Fort Worth Weekly - News, Entertainment, Restaurants, Music

Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore (PG) Remember the 2001 movie about talking cats and dogs in a spy war? No? Well, this is the sequel, with the cats and dogs joining forces to take down a rogue kitty (voiced by Bette Midler). Additional voices by Sean Hayes, Neil Patrick Harris, Christina Applegate, James Marsden, Katt Williams, J.K. Simmons, Wallace Shawn, Joe Pantoliano, Michael Clarke Duncan, Roger Moore, and Nick Nolte. Also with Chris O’Donnell and Jack McBrayer. (Opens Friday)

Dark House (R) Darin Scott’s horror film is about a troupe of actors who discover that the haunted house attraction where they are working is actually a haunted house. Starring Jeffrey Coombs, Meghan Ory, Diane Salinger, Matt Cohen, and Shelly Cole. (Opens Friday in Dallas)

The Dry Land (R) Ryan O’Nan stars in this drama as an American soldier struggling to readjust to civilian life back home in Texas. Also with America Ferrera, Wilmer Valderrama, Melissa Leo, Jason Ritter, Ethan Suplee, Ana Claudia Talancón, and Barry Shabaka Henley. (Opens Friday in Dallas)

Kisses (NR) Lance Daly’s film about two troubled 13-year-old Irish kids (Shane Curry and Kelly O’Neill) who spend one night away from home on the streets of Dublin. Also with Paul Roe and Neilí Conroy. (Opens Friday in Dallas)

71: Into the Fire (NR) John H. Lee’s Korean War film tells the true story of 71 students who fought hundreds of North Korean soldiers in front of a girls’ middle school in 1950. Starring Kwon Sang-woo, Cha Seung-won, T.O.P., Kim Seung-woo, Park Jin-hye, and Kim Sung-ryeong. (Opens Friday at AMC Grapevine Mills)

9500 Liberty (NR) Eric Byler and Annabel Park’s documentary shows the effects of a strict new anti-immigration law on the residents of Prince William County, Va. (Opens Friday in Dallas)

Cyrus (R) A comedy that takes the idea of men who can’t grow up to a logical and funny extreme. John C. Reilly stars as a loser whose romance with his gorgeous, sexy new girlfriend (Marisa Tomei) is imperiled by her clingy 21-year-old son Cyrus (Jonah Hill) who lives with her. Cyrus is a great character, a pre-sexual monster who feeds off his mother’s love, and the psychological warfare between him and Reilly’s character is compelling stuff as Cyrus vows to break up his mom’s relationship. Filmmakers Jay and Mark Duplass (Baghead, The Puffy Chair) let their actors ad lib at will, with good results, but resolve everything too easily, with bad results. Still, Hill gives his most impressive performance to date, and the vivid way the film brings Cyrus to life is its best accomplishment. Also with Catherine Keener, Matt Walsh, and Kathryn Aselton.

Despicable Me (PG) Slight but agreeable animated film features Steve Carell voicing a wannabe supervillain named Gru who adopts three unwanted girls from an orphanage (voiced by Miranda Cosgrove, Elsie Fisher, and Dana Gaier) to help him gain access to a rival villain and ultimately steal the moon from the sky. The girls help Gru get in touch with his feelings, and it’s thankfully not anywhere near as mushy as it could have been. Gru’s chattering yellow minions are a terrific comic creation, but there’s not enough good material to go around them and a great supporting voice cast. The closing credit sequence uses 3-D better than any other recent film. Additional voices by Jason Segel, Russell Brand, Kristen Wiig, Will Arnett, Danny McBride, Jack McBrayer, Mindy Kaling, and Julie Andrews.

Grown Ups (PG-13) Yet another dreary, sloppily made Adam Sandler comedy, this one stars him as one of a bunch of middle-school buddies (along with Chris Rock, Kevin James, Rob Schneider, and David Spade) who reunite for the funeral of a beloved basketball coach. They wind up spending an entire weekend making limp wisecracks about how young they used to be while you spend the entire movie waiting for anything to happen. If you’re similar in age to Sandler and his pals, there’s a small chance you’ll find this wildly funny. Everybody else can just make like Sandler’s fictional kids, staying inside and playing video games. Also with Salma Hayek, Maria Bello, Maya Rudolph, Joyce Van Patten, Colin Quinn, Tim Meadows, Norm Macdonald, and Steve Buscemi.