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by The Inlander & r & & r & BECOMING JANE


The Harlequinization of Jane Austen? Becoming Jane doesn't go that far. In fact, while the movie takes license with some hints from Austen's life, it's also a reminder that unrequited love can fuel some affecting prose. It's a movie that knows how to dramatize the essentially undramatic life of an author. And yes, Hollywood romanticizes: Anne Hathaway is more beautiful and self-assertive than Austen ever was. (MB)





THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM


The second sequel in the Bourne series takes everything up a couple of notches. Matt Damon returns as the amnesia-suffering former CIA agent, regularly chased and shot at by his own people, for reasons that are eventually revealed. But there's also trouble between members of the CIA camp. An excellent addition to the Bourne film catalogue. (ES) Rated PG-13





DADDY DAY CAMP


First there was Daddy Day Care, in which Eddie Murphy and Jeff Garlin started a daycare center. The film made so much money, another was ordered. Garlin was thrilled; Murphy was not, and he dropped out. Now we've got Cuba Gooding Jr. in the Murphy part, and Paul Rae (who?) in the Garlin part. (ES) Rated PG





DEATH AT A FUNERAL


A British family funeral is disrupted when an American dwarf shows up with compromising photos of himself and the deceased patriarch, and the old man's daughter accidentally gives her fianc & eacute; a designer hallucinogen instead of Valium. English feathers get ruffled. A nice comedy of manners from a loveable American director (Frank Oz), but you might save a few bucks and just watch the trailer instead. (JS) Rated R





HAIRSPRAY


There have been plenty of big, splashy musicals in recent years, but why are they always so grim? This one, about teens in Baltimore in the early '60s, is incredibly happy, and heck, John Travolta plays a 350-pound woman! It's about mother-daughter relationships, husband-wife relationships, times of racial change, all celebrated in catchy song and dance. Yes, there is such thing as a feel-good movie. (ES) Rated PG





HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX


The best Potter to date makes the previous entry almost forgettable. This streamlined version of the immense fifth book picks up with Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) threatened with expulsion from Hogwarts for using his magic in public. The ever-sprawling story relies less on the friendships among him, Hermione (Emma Watson), and Ron (Rupert Gint), and more on a transformation from fantasy to horror. (ES) Rated PG-13





HURRICANE ON THE BAYOU


Katrina can be discussed in human, social and political terms in forums ranging from political roundtables to Spike Lee films. But Hurricane on the Bayou examines the hurricane as an ecological issue. Beginning as a documentary about the Mississippi Delta, the filmmakers end up turning their IMAX cameras on Katrina. (MD) Not Rated; no deaths are depicted





ILLEGAL TENDER


A kid who worships his mother and never knew his father learns some unsettling secrets about both. His father was killed by a mafia group of some sort and, in order to save his mom (who, wielding dual pistols as in a spaghetti Western, doesn't look like she needs saving), must enter an underworld he's largely ignorant of. (LB) Rated R





THE LAST LEGION


Rome doesn't want a Caesar ruling any longer - no surprise there. The young ruler, Romulus Augustus (Thomas Sangster from Love, Actually), is forced out in a social coup turned violent and is sent on an adventurous quest with Colin Firth and Ben Kingsley. As legend has it, he is predicted to find the sword Excalibur (pre-King Arthur) and wield it against his enemies. (KM) Rated PG-13





LEWIS & amp; CLARK


Lewis, Clark and Sacajawea embark on a journey west to discover vast land and indigenous people. Relive the 200-year-old journey that charted the Pacific Northwest and got towns, rivers and schools named in the explorers' honor. At IMAX.Rated G





MR. BEAN'S HOLIDAY


The idiot is back and more Bean than ever. This time he's taking on France when he wins (by accident of course), a trip on the Riviera. Unfortunately, France isn't idiot-proof and Mr. Bean (Rowan Atkinson) manages to mistakenly kidnap a movie director's son, steal his camcorder and take his place in Cannes where his camcorder images are shown at the festival. (TM) Rated G





THE NANNY DIARIES


A recent college graduate (Scarlett Johansson) is pushed by her suburban mom to go into the business world, even though she prefers anthropology. Instead, opportunity knocks in the form of a nanny position for the wealthy and nasty "X" family (Paul Giamatti, Laura Linney). But it all comes across as a knock-off of The Devil Wears Prada, complete with Linney's boss from hell, and the protagonist's insistence on keeping the dreadful job instead of just walking away. Flat script, acting, and direction. (ES) Rated PG-13





NO RESERVATIONS


A workaholic chef (Catherine Zeta-Jones) takes time off to become the guardian of her recently orphaned niece (Abigail Breslin). While she's out, the restaurant hires a freewheeling chef (Aaron Eckhart) to cover for her. When she returns, he stays, and the story turns into a sort of emotional food fight. And everything comes out just as you think it will. (ES) Rated PG





RATATOUILLE


Brad Bird, the genius behind the animated films The Iron Giant and The Incredibles, returns with a Pixar film about a food-loving rat in Paris who turns out to be a great chef, and becomes the brains behind the new concoctions at a restaurant that's popular, but has seen better days. It's also a riot. (ES) Rated G





RESURRECTING THE CHAMP


When a struggling sports journalist (Josh Hartnett) discovers a great untold story about a homeless wreck of a former boxer (Samuel L. Jackson), his writing career just could be revived -- or is it resurrected? Great performances from the two guys, and an interesting take on many sides of father-son relationships. As much as Jackson is almost impossible to find in his character, so too does the mood and spirit of the first half of the film hardly resemble the second half. (ES) Rated PG-13





RUSH HOUR 3


Chris Tucker still gets a few zingers in this third installment of the fire-and-ice buddy-cop series, but the series' assets -- Jackie Chan's adorable English and astonishing acrobatics -- are this film's greatest liability. Chan seems old and weary, and his stunts and fight scenes hardly dazzle like they used to. The only saving grace is a lovable French cabbie who's hungry for American action. (JS) Rated R





SEPTEMBER DAWN


On a particular September 11 in the 1850s, a bunch of Mormons killed a bunch of other Mormons in what became called the Mountain Meadows Massacre. September Dawn tells the story of how 120 people died, cloaking it in conspiracy, suspicion and an incredibly dubious Romeo and Juliet-style romance. (LB) Rated R





THE SIMPSONS MOVIE


The Simpsons Movie is just about as funny as four of the television episodes. So what's the point? Nostalgia basically, but with a bigger budget, higher stakes, larger scale, in-jokes galore... and, strangely, an actual plot. It's exactly what we should have expected. (LB) Rated PG-13





STARDUST


A magical, comedy-laced fantasy about some people searching for a star that has fallen and taken human form (Claire Danes). If one of the rotten sons of a dying king finds it, he'll be the heir. If an evil old witch (Michelle Pfeiffer) gets it, she'll stay young and make life miserable for all. If a wide-eyed and innocent lad (Charlie Cox) retrieves it, he'll win the hand of the woman he thinks is his true love. Fabulous special effects and a terrific story. (ES) Rated PG-13





SUPERBAD


Three high school seniors -- two pals (Jonah Hill and Michael Cera) and a dorky hanger-on (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) -- try to find booze for a big party while trying not to think about the fact that college will soon separate them. Equal parts raucous, funny, and sweet, this is far from your usual teen comedy, mainly due to the touch of producer Judd Apatow (Knocked Up). It's a goofy class act, with sharp dialogue amid outrageous situations. (ES) Rated R





TRANSFORMERS


Autobots and Decepticons descend to Earth to continue their battle and search for a missing source of power. It's one of those good-versus-evil things. But Earth's occupants don't have much to do but get out of the way of these huge machines that can convert into cars, trucks and planes. Much eye-popping devastation and unexpected humor. (ES) Rated PG-13