Listen Up Philip, directed by Alex Ross Perry
(unrated, 109 minutes)
Insidiously intriguing, this is a darkly comedic film, heavy on seemingly pointless and self-aggrandizing chatter, emotional confusion and you’d-better-pay-attention dialogue, that sneaks up on you, hauls you into its peculiar literary/academic circle, and won’t let go. It concerns Philip (Jason Schwartzman, perfectly cast as an egotistical jerk who somehow commands the audience’s attention), who’s causing himself no end of trouble while awaiting the publication of his second novel by mistreating his photographer girlfriend, Ashley (Elisabeth Moss), refusing to promote his work, and becoming increasingly irritated with the cacophony of New York.
So when his literary idol Ike Zimmerman (Jonathan Pryce), who’s also no slouch when it comes to being obnoxious, invites him to spend time in his peaceful summer home, Philip bolts for the door, heads to the country, and makes himself at home. With himself, mostly. It’s hard to make this sound like it’s worth watching. But it is.
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 (PG-13, 123 minutes) Part 1 of the two-part conclusion to the popular Hunger Games franchise — pretty much a move-the-story-along preview of what the audience can expect to find in the grand finale — sees Katniss Everdeen, the heroine of District 13, grow in strength and political power under the leadership of President Coin (Julianne Moore). Series fans won’t want to miss it, but it’s not as exciting as the other episodes in this futuristic fantasy adventure that began in 2012. With Josh Hutcherson, Donald Sutherland, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Elizabeth Banks; directed by Francis Lawrence.
Happy Valley (unrated, 100 minutes) Writer/director Amir Bar-Lev takes the audience on a provocative and thoughtful documentary-style journey to State College, Pa., the home of Penn State University. The town’s cheerful public image as Happy Valley is brutally damaged in 2011 by the discovery of former football coach Jerry Sandusky’s horrific sexual abuse of youngsters and head football coach Joe Paterno’s disinclination to do anything about it.
Night at the Museum 3: Secret of the Tomb (PG, 97 minutes) A good-natured franchise that has outstayed its welcome, the intermittently amusing but mostly mediocre Night at the Museum 3 gives up on hanging around the confines of New York’s Natural History Museum and sends former security guard and now curator Larry Daley (Ben Stiller) out on a globe-spanning quest to save the deteriorating magic that has been bringing his inanimate museum friends to life before it’s gone forever. It’s made better with a visit to the British Museum in London and a talented cast that includes Rebel Wilson, Owen Wilson, Ben Kingsley, Ricky Gervais, the late Mickey Rooney and the late Robin Williams; directed by Shawn Levy.
The Captive (R, 112 minutes) An unsettling psychological melodrama in which the abduction of daughter Cassandra is the ruin of a formerly happy marriage between her parents, Matthew (Ryan Reynolds) and Tina (Mireille Enos), who suspects her husband of foul play. Then, years later, images of Cassandra turn up online. With Scott Speedman, Rosario Dawson; directed by Atom Egoyan.
The Last of Robin Hood (R, 94 minutes) A terrific cast adds mightily to this cringe-worthy but ultimately credible bio-drama in which genre-defying Hollywood star Errol Flynn (Kevin Kline), at age 48, takes on a relationship with 15-year-old aspiring actress Beverly Aadland (Dakota Fanning), with the affair being covered up by Beverly’s pushy mother Florence (Susan Sarandon), who’s hoping to live out her personal show-biz dreams through her unfortunately talentless daughter. Directed by Wash Westmoreland and Richard Glatzer.
To Write Love on Her Arms (PG-13, 118 minutes) Based on events that started a global movement dedicated to creating hope for people struggling with addiction, depression, self-injury and thoughts of suicide, this story concerns Renee Yohe (Kat Dennings), who, while struggling with addiction and abuse, discovers the value of friendship and its importance in her journey toward recovery. With Chad Michael Murray, Rupert Friend and Corbin Bleu; directed by Nathan Frankowski. Blu-ray bonus features include five deleted scenes and featurettes on the making of the film, Renee Yohe’s story, character profiles and the film’s music.