“27 Dresses”
Katherine Heigl stars as not-so-plain Jane, the dependable friend that every bride leans on when that special day comes along. Jane is the ultimate bridesmaid, helping with the planning, the organizing, the cake-arranging, even holding that big gown when the bride must go potty. She is engagingly selfless on other women’s “big day.” “It’s their day, not mine.” It’s not one for the ages, but this comedy suggests a romantic marriage between star and audience that could last and last. PG-13. 1 hour, 47 minutes. Released today. Roger Moore, The Orlando Sentinel
“The Diving Bell and the Butterfly”
The beautiful truth about Julian Schnabel is that while he was one of those slightly aggravating painter- celebs who rocked the go-go art market of the ’80s, he’s become one of our finest directors. There’s great humility and powerful artistry at work in “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.” Ronald Harwood adapted Jean-Dominique Bauby’s slim, perfect memoir about living encased in his body after a catastrophic stroke. The former French Elle editor dictated the work with blinks and a specially devised alphabet system. Julian Schnabel’s subtitled film, featuring Mathieu Amalric as Jean-Do, shimmers, soars and plunges into the aching wonder of being human. PG-13. 1 hour, 54 minutes. Released today. Lisa Kennedy
“How She Move”
There are enough gritty moods shifts and an anchoring performance by newcomer Rutina Wesley to make Ian Iqbal Rashid’s invigorating feature a cut above other films in which young folks dance their way out of low circumstances. Her sister’s overdose death forces Raya Green to leave her tony boarding school and return to Toronto’s immigrant enclave, the Jane Finch Corridor. For the driven, observant Raya there are only two ways back to Seaton Academy and her dreams of med school: ace a scholarship exam or win a step-dancing contest with a $50,000 prize. Written by Annmarie Morais, “How She Move” spices a known genre with immigrant flavor. Raya’s folk are Jamaican — and we get peeks at the immigrant experience in the ‘hood. Fine supporting performances come by way of Tre Armstrong as Raya’s frenemy, Michelle, and Cle Bennett as the neighborhood’s exploiter with the uplift name of Garvey. PG-13. 1 hour, 31 minutes. Released today. Lisa Kennedy
