Film Clips

Shrek 2 (PG) — It’s a rare thing when a sequel is as satisfying as the original, and “Shrek 2” gives its predecessor a run for its money, with plenty of sight gags and its share of crude (but really funny) jokes. Appearances by both familiar and new icons of fairy tale and pop culture in even more inventive and unconventional settings make this funny and clever on a “grown-up” level. (Reviewed May 21)

Troy (R) — For those expecting the mythological world of Homer’s ancient Greek poem “The Iliad,” they may be disappointed by the absence of the Greek gods as living, interacting characters in the plot. Instead, the gods take a back seat to director Wolfgang Petersen’s attempt at a more historical, mortal telling of the classic Greek story. The presence of a bronzed, muscled Brad Pitt as the warrior Achilles, however, will probably diminish the holes in the plot. (Reviewed May 14)

Van Helsing (PG-13) — This blending of horror, science fiction and fantasy genres is a nightmare — and not in a good way. This is a dreadful movie. Really, really awful. Bram Stoker is turning in his grave, as are Mary Shelley and Robert Lewis Stevenson. So is James Whale, the director of the original “Frankenstein” movie. What likely was an inventive concept on paper has been rendered as a very, very expensive B-movie — and not the kind that shows up at cult film revivals. (Reviewed May 7)

Mean Girls (PG-13) — Saturday Night Live head writer and performer Tina Fey’s screenplay is really what gives the film its substance. A homeschooled 16- year-old finds herself unprepared for the complex social system of high school, and gets in over her head with a group of girls who thrive on gossip, deceit and rejection. As much as the film scrutinizes the strict boundaries of teenage cliques, none of the characters is solely a “good girl” or a “bad girl.” And just like Fey’s biting social and political humor on SNL, the film’s dialogue is clever without being preachy. (Reviewed April 30)