The road to hell

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There is a region in the western part of Sudan called Darfur. Perhaps you overheard the news while texting your boyfriend or driving to work. If you did, then you also know more than 200,000 civilians have been murdered by the Janjaweed militia, most likely with the assistance of the Sudanese government. Chances are you haven’t done anything about it.

"Darfur Now" is about six courageous people who are doing something. They are on the front lines of the fight, trying to make a difference.

These people are Don Cheadle, the Oscar nominated actor whose experiences making "Hotel Rwanda" inspired him to get involved with Darfur; Adam Sterling, a UCLA student who is the driving force behind a bill that proposes to divest California of its holdings in Sudan; Hejewa Adam, a member of the rebel forces whose 3-month-old son was killed on her back when the Janjaweed attacked her village; Pablo Recalde, leader of the World Food Program team in Darfur; Ahmed Mohammed Abakar, a former farmer who helps his displaced persons camp navigate the tricky waters of international aid agencies while keeping them safe from danger; and Luis Moreno-Ocampo, the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court in the Hague who is trying to bring the offenders to justice

The movie jumps between their different stories, focusing on the motivation for doing what they are doing: the genocide.

Unfortunately, although there are some powerful moments, "Darfur Now" plays like a 90-minute episode of "Frontline." To be fair, the film is unbiased toward the main characters. Each person’s fight is given a certain amount of time. The result is very interesting, but somewhat dry and misplaced. An issue such as the one facing Darfur would have benefitted from being covered by the passion and power of Michael Moore.

When the closing credits rolled, I felt I knew quite a bit about Cheadle and others with him on the frontlines, but didn’t know much about what is going on there. Since the conflict is currently raging, danger prevented on-site reporting, yet I wanted to know more about the other side. In a fictional movie, the more shown about the bad guys the more you hate them. In a sense, the fact we never see the Janjaweed militia gives them a mystery they don’t deserve. Not that it would have been enjoyable to watch, but to be invested in the cause I needed to know more details.

The movie is at its best when we get to see the refugees in the camps and when we hear the personal stories of Hejewa Adam, Abakar and others who have been directly influenced. Unfortunately, these moments are few and far between.

"Darfur Now" is a well-intentioned, but antiseptic documentary lacking the power and scope the issue desperately needs.

Darfur Now
PG
Two-and-a-half reels out of four
Opening Dec. 7

Director/Screenwriter: Ted Braun
Major Cast:
Don Cheadle … Himself
Adam Sterling … Himself
Hejewa Adam … Herself
Pablo Recalde … Himself
Ahmed Mohammed Abakar … Himself
Luis Moreno-Ocampo … Himself
George Clooney … Himself

Recommended rental

All releases available Tuesday unless otherwise noted.

Shrek the Third
PG
As expected, "Shrek the Third" did not disappoint at the box office with more than $300 million grossed domestically. Unfortunately, as with most franchises, the reviews were decidedly mixed and some critics were suggesting it’s time the cuddly ogre hang up his tights for good. This time we find Shrek (voice of Mike Myers) in a new dilemma. King Harold (voice of John Cleese) has died, leaving Shrek with the task of finding the rightful heir to the throne. To complicate matters, Prince Charming (voice of Rupert Everett) has assembled an army of fairy-tale villains to seize power.

It’s a Wonderful Life: Two-Disc Collector’s Set
Not Rated
Christmas is nearing and that means one thing for movie buffs. Frank Capra’s timeless "It’s a Wonderful Life" will eventually show up on TV. The two-disc collector’s edition is nothing fancy. It basically consists of two versions of the movie, one in the original black-and-white, the other colorized. It makes a perfect stocking stuffer, especially for the film lover who can appreciate the classic version. Most know the story, but for those who don’t: Jimmy Stewart plays George Bailey, Bedford Falls’ nicest guy, who’s having a rough Christmas. Contemplating suicide, George is rescued by guardian angel Clarence (Henry Travers), who shows how life in Bedford Falls would have been had George never been born. A true classic, "It’s a Wonderful Life" was nominated for five Oscars in 1947.

Amazing Grace
PG
Starring Ioan Gruffudd and Albert Finney, "Amazing Grace" is the true story of the British abolitionist William Wilberforce (Gruffudd), who was instrumental in getting Parliament to pass the Slave Trade Act in 1807, which prohibited Great Britain from trading in slaves. The movie tracks the 25 years it took Wilberforce to rally for the law and the trials and tribulations he suffered while doing do. The film has received some criticism for being yet another story about the "noble white man" rescuing the helpless black race, yet overall it garnered positive reviews.

Movie schedules until Nov. 1unless otherwise indicated.Call theaters for updates.

SOUTH PHILLY

United Artists Riverview Plaza
Columbus Blvd. and Reed St.
215-755-2219

Fred Claus (PG) Fri.-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, 10:35
Lions for Lambs (R) Fri.-Thu.: 12:25, 2:55, 5:20, 7:40, 10:15 P2 (R) Fri.-Thu.: 12:15, 2:45, 5:15, 7:50, 10:45
American Gangster (R) Thu.: 11:30 a.m., 12, 12:30, 1:30, 3, 3:30, 4, 5, 6:30, 7, 7:40, 8:30, 10 Fri.-Thu.: 11:30 a.m., 12, 12:30, 1:30, 3, 3:35, 4, 5, 6:30, 7:10, 8:30, 9, 10, 10:40
Bee Movie (PG) Thu.-Thu.: 11:50 a.m., 12:20, 2:10, 2:40, 4:30, 5:10, 6:50, 7:30, 9:10, 9:50
Martian Child (PG) Thu.: 1:10, 4:15, 7:25, 10:20 Fri.-Thu.: 1:20, 7:15
Bella (PG-13) Thu.: 11:45 a.m., 2, 4:20, 7:05, 9:20 Fri.-Thu.: 11:45 a.m., 2:05, 4:20, 7:05, 9:25
Dan in Real Life (PG-13) Thu.: 12:35, 3:15, 5:40, 8, 10:35 Fri.-Thu.: 12:35, 3:15, 5:40, 8, 10:25
Saw IV (R) Thu.: 11:40 a.m., 12:10, 12:45, 2:15, 2:50, 3:20, 4:45, 5:15, 5:45, 7:15, 7:45, 8:15, 9:45, 10:15, 10:45 Fri.-Thu.: 12:45, 3:20, 5:45, 8:15, 10:50
30 Days of Night (R) Thu.: 1, 4:10, 7:20, 10:25 Fri.-Thu.: 4:15, 10:05
Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married? (PG-13) Thu.: 12:40, 1:40, 3:40, 4:40, 6:40, 7:55, 9:30, 10:40 Fri.-Thu.: 2:15, 7:35, 10:30
The Game Plan (PG) Thu.: 11:55 a.m., 2:30, 5:05, 7:35, 10:05 Fri.-Thu.: 11:40 a.m., 4:55
Borderland (NR) Fri.-Thu.: 3:30
The Deaths of Ian Stone (NR) Fri.-Thu.: 7
Unearthed (R) Fri.-Thu.: 1, 9:30
The Comebacks (PG-13) Thu.: 12:50, 3:10, 5:30, 7:50, 10:10 (Ends 11-8)

CENTER CITY

Ritz at the Bourse
400 Ranstead St.
215-925-7900

Control (NR) Thu.: 12, 2:30, 5, 7:30, 10 Fri.-Thu.: 12, 2:30, 5:05, 7:35, 10:05
Gone Baby Gone (R) Thu.-Thu.: 12:05, 2:35, 5:05, 7:35, 10:05
Joe Strummer: The Future is Unwritten (NR) Fri.-Thu.: 1, 4, 7, 10
Music Within (R) Fri.-Sun., Tue.-Thu.: 12:10, 2:40, 5:15, 7:40, 10 Mon.: 12:10, 2:40, 5:15, 10:15
Jimmy Carter Man from Plains (PG) Fri.-Thu.: 1, 3:45, 6:45, 9:45
Lust, Caution (NC-17) Thu.: 1, 5:30, 9 (Ends 11-8)
Terror’s Advocate (NR) Thu.: 1:10, 4, 7 (Ends 11-8)
We Own the Night (R) Thu.: 10 (Ends 11-8)
My Kid Could Paint That (PG-13) Thu.: 12:10, 2:40, 5:10, 9:50 (Ends 11-8)

Ritz 5
214 Walnut St.
215-925-7900

Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead (R) Thu.: 12:05, 2:35, 5:05, 7:35, 10:05 Fri.-Sun., Tue.-Thu.: 1, 4:20, 7:10, 9:45 Mon.: 4:20, 10
Lars and the Real Girl (PG-13) Thu.-Wed.: 12:15, 2:40, 5:05, 7:30, 9:55 Thu.: 12:15, 2:25, 4:35, 9:55
Elizabeth: The Golden Age (PG-13) Thu.: 12:15, 4, 9:40 Fri.-Thu.: 12:30
Michael Clayton (R) Thu.: 1, 3:40, 7, 9:35 Fri.-Thu.: 3:10, 7, 9:40
Into the Wild (R) Thu.-Thu.: 12, 2:55, 5:50, 8:50
Wristcutters: A Love Story (R) Fri.-Thu.: 12:10, 2:20, 5:10, 7:25, 9:35

Ritz East
Second Street between Chestnut and Walnu
215-925-7900

The Darjeeling Limited (R) Thu.-Thu.: 11:45 a.m., 2:15, 4:30, 7, 9:30
No Country for Old Men (R) Fri.-Thu.: 12, 3, 6, 9
Sleuth (R) Thu.: 12, 2:30, 5, 7:30, 9:45 (Ends 11-8)

Roxy Theater
2023 Sansom St.
215-923-6699

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (R) Thu.-Thu.: 1, 4:30, 7:35
In the Valley of Elah (R) Thu.: 5:05 Fri.-Thu.: 1, 5:05, 9:20
Milarepa (PG) Thu.: 1:15, 3:15, 7:30, 9:30 Fri.-Thu.: 3:15, 7:30