Film Clips: This weekend’s movie openings and more August 13 2010

It’s a star-studded, action-packed weekend!! And in case you need to be Zen again, there’s Eat, Pray, Love.

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  • KAREN BALLARD
  • Ying Yang (Jet Li, left), Gunner Jensen (Dolph Lundgren, center) and Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone, right) in THE EXPENDABLES.



OPENING FRIDAY
EAT PRAY LOVE 2 stars (PG-13) Freshly-divorced travel writer Liz Gilbert (Julia Roberts) tries to get her groove back by spending a year in Italy, India and Bali. Based on Gilbert’s bestselling middlebrow memoir, Eat Pray Love casts an innately self-conscious movie star as a self-absorbed woman, so it’s like 140 minutes of “But enough about me — what do you think of me?” Roberts gives an appealing performance and “Glee” co-creator Ryan Murphy helms a beautifully-photographed, at times sensuous film that nevertheless holds almost no dramatic interest. Maybe Blink Yawn Doze would be a better title. — Holman


THE EXPENDABLES A throwback action flick on roids, The Expendables showcases an All-Star cast led by Sylvestor Stallone who might be weathered and old but still sports a young heart. The bad boys work with the Feds to try to usurp an evil dictator. In the process, they get fucked over at least twice, battle- and kill- an entire army, and save the girls (without so much as a kiss). Though this might not be the best date movie, the Rambo and friends feature is straight jacked.


PATRICK, AGE 1.5 (NR) In this Swedish comedy, a gay couple reacts with surprise when their adopted 1.5 year old baby turns out to be a sullen 15 year-old with homophobic attitudes.


SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD 4 stars (PG-13) In Edgar Wright’s adaptation of Bryan Lee O’Malley’s graphic novles, slacker bassist Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) must battle and defeat “seven evil exes” to win the girl of his dreams (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). Satirizing the indie-rock scene and showcasing comic book and video game effects, Scott Pilgrim’s stylish hyperactivity can make the film feel cluttered, overpopulated and exhausting. Between the delightfully crazy fight scenes, Scott Pilgrim takes a surprisingly close and complex look at dating, relationships and personal integrity, sort of like Woody Allen’s Manhattan meets Mortal Kombat. — Holman


OPENING WEDNESDAY
VAMPIRES SUCK (PG-13) Had enough of vampires? Didn’t think so. From “the guys that couldn’t sit through another vampire movie” comes this comedy about teen angst- and necrophilia- to the max. Becca is torn between two guys who have deadly secrets that are easily overshadowed by their sex appeal. And their battle for Becca’s love leads to a final showdown prom night where the claws (and fangs) are coming out.