Seen and reviewed (April 10)
New films in theaters this week:
– “The Cake Eaters” (rated R), a romantic drama starring Kristen Stewart.
– “Dragonball: Evolution” (rated PG), a live-action version of the popular cartoon series.
– “Everlasting Moments” (not rated), a Swedish domestic drama. Swedish with subtitles.
– “Hannah Montana: The Movie” (rated G), a big screen spin-off from the Disney Channel series.
– “Observe and Report” (rated R), a raunchy comedy starring Seth Rogen.
The “Dragonball” movie was not pre-screened for critics, though word of mouth from the film’s Asian opening has not been kind.
And despite its good cast (joining Stewart are Aaron Stanford, Bruce Dern and Elizabeth Ashley), “Cake Eaters” is too quirky for its own good.
As for “Everlasting Moments,” the slow pacing and excessive running time (131 minutes) make the “Everlasting” part of its title seem ironic.
The raunchiness and mean-spiritedness of “Observe and Report” will turn off most viewers. However, Rogen does show more range in his performance than he has in recent roles.
Poster art courtesy Walt Disney Pictures
The silly, innocuous “Hannah Montana” feature makes it a complete week of less than impressive openings. Fans of Miley Cyrus will enjoy the film. But it’s not going to win her any awards or any new converts.
Which, if any, of these movies fit into your weekend viewing plans?