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Belle, directed by Amma Asante
Belle, directed by Amma Asante

Belle, directed by Amma Asante

(PG, 105 minutes)

This intelligent, charming and entertaining period drama, awash in luxurious fabrics, elaborate hairstyles, golden candlelight and fabulous late-1700s English surroundings, tells the story of Dido Elizabeth Belle (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), an illegitimate daughter of the late Royal Navy Admiral Sir John Lindsay (Matthew Goode) and his African slave mistress.

A stunning beauty of mixed race, Belle is raised by her elegant great-uncle, Lord Mansfield (Tom Wilkinson), the chief justice of Britain, and his gracious wife (Emily Watson) at aristocratic Kenwood House alongside her half-cousin and best friend Elizabeth (Sarah Gadon).

Although an heiress, sheltered, educated and pampered Belle gradually becomes aware of racial injustice as she discovers herself to be a social outcast. It's a situation that provokes her, with the help of a young lawyer (Sam Reid), to strike a blow against slavery in Great Britain. With Miranda Richardson, Tom Fenton, James Norton; inspired by a true story.

The Love Punch (PG-13, 95 minutes) What could go wrong with a classic caper comedy set in Paris, London and the French Riviera that pairs Pierce Brosnan and Emma Thompson as a divorced couple who might find reconciliation through the theft of a $10 million diamond? Well, it could, unbelievably, be dull. A clunky script slows down even the wittiest of comic actors, and that's the problem with The Love Punch. Predictable and full of holes, the story just doesn't hold up; it disappoints rather than delights. With Timothy Spall, Tuppence Middleton, Celia Imrie; written and directed by Joel Hopkins.

Blended (PG-13, 117 minutes) Although widely acknowledged to be awful, Adam Sandler comedies continue to appear on the big screen. Maybe that trend will be slowed by the poor box-office showing this film endured during Memorial Day weekend, bringing in a mere $18 million over the four-day holiday -- one of the worst openings ever for Sandler.

Still interested? Here's what to expect. Single parents Lauren (Drew Barrymore) and Jim (Sandler) escape their youngsters to take a test run with each other on a blind date at Hooter's. (Who would take a woman to Hooter's on a first date? Adam Sandler, apparently.)

Not surprisingly, it's a disaster with no chance of a makeup event. Then, owing to a lot of screenwriting manipulation, Lauren and her two boys and Jim and his three girls find themselves sharing a suite at a luxurious South African safari resort for a week.

If you like your romantic comedies to be un-romantic, unrealistic, offensive, repetitive, embarrassing and loaded with stereotypes and predictability, welcome to the evening's entertainment. With Kevin Nealon, Joel McHale; directed by Frank Coraci.

The Normal Heart (R, 133 minutes) An honest, powerful and relevant heartbreaker of an Emmy-winning drama, made for HBO, about the arrival of the HIV-AIDS crisis in New York in the 1980s and the ensuing sexual political struggles that affect the gay community and the medical establishment. With Mark Ruffalo, Matt Bomer, Julia Roberts, Alfred Molina; directed by Ryan Murphy.

The Double (R, 93 minutes) In this comedy, always-watchable Jesse Eisenberg is Simon, an unassuming, awkward guy who is overlooked by co-workers, his mother and especially by the woman of his dreams (Mia Wasikowska). Then a new colleague named James shows up. He is Simon's physical double with the added benefit of a winning, charismatic, chick-magnet personality. Everybody loves James. Nobody loves Simon. Problems ensue. With Wallace Shawn, Noah Taylor; directed by Richard Ayoade.

The Possession of Michael King (R, 83 minutes) A creepy suspense drama in which documentary filmmaker Michael King (Shane Johnson) decides, after the unexpected death of his wife, to make a film that researches the existence of the supernatural, with himself as the center of an experiment that recklessly subjects him to spells, rituals and all sorts of freaky occult practices. With Julie McNiven, Cara Pifko; directed by David Jung.

MovieStyle on 08/29/2014

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