“Conviction”
Betty Anne Waters (Hilary Swank) and her ne’er-do-well brother, Kenny (Sam Rockwell), have been each other’s support since they were kids. Betty is so confident her brother didn’t commit murder, she goes on an 18-year quest to finish high school, college and law school just to free Kenny from his life sentence in prison.
The focus on the players works chiefly because of a first-rate performance by Rockwell, who has a talent for creating characters who come across as both likable and a little frightening.
Grade: B-
“Let Me In”
The remake of the 2008 Swedish film about a 12-year-old vampire is more psychological thriller than horror film. Pre-teen Owen (Kodi Smit-McPhee) finds a friend in Abby (Chloe Moretz), a pale young girl who must have blood to survive.
What makes the film fascinating is that director Matt Reeves looks past the bloodlust to show that there are scarier things in life than creatures with fangs.
Grade: B
Also new
“The Top 10: NFL Greatest Players”: Jerry Rice, Jim Brown, Lawrence Taylor and Joe Montana are among the NFL greats examined.
“Almost Famous: Untitled The Bootleg Cut”: Director Cameron Crowe’s original cut of the story of a young rock journalist.
“Clifford: Best Buddies”: This is the first all-new “Clifford” DVD release in nearly two years.
“Monsters”: A NASA probe to collect alien samples crashes in Central America and the area becomes an infected zone.
“Discovering Hamlet”: Kenneth Branagh and Derek Jacobi provide a behind-the-scenes look at Shakespearean theatre.
Rick Bentley, The Fresno Bee (Fresno, Calif.)
“Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2”: Chloe (voiced by Odette Yustman) and Papi (George Lopez) are back.
“Welcome to the Rileys”: James Gandolfini, Kristen Stewart and Melissa Leo play three lost souls who find hope in unlikely friendships.
“Mean Girls 2”: A new student befriends an unpopular girl. Jennifer Stone stars.
“Alice in Wonderland”: The animated film’s being released on Blu-ray to mark its 60th anniversary.
“Hatchet II”: A woman (Danielle Harris) recruits hired guns to help her get revenge on the person who killed her friends.
“Lincoln and Douglass: An American Friendship”: The Storybook Treasures film’s adapted from a story by Nikki Giovanni.
Rick Bentley, The Fresno Bee (Fresno, Calif.)
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