Friday, Dec. 23, 2011

Capsule reviews of films opening this week

By MCT -

Opened Tuesday:

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO” (R): Director David Fincher’s brooding, stylish adaptation of the Stieg Larsson novel stars Rooney Mara (“The Social Network”) as the rebellious computer hacker who helps a journalist (Daniel Craig) investigate a 40 year-old crime. No holiday movie season is complete without a little murder and torture.

Opened Wednesday:

THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN” (PG): Director Steven Spielberg enters the 3-D arena with this adaptation — the first of an intended series — of the hugely popular books by the Belgian author Herge. Spielberg and producer Peter Jackson used the motion-capture technology James Cameron used for “Avatar” to tell the story of the young newspaper reporter (Jamie Bell) and his first encounter with the drunken Captain Haddock (Andy Serkis). You have never seen 3-D quite like this.

Opening Friday:

THE ARTIST” (PG-13): This bonafide silent movie, about a film star (Jean Dujardin) on his way down and an ingenue (Berenice Bejo) on her way up, has become a critical darling and the movie to beat at the Oscars.

WE BOUGHT A ZOO” (PG): Writer-director Cameron Crowe’s first feature since the flop “Elizabethtown” stars Matt Damon as a widower who takes on the restoration of a crumbling zoo for the sake of his two children. Scarlett Johansson is the veterinarian helping him with the animals.

Opening Sunday:

WAR HORSE” (PG-13): Steven Spielberg brings all his formidable skills to bear on this adaptation of the Michael Morpurgo novel about the bond between a young man (Jeremy Irvine) and his horse during World War I. “Think Saving Private Ryan,” only with less gore and with a horse instead of Matt Damon. Pack some Kleenex. Lots of them.

THE DARKEST HOUR” (PG-13): Earth is once again under attack by evil aliens trying to conquer our planet. Emile Hirsch and Max Minghella lead the human resistance.