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JANE HORWITZ - FAMILY FILMGOER

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February 22, 2007

``The Astronaut Farmer'' (PG, 1 hr., 45 min.)

This family film about a former astronaut determined to get into space on his own was made by the sibling team of Michael and Mark Polish (they co-wrote and Michael directed). Normally creators of avant-garde films (``Twin Falls Idaho,'' R, 1999), this creative departure seems to have left the gate without a flight plan. ``The Astronaut Farmer'' feels oddly inert, underwritten, narratively disjointed and emotionally flat. Since the story itself represents a terrific idea for a movie, the result is all the more disappointing. Despite the film's flaws, some kids 10 and older may be able to ignore its droopier scenes and be intrigued by the premise and caught up in the ex-astronaut's dream. The movie contains occasional profanity and crude language, mild sexual innuendo, a scary accident with injuries, subtle themes about depression and suicide, a grandparent who dies while sleeping, a marital argument and beer drinking.

Charles Farmer (Billy Bob Thornton) walked away from the space program as a young astronaut before he ever got to leave the Earth. He did so because his dad died, but to NASA, it meant he didn't have the right stuff. Now a Texas rancher, Farmer has courted bankruptcy and foreclosure to build a space-worthy rocket in his barn, complete with a capsule on top for orbiting the planet. His son (Max Thieriot) is prepared to run ``mission control'' from an RV on their land. His wife (Virginia Madsen) supports Farmer's dream, but never quite believes he'll risk it. When he buys thousands of gallons of high-grade fuel, the FBI takes notice and sends agents and an old astronaut buddy of Farmer's (Bruce Willis) to threaten and/or talk him out of it. He responds with contrariness plus a hint of survivalist/conspiracy theorist fervor, which might, if better developed, have made for a more arresting tale.

P.S. FOR KIDS 10 AND OLDER: If ``The Astronaut Farmer'' gets you interested in the space program, check out a terrific, but LONG movie called ``The Right Stuff'' (PG, 1983) about the original seven astronauts in the American space program back in the 1960s. It shows how they trained in those early days -- most were former test pilots or fighter pilots -- when we were competing with the old Soviet Union in the Cold War and in space. It's based on a book by Tom Wolfe.

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``The Number 23'' (R, 1 hr., 35 min.)

Visually arresting, but narratively an utter mess, ``The Number 23'' aims for a kind of infinity as a mystical-psychological thriller and morality play, but winds up closer to zero instead. Recurring suicide themes and briefly sadomasochistic sexual situations make it a dubious choice for high-schoolers under 17, though many teens may try to see it just for the presence of star Jim Carrey. It is very dark. There are partially stylized depictions of a throat slitting, jumps from buildings, a near-hanging and slit wrists. Murder victims are shown lying in pools of blood and in a waking nightmare the hero imagines stabbing his wife to death. The sexual situations are steamy but semi-explicit -- too montage-y to show very much. The script contains talk of a death obsession being a ``turn-on,'' and other sexual innuendo and profanity.

In a less successful departure from his lighter comic roles (compared to ``Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,'' R, 2004), Carrey plays nice-guy Walter Sparrow, an animal control officer happily married to Agatha (Virginia Madsen), with a great teenage son (Logan Lerman). Things go south quickly after Agatha gives him a strange little novel, called ``The Number 23.'' Walter is soon overwhelmed by the book, recognizing things about himself in its tale of a tattooed, film-noirish police detective, imagining himself in fantasies and nightmares acting out events in the book. When the fictional detective becomes obsessed with suicides and their relation to the mystical number 23 (legends and theories about the number inspired the screenplay), Walter, too, becomes obsessed. His family tries to rescue him from this mysterious mania. The plot, as described, sounds intriguing, but film itself only looks good. It feels half-baked.

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BEYOND THE RATINGS GAME

-- 8 AND OLDER:

``Bridge to Terabithia'' PG (Touching story (based on Katherine Paterson's 1977 novel) about a deep friendship between fifth-graders Jess (Josh Hutcherson), a budding artist from a poor rural family that largely ignores him, and Leslie (AnnaSophia Robb), a free-spirited daughter of wealthy writers who move nearby; Leslie and Jess create their own fantasy world, Terabithia, in the woods; they free their imaginations and face down bullies in real and fantasy worlds; film's gritty naturalism marred by overtechnical, computer-animated attempt to visualize Terabithia. Under-8s may be scared by swooping furry vultures, giant trolls, armored attack squirrels, a huge tree that turns into a troll (pretty cool) in Terabithia; adults use mild profanity; kid-scuffles with bloodied noses; verbal references to a girl whose dad hits her; kids discuss religion; WARNING -- PLOT GIVEAWAY: Central theme in film's last act deals with grief and loss.)

-- 10 AND OLDER:

``The Astronaut Farmer'' PG (NEW) (Disappointing family film -- oddly inert, narratively disjointed, emotionally flat -- about a one-time astronaut named Farmer (Billy Bob Thornton) who left the space program before ever getting to leave the Earth because his father died; now a Texas rancher, he is determined to go up in space on his own, and has built a rocket and space capsule in his barn, with the help of his oldest son, Shepard (Max Thieriot), and the support of his wife (Virginia Madsen), who doesn't know they're nearly bankrupt; when he buys high-grade fuel, the FBI takes note and sends an old astronaut buddy (Bruce Willis) to stop him with logic, then threats; he responds with determined contrariness and a hint of the survivalist/conspiracy theorist. Occasional profanity, crude language; sexual innuendo; accident injuries; suicide, depression themes; grandparent dies; marital argument; beer.)

-- PG-13s AND A PG MORE FOR TEENS:

``Amazing Grace'' PG (NEW, LIMITED RELEASE) (Fascinating, fact-based, happily unstuffy costume drama with A-list British cast about 18th-century parliamentarian William Wilberforce (Ioan Gruffudd), who, after years of struggle, got a bill through parliament in 1807 abolishing the British slave trade (though not slavery itself, abolished in British colonies in 1833); Albert Finney as pastor John Newton, Wilberforce's longtime mentor and a former slave ship captain who spent his life in repentance and wrote the hymn ``Amazing Grace''; not so much a film about the lives of slaves as about oppressors stepping back. Images of slaves in shackles; a brand on a former slave's chest; talk of appalling conditions on slave ships, though ships are shown empty; man beating a fallen horse; Wilberforce's addiction to an opiate painkiller; drinking. More for high-schoolers.)

``Ghost Rider'' (NEW) (Glitzy, energized, diverting, if nonsensical fable (based on the Marvel comic) about a superstar stunt motorcyclist, Johnny Blaze (Nicolas Cage), who as a teen (played by Matt Long) sold his soul to Mephistopheles (Peter Fonda) to save his dad from cancer; as an adult he tries be a good person -- doesn't drink, listens to the Carpenters -- in hopes of negating his deal with the devil; reacquaintance with his old sweetheart, now a TV reporter (Eva Mendes), raises his hopes; but the devil wants Johnny as his bounty hunter, going after rogue demons led by Blackheart (Wes Bentley); as the devil's Ghost Rider, Johnny goes out after dark on a superbike, all ablaze, trying to use his new powers against ordinary human evil as well as the demons; a mysterious church ``Caretaker'' (Sam Elliott) helps him. Fights full of lightning flashes; demons with skull-like faces; middling profanity, crude language; smoking; drinking; mild sexual innuendo.)

``Breach'' (NEW) (Utterly gripping, unfussy ``process'' movie recounts how the FBI in 2001 snared Robert Hanssen (Chris Cooper), a traitorous high-level agent who, for more than 20 years, had been selling secrets to the Soviet Union, then Russia, under the noses of his FBI colleagues while living as a pious family man and gruff, dedicated counter-espionage expert; Ryan Phillippe as agent-in-training Eric O'Neill, chosen to be Hanssen's clerk and keep him oblivious while a huge team (Laura Linney, Dennis Haysbert, Gary Cole as central players) waited to catch Hanssen in the act. Steamy, though nonexplicit bedroom scenes; nongraphic references to Hanssen's sexual habits: videotaping ``rough'' sex with his wife, his relationship with a stripper; crude sexual and other language; fairly strong profanity. More for high-schoolers.)

``Tyler Perry's Daddy's Little Girls'' (NEW) (Preachy, broadly played, yet entertaining comedic melodrama about a goodhearted inner-city man (impressive Idris Elba) who served time for a rape he didn't commit and now works as a garage mechanic and chauffeur, trying to raise three young daughters and keep them away from their gang-and-drug-involved mom (Tasha Smith) and her thug pals; when his ex gets a judge to place the kids with her for their ``safety,'' he asks a hotshot woman lawyer (the always excellent Gabrielle Union) he has been chauffeuring to help; at first she is too snooty to respect such a humble man and finds his family troubles distasteful, but she eventually sees the light. Passionate, nongraphic sexual innuendo; drug theme; mild violence, threats; rare profanity; drinking. High-schoolers.)

``Music and Lyrics'' (Smart, hilarious, humane, wonderfully performed and visualized romantic comedy about a washed-up former '80s pop star (Hugh Grant, in fine form) who teams with a ditzy former writing student (ebullient Drew Barrymore) to create a new anthem for a Britney-esque teen icon (Haley Bennett); it's a big chance, but the pair's insecurities and eventual romantic involvement thicken the plot -- though not much; riotous spoofs of pop music and music videos past and present. Implied overnight tryst shows kissing and morning-after snuggling; other sexual innuendo in the form of dance moves; occasional mild profanity; verbal references to drugs; comic description of a pop artist's latest video looking like an ``orgasm set to the 'Gandhi' soundtrack.'')

``Norbit'' (Crass, crude, politically incorrect but often funny farce celebrates Eddie Murphy's gift for bringing wildly diverse characters to life through pounds of makeup; Norbit (Murphy), a milquetoast married to big, mean Rasputia (also Murphy), gains the gumption to stand up to her and her thuggish family after his lovely childhood pal (Thandie Newton) comes to town. Much sexual innuendo, including lurid views of Rasputia in a bikini, the tub, in bed; all outfits outlining anatomically correct breasts; nongraphic jokes refer to bedroom antics, the size of a little boy's penis, pimps (played by Eddie Griffin and Katt Williams), prostitutes, condoms; threats of violence, comical fights; middling profanity (lots of rhymes-with-witch and the S-word); sexual language; ethnic stereotyping; Rasputia drives over a dog on purpose; we later see the pooch wearing wheels to get around; Rasputia yells, ``Don't think I won't kill a child,'' while chasing kids; flatulence jokes. Iffy for middle-schoolers.)

``Because I Said So'' (Diane Keaton burbles irritatingly as an incredibly meddlesome single mom who secretly advertises on the Internet to find a mate for her still-single, slightly scattered youngest (Mandy Moore) in an overwrought, overdecorated, painfully contrived comedy. Numerous oblique but unmistakable euphemistic references to sexual practices, female organs, uncircumcised men; a lengthy, though rather prim discussion of orgasms; other cruder sexual language; a little boy innocently names male and female organs and asks to see a woman's; nonexplicit sexual situations; female character juggles affairs with two men; implied nudity; sounds of sex from a porn Web site; rare profanity; a dog trying to mate with an ottoman; drinking. Not for middle-schoolers.)

-- R's:

``The Number 23'' (NEW) (Jim Carrey in visually inventive but narratively muddle-headed thriller that starts out tantalizingly with mystical numerology ideas, then veers into tiresome psychological stuff -- a disappointing mess; animal control officer Walter Sparrow (Carrey) is a happy family man, whose simple life disintegrates after his wife (Virginia Madsen) buys him a strange little novel titled ``The Number 23'' about a tattooed, sax-playing, film-noirish police detective (also Carrey); as the detective becomes obsessed with mysticism surrounding the number 23, so does Walter, who visualizes himself in real-seeming re-enactments of the book. Recurring suicide theme -- stylized depictions of throat slitting, jumping out of buildings, hanging, slit wrists; murder victims lying in pools of blood; semi-explicit sexual situations, some with implied sadomasochism or death obsession; other sexual innuendo; profanity.)

``Hannibal Rising'' (Lurid, often laughable, but now-and-then creepily effective prequel cynically cannibalizes World War II and Holocaust themes to imagine how the fictional serial killer Hannibal Lecter came to be; Hannibal (Gaspard Ulliel), a young scion of a once great Lithuanian family, escapes a communist orphanage, enters medical school in France, gets a tad too chummy with a mysterious, widowed aunt (Gong Li) and becomes a cold, sword-wielding psychopath bent on vengeance; his motive lies in World War II memories (introduced in a prologue) of him (Aaron Thomas as 8-year-old Hannibal) and his little sister (Helena Lia Tachovska) terrorized by starving deserters, with a heavy implication the men killed and ate the sick little girl; Dominic West as war crimes investigator wise to Lecter's obsession. Bloody, though stylized stabbings, beheadings, drownings; Hannibal's early cannibalism; war scenes; crude racial and sexual insult; implication of kidnapped women used as sex slaves; milder sexual innuendo; rare profanity; ethnic slurs; drinking, smoking. No under-17s.)

``The Lives of Others'' (Quietly thrilling, exquisitely acted, highly atmospheric tale of a government cog reclaiming his humanity in 1984 communist East Germany, a few years before the Berlin Wall fell; Wiesler (Ulrich Muhe), a cold snoop for the ever-present Stasi secret police, is transformed, much to his own amazement, by art and ideas while spying on a playwright (Sebastian Koch) and his actress-lover (Martina Gedeck); he begins trying to protect instead of entrap his ``targets''; the film's surprising coda is as moving as any finale in cinemas today. On-screen suicide and verbal reference to another; stressful interrogation; subtle threats; explicit and semi-explicit sexual situations; partial nudity; drug abuse; profanity; drinking, smoking. In German with subtitles. College cinema buffs.)