Movie guide

• Published in: Daily herald (Arlington Heights, Ill. : Arlington Heights ed.)
• Format: Newspaper Article
• Language: English
• Published: Arlington Heights, Ill Daily Herald 31.10.2012
• Subjects: Gire, Dann; Lemire, Christy

"The Master" -- Paul Thomas Anderson presents a startling, stunningly gorgeous film shot in vibrant 65 mm, with powerful performances and impeccable production design. In the 1950s, an ex-Navy man (Joaquin Phoenix) joins the "Cause" run by "the Master" (Philip Seymour Hoffman), inspired by Scientologist founder L. Ron Hubbard. Reviewed by Christy Lemire, Associated Press. (R) L, N, S. 137 minutes. . . . 1/2 "Cloud Atlas" -- From the makers of "The Matrix" and "Run Lola Run" comes a dulling, stretched cinematic experience in which six stories set in different times and places are jammed together to create a movie in which explosive visuals crowd out characters and clever storytelling. Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Boadbent and others star as multiple characters reliving the past, present and future. (R) D, L, N, S, V. 163 minutes. . . "Alex Cross" -- Popular filmmaker Tyler Perry gives it his best, but he's not quite up to taking over for [Morgan Freeman] as detective Alex Cross (in "Kiss the Girls" and "Along Came a Spider"). He's tracking down a muscular, machine-like killer (Matthew Fox, perfectly cast) in a story short on common sense, character development, morality and ethics. Hey, it's not boring. (R) D, L, N, S, V. 90 minutes. 1/2 star