This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
For whatever reason, Hollywood has decided to make Wednesdays in August a second movie day.
Two movies open in theaters today, and both are worth a look.
"Hope Springs" is a charming and thoughtful mix of comedy and drama – and perhaps more drama than the TV advertising would lead you to believe. It tells of an aging couple, wonderfully played by Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones, who have grown apart romantically after 31 years of marriage. So the wife decides to book a vacation in Maine, for some intensive couples therapy with a quietly reassuring psychologist (Steve Carell, quite good in a non-comic performance). The mix of comedy and drama is tenderly handled, thanks to a smart script from first-timer Vanessa Taylor.
"Nitro Circus: The Movie 3D" is the polar opposite of "Hope Springs." It's a documentary filled with crazy stunts, many of them filmed right here in Utah. The Tribune's Scott D. Pierce reviewed the movie, which he found to be "a jaw-dropping, heart-pounding, awe-inspiring, incredibly stupid 85 minutes."