Return to story

ACTORS SHINE IN 'TERABITHIA'

February 22, 2007 12:35 am

BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA (PG) HHH

STARRING: JOSH HUTCHERSON, ANNASOPHIA ROBB, ZOOEY DESCHANEL, ROBERT PATRICK

RUNNING TIME: 95 MIN.

While the trailers are misleading--this isn't a film dominated by special effects and amazing creatures--this tale of friendship between two youngsters is a sweet and surprisingly affecting story about the life-changing power of an open, inventive mind.

Hutcherson and Robb are perfect as middle school students Jesse and Leslie, neither quite fitting in.

Young Leslie has a funky fashion sense and embraces life by escaping into beautiful fantasies she creates in a tree house the pair find in a nearby woods.

He's an aspiring artist who can't quite understand why his father (Patrick) shows affection to his sisters, but never to him.

Robb is absolutely captivating as the positive-thinking Leslie, and Hutcherson makes Jesse a believable, though sensitive, teen.

Parents of young children be- ware: There's real loss and heartache here that the very young may have trouble with.

But even that is dealt with in a sensitive and real way in this movie that touches the heart with a life-changing friendship that rings true.

Rated PG for thematic elements including bullying, some peril and mild language. [RF, RA, M]

BREACH (PG-13) HHH

STARRING: CHRIS COOPER, RYAN PHILLIPPE AND LAURA LINNEY

RUNNING TIME: 110 MIN.

With the masterful Cooper in the role of American secret-selling FBI agent Robert Hanssen, this tale of the agency's effort to catch him in the act is a taut, well-paced battle of wits.

Waging that battle with Hanssen is young FBI agent Eric O'Neill (Phillippe), who is befriended and confused by the boss he's supposed to catch in the act of selling intelligence.

Linney is solid as O'Neill's superior, who acknowledges Hanssen's talents, but wants to bring the turncoat down to keep him from undoing a lifetime of work by her and others.

All three actors do the engrossing script justice. Phillippe makes the audience understand how difficult it is for him to play a role that's the key to taking down this man he can't help but like.

Rated PG-13 for violence, sexual content and language. [RF]

GHOST RIDER (PG-13) HH

STARRING: PETER FONDA, NICOLAS CAGE, SAM ELLIOT, EVA MENDES

RUNNING TIME: 114 MIN.

OK, this film where the "hero" of sorts has a skull head that's always on fire will be tough for some to accept.

But those who can make that leap will be rewarded with a comic book tale that succeeds because Cage holds nothing back in his role as motorcycle-riding, devil-deal-making Johnny Blaze and the Rider.

The best scenes are the ones where Blaze is in his human form, Cage mixing equal parts of Elvis and Everyman as he heads for a collision with the devil (Fonda) and others.

The special effects when he becomes the Ghost Rider are OK, though they get tiresome.

Not so Cage, Elliot, Fonda and even Mendes, although she relies heavily on the unbuttoned-blouse school of acting.

Rated PG-13 for horror violence and disturbing images. [RF, RA, M]

LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA (R) HHH

STARRING: KEN WATANABE, KAZUNARI NINOMIYA

RUNNING TIME: 140 MIN.

Stronger than its companion piece, "Flags of Our Fathers," this is the story of the fall of Iwo Jima from the perspective of the Japanese forces there.

Using real letters found in excavation of the caves the Japanese forces dug to withstand the American blitz, director Clint Eastwood creates an interesting portrait of forces, getting strong performances from Watanabe and Ninomiya.

The former is the commander who's smart enough to see his battle is unwinnable. The latter is a baker who finds himself wondering why he's giving up his life for a glory that doesn't exist.

Rated R for graphic war violence. [RF]

MUSIC AND LYRICS (PG-13) HH

STARRING: HUGH GRANT, DREW BARRYMORE, BRAD GARRETT

RUNNING TIME: 96 MIN.

This is a nice surprise, with Grant and Barrymore managing to make this tale of a has-been pop star real fun.

The story's simple: Grant's an over-the-hill '80s pop star who has one chance to hit the big time again, by writing a song for a Britney Spears-type star.

Barrymore plays a distraught writer who can spit out lyrics with ease, but is wary of serious relationships.

Toss in Garrett as the aging star's manager and a script that has fun ridiculing music of the '80s and today, and this works better than you'd think.

That's largely because Grant, one of the best at tossing off one-liners, fully gives himself over to the role.

When he wiggles his hip so hard he has to sit down, it's funny in a very real way.

Rated PG-13 for some sexual content. [RF, RA, M]

TYLER PERRY'S DADDY'S LITTLE GIRLS (PG-13) HH

STARRING: IDRIS ELBA, GABRIELLE UNION, LOUIS GOSSETT JR.

RUNNING TIME: 95 MIN.

While the story here isn't particularly deep or original, director Tyler Perry continues his impressive string of films with messages aimed at the black community.

This one actually packs two: the need for black men to be responsible for their children, and the need for communities beset by drugs and crime to take their neighborhoods back from the thugs.

Mixed in, as well, is an opposites-attract romance that has an ever-achieving lawyer (Union) slowly falling for a mechanic/driver (Elba) who is also struggling to keep his children safe.

Union, both beautiful and talented, makes us believe the Julia she creates is trapped by her ambition and family expectations.

Elba is a little shakier as Monty. He's believable in the romantic scenes with Union, but has trouble bringing the emotion needed as the father fighting for custody.

The film's messages makes up for those shortcomings.

Rated PG-13 for thematic material, drug and sexual content, some violence and language. [RF, RA, M]