie still pulls off some gentle comedy because the acting is so solid. - Katherine Monk. G
The Bourne Legacy
(Cineplex Odeon Victoria, Cineplex Odeon Westshore, Empire University 4, SilverCity) Another mysterious black-ops agent follows in the footsteps of Jason Bourne in this fourth instalment of the espionage franchise. PG
Brave Rating 3 1/2
(Caprice, Empire Capitol 6, Star) This new Pixar movie is a spectacularly rendered fable about a young Scottish princess (voiced by Kelly Macdonald) who rejects her mother's plans for her to get married.There are exciting scenes of archery, a witch's magic spell and fearsome bear attacks, but the movie never becomes the defining legend it is trying to be. - Jay Stone. G
The Campaign
(Cineplex Odeon Victoria, Cineplex Odeon Westshore, SilverCity) In order to gain influence over their North Carolina district, two CEOs seize an opportunity to oust long-term congressman Cam Brady by putting up a rival candidate. Their man: naive Marty Huggins, director of the local tourism centre. Starring Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis. 14A
The Dark Knight Rises Rating 4 1/2
(Cineplex Odeon Westshore, Empire Capitol 6, SilverCity Imax) Christopher Nolan delivers everything his third Bat-movie required as he pits Bruce Wayne against his own alter ego, and the world against a raving madman in a mask. While it follows genre formula to a T, this epic reel also picks up on the bloody threads of the French Revolution as Nolan gives form to the Occupy movement, and the public desire to hang corporate bankers from the highest tree. Smart, cinematic and skilfully executed at every level, The Dark Knight Rises proves you can make a socially provocative and politically subversive statement and sell it as top-notch escapism. Christian Bale, Gary Oldman, Anne Hathaway, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson and Morgan Freeman star. - Katherine Monk. PG
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days Rating 1 1/2
(Caprice) An adolescent boy tries to survive summer misadventures in such fraught situations as swimming at the public pool and going camping. The stories by Greg Heffley have appealed to millions of readers, yet the same stories don't work in a live-action setting. With Zachary Gordon and Devon Bostick. - Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune. G
The Expendables 2 Rating 2 1/2
(Cineplex Odeon Victoria, Cineplex Odeon Westshore, SilverCity) After a seemingly routine mission goes awry, a band of mercenaries seeks revenge against an adversary and stumbles onto a global threat. The result is a showcase of muscles, an impressive load of firepower and not much else. With Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham and Jet Li. 14A
Hit and Run Rating 2 1/2
(Empire Capitol 6, SilverCity) A former getaway driver ditches a witness protection program to drive his girlfriend to Los Angeles so she can land her dream job, but federal agents and criminals are on their trail. Actorwriter-director Dax Shepard tries to find the right friction point between muscle cars and political correctness - a job that could stall any vehicle. This one can be entertaining at times. With Dax Shepard, Kristen Bell and Bradley Cooper. - Katherine Monk.14A
Hope Springs Rating 3
(Cineplex Odeon Victoria, Empire University 4, SilverCity) After 30 years of marriage, a middle-age couple attends an intense, week-long counselling session to work on their relationship. The therapy scenes are exquisitely acted and paced. Without a single special effect, it's a summer movie with punch. Starring Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones. - Christy Lemire, Associated Press. PG
Ice Age: Continental Drift 3D Rating 3
(Roxy) A group of Paleolithic animal pals tries to survive a continental cataclysm in the fourth instalment of the Ice Age series. The script has a cheap habit of copying other cartoon material, but the results are both entertaining and life affirming. With the voices of Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary and Queen Latifah. G
In the Family
(Star) Portrays the struggle of a gay man to maintain guardianship of his son after the death of his partner. G
Lawless
(Cineplex Odeon Victoria, Empire University 4, SilverCity) Set in the Depression-era Franklin County, Virginia, a bootlegging gang is threatened by authorities who want a cut of their profits. Stars Shia LaBeouf, Jessica Chastain and Tom Hardy. 14A
Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted Rating 4
(Caprice, Roxy) An animated film that's vertiginous, explosive, ridiculous, frantic and antiCanadian (they joke about our "work ethic"). Inspired 3-D and non-stop silliness make this the most fun you can have at the movies so far this summer. - Jay Stone. G
Magic Mike Rating 3 1/2
(Caprice) Channing Tatum shows off his many talents as a male stripper in this entertaining, if somewhat predictable, romantic drama based on his own life. Mike thought he had it all until he introduced a struggling buddy (Alex Pettyfer) to the world of buff dancing and watched it change him for the worse. Director Steven Soderbergh maps every clich脙漏, and elegantly avoids most, as he offers an entertaining piece of escapism that gently pokes at gender-based hypocrisy. - Katherine Monk. 14A
Marvel's The Avengers Rating 3 1/2
(Empire Capitol 6) The summer season lifts off with this mega-budget action movie about a group of superheroes who band together to stop a hostile takeover of planet Earth. With Iron Man, Captain America, Thor and Hulk sharing the screen time, director Joss Whedon is forced to spend most of his time dealing out the dramatic cards - without creating genuine dramatic suspense. A movie that seems to hover without effort, The Avengers looks good suspended in the sky, but it doesn't actually go anywhere. - Katherine Monk. PG
Odd Life of Timothy Green
(Empire University 4, SilverCity) A childless couple bury a box in their backyard, containing all of their wishes for an infant. Soon, a child is born, though Timothy Green is not all that he appears. G
The Oogieloves In the Big Balloon Adventure
(Empire Capitol 6) An interactive children's film featuring the Oogieloves planning a birthday party until everything goes awry and the search is on for magical balloons. With the voices of Cloris Leachman, Toni Braxton and Christopher Lloyd. G
ParaNorman Rating 3 1/2
(Cineplex Odeon Westshore, Empire Capitol 6, SilverCity, Star) An expertly designed stopmotion animated film about a boy who sees the dead, particularly the witches who were hanged 300 years earlier. - Jay Stone. PG
Premium Rush Rating 2 1/2
(Cineplex Odeon Westshore, Empire Capitol 6, SilverCity) For an intrepid New York City bike messenger, a routine delivery turns into a lifeor-death chase. With Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Michael Shannon. Thanks to Shannon, stunt cyclists and Google Maps, we have something interesting to look at for 90 minutes. The plot, however, keeps slipping out of gear. - Katherine Monk. 14A
Ruby Sparks
(Cineplex Odeon Victoria) A young novelist who was successful early in his career finds himself struggling until he invents an inspiring new character - who shocks him by appearing in the flesh shortly thereafter. With Paul Dano, Zoe Kazan, Antonio Banderas and Annette Bening. PG
Step Up Revolution
(Roxy) Newly arrived in Miami, an aspiring dancer falls for the leader of a local dance crew, and together they battle a wealthy developer. With Ryan Guzman and Kathryn McCormick. PG
Ted Rating 3
(Caprice, Star) A crude comedy with Mark Wahlberg as a 35-year-old slacker who is being held back by his best friend and roommate, a talking teddy bear (voiced by director Seth MacFarlane). The vulgar jokes push envelopes you didn't know existed, but there's a sweetness to the film, and it's often very funny. - Jay Stone. 14A
SPECIAL SCREENINGS
Carmen in 3D Encore (Saturday, SilverCity)
The Ant Bully (Saturday, Cineplex Odeon Westshore)
Madam Butterfly 3D - Royal Opera House (Wednesday, SilverCity)
National Theatre Live: The Curious Incident Of the Dog In the Night-Time (Thursday, Cineplex Odeon Victoria and SilverCity)
CINECENTA
To Rome With Love - PG (Fri., Sat. and Sun., 7 and 9: 15 p.m.; Mon. 7 p.m.)
Moonrise Kingdom - Toonie Madness: (Tue., Wed. and Thur., 7 and 9 p.m.)
IMAX FILMS
Go to imaxvictoria.com for showtimes. Air Racers
The Amazing Spider-Man: The Imax Experience
To the Arctic
Rocky Mountain Express
Dinosaurs: Giants of Patagonia
