Page 20 THE VILLADOM TIMES I, II & IV • February 24, 2010 ‘The Wolfman’ (continued from Entertainment page) rather than battling animalistic instincts. It should be noted that the saying that opens the movie -- “Even one who is pure at heart and says his prayers by night can become a wolf when the wolfbane blooms and the autumn moon is bright” – and the notion that only a silver bullet or a blow by a silver bludgeon can destroy a werewolf, are the invention of the original screenwriter, Curt Siodmak, and go no farther back in lycanthopic lore than 1941. Rated R for lots of blood, and graphic violence, “The Wolfman” tries to be true to the spirit of the original movie. With its advanced special effects, large budget, and A-list roster of movie stars, however, it falls short in the department of scaring viewers. Sure, the on-screen mutilations are grim, but the werewolf, courtesy of makeup mastermind Rick Baker, never inspires dread. prey to a trio of re-possessors, one of whom is Dave’s brother Lenny, a charmer with his sights on the bewitching supermodel in the penthouse. Elsewhere in the building, underachieving Ron ignores his demanding fiancée, and Zack, a little boy, struggles with the destruction of his piggy bank. The voice talent cast is headed by Geoffrey Rush (“Shine”) and Anthony LaPaglia (“Empire Records”). The clay figures here are remarkably expressive and quirky, underscoring the often surreal nature of this existential search for life’s meanings. Two bonus features, “Crazy Glue” and “A Buck’s Worth,” are included. “Dead Snow” (MPI Media) is a zombie movie with an interesting twist. As if flesh-eating zombies aren’t scary enough, writer/director Tommy Wirkola has resurrected a batch of frozen Nazis to wreak their carnage. The film starts familiarly enough as a group of medical students embark on a sex-and-booze ski vacation to a remote cabin in the picturesque Norwegian Alps, where they uncover a dark secret from World War II. After arriving at the cabin and unpacking, the students are visited by a mysterious hiker, who tells them that during the war, Nazis occupying the area were driven by locals deep into the mountains and were presumed to have frozen to death. Before long, the young vacationers are confronted by a battalion of uncontrollable, unstoppable, undead Nazis. Clearly a movie for those who love cinematic splatter, “Dead Now” offers more than its share of blood, viscera, and bodies being bitten by zombie SS troopers. Naturally, viewers’ sympathies are with the humans, even though they’re no better developed as characters than in most zombie fare. The film is well-photographed and has impressive production values. Extras include featurettes on the making of the movie, outtakes, and trailers. ARIES Mar 21/Apr 20 ARIES --Mar 21/Apr 20 You will find, Aries, that someone you You will find, Aries, that someone you thought to be very self-centered will thought to be very self-centered will make you a generous offer this week. make you a generous offer this week. You should humbly accept this proYou should humbly accept this proposal. posal. TAURUS Apr 21/May 21 TAURUS --Apr 21/May 21 If someone pressures you for an anIf someone pressures you for an answer this week, don’t feel compelled swer this week, don’t feel compelled to give information quickly. You need to give information quickly. You need to slowly and thoroughly sort out all to slowly and thoroughly sort out all sides of the story first. sides of the story first. GEMINI May 22/Jun 21 GEMINI --May 22/Jun 21 You need answers but don’t really You need answers but don’t really know where to get them, Gemini. The know where to get them, Gemini. The best way to become informed is to pabest way to become informed is to patiently wait for those answers to fall tiently wait for those answers to fall into your lap. into your lap. CANCER Jun 22/Jul 22 CANCER --Jun 22/Jul 22 A current relationship is entering a A current relationship is entering a rough patch, Cancer. You’d better take rough patch, Cancer. You’d better take a hard look at the situation and take a hard look at the situation and take steps to fix what is wrong before the steps to fix what is wrong before the problem escalates. problem escalates. LEO Jul 23/Aug 23 LEO --Jul 23/Aug 23 A valuable piece of information is A valuable piece of information is about to come your way, Leo. It will about to come your way, Leo. It will give you all you need to secure your give you all you need to secure your good standing in the eyes of those good standing in the eyes of those around you. around you. VIRGO Aug 24/Sept 22 VIRGO --Aug 24/Sept 22 Someone in your life is making every Someone in your life is making every attempt at a big splash for attention, attempt at a big splash for attention, Virgo. However, you remain unimVirgo. However, you remain unimpressed and not jaded by these antics. pressed and not jaded by these antics. LIBRA Sept 23/Oct 23 LIBRA --Sept 23/Oct 23 This week is a good time to appreciate This week is a good time to appreciate the beauty all around you, Libra. Take the beauty all around you, Libra. Take a walk and examine the winter landa walk and examine the winter landscape or admire the architecture where scape or admire the architecture where you call home. you call home. SCORPIO Oct 24/Nov 22 SCORPIO --Oct 24/Nov 22 You’d rather be the puppet master, but You’d rather be the puppet master, but the stars say you’ll have more effect the stars say you’ll have more effect if you are actually in front of the curif you are actually in front of the curtain. Get out there and be noticed this tain. Get out there and be noticed this week. week. SAGITTARIUS Nov 23/Dec 21 SAGITTARIUS --Nov 23/Dec 21 Your spirit is lagging, Sagittarius. BetYour spirit is lagging, Sagittarius. Better surround yourself with large groups ter surround yourself with large groups of upbeat people so that you can pull of upbeat people so that you can pull yourself out of this slump. Don’t woryourself out of this slump. Don’t worry ... it’s temporary. ry ... it’s temporary. CAPRICORN Dec 22/Jan 20 CAPRICORN --Dec 22/Jan 20 People feel compelled to take care of People feel compelled to take care of you, Capricorn, but this time you’re you, Capricorn, but this time you’re turning the tables. It’s your chance to turning the tables. It’s your chance to care for others by both your words and care for others by both your words and actions. actions. AQUARIUS Jan 21/Feb 18 AQUARIUS --Jan 21/Feb 18 Expect a financial windfall to arrive Expect a financial windfall to arrive at your doorstep just when you need it at your doorstep just when you need it most, Aquarius. This will only further most, Aquarius. This will only further the good mood you’ve been experithe good mood you’ve been experiencing for days. encing for days. PISCES Feb 19/Mar 20 PISCES --Feb 19/Mar 20 Finding balance between what you Finding balance between what you can afford to purchase and those specan afford to purchase and those special things you want comes quite eascial things you want comes quite easily this week. ily this week. DVDs (continued from Restaurant page) minded husband (Anthony Edwards) seems oblivious to his wife’s conflicts, not to mention basic domestic reality. Her best friend Sheila (Minnie Driver) understands this, and Eliza, all too well. Essentially a day-in-the-life comic character study, “Motherhood” captures some of the realities of Manhattan living, such as coping daily with a sixth-floor walk-up apartment (a joke done to death by Neil Simon in “Barefoot in the Park”), juggling countless household and child-rearing tasks simultaneously, and risking summonses for forgetting alternate-side-of-the-street parking rules. Much of this material has been done in TV sitcoms, and reality is virtually tossed out when Eliza is forever complaining about money yet manages to live in two apartments. Thurman is an odd fit here. She is not the best comedienne, and her comic timing generally seems just off the mark. Bonuses include interviews with the stars and audio commentary by the director and producer. $9.99” (E1 Entertainment) is a stop-motion feature about Dave, a man who still lives at home and has neither goals nor aspirations. When he finds an ad for a booklet promising to reveal the meaning of life for the bargain price of $9.99, Dave forks over the cash. Wanting to share his discovery, Dave crosses paths with several of his unusual apartment block neighbors, who are all on their own search for hope and redemption. Retiree Albert is busy trying to entertain his live-in, disgruntled Guardian Angel. Down the hall, Marcus Pocus, a magician with huge debts he is unable to make disappear, has fallen Answer to Last Week’s Puzzle Answer to Last Week’s Puzzle