In the aftermath of a job gone awry, an American hitman retreats to
the Italian countryside, where he befriends a local priest and
strikes up an unexpected romance while awaiting the details of his
next assignment. Jack (George Clooney) is lucky to be alive after
his Swedish assignment went sour, and he knows that it's only a
matter of time before his luck runs out. Not eager to tempt fate
again, Jack arrives in a small Italian town and takes a job
assembling a weapon for the mysterious Mathilde (Thekla Reuten).
During this uncharacteristically peaceful interlude, Jack befriends
kindly clergyman Father Benedetto (Paolo Bonacelli), and connects
with pretty local Clara (Violante Placido). But in the process of
reaching out for a little human contact, Jack is making himself more
vulnerable than ever. THE AMERICAN was adapted for the screen from
the novel A VERY PRIVATE GENTLEMAN by author Martin Booth.
HANDSOME HARRY (2010)
JAMEY SHERIDAN
AIDAN QUINN
CAMPBELL SCOTT
Minutes: 94
Format: WIDESCREEN
Rated: R
Genre: DRAMA
A man seeking to escape the past realizes that he'll first have to
confront the present after receiving a desperate call from a friend
on his deathbed. Harry Sweeny (Jamey Sheridan) is an aged but
handsome divorcée with a grown son and a small business. He lives a
comfortable life in a small town, where his main source of
entertainment is stopping by the local diner to flirt with pretty
waitress Muriel (Karen Young). But Harry's life hasn't always been
this easy, and after getting a call from Tom Kelly (Steve Buscemi)
he starts to remember why. Tom isn't long for this earth, and before
he goes he seeks forgiveness from David Kagan, a fellow crewman that
he and Harry knew from their Navy days. Unable to say no to an old
friend, Harry sets out on a reluctant search for David, visiting old
friends and drudging up painful memories in the process. Why does
Tom feel like he needs David's forgiveness to pass on, and whose
redemption is Harry searching for anyway?
INJURY SLIGHT PLEASE
ADVISE (2010)
CLAYTON BOWMAN
GABE MAYHAN
GREG NORRIS
Minutes: 80
Format: WIDESCREEN
Rated: NOT RATED
Genre:
DOCUMENTARY, WAR
As helmed by Josh Baxter, this documentary relays the unique and
harrowing story of Charles 'Sully' O'Sullivan, an ace fighter pilot
shot down in the jungles of New Guinea during World War II.
O'Sullivan drew on basic survival skills that enabled him to last
for over 30 days in the wilderness. In the process, he encountered a
vicious tribe of cannibals intent on eating him, but somehow managed
to escape from their territory (evading his pursuers) and arrived at
a friendly Australian outpost. From there, O'Sullivan returned to
the U.S. in one piece. But decades later, questions lingered about
the soldier's journey, particularly after the remnants of his plane
turned up in New Guinea, and he found that his arrival in the tribe
had grown into a local legend among the natives. He began to
consider returning to the site of the crash, but grew concerned that
the tribesmen might put his life in danger once again.
LEGENDARY ASSASSIN
(2010)
WU
JING
CELINA JADE
ADYAMA NORIKO
Minutes: 89
Format: WIDESCREEN
Rated: R
Genre: ACTION,
MARTIAL ARTS
After a
lone drifter (Jacky Wu) helps her capture four fugitives, a
beautiful cop (Celina Jade) on a Hong Kong island befriends the
mysterious young man, only to later discover he's an assassin on the
run for murdering a drug lord. Torn between her emerging feelings
for her new friend and her duty to the law, the officer soon finds
herself caught in a maelstrom of violence as vicious criminals
besiege her island.
RESIDENT EVIL:
AFTERLIFE (2010)
MILLA JOVOVICH
ALI LARTER
KIM COATES
Minutes: 96
Format: WIDESCREEN
Rated: R
Genre: ACTION,
HORROR
Experience a new dimension in action horror as director Paul W.S.
Anderson uses the 3D technology pioneered by James Cameron and
Vincent Pace to take movie lovers on a nightmare thrill-ride. It's
been five years since the zombie virus swept across the globe, and
Alice (Milla Jovovich) is still traveling tirelessly in search of
survivors. When the Umbrella Corporation ratchets up the stakes, an
old friend turns up to lend Alice a helping hand. Rumor has it that
some survivors have found sanctuary in Los Angeles, but when Alice
and friends show up they find the city overrun with zombies, and
quickly realize they've stumbled into a diabolical trap.
RESIDENT EVIL:
AFTERLIFE (3D) (2010)
MILLA JOVOVICH
ALI LARTER
KIM COATES
Minutes: 96
Format: WIDESCREEN
Rated: R
Genre: ACTION,
HORROR
*3D EQUIPMENT
REQUIRED
December 21, 2010
DEVIL (2010)
CHRIS MESSINA
LOGAN MARSHALL-GREEN
GEOFFREY AREND
Minutes: 81
Format: WIDESCREEN
Rated: PG-13
Genre: HORROR
Five strangers trapped in an elevator realize that one of them is
the Devil in this thriller from director John E. Dowdle (QUARANTINE)
and screenwriter Brian Nelson (HARD CANDY, 30 DAYS OF NIGHT). The
first installment of "THE NIGHT CHRONICLES," a film series in which
up-and-coming filmmakers bring to life stories conceived by M. Night
Shyamalan, DEVIL opens to find five Philadelphia office workers
filing into the elevator of an inner-city office building. But a
typical day at the office takes a sudden detour into terror when the
elevator becomes stuck between floors, and the passengers discover
that the Devil does exist, and he's standing right before them. As
emergency workers work frantically to free them, secrets are
revealed and the passengers realize their only hope for survival is
to confront their darkest sins in front of the others.
EASY A (2010)
EMMA
STONE
STANLEY TUCCI
PENN BADGLEY
Minutes: 92
Format: WIDESCREEN
Rated: PG-13
Genre: COMEDY
Nathaniel Hawthorne's THE SCARLET LETTER is re-imagined as a
contemporary high school comedy in this tale of a scheming student
who plots to give her popularity a boost by painting herself the
easiest lay in school. Like most high school kids, Olive Penderghast
(Emma Stone) just wants to be popular. So much so than when her best
friend, Rhiannon (Aly Michalka), asks Olive how her weekend went,
the bored teen decides to whip up a spicy white lie just to make
things interesting. But that minor exaggeration begins to take on a
life of its own when it reaches the ears of motor-mouth gossip Jesus
freak Marianne (Amanda Bynes), and in no time the entire student
body is abuzz over unassuming Olive's unrepentant weekend of
debauchery. Of course not a word of it is true, but that doesn't
stop everyone in school from talking, and an amused Olive from
deciding to go with the flow. Playing the role of the hussy to the
hilt, the girl who used to be invisible begins dressing
provocatively and turning heads in the hallways. The students aren't
the only ones taking notice, either; Olive's English teacher, Mr.
Griffith (Thomas Haden Church), is concerned that the kind of
attention she's receiving isn't healthy for a developing girl, and
his wife (Lisa Kudrow), the school guidance counselor, is in full
agreement. The only people who seem remotely interested in the truth
are Olive's trusting and open-minded parents (Stanley Tucci and
Patricia Clarkson). As Olive takes note of the parallels between her
own situation and the plight of the SCARLET LETTER heroine Hester
Prynne, she realizes that she may be able to manipulate her newfound
notoriety to give fellow classmate Brandon's (Dan Byrd) popularity a
much-needed shot in the arm. Olive never thought her little game
could possibly have any negative effect on anyone but herself, but
when loose lips start sinking ships all around her, she realizes
that it's high time for the truth to come out.
EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT
SHOP (2010)
BANKSY
SHEPHARD FAIREY
RHYS IFANS
Minutes: 86
Format: WIDESCREEN
Rated: R
Genre:
DOCUMENTARY
EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP marks the feature-film debut of notorious
street artist Banksy. The documentary's focus is French-born L.A.
thrift-shop owner Thierry Guetta, whose apparent compulsion to
videotape every moment of his life led him to document the
phenomenon of contemporary street art. Guetta's cousin, a street
artist known as Space Invader, allowed the avid cameraman to tape
him as he illegally spread his artwork, and Space Invader also
introduced him to other street artists, whose work Guetta captured
on tape. Eventually, Guetta hooked up with Shepard Fairey, who was
best known (before he created an iconic Barack Obama campaign
poster) for his widespread stickers featuring an image of the late
wrestler Andre the Giant over the word "OBEY." Guetta soon hears
about the mysterious street artist/prankster Banksy, and becomes
obsessed with finding him and videotaping his exploits. Thanks to
Guettta's growing reputation among street artists, the two
eventually meet and form a sort of partnership. Guetta even
videotapes Banksy's infamous "Gitmo" prank at Disneyland, wherein a
handcuffed, hooded figure in an orange jumpsuit is placed beside one
of the rides. They get along quite well until Banksy suggests that
Guetta stop shooting, take the countless hours of footage he's
accumulated, and start assembling them into a documentary. Banksy
eventually takes over the documentary project, and inadvertently
pushes Guetta's creative energy in a new direction, as Guetta
becomes a kind of street artist himself, with shocking results. EXIT
THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP, narrated by Rhys Ifans, had its world
premiere at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. While it was very well
received, there was much speculation as to the documentary's
veracity and the provenance of Guetta, his videotape, and his
artwork. Given Banksy's reputation, that should not come as a
surprise.
FAMILY GUY: IT'S A
TRAP! (2010)
FEATURING THE VOICES OF:
SETH MACFARLANE
ALEX BORSTEIN
Minutes: 57
Format: WIDESCREEN
Rated: R
Genre: ANIMATED,
COMEDY
In this spectacular and offensively uproarious final chapter, Luke
Skywalker (Chris) and Princess Leia (Lois) must travel to Tatooine
to free Han Solo (Peter) by infiltrating the wretched stronghold of
Jabba the Hutt (Joe), the galaxy’s most loathsome and dreadful
gangster. Once reunited, the Rebels team up with a tribe of Ewoks to
combat the Imperial forces on the forest moon of Endor. Meanwhile
the Emperor (Carter Pewterschmidt) and Darth Vader (Stewie) conspire
to turn Luke to the dark side, and young Skywalker is determined to
rekindle the spirit of the Jedi within his father. The Galactic
Civil War has never been more outrageous, as the Rebel forces gather
to attack the seemingly defenseless and incomplete second Death Star
in the battle that will determine the fate of the galaxy.
THE HEAVY (2010)
GARY
STRETCH
LEE RYAN
VINNIE JONES
Minutes: 102
Format: WIDESCREEN
Rated: R
Genre: ACTION
During a routine hit, "Boots" Mason (Gary Stretch) learns a hit has
been placed on his own life when a crooked cop, Dunn (Vinnie Jones),
tries to kill him. While he seeks his revenge, secrets kept hidden
are exposed and no innocent bystander is safe as bullets fly. In
this world where you can trust no one, all bets are off! Stars
Vinnie Jones, Shannyn Sossamon, Stephen Rea, Christopher Lee, Gary
Stretch , Adrian Paul
OUTLANDER (2008)
JAMES CAVIEZEL
SOPHIA MYLES
JACK HUSTON
Minutes: 115
Format: WIDESCREEN
Rated: R
Genre: ACTION
Fleeing an
interstellar war, Kainan (James Caviezel) crashes on the shores of
Norway during the Iron Age. An extraterrestrial monstrosity called
the Moorwen also survives the crash and begins cutting a bloody
swath of destruction through the Norwegian countryside. Kainan soon
teams up with the Vikings to end the Moorwen's rampage.
SALT (2010)
ANGELINA JOLIE
CHIWETEL EJIOFOR
LIEV SCHREIBER
Minutes: 100
Format: WIDESCREEN
Rated: PG-13
Genre: ACTION
After playing the wife of a spy in THE GOOD SHEPHERD, Angelina Jolie
gets her own CIA-agent credentials in this espionage thriller. When
a defector charges agent Evelyn Salt with treason, the skilled spy
must use everything she has learned to keep from being caught by
those who used to be her friends and coworkers. SALT reunites Jolie
with her THE BONE COLLECTOR director Phillip Noyce, and it also
stars Liev Schreiber, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Andre Braugher.
SANTA CLAUS (1959)
JOSE
ELIAS MORANO
CESAREO QUEZADAS
ARMANDO ARRIOLA
Minutes: 94
Format: FULLSCREEN
Rated: NOT RATED
Genre:
CHRISTMAS, FAMILY
José Elías
Moreno stars as Santa Claus in this decidedly dark take on the
Christmas season, a bizarre tale involving the devil, a demon named
Pitch (José Luis Aguirre "Trotsky") and a plot to derail yuletide
cheer with pure, unadulterated evil. But there's another big twist
worth mentioning: This Santa Claus lives in outer space, and his
only hope for saving Christmas lies in the hands of Merlin the
Magician (Armando Arriola).
STEP UP 3 (2010)
RICK
MALAMBRI
ADAM G. SEVANI
SHARNI VINSON
Minutes: 107
Format: WIDESCREEN
Rated: PG-13
Genre: DANCE,
DRAMA, MUSIC
New York's intense street dancing underground comes alive in the
third installment of the "Step Up" franchise as the raw,
passion-fueled culture goes global. A tight-knit group of street
dancers, including Luke and Natalie, team up with NYU freshman
Moose, and find themselves pitted against the world's best hip hop
dancers in a high-stakes showdown that will change their lives
forever.
STEP UP 3 (3D) (2010)
RICK
MALAMBRI
ADAM G. SEVANI
SHARNI VINSON
Minutes: 107
Format: WIDESCREEN
Rated: PG-13
Genre: DANCE,
DRAMA, MUSIC
*3D EQUIPMENT
REQUIRED
UFC 120: BISPING VS.
AKIYA (2010)
BISPING BS AKIYAMA
DAN HARDY VS CONDIT
JOHN HATHAWAY VS PYLE
Minutes: 300
Format: WIDESCREEN
Rated: NOT RATED
Genre: FIGHTING,
WRESTLING
O2 Arena
in London sets the stage for the first UFC event to touch down in
England in nearly a year. This 2010 bout has former Cage Warriors
champ Michael Bisping taking on fellow middleweight Yoshihiro
Akiyama. The main card also features heavyweight Cheick Kongo
squaring off against Travis Browne, plus three welterweight bouts:
Dan Hardy vs. Carlos Condit, John Hathaway vs. Mike Pyle and James
Wilks vs. Claude Patrick.
WALL STREET: MONEY
NEVER SLEEPS (2010)
MICHAEL DOUGLAS
SHIA LABEOUF
JOSH BROLIN
Minutes: 127
Format: WIDESCREEN
Rated: PG-13
Genre: DRAMA
Ambitious young investment banker Jacob Moore (Shia LaBeouf)
discovers that greed is still the name of the game when he forges a
fragile alliance with onetime Wall Street hotshot Gordon Gekko
(Michael Douglas) shortly after Gekko is released from prison.
Having served eight years for securities fraud, money laundering,
and racketeering, Gekko emerges from prison to find that his
daughter, Winnie (Carey Mulligan), prefers to remain estranged, and
that his former Wall Street cohorts are still raking in the cash.
Flash-forward to 2008, and Winnie is dating a proprietary trader
named Jake Moore (LaBeouf), who expresses a passion for green energy
while working for his mentor Louis Zabel (Frank Langella), of Keller
Zabel Investments. Despite heading up one of the most prominent
investment firms in the country, Louis Zabel is forced to personally
fight for the future of Keller Zabel before the Federal Reserve
after the company's stock takes a hit due to persistent rumors that
it's being dragged down by debt. Denied a bailout from the
government, Keller Zabel soon falls victim to a hostile takeover
lead by powerful investment bank partner Bretton James (Josh Brolin),
of Churchill Schwartz. His job on the line and his mentor out of the
picture, Jake discovers that Gordon Gekko is out promoting his new
book "Is Greed Good?" and decides to attend a lecture being given by
the author at Fordham University. According to Gekko, greed is now
sanctioned by the government, and the U.S. economy is on the verge
of collapse as a direct result of leveraged debt and wild
conjecture. When Jake goes behind Winnie's back to try and repair
her relationship with her father, Gekko reveals his compelling
theories on the likely reasons for Zabel's downfall. Later, as Jake
begins plotting to avenge his mentor, Gekko starts to reveal his
true colors.
WWE SURVIVOR SERIES
2010 (2010)
ORTON VS BARRETT
KANE VS EDGE
TEAM REY MYSTERIO
Minutes: 180
Format: WIDESCREEN
Rated: NOT RATED
Genre: WRESTLING
Nine-time
world champion John Cena is a guest referee at the 2010 annual
Survivor Series, featuring a match that pits Nexus leader Wade
Barrett against current WWE champ Randy Orton. The bout's outcome
also determines the future of Cena's WWE career. Recorded in front
of a roaring crowd at Miami's American Airlines Arena, the evening's
card also gives Edge an opportunity to take the world heavyweight
title away from the dark-hearted Kane.
December 17, 2010
LEGEND OF THE GUARDIANS: THE OWLS OF GA'HOOLE (2010)
ANIMATED
Minutes: 97
Format: WIDESCREEN
Rated: PG
Genre: FAMILY
Kathryn Lasky's popular children's books aretheinspiration
for this captivating animated feature about Soren, a barn owl
kidnapped from his peaceful forest home. His abductors bring him to
an orphanage, where he must train to become a soldier. Despitethetoil
and hardships, Soren makes friends, and togethertheyoung
birds attempt to escape. Zack Snyder (The Watchmen, 300) directs
this epic adventure.
LEGEND OF THE GUARDIANS: THE OWLS OF GA'HOOLE (2010)
ANIMATED
Minutes: 97
Format: WIDESCREEN
Rated: PG
*3D EQUIPMENT
REQUIRED
THE TOWN (2010)
BEN AFFLECK
REBECCA HALL
JON HAMM
Minutes: 125
Format: WIDESCREEN
Rated: R
Genre: ACTION
Career bank robber Doug (Ben Affleck) and his volatile partner, Jim
(Jeremy Renner), hit a roadblock when Doug falls for bank manager
Claire (Rebecca Hall), whom he kidnapped during their last heist.
Worse, an FBI agent (Jon Hamm) is now trailing the thieves around
their Charlestown, Mass., territory. Affleck directs and co-writes
this smart, intricate actioner that co-stars Blake Lively as Krista,
Jim's sister and Doug's troubled former flame.
December 14, 2010
THE A-TEAM (2010)
LIAM
NEESON
BRADLEY COOPER
JESSICA BIEL
Minutes: 118
Format: WIDESCREEN
Rated: PG-13
Genre: ACTION,
COMEDY
1980s TV action gets a reboot with this new version of THE A-TEAM,
which shifts the Vietnam vet backstory to a group of Iraq War vets
who become mercenaries for hire. Col. John "Hannibal" Smith (Liam
Neeson), Templeton "Face" Peck (Bradley Cooper), B.A. Baracus
(Quinton "Rampage" Jackson), and H.M. "Howlin' Mad" Murdock (Sharlto
Copley) are a group of former Special Forces operatives who have
been fighting the good fight for eight years when they're sentenced
to military prison for a crime they didn't commit. Breaking out with
relative ease, they embark on a treacherous quest to clear their
names while being hunted across the globe by Charisa Sosa (Jessica
Biel), a high-ranking military officer and one of Face's many former
lovers. Meanwhile, mysterious CIA operative Lynch (Patrick Wilson)
offers tips that help point the federal fugitives in the right
direction, which seems to lead straight to former military
contractor Pike (Brian Bloom), who may have been responsible for
setting them up in the first place. Just when it seems that the
A-Team has all the evidence needed to prove their innocence,
however, they discover that their latest mission is just getting
started.
CYRUS (2010)
JOHN
C. REILLY
JONAH HILL
MARISA TOMEI
Minutes: 91
Format: WIDESCREEN
Rated: R
Genre: COMEDY
CYRUS stars John C. Reilly as John, a middle-aged lonely divorced
guy who, as the film opens, gets dragged to a party by his remarried
ex-wife (Catherine Keener) -- who remains his best friend. After a
few clumsy, drunken passes at a variety of women, John encounters
Molly (Marisa Tomei), an attractive single-mom who finds John's
social awkwardness appealing. They hit it off, and quickly begin a
tender new relationship. Problems soon arise in the form of Cyrus
(Jonah Hill), Molly's twentysomething son, who has an off-puttingly
close relationship to his mom. Soon the jealous Cyrus sets about
trying to break them up, and John must figure out how to deal with
this unhinged and unexpected rival.
DESPICABLE ME (2010)
FEATURING THE VOICES OF:
STEVE CARELL
JASON SEGEL
Minutes: 95
Format: WIDESCREEN
Rated: PG
Genre: ANIMATED,
COMEDY, FAMILY
A mysterious criminal mastermind has stolen one of the pyramids in
Egypt, sparking a fit of jealous envy in evil genius Gru (Steve
Carell), who hasn't managed to make headlines since he and his
minions swiped the Times Square JumboTron years back. Ever since Gru
was a little boy, he dreamed of going to the moon. Now, if Gru can
just build a rocket and get his hands on a powerful shrink-ray, he
can cement his reputation as the greatest thief who ever lived by
stealing the Earth's satellite right out of the sky. But immediately
after Gru heists the shrink-ray, the cunning super-nerd Vector
(Jason Segel) swoops in and snatches it right out of his hands. Now,
in order to claim the moon, Gru must first reacquire the weapon from
Vector. Armed with the knowledge that his nemesis has a mean sweet
tooth, Gru adopts cookie-selling orphans Margo (Miranda Cosgrove),
Agnes (Elsie Fisher), and Edith (Dana Gaier) and commissions a new
line of cookie robots from the evil Dr. Nefario (Russell Brand), his
personal weapons specialist. But as Gru and his diminutive yellow
minions prepare to carry out the biggest heist in history, something
strange happens. Gru discovers that the three little girls who have
come into his life are much more than simple pawns. They actually
seem to care about Gru, and it turns out the scheming evildoer makes
a pretty good father. When Gru realizes that his upcoming moon
mission clashes with a ballet performance by the girls, he must
decide what's more important -- being a present parent or cementing
his nefarious reputation once and for all.
DESPICABLE ME (3D)
(2010)
FEATURING THE VOICES OF:
STEVE CARELL
JASON SEGEL
Minutes: 95
Format: WIDESCREEN
Rated: PG
Genre: ANIMATED,
FAMILY
*3D EQUIPMENT
REQUIRED
FRENEMY (2010)
ZACH
GALIFIANAKIS
CALLUM BLUE
MATTHEW MODINE
Minutes: 80
Format: WIDESCREEN
Rated: R
Genre: COMEDY
An ongoing philosophical conversation provides a backdrop for a
deadly game of cat and mouse in this comedy-drama from filmmaker
Gregory Dark. Mr. Jack (Matthew Modine) and Sweet Stephen (Callum
Blue) are two men who spend their days wandering the streets of Los
Angeles and chatting. Jack and Stephen enjoy talking about the big
questions of life -- love, hate, violence and mortality -- but their
conversations are not quite what they seem to be on the surface. Mr.
Jack is actually a hired killer and Sweet Stephen is his conscience,
and as they explore the City of Angels they frequently pass the
bodies of women Jack has murdered. As the body count rises as Jack
and Stephen ponder the imponderable, Tommy (Adam Baldwin), a police
detective with a renegade streak, is on the trail of the killer.
LITTLE FISH, STRANGE POND also stars Zach Galifianakis, Liza Weil
and Paul Adelstein; the film was an official selection at the 2010
Cinequest Film Festival.
HEAT (1995)
AL
PACINO
ROBERT DE NIRO
VAL KILMER
Minutes: 170
Format: WIDESCREEN
Rated: R
Genre: ACTION
Robert De Niro and Al Pacino are finally together on screen in this
riveting story about an intense rivalry between expert thief Neil
McCauley (De Niro) and volatile cop Vincent Hanna (Pacino). McCauley
will stop at nothing to do what he does best and neither will Hanna,
even though it means destroying everything around them, including
the people they love. With a solid supporting cast that includes Val
Kilmer, Jon Voight, Ashley Judd, and Natalie Portman, HEAT is a
truly epic crime story.
JOAN RIVERS: A PIECE OF
WORK (2010)
JOAN
RIVERS
MELISSA RIVERS
Minutes: 85
Format: WIDESCREEN
Rated: R
Genre:
DOCUMENTARY
Joan Rivers launched her career as a standup comic in the early
'60s, a time when female comedians were few and far between, and
after several years of working nightclubs to unresponsive audiences,
she was booked on THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JOHNNY CARSON in 1965
and soon became one of the most successful comedy acts in the
nation. Since then, Rivers has hosted several TV talk shows, written
best-selling books, directed a feature film, launched a line of
jewelry, and kept up a busy schedule of personal appearances,
determined to hold on to her stardom regardless of the fickle winds
of show business. Filmmakers Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg followed
Rivers through a typically eventful year in her life, and in JOAN
RIVERS: A PIECE OF WORK, they offer a look at the woman behind the
laughter as she struggles to stay in the spotlight, works on new
material, launches a one-woman show in the United Kingdom that
doesn't fare as well as she hopes, takes a chance as a participant
on a reality TV show, and ponders her career in show business at the
age of 75. JOAN RIVERS: A PIECE OF WORK received its world premiere
at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival.
MICMACS (2009)
DANY
BOON
ANDRE DUSSOLLIER
OMAR SY
Minutes: 104
Format: WIDESCREEN
Rated: R
Genre: FOREIGN,
COMEDY
Language: FRENCH
with ENGLISH SUBTITLES
An underground lair serves as the point of inspiration for this
deeply whimsical fantasy comedy (with echoes of Jodorowsky's RAINBOW
THIEF) from French cause célèbre Jean-Pierre Jeunet (AMÉLIE, THE
CITY OF LOST CHILDREN). The locale is post-9/11 Europe. As arms
dealers go head to head with one another in a series of violent
skirmishes -- suggesting that an apocalyptic cataclysm may be
lingering on the horizon -- the unfortunate Bazil (Dany Boon) still
reels from the long-ago death of his father from a roadside bomb, an
event that left him orphaned as a boy. Now employed in a low-paying
job as a video-store clerk, and still trying to determine how he
fits into the scheme of things, he gets hit by a stray bullet from a
drive-by shooting and promptly lands in the hospital. Upon release,
he finds himself broke and unemployed. Hope soon crops up, however,
in the form of Placard (Jean-Pierre Marielle), an ex-convict living
in a scrap dump with a motley group of social outcasts -- all of
whom welcome Bazil with warmth, compassion, and hospitality. Sure of
his place for the first time in his life, Bazil joins forces with
them to turn the dump into a lovely underground home, filled to the
rafters with extraordinary inventions and sculptures. Soon after,
the possibility of revenge against the munitions manufacturers
responsible for Bazil's dad's death presents itself.
MOTHER AND CHILD (2010)
NAOMI WATTS
ANNETTE BENING
JIMMY SMITS
Minutes: 127
Format: WIDESCREEN
Rated: R
Genre: DRAMA
Writer/director Rodrigo García (NINE LIVES) teams with executive
producer Alejandro González Iñárritu to craft this drama
highlighting the powerful bond between a mother and her son. It's
been years since Karen (Annette Bening) gave her daughter,
Elizabeth, up for adoption, and the decision to abandon her child
has always haunted her. Upon meeting laid-back Paco (Jimmy Smits),
Karen permits her anxiety and mistrust to get the best of her. On
the surface it appears that Elizabeth (Naomi Watts) is none the
worse for never knowing her biological mother; she's a fast-talking
lawyer who's just landed a high-profile job at a firm fronted by
Paul (Samuel L. Jackson), though her unsavory penchant for
exploiting others is about to blow up in her face. Meanwhile,
maternal-minded baker Lucy (Kerry Washington) longs to experience
the joys of motherhood, eventually deciding that adoption is the
best bet to start a family with her husband, Joseph (David Ramsey).
NANNY MCPHEE RETURNS
(2010)
EMMA
THOMPSON
MAGGIE GYLLENHAAL
RHYS IFANS
Minutes: 109
Format: WIDESCREEN
Rated: PG
Genre: COMEDY,
FAMILY
A struggling mother receives some much-needed assistance tending to
the family farm and raising a group of spirited children while her
military husband is fighting overseas in this sequel to the
whimsical 2005 fantasy comedy NANNY MCPHEE. Mrs. Isabel Green
(Maggie Gyllenhaal) lives in a scenic valley with her two daughters
and one son. They each understand the importance of working together
as a family, and things are going remarkably smoothly for the rural
quartet until a pair of spoiled cousins arrive for an extended stay,
effectively turning the quaint little farm into a virtual zoo. As
the situation quickly getting out of hand, Nannie McPhee (Emma
Thompson) suddenly appears on her doorstep claiming that she can
bring a much-needed sense of order to the out-of-control household.
In time the mysterious helper does just that, using powerful magic
to teach her young charges the importance of getting along, and
gradually winning their trust in the process. But when the piglets
escape from their sty, the contentious kids must work together to
recover the family farm's most valued assets, or risk losing
everything their father worked so hard to build before he went off
to fight in the war.
THE OTHER GUYS (2010)
WILL
FERRELL
MARK WAHLBERG
EVA MENDES
Minutes: 116
Format: WIDESCREEN
Rated: PG-13
Genre: COMEDY
A desk-jockey detective and his tough-talking partner get their
moment to shine in this buddy police comedy starring Will Ferrell
and Mark Wahlberg, and directed by Adam McKay (ANCHORMAN: THE LEGEND
OF RON BURGUNDY, TALLADEGA NIGHTS: THE BALLAD OF RICKY BOBBY). New
York City detective Allen Gamble (Ferrell) is more comfortable
pushing pencils than busting bad guys. A meticulous forensic
accountant, his numbers are never off. Detective Terry Hoitz (Wahlberg)
is Gamble's reluctant partner. Try as Detective Hoitz might to get
back on the streets, an embarrassing encounter with Derek Jeter has
left a sizable black mark on his permanent record. Detectives Danson
(Dwayne Johnson) and Highsmith (Samuel L. Jackson) are the complete
opposites of Gamble and Hoitz: unwaveringly confident, they always
get their man, and they do it with style to spare. When the time
comes for Gamble and Hoitz to prove their mettle and save the day,
their incompetence becomes the stuff of legend.
December 7, 2010
ACROSS THE LINE: EXODUS
OF CHARLIE WRIGHT (2010)
ANDY
GARCIA
AIDAN QUINN
MARIO VAN PEEBLES
Minutes: 95
Format: WIDESCREEN
Rated: NOT RATED
Genre: ACTION,
DRAMA
The stunning story of the biggest investment fraud in U.S. history
comes to the big screen in this high-stakes crime drama starring
Aidan Quinn, Andy Garcia, Mario Van Peebles, and Gina Gershon.
Shortly after vanishing without a trace, fugitive Los Angeles
financer Charlie Wright (Quinn) turns up in Tijuana with $2 billion
in cold hard cash. Now it seems that the FBI may be the least of
Charlie's concerns. Mexican drug trafficker Jorge Garza (Garcia) is
drowning in debt. With his empire on the line and his family falling
to ruin, Garza recruits a small army of crooked cops to track
Charlie down, and seize his stash at any cost. Meanwhile, an
influential Russian mobster is none too happy about being swindled
out of his ill-gotten earnings by the smooth-talking grifter, and
dispatches an experienced team of mercenaries led by cold-hearted
killer Damon (Luke Goss) to recoup his losses, and bring Charlie
back to face the consequences of his actions. As the criminals close
in on Charlie from all sides, his best hope for survival is to be
captured by FBI Agent Hobbs (Van Peebles) first. With his future
hinging on the capture of the criminal who once slipped through his
fingers, Agent Hobbs becomes determined to smoke out Charlie, and
see that justice is served.
ANNIE'S POINT (2005)
BETTY WHITE
AMY DAVIDSON
RICHARD THOMAS
Minutes: 87
Format: WIDESCREEN
Rated: NOT RATED
Genre: DRAMA
This heartwarming made-for-cable "road" picture begins in Chicago,
where widowed grandmother Annie Eason (Betty White, convincingly
portraying a 69-year-old while herself in her eighties!) wants to
grant the final request of her husband Elliott: To release his ashes
from the top of "Annie's Point"--3000 miles away. Embittered over
having to manage his late father's business, Annie's son Richard
(Richard Thomas) flatly refuses to take her to Annie's Point, so she
goes instead with her free-spirited granddaughter Ella (Amy
Davidson). Their odyssey turns into a frantic and sometimes funny
chase after Annie goes on a gambling spree in Las Vegas, prompting
Richard to hotly pursue his mother with the intention of having her
institutionalized.
THE DOG WHO SAVED CHRISTMAS
VACATION (2010)
GARY
VALENTINE
DEAN CAIN
PARIS HILTON
Minutes: 89
Format: WIDESCREEN
Rated: NOT RATED
Genre:
CHRISTMAS, FAMILY
When a pair of bumbling criminals threatens to ruin the Bannister
family's big Christmas vacation, it's Zeus to the rescue in this
sequel to THE DOG WHO SAVED CHRISTMAS. Last Christmas, Zeus (voice
of Mario Lopez) defended the Bannister household from a pair of
dastardly burglars, but this year the family is spending the
holidays at a snowy Rocky Mountain lodge. As the festivities get
underway, Uncle Randy (Casper Van Dien) shows up with his perfectly
manicured poodle Bella (voice of Paris Hilton), who forges an
immediate love connection with Zeus. Their puppy love is rudely
interrupted, however, when determined jewel thief Ted (Cain) and his
partner-in-crime return to spoil Christmas for everyone. It's a good
thing the Bannister's brought Zeus on vacation this year, because
everyone's favorite dog is about to become the hero once again.
THE DOLPHIN: STORY OF A
DREAMER (2009)
ANIMATED
Minutes: 88
Format: WIDESCREEN
Rated: PG
Genre: FAMILY
Dive into an enchanting world of undersea adventure, friendship, and
danger with this delightful animated treasure that the whole family
will cherish. Daniel Alexander Dolphin is a little dolphin with big
dreams, living in a world where dreams are forbidden. Swim along
with Daniel and his friends on a magical journey of destiny and
discovery as he ventures beyond the safety of his pod and follows
his heart into the unknown in search of the true purpose of life.
This heart-warming, coming-of-age adventure will make a splash with
the young and old alike. Dive in--and dare to dream again!
INCEPTION (2010)
LEONARDO DICAPRIO
KEN WATANABE
JOSEPH GORDON-LEVIT
Minutes: 148
Format: WIDESCREEN
Rated: PG-13
Genre: THRILLER
Visionary filmmaker Christopher Nolan (MEMENTO, THE DARK KNIGHT)
writes and directs this psychological sci-fi action film about a
thief who possesses the power to enter into the dreams of others.
Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) doesn't steal things, he steals ideas.
By projecting himself deep into the subconscious of his targets, he
can glean information that even the best computer hackers can't get
to. In the world of corporate espionage, Cobb is the ultimate
weapon. But even weapons have their weakness, and when Cobb loses
everything, he's forced to embark on one final mission in a
desperate quest for redemption. This time, Cobb won't be harvesting
an idea, but sowing one. Should he and his team of specialists
succeed, they will have discovered a new frontier in the art of
psychic espionage. They've planned everything to perfection, and
they have all the tools to get the job done. Their mission is
complicated, however, by the sudden appearance of a malevolent foe
that seems to know exactly what they're up to, and precisely how to
stop them.
KINGDOM OF HEAVEN
(2005)
ORLANDO BLOOM
EVA GREEN
JEREMY IRONS
Minutes: 194
Format: WIDESCREEN
Rated: R
Genre: ACTION,
ADVENTURE, WAR
Director Ridley Scott confronts hundreds of years of religious
conflict in KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. An epic film set in Europe and the
Middle East, the story follows one man's struggle to better himself
and the world around him. Orlando Bloom stars as Balian, a French
blacksmith who is mourning the deaths of his wife and baby when his
estranged nobleman father (Liam Neeson) arrives and asks him to join
the Crusades in Jerusalem. Mindful that conducting the Lord's work
will help him atone for his sins, Balian agrees, and embarks on the
perilous journey. Along the way, he reveals his gifts of inherent
goodness and fair treatment of all human beings. Upon reaching
Jerusalem, a city where his meager beginnings no longer matter,
Balian earns respect and fealty, while the evil Guy de Lusignan (Marton
Csokas) looks down his aristocratic nose at the former laborer. As
he did in GLADIATOR, Scott explores the theme of a man who chooses
his fate, instead of accepting the fate given to him at birth.
Balian comes to life in Jerusalem, protecting the weak and
defenseless as his father told him he must, and catching the eye of
the beautiful Princess Sibylla (Eva Green), unhappily married to de
Lusignan. Scott paints a stirring portrait of the struggle over
Jerusalem among Christians, Jews, and Muslims. In doing so, he also
shows the passionate fight for religious freedom. KINGDOM OF HEAVEN
ably handles these delicate issues, effectively treating characters
from all factions as individuals and not as stereotypes. By placing
a virtuous man at the center of this conflict, Scott creates a
powerful, universal story.
PASSION OF THE CHRIST:
DEFINITIVE EDITION (2004)
JIM
CAVIEZEL
MONICA BELLUCCI
MAIA MORGENSTERN
Minutes: 126
Format: WIDESCREEN
Rated: R
Genre: DRAMA,
FAITH, RELIGION
THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST depicts the last 12 hours of the life of
Jesus of Nazareth (Jim Caviezel), beginning with his betrayal by
Judas Iscariot (Luca Lionello) and ending with his crucifixion and
subsequent resurrection. Directed by Mel Gibson (BRAVEHEART)--who
funded the film himself and co-wrote the screenplay--PASSION uses
flashbacks to substantiate a handful of pertinent moments in Jesus'
life and teachings, such as the Sermon on the Mount and the Last
Supper, as well as his relationships with his mother and his
disciples. Still, the drama focuses on the seemingly endless torture
inflicted upon Jesus by Roman soldiers at the urging of the Jewish
crowd that considers him a blasphemer, despite the attempts of a
sympathetic Pontius Pilate (Hristo Naumov Shopov) to spare him from
death. The faint of heart should be prepared for the brutal,
barbaric beatings that Christ endures. Maia Morgenstern, Monica
Bellucci, and Hristo Jivkov are touching as Mary, Magdalene, and
John respectively, who are devastated by Jesus' fate yet aware that
they can do nothing to change it. Performed in Aramaic and Latin
with English subtitles, Gibson's labor of love is sure to prompt
discussion and debate as to historical and Biblical fact.
SHREK FOREVER AFTER
(2010)
FEATURING THE VOICES OF:
MIKE MYERS
EDDIE MURPHY
Minutes: 93
Format: WIDESCREEN
Rated: PG
Genre: ANIMATED,
FAMILY
After challenging an evil dragon, rescuing a beautiful princess and
saving your in-laws' kingdom, what's an ogre to do? Well, if you're
Shrek, you suddenly wind up a domesticated family man. Instead of
scaring villagers away like he used to, a reluctant Shrek now agrees
to autograph pitch forks. What's happened to this ogre's roar?
Longing for the days when he felt like a "real ogre," Shrek is duped
into signing a pact with the smooth-talking dealmaker,
Rumpelstiltskin. Shrek suddenly finds himself in a twisted,
alternate version of Far Far Away, where ogres are hunted,
Rumpelstiltskin is king and Shrek and Fiona have never met. Now,
it's up to Shrek to undo all he's done in the hopes of saving his
friends, restoring his world and reclaiming his one True Love.
UFC 119: MIR VS CRO COP
(2010)
FRANK MIR VS CRO COP
ROGERIO NOGUEIRA VS BADER
MATT SERRA VS LYTLE
Minutes: 333
Format: WIDESCREEN
Rated: NOT RATED
Genre: FIGHTING,
WRESTLING
It's been a fight fan's dream match for years, and in the main event
of UFC 119, two of the best heavyweights of the modern era, Frank
Mir and Mirko Cro Cop, finally meet in a grappler vs striker
showdown. Plus, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira will look to move closer to
a shot at the light heavyweight crown when he squares off against
unbeaten powerhouse Ryan 'Darth' Bader.
UFC ULTIMATE
HEAVYWEIGHTS (2010)
BROCK LESNAR VS CARWIN
MIRKO CRO COP VS GONZAGA
BROCK LESNAR VS MIR
Minutes: 156
Format: WIDESCREEN
Rated: NOT RATED
Genre: FIGHTING,
WRESTLING
They are the undisputed kings in the modern age of combat sports.
They are the baddest men on the planet. They are the heavyweights of
the UFC. For years, fight fans everywhere have packed arenas to see
these larger than life athletes do battle. In a sport inhabited by
the world's greatest fighters, it is the heavyweights who routinely
deliver the most spectacular battles and the most devastating
finishes. These are the fights that have turned the heavyweight
class into the most exciting, unpredictable, action-packed division
in the entire UFC. Big guys. Small gloves. Someone will fail.
THE ZOOKEEPER (2010)
SAM
NEILL
GINA MCKEE
ULRICH THOMSEN
Minutes: 105
Format: WIDESCREEN
Rated: NOT RATED
Genre: DRAMA
A man who has devoted his life to animals rather than dealing with
the emotional and political uncertainties of humans finds he's
challenged when his zoo becomes a battlefield in this downbeat
drama. Ludovic (Sam Neill) lives and works in an unnamed city in the
Balkans; once an idealistic communist, he grew disenchanted with
politics in general and socialism in particular, and now devotes his
energies to his job as a zookeeper. Political turmoil has thrown the
zoo into the middle of a war zone, and after repeated bombing raids
have come perilously close to the animal sanctuary, the staff has
been ordered to evacuate. But Ludovic refuses to leave, and with the
help of a staff veterinarian (Om Puri), he single-handedly tends to
the needs of the animals. Ludovic, however, learns that there's no
escaping the chaos around him, and as troops led by Dragov (Ulrich
Thomsen) raid the zoo and take the veterinarian away in the name of
"ethnic cleansing," he realizes he must make some sort of a stand,
and soon gives sanctuary to Ankica (Gina McKee) and Zioig (Javor
Loznica), a mother and her son who narrowly escaped execution in a
nearby village. THE ZOOKEEPER was director Ralph Ziman's second film
dealing with the dangers and tragedies of racially motivated
politics, following his 1995 debut HEARTS AND MINDS.
December 4, 2010
TWILIGHT
SAGA: ECLIPSE (2010)
KRISTEN STEWART
ROBERT PATTINSON
TAYLOR LAUTNER
Minutes: 124
Format: WIDESCREEN
Rated: PG-13
Genre: DRAMA,
HORROR, ROMANCE
It all begins... with a choice. In the third chapter of Stephenie
Meyer's phenomenal Twilight series, Bella Swan is surrounded by
danger as Seattle is hit by a string of murders and an evil vampire
continues her quest for revenge. In the midst of it all, Bella is
forced to choose between her love, Edward Cullen, and her friend,
Jacob Black--knowing that her decision may ignite the ageless
struggle between vampire and werewolf.
