Cinemas - starting this week - 12/12/08

Dec 12 2008 by Michael Green, Chester Chronicle

Keanu Reeves returns to science fiction by taking the risky gamble of starring in a remake of one of the best loved examples of the genre ever made.

The 1951 original may be in black and white and feature only modest special effects, but its message still packs one hell of a punch as a well spoken, immaculately dressed alien comes to warn mankind of certain destruction, if they don’t find a way to live in peace.

The Cold War was biting hard at the time but resurrecting the story for the 21st century makes perfect sense for today’s troubled world when a similar message seems highly appropriate.

Of course, this time, special effects dominate proceedings in a way original director, Robert Wise, could only dream of.

But remake helmsman, Scott Derrickson, proved with his debut The Exorcism of Emily Rose, that he could make the most of technology without it being at the cost of the human drama.

Much of that is provided here by Jennifer Connelly as a brilliant scientist and her young son who end up befriending extraterrestrial Klaatu and becoming embroiled in his desperate bid to save the Earth from being destroyed.

No remake can hope to make the same kind of impact that such a landmark of genre cinema managed more than half a century ago but the story is compelling enough to make it worthy of being told a second time.

STAR RATING: ***

INKHEART (PG) (All major cinemas)

AN ATTEMPT to create a lucrative family film franchise along the lines of Narnia but this time based on the successful series of fantasy novels written by Cornelia Funke.

A young girl discovers her father has an amazing talent to bring characters out of their books and must try to stop a freed villain from destroying them all, with the help of her father, her aunt, and a storybook’s hero.

A superb cast is headed by Brendan Fraser with support from Helen Mirren, Andy Serkis, Paul Bettany and Jim Broadbent alongside newcomer Eliza Bennett as Meggie.

STAR RATING: ***

DEAN SPANLEY (PG) (All major cinemas)

CURIOUS period piece beautifully acted by its three principals of Sam Neill, Jeremy Northam and Peter O’Toole. The latter two play a father and son, whose strained relationship is shaken up by their involvement with Neill’s eccentric Edwardian clergyman who believes in reincarnation.

STAR RATING: ***

STONE OF DESTINY (PG) (All major cinemas)

LAME retelling of the true story of a disaffected student in 1950 who decides to break into Westminster Abbey and steal the Stone of Scone, the ultimate symbol of Scottish nationalism, and return it to its rightful home. Charlie Cox from Stardust takes the lead role.

STAR RATING: **

ADVANCE PREVIEW

THE TALE OF DESPEREAUX (U) (All major cinemas; weekend previews)

AN AMAZING voice cast – Emma Watson, Robbie Coltrane, Dustin Hoffman, Kevin Kline, Matthew Broderick, Sigourney Weaver – has been assembled for this animated tale of a mouse, a rat and a servant girl who get caught up in the life of a princess. Weekend previews take place ahead of next Friday’s official release.