Movie Reviews

The Story: A young girl finds a portal to another world -- one that appears to offer everything she could want. The Lowdown: A beautifully made, richly detailed and wonderfully developed film, but one that lacks much in the way of an emotional core, and is ultimately a horror movie made with kids in mind.

The Hendersonville Film Society will show Pennies From Heaven at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 8, 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 young girl fresh out of a mental hospital has visions of her late mother that inform her that Mom's death was actually murder by the nurse who is now engaged to Dad. The Lowdown: A nice-looking, but fairly dreary and dull exercise in psychological horror that tries to pass itself off as…

The Story: The daughter of a former spy is kidnapped in Paris, sending dear old dad across the Atlantic and on a rampage in an effort to get her back. The Lowdown: An often times goofy, far-fetched and overly serious action flick that’s never really dull, but is entertaining only for unintentional reasons.

Carrington, part of a series of Classic Cinema From Around the World, will be presented at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 6, at Courtyard Gallery, 9 Walnut St. in downtown Asheville. Info: 273-3332.

The Story: A career woman goes to a small town in Minnesota to downsize a dairy-products plant. The Lowdown: A flat, unfunny romantic comedy that makes fun of "traditional values" only to turn around and endorse them in the end.

The Story: A woman fresh out of prison for the murder of her young son tries to adapt to the world and her family. The Lowdown: A beautiful film from first-time director Philippe Claudel that's built around a transcendent performance by Kristin Scott Thomas. A must-see.

The Hendersonville Film Society will show A Shot in the Dark at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 1, 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…

The Story: A man with the ability to conjure characters out of books finds himself pursued by two such characters, each wanting his services -- for very different reasons. The Lowdown: An intriguing premise and strong supporting characters (and actors) almost overcome scripting troubles and a lame ending.

The Story: Tired of being abused by their oppressors, werewolves revolt against their vampire masters. The Lowdown: More of the same from this franchise -- only decked out in prequel form. If you liked the first two, fine. If not, this isn't likely to convert you.

The Story: A dramatization of the events leading up to and the taping of David Frost's landmark series of TV interviews with disgraced President Richard Nixon. The Lowdown: Though hampered by the dictates of providing a stronger narrative, which colors the story, Frost/Nixon comes across as solidly entertaining, and becomes something more thanks to Frank…

How to Get Ahead in Advertising, part of a series of Classic Cinema From Around the World, will be presented at 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 30, at Courtyard Gallery, 9 Walnut St. in downtown Asheville. Info: 273-3332.

The Hendersonville Film Society will show Good Bye Lenin! at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 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…

The Story: The story of a washed-up 1980s wrestling icon in his declining years, following his desperate bid to stay afloat and find some kind of meaning to his life. The Lowdown: A harsh, sometimes brutal character study that goes far beyond what could have been the limitations of its subject, thanks to a strong…

The Story: A pair of orphans -- with a little help from their friends and a convenient script -- turn a disused hotel into a shelter for homeless dogs. The Lowdown: Harmless fun for kids -- and possibly for those who are very keen on dogs and have a penchant for oohing and ahhing on…

The Story: The life and times of Christopher Wallace, better known as the rapper the Notorious B.I.G. The Lowdown: A standard biopic -- with every downside this entails -- that’s almost redeemed by a strong final act that never quite makes up for the clumsiness of what came before.

The Story: A security guard at a New Jersey mall attempts to foil a robbery and rescue the hostages. The Lowdown: Flat, predictable, stale and alarmingly unfunny, the film attempts to skate by on audience goodwill toward its star.

The Story: Ten years after a presumably dead homicidal maniac went on a killing spree in a mining town, the murders start again. The Lowdown: A pretty dumb, down-and-dirty slasher picture -- complete with wholesale violence, a dose of skin and lots of gore -- that offers unintentional laughs, along with some pretty remarkable 3-D.

The Story: A couple fight each other -- and the repressiveness of their suburban environment -- in 1950s Connecticut. The Lowdown: Restrained to the point of being soporific and full of its own importance, most of the film's two hours depicts an overprivileged, upper-middle-class couple complaining about their lot in life and fighting.

My Beautiful Laundrette, part of a series of Classic Cinema From Around the World, will be presented at 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 23, at Courtyard Gallery, 9 Walnut St. in downtown Asheville. Info: 273-3332.

The Story: A married couple attempts to overcome a number of difficult setbacks and temptations that threaten their bond. The Lowdown: Generally well made, but dramatically uninteresting. The film is better than the usual Christian-oriented cinematic creation, but that’s not enough to keep the movie from being dreadfully dull.