MAY 2007

AWAY FROM HER: Julie Christie, Gordon Pinsent, Olympia Dukakis, Michael Murphy, Kristen Thomson, Wendy Crewson, Alberta Watson (Written and directed by Sarah Polley; Lionsgate) At first glance, Fiona and Grant Anderson, husband and wife for 44 years, appear to be leading a blissful life, cross-country skiing during the day and cozying up at night in their lovely country cottage. But they both know that Fiona, disoriented by the onset of Alzheimer’s, may soon lose her husband, her memory, and her very identity. Julie Christie and Gordon Pinsent have drawn raves on the festival circuit for their performances as the elderly Canadian couple, as has Sarah Polley, the gifted star of Atom Egoyan’s “The Sweet Hereafter,” who makes her screenwriting and directorial debut--at the ripe old age of 28--with his adaptation of Alice Munro’s short story “The Bear Who Came Over the Mountain.” To read Guy Flatley's review of "Away From Her," click here. Now Playing

SPIDER-MAN 3: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Thomas Haden Church, Topher Grace, Elizabeth Banks, Dylan Baker (Directed by Sam Raimi; Written by Alvin Sargent; Columbia) Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire), the most illustrious nerd ever to blossom into a superhero, once again makes it his business to reduce monsters to trembling wimps--among them a bundle of nastiness named Venom, played by Thomas Haden Church, the hilariously unfaithful groom-to-be in “Sideways.” And, of course, Kirsten Dunst is back as Mary Jane Watson, the cutie Peter Parker/Spider-Man most wants to keep within his web sight. Now Playing

THE EX: Amanda Peet, Zach Braff, Jason Bateman, Mia Farrow, Charles Grodin, Will Drummy (Directed by Jesse Peretz; Written by David Guion, Michael Handelman; The Weinstein Company) The formerly career-crazed Manhattanite played by Amanda Peet decides that staying home and minding the baby beats taking meetings with suits. Which means that slacker-hubby Zach Braff--the sensation of “Garden State”--is forced to stop daydreaming and start punching the time clock for his father-in-law. To read Guy Flatley's 2000 interview with Amanda Peet, click here. Now Playing

ONCE: Glen Hansard, Marketa Irglova (Written and directed by John Carney; Fox Searchlight) A soulful, folk-singing, guitar-playing Dubliner who dreams of becoming a big-time recording artist makes a living by toiling in his dad’s repair shop. One day, he mends the ailing vacuum cleaner of an attractive, outspoken customer who, as it turns out, is a citizen of the Czech Republic, a single mom, a classically trained pianist, and an aspiring songwriter. Soon the two are making music, and a bit more, together. But will they ever record a song that propels them to superstardom? This Irish sleeper has audiences, and even critics, singing its praises. Here’s what A. O. Scott said in The New York Times: “The formula is simple: two people, a few instruments, 88 minutes and not a single false note... A good song—even a bad one heard at the right moment—can cast a glow of enchantment over ordinary circumstances. ‘Once’ understands this everyday pop magic about as well as any movie I can think of, and communicates it so easily and honestly that you are likely to want to see it again.” Now Playing

GEORGIA RULE: Jane Fonda, Lindsay Lohan, Felicity Huffman, Dermot Mulroney, Cary Elwes, Garrett Hedlund (Directed by Garry Marshall; Writen by Mark Andrus; Universal) What would you do if you had a mom like Felicity Huffman and a granny like Jane Fonda? You might find out if you catch “Georgia Rule,” in which Lindsay Lohan plays a rebel who can’t take any more of Felicity, who’s even more dysfunctional than she was in “Transamerica,” and therefore throws herself on the mercy of Jane, who we assume is less manipulative than she was in “Monster-in-Law.” Cary Elwes co-stars as a Humbert Humbert-like stepfather who thinks of Lindsay as his very own Lolita. Now Playing

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN 3: AT WORLD'S END: Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Naomie Harris, Bill Nighy, Geoffrey Rush, Chow-Yun Fat, Stellan Skarsgard, Tom Hollander, Jonathan Pryce, Jack Davenport, Keith Richards (Directed by Gore Verbinsky; Written by Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio; Disney) Captain Jack Sparrow (a.k.a. Johnny Depp) and the entire crew of "Caribbean" cut-ups were so certain that we couldn't get enough of them that they simultaneously shot a third chapter of the their seafaring saga when they filmed "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest." Where--and when--will it all end? Now Playing