Movie Reviews

The Story: A young college professor travels to Uruguay to try to secure the permission of an author's family to write an authorized biography. The Lowdown: Beautiful to look at, civilized drama with a literary bent that comes near greatness without quite making it. On balance, however, it's very worthwhile.

The Story: More animated adventures with Shrek the ogre and his friends. The Lowdown: It looks good, has a decent story, but the inspiration has left the Shrek franchise.

The Asheville Film Society will screen Blood Simple Tuesday, May 25, at 8 p.m. in the Cinema Lounge of the Carolina Asheville and will be hosted by Xpress movie critics Ken Hanke and Justin Souther.

The Hendersonville Film Society will show Arranged at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 23, in the Smoky Mountain Theater at Lake Pointe Landing Retirement Community (behind Epic Cinemas), 333 Thompson St., Hendersonville.

Classic Cinema From Around the World will present Matewan at 8 p.m. Friday, May 21, at Courtyard Gallery, 9 Walnut St., in downtown Asheville. Info: 273-3332.

The Story: A beleagured man with a demanding aged mother finds himself babysitting three additional elderly ladies over a holiday weekend. The Lowdown: A leisurely, but utterly charming and true little comedy that hits all the right notes without trying too hard.

The Story: A young would-be writer helps an aging widow track down her long lost love in Italy. The Lowdown: A harmless, yet by-the-book romance that's plagued by inconsequence.

The Story: A romantic comedy about a woman who loses a potential NBA-star boyfriend to her golddigging best friend -- until an accident changes things. The Lowdown: A truly pleasant romantic comedy with nicely drawn characters, stylish direction and one luminous star.

The Story: The story of how Robin Longstride came to be Robin Hood. The Lowdown: A good cast, solid production values and spectacular battle scenes can't really overcome the fact that the movie spends two-plus hours to establish what earlier versions of Robin Hood did in a scene or two.

Classic Cinema From Around the World will present Blind Shaft at 8 p.m. Friday, May 14, at Courtyard Gallery, 9 Walnut St., in downtown Asheville. Info: 273-3332.

The Hendersonville Film Society will show Cromwell at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 16, in the Smoky Mountain Theater at Lake Pointe Landing Retirement Community (behind Epic Cinemas), 333 Thompson St., Hendersonville.

The Story: The story of Benito Mussolini's discarded and disowned early lover, possible first wife and mother of his first son, and her obsession with the Fascist dictator. The Lowdown: A rich, wildly creative, boldly operatic, almost phantasmagorical film that is a must-see despite a few notable flaws.

The Story: Follows the first year of four newborn babies from around the world. The Lowdown: A low-key, specialized take on the documentary that's only really worthwhile for those who find the goings-on of babies the height of adorableness.

The Story: Iron Man returns to take on new villains, new personal complications and government pressure to co-opt his technology. The Lowdown: A vastly entertaining movie with strong characters and wit to keep it as -- or more -- interesting in its plotting as in its action set pieces.

The Story: A Bronx family must deal with the fact that they're not wholly honest with one another. The Lowdown: A well-acted little comedy/drama that's never anything more than adequate.

Classic Cinema From Around the World will present Man of Iron at 8 p.m. Friday, May 7, at Courtyard Gallery, 9 Walnut St., in downtown Asheville. Info: 273-3332.

The Story: A reworking of the 1984 film with razor-gloved-madman-from-beyond-the-grave Freddy Krueger dispatching meat-on-the-hoof teens. The Lowdown: Uninspired, unscary and just not very good at all.

The Story: Forest critters take their revenge on land developers. The Lowdown: Incredibly, impossibly, irredeemably, inescapably, indescribably terrible.