Opening Films

by Inlander Staff & r & & r & THE BRAVE ONE


When she's beaten senseless, and a loved one is brutally murdered in a mugging, a New York radio show host (Jodie Foster) buys a gun and has thoughts of revenge running through her head. But this is smarter than your average vigilante film, because she plays an average person, not quite sure what to do. Things become interesting when a cop (Terrence Howard) meets her and starts to get suspicious of her activities. Tense and violent, well acted, and tightly directed by Neil Jordan. (ES) Rated R





DRAGON WARS


Seriously dudes, Korean dragons are coming to L.A. The narrator said so. He didn't say why they'd migrate from Pyongyang to the Valley to wreak their magical havoc, or anything, but I believe him. He said it was based on a legend, so you know there's like some ancient sorcery afoot. If there's one thing L.A.'s always screwed by, it's ancient sorcery. It doesn't say "based on a true story" anywhere, but, I mean ...


Oh man, I almost forgot the worst part: some of the dragons have missile launchers. (LB) Rated PG-13





MR. WOODCOCK


An interesting premise -- fat kid (Seann William Scott, The Dukes of Hazzard) gets tormented by his P.E. teacher (Billy Bob Thornton), matures into a famous self-help author, looks on horrified as Mom (Susan Sarandon) marries Mr. Woodcock -- gets ruined by a descent into junior-high sight gags. The writers could have explored overcoming childhood humiliations, but ... nah, instead let's have guys fall off treadmills and get trapped under a bed during sex. That'll be way funnier. Pretty clever, how Billy Bob's holding those two basketballs in front of himself like that. (MB) Rated PG-13