Trouble with the curve

An aging baseball scout with failing sight hits the road with his estranged daughter to pursue a promising young ballplayer, and they learn just how much they have in common as they make their way from Georgia to North Carolina. For decades, Gus Lobel has been one of the best scouts in Major League Baseball. But these days his eyes just aren’t what they used to be, and as a phenomenal young batter enters the draft, the owners of the Atlanta Braves cast a shadow of doubt over Gus’ judgment. Meanwhile, his daughter Mickey is an aspiring partner at a major Atlanta law firm. In the wake of his wife’s death, Gus sent Mickey away, and their relationship has been strained ever since. But she knows a thing or two about baseball, and recognizing that her father’s job is in jeopardy, she decides to help him — even at the risk of derailing her own career. Now, throwing caution to the wind (and ignoring her gruff father’s objections), Mickey joins Gus for a scouting trip that could keep him in the game until he’s ready to retire, as well as repair a father/daughter relationship that once seemed all but lost. Justin Timberlake, John Goodman, Robert Patrick, and Matthew Lillard co-star. Director: Robert Lorenz. Cast: Clint Eastwood, Amy Adams, Justin Timberlake, John Goodman, Robert Patrick, Matthew Lillard. Rate: PG-13. Time: 1:31.

The Campaign

Two powerful CEOs pit a blundering congressman against an unlikely political newcomer in order to seize control of a crucial North Carolina district in this satirical political comedy. On the eve of an upcoming election, incumbent congressman Cam Brady makes a misstep that threatens to end his career in politics. Recognizing the opportunity to gain influence in the aftermath of the public gaffe, a pair of scheming CEOs handpick credulous tourism-center director Marty Huggins as Brady’s political rival, quickly shaping him into a viable candidate with the help of a seasoned campaign manager. As Election Day draws near, Brady and Huggins cast ethics aside to engage in the brand of hysterical mud-slinging that’s sent contemporary politics straight down the toilet. Director: Jay Roach. Cast: Will Ferrell, Zach Galifianakis, Jason Sudeikis, Dylan McDermott, Katherine La Nasa. Rated: R. Time: 1:25 .

The Dinosaur Project

This adventure/SiFi flick is by Moonlighting films, which also procuced 10,000 B.C. five years ago. Found footage of an expedition into the Congo jungle where a team of explorers from the British Cryptozoological Society  in search of the cryptid, the Mokele Mbembe stumbles upon a colony of dinosaurs. Set in the deepest, wildest throngs of the African jungle, The Dinosaur Project is an ambitious quest by a team of western explorers, hoping to find a water creature, whose origins are rooted in myth and fantasy. The head of the expedition, an Indiana Jones type, has his plans for a successful trip spoiled though, after his helicopter is brought down by a flock of strange enormous birds and to add to his troubles, he also has to look after his stowaway son Luke. Luke is the film’s main narrator; with an arsenal of personal cameras at his disposal, the young techno-geek captures every minute of this project, which becomes a lesson in survival. The team quickly discover all is not well in the jungle, and encounter some extraordinary creatures, which civilization has presumed extinct for millions of years! Director: Sid Bennett. Cast: Natasha Loring, Richard Dillane, Matt Kane, Peter Brooke, Stephen Jennings and Abena Ayivor. Rating: N/A. Time: 1:23.

Intouchables

The “Intouchables,” based on a true story, is an ingratiating French comedy of cross-racial friendship about two men — one rich, uptight and white; the other poor, exuberant and black — who become best pals in spite of their differences. Aristocrat, Philippe is paralyzed from the neck down as the result of a hang-gliding accident and lives attended by a nervous staff and ignored by his adolescent daughter. His newest employee, a streetwise hoodlum named Driss, does not look as though he will last long in the job. Moving into Philippe’s mansion, Driss steps away from a background of poverty, family dysfunction and trouble with the police. Under his boss’s stern gaze and imperious tutelage he starts to acquire a work ethic and a sense of discipline. In exchange, he helps Philippe discover his appetite for life and his capacity for joy.

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Argo

When militants seize control of the U.S. embassy in Tehran during the height of the Iranian Revolution, CIA agent Tony Mendez creates a fake Hollywood film production in order to rescue a group of American diplomats who have sought refuge at the home of the Canadian ambassador. Armed militants conduct thorough searches of local homes, and kill anyone suspected of harboring the Americans. Mendez offers a unique solution: posing as a Canadian film producer he enters Tehran to scout locations for an upcoming science fiction flick and attempts to pass the refugees off as his crew and fly out of Iran. However, Mendez contends with a few unexpected developments that threaten to expose his deception and government bureaucracy threatens to leave them hopelessly stranded in their most desperate hour. Inspired by actual events. Director: Ben Affleck. Cast: Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin, John Goodman, Victor Garber.  Rated: R. Time: 2:00.

007 Skyfall

Fifty years on from Sean Connery’s debut performance as James Bond in Dr. No, Daniel Craig returns for his third outing as Agent 007 in Skyfall.

Directed by Sam Mendes (American Beauty) and soundtracked by British pop sensation Adele, Skyfall continues the revamping of the Bond franchise that began with 2006’s Casino Royale.

Change is afoot in MI6 and Craig’s Jason Bourne-influenced Bond eventually finds himself joined by a new M, Q and Miss Moneypenny. The Cold War escapades of early Bond are long gone and even the War on Terror seems to have made way here for the more contemporary “WikiLeaks” era.

Skyfall’s blonde villain Raoul Silva (Javier Bardem) not only bears a passing resemblance to Julian Assange; he also finds himself in possession of data containing the identities of all MI6 agents working undercover in criminal or terrorist organizations around the world. Bond’s mission to plug the leak takes him from Istanbul via London and Shanghai to a showdown in the Scottish highlands.

By painting crazed whistleblowers as the great threat to western democracy, Skyfall seems to have adopted the same conservative platform that this year’s Batman movie, Dark Knight Rises, did in lauding a millionaire vigilante as the hero who overcomes rabid protesters intent on shutting down Wall Street.

Politics aside, this is as enjoyable and action-packed as you would expect, with the finale almost a homage to Home Alone, only with heavy weaponry instead of kids’ booby traps.

Although it fails to scale the heights of Goldeneye or Casino Royale, Skyfall ranks above most recent Bond films and is well worth watching.

Director: Sam Mendes. Cast: Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes, Judi Dench, Naomie Harris. Rated: PG. Time: 2:23.

Arbitrage

A Wall Street hedge-fund tycoon scrambles to maintain a picture-perfect façade as his empire slowly begins to topple. Robert Miller, one of the most successful businessmen in New York City, is about to turn 60. He lives a life of luxury, but there’s a storm coming, and nobody knows it better than him. If he can finalize the bank purchase of his trading empire before any evidence of his shady business dealings is unearthed, there’s a chance he could emerge relatively unscathed. At the crucial moment when his plan falls apart, however, a deadly complication leaves Robert with no choice but to seek the help of shady man. Meanwhile a NYPD detective realizes he may have uncovered a key piece of evidence that will ensure Robert pays for his sins. Director: Nicholas Jarecki. Cast: Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon, Tim Roth, Brit Marling, Laetitia Casta.  Rated: R. Time: 1:40.

Code Name: Geronimo

One of the biggest historical moments in recent years was the killing of Osama bin Laden, the “Most Wanted Man in the World.” This film, also known as: Seal Team 6: The Raid on Osama bin Laden, is set to debut on the National Geographic Channel on November 4.