Movie Reviews

The Story: A nerdy, somewhat awkward twenty-something must defeat the seven evil exes of his would-be girlfriend. The Lowdown: A hyperactive, super stylized action flick that also works as a surprisingly honest account of the pitfalls of insecurity and romantic entanglements.

The Story: A woman who is dissatisfied with her life goes on a quest for spiritual fulfillment. The Lowdown: The cast and the direction sometimes overcome a predictable -- and slightly obnoxious -- essay in self-absorption.

The Story: A group of mercenaries take on the military dictator of a small island. The Lowdown: Doubtful acting, clunky scripting, special effects that aren't very special -- yet in spite or because of all this, The Expendables is kind of fun.

The Hendersonville Film Society will show The Mystery of Picasso at 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 15, in the Smoky Mountain Theater at Lake Pointe Landing Retirement Community (behind Epic Cinemas), 333 Thompson St., Hendersonville.

The Thursday Horror Picture Show will screen Cronos Thursday Aug. 12 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.

Classic Cinema From Around the World will present Fail-Safe at 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 13, at Courtyard Gallery at their new location 109 Roberts St in the Phil Mechanic Building,River Arts District, one floor down. Info: 273-3332.

The Story: Lisbeth Salander finds herself suspected of three murders, placing not only her, but anyone who knows her in danger. The Lowdown: A complex and engaging thriller that builds on the characters established in The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. A must for fans of the series, but not wholly successful as a stand-alone…

The Story: A deputy sheriff in a small town commits murder and tries to cover his tracks. The Lowdown: A violent, unsettling film that will offend many, but which offers a fascinating look into the mind of a sociopath from his point of view.

The Story: Two lackluster cops decide to attempt to fill the shoes of the most celebrated crime fighters in town. The Lowdown: Surprisingly pleasant comedy from Will Ferrell that benefits from good pacing and even better chemistry between Ferrell and co-star Mark Wahlberg.

The Story: A dance crew must win a competition in order to save the communal living space they call their own. The Lowdown: The perfect mix of absurdly corny and unironically dumb -- combined with some impressive 3D -- make this a pretty entertaining bit of cinematic junk.

The Story: The fictionalized account of the affair between Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky in 1920 France. The Lowdown: A fascinating, beautiful film that, even while suffering from largely undefined characters, succeeds enough to make it worthwhile.

Passenger Pigeons will be shown at 7 p.m. on Thurs., Aug. 12 at the Fine Arts Theatre.

Wanderlost plays on Fri-Sat, Aug. 6-7, at 9:45 p.m. only, at the Fine Arts Theatre.

Classic Cinema From Around the World will present The Atomic Cafe at 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 6, at Courtyard Gallery at their new location, 109 Roberts St in the Phil Mechanic Building, River Arts District, one floor down. Info: 273-3332.

The Hendersonville Film Society will show The Charge of the Light Brigade at 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 8, in the Smoky Mountain Theater at Lake Pointe Landing Retirement Community (behind Epic Cinemas), 333 Thompson St., Hendersonville.

The Asheville Film Society will screen Short Cuts Tuesday Aug. 10 at 8 p.m. in the Cinema Lounge of the Carolina Asheville. The showing will be hosted by Xpress movie critics Ken Hanke and Justin Souther.

The Thursday Horror Picture Show will screen Night of the Demon Thursday Aug. 5 at 8 p.m. in the Cinema Lounge of the Carolina Asheville. The showing will be hosted by Xpress movie critics Ken Hanke and Justin Souther.

The Story: A ladder-climbing businessman must find an idiot to bring to his boss' dinner, where each guest brings some buffoon, with a prize going to the dumbest one. The Lowdown: An occasionally funny farce that works due to a good-natured heart at its center.

The Story: A group of secret agent dogs and cats must team up to save humanity from an evil feline mastermind. The Lowdown: A pointless sequel to a forgotten film that's harmless yet excruciatingly corny.

The Story: An impoverished Irish fisherman pulls a woman in with his net, and the question arises as to whether she's real or imaginary, or a mythical seal-woman known as a selkie. The Lowdown: Gentle fantasy and modernity collide in Neil Jordan's new film — one of the real pleasures of the summer movie season…