Movie Reviews

A Star Is Born

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The Hendersonville Film Society will show A Star Is Born at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 7, in the Smoky Mountain Theater at Lake Pointe Landing Retirement Community, 333 Thompson St., Hendersonville. (From Asheville, take I-26 to U.S. 64 West, turn right at the third light onto Thompson Street. Follow to the Lake Point Landing entrance…

Brick

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The Story: A high-school loner investigates a drug ring and the murder of his ex-girlfriend. The Lowdown: A clever -- and not inapt -- transposition of a hard-boiled detective story to a modern-day high-school setting. Rewarding and entertaining -- not to mention strikingly unusual.

The Brothers Bloom

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The Story: Two con men take on a wealthy eccentric woman for their "one last swindle." The Lowdown: Brilliantly quirky comedy and surprisingly deep characters and themes blend together in one of the year's most nearly perfect entertainments.

Paris 36

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The Story: A group of performers attempts to save their beloved music hall in 1936 Paris. The Lowdown: A breezy, likable French film that’s solid entertainment, though ultimately a bit insubstantial.

Everlasting Moments

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The Story: A look at an early 20th-century working-class Swedish family and the mother who finds her artistic calling in photography. The Lowdown: Stunning to look at and with surprising cumulative power, this is a film that will reward those who can go with its deliberate pacing.

Drag Me to Hell

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The Story: When a loan officer refuses an old gypsy an extension on her mortgage, the bank employee finds herself on the business end of a most unpleasant curse. The Lowdown: A wild, goofy ride of cheesy horror that's undeniably clever and fun, but not convincingly scary.

The Prestige

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The Hendersonville Film Society will show The Prestige at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 31, in the Smoky Mountain Theater at Lake Pointe Landing Retirement Community, 333 Thompson St., Hendersonville. (From Asheville, take I-26 to U.S. 64 West, turn right at the third light onto Thompson Street. Follow to the Lake Point Landing entrance and park…

Up

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The Story: Faced with being sent to a retirement home, the 78-year-old Carl Fredricksen -- a former balloon vendor at a zoo -- ties an unbelievable number of balloons to his house and floats away in search of an obscure part of South America that he and his wife always planned to see. The Lowdown:…

Is Anybody There?

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The Story: Character piece about an aging magician and a young boy who meet when the older man is placed in a nursing home run by the boy's parents. The Lowdown: A predictable story and so-so filmmaking are overcome by the chemistry of the stars and the greatness of Michael Caine's talent.

Pollock

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The Hendersonville Film Society will show Pollock at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 24, in the Smoky Mountain Theater at Lake Pointe Landing Retirement Community, 333 Thompson St., Hendersonville. (From Asheville, take I-26 to U.S. 64 West, turn right at the third light onto Thompson Street. Follow to the Lake Point Landing entrance and park in…

Angels & Demons

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The Story: Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon has but hours to prevent Vatican City from being blown up by some stolen antimatter. The Lowdown: An utterly ridiculous story decked out in the ripest of melodrama that makes for a good time at the movies -- if you don't take it too seriously.

Paris, Je T’Aime

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The Hendersonville Film Society will show Paris, Je T'Aime at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 17, in the Smoky Mountain Theater at Lake Pointe Landing Retirement Community, 333 Thompson St., Hendersonville. (From Asheville, take I-26 to U.S. 64 West, turn right at the third light onto Thompson Street. Follow to the Lake Point Landing entrance and…

Next Day Air

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The Story: A shipment of cocaine gets delivered to some small-time thugs by mistake. They think they've hit gold. Various concerned parties want the drugs back. The Lowdown: A stupidly violent film that is a complete unpleasant waste of time and talent.

Nine to Five

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Nine to Five is the final film in a series of comedies being presented by Bold Life movie reviewer Marcianne Miller in Lord Auditorium at Pack Memorial Library. It screens at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 16.