Aug. 1, 2008 - The Austin Chronicle

FILM | L I S TINGSmove forward is to make amends. In otherwords, like so many modern-day spiritualists,he blames the universe … or his chi… or something and then punishes us, hisunwitting viewers, by making us sit througha 20-minute tear-filled discussion aboutthe importance of forgiveness, the powerof love, and the life-affirming interconnectivityof everything that ever was and everwill be. So thank God Whitaker is here tobring a bit of real pathos and ambiguity tohis role as the spiritual guide who’s gainedwisdom through adversity, because withouthis Oscar-winning chops, this exercise inpop mysticism would have been too painfulto bear.– Josh Rosenblatt DobieTHE SISTERHOOD OF THETRAVELING PANTS 2 D: SanaaHamri; with Amber Tamblyn, America Ferrera, BlakeLively, Alexis Bledel, Jesse Williams. (PG-13, 117 min.)Not reviewed at press time. Those britchessure do get around. In this follow-up, inthe film series based on Ann Brashares’bestselling novels, the gal pals are now incollege and discovering their own paths.(Opens Wednesday.) – Marjorie BaumgartenBarton Creek Square, CM Cedar Park, HillCountry Galleria, CM Round Rock, SouthparkMeadowsSWING VOTE D: Joshua MichaelCostner’s new comedy is fueled byStern; with Kevin Costner, Madeline Carroll, PaulaPatton, Kelsey Grammer, Dennis Hopper, Nathan Lane,Stanley Tucci, George Lopez, Judge Reinhold, MareWinningham. (PG-13, 120 min.)the absurdity of the balloting debacle ofthe 2004 presidential election, as wellas the proximity of the 2008 vote. Thatmay make Swing Vote timely, but thatdoesn’t make the film good. Swing Vote’spremise takes absurdity to a whole newdimension, while the film’s humor is cynicaland its plot development stagnant– until, of course, a third-act redemptioncomes along to salvage the ideals ofdemocracy (although the overall cynicismmakes even this tonal turnabout seemartificial). The story requires a serioussuspension of disbelief: No matter howridiculous things get with electronic votingmachinemishaps, hanging chads, andcourt interventions, Swing Vote’s scenarioposits an election process that ignoresthe constitutional safeguards that arealready in place in the eventuality of atie vote. Costner plays Bud Johnson, anaffable drunk who is kept afloat mostly bythe attentive ministrations of his youngbut precocious daughter Molly (Carroll).When Bud passes out drunk and dotingMolly attempts to cast his vote in hisplace, an electronic voting-machine glitchrecords only that Bud cast his ballot, butnot for whom he voted. A national deadheat prompts both candidates (Grammeras the Republican and Hopper as theDemocrat and Tucci and Lane, respectively,as each candidate’s chief campaignoperative) to travel to Bud’s double-widetrailer in Texico, N.M., to bring their campaignsto the only voter who now matters.73MAMMA MIA!(PG–13) Fri. & Sat. 10:00 12:15 2:30 4:55 7:20 9:45 11:59Sun. - Thu. 10:00 12:15 2:30 4:55 7:20 9:45THE DARK KNIGHT(PG–13) Fri. & Sat. 10:00 12:40 12:55 3:50 4:057:00 7:15 10:00 10:10 11:30Sun. - Thu. 10:00 12:40 12:55 3:50 4:05 7:00 7:15 10:00 10:10JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH 3D (PG)Fri. & Sat. 10:00 12:15 2:35 4:45 7:00 9:15 11:45Sun. - Thu. 10:00 12:15 2:35 4:45 7:00 9:15HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY (PG–13)Fri. - Thu. 12:00 4:30 9:00THE X-FILES: I WANT TO BELIEVE (PG–13) Fri. & Sat.10:00 12:10 2:30 4:55 7:20 9:45 11:59Sun. - Thu. 10:00 12:10 2:30 4:55 7:20 9:45STEP BROTHERS (R) Fri. & Sat. 10:00 12:15 2:30 4:45 7:10 9:25 11:45Sun. - Thu. 10:00 12:15 2:30 4:45 7:10 9:25HANCOCK (PG–13) Fri. - Thu. 10:00 2:30 7:00THE MUMMY: TOMB OF THE DRAGON EMPEROR (PG–13)Fri. & Sat. 10:00 10:30 12:10 12:40 2:30 3:00 4:55 5:25 7:20 7:45 9:45 10:00 11:59Sun. - Thu. 10:00 10:30 12:10 12:40 2:30 3:00 4:55 5:25 7:20 7:45 9:45 10:00SWING VOTE (PG–13)Fri. & Sat. 10:30 1:20 4:10 7:00 9:35 11:59Sun. - Thu. 10:30 1:20 4:10 7:00 9:35a u s t i n c h r o n i c l e . c o m AUGUST 1, 2008 T H E A U S T I N C H R O N I C L E 73