The Magnificent Seven PG-13
In order to save the Rose Creek townies from the greedy designs of a murderous gold baron (Peter Sarsgaard), flinty-eyed Sam Chisolm (Denzel Washington) recruits a group of misfits to form a seven-man army. They include: a gambler (Chris Pratt), a marksman (Ethan Hawke), a crusty mountain man (Vincent D’Onofrio), a swordsman (Byung-hun Lee), an outlaw and an American Indian who’s an expert with a bow and arrow. Spurts of violent action substitute for character development, and while the climactic showdown offers a few clever diversions, presenting the villain as more ridiculous than menacing undermines this remake of the bang-on 1960 classic. (Lisa Miller)
Storks PG
Storks once manufactured and delivered babies to order, but changing times mean they now deliver packages for global internet giant cornerstore.com. Working at the stork’s mail center, orphan human girl Tulip opens a letter from lonely only child Henry. Feeling his pain, Tulip inserts his letter into the baby-making machine and out pops Henry’s new baby brother. Lead delivery stork Junior hopes to help his friend Tulip by delivering the baby to its intended family before the stork’s boss returns from a weekend away. This task is made difficult by a shape-shifting wolf pack that covets the baby. Attempting to addresses stork folklore using comic characters and perilous action, the film exhibits moments of charm while simultaneously barraging kids with its family friendly messaging. (L.M.)
There Are Jews Here Not Rated
The Jewish American experience has largely been defined in film and literature by big cities on the coasts or in the upper Midwest. And yet, Jewish immigrants and migrants have often found themselves in small towns scattered across the heartland. There Are Jews Here visits a handful of far-flung Jewish communities struggling to maintain membership in synagogues against the call of bigger cities—where colleges are more prestigious and professional opportunities more plentiful. One isn’t surprised to learn that only 30 Jews live in Butte, Mont., but only 130 in Laredo, Texas? Milwaukee director Brad Lichtenstein (Ghosts of Attica) interviews community leaders and members, some of them determined to maintain their heritage in places far from the main currents of Jewish life. (David Luhrssen)
There Are Jews Here - Trailer from Seventh Art Releasing on Vimeo.
There Are Jews Here can be seen at 8 p.m., Sept. 25 at the Oriental Theatre; 1:30 p.m., Oct. 1 at the Downer Theatre; 9:30 p.m., Oct. 5 at the Fox Bay Cinema Grill; and 3:30 p.m., Oct. 6 at the Oriental Theatre as part of the Milwaukee Film Festival.
