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Nerdy Norbit (Eddie Murphy) tries to woo his true love (Thandie Newton) in the silly 'Norbit.'

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THE MANY FACES OF EDDIE MURPHY

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Date published: 2/15/2007

NORBIT (PG-13) H

STARRING: EDDIE MURPHY,

THANDIE NEWTON

RUNNING TIME: 102 MIN.

Once upon a time, Eddie Murphy made "The Nutty Professor" and played several different roles, making most of them humorous in a kind-hearted way.

But now comes "Norbit," and the only role Murphy plays that's at all decent and funny is the title nerd who gets pushed around.

Unfortunately, the horrible and horribly fat woman he portrays, Rasputia, is so coarse, gross and painful to watch that the movie sinks as quickly as she would in a 4-foot rowboat.

Even worse, a cast that includes talented folks like Cuba Gooding Jr., Eddie Griffin, Katt Williams and Marlon Wayans is wasted on characters who have nothing funny, but lots that's tawdry and low.

The silly story--the orphaned Norbit gets stuck with this horrible gal, missing the woman he truly loves (Newton)--goes nowhere.

Much like the cheap, coarse jokes that don't earn nearly as many laughs as you'd expect in a movie from this talented star.

Rated PG-13 for crude and sexual humor, some nudity and language. [RF, RA, M]

THE LAST SIN EATER (PG-13) HH

STARRING: LOUISE FLETCHER, HENRY THOMAS, LIANA LIBERATO

RUNNING TIME: 117 MIN.

(Leaving town tonight.) This beautifully filmed and nicely told story of faith, redemption and a secret sin is a nice surprise and delivers an emotional finish.

The title is tied to an old Welsh tradition of having an outcast member of the community come to funerals to eat symbolic bread and wine, taking away the sins of the deceased.

In an Appalachian community, the Sin Eater of a Welsh community comes to the fore because a young girl (Liberato) can't cope with her role in the accidental death of a sister.

Her pursuit of this outcast, strictly forbidden, leads to the discovery of dark deeds.

Though the movie is a tad long, the direction by Michael Landon Jr. makes this an engaging tale with a powerful message about the power of faith.

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements and some intense sequences of violence. [M]

HANNIBAL RISING (R) H

STARRING: GASPARD ULLIEL, LI GONG, DOMINIC WEST

RUNNING TIME: 117 MIN.


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HOW WE RATE 'EM H Don't waste your time

HH Nothing special

HHH You'll be sorry if you miss it

HHHH A must-see



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Date published: 2/15/2007


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