Movie Times Film times reflect the most current listings as of Tuesday afternoon. As schedules at individual theaters sometimes change, we recommend calling ahead to avoid any inconvenience.
Broadway Cinema
Don’t call me “dude”
Give and Take
Dystopia’s a pleasure, but growing up isn’t for everyone By Dev Richards
filmland@northcoastjournal.com
Reviews
THE GIVER. The film adaptation of Lois Lowry’s The Giver has been floating around Hollywood for years, always with Jeff Bridges attached. The dystopian young adult novel is a staple in a lot of middle school classrooms and it’s apparently very close to Bridges’ heart. After years of film limbo, the movie finally made it to production, and it was worth the wait. Set during an unknown time, in an unknown place, The Giver is essentially a sci-fi coming-of-age story. Jonas (Brenton Thwaites) lives in a community where everything is controlled. The weather is always perfect, there is always peace and every day is structured down to the minute. All the members of the community are content and unaware of life ever being different. When Jonas graduates and receives his job assignment as “the receiver,” everything begins to change. He must work with “the giver” (Bridges) to receive all the memories of the way things were before the change. As he learns more and more about the way things used to be, about the experiences and opportunities that used to exist, it becomes apparent that he is the only one who can return the world to the old way. The plot doesn’t contain many surprises and the exposition is rough, but these elements aren’t the driving force behind The Giver. At least 10 percent of
the film is thematic montage, used to demonstrate the extent of the information Jonas is receiving from the Giver. There is a subtle bleed of color over time, as it begins to take over Jonas’ black and white vision. The rest of the film is mostly focused on the emergence of sensation and perception for Jonas, making it more about emotion than story. This is a young adult story, after all; as a primer for future sci-fi readers, the ratio of plot to emotionality is the perfect introduction. Bridges, unsurprisingly, nails his role as the weary prophet and Meryl Streep’s portrayal as the chief elder is as perfectly executed. The rest of the cast is forced into a bland corner by the nature of their roles, making their performances less than memorable, but acceptable. This includes the small cameo from Taylor Swift as a naïve, musical ingénue. Hats off to screenwriters Michael Mitnick and Robert B. Weide, who made a lot of tiny changes to the book’s original plot, but didn’t damage the essence of the story. Similar compliments to director Philip Noyce (Patriot Games); he wasn’t too heavy-handed with the film’s themes of love and pain, making it more accessible to an audience of a variety of ages. Likely, The Giver will get lost in the swarm of recent sci-fi picks for teens and tweens, but hopefully its cult following as a book will help it stand out from the crowd. PG13. 97m. continued on next page
1223 Broadway St., Eureka, (707) 443-3456 Dawn of the Planet of the Apes Fri-Tue: (2:20), 7:40 The Expendables 3 Fri-Tue: (12:10, 3:05), 6, 8:55 Frank Miller’s Sin City: A Dame to Kill For Fri-Tue: (4), 9:20 Frank Miller’s Sin City: A Dame to Kill For 3D Fri-Tue: (1:20), 6:40 The Giver Fri-Tue: (12:50, 3:15), 5:40, 8:10 Guardians of the Galaxy Fri-Tue: (3:10), 9 Guardians of the Galaxy 3D Fri-Tue: (12:15), 6:05 The Hundred-Foot Journey Fri-Tue: (12:05, 2:55), 5:45, 8:35 If I Stay Fri-Tue: (12:10, 2:50), 5:30, 8:05 Into the Storm Fri-Tue: (12), 5:20 Let’s Be Cops Fri-Tue: (1:40, 4:15), 6:50, 9:30 Lucy Fri-Tue: (2:30, 4:50), 7:15, 9:40 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Fri-Tue: (11:55a.m., 1:15, 3:45), 6:15, 8:45 What If Fri-Tue: (2:05, 4:35), 7:05, 9:35 When the Game Stands Tall Fri-Tue: (12:40, 3:30), 6:20, 9:10
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Mill Creek Cinema
1575 Betty Court, McKinleyville, (707) 839-2222 The Expendables 3 Fri-Sun: (12, 2:55), 5:50, 8:45; Mon-Tue: (2:55), 5:50, 8:45 Frank Miller’s Sin City: A Dame to Kill For Fri-Sun: (1:15), 6:35; Mon-Tue: 6:35 Frank Miller’s Sin City: A Dame to Kill For 3D Fri-Tue: (3:55), 9:15 The Giver Fri-Sun: (12:35, 3:10), 5:35, 8:05; Mon-Tue: (3:10), 5:35, 8:05 Guardians of the Galaxy Fri-Sun: (12:20), 6:10, 9; Mon-Tue: 6:10, 9 Guardians of the Galaxy 3D Fri-Tue: (3:15) If I Stay Fri-Sun: (12:50, 3:25), 6, 8:35; Mon-Tue: (3:25), 6, 8:35 Let’s Be Cops Fri-Sun: (1:40, 4:15), 6:50, 9:25; Mon-Tue: (4:15), 6:50, 9:25 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Fri-Sun: (1:10, 3:50), 6:25, 8:55; Mon-Tue: (3:50), 6:25, 8:55 When the Game Stands Tall Fri-Sun: (12:40, 3:30), 6:20, 9:10; Mon-Tue: (3:30), 6:20, 9:10
Minor Theatre
1001 H St., Arcata, (707) 822-3456 Boyhood Fri: (4:25), 8; Sat-Sun: (12:50, 4:25), 8; Mon-Thu: (4:25), 8 The Hundred-Foot Journey Fri: (3:25), 6:15, 9; Sat-Sun: (12:40, 3:25), 6:15, 9; Mon-Thu: (3:25), 6:15, 9 Magic in the Moonlight Fri: (4:10), 6:40, 9:10; Sat-Sun: (1:40, 4:10), 6:40, 9:10; Mon-Thu: (4:10), 6:40, 9:10
Fortuna Theatre
1241 Main St., (707) 725-2121 The Expendables 3 Fri-Sat: (12:25, 3:30), 6:40, 9:35; Sun: (12:25, 3:30), 6:40; Mon-Thu: (3:30), 6:40 The Giver Fri-Sat: (12:15, 2:30, 4:45), 7, 9:10; Sun: (12:15, 2:30, 4:45), 7; Mon-Thu: (4:45), 7 If I Stay Fri-Sat: (12:30, 4), 6:45, 9:30; Sun: (12:30, 4), 6:45; Mon-Thu: (4), 6:45 Let’s Be Cops Fri-Sat: (12:20, 3:55), 6:45, 9:30; Sun: (12:20, 3:55), 6:45; Mon-Thu: (3:55), 6:45 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Fri-Sat: (12, 2:20, 4:45), 7:15, 9:35; Sun: (12, 2:20, 4:45), 7:15; Mon-Thu: (4:45), 7:15 When the Game Stands Tall Fri-Sat: (12:40, 3:50), 6:35, 9:20; Sun: (12:40, 3:50), 6:35; Mon-Thu: (3:50), 6:35
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Garberville Theatre
766 Redwood Drive, (707) 923-3580 Call theater for schedule. northcoastjournal.com • North Coast Journal • Thursday, Aug. 21, 2014
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