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Eastern Promises

The mysterious and charismatic Russian-born Nikolai Luzhin (Viggo Mortensen) is a driver for one of London's most notorious organized crime families of Eastern European origin. The family itself is part of the Vory V Zakone criminal brotherhood. Headed by Semyon (Academy Award nominee Armin Mueller-Stahl), whose courtly charm as the welcoming proprietor of the plush Trans-Siberian restaurant impeccably masks a cold and brutal core, the family's fortunes are tested by Semyon's volatile son and enforcer, Kirill (Vincent Cassel), who is more tightly bound to Nikolai than to his own father. But Nikolai's carefully maintained existence is jarred once he crosses paths at Christmastime with Anna Khitrova (Academy Award nominee Naomi Watts), a midwife at a North London hospital. Anna is deeply affected by the desperate situation of a young teenager who dies while giving birth to a baby. Anna resolves to try to trace the baby's lineage and relatives. The girl's personal diary also survives her; it is written in Russian, and Anna seeks answers in it. Anna's mother Helen (Sinéad Cusack) does not discourage her, but Anna's irascible Russian-born uncle Stepan (Jerzy Skolimowski) urges caution. He is right to do so; by delving into the diary, Anna has accidentally unleashed the full fury of the Vory. With Semyon and Kirill closing ranks and Anna pressing her inquiries, Nikolai unexpectedly finds his loyalties divided. The family tightens its grip on him; who can, or should, he trust? Several lives - including his own - hang in the balance as a harrowing chain of murder, deceit, and retribution reverberates through the darkest corners of both the family and London itself.

Genres: Drama, Thriller and Crime/Gangster

Running Time: 1 hr. 40 min.

Release Date: September 14th, 2007 (wide)

MPAA Rating: R for strong brutal and bloody violence, some graphic sexuality, language and nudity.

Distributor: Focus Features Cast And Credits Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Naomi Watts, Vincent Cassel, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Sinead Cusack Directed by: David Cronenberg Produced by: Stephen Garrett, David M. Thompson, Jeff Abberley

Resident Evil Extinction

Resident Evil Extinction

Alice, now in hiding in the Nevada desert, once again joins forces with Carlos Olivera and L.J., along with new survivors Claire, K-Mart and Nurse Betty to try to eliminate the deadly virus that threatens to make every human being undead...and to seek justice. Since being captured by the Umbrella Corporation, Alice has been subjected to biogenic experimentation and becomes genetically altered, with super-human strengths, senses and dexterity. These skills, and more, will be needed if anyone is to remain alive. Genres: Action/Adventure, Suspense/Horror, Adaptation and Sequel

Running Time: 1 hr. 35 min.

Release Date: September 21st, 2007 (wide)

MPAA Rating: R for non-stop violence, language and some nudity.

Distributor: Screen Gems, Sony Pictures Releasing Cast And Credits Starring: Milla Jovovich, Oded Fehr, Mike Epps, Iain Glen, Ali Larter Directed by: Russell Mulcahy Produced by: Martin Moszkowicz, Victor Hadida, Kelly Van Horn Not exactly dull but never interesting either, “Resident Evil: Extinction” is the third installment in the video-game-derived series of films starring Milla Jovovich as Alice, a superhuman warrior fighting zombie hordes.

The movie’s fake-out opening reveals that the sinister Umbrella corporation (represented by the evil Dr. Isaacs, played by Iain Glen, a recurring cast member) is testing clones of Alice, hoping to use immunities in her blood to develop a vaccine to control the infection.

This is a dumb but intriguing germ of an idea. But it predictably takes a back seat to endless scenes of Alice and other returning actors (including Oded Fehr and Mike Epps) moving toward and through a buried Las Vegas while mowing down zombies with blades, guns and a truck fitted with a cow-catcher.

The director, Russell Mulcahy (“Highlander”), pulls off a few decent set pieces, including attacks by skinless dogs and Hitchcock-inspired clouds of glassy-eyed undead crows. But they have no weight because there’s no characterization or emotion, just slick mayhem.

The movie wasn’t screened for critics, but that seems less a tacit admission of a dip in quality than of the fact that all the films are just noisy time killers, about as engrossing as watching someone else play a video game.

“Resident Evil” is rated R (Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian) for violence and some nudity