5 Things You Should Know About
By RICHARD CORLISS, Belinda Luscombe, Andrea Sachs, Josh Tyrangiel
MUSIC
Conor Oberst Conor Oberst; available Aug. 5 Folksingers don't lighten up, but they do go on vacation, and an extended jaunt to Mexico seems to have offered Oberst a glimpse of a world without doom. The meandering road anthems (Moab) and beach tunes (Sausalito) capture the mischief and freedom of travel without going all Margaritaville. So your brain is welcome on this journey too. A-
MOVIES
Brideshead Revisited Directed by Julian Jarrold; rated PG-13; out now "Don't be such a tourist," Sebastian Flyte chides his college chum when they arrive at the titular house. But gawking is the appeal of this not-mandatory version of the Evelyn Waugh novel. Much is made of the beauty and danger of faith, stately piles and statelier moms (Emma Thompson is the matriarch). It's nice enough to visit, maybe on DVD. B-
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 Directed by Sanaa Hamri; rated PG-13; opening Aug. 6 Imagine Sex and the City as an after-school special; that's this sequel to the 2005 film about four teen friends (Amber Tamblyn, America Ferrera, Blake Lively and Alexis Bledel). Each has a new emotional challenge, and somehow they all end up on a Greek isle. Mamma miasma! The going gets wet at times, but if you have heartstrings, they will be plucked. B-
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor Directed by Rob Cohen; rated PG-13; out now Brendan Fraser takes his third crack at this Indiana Jones--knockoff action series. This time, a 2,300-year-old warrior (Jet Li) is trying to gain the secret to eternal mischief. Nifty stunts and effects and top turns from Chinese stars Michelle Yeoh, Isabella Leong and Anthony Wong are the treasures worth seeking amid the musty debris of Mummy III. C
BOOKS
Stand the Storm By Breena Clarke; out now Calling all book clubs! Clarke, whose debut novel, River, Cross My Heart, was a 1999 Oprah pick, scores again with this Civil War--era saga, set in Washington. She tells the deeply affecting story of a family of freed slaves in an evocative, historically rich book that brings the turbulent period alive. The author neither averts her eye from, nor sugarcoats the truth about, the uphill struggle for dignity in this gritty town. A-