Movie Reviews

The Story: A group of people are trapped in a grocery store when a mysterious mist filled with unknown terrors blankets their town. The Lowdown: A reasonably effective horror thriller that would like to be more, yet rarely is.

The Story: An orphan boy tries to find his parents through the connective power of music. The Lowdown: A likable fairy tale that can't get its musical -- or dramatic -- act together to really work.

The Story: A sheriff pursues a man who has walked away with $2 million in drug money -- hoping to get to him before a psychotic hit man does. The Lowdown: A brutal, chilling and disturbing thriller with brilliantly drawn characters and a balancing undercurrent of humanity. Remarkable.

The Story: Based on the Hitman video-game series, a mysterious assassin is forced to go on the run after being double-crossed by his employers. The Lowdown: A trite plot, stiff acting and lackluster action make for one dull time at the movies, but what else do you expect from a video-game adaptation?

The Story: Disney-ish heroine Giselle is banished to New York City by evil Queen Narissa, where she's pursued by heroic Prince Edward and a doltish henchman. The Lowdown: An altogether charming family film that's propelled to greater heights by the star-making performance of Amy Adams.

The Story: A young lawyer seemingly disinherited by his father comes into a strange legacy by way of a secret society. The Lowdown: A slickly produced, low-budget, faith-based thriller that's light on the thrills and heavy on the faith.

Ishiro Honda's Gojira (Godzilla) is part of a series of Classic Cinema From Around the World. The film was scheduled to be screened Friday, Nov. 23, but was cancelled. It has been rescheduled to show Friday, Nov. 30, at 8 p.m. at Courtyard Gallery, 9 Walnut St. in downtown Asheville. Info: 273-3332.

The Story: A young man waits his entire life to finally win the woman he loves. The Lowdown: Glossy, nicely-mounted romantic drama that strives to be something "more," but never achieves the importance it desires.

The Hendersonville Film Society will show Red-Headed Woman at 2 p.m. Sunday, November 25 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…

The Story: The 243-year-old owner of a magical toy store makes plans to turn the business over to his protégé in light of his impending death. The Lowdown: A thoroughly charming film that makes terrific use of its stars, but stumbles in its final scenes.

The Story: The legendary epic poem (that literature teachers have tortured students with for years) about the heroic Beowulf fighting the monster Grendel comes to the big screen. The Lowdown: Technically impressive (at least in 3-D), but dramatically rather dull for anyone who isn't a diehard fan of ancient fantasy.

The Story: A chef with a murky past tries to help out a young waitress who has just found out she is pregnant. The Lowdown: An occasionally slick little film about family and adoption that's just too unaffecting and slight to have the weightiness its going for.

The Story: Two brothers plan and execute a jewelry-store robbery that goes tragically wrong. The Lowdown: Lean and mean, Sidney Lumet's Before the Devil Knows You're Dead is a blistering crime drama that attempts to be "something more" -- and largely succeeds.

The Story: A woman is held captive by a psycho in a parking garage. The Lowdown: Low-quality psychotic killer stuff with a silly premise and not much else.

Jules et Jim, part of a series of Classic Cinema From Around the World, will be presented at 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 16, at Courtyard Gallery, 9 Walnut St. in downtown Asheville. Info: 273-3332.

The Hendersonville Film Society will show The Whales of August at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 18, 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…

The Story: Three intercut stories tell a story about the current state of politics and society in America. The Lowdown: A well-intentioned film that can't support the weight of its message due to poor construction and a preachy tone.

The Story: Santa’s ne’er-do-well older brother Fred travels to the North Pole in order to help out for Christmas and scam $50,000 out of St. Nick. The Lowdown: An all-star cast can’t save this movie form being the usual Christmas turkey, this time hampered not only by a bloated running time, but a specious message…

The Testament of Dr. Mabuse, part of a series of Classic Cinema From Around the World, will be presented at 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 9, at Courtyard Gallery, 9 Walnut St. in downtown Asheville. Info: 273-3332.

The Story: A science-fiction writer adopts a troubled boy who claims to be from Mars. The Lowdown: Gooey without being effective, saccharine without being sweet, Martian Child is the ne plus ultra of undistinguished ordinariness.

The Hendersonville Film Society will show A Foreign Field at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 11, 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…