BARBER'S BEST BETS: Bounty hunters, soldiers dominate box office

By JOE BARBER

For the News & Messenger

MOVIES

Opening March 19:

"The Bounty Hunter" stars Gerard Butler ("300") and Jennifer Aniston in a romantic comedy/action flick about a bail bondsman's skip tracer who's tracking down a woman wanted for ignoring dozens of parking tickets. Turns out she's his ex -- and she's in danger.

"Repo Men" teams Jude Law and Oscar winner Forest Whitaker as futuristic repossession agents of a firm that provides artificial organs for transplants. When Law suddenly finds himself in need of an expensive organ and unable to pay, the bosses send Whitaker after him.

In Theatres Now:

While the new thriller "Green Zone," directed by Paul Greengrass ("The Bourne Su-premacy," "United 93") and starring Matt Damon, delivers plenty of action-packed sequences, it falls short in offering the kind of clarity its topic demands.

A semi-fictionalized look at the early days of the Iraq war, as the American military searched in vain for weapons of mass destruction, "Green Zone" moves at a rapid clip that grabs your attention. Damon portrays a junior officer assigned to find the WMDs and neutralize them. But every site he and his men approach turns out to be empty.

Meanwhile, U.S. officials seem to be working at cross purposes, some wanting to work through the estab-lished Iraq military to keep things calm and establish authority, others seeking to destroy all remnants of the former dictatorship and establish an American-approved regime.

Greengrass and screenwriter Brian Hegland ("L.A. Confidential") clearly believe that many of us were convinced to support the war through false information. A thorough reading of the many books and journals written about the war would likely confirm that. But "Green Zone" never pauses long enough or offers the kind of emotional depth needed to make a convincing case. It's mix of break-neck action and major assumptions drives it perilously closed to the edge of propaganda, unlike the breath-taking "United 93."

Though Greengrass has gathered a superb cast which, along with Damon, includes Amy Ryan ("Gone, Baby, Gone") Greg Kinear and Brendan Gleason, their talents end up in service of a flawed film. Iraq is too complex a topic to be viewed through the lenses of an action film. "Green Zone" has good intentions, but those intentions aren't enough to make it a great film. MAPPA Rating: R for profanity and violence. Joe's Rating: Two and one-half (**1/2) stars.

Also, "Remember Me" is an intriguing relationship drama with a solid set of lead perform-ances by "Twlight's" Robert Pattinson and "In Treatment's" Emilie de Ravin. Their on-screen chemistry is quite affecting as their love affair deepens. Unfortunately, the movie is ultimately undermined by a twist ending that cheapens and dilutes the film's generally thoughtful storyline. One thing is clear: Pattinson has a future in front of the cameras, vampire glow or not. MPAA Rating: PG-13 for profanity, drug content, brief nudity and sexual situations. Joe's Rating: Two(**) stars.

"Our Family Wedding" is a silly waste of time and talents, including those of Forest Whittaker, Regina King ("Southland") and America Ferrara ("Ugly Betty"). A modern "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?" with a Black/Latin twist, the movie is loaded with ridiculous stereotypes and low-brow ethnic humor. It is easily an early contender for my Worst- of-the-Year-List -- skip it. MPAA Rating: PG-13 for drug humor, sensuality and profanity. Joe's Rating: One (*) star.

On DVD:

The underrated "Princess & the Frog" from Disney Animation arrived on the home market. This utterly delightful story of a princess and the frog who needs her kiss to return to human form has a heart-warming message of love and acceptance at its core and an Oscar- nominated score by Randy New-man. Kids of all ages should enjoy this one. MPAA Rating: PG for a slight bit of crude humor. Joe's Rating: Three and one-half (***1/2) stars.

Even Hugh Grant and Sarah Jessica Parker can't save the lackluster comedy "Did You Hear About the Morgans?" A "fish-out-of-water" tale about a divorcing couple forced to hide out in Wyoming after they witness a Mob killing, the film's sole assets are the performances of Sam Elliott and Mary Steenburgen as the married U.S. Marshalls guarding Parker and Grant. Maybe the movie should have been about them. MPAA Rating: PG-13 for violence and profanity. Joe's Rating: One and one-half (* ½) stars.

THEATER

The Elden Street Players will present the Washington area premiere of "Metamorphoses." Based on the tales of Ovid, the play presents 12 actors playing 80 character in 90 minutes. They portray everything, from lovers to birds to mist to warriors in this Tony Award-nominated work. This fascinating production opens March 19 and runs through April 10. For tickets, directions and more visit www.eldenstreetplayers.org or call 703-481-5930.

The Warner Theatre in Washington welcomes the touring production of "Alfred Hitchcock's The 39 Steps" for a limited run, starting March 23. Based on the "Master of Sus-pense's" tale of an innocent young man unwillingly lured into a espionage plot, a three-member cast re-create every scene in the movie, playing every part. This breathtaking example of stage wizardry won two 2008 Tony Awards. It runs at the Warner through the 28th.

Ford's Theatre springs into the season with a revival of "Little Shop of Horrors." Based on the low-budget '50s horror film that became a cult classic, this musical tale of a lonely boy and his man-eating plant continues at Ford's through May 22.

The Washington National Opera skips over spring and moves into "summertime" as its pro-duction of George and Ira Gershwin's "Porgy & Bess" continues at the Kennedy Center Opera House through April 3. Visit www.dc-opera.org for tickets and more.

Finally, closing this weekend are: Josh Kornbluth's monologue, "Andy Warhol: Good for the Jews?" at Theater J at the DV Jewish Community Center; "Bus Stop" at Olney Theatre Center and "Peter & the Wolf" at Imagination Stage in Maryland. These shows close on March 21. The Washington Stage Guild has extended their adaptation of Oscar Wilde's "Lord Arthur Saville's Crime." The comic look at British aristocracy will run through March 28. Call 240-582-0050 or visit www.stageguild.org.

CLUBS & CONCERTS:

The Barns at Wolf Trap welcome Broadway singer and actress Jeri Sager for a concert re-scheduled be-cause of heavy snow in early February. She'll perform on the20th. The Birchmere in Alexandria picks up the pieces with the Average White Band for two nights, March 19 and 20. Jonathan Butler takes the stage on the 23rd. The State Theatre in Falls Church welcomes The Legwarmers for two nights of '80s classics on March 19 and 20.

Blues Alley in Georgetown brings guitarist Earl Klugh to town for four nights, March 17-20. Swing Shift lays down the big band sound at the Alley on the 21st. The DC Improv presents comic Lavell Crawford from March 19 to 21. Constitution Hall has a night of outspoken comedy from Mo'Nique scheduled on the 20th.

The Music Center at Strathmore Hall presents the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra's delightful musi-cal tribute to the big top, Circus Maximus on the 18th. The National Philharmonic Orchestra performs an All Brahms program on the evening of the 20th and the afternoon of the 21st. The Ram's Head Tavern in Annapolis features the superb harmonies of Eddie from Ohio on the 19th and 20th, Big Bad Voodoo Daddies on the 22nd and the band Wishbone Ash on the 24th. Enjoy!

Joe Barber covers entertainment in the DC area for the news & Messenger and can be heard regularly on WTOP-FM Radio.