Beverly Hills Chihuahua

Restrepo
The cinema v�rit�-style film documents the 15-month deployment of the U.S. Army's Second Platoon Battle Company, which was sent to the far-eastern dangerous Korengal Valley in May 2007. Two events create a loose narrative beyond the film's apt tagline of "One platoon, one valley, one year." First, the soldiers reclaim a Taliban artillery nest high in the mountains, and out of rock and sand, they create a 15-man outpost they name "Restrepo," after a recently fallen comrade. Later in the year, the platoon takes the fight to the enemy, venturing into the mountain's pine forest, in an operation nicknamed Rock Avalanche, that lives up to its dangerous moniker. Documenting all this is a pair of well-established media professionals: Tim Hetherington, a British war photographer, and writer Sebastian Junger (The Perfect Storm). The film, which earlier this year won the Grand Prize for documentary at Sundance, is presented without comment from the filmmakers. Viewers can bring their own political commentary if they wish, though Restrepo works as strictly a fly-on-the-wall account. Despite its lack of story, Restrepo remains engaging, and even revelatory. We tend to think of war as a big picture, but Restrepo zooms in on the situation's most valuable and oft-neglected asset: the guy fighting it. His big picture is immediate and vivid: his survival and that of his comrades. Starts Fri., Sept. 10. Manor (Al Hoff) [3 out of 4 stars] [September 9, 2010]

Sweet Tammy's
A Squirrel Hill bakery is kosher, dairy-free and sinfully delicious [September 9, 2010]

Legendary
Wispy high school kid Cal (Devon Graye) takes up wrestling in an attempt to connect to his long-dead dad and his estranged older brother, both former champs of the mat. Mel Damski's teen-sports melodrama is everything you'd expect � from training montages to the Wise Elder at the Catfish Pond (Danny Glover). The only surprise for me was wondering how Patricia Clarkson ended up as Cal's mom in this WWE-produced sweat-and-schmaltz fest. Yes, WWE. Pro-wrestler John Cena and his mighty muscles star as the bad-boy brother. There are the usual lessons about learning to believe in yourself, forgiveness and the extra-tricky "reverse cradle" move. Don't try that, though, unless you're down to the wire in the state championships. Starts Fri., Sept. 10. SouthSide Works (Al Hoff) [2 out of 4 stars] [September 9, 2010]

More (1264)...

Talking dogs on a comic road trip

Post a comment