Capsule movie reviews

December 05, 2009

New releases

Brothers

When a US Marine (Tobey Maguire) is presumed killed in action, his ex-con brother (Jake Gyllenhaal) steps up to help with his widow (Natalie Portman) and daughters. The movie jerks between scenes of military torture on one side and scenes of domestic frolic on the other, then becomes an emotional potboiler. And there’s something distasteful in the way director Jim Sheridan relishes turning that trauma into a thriller. (110 min., R) (Wesley Morris)

Defamation Is modern anti-Semitism an invention of right-wing Jews intended to silence dissent? Israeli filmmaker Yoav Shamir wears his point of view lightly but firmly, and the results are provocative in the best ways. You’ll have some good, loud arguments on the way out of the theater. In Hebrew, English, and Polish, with subtitles. (91 min., unrated) (Ty Burr)

Everybody’s Fine It takes some effort to neutralize the charm of a modestly charismatic Robert De Niro performance. But this tedious dramedy does a stupendous job. De Niro plays a widower crossing the country, by train and bus, to drop in on the adult children who claim they’re too busy to visit him. Kate Beckinsale, Sam Rockwell, and Drew Barrymore are the kids. Adapted from a 1990 Italian film. (101 min., PG-13) (Wesley Morris)

The House of the Devil A college student (Jocelin Donahue) baby-sits for devil worshipers during a lunar eclipse. Bad idea. Director Ti West has made an almost fetishistic re-creation of a horror-suspense movie circa 1978, but his genuine love for the genre keeps it from being an empty stylistic stunt. With Tom Noonan and Mary Woronov. (95 min., R) (Ty Burr)

The Strip A nominal comedy about the employees of a Chicago-area strip-mall electronics store. The dialogue is embarrassing, and scenes that should take two minutes wind up lasting 10. It makes you appreciate what hard work effortless comedy is. (90 min., R) (Wesley Morris)

Up in the Air From Jason Reitman, a warm, smoothly made movie about a man (George Clooney) who spends most of his time firing people. The movie concerns his attempt to settle down. At its very best, it invents new for old Hollywood sophistication. The sequined cocktail parties and crack banter are now happening in the Admirals Club lounge. With Vera Farmiga, Jason Bateman, and Anna Kendrick, who’ll rightly be labeled a discovery. (109 min., R) (Wesley Morris)

Previously released

Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans