
Updated April 25, 2008
Smart People
Smart People is a smart comedy that stars Dennis Quaid as a grumpy
professor who stumbles into an affair with a former student (Sarah
Jessica Parker). Adding to the fun of this insightful collegiate comedy
are Ellen Page ("Juno") as the professor's daughter and Thomas Haden
Church as the professor's slacker brother. Quaid, with stooped
shoulders, facial hair and lots of corduroy jackets, is remarkably
convincing in the role.
The Bank Job
This is an action-packed heist film that will definitely get you out of
the winter movie doldrums. Based on a true story of a daring 1971
bank robbery that made headlines, this top-notch British film
steadily builds with one surprise after another. An excellent cast headed by Jason Stratham, and some wonderful acting cohorts makes this one fun to watch. In cleaning out the bank vault,
the criminals also manage to discover a revealing police payoff ledger and porno flicks of high British government officials, including some uncompromising photos of Princess Margaret herself.
When all these sub-plots are added to the original caper, it makes for an action-packed, suspenseful drama that turns out to be one of the best action films of this year.
Flawless
This is an exciting diamond heist film that works primarily because of
the talents of its two leading players, MIchael Caine and Demi Moore.
They craftily conspire to lure you deep in to their conspiracy as they
attempt to lighten the pockets of a giant diamond supplier. Set in the
60's, the film deals with the exploitation of the blacks in the South
African mines where the diamonds come from. The film also
touches on the plight of women in an effort to push ahead in what is
at that time truly a man's world. The script is full of
surprises and just when you think you know where it's all going, you're
taken down an unexpected detour. The production is slick and you won't
be bored for a moment as you watch these would-be diamond thieves in
action.
21
This film is loosely based on a true story of some M.I.T. lads who took a hiatus from
academia to use their smarts and an ingenious capacity for numbers to
bilk the Las Vegas casinos of some of their cash. Their
formula for counting cards in the game of blackjack seemed foolproof.
Local writer Ben Mezrick's non-fiction best seller "Bringing Down the
House", on which the film is based, follows the group along with
their scheming professor (Kevin Spacey) on frequent trips to
Vegas until their secretive shenanigans are discovered. There's lots of
action, wonderful shots of the Boston area, and a believable cast
headed by Jim Surges and Kate Bosworth and the heavy in this case,
Lawrence Fishburne. Even if you're not a gambler and don't have the
slightest idea of how to count cards, you'll have a good time picking
up some of the tricks of the trade.
The Counterfeiters
Based on a true story, this year's Oscar winner for best foreign involves concentration camp inmates involved in a little-known Nazi scheme to counterfeit the British pound and the American dollar, and thus cause financial chaos in both Britain and America. The select group of Jewish prisoners gathered from the underworld is headed by Karl Markovics, as the ace counterfeiter in a remarkable soul-searching performance. He is a man torn with his hatred for the Nazis and his determined instinct for survival. In German and Russian.
The Band's Visit
Israeli writer-director Eran Kolirin manages to come up with some lighthearted moments amidst the current Arab-Israeli turmoil in this
beautifully played story about an eight-member Arab police band that gets on the wrong bus and finds itself marooned in a a tiny desert Israeli town. The film goes even beyond "we're all human" feelings and comes up with a satisfying foray into the human heart.
May
Iron Man starring Robert Downey, Jr, Terrence Howard and Gweneth Paltrow.
A super hero tale which follows billionaire weapons-manufacturerTony
Stark, who confronts the sins of his past after he is injured by one of
his own weapons. Equipped with a high-tech suit of armor, he becomes
Iron Man to combat evil on a global scale.
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Trailer
Harrison Ford, Kate Capshaw, Karen Allen, Shia LaBeouf, Cate
Blanchett, Directed by Steven Spielberg.
Indy travels to the lost city of Atlantis

Museum of Fine Arts
www.mfa.org/film
Coolidge Corner Theatre
3 screens
www.coolidge.org
Kendall Theatre
Kendall Square
9 screens
landmarktheatres.com
Brattle Theatre
Harvard Square
Brattlefilm.org
Embassy Theatre
6 screens
landmarktheatres.com
West Newton Cinema
6 screens
westnewtoncinema.com