Palo Alto Online - Movie Times

Movie review: Precious
Of all the films released in 2009, "Precious" is most likely to stick in your craw, pitch a tent and refuse to leave. In adapting Sapphire's novel, screenwriter Geoffrey Fletcher and director Lee Daniels put front and center an everyday unsung hero, her horrifying circumstances and her dark, narrow path toward something better.

Movie review: 2012
An Oscar-caliber cast and dazzling visual effects can't rescue this formulaic disaster flick from a script flooded with generic dialogue and preposterous plot points. Watching "2012" is akin to starting your day with a bowl of Lucky Charms and a glass of chocolate milk -- nutrients and flavor are sacrificed for an impetuous and, ultimately, nauseating sugar rush.

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2012 NEW

PG-13

Yet another global-cataclysm scenario, this one starring John Cusack, Amanda Peet, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Thandie Newton as the survivors.

Century 16:

10:10 & 11:20 a.m.; noon, 1:50, 3, 3:30, 5:20, 6:30, 7:10, 8:10, 8:50, 10:10 & 10:45 p.m.

Century 20:

10:35 a.m.; 12:05, 12:40, 1:20, 2, 3:35, 4:05, 4:45, 5:30, 6:10, 7, 7:35, 8:15, 9:05, 9:45, 10:25 & 11 p.m.

A Serious Man

A physics professor struggles to become a mensch (despite a wandering wife, a burdensome brother, mendacious colleagues and a couple of unlovely children) in the Coen brothers' latest comedy.

Century 20:

12:10, 2:40, 5:15, 7:55 & 10:30 p.m.

CinéArts at Palo Alto Square:

2:15, 4:45, 7:20 & 9:50 p.m.

An Education

PG-13

Not Reviewed

Conundrum: should pre-Swinging London schoolgirl Carey Mulligan head off to Oxford or pursue the naughty life with a sexy older man?

Century 16:

11:35 a.m.; 2:05, 4:30, 7:25 & 10:15 p.m.

Astro Boy

The energetic young robot hits the big screen in a touching tale of self-discovery, acceptance and X-ray vision.

Century 20:

11:45 a.m.; 2:10, 4:30 & 6:50 p.m.

Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans NEW

Nicolas Cage plays a less-than-admirable police officer in New Orelans. Directed by Werner Herzog.

Century 16:

11:05 a.m.; 1:55, 4:45, 7:35 & 10:25 p.m.

The Blind Side NEW

PG-13

True story about current pro football player Michael Oher, who went from homeless teen to first-round draft pick thanks to the support of an adopted family. Starring Sandra Bullock.

Century 16:

12:10, 3:40, 7:05 & 10:05 p.m.

Century 20:

10:25 a.m.; 1:25, 3, 4:20, 6, 7:20, 9 & 10:20 p.m.

Disney's A Christmas Carol

Dickens' beloved slab of figgy pudding gets the 3D Disney treatment as Jim Carrey gives voice to half a dozen different characters (including Ebenezer himself).

Century 16:

In 3D at 11:10 a.m.; 2:20, 4:55, 7:20 & 9:50 p.m.

Century 20:

12:25, 2:50, 5:20 & 8 p.m.; In 3D at 11:20 a.m.; 1:45, 4:25, 6:55 & 9:20 p.m.

The Fourth Kind

PG-13

Not Reviewed

Shrink Milla Jovovich unearths chilling evidence of alien abductions in the greater Nome metropolitan area.

Century 20:

9:10 & 11:30 p.m.

Law Abiding Citizen

A disgruntled convict orchestrates a series of brutal murders from his jail cell, and only public prosecutor Jamie Foxx can stop 'em.

Century 20:

10:20 p.m.

The Men Who Stare At Goats

Not Reviewed

Absurdist political thriller about a real-life U.S. Army paranormal military unit and how its investigations into psychic phenomena were employed to interrogate prisoners at Guantanamo Bay; George Clooney stars.

Century 16:

11:50 a.m.; 2:30, 5:10, 7:45 & 10:20 p.m.

Century 20:

10:30 a.m.; 12:50, 3:20, 5:50, 8:10 & 10:40 p.m.

Michael Jackson's This Is It

Behind-the-scenes look at the late, legendary King of Pop as he prepared for a series of London appearances this past spring.

Century 16:

1:45, 4:25, 7:30 & 10:30 p.m.

Century 20:

11:05 a.m.; 1:40, 4:15 & 7:05 p.m.

Paranormal Activity

Not Reviewed

Two young marrieds consider switching realtors when they discover a noisome nocturnal spook sharing their tract house.

Century 20:

9:40 p.m.

Paris

Not Reviewed

Cedric Klapisch's valentine to the City of Lights focuses on an ensemble of Parisians and their dovetailing lives.

Guild Theatre:

2, 5 & 8 p.m.

Pirate Radio NEW

Eight rogue '60s-era disc jockeys led by Philip Seymour Hoffman beam rock 'n' roll at a helpless Britain and inspire an entire generation.

Century 20:

11:15 a.m.; 1:55, 4:35, 7:30 & 10:15 p.m.

CinéArts at Palo Alto Square:

1:45, 4:30, 7:15 & 9:55 p.m.

Planet 51 NEW

Not Reviewed

An astronaut travels to an alien world where the little green inhabitants live as though in 1950s America. Featuring the voices of Dwayne Johnson, Jessica Biel and Gary Oldman.

Century 16:

11:30 a.m.; 12:40, 2:15, 3:10, 4:50, 5:30, 7:15 & 9:40 p.m.

Century 20:

11:50 a.m.; 1, 2:15, 3:45, 5:10, 7:50 & 10:10 p.m.

Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire

Sudance fave about an African-American teen who deals with illiteracy and a second pregnancy with the help of a Harlem schoolteacher.

Aquarius Theatre:

Noon, 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8:45 & 9:45 p.m.

The Twilight Saga: New Moon NEW

PG-13

Not Reviewed

The next installment of Stephenie Meyer's blood-suckin' roman-fleuve finds Bella Swan enjoying post-vampire succor in the arms of an incipient werewolf.

Century 16:

10, 10:40, 11 & 11:40 a.m.; 12:20, 1, 1:40, 2, 2:40, 3:20, 4, 4:40, 5, 5:40, 6:20, 7, 7:40, 8, 8:40, 9:20, 10, 10:40 & 11 p.m.

Century 20:

11, 11:25 & 11:55 a.m.; 12:30, 1:10, 1:55, 2:25, 2:55, 3:25, 4:10, 4:50, 5:25, 5:55, 6:20, 7:10, 7:45, 8:25, 8:55, 9:15, 10:10 & 10:40 p.m.

Where the Wild Things Are

Dave Eggers and Spike Jonze take on Maurice Sendak's children's classic about a dissatisfied little boy's adventures in a world of equally dissatisfied uber-creatures.

Century 16:

11:15 a.m.

Century 20:

Noon.

Movie Theaters
Aquarius Theatre: 430 Emerson St. Palo Alto
Century 16: 1500 N. Shoreline Blvd. Mountain View
Century 20: 825 Middlefield Road Redwood City
CinéArts at Palo Alto Square: 3000 El Camino Real, Building 6 Palo Alto
Guild Theatre: 949 El Camino Real Menlo Park
Spangenberg Theatre: 780 Arastradero Road Palo Alto
Stanford Theatre: 221 University Ave. Palo Alto