Haunting In Connecticut

Plus: 12 Rounds, Brothers At War, Waltz in Bashir and more

By Volcano Staff on March 26, 2009

12 ROUNDS: John Cena and Aidan Gillen (The Wire) cross wits in this action adventure about a detective (Cena) whose girlfriend has been kidnapped by an ex-con with a bone to pick. (PG-13) – Bill White


BROTHERS AT WAR: Director Jake Rademacher felt two of his brothers growing away from him after their deployment in Iraq.  So he took a camera crew and went to walk in their footsteps.  Joining a U.S. Army unit commanded by his brother Isaac and including his brother Joe, he followed them on door-to-door missions and border patrol, and often came under fire.  What results is an honest, on-the-ground documentary about the daily tasks of his brothers.  It provides a fresh, nonpolitical view of the war. (R) Three Stars – Roger Ebert


THE BOTHERSOME MAN: A man named Andreas arrives in a city he has no memories of.  He has a job, an apartment, even a wife.  But no idea about any of it.  When he tries to leave … he can’t.  Until he meets Hugo who might know a way out. (NR) – BW


THE CROSS: THE ARTHUR BLESSITT STORY: The Sunset Strip street preacher and “Jesus Coffee House” owner is profiled. (PG) – BW


THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT: Virginia Madsen stars in a film based on the chilling true story of a family’s encounter with the dark forces of the supernatural. (PG-13) – BW


MONSTERS VS. ALIENS: Monsters from the 1950s are released from a secret federal prison to join the 49-foot, 11-inch Ginormica (voice by Reese Witherspoon) in saving Earth from hostile aliens.  Probably fun for younger kids, but lacks the humor and personality of earlier DreamWorks films like Shrek.  The 3-D, not as bright as 2-D, is more a distraction than enhancement. (PG) Two and a half stars – RE


TWO LOVERS: James Gray’s Two Lovers is anything but traditional, romantic or a comedy. It is a film of unusual perception, played at perfect pitch by Joaquin Phoenix, Vinessa Shaw, Gwyneth Paltrow and the other actors. It is calm and mature. It understands these characters. It doesn’t juggle them for melodrama, but looks inside. (R) Three and a half stars — RE


WALTZ WITH BASHIR: A devastating Israeli animated film that tries to reconstruct how and why thousands of innocent civilians were massacred because those with the power to stop them took no action.  During Israel’s 1982 invasion of Lebanon, Palestinian refugees were killed by a Christian militia.  Blame has never been clearly assigned. (R) Three stars – RE

The Grand Cinema: Fri-Sun 2, 6:15, 8:30. Mon-Wed 6:15, 8:30. Thurs, April 2 2, 4, 6:30, 9.