June 7, 2007

``Surf's Up'' (PG, 1 hr., 22 min.)

It sounds like a weak excuse for yet another computer-animated feature about penguins, especially after last year's ``Happy Feet'' (PG, 2006). But it turns out that ``Surf's Up,'' about a penguin who lives for surfing, is a funnier, less pretentious, more carefree enterprise that can stand on its own webbed feet. Kids 6 and older will take pleasure in the film's clever overlay of surfer-dude culture onto a cartoon penguin world. Older kids will also like the way it unfolds as a ``reality TV'' show, with interviews and scratchy ``archival'' scenes. The movie doesn't talk down to kids, but has plenty to tickle adults. And its message -- that winning isn't everything -- doesn't crash down like a wave. ``Surf's Up'' is consistently funny, from the three little penguin chicks who comment on the action to the ``native'' penguins who capture and nearly cook a surf-loving rooster. The look of the film is artful and the script includes great vocabulary words, such as ``finesse,'' for grade-schoolers.

Cody Maverick (voice of Shia LaBeouf) is a small Rockhopper penguin from Antarctica. Bored with sorting fish, he longs to surf the world's waves in emulation of his idol, legendary champ, Big Z. One day, a scout bird named Mikey (Mario Cantone), traveling by whale, recruits Cody for the big Big Z Memorial Surf Off on tropical Pen-Gu Island, run by a sleazy otter named Reggie (James Woods). Cody sets out, befriends a spacey surfing rooster, Chicken Joe, from Sheboygan (Jon Heder), and meets lovely penguin lifeguard Lani (Zooey Deschanel). Her reclusive uncle Geek (Jeff Bridges), who has a secret connection to Cody's idol, Big Z, helps Cody achieve a Zen-like approach to surfing, but surfer bully Tank Evans (Diedrich Bader) sees Cody as a loser.

``Surf's Up'' contains toilet humor, occasional crude language (``crap'' and ``pecker face'' seem gratuitous), a long scene in which Tank talks about being alone with his ``ladies'' -- i.e. his surfing trophies -- which seems to be a subtle reference (likely clear to adults and teens) about masturbation. When the otter, Reggie, emerges from a hot tub, the camera blurs his crotch, a la ``real'' reality shows. Cody and others get knocked out and nearly drowned in briefly intense surfing wipeouts. The loss of a parent is a secondary theme: We see in a photo Cody's dad and a whale about to swallow him.

--0-- --0-- --0--

``Ocean's Thirteen'' (PG-13, 1 hr., 53 min.)

Never mind trying to follow the intricate revenge plot in ``Ocean's Thirteen,'' a sequel (to ``Ocean's Eleven, 2001 and ``Ocean's Twelve, 2004, both PG-13) long on glitz and short on content, but amusing in a low-key way that feels fresh in this season of superheroes. It's all about male star power, great clothes and collegiality -- and, incidentally, about how Danny Ocean (George Clooney), Rusty Ryan (Brad Pitt) and their fellow con men (Matt Damon, Don Cheadle, Casey Affleck, Scott Caan, Bernie Mac, Carl Reiner, Eddie Jemison and Shaobo Qin) gather to avenge their mentor, Reuben Tishkoff (Elliott Gould). Ruthless casino magnate Willie Bank (a bronzed and coiffed Al Pacino) has cheated Tishkoff on a Las Vegas business deal, driving him into a heart attack. Danny's gang plots to wreck the grand opening of Bank's new casino/hotel. They even go so far as to create a fake earthquake. And shy Linus (Damon) disguises himself to seduce Bank's tightly wound top executive (Ellen Barkin).

Younger teens may squirm through the movie's narrative detours and chattier scenes -- under Steven Soderbergh's sly direction, characters are always talking, eating and conniving. But the film is a gentle PG-13, with occasional mild profanity, the nongraphic depiction of a heart attack, a steamy seduction that never gets past a brief shedding of outer garments, a daunting view of sumo wrestlers' behinds, and limited drinking.

P.S. FOR TEENS: One of the best movies about con men getting even with someone through an elaborate trick is ``The Sting'' (PG, 1973) -- a classic caper film that stars Paul Newman and Robert Redford. It's set in Depression-era Chicago, with a memorable musical score using the Ragtime piano pieces of Scott Joplin (from an earlier turn-of-the-century era). ``The Sting'' is a classic.

--0-- --0-- --0--

``Mr. Brooks'' (R, 2 hrs.)

The movie world's longtime fascination with serial killers takes a visually and psychologically stylish turn in ``Mr. Brooks,'' a film truly meant for adults. With its awful, almost clinical, moments of bloody, close-up violence -- though they're quick and spaced far apart -- and its subtle but unmistakable link between killing and sexual pleasure in the murderer's mind, this movie is not for those under 17. In addition to flinch-inducing murders with gun, blade, and shovel, the film contains a deafening shoot-out, explicit sexuality, nudity, profanity, drinking and smoking.

Kevin Costner, in an impressive, slow-burning performance, plays Earl Brooks, a wealthy box manufacturer. His wife (Marg Helgenberger) seems unaware of his secret life and he has been ``straight'' for two years -- attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings in hopes they'll show him how to quash his secret addiction. But Mr. Brooks' alter ego, Marshall (a slick, sinister William Hurt) -- seen and heard only by Brooks and us -- convinces him he deserves a ``treat.'' Brooks' stalking and murder of a lovemaking couple -- the sex graphic, the shots loud and forehead-piercing -- brings complications. The curtains were open and a voyeuristic neighbor (Dane Cook) saw the killing. He wants to go with Brooks on his next outing for the ``rush'' of seeing him kill -- and he has photos. Brooks' daughter (Danielle Panabaker) is home with problems, and a cop (an unconvincing Demi Moore) is closing in.

--0-- --0-- --0--

BEYOND THE RATINGS GAME

-- OK FOR KIDS 6 AND OLDER:

``Surf's Up'' PG (NEW) (Funnier, less pretentious, more carefree computer-animated penguin saga than last year's ``Happy Feet'' (also PG) structured as a ``reality TV'' show about a surfing-obsessed Rockhopper penguin, Cody Maverick (voice of Shia LaBeouf) who gets scouted on his little Antarctican island and invited to a tropical isle for a surfing competition named for his idol, the late great Big Z; Cody befriends a spacey surfing rooster, Chicken Joe (Jon Heder), a pretty lifeguard Lani (Zooey Deschanel) and her reclusive uncle Geek (Jeff Bridges) who teaches him the finer points of surfing and also has a secret; Tank (Diedrich Bader), bully and surfing champ, targets Cody. Toilet humor; occasional crude language (``crap'' and ``pecker face'' seem gratuitous); very subtle comic references to masturbation that will be caught by adults, older teens; ``reality'' TV-style blurring of otter's crotch as he emerges from hot tub; Cody and others knocked out, nearly drowned in briefly intense wipeouts; secondary theme about losing a parent -- photo of Cody's dad as a whale is about to swallow him.)

``Shrek the Third'' PG (Inventive, irreverent sequel keeps computer-animated medieval fairy-tale romp (and Hollywood spoof) afloat with gentle nudges about responsibility, peacemaking; chosen by his dying father-in-law, King Harold the frog (voice of John Cleese), to rule Far Far Away, the ogre Shrek (Mike Myers) cringes at dual prospects of kingship and fatherhood; Shrek, Donkey (Eddie Murphy) and Puss In Boots (Antonio Banderas) go off to recruit the teen (Justin Timberlake) next in line for the throne; evil Prince Charming (Rupert Everett) invades Far Far Away (quick, grim view of his minions swooping in on broomsticks), taking Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) and others hostage; Charming's silliness makes him non-scary. Verbal hint someone's tunic doesn't quite cover their privates; teens high on incense; alcohol reference; mild sexual innuendo; threat to kill Shrek; a stabbing quickly shown to be harmless; trees smacking people; stepsister (Larry King) seems transgendered.)

-- PG-13s OF VARYING INTENSITY:

``Ocean's Thirteen'' (NEW) (Low-key caper comedy (sequel to ``Ocean's Eleven, 2001 and ``Ocean's Twelve,'' 2004, both PG-13) is too long and heavy on convoluted ``process,'' but hits jackpot with male star power, collegiality and glitz; Danny Ocean (George Clooney), Rusty Ryan (Brad Pitt) and their fellow con men (Matt Damon, Don Cheadle, Casey Affleck, Scott Caan, Bernie Mac, Carl Reiner and more) return to Las Vegas to avenge their mentor, Reuben Tishkoff (Elliott Gould) after a ruthless casino magnate (a bronzed, coiffed Al Pacino) cheats him on a business deal. Occasional mild profanity; nongraphic heart attack; steamy seduction that never gets past shedding of outer garments; daunting view of sumo wrestlers' behinds; limited drinking. Younger teens may squirm through narrative detours, chatty scenes.)

``Gracie'' (Touchingly acted tale could inspire teen girls; 15-year-old Gracie (excellent Carly Schroeder) in 1978 New Jersey, longs to play varsity soccer with the boys (there's no girls team) for her own passion and to honor her soccer-star brother (Jesse Lee Soffer) who dies in a car crash early on (crash not shown); she faces stunning chauvinist attitudes, even from her other brothers and her dad (Dermot Mulroney); she acts out with risky behavior until her dad agrees to train her; her mom (Elisabeth Shue) quietly supports Gracie's quest; film is loosely based on Shue's own childhood; story suffers narrative hiccups, but its emotions work. Teen experimentation with cigarettes, beer; joy riding; boys wager on whether Gracie will ``go all the way''; makeout scenes never get beyond kissing, a guy taking off his shirt, before they're interrupted; sexual innuendo; rare mild profanity; slur that teen girls who play sports are ``lesbos''; boys try to bloody Gracie on the field. Not for sheltered middle-schoolers.)

``Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End'' (Overextended, chaotic sequel with incomprehensible plot-o'-nine-tales is mostly a bore, with nice moments when actors do their pirate/villain thing to great, droll effect; wily pirate Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) and callow lovers Elizabeth (Keira Knightley) and Will (Orlando Bloom) must rescue reprobate pirate Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp, doing a caricature of his caricature) from Davy Jones' (Bill Nighy with the squid face) limbo so all pirate leaders can meet. Stylized mayhem still pushes PG-13 limit with harrowing images: mass hangings -- including a boy -- with nooses around necks, feet falling through trap doors, bodies carted off; characters run through with swords, shot in head; bodies fall into sea; deafening cannon fire; a frostbitten toe snapped off; a glass eye licked clean, then popped back in the socket; fish-headed zombie pirates; mild sexual innuendo; mild profanity; drinking; themes of death, betrayal. Iffy for middle-schoolers, 'tweens with gentler sensibilities.)

``Spider-Man 3'' (Endless third film turns eloquent soul-searching of ``Spider-Man 2'' (PG-13, 2004) into pseudo-spiritual piffle; Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Tobey Maguire), caught up in Spiderman persona's glory, fails to notice Mary Jane's (Kirsten Dunst) acting career troubles; as Spider-Man, he faces multiple enemies: estranged pal Harry (James Franco) as the blade-slinging New Goblin; shape-shifting monster and escaped convict Sandman (Thomas Haden Church) and lizard-toothed Venom (Topher Grace), in human form a guy who covets Peter's photo job at the Daily Bugle; plus slithery alien whatsits that turn Peter angry. Non-gory high-flying, blade-hurling battles, impalings, shootings; flashbacks of gun murder of Peter's Uncle Ben (Cliff Robertson); Sandman morphs into a cloud hurtling down a street, echoing 9/11; mild sexual innuendo; drinking; smoking. Too slow, somber for some younger teens.)

-- R's:

``Mr. Brooks'' (NEW) (Visually, psychologically stylish and gripping variation on filmdom's longtime fascination with serial killers; Kevin Costner as wealthy businessman of title with secret life as a serial killer; Brooks feels guilt, tries to break his ``addiction,'' but his alter ego (William Hurt), seen and heard only by him, wants more ``fun''; he shoots a couple in the throes of lovemaking, not realizing their curtains are open; a voyeuristic neighbor (Dane Cook) sees the killing and demands Brooks take him on his next spree; Brooks' wife (Marg Helgenberger) remains clueless, but his daughter (Danielle Panabaker) may have issues; a cop (Demi Moore) is closing in, too. Subtle but clear link for Brooks between killing and sexual pleasure; flinch-inducing murders with gun, blade, shovel; explicit sexual situation; nudity; profanity; drinking; smoking. Truly not for under-17s.)

``Knocked Up'' (Director Judd Apatow (``The 40-Year-Old Virgin,'' R, 2005) turns his trademark mix of raunchiness and heart to hilarious, humane effect in tale of Ben (Seth Rogen), a slacker who lives with his trash-talking buds (Jay Baruchel, Jonah Hill, Martin Starr and Jason Segel), smoking pot and barely working; he meets gorgeous, career-minded Alison (Katherine Heigl) in a bar; drunk, they have a one-night stand; she gets pregnant, tells him, and they try to forge a relationship for the baby, which may even lead to love; comedically savvy, unconventional cast adds much. Constant strong profanity; graphic sexual situation; seminudity; crude, explicit sexual slang, discussion of condom use; steaming sexual innuendo; topless lap dancers; marijuana, hallucinogenic mushroom use; other drug references; drinking; toilet humor. Problematic for high-schoolers under 17 -- in an ideal world, should depend on parental discretion.)

``Once'' (LIMITED RELEASE) (Innovative, amiable musical film -- an unpretentious love story set in modern Dublin about a talented street musician (Irish rocker Glen Hansard) too shy to market his new songs; he meets a young Czech woman (Marketa Irglova) who plays piano and sings; they combine talents, their artistic pairing made bittersweet by a mutual attraction but many obstacles to happily ever after. Very mild R: Profanity; mild sexual innuendo; unwed motherhood; suicide reference; drinking; smoking. More for college sensibilities.)