Chris Van Allsburg’s wildly imaginative,
lavishly illustrated children’s books contain simple yet
heart-warming messages that have wide appeal and are obvious candidates for
adaptation to the big screen. Unfortunately, the first two — Jumanji (1995) and The Polar Express (2004)
— misfired. The same cannot be said of Zathura. Here, finally, is a film that matches Van
Allsburg’s vivid and imaginative sensibility and reflects his special
ability to combine humor with pathos. In Zathura, we meet two young brothers, Walter (Josh Hutcherson) and
Danny (Jonah Bobo), who are dealing with their parents’ divorce in
very different ways. Walter, the eldest boy, walks around with a chip on
his shoulder; Danny does his best to put on a brave face and happy
demeanor. The bond between these two will be sorely tested one afternoon
when they find an old space-adventure board game and begin to play. Before
they know it, the game turns out to be all too real, and they and their
father’s house are floating in outer space, where they face meteor
showers, a race of ravenous reptile aliens, a rampaging robot, a mysterious
astronaut, and other perils. One of the reasons Van Allsburg’s books
are such a hot commodity now is that modern special effects have caught up
to his imagination. But even though these visuals in Zathura are arresting, the story
proves surprisingly effective. Credit Hutcherson and Bobo, two young actors
who deliver moments of genuine sincerity. The relationship between Walter
and Danny is the key to the success of the film. Hats off to these two
performers for making it real and to director Jon Favreau for guiding them.
Also in theaters this week. . .
Derailed [R] Two married
business administrators meet on their morning commute. They begin seeing
each other on the sly, or so they think. An attentive criminal blackmails
the two love birds and they must comply to save their families. Parkway Pointe
Get Rich or Die Tryin’ [R] Marcus (Curtis ‘50 Cent’ Jackson), resorts to
selling drugs when his mother dies. After a near-fatal misfortune, Marcus
puts all his energy into realizing his dream of becoming a successful
rapper. Parkway Pointe, ShowPlace East
Good Night, and Good Luck [PG] The story of broadcast journalism legend Edward R. Murrow and the
significant show that brought down a demagogue. Parkway Pointe
Jarhead [R] An adaptation
of Marine Anthony Swofford’s memoir of time spent in the trenches
during the first Gulf War. ShowPlace West,
ShowPlace East
Prime [PG-13] A
robbing-the-cradle romance between Rafi (Uma Thurman), an established
37-year-old career woman and David, a 23-year-old painter from Brooklyn. ShowPlace West
Shopgirl [R] Thoughtful
Mirabelle, a shopgirl, finds herself stuck between loving two men: Ray, a
rich older man and Jeremy a young struggling musician. ShowPlace West
The Weather Man [R] A
troubled Chicago weatherman tries to hold it together at the height of his
broadcasting career despite his plummeting personal life. Parkway Pointe
This article appears in Nov 10-16, 2005.
