Fat Girl -- The latest drama from French filmmaker Catherine Breillat, famous for her frank films about female sexuality (Une vraie jeune fille (1976) and Tapage nocturne (1979), is a tale about two adolescent sisters who come of age over a summer holiday. Anais (Anais Reboux), age 12, shares a room with her pretty 15-year-old sister Elena (Roxane Mesquida). After Elena starts secretly dating a law student from Italy, Anais watches her sister have intercourse with the older man. When their parents discover Elena's fling, the affair comes to a stop. So does the family vacation, but on the drive home, a violent and unsetting climax changes Anais' life forever.

Fat Girl (A ma souer!) is an intelligent look at adolescence and the uneasy world between adulthood and childhood. Anais' large bulk makes her an observer to her sister's sexual experiences. Yet, midway through the film, Breillat changes the dramatic tone of the film, and Anais' weight is no longer the key issue. Through Anais, Fat Girl tells a complex story about young beauty, virginity and the emotional darkness that often surrounds a teen-ager's sexual awakening.

Near its end, Fat Girl completes its story with a violent and unsettling climax. It creates a mood that's radically different from the rest of the movie. Yet, this ending matches perfectly with the rest of Breillat's story. Anais' life is changed by a sudden act of violence. As a result, our lives are also changed by what we've seen in this riveting film. -- SR (Unrated.)
CityBeat grade: A.

MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL REDUX -- New film prints boosted with a digital soundtrack and 24 seconds of additional footage give Monty Python's 1975 collection of medieval sketches the type of splashy re-release worthy of its cult comedy status. It's been awhile since Monty Python has appeared on-screen: 1983's Monty Python's The Meaning of Life. It's been even longer since their BBC comedy show Monty Python's Flying Circus ended its initial run.

After years of watching Monty Python and the Holy Grail via worn videotapes and old prints shown at college film series, the idea of seeing a sparkling version of the film is somewhat astounding. Comedy is hard. Good sketch comedy is even harder. Monty Python and the Holy Grail can still send an audience into hysterics. For that reason alone, it deserves its time in the re-release spotlight. -- SR (Unrated.)
CityBeat grade: B.

ORANGE COUNTY -- Orange County has a boatload of rising and established talent. Colin Hanks (son of Everyman Tom) and Schuyler Fisk (daughter of Sissy Spacek) headline a cast including Jack Black, John Lithgow, Catherine O'Hara, Lily Tomlin and a host of surprise cameos. Orange County director Jake Kasden (son of Lawrence) has already shown his offbeat directing style in Zero Effect. The film's screenwriter, Mike White (Chuck and Buck), just wants to further establish himself.

Shaun (Hanks) is a smart kid who desperately wants to attend Stanford where he can study to become a writer. His path is blocked by the unstable cast of characters in his life, not the least of which happens to be his perpetually wasted brother (Black). Along the way to solving his issues, Shaun realizes Orange County may inspire him, much how Yoknapatawpha County, Miss., inspired William Faulkner.

Orange County is smart enough to allow the gags to develop into sustained comedic details. For me, the movie plays dumb a little too long, but there were genuine moments where I surrendered to the hangdog charm of Hanks. Just think, goofy television and film larks like this were how his dad paid his dues. I suppose the point for both Shaun and Hanks is that Orange County might not be such a bad place to start. -- tt clinkscales (Rated PG-13.)
CityBeat grade: D.

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