Opening Films

by Inlander Staff & r &


AMERICAN HARDCORE


Hardcore is not Punk. Let's get that out there. There are any number of ways to differentiate the two, but the two most salient are this: Hardcore is angrier and it's solidly American. Or it was, at least, in its infancy. Everything else hardcore was or has become centers on those two things. Its tempo was faster, though its chord progressions were usually slower. Its politics were militant; its audiences were usually violent. It stood against everything the American mainstream was: greed, consumption, capitalism (the seeds of Reaganism). It reacted vehemently against practitioners of homophobia and racism. It did so by beating the living hell out of such people. It was the dominant counter-culture of the early '80s, and much of today's dominant culture (emo, screamo, metal-core of all kinds) descends directly from it. American Hardcore seeks to document this massive youth movement. It's about time. Rated R





CHARLOTTE'S WEB


The new live-action version of the classic E.B. White book features great CGI work as far as the cast of talking animals goes, but much the same thing has been seen before in Babe. The story of a barn spider (voice of Julia Roberts) who is determined to save the life of a runt pig who's heading for slaughter will appeal to young kids. But the casting of the creepy and annoying Dakota Fanning (as a live-action character) will bother some adults. The bittersweet story concerns life and death on the farm, but there's plenty of slapstick to keep kiddies occupied. (ES) Rated G





ERAGON


Since Peter Jackson has no fantasies in the works, filmgoers will have to content themselves with Eragon. This fantasy story with a plot that could have come from a videogame stars an unknown newcomer (Edward Speleers) opposite Jeremy Irons. The last time Irons was in a fantasy, it was called Dungeons & amp; Dragons and it was embarrassing. They are joined by John Malkovich, who is most famous for being himself, and Djimon Hounsou, who is heroic enough to forego the presence of the others. Rated PG





THE GOONIES


One of the last great live-action special effects extravaganzas, The Goonies was the feel-good movie of choice in the schoolyards of 1985. A group of kids sets out to find a lost pirate treasure to save their home from an evil suburban developer. It would be the stuff of After School Specials except for Richard Donner's kinetic direction, producer Steven Spielberg's taste for lavish enchantment, and a cast of kids (including a lean, young Sean "Samwise" Astin) that are more earnest and convincing than most adults. Midnight Friday and Saturday at the Garland. (MD) Rated PG





THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS


Will Smith makes it hard for critics to write unkind things about him by starring in this family drama with his real-life son Jaden. As a father who goes to great lengths to keep his son from hardship after the family is forced to survive on an unpaid internship, Smith has the based-on-real-life material to make Oprah cry. (She's already endorsed the movie.) Will it feature a feel-good capitalist fantasy ending, or something more sincere? Might not matter to Smith, who will have a multi-million dollar portrait of his son no matter how the movie turns out. Rated PG-13