About Time R
On his 21st birthday, Tim (Domhnall Gleeson) learns he’s inherited the ability of his father (Bill Nighy) to travel back in time and improve upon his life. Tim mainly uses his newfound power to woo Mary (Rachel McAdams in bowl-cut bangs), the pretty American girl he meets at a London restaurant, but he also seeks to undo the unfortunate decisions made by his sister Kit Kat (Lydia Wilson). Surprisingly unimaginative for a time-traveling romance, the film lacks tension, seeking to please with feel-good moments. Gleeson picks up the charming bumbler’s torch—once proudly carried by Hugh Grant—and he occasionally drops it. (Lisa Miller)
Thor: The Dark World PG-13
Estranged brothers Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Loki (Tom Hiddleston) must join forces to save the nine realms (one of them being Earth) after an “ancient force of infinite destruction,” known as the Aether, is unwittingly reactivated by astrophysicist Jane Foster (Natalie Portman). The brains behind the mayhem, supervillain Malekith (an unrecognizable Christopher Eccleston), leads the Dark Elves who attack Thor’s home world of Asgard. Thor finds some consolation in the discovery that beautiful Foster is also his soul mate, and he longs to save her from possession by the destructive Aether. The film attempts to relieve its sometimes-ponderous plot with comic passages that usually do the trick. The production is given a touch of class by Anthony Hopkins’s portrayal of Odin, Rene Russo playing Odin’s wife Frigga, and Idris Elba in the role of Asgard’s all-seeing guardian. (L.M.)
