Friday, March 16, 2007
Your Movie Update 3/16
Dead Silence (R); Nationwide
There is an old ghost story in the sleepy town of Ravens Fair about Mary Shaw, a ventriloquist who went mad. Accused of the murder of a young boy, she was hunted down by vengeful townspeople who cut out her tongue and killed her. They buried her along with her children, a hand-made collection of vaudeville dolls. Since that time, Ravens Fair has been plagued by death. The ghastly dolls from Mary Shaw's collection have gone missing from the grave and reappeared over the decades. In the dead of night--wherever they are glimpsed--families are found gruesomely murdered with their tongues torn out. Far from the pall of their hometown, newlyweds Jamie and Lisa Ashen thought they had established a fresh start. But when his wife is grotesquely killed, Jamie reluctantly returns to Ravens Fair for the funeral, intent on unraveling the mystery of her death. Once reunited with his ill father and his father's new young bride, Jamie must dig into the town's bloody past to find out who killed his wife and why. As he uncovers the legend of Mary Shaw, Jamie unlocks the story of her curse and the truth behind the song from his childhood: if you see her and scream, you will never speak again.
Starring: Donnie Wahlberg, Amber Valletta, Steve Adams, Cody Arens, Jason Deline
I Think I Love My Wife (R); Nationwide
Richard Cooper has it all. His wife, Brenda, is beautiful, intelligent and a fantastic mother to his children--but there's just one little problem: he's bored out of his suburban businessman's mind. Richard can't help but fantasize about having nearly every woman he sees. Still, it's only fantasy. Then, one fateful day, an alluring, free-spirited, not to mention stunning, old friend, Nikki, suddenly appears at his office door, putting him to the ultimate test. Just how much is Richard Cooper willing to risk when temptation comes after him? After all, he really does love his wife--at least he thinks he does.
Starring: Chris Rock, Kerry Washington, Gina Torres, Steve Buscemi, Eliza Coupe
Premonition (PG-13); Nationwide
Linda Hanson has a beautiful house, a loving husband and two adorable daughters. Her life is perfect, until the day she receives the devastating news that her husband Jim has died in a car accident. When she wakes up the next morning to find him alive and well, she assumes it was all a dream, but is shaken by how vivid it felt. She soon realizes it wasn't a dream, and her world is turned upside down as the surreal circumstances lead her to discover that her perfect life may not have been all that it appeared. Desperate to save her family, Linda begins a furious race against time and fate to try and preserve everything that she and Jim have built together.
Starring: Sandra Bullock, Marcus Lyle Brown, Courtney Taylor Burness, Phillip DeVona, Mark Famiglietti
American Cannibal: The Road to Reality (NR); Limited
Two struggling, desperate-for-success TV writers partner with a porn promoter to create a shocking reality show involving cannibalism and a desert island. Struggling sitcom writers Dave Roberts and Gil S. Ripley are urged by their manager to focus on reality programming. After being spurned by one network after another, they start to pitch increasingly outrageous concepts, finally hooking up with Kevin "K.B." Blatt, the promoter behind the Paris Hilton sex tape. Blatt enthusiastically bankrolls the Darwinian American Cannibal, a show that originated as an absurd example of how far reality TV could be pushed. Contestants on this show are starved on a desert island for days and then scared with hints of cannibalism. The drama behind the actual documentary stems from its exploration of the two writers' moral evolution: while Roberts turns giddy at the prospect of a hit show, Ripley grows increasingly disillusioned. When one of the contestants becomes critically injured, Roberts beats himself up on camera, and both he and Ripley bail on the project. The inescapable irony is that Roberts and Ripley have now inadvertently become stars of their own reality show.
Starring: Mitchell Allen, Chip Arndt, Kevin Blatt, Jill Boniske, Hannah Buchdahl
Beauty and the Beast: A Latter-Day Tale (PG); Limited
Eric Landry is a cold-hearted man that people have nicknamed "the Beast." Years of anger and bitterness have consumed him, turning him into a selfish man. But, Belle Watson is the exact opposite. She's caring and kind. She works hard to help her family, often sacrificing her own wants and desires to satisfy the needs of others. When her father accidentally breaks a valuable work of art at the Landry mansion, Belle is thrust into the life of Eric Landry.
Starring: Summer Naomi, Matthew Reese, Caitlin E.J. Meyer, Matthew Flynn Bellows`, Lindsay Bird
Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (R); Limited
On the surface, Leslie Vernon seems like your average small town, nice guy. He has goals, ambition and aspirations to follow in the footsteps of his long-time hero Freddy Krueger, Michael Myers and Jason Vorhees, and be the world's next great psycho-slasher. A true self-promoter, Leslie gives documentary filmmaker Taylor Gentry and her crew exclusive access to his life as he plans and executes his next great reign of terror over the sleepy town of Glen Echo, all the while deconstructing the constructions and archetypes of the horror genre for them..
Starring: Nathan Baesel, Matt Bolt, Jenafer Brown, Krissy Carlson, Robert Englund
Beyond the Gates (R); Limited
Based on real events and filmed at the actual location where this story took place, a real life drama set during the Rwandan genocide in 1994: Joe Connor has come to teach in Rwanda because he believes he can make a difference. When the school becomes a haven for thousands of Tutsis fleeing the violent Hutu militia using clubs and machetes, Joe promises his brightest pupil, Marie, that the U.N. soldiers will protect her from the hordes of extremist baying for blood outside the school. But when the U. N. abandons the refugees, Joe and the school's headmaster, Father Christopher, face an agonizing dilemma: should they leave or should they stand firm with the Tutsis? As the U.N. trucks force their way through the terrified refugees, Joe stares at the tear-stained face of Marie: what should he do?
Starring: Hugh Dancy, Dominique Horwitz, Louis Mahoney, Nicola Walker, Steve Toussaint
Mummies: Secrets of the Pharaohs (NR); Limited
"Secrets of the Pharaohs" follows researchers and explorers as they piece together the archeological and genetic clues of Egyptian mummies. These relics of the past create a window into the fascinating and mysterious world of the pharaohs. In addition to increasing our understanding of the culture, religion, medicine and daily life thousands of years ago, scientists today are reconstructing mummy DNA and deciphering ancient texts to gain insight into modern human genetics and advance medical treatments. To unwrap the secrets of the pharaohs is perhaps to glimpse the future of our own civilization.
Starring: William Hope, Crispin Redman, Nasser Memarzia, Daud Shah, Boris Terral
My Brother (PG-13); Limited
"My Brother" is an inner city story of two impoverished boys, brothers from different fathers. One brother, James, is developmentally disabled, but functional. The other, Isaiah, was told by his mother to always watch over his brother. Their unwavering bond, however, gets put to the test when one brother, who's trying to get free of an oppressive debt, falls prey to ruthless men.
Starring: Vanessa L. Williams, Nashawn Kearse, Tatum O'Neal, Fredro Starr, Christopher Scott
The Namesake (PG-13); Limited
The Gangulis family comes to the U.S. from India in order to experience a world of limitless opportunities--only to be confronted with the perils and confusion of trying to build a meaningful life in a baffling new society. On the heels of their arranged marriage, Ashoke and Ashima jet off from sweltering Calcutta to a wintry New York where they begin their new life together. Virtual strangers to one another and with Ashima now living in a new and very strange land, their relationship quickly takes a turn when Ashima gives birth to a son. Under pressure to name him quickly, Ashoke settles on Gogol, after the famous Russian author--a name that serves as a link to a secret past and, Ashoke hopes, a better future. But life isn't as easy for Gogol as his parents might wish. As a first-generation American teenager, Gogol must learn to tread a razor-thin line between his Bengali roots and his American birthright in the search for his own identity. As Gogol attempts to forge his destiny--rejecting his given name, dating a rich American girl, heading to study architecture at Yale--his parents cling to their Bengali traditions. But their paths keep crossing with both comic and painfully revelatory consequences until Gogol begins to see the links between the world his parents left behind and the new world that lies in front of him.
Starring: Rani Mukherjee, Kal Penn, Zuleikha Robinson, Irrfan Khan, Tabu
Nomad (The Warrior) (R); Limited
In the 18th century a number of nomadic tribes joined to found Kazakhstan. For centuries in this vast, beautiful but harsh land, bordered by China, Tibet and Russia, the tribes have fought invaders for their independence. This tale tells the story of a boy who is destined to one day unite the three warring tribes of this country who have survived and fought for centuries--against their formidable enemies and amongst themselves.
Starring: Jay Hernandez, Dilnaz Akhmadieva, Kuno Becker, Azis Beyshinaliev, Mark Dacascos
Tortilla Heaven (PG-13); Limited
Falfurrias, N.M., is a tightly-knit community revolving around church, family, and fresh Mexican food--and not necessarily in that order. Isidor's Tortilla Heaven is the best restaurant in town, maybe even the world. Although his tortillas are scrumptious and his enchiladas divine, Isidor has never made a dime. Why? Falfurrias only has a population of 73. One Sunday, upon one of his famous, hand-made tortillas the face of Jesus Christ appears. It's a miracle that threatens to turn this sleepy community upside down.
Starring: Jose Zuniga, Miguel Sandoval, Lupe Ontiveros, George Lopez, Olivia Hussey
Coming Attractions
------------
The Hills Have Eyes 2 (NR); Nationwide; opens 3/23
The Last Mimzy (PG); Nationwide; opens 3/23
Pride (PG); Nationwide; opens 3/23
Reign Over Me (R); Nationwide; opens 3/23
Shooter (R); Nationwide; opens 3/23
TMNT (PG); Nationwide; opens 3/23
Coming to DVD
-----------
Casino Royale - 3/13 (a must have for 007 fans - plus he is just hot)
The Holiday - 3/13
The Dukes of Hazzard: The Beginning - 3/13
Blood Diamond - 3/20
Everyone's Hero - 3/20
Rocky Balboa - 3/20
Eragon - 3/20 (a must have for all collections)
Turistas - 3/27
Happy Feet - 3/27
Children of Men - 3/27
Curse of the Golden Flower - 3/27 ¶ 3/16/2007 04:23:00 AM
There is an old ghost story in the sleepy town of Ravens Fair about Mary Shaw, a ventriloquist who went mad. Accused of the murder of a young boy, she was hunted down by vengeful townspeople who cut out her tongue and killed her. They buried her along with her children, a hand-made collection of vaudeville dolls. Since that time, Ravens Fair has been plagued by death. The ghastly dolls from Mary Shaw's collection have gone missing from the grave and reappeared over the decades. In the dead of night--wherever they are glimpsed--families are found gruesomely murdered with their tongues torn out. Far from the pall of their hometown, newlyweds Jamie and Lisa Ashen thought they had established a fresh start. But when his wife is grotesquely killed, Jamie reluctantly returns to Ravens Fair for the funeral, intent on unraveling the mystery of her death. Once reunited with his ill father and his father's new young bride, Jamie must dig into the town's bloody past to find out who killed his wife and why. As he uncovers the legend of Mary Shaw, Jamie unlocks the story of her curse and the truth behind the song from his childhood: if you see her and scream, you will never speak again.
Starring: Donnie Wahlberg, Amber Valletta, Steve Adams, Cody Arens, Jason Deline
I Think I Love My Wife (R); Nationwide
Richard Cooper has it all. His wife, Brenda, is beautiful, intelligent and a fantastic mother to his children--but there's just one little problem: he's bored out of his suburban businessman's mind. Richard can't help but fantasize about having nearly every woman he sees. Still, it's only fantasy. Then, one fateful day, an alluring, free-spirited, not to mention stunning, old friend, Nikki, suddenly appears at his office door, putting him to the ultimate test. Just how much is Richard Cooper willing to risk when temptation comes after him? After all, he really does love his wife--at least he thinks he does.
Starring: Chris Rock, Kerry Washington, Gina Torres, Steve Buscemi, Eliza Coupe
Premonition (PG-13); Nationwide
Linda Hanson has a beautiful house, a loving husband and two adorable daughters. Her life is perfect, until the day she receives the devastating news that her husband Jim has died in a car accident. When she wakes up the next morning to find him alive and well, she assumes it was all a dream, but is shaken by how vivid it felt. She soon realizes it wasn't a dream, and her world is turned upside down as the surreal circumstances lead her to discover that her perfect life may not have been all that it appeared. Desperate to save her family, Linda begins a furious race against time and fate to try and preserve everything that she and Jim have built together.
Starring: Sandra Bullock, Marcus Lyle Brown, Courtney Taylor Burness, Phillip DeVona, Mark Famiglietti
American Cannibal: The Road to Reality (NR); Limited
Two struggling, desperate-for-success TV writers partner with a porn promoter to create a shocking reality show involving cannibalism and a desert island. Struggling sitcom writers Dave Roberts and Gil S. Ripley are urged by their manager to focus on reality programming. After being spurned by one network after another, they start to pitch increasingly outrageous concepts, finally hooking up with Kevin "K.B." Blatt, the promoter behind the Paris Hilton sex tape. Blatt enthusiastically bankrolls the Darwinian American Cannibal, a show that originated as an absurd example of how far reality TV could be pushed. Contestants on this show are starved on a desert island for days and then scared with hints of cannibalism. The drama behind the actual documentary stems from its exploration of the two writers' moral evolution: while Roberts turns giddy at the prospect of a hit show, Ripley grows increasingly disillusioned. When one of the contestants becomes critically injured, Roberts beats himself up on camera, and both he and Ripley bail on the project. The inescapable irony is that Roberts and Ripley have now inadvertently become stars of their own reality show.
Starring: Mitchell Allen, Chip Arndt, Kevin Blatt, Jill Boniske, Hannah Buchdahl
Beauty and the Beast: A Latter-Day Tale (PG); Limited
Eric Landry is a cold-hearted man that people have nicknamed "the Beast." Years of anger and bitterness have consumed him, turning him into a selfish man. But, Belle Watson is the exact opposite. She's caring and kind. She works hard to help her family, often sacrificing her own wants and desires to satisfy the needs of others. When her father accidentally breaks a valuable work of art at the Landry mansion, Belle is thrust into the life of Eric Landry.
Starring: Summer Naomi, Matthew Reese, Caitlin E.J. Meyer, Matthew Flynn Bellows`, Lindsay Bird
Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (R); Limited
On the surface, Leslie Vernon seems like your average small town, nice guy. He has goals, ambition and aspirations to follow in the footsteps of his long-time hero Freddy Krueger, Michael Myers and Jason Vorhees, and be the world's next great psycho-slasher. A true self-promoter, Leslie gives documentary filmmaker Taylor Gentry and her crew exclusive access to his life as he plans and executes his next great reign of terror over the sleepy town of Glen Echo, all the while deconstructing the constructions and archetypes of the horror genre for them..
Starring: Nathan Baesel, Matt Bolt, Jenafer Brown, Krissy Carlson, Robert Englund
Beyond the Gates (R); Limited
Based on real events and filmed at the actual location where this story took place, a real life drama set during the Rwandan genocide in 1994: Joe Connor has come to teach in Rwanda because he believes he can make a difference. When the school becomes a haven for thousands of Tutsis fleeing the violent Hutu militia using clubs and machetes, Joe promises his brightest pupil, Marie, that the U.N. soldiers will protect her from the hordes of extremist baying for blood outside the school. But when the U. N. abandons the refugees, Joe and the school's headmaster, Father Christopher, face an agonizing dilemma: should they leave or should they stand firm with the Tutsis? As the U.N. trucks force their way through the terrified refugees, Joe stares at the tear-stained face of Marie: what should he do?
Starring: Hugh Dancy, Dominique Horwitz, Louis Mahoney, Nicola Walker, Steve Toussaint
Mummies: Secrets of the Pharaohs (NR); Limited
"Secrets of the Pharaohs" follows researchers and explorers as they piece together the archeological and genetic clues of Egyptian mummies. These relics of the past create a window into the fascinating and mysterious world of the pharaohs. In addition to increasing our understanding of the culture, religion, medicine and daily life thousands of years ago, scientists today are reconstructing mummy DNA and deciphering ancient texts to gain insight into modern human genetics and advance medical treatments. To unwrap the secrets of the pharaohs is perhaps to glimpse the future of our own civilization.
Starring: William Hope, Crispin Redman, Nasser Memarzia, Daud Shah, Boris Terral
My Brother (PG-13); Limited
"My Brother" is an inner city story of two impoverished boys, brothers from different fathers. One brother, James, is developmentally disabled, but functional. The other, Isaiah, was told by his mother to always watch over his brother. Their unwavering bond, however, gets put to the test when one brother, who's trying to get free of an oppressive debt, falls prey to ruthless men.
Starring: Vanessa L. Williams, Nashawn Kearse, Tatum O'Neal, Fredro Starr, Christopher Scott
The Namesake (PG-13); Limited
The Gangulis family comes to the U.S. from India in order to experience a world of limitless opportunities--only to be confronted with the perils and confusion of trying to build a meaningful life in a baffling new society. On the heels of their arranged marriage, Ashoke and Ashima jet off from sweltering Calcutta to a wintry New York where they begin their new life together. Virtual strangers to one another and with Ashima now living in a new and very strange land, their relationship quickly takes a turn when Ashima gives birth to a son. Under pressure to name him quickly, Ashoke settles on Gogol, after the famous Russian author--a name that serves as a link to a secret past and, Ashoke hopes, a better future. But life isn't as easy for Gogol as his parents might wish. As a first-generation American teenager, Gogol must learn to tread a razor-thin line between his Bengali roots and his American birthright in the search for his own identity. As Gogol attempts to forge his destiny--rejecting his given name, dating a rich American girl, heading to study architecture at Yale--his parents cling to their Bengali traditions. But their paths keep crossing with both comic and painfully revelatory consequences until Gogol begins to see the links between the world his parents left behind and the new world that lies in front of him.
Starring: Rani Mukherjee, Kal Penn, Zuleikha Robinson, Irrfan Khan, Tabu
Nomad (The Warrior) (R); Limited
In the 18th century a number of nomadic tribes joined to found Kazakhstan. For centuries in this vast, beautiful but harsh land, bordered by China, Tibet and Russia, the tribes have fought invaders for their independence. This tale tells the story of a boy who is destined to one day unite the three warring tribes of this country who have survived and fought for centuries--against their formidable enemies and amongst themselves.
Starring: Jay Hernandez, Dilnaz Akhmadieva, Kuno Becker, Azis Beyshinaliev, Mark Dacascos
Tortilla Heaven (PG-13); Limited
Falfurrias, N.M., is a tightly-knit community revolving around church, family, and fresh Mexican food--and not necessarily in that order. Isidor's Tortilla Heaven is the best restaurant in town, maybe even the world. Although his tortillas are scrumptious and his enchiladas divine, Isidor has never made a dime. Why? Falfurrias only has a population of 73. One Sunday, upon one of his famous, hand-made tortillas the face of Jesus Christ appears. It's a miracle that threatens to turn this sleepy community upside down.
Starring: Jose Zuniga, Miguel Sandoval, Lupe Ontiveros, George Lopez, Olivia Hussey
Coming Attractions
------------
The Hills Have Eyes 2 (NR); Nationwide; opens 3/23
The Last Mimzy (PG); Nationwide; opens 3/23
Pride (PG); Nationwide; opens 3/23
Reign Over Me (R); Nationwide; opens 3/23
Shooter (R); Nationwide; opens 3/23
TMNT (PG); Nationwide; opens 3/23
Coming to DVD
-----------
Casino Royale - 3/13 (a must have for 007 fans - plus he is just hot)
The Holiday - 3/13
The Dukes of Hazzard: The Beginning - 3/13
Blood Diamond - 3/20
Everyone's Hero - 3/20
Rocky Balboa - 3/20
Eragon - 3/20 (a must have for all collections)
Turistas - 3/27
Happy Feet - 3/27
Children of Men - 3/27
Curse of the Golden Flower - 3/27 ¶ 3/16/2007 04:23:00 AM
Subscribe to My Feed