Grindhouse. Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez re-create grade-z exploitation movies from the 1970s and package them as a double feature, complete with coming attractions for other lowbrow fare. In doing so, they create three-plus hours of viewing that is wildly entertaining in its awfulness. Rose McGowan and Kurt Russell are part of the ensemble cast. (R)
The Hoax. Richard Gere stars as Clifford Irving, the real-life writer whose authorized biography of Howard Hughes turned out to be a scam, in a hyperactive tale that gets increasingly annoying. Also starring Hope Davis, Stanley Tucci, Marcia Gay Harden, Julie Delpy and Alfred Molina. (R)
The Lookout.. Joseph Gordon-Levitt (“Brick”) plays a young head-injury victim who is drawn into a bank-heist plot in this compelling film noir. Jeff Bridges appears as his blind roommate. (R)
The Lives of Others. The Oscar winner for best foreign language picture, and for good reason, this drama, set in 1984 East Germany, involves a member of the secret police who spies on a playwright and his actress lover. A fascinating study of how people respond to oppression. (R)
The Namesake.. Director Mira Nair's understated adaptation of the Jhumpa Lahiri novel focuses on cultural and generational conflicts as they apply to a Bengali immigrant couple (Tabu, Irfan Khan) and their Americanized son (Kal Penn). (PG-13)
Premonition. Sandra Bullock plays a woman whose husband (Julian McMahon) apparently dies in a car crash, only to pop up alive the next day. This film tries to be a thriller, a love story and a message movie, but all it ends up being is laughably bad. (PG-13)
Shooter. Mark Wahlber plays a former Marine sniper who becomes the fall guy in an assassination conspiracy. The action is exciting; the conspiracy chatter trite. Directed by Antoine Fuqua (''Training Day”). (R)
Week of Friday, April 20, through Thursday, April 26, 2007
Tim Miller is the Times' entertainment editor. He can be reached at 508-862-1140 or tmiller@capecodonline.com