Now Playing

Here's a look at the films that are now playing in theaters locally.

City Island

Starring: Andy Garcia, Julianna Margulies, Steven Straight, and Emily Mortimer

Synopsis: This is a quirky comedy that has moments of brilliance and banality. Garcia and Margulies are great performers, and they both make the most of their characters, but there is a lot going on in this film. Everyone in the family has secrets, some strange secrets. And that becomes the problem. Not all the story lines seem to get a full treatment, which is good in some circumstances. Dominik García-Lorido, Garcia's real-life daughter, and Ezra Miller play the two kids, each with their own set of problems. Garcia-Lorido lost a college scholarship and turned to stripping and Miller's nerdy high-schooler is secretly a chubby chaser. Neither of those stories is truly fleshed out, but the young actors do their best with the material. In addition, the wild third act brings all the characters together too conveniently to air all their dirty laundry. But there are some truly humorous moments in this film. It's entertaining and heart-felt in a way few comedies have been this year. It's not a perfect film, but it's entertaining.

Rating: PG-13 for sexual content, smoking and language.

Verdict: Three stars out of four.

The Last Airbender

Starring: Jackson Rathbone, Cliff Curtis, Dev Patel, Noah Ringer, Nicola Peltz, and Shaun Toub

Synopsis: M. Night Shymalan is a talented filmmaker. He has delivered some memorable films in the past, but this isn't one of them. I believe that all M. Night Shymalan's films from "The Sixth Sense" through "The Happening" were essentially the same story. They were all about a central character, or characters, seeking redemption. They were just told through different lenses, which is why the reactions to it varied based on how it was told. "The Sixth Sense" was a ghost story, "Unbreakable" was a superhero story, "Signs" was an alien story, "The Village" was meant to be a suspense thriller, "Lady in the Water" was a fairy tale, and "The Happening" was a horror film. But the story, at its core, was the same. I believe Shymalan is seeking to explain life, and he is doing it through his art. But "The Last Airbender" is a bit different. There is still some of the nondescript religious lingo thrown in, but Shymalan is not working with original material here. He is adapting a children's cartoon. He still breathes some elements of his story in there — you certainly get a little bit of that seeking redemption from Ringer's Avatar character — but this is more grounded in a strange fantasy world. Though the film feels a little ponderous as is, at the same time it's not really long enough to provide the kind of character depth necessary to understand and buy into the large ensemble of characters that inhabit the world. There is plenty of exposition, but it doesn't really give you a feel for the world or help explain all aspects of the world. Perhaps the biggest knock against the film is the fact that it was released in 3-D and people have to pay 3-D prices to see it but the film offers little in the way of 3-D effects. It's just another case of a film giving into the latest fad without having a real purpose. This film is OK, and will likely entertain younger audiences, but it's far from the director's best work.

Rating: PG for fantasy action violence.

Verdict: Two stars out of four.

Ondine

Starring: Colin Farrell, Alicja Bachleda, Stephen Rea, and Alison Barry.

Synopsis: A modern-day mermaid fairy tale, set in an Irish fishing village, starring Colin Farrell and directed by Neil Jordan, who gave the world "The Crying Game." It sounds like the set up to a great joke, but it's actually the description of "Ondine." Farrell turns in another rock-solid performance and the supporting work from Bachleda, as the mysterious woman fished out of the sea, Rea, as the priest and confidant for Farrell's fisherman Syracuse, and Barry, as Farrell's daughter suffering kidney failure, is great. This is a beautifully shot and crafted film. Jordan does a great job of capturing the mood and spirit of the small town and his characters. He mixes scenes of wonder and magic with moments of comedy and honest, emotional drama. It's a rare and powerful blend. This story, though it has some magical elements at times, is also grounded in reality. It offers a conclusion that's both fitting and satisfying, another rarity in films of this type. "Ondine" is a pleasant surprise and the perfect indie antidote to an underwhelming blockbuster season.

Rating: PG-13 for some violence, sensuality and brief strong language.

Verdict: Three stars out of four.