Movies still playing in the Fredericksburg area

July 9, 2009 12:35 am

HHH "THE HANGOVER" (R) This tale of a bachelor party gone ridiculously bad is simply funny. The story revolves around three groomsmen's efforts to find their groom. It works because they let things rip with a group of friends, each one funny in his own way. Rated R for pervasive language, sexual content including nudity and some drug material. 100 min. [RF, RA, M]

(NR) "MY SISTER'S KEEPER" (PG-13)" This is a shameless weeper, one of the most manipulative and fundamental of genres--but it also raises some surprisingly difficult and thought-provoking ethical questions. The drama focuses on a family's decision to medically engineer a child as a perfect genetic match to help save the life of their older daughter with leukemia. (Christy Lemire, AP movie critic.) Rated PG-13 for mature thematic content, some disturbing images, sensuality, language and brief teen drinking. 106 min. [RF, RA, M]

HHH "THE PROPOSAL" (PG-13) Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds make this story of a marriage of necessity better than expected. Here, Bullock starts out as the mean, demanding boss who orders her assistant (Reynolds) to marry her so she won't be deported. Reynolds is surprisingly good, and Bullock is a real treat. Rated PG-13 for sexual content, nudity and language. 107 min. [RF, RA, M]

HH "THE TAKING OF PELHAM 123" (R) Only interesting performances by Denzel Washington and John Travolta raise this remake about the hijacking of a subway train above mediocrity. Minuses: obscenity-filled dialogue and weak ending. Rated R for violence and language. [RF]

HH "TRANFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN" (PG-13) Where to start listing the problems in this bloated, big-budget sequel to one of the surprise cinematic success stories of the past decade? The first has to be director Michael Bay's excess at every level--from too many fight scenes that go on far too long, to goofy story twists that viewers quickly quit caring about. The second has to be the ways the "explosions over story" director found a way to offend just about everyone watching. Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi action violence, language, some crude and sexual material, and brief drug material. 150 min. [RF, RA, M]

HHH "UP" (PG) Pixar continues to expand the boundaries of animated tales, merging sad moments with silliness. Here, 78-year-old Carl Fredricksen uses balloons to fly off to a South American adventure. Rated PG for some peril and action. 96 min. [RF, M]

RF: Regal Cinema Fredericksburg 15, 540/786-4900 RA: Regal Cinema Aquia 10, 540/659-3200

M: Marquee Cinemas, 540/710-0401

Schedules are subject to change. Call ahead to verify locations.