“Jarhead”
Directed by Sam Mendes
Jake Gyllenhall and Jamie Foxx fight in the first Gulf War, drawing parallels to our current situation in Iraq. Oscar-winner Sam Mendes directs. Look for the scene in which Foxx lies on the ceiling naked, while rose petals tumble onto Gyllenhall’s appreciative face. Spec-tac-u-lar. (R)
“Chicken Little”
Directed by Mark Dindal
The sky is falling! The sky is falling! Or, at least, the value of Disney’s stock is falling. Slam! Zach Braff voices the titular fowl in Disney’s first foray into computer animation without the life-support of Pixar. Best of luck, Mickey! You’re gonna need it. (G)
“Shopgirl”
Directed by Anand Tucker
Claire Daines plays a beautiful and inexplicably available woman who works at Sacs Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills. Steve Martin and Jason Schwartzmann play her suitors. Winona Ryder originally had the lead role, but was fired when she stole all the set dressing. (R)
“Good Night
and Good Luck”
Directed by George Clooney
This week’s installment of True Life Adventures involves Edward R. Murrow, a chain-smoking TV journalist who challenged Sen. McCarthy and his reckless, witch-hunting ways back in the 1950s. Ah, journalistic integrity-as antiquated as freedom of speech and the separation of church and state. (PG)
“Tony Takatani”
Directed by Jun Ichikawa
A widower takes out an ad in the paper looking for a woman he can dress up in his dead wife’s clothing. That is a perfectly normal step in the grieving process-right up there with bedding said woman. Ah, catharsis, obsession be thy name. (NR)
“New York Doll”
Directed by Greg Whiteley
Arthur “Killer” Kane, ex-band member of The New York Dolls, tries to get his crew back together-after converting to Mormonism. Instead of hot, groupie sex, Arthur and his girls will stay up all night long playing Monopoly and Uno. (PG-13)
“Plan 10 from Outer Space”
Directed by Trent Harris
A young woman comes of age in a Utah in which Mormon doctrine collides with hive-headed aliens intent on destroying the Wasatch Front. It’s, like, the best Sunday school lesson EVER! Local filmmaker Trent Harris presents the 10th anniversary edition of his cult film at the Tower this Friday night. (NR)
“To Be and to Have”
Directed by Nicolas Philibert
In a world in which children’s minds are eager to learn, one teacher must mold those miniature minds into golden nuggets of knowledge before the kids return home to do grueling chores! Hey, I had to juice it up somehow. The oh-so precious description in the Film Front pamphlet just wasn’t doing it. See this film for free Sunday night at the OSH auditorium. (NR)
Compiled by Aaron Allen