What's Playing At Contra Costa Cinemas

This week, just in time for the baseball playoffs, Moneyball is hitting the screen. Also a new kid film, and a thriller.

Moneyball (PG13)
12:35 3:30 5:00 7:00 9:45
This is the story of the 2001-2002 Oakland A's, and how their General Manager, Billy Beane (played here by Brad Pitt), recruited a statistics nerd and threw out the combined wisdom of his baseball scouts, thereby changing the face of the game forever. The film is getting rave reviews, and no wonder -- it's co-written by Aaron Sorkin (Social Network, A Few Good Men, An American President, West Wing). It's based on a great book of the same name. This is pretty much a must-see for anyone even slightly interested in baseball.

Dolphin Tale in 3D (PG)
11:45AM 2:15 4:45 7:10 9:35
Here is a family film if there ever was one. Morgan Freeman, Kris Kristofferson, Harry Connick, Jr. and Ashley Judd team up in this true tale of a kid who discovers an injured dolphin on the beach, and has it fitted with a prosthetic tail. It's strange that this movie wasn't released earlier in the summer -- this sounds like perfect summer fare. But if you're looking for something to take the kids to, and you've already seen the Lion King reissue, look no further.

Abduction (PG13)
12:25 2:45 5:10 7:35 9:55
This is an action adventure tale about a young man (Taylor Lautner) who discovers that he has been raised by people who are not really his parents, and when some assassins come for him, he goes on a quest to find out what is going on. Directed by John Singleton.

Warrior (PG13)
12:20 3:15 7:45
A film definitely aimed at the male demographic, this is the story of two brothers who must finally face each other in the cage for a monumental mixed martial arts smackdown.

Straw Dogs (R)
12:15 2:40 5:05 7:30 9:50
This remake of a Sam Peckenpah film from 1971 is not garnering rave reviews, but then, the original is considered something of a classic, and it would be difficult to recreate that film's brilliance in our modern world. The story is about a mild-mannered man who is driven to violence when he and his wife are threatened by bullies.

Our Idiot Brother (R)
12:10 2:35 4:50 7:05 9:55
Paul Rudd in a racy comedy about a guy who just can't seem to grasp the simplest things about life, and the sisters who tolerate him, and ultimately learn lessons about life from him.

The Lion King in 3D (G)
12:30 2:45 4:50 7:00 9:00
If you remember this Disney film from the 1990s, then you'll probably want to see the 3D version again. If you haven't seen it yet, you should. It's a classic.

I Don't Know How She Does It (PG13)
12:35 2:50 7:40 9:40
Definitely a movie targeted for the feminine demographic, it stars Sarah Jessica Parker as a working mom who juggles the demands of work and family life, with Greg Kinnear and Pierce Brosnan as the boy toys. Looks like standard fluffy fare.

The Help (PG13)
12:00 3:10 7:00 9:05
This film has been around a month now, and is apparently a hit of the season. Set in Mississippi in the early 1960s, it examines the lives and interaction of African American maids and the women they work for. A good movie, if a little toothless, given the subject.

Drive (R)
12:10 2:35 5:00 7:20 9:40
Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan star in this action-packed chase movie about good guys who go bad, bad guys who try to go good, and bad guys who just plain stay bad guys. The buzz about this one is pretty good.

Contagion (PG13)
12:05 2:30 4:55 7:20 9:45
This is a story about the flu on steroids, and perhaps will inspire you to get that flu shot. What happens when those sneezes and wheezes turn deadly, and spread? Just in time for the cold and flu season.