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For a director considered a contemporary of such luminaries as Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas, Brian De Palma’s career has been wildly uneven. What can you say about the man responsible for such disparate films as "The Untouchables" and "Body Double"?
Whether a fan or hater, one thing about De Palma (who was born in Newark, N.J., but grew up in the area) is undeniable. He has always been fearless, never caring what people thought. He has been accused of picking the bones of Hitchcock ("Obsession"), misogyny ("Body Double," to name one) and just bad judgment (the horrible "Wiseguys"). Through it all, he remains unflappable, making the movies he wants.
I say this to make a point. A movie like "Redacted," which is unabashedly and viciously critical of the Iraq War, requires cojones. And cojones De Palma has.
"Redacted" is not even the first movie to criticize the war this year. There have been several, most notably the superb "In the Valley of Elah" and there will be more to come.
De Palma’s is based on the real-life rape and murder of a 14-year-old girl in 2006 by U.S. soldiers who killed her parents and older sister. It makes no bones about the brutality of the men involved, but is about so much more. It is a clear indictment of the U.S. presence and its bumbling, in De Palma’s opinion, handling of the Iraqis.
Although De Palma’s approach is very in-your-face, it is hardly one-sided. In fact, De Palma, the writer, should be commended for his very methodical screenplay that tries to deconstruct the events leading up to that horrific moment. Although the animals involved do not get a free pass, De Palma feels the military and government are responsible for this as well. Among the factors he shows is the now-common practice of extending tours of duty without consent and the overall contempt shown for Iraqis. The press also is in the hot seat for its refusal to stand up to the administration and show what is really happening.
I’d like to say this film is great, but it does have problems. The first half is a little overwritten and often comes off like an off-Broadway play in need of a few more rehearsals. Its attempts at dark satire don’t always quite work, either. But, overall, "Redacted" is powerful, disturbing and marks the return of a true original.
Redacted
R
Three reels out of four
At a Ritz theater tomorrow
Recommended rental
All releases available Tuesday unless otherwise noted.
Live Free or Die Hard
Unrated Edition
Available Tuesday
Technically "Die Hard 4," "Live Free or Die Hard" comes a whole 12 years after "Die Hard: With a Vengeance," the third installment of this popular franchise.
Bruce Willis returns as former New York cop John McClane for another fat paycheck and another chance to beat up some bad guys in his inimitable style. This time McClane teams up with a hacker (Justin Long) who has information about an impending catastrophic shutdown of computers designed to bring the country to a standstill and cause general chaos. To quote the 1988 original: Yippie ki-ay … You know the rest.
Movie schedules until Nov. 22 unless otherwise indicated.Call theaters for updates.
SOUTH PHILLY
United Artists Riverview Plaza
Columbus Blvd. and Reed St.
215-755-2219
Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium (G)Fri.-Tue.: 12:30, 3, 5:15, 7:45, 10:20
Beowulf (PG-13)Fri.-Tue.: 11:20 a.m., 12:10, 1:10, 2, 2:50, 3:50, 4:40, 5:35, 6:40, 7:40, 8:10, 9:30, 10:10, 10:50
Fred Claus (PG)Thu.: 11:20 a.m., 12:10, 1:10, 2, 2:50, 3:50, 4:40, 5:30, 6:40, 7:20, 8:05, 9:20, 9:55, 10:35Fri.-Tue.: 11:30 a.m., 12, 2:10, 2:40, 4:10, 4:50, 5:35, 6:50, 7:20, 8, 9:50, 10:30
Lions for Lambs (R)Thu.: 12:25, 2:55, 5:20, 7:40, 10:15Fri.-Tue.: 2:45, 5:20, 7:40, 10:15, 12:25
P2 (R)Thu.: 12:15, 2:45, 5:15, 7:50, 10:45Fri.-Tue.: 12:15, 2:35, 4:55, 7:50, 10:35
American Gangster (R)Thu.: 11:30 a.m., 12, 12:30, 1:30, 3, 3:35, 4, 5, 6:30, 7:10, 8:30, 9, 10, 10:40Fri.-Tue.: 11:40, 12:20, 1:30, 3:10, 5, 6:30, 8:30, 9:20, 10
Bee Movie (PG)Thu.: 11:50 a.m., 12:20, 2:10, 2:40, 4:30, 5:10, 6:50, 7:30, 9:10, 9:50Fri.-Tue.: 11:50 a.m., 12:40, 2:20, 2:55, 4:35, 5:10, 6:55, 7:35, 9:10, 9:55
Dan in Real Life (PG-13)Thu.: 12:35, 3:15, 5:40, 8, 10:25Fri.-Tue.: 12:05, 2:30, 5:05, 7:25, 10:25
Saw IV (R)Thu.: 12:45, 3:20, 5:45, 8:15, 10:50Fri.-Tue.: 12:45, 3:20, 5:45, 8:15, 10:45
30 Days of Night (R)Thu.: 4:15, 10:05Fri.-Tue.: 1:20, 4, 7:10, 9:45
Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married? (PG-13)Thu.: 2:15, 7:35, 10:30Fri.-Tue.: 1, 3:40, 7:15, 10:05
The Game Plan (PG)Thu.: 11:40 a.m., 4:55 (Ends 11-15)
Borderland (NR)Thu.: 3:30 (Ends 11-15)
The Deaths of Ian Stone (NR)Thu.: 7 (Ends 11-15)
Unearthed (R)Thu.: 1, 9:30 (Ends 11-15)
Martian Child (PG)Thu.: 1:20, 7:15 (Ends 11-15)
Bella (PG-13)Thu.: 11:45 a.m., 2:05, 4:20, 7:05, 9:25 (Ends 11-15)
CENTER CITY
Ritz at the Bourse
400 Ranstead St.
215-925-7900
Scotland Tales (R)Fri.-Tue.: 12:10, 3:10, 6:10, 9:20
Love in the Time of Cholera (R)Fri.-Tue.: 12, 3, 6, 9:30
Romance and Cigarettes (R)Fri.-Tue.: 12:15, 2:30, 5:05, 7:15, 9:50
Redacted (R)Fri.-Tue.: 12:30, 2:45, 5:10, 7:25, 9:40
Fishing the Game (NR)Fri.-Tue.: 2:40, 7:35
Gone Baby Gone (R)Thu.: 12:05, 2:35, 5:05, 7:35, 10:05Fri.-Tue.: 12:05, 5:05, 10:05
Joe Strummer: The Future is Unwritten (NR)Thu.: 1, 4, 7, 10 (Ends 11-15)
Music Within (R)Thu.: 12:10, 2:40, 5:15, 7:40, 10 (Ends 11-15)
Jimmy Carter Man from Plains (PG)Thu.: 1, 3:45, 6:45, 9:45 (Ends 11-15)
Control (NR)Thu.: 12, 2:30, 5:05, 7:35, 10:05 (Ends 11-15)
Ritz 5
214 Walnut St.
215-925-7900
Michael Clayton (R)Thu.: 3:10, 7, 9:40Fri.-Tue.: 3:10, 7
Into the Wild (R)Thu.-Tue.: 12, 2:55, 5:50, 8:50
Wristcutters: A Love Story (R)Thu.: 12:10, 2:20, 5:10, 7:25, 9:35Fri.-Tue.: 12:20, 9:40
The Darjeeling Limited (R)Fri., Sun.-Tue.: 12:10, 2:40, 5:10, 7:30, 9:50Sat.: 2:40, 5:10, 7:30, 9:50
Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead (R)Thu.-Tue.: 1, 4:20, 7:10, 9:45
Lars and the Real Girl (PG-13)Thu.: 12:15, 2:25, 4:35, 9:55Fri., Sun.-Mon.: 12:15, 2:40, 5:05, 7:30, 9:55Sat.: 5:05, 7:30, 9:55Tue.: 3, 5:05, 10:05
Elizabeth: The Golden Age (PG-13)Thu.: 12:30 (Ends 11-15)
Ritz East
Second Street between Chestnut and Walnu
215-925-7900
No Country for Old Men (R)Thu.: 12, 3, 6, 9Fri.-Sat.: 12, 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10Sun., Wed., Thu.: 12, 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9Mon.-Tue.: 12, 1, 3, 4, 6, 9
The Darjeeling Limited (R)Thu.: 11:45 a.m., 2:15, 4:30, 7, 9:30 (Ends 11-15)
Roxy Theater
2023 Sansom St.
215-923-6699
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (R)Thu.-Tue.: 1, 4:30, 7:35 (Ends 11-20)
In the Valley of Elah (R)Thu.-Tue.: 1, 5:05, 9:20 (Ends 11-20)
Milarepa (PG)Thu.-Tue.: 3:15, 7:30 (Ends 11-20)
August Rush (PG)Wed.-Thu.: 12, 2:30, 5, 7:30, 9:50
War Made Easy (NR)Fri.-Thu.: 1:35, 3:35, 5:35, 7:35, 9:35
