Hostel

Starring Jay Hernandez, Derek Richardson. Rated R

You gotta see this if: You’re planning a backpacking trip through eastern Europe.

final analysis: *** Watching people tortured in slow and graphic detail is not my idea of fun. Seeing eyeballs pulled and toes chopped off makes me want to hide in the closet with a copy of “Anne of Green Gables.” Nevertheless, I respect that there are people thrilled by this genre of fear, the scarier and gorier the better. These people will not be disappointed. The story begins with three college-aged men on a backpacking tour of Europe. Rather than museums and monuments, these men are interested only in alcohol, hash, and hot babes. They’re given a tip that loose women can be found at a remote Slovakian hostel. Unfortunately for the young studs, the women are a front for a business that provides rich sadists with torture and murder victims. The premise is more interesting than your normal slasher flick and the movie wants to provide social commentary. Namely, that obnoxious, chauvinistic Americans deserve to reap the evils of capitalism in whatever form it might take.

Casanova

Starring Heath Ledger, Sienna Miller, Jeremy Irons. Rated R

You gotta see this if:

You wish that Harlequin Romance would start making feature films.

final analysis: ** This movie could have been titled, “Shakespeare in Love, Part Two.” It’s pretty much the same movie set in Italy instead of England. Though you’d hardly know it since the supposedly Italian characters all speak with British accents. Casanova (Heath Ledger) is an infamous womanizer smitten by a young man who turns out to be the lovely Francesca (Sienna Miller) in drag. She is a feminist promoting equality through anonymous writings. Of course, Casanova falls head over heels for her and has to mend his errant ways to win the fair maiden’s heart. Not only does this story pack less originality than a Britney Spears album, but it bears very little resemblance to the true life of Casanova. The movie was shot entirely on location in Venice and while this lends to some very beautiful cinematography, few attempts were made to portray the city as it was in the 17th century. It’s not all bad. But if you see it, expect the cinematic equivalent of Danielle Steele not Alexander Dumas.

Hoodwinked

Starring Anne Hathaway, Glenn Close, Jim Belushi. Rated PG

You gotta see this if: You’re not afraid of the big bad wolf.

final analysis: *** If you enjoyed the “Fractured Fairytales” segments from the “Rocky and Bullwinkle” show, chances are you’ll like “Hoodwinked.” It takes the familiar Red Riding Hood story and turns it upside down as Red, the woodsman, the wolf, and Granny become suspects in a “goody bandit” investigation. As each is interrogated, they get to tell their side of the story. Turns out the wolf is an investigative journalist, the woodsman in an actor, Granny is into extreme sports, and Red could hold her own in a Kung Fu movie. The plot is clever and the music is catchy. Unfortunately, “Hoodwinked” does have one significant fault. The animation itself would be quite impressive … if it were 1996. For 2006, however, it looks more like a Nickelodeon TV show than a feature film. Oh well, blame it on Pixar for setting the bar so high. Despite its straight-to-DVD appearance, it’s a fun movie and one that’s appropriate for young children. Take the kids and not only will they have a great time, you’ll probably find yourself laughing too … even if you’d rather be watching “Hostel.”