Movie Reviews

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…

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 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.

Drunken Angel, part of a series of Classic Cinema From Around the World, will be presented at 8 p.m. Friday, May 15, at Courtyard Gallery, 9 Walnut St. in downtown Asheville. Info: 273-3332.

The Story: A Honduran teenager and a Mexican gang member find their destinies crossing when he saves her from the leader of his gang. The Lowdown: Beautifully made and photographed, but ultimately brutally grim, Sin Nombre is a powerful -- if flawed -- drama that may be too bleak for all tastes.

The Story: The origins of the Star Trek series are reinvented in this reboot of the franchise. The Lowdown: A big, entertaining, occasionally exciting summer movie containing everything that implies -- including flaws -- and one iconic performer giving it a depth outside itself.

The Story: A peaceful group of aliens are attacked on their home planet by an army of Earthlings looking for a new place to settle. The Lowdown: An occasionally handsome-looking 3-D animated adventure with political insight on its mind, but it's simply too generic to be worthwhile.

The Story: A shallow womanizer gets the Christmas Carol treatment. The Lowdown: A far-from-pleasant attempt at romantic comedy that is neither romantic nor comedic.

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

The Story: A chance encounter leads to a mild romance that doesn't conclude as it might when the woman explains why she can't accept an innocent goodnight kiss. The Lowdown: A light and charming romantic comedy that shows how such movies are still possible -- with the right folks at the helm.

The Story: The story of how -- more or less -- Wolverine came to be, with a glimpse of the beginnings of the X-Men. The Lowdown: Hampered by a script that's constrained by predestination, X-Men Origins: Wolverine is nonetheless entertaining nonsense that's nice to look at.

The Story: Three filmmakers tackle three stories set in Tokyo. The Lowdown: An absolutely wonderful compendium film that rarely makes even the slightest false step. This is must-see filmmaking.

The Story: The fact-based story of a newspaper columnist's encounters with a homeless schizophrenic. The Lowdown: Strong performances and occasionally inspired direction can't overcome a meandering screenplay.

Chimes at Midnight, part of a series of Classic Cinema From Around the World, will be presented at 8 p.m. Friday, May 1, at Courtyard Gallery, 9 Walnut St. in downtown Asheville. Info: 273-3332.

Roxanne is the third of four comedies being presented by Bold Life movie reviewer Marcianne Miller in Lord Auditorium at Pack Memorial Library. It will screen at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 2.

The Story: A small-time promoter turns a street hustler into an underground fighting sensation. The Lowdown: A grade-B fight movie that strains to be more than it is -- strains being the operative word.

The Story: A nature documentary that doubles as a vague environmentalism tract, told through the struggles of families of animals. The Lowdown: A greatest-hits compilation of a nature doc that will be more educational and entertaining to the younger set. Though occasionally grand and elegant, it's ultimately pretty superfluous to anyone who has ever taken…

The Story: A psychotic temp decides she and an office executive are having an affair, which comes as news to him and causes no end of trouble. The Lowdown: Tedium vies with accidental humor in this incredibly tepid thriller. Tedium wins by a landslide.

Richard III, part of a series of Classic Cinema From Around the World, will be presented at 8 p.m. Friday, April 24, at Courtyard Gallery, 9 Walnut St. in downtown Asheville. Info: 273-3332.

The Story: An old-school reporter and a rookie blogger join forces in an investigation of interconnected murders, a political scandal and a possible conspiracy. The Lowdown: An intense and entertaining thriller that breathes new life into a workable formula.

The Story: When his wife suddenly dies, a terminally ill man (who doesn't know he's dying) tries to honor her dream of going to Japan. The Lowdown: An exquisitely detailed story about the transitory nature of life, love and beauty.