Movie Reviews

El Topo is being shown by Vortex Cabaret at 9 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 18, at 11 Grove St., in downtown Asheville.

The Story: The story of the last year in the life of the writer Leo Tolstoy -- and the battle for the control of his estate. The Lowdown: A surprisingly entertaining, beautifully made historical film with large doses of humor and brilliant performances from Helen Mirren and Christopher Plummer.

The Story: Various people's lives and romances cross paths on the titular day. The Lowdown: Big stars and not-so-big stars flit past on the screen in a creatively specious, multistory film that works on the premise that everything can be made right in two hours. It's not unwatchable, but it's not good.

The Story: A teen finds out he is the son of Poseidon and it's up to him to prevent a potential war between the gods. The Lowdown: A good enough piece of entertainment that works within the confines of a CGI spectacle, with all the depth (or lack of) that implies.

The Story: When his brother is mysteriously killed, an actor appearing in London visits the family's ancestral home to learn the truth -- with tragic results. The Lowdown: A respectable and respectful remake of the 1941 horror staple. It's good as a straightforward horror picture, but it could have been more.

The Story: A rookie agent and his seemingly insane mentor blast their way across Paris on the trail of drug dealers -- or maybe terrorists -- without ever attracting the attention of the French police, who must be off somewhere listening to Josephine Baker records. The Lowdown: Terminally stupid, but reasonably entertaining -- if splattery…

Classic Cinema From Around the World will present Our Man in Havana at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 12, at Courtyard Gallery, 9 Walnut St., in downtown Asheville. Info: 273-3332.

The Story: A soldier finds the love of his life, only to have the romance complicated by 9/11. The Lowdown: Strong direction isn't enough to counteract the onslaught of goofy melodrama and paper-thin characterization on display.

The Hendersonville Film Society will show All the Real Girls at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 14, in the Smoky Mountain Theater at Lake Pointe Landing Retirement Community (behind Epic Cinemas), 333 Thompson St., Hendersonville.

The Hendersonville Film Society will show Dead Again at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 7, in the Smoky Mountain Theater at Lake Pointe Landing Retirement Community (behind Epic Cinemas), 333 Thompson St., Hendersonville.

When Richard Lester finished filming The Three Musketeers (1973), he and the producers realized they had enough story and enough footage to turn one film into two, prompting The Four Musketeers (1974)—and one of the more famous lawsuits in the history of film. (The cast had only signed and been paid for one movie.)  In […]

The Story: A teenage hotshot finds religion after witnessing the suicide of a former friend. The Lowdown: Competently made but incredibly tedious, it's teen melodrama at it's most boring.

The Story: A young woman takes coins from a fountain of love in Rome, which causes the coins' previous owners to instantly fall in love with her. The Lowdown: A couple of not-so-bad leads in a really unfunny, high-concept, occasionally strange (in the worst kind of way) and inept retread of romantic-comedy formula.

The Story: A down-on-his-luck alcoholic country singer on the dead-end circuit gets a chance at a comeback and personal redemption. The Lowdown: A straightforward redemption drama that's damaged by an unpersuasive romance, but offers the compensation of a strong lead performance from Jeff Bridges.

The Story: When a Boston detective's daughter is murdered, the detective follows a trail that leads him to pretty high places in his search for her killers. The Lowdown: A simple revenge thriller that's tarted up with not very convincing conspiracy nonsense that isn't helped by a sluggish pace.

The Hendersonville Film Society will show Titanic at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 31, 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 The Three Musketeers at 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 29, at Courtyard Gallery, 9 Walnut St., in downtown Asheville. Info: 273-3332.

The Story: A decorated Iraq war soldier finds himself assigned to the job of informing relatives of the deaths of their loved ones in the service. The Lowdown: An often powerful drama about a side of war that is rarely explored except in passing. A tendency toward formula writing is overcome by strong performances and…

The Story: A callow hockey tough guy is sentenced to magical tooth-fairy duty for crushing the dreams of little kids. The Lowdown: Filled with hokey CGI and a grown man in fairy wings and tights, the movie is yet another foray into nauseating family cheesiness.

The Story: A strung-out, painkiller-addicted policeman goes to extraordinary lengths -- often illegal -- to get the man responsible for a multiple murder, all the while watching his personal life spiral further and further out of control. The Lowdown: Something strange -- and wonderfully so -- from the ever idiosyncratic Werner Herzog: a black comedy…

The Story: A father -- with the help of an eccentric, curmudgeonly scientist -- attempts to find a cure for his children's rare disease. The Lowdown: Predictable TV-styled melodrama vaguely gussied up for movie theaters, but nevertheless transparent.