Friday, February 16, 2007
Movie Debuts for 2/16
Trials, temptations, disappointments -- all these are helps instead of hindrances, if one uses them rightly. They not only test the fibre of a character, but strengthen it. Every conquered temptation represents a new fund of moral energy. Every trial endured and weathered in the right spirit makes a soul nobler and stronger than it was before.
-- James Buckham
This week's movie debuts.....
Music and Lyrics (PG-13); Nationwide; opens 2/14
A romantic comedy following Alex Fletcher, a washed-up '80s pop star who's been reduced to working the nostalgia circuit at county fairs and amusement parks. The charismatic and talented musician gets a chance at a comeback when reigning diva Cora Corman invites him to write and record a duet with her, but there's a problem--Alex hasn't written a song in years, he's never written lyrics, and he has to come up with a hit in a matter of days. Enter Sophie Fisher, Alex's beguilingly quirky plant lady, whose flair for words strikes a chord with the struggling songwriter. On the rebound from a bad relationship, Sophie is reluctant to collaborate with anyone, especially commitment-phobe Alex. As their chemistry heats up at the piano and under it, Alex and Sophie will have to face their fears--and the music--if they want to find the love and success they both deserve.
Starring: Drew Barrymore, Hugh Grant, Sherman Alpert, Jason Antoon, Blake Baxendell
Tyler Perry's Daddy's Little Girls (PG-13); Nationwide; opens 2/14
A single father, Monty, is a garage mechanic who lives in a poor neighborhood and struggles to make ends meet as he raises his three young daughters on his own. But when the courts award custody of his daughters to his corrupt, drug-dealing ex-wife, Monty desperately tries to win them back, enlisting the help of Julia, a beautiful--and hard-nosed--attorney he meets during his short stint as a chauffeur. While Monty and the Ivy-League-educated Julia couldn't be less alike, an unexpected romance blossoms--and it soon begins to feel like true love. But in order for their relationship to survive, the couple must reconcile their two very different worlds--and overcome the forces that threaten to tear Monty's family apart.
Starring: Gabrielle Union, Idris Elba, Lou Gossett, Jr., Tasha Smith, Gary Sturgis
Breach (PG-13); Nationwide; opens 2/16
When young Eric O'Neill is promoted out of his low-level surveillance job and into the headquarters of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, his dream of becoming a full-fledged agent is on the verge of becoming reality. Even more impressive, O'Neill is hand picked to work for renowned operative Robert Hanssen within "information assurance," a new division created to protect all classified FBI Intelligence. But O'Neill is quickly confronted with the true reason behind his hire: Hanssen is the sole subject of a long-term, top-secret investigation, a suspected mole made all the more dangerous by the sheer global import of the information he is charged with protecting. The Bureau asks O'Neill to use Hanssen's growing trust and slowly draw the traitor out of deep cover. Engaged in a lethal game of spy-versus-spy without the benefit of a cover story or backup, O'Neill finds himself fighting to bring down Hanssen before the treacherous double-agent can destroy O'Neill, his family and the nation they are both sworn to serve.
Starring: Ryan Phillippe, Jonathan Keltz, Chris Cooper, Aaron Abrams, Laura Linney
Bridge to Terabithia (PG); Nationwide; opens 2/16
Jess Aarons is an outsider at school and even in his own family. Jess has trained all summer to become the fastest kid in his middle school class but his goal is unexpectedly thwarted by the new girl in school, Leslie Burke, who competes in the boys only race and wins. Despite their awkward introduction, the two outsiders quickly become best friends. Leslie loves to tell stories of fantasy and magic. Jess loves to draw, but until he met Leslie it was something he kept to himself. Leslie opens a new world of imagination for Jess. Together they create the secret kingdom of Terabithia, a magical place accessible by swinging on an old rope over a stream in the woods near their homes. There, the friends rule the kingdom, fight the Dark Master and his creatures and plot against the school bullies. Thanks to his friendship with Leslie, Jess is changed for good.
Starring: Josh Hutcherson, AnnaSophia Robb, Zooey Deschanel, Lauren Clinton, Bailee Madison
Ghost Rider (PG-13); Nationwide; opens 2/16
Superstar motorcycle stunt rider Johnny Blaze strikes a deal with the vile Mephistopheles for the most precious of commodities, his immortal soul. Now Johnny Blaze is forever destined to ride night after night as the host to the powerful supernatural entity known as the Ghost Rider.
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Wes Bentley, Eva Mendes, Matthew Long, Peter Fonda
Close to Home (Karov La Bayit) (NR); Limited
A tale chronicling the day to day life of two young Israeli women, Smadar and Mirit, during their compulsory military service in which they are assigned to patrol the streets of Jerusalem. Both eighteen-years-old, they are paired together, despite their other differences. They are assigned to detain any Palestinian passersby, check their papers, and register their details in special forms. Mirit is respectful of her superiors, while Smadar barely conceals her desire to rebel. When a tragic event occurs, they are quickly reminded of their surroundings and must learn to overcome their differences. Jerusalem's multifaceted reality presents obstacles that these young women face, set against the backdrop of the decisions made by political and religious leaders that directly affect their lives. For Smadar and Mirit, compulsory army service is another challenge to endure in order to start adulthood.
Starring: Smadar Sayar, Naaina Schendar, Irit Suki, Katia Zimbris
Coming Attractions
----------------
The Abandoned (R); Nationwide; opens 2/23
Astronaut Farmer (PG); Nationwide; opens 2/23
The Number 23 (R); Nationwide; opens 2/23
Reno 911!: Miami (R); Nationwide; opens 2/23 ¶ 2/16/2007 06:11:00 AM
Trials, temptations, disappointments -- all these are helps instead of hindrances, if one uses them rightly. They not only test the fibre of a character, but strengthen it. Every conquered temptation represents a new fund of moral energy. Every trial endured and weathered in the right spirit makes a soul nobler and stronger than it was before.
-- James Buckham
This week's movie debuts.....
Music and Lyrics (PG-13); Nationwide; opens 2/14
A romantic comedy following Alex Fletcher, a washed-up '80s pop star who's been reduced to working the nostalgia circuit at county fairs and amusement parks. The charismatic and talented musician gets a chance at a comeback when reigning diva Cora Corman invites him to write and record a duet with her, but there's a problem--Alex hasn't written a song in years, he's never written lyrics, and he has to come up with a hit in a matter of days. Enter Sophie Fisher, Alex's beguilingly quirky plant lady, whose flair for words strikes a chord with the struggling songwriter. On the rebound from a bad relationship, Sophie is reluctant to collaborate with anyone, especially commitment-phobe Alex. As their chemistry heats up at the piano and under it, Alex and Sophie will have to face their fears--and the music--if they want to find the love and success they both deserve.
Starring: Drew Barrymore, Hugh Grant, Sherman Alpert, Jason Antoon, Blake Baxendell
Tyler Perry's Daddy's Little Girls (PG-13); Nationwide; opens 2/14
A single father, Monty, is a garage mechanic who lives in a poor neighborhood and struggles to make ends meet as he raises his three young daughters on his own. But when the courts award custody of his daughters to his corrupt, drug-dealing ex-wife, Monty desperately tries to win them back, enlisting the help of Julia, a beautiful--and hard-nosed--attorney he meets during his short stint as a chauffeur. While Monty and the Ivy-League-educated Julia couldn't be less alike, an unexpected romance blossoms--and it soon begins to feel like true love. But in order for their relationship to survive, the couple must reconcile their two very different worlds--and overcome the forces that threaten to tear Monty's family apart.
Starring: Gabrielle Union, Idris Elba, Lou Gossett, Jr., Tasha Smith, Gary Sturgis
Breach (PG-13); Nationwide; opens 2/16
When young Eric O'Neill is promoted out of his low-level surveillance job and into the headquarters of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, his dream of becoming a full-fledged agent is on the verge of becoming reality. Even more impressive, O'Neill is hand picked to work for renowned operative Robert Hanssen within "information assurance," a new division created to protect all classified FBI Intelligence. But O'Neill is quickly confronted with the true reason behind his hire: Hanssen is the sole subject of a long-term, top-secret investigation, a suspected mole made all the more dangerous by the sheer global import of the information he is charged with protecting. The Bureau asks O'Neill to use Hanssen's growing trust and slowly draw the traitor out of deep cover. Engaged in a lethal game of spy-versus-spy without the benefit of a cover story or backup, O'Neill finds himself fighting to bring down Hanssen before the treacherous double-agent can destroy O'Neill, his family and the nation they are both sworn to serve.
Starring: Ryan Phillippe, Jonathan Keltz, Chris Cooper, Aaron Abrams, Laura Linney
Bridge to Terabithia (PG); Nationwide; opens 2/16
Jess Aarons is an outsider at school and even in his own family. Jess has trained all summer to become the fastest kid in his middle school class but his goal is unexpectedly thwarted by the new girl in school, Leslie Burke, who competes in the boys only race and wins. Despite their awkward introduction, the two outsiders quickly become best friends. Leslie loves to tell stories of fantasy and magic. Jess loves to draw, but until he met Leslie it was something he kept to himself. Leslie opens a new world of imagination for Jess. Together they create the secret kingdom of Terabithia, a magical place accessible by swinging on an old rope over a stream in the woods near their homes. There, the friends rule the kingdom, fight the Dark Master and his creatures and plot against the school bullies. Thanks to his friendship with Leslie, Jess is changed for good.
Starring: Josh Hutcherson, AnnaSophia Robb, Zooey Deschanel, Lauren Clinton, Bailee Madison
Ghost Rider (PG-13); Nationwide; opens 2/16
Superstar motorcycle stunt rider Johnny Blaze strikes a deal with the vile Mephistopheles for the most precious of commodities, his immortal soul. Now Johnny Blaze is forever destined to ride night after night as the host to the powerful supernatural entity known as the Ghost Rider.
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Wes Bentley, Eva Mendes, Matthew Long, Peter Fonda
Close to Home (Karov La Bayit) (NR); Limited
A tale chronicling the day to day life of two young Israeli women, Smadar and Mirit, during their compulsory military service in which they are assigned to patrol the streets of Jerusalem. Both eighteen-years-old, they are paired together, despite their other differences. They are assigned to detain any Palestinian passersby, check their papers, and register their details in special forms. Mirit is respectful of her superiors, while Smadar barely conceals her desire to rebel. When a tragic event occurs, they are quickly reminded of their surroundings and must learn to overcome their differences. Jerusalem's multifaceted reality presents obstacles that these young women face, set against the backdrop of the decisions made by political and religious leaders that directly affect their lives. For Smadar and Mirit, compulsory army service is another challenge to endure in order to start adulthood.
Starring: Smadar Sayar, Naaina Schendar, Irit Suki, Katia Zimbris
Coming Attractions
----------------
The Abandoned (R); Nationwide; opens 2/23
Astronaut Farmer (PG); Nationwide; opens 2/23
The Number 23 (R); Nationwide; opens 2/23
Reno 911!: Miami (R); Nationwide; opens 2/23 ¶ 2/16/2007 06:11:00 AM
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