“Letters From Iwo Jima”
*** 1/2 After bringing the story of the American soldiers who fought in the battle of Iwo Jima to the screen in his film “Flags of Our Fathers,” Clint Eastwood offers an equally thoughtful portrait of the Japanese forces who held the island for 36 days in this military drama. At its core is a tale of a general and a conscript. It was Gen. Kuribayashi’s letters home – many from the U.S. where he lived for a spell as an embassy attaché – that inspired Eastwood to make this companion piece. |R|140 minutes|Released today|Lisa Kennedy
“Apocalypto”
* 1/2 Who knew there were so many ways to die? Mel Gibson explores them all, in gruesome detail, in this re-creation of tribal and Mayan civilization just before the Spanish arrived in Central America. A warrior’s tribe is captured for human sacrifice, but he escapes and battles his pursuers as he tries to get back to his hidden family. There is no doubt Gibson knows how to put together a heart-pounding action film, but the killing is so relentless that sitting through it becomes a matter of will rather than enjoyment. |R|128 minutes|Released today|Michael Booth
“The Good German”
** 1/2 Steven Soderbergh strives mightily to recreate his beloved “Casablanca” with a story about an American journalist sniffing out corruption in post-war Berlin. George Clooney pursues his old flame, Cate Blanchett, through a maze of triple-crossings over rocket secrets, Nazis in hiding and buried war crimes. Soderbergh may get the look right, but it never has quite the soul of a 1940s classic. For one thing, the story line is so confusing you may lose track. For another, there are no heroes to root for, even flawed ones. |R|107 minutes|Released today|Michael Booth
“Venus”
*** 1/2 Perhaps he’s not acting quite as much as we believe – recent public appearances show that Peter O’Toole is, indeed, an aging actor. No matter, for his performance in “Venus” is captivating and nearly heroic. Much has been sniggered over the dubious relationship between elderly Maurice and his friend’s young niece (Jodie Whittaker), and their dance of affection and revulsion is fascinating. But even more enlightening is the movie’s touching portrayal of aging male friends, their affection, bickering and accommodation to the approach of death. |R|95 minutes|Released today| Michael Booth
