'Ice,' 'Ice,' baby, Depp's Dillinger or Larry/Woody

 

I wouldn't exactly call the slate of movies rolling out for the Fourth of July weekend a star-spangled banner event.

There's plenty of variety, though, with everything from the third "Ice Age" animated adventure to, in some markets at least, Sam Rockwell going it alone on the "Moon."

"Ice Age:  Dawn of the Dinosaurs" steps off the computer-animated ice at times for a subterranean adventure led by a swash-buckling one-eyed weasel voiced by British comedian Simon Pegg.

Head over to this site's Movie Reviews page or click here for the "Ice Age 3" review.

Johnny Depp's drawing mixed critical reaction to his understated take on Great Depression-era "gentleman" bank robber John Dillinger in "Public Enemies."

Directed by Michael Mann, the violence-riddled 1930s crime drama co-stars Christian Bale (Batman in "The Dark Knight").  Bale's even more stoic as FBI man Melvin Purvis.

If you go, you'll find a pretty special performance from French actress Marion Cotillard (an Oscar winner as Edith Piaf in "La Vie en Rose") as Billie Frechette, Dillinger's Public Girlfriend No. 1.

Unlike Depp, Cotillard has a memorable dramatic scene where she really struts her acting ability.

Click here for the review or -- as is the case with all movies mentioned here -- check it out on the Movie Reviews page.

The Woody Allen written and directed comedy "Whatever Works" expands to new movie markets (including San Antonio) this weekend.

Devoted Allen fans may be glad to know that the veteran filmmaker returns to his familiar New York neighborhood for this one.

For my money, Larry David, who portrays a bitter New Yorker who bestows his dark philosophy about life upon anyone within earshot, is channeling Allen in this performance.

That doesn't necessarily mean that David's not a serviceable substitute for Allen, though.

Click here for the full review.

Also opening in some markets (Check local listings):

"Moon" -- Sam Rockwell goes it pretty much alone as the sole caretaker of a mining operation on the far side of the moon in this thinking man's sci-fi drama.  (Click here for the review.)

"The Girl From Monaco" -- A celebrity attorney (Fabrice Luchini) working a murder trial in picturesque Monaco tangles with a flirtatious she-devil (newcomer Louise Bourgoin) in this dirty French postcard of a comic-drama.  (Click here for the review.)

"Revanche" -- An austere Austrian import nominated for a foreign film Oscar, this eerie romantic crime-drama explores a chance meeting between a bank robber-in-hiding and the police officer who wrecked his chance of happiness with a gunshot.  (Click here for the review.)

Photos (from top):  Buck joins the prehistoric gang in "Ice Age:  Dawn of the Dinosaurs" (Blue Sky Studios), Johnny Depp poses with a tommy gun as John Dillinger (Universal Studios) and Larry David channels Woody Allen in "Whatever Works" (Sony Pictures Classics).