Opening Films

by Inlander Staff & r & & r & GRACIE


This project might be a little too much in the family for it to rise above typical inspirational-sports-movie fare: Director Davis Guggenheim is married to Elisabeth Shue (whose high school experiences are the basis of this movie, who's playing the title character's mother, and whose brother Andrew plays the coach here). In 1978, a girl faces sexist obstacles when trying to join her school's boys' soccer team. Here's hoping she can bend it like the Karate Kid. (MB) Rated PG-13





KNOCKED UP


The fat, hairy oaf from The 40-Year-Old Virgin (Seth Rogen) has an unlikely, booze-fueled one-night stand with one of the knockout docs from Grey's Anatomy (Katherine Heigl). Eight weeks later, she calls with unpleasant news: a baby. The odd couple decides to give it a go. Whether Rogen can pull off a leading man is uncertain. He's directed by Judd Apatow (Anchorman, Talladega Nights) and joined by 40-Year-Old partner Paul Rudd ("you know how I know you're gay?"). Meaning it could be innovative and funny, or it could be a rehash of the same old shtick. Which might not be all that bad. (JS) Rated R





MR. BROOKS


Kevin Costner again shows his nasty side (see 3000 Miles to Graceland), as a troubled man who's addicted to killing strangers, and feels the urge coming back after thinking he's licked it. He's goaded on by his "inner demon," played with nasty glee by William Hurt, who can only be seen and heard by Costner's title character. There are a couple of exceedingly violent and bloody scenes, but much of this is filled with black, black humor. (ES) Rated R





THE VALET


Are romantic comedies more romantic and comedic when they're in French? La Doublure sounds much more bumblingly alluring than The Valet, so let's hope the film didn't loose anything else in its subtitular translation. In this farce an important businessman is photographed with a model (with whom he is having an affair). As marital controversy brews, the businessman concocts a relationship between the model and an incidental figure who made it into the picture -- the valet of the title. Frothy, but they do frothy well over there on the Riviera. (MD) Rated PG-13