4 January: Moviegoers have a number of new releases from which to choose this weekend.  An American Haunting (38), which was shown at the AFI Film Festival in November, opened nationwide on New Year's Day. Based on the true events of the only case in US history where a spirit caused the death of a man, Courtney Solomon's thriller stars Donald Sutherland and Sissy Spacek. Tomorrow sees the release of J. Michael Kipikash's Descansos. Starring Gary Busey and Charles Durning, this controversial film is about a man who tears down roadside memorials in his quest to bury a dark secret from his past. And, on Friday, three new features are set for release: The Secret Life of Words, with Sarah Polley and Tim Robbins, in which a nurse gives up her first holiday in years and instead travels out to an oil rig, where she cares for a man suffering from severe burns; Grandma's Boy (33), with Allen Covert, Doris Roberts, Shirley Jones and Shirley Knight, in which a 35-year-old video game tester has to move in with his grandmother and her two old lady roommates; and Uwe Boll's BloodRayne, an 18th century horror/fantasy, with Kristanna Loken, Ben Kingsley, Michael Madsen, Billy Zane and Geraldine Chaplin. Brokeback Mountain also expands its limited release to another 300-400 screens.
13 January: This weekend sees the national roll-out of several films and a limited release. Terrence Malick's The New World (70), with Christian Bale, Colin Farrell, Q'Orianka Kilcher and Christopher Plummer, has been playing in limited release since Christmas Day. It goes national today. Also increasing its screen saturation is Susan Stroman's The Producers (52), with Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick and Uma Thurman. It's been playing in a limited number of theatres since Christmas. Queen Latifah's Last Holiday (52), directed by Wayne Wang, opens nationwide today. Queen is supported by LL Cool J, Timothy Hutton and Gérard Depardieu. James Gartner's Glory Road (59), about Texas Western coach Don Haskins (Josh Lucas) leading the first all-black starting line-up for a college basketball team to the NCAA national championship, also opens nationwide today. Cory and Todd Edwards' Hoodwinked (45), which has been playing in Los Angeles since the middle of last month, rolls out nationally. This animated re-telling of the Red Riding Hood fable features the voices of Glenn Close, James Belushi, David Ogden Stiers, Chazz Palminteri and Andy Dick. Finally, Kevin Reynolds' Tristan & Isolde (49), with James Franco and Sophia Myles in the title roles, opens in a limited number of theatres. (Scores are taken from metacritic.com.)
19 January: Opening in theatres this weekend -- Brokeback Mountain (87), riding the crest of critical acclaim, will almost double its number of screens this weekend. Duncan Tucker's Transamerica (67), which has been playing in NYC and LA, goes into limited release after Felicity Huffman's Golden Globe win. Len Wiseman's Underworld: Evolution (41), with Kate Beckinsale, opens nationwide. Eugene Jarecki's Why We Fight (69), a documentary examining the effect of the "military-industrial complex" on national policy, opens in a limited number of theatres. Albert Brooks has a new "mock"-umentary, Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World (55), in which the U.S. government dispatches Brooks to India and Pakistan in an effort to discover what makes Muslim people laugh. It opens in limited release. Finally, Jim Hanon's The End of the Spear (46) -- about a son's investigation of his missionary father's murder in the jungles of Ecuador -- opens nationwide. (Scores are taken from metacritic.com.)
27 January: This weekend sees the release of several new features into American theaters. The following films are scheduled to be released nationwide: Nanny McPhee (58), in which Emma Thompson plays a Mary Poppins-like nanny who works her magic on the troublesome kids of the Brown family. Colin Firth and Angela Lansbury also star; Big Momma's House 2 (41), in which FBI agent Martin Lawrence dons drag for a second time in a comedy destined to be known as the sequel to Big Momma's House (2000); Annapolis (35), a hybrid of boxing movie and boot camp movie that finds James Franco entering a boxing competition at the Naval Academy.
Scheduled for limited release are Imagine Me & You (49), a British romantic comedy in which a woman (Piper Perabo) meets the man of her dreams. The catch? He's a guest at her wedding. D'oh!; Steven Soderbergh's Bubble (66), a low-budget drama set in a West Virginia doll factory that is an experiment on two levels: first, by utilizing an all-amateur cast, and, second and more controversially, by challenging the typical studio release pattern by shrinking the gap between theatrical release, cable premiere, and DVD release to a period of several days instead of months. Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story (80), in which movie star Steve Coogan stars as movie star Steve Coogan in Michael Winterbottom's satire about the making of a movie (an adaptation of the famously "unfilmable" novel Tristram Shandy). Rakesh Omprakash Mehra's Rang De Basanti, the story of a young idealistic English filmmaker who arrives in India to make a film on Indian revolutionaries and their fight for freedom from the British Raj. If you live near an IMAX theater, check out Roving Mars (60), a large-format documentary that focuses on the twin Mars rovers, Spirit and Opportunity. And New Yorkers can see Manderlay (42), the second installment in director Lars von Trier's trilogy of minimalist films set in the US. This Depression-era drama finds rising star Bryce Dallas Howard taking on the role played by Nicole Kidman in 2003's Dogville. (Film scores and summaries are from metacritic.com.)
3 February: Here's what you can look forward to seeing in theatres this weekend: When a Stranger Calls (36) -- During an otherwise routine babysitting gig, a high-school student (Camilla Belle) is harassed by an increasingly threatening prank caller. We hope director Simon West can breath some new life into this tired plot. "The call's coming from inside the house!" Something New (64) -- With checklist in hand, career woman Kenya (Sanaa Lathan, who also directs) sets out to find her perfect man. In Brian (Simon Baker), she finds a guy who, despite all outward appearances, just might be the one. George Clooney's Good Night, and Good Luck (80 and dripping with Oscar® nominations) widens its release. If you haven't seen it yet, see it now. Several films see limited release this weekend: The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (77), starring Tommy Lee Jones in his critically-acclaimed directing debut with Barry Pepper, Dwight Yoakum and Julio Cedillo (which has been playing in LA and NYC), increases its number of screens. Mike Barker's A Good Woman (53), with Helen Hunt, Scarlett Johansson and Tom Wilkinson, is scheduled for a limited release. The extra-long wait for Hunt's return to the screen should be over, provided the release date holds. It's been one of the shiftiest films over the past couple years - so slippery we're surprised Miramax isn't putting it out. (It's being distributed in the US by Lions Gate.) There's a good chance the delays have killed the film's chances, as it was originally positioned as Oscar® bait back in 2004. Seasoned Latter Day Saints film company Halestone Distribution lets loose their latest with Suits on the Loose, a road comedy starring little-known actors. This is the type of limited release that indicates how much film distribution has changed over a short period of time; a few years ago, this would have been a niche DVD at best. Finally, Marlee Matlin is featured in What the Bleep!?: Down the Rabbit Hole (49), a Samuel Goldwyn Films release, that features interviews with scientists and authors, animated bits, and a storyline involving a mute photographer (Matlin) that this docudrama uses to illustrate the link between quantum mechanics, neurobiology, human consciousness and day-to-day reality. (Film scores are from metacritic.com.)
10 February: Opening this weekend in a theatre near you (maybe)... Richard Loncraine's Firewall (45), with Harrison Ford and Virginia Madsen, in which security specialist Ford is forced into robbing the bank he works for, as a bid to pay off the ransom on his kidnapped family. Final Destination 3 (41), directed by James Wong. In this installment, a high school student (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) has a premonition of a disaster at her local amusement park. After the accident claims the lives of some of her friends, she and her schoolmate (Ryan Merriman) plot to save the survivors from death. The Pink Panther (38): Steve Martin does his best Peter Sellers impersonation as Inspector Jacques Clouseau in this tenth installment in the long-running series. The fact that it was bumped from one movie dumping ground (last August) to another (February) should not be construed as a good sign; nor should the fact that it reuinites Martin with Cheaper By The Dozen director Shawn Levy. Kevin Kline co-stars as Chief Inspector Dreyfus. The animated Curious George (63), featuring the voices of Will Ferrell, Drew Barrymore and Eugene Levy, tells the story of a man (Ferrell) who wears a curious yellow hat and accidentally adopts a mischievous chimpanzee named George while in Africa. With a new life in America, George's adventurous nature takes control, and he heads out into his new world. Jonathan Demme's Neil Young: Heart of Gold (84) gets a limited release. After directing one of the best concert movies of all time (Stop Making Sense, 1984), Demme finally tries his hand at another: a performance by Neil Young at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium during 2005's Prairie Wind tour. In London (26), Chris Evans, Jessica Biel and Jason Statham star in a drama set during a night-long party in -- you guessed it -- New York. See only as an alternative to needles-in-the-eye. Finally, Jonathan Hock's Through the Fire (64) is a documentary that profiles New York high school basketball star Sebastian Telfair, who weighs going to college against his hoop dreams of jumping directly to the NBA . (Film scores are from metacritic.com.)
17 February: This weekend sees the opening of several new features across the country. Samuel L. Jackson and Julianne Moore star in Freedomland (42). When her son disappears, a single mother (Moore) blames an African-American man for the crime. During the resulting controversy, a detective (Jackson) and reporter (Edie Falco) work together on the ever-twisting case. Joe Roth directs. Disney rolls out Eight Below (66), a story in which brutal cold forces two Antarctic explorers (Paul Walker & Jason Biggs) to leave their team of sled dogs behind as they fend for survival. Producer-turned-director Frank Marshall is at the helm of this adventure/drama. Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer (the Scary Movie guys) arrive with Date Movie (09), a spoof of romantic comedies that follows a young guy's (Adam Campbell) attempt to get his crush (Alyson Hannigan) to love him.
Several more films see limited release this weekend: Fox Searchlight rolls out Night Watch (50), directed by Timur Bekmambetov. Introduced at the Moscow Film Festival in 2004, Night Watch has since been a big hit in Russia and Europe. A fantasy-thriller set in present-day Moscow where the respective forces that control daytime and nighttime do battle, the film is credited with galvanizing the Russian filmmaking community and capturing the attention of the international film world. Previewed at last year's New York City Horror Film Festival, Tamara (34), from Lion's Gate, features Jenny Dewan as an unattractive high school girl who is picked on by her peers and returns after her death as a sexy seductress to exact revenge. They say it's done with a sense of humor. Zooey Deschanel, Will Farrell and Ed Harris headline the cast of Winter Passing (55), in which struggling actress Reese Holden (Deschanel) returns home to Michigan, hoping to talk her novelist father (Harris) into letting the love letters he wrote his deceased wife be published. Adam Rapp makes his directing debut for Focus Features. Finally, Sony's Triumph Films releases the faith-based The Second Chance (51) into a limited number of theatres, hoping to expand it through the end of winter. In this film, directed by Steve Taylor, an associate pastor (Michael W. Smith) gets into trouble with the church leadership because of his unorthodox methods. The falling out sees him moved from a mega-church in a wealthy, predominantly white, suburb to a congregation in the projects.
So... stop shovelling snow for a while, have some fun and take in a movie! (Film scores are from metacritic.com.)
24 February: Several new features see their opening this weekend: Madea's Family Reunion (46), directed by and starring Tyler Perry, opens nationwide. While planning her family reunion, a pistol-packing grandma (Perry) must contend with the other dramas on her plate, including the runaway who has been placed under her care, and her love-troubled nieces. With the breakiest outiest hit of 2004, Perry now slides into the director's chair with the follow-up to Diary of a Mad Black Woman. The Weinstein Co. follows up on the success of Hoodwinked and premieres Doogal (36). This animated feature tells the story of a sugar-addicted pooch (voiced by Daniel Tay) who accidentally frees the villainous Zeebad (Jon Stewart) from a supernatural prison. The bad guy sets in motion events that cause the next ice age. The dog teams up with a motley fellowship on a quest for three magical, life-restoring diamonds à la LOTR. Wayne Kramer's Running Scared (42), with the ubiquitous Paul Walker, shows how a "hot" snub-nosed .38 pistol brings together a mob flunky (Walker), his young kid (Cameron Bright), a Russian gangster ... and a cop who should be dead.
Taxi Number 9211, starring John Abraham and Nana Patekar, opens in specialty theatres. This Hindi-language feature concerns a cabbie (Patekar) and businessman (Abraham), both in need of big money, who partake in a two-hour adventure together. In Los Angeles and New York, cinemagoers can choose between Unknown White Male (63), Rupert Murray's critically applauded film about Doug Bruce, who woke up on Coney Island with no memory of any day of his entire life, and Sophie Scholl - Die letzten Tage (76), Marc Rothemund's Oscar®-nominated recreation of the last six days of Scholl's life, as the German student is arrested and brought to trial for her efforts as part of the anti-Nazi collective, the White Rose. (All film scores are from metacritic.com.)
3 March: Opening this weekend -- 16 Blocks (64), in which a cop (Bruce Willis) escorts a witness (Mos Def) along a 16-block walk from the police station to the courthouse. Either it's the shortest movie ever made, or something happens to the pair along the way. Richard Donner directs. Aquamarine (51), where Hailey (JoJo) and her best friend, Claire (Emma Roberts), meet a mermaid (Sara Paxton) who's washed up in their local pool. Their new, buoyant friend has three days to prove to her father that true love exists, and she'll grant any wish the girls might have for their help in hooking her up. Splash for tweens! Ultraviolet (18), a sci-fi thriller, starring Milla Jovovich, set in a future world where vampire-like, genetically-modified humans are pitted against the government. Dave Chapelle's Block Party (84), a mix of Dave Chappelle's sketch and stand-up comedy, as well as musical interludes, inspired in part by the 1973 documentary Wattstax. France's entry for Best Foreign Language Film, Joyeux Noël (68), goes into limited release. And, Kate Winslet and Johnny Depp narrate an exploration of the ocean's depths and its creatures in Deep Sea 3D (79). The IMAX version opens in Great Britain, and US theatres get the regular screen version. (All film scores are from metacritic.com.)
10 March: There's something for everyone opening this weekend: Alexander Aja's remake of Wes Craven's 1977 B horror thriller, The Hills Have Eyes (50), from Fox Searchlight, with Ted Levine and Kathleen Quinlan; Paramount releases Tom Dey's Failure to Launch (44), a romantic comedy starring Sarah Jessica Parker, Matthew McConaughey, Kathy Bates and Terry Bradshaw; The Weinsteins roll out The Libertine (42) nationally. After a toe-in-the-water release last Oscar® season, they're counting on the star power of Johnny Depp, Samantha Morton and John Malkovich to make a big splash; Disney's Buena Vista rolls out The Shaggy Dog (43), another Tim Allen vehicle.
A limited number of theatres will be screening Evil (Ondskan) (60), Sweden's nominee at the 2004 Awards. Paramount Classics releases Robert Towne's Ask the Dust (57), set in Depression-era Los Angeles, in which Arturo (Colin Farrell), an aspring writer, is transfixed by Camilla (Salma Hayek), a barmaid caught in a downward spiral. Warner Independent Pictures opens Duck Season (65) in LA & NYC. In its native Mexico, Duck Season came out of nowhere in 2004 and became a huge indie hit before going on to overshadow the heavily favored Innocent Voices at the 2005 Ariel Awards. The film went on to win an unprecedented 11 Ariels. Also opening in LA & NYC is Asia Argento's The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things (33), in which young Jeremiah is pulled from his foster home and thrown into a troubled life on the road with his mother, Sarah (Argento). Finally, the independent Game 6 (52) opens in Boston and New York City. In this indie, a playwright (Michael Keaton) skips his own opening night to watch his beloved Boston Red Sox play the New York Mets in game 6 of the 1986 World Series. Does anyone forgive Bill Buckner yet?
So, get over your feeling about Brokeback Mountain not winning Best Picture and get out to see a movie! (All film scores are from metacritic.com.)
17 March: After a fairly newsless week in Oscarland, Hollywood is looking at St. Patrick's weekend to open a few new films: V for Vendetta (62) Remember, remember, the 5th of November? Warner Bros. hopes you don't, since the movie missed its original release date by four months. Natalie Portman and Hugo Weaving star in this problem-plagued production based on Alan Moore's beloved graphic novel about a world where Germany won World War II. She's the Man (DreamWorks SKG, 39) When her big brother decides to ditch for a couple weeks in London, Viola (Amanda Bynes) heads over to his elite boarding school, disguises herself as him, and proceeds to fall for one of her soccer teammates. Anyone seen my copy of Twelfth Night? La Bestia nel cuore (Don't Tell) (Lionsgate, 50) Italy's most celebrated film of last year earned a Best Foreign Language Oscar nomination, but on this side of the ocean, it's the former contender with the least buzz preceding its release. Numerous reviews indicate the film is solid and accessible, but marred by a clumsy subplot that involves a lesbian who falls for an older woman. Though we do understand Angela Finocchiaro's performance (she plays said older woman) gives the film a much-needed sense of humor. That's it for the wide releases planned for this weekend.
In limited release: Thank You for Smoking (Fox Searchlight, 71). Aaron Eckhart stars as a tobacco industry spokesperson (you know the type: always blowing smoke) in this dark comedy based on Christopher Buckley's bestseller. Sidney Lumet's Mafia-meets-courtroom drama Find Me Guilty (68) finds a mobster ditching his representation and attempting to defend himself during a trial on RICO charges. (Insert joke about lawyers being crooks here.) The cast includes Vin Diesel, Joe Pesci, Peter Dinklage and Annabella Sciorra. Don't Trip... He Ain't Through With Me Yet (Code Black Entertainment, 57) Steve Harvey leaves his blue material at home in this stand-up performance in front of church-folk at the Phillips Arena in Atlanta, GA. Summer Storm (Regent Releasing, 51) Tobi and Achim, best pals and the standouts of their crew club, find their friendship tested by Achim's girlfriend and Tobi's sexual confusion. Regent Releasing, quickly becoming one of the premiere gay/lesbian-oriented distributors, charges ahead with this well-received German comedy. Stroke! The Zodiac (ThinkFilm, 21) In the Bay Area, a small town police detective (Justin Chambers) and his son (Rory Culkin) become obsessed with the infamous Zodiac Killer, threatening the safety of their entire family in the process. This low-budget indie is definitely not to be confused with David Fincher's similarly-titled (and themed) movie coming out later this year. Church Ball (xx) A comedy set in the world of competitive Church basketball, where Bishop Linderman (Fred Willard), calls on one of his followers, Dennis Buckstead (Andrew Wilson), to turn a group of non-athletes into a championship team.
And, cinema patrons in Los Angeles and New York will get to sneak a peak at Don't Come Knocking (Sony Pictures Classics, 55) Director Wim Wenders and screenwriter-star Sam Shepard last worked together in 1984 on Paris, Texas, and though their latest road movie isn't garnering the same kind of attention, there's plenty of potential here, considering that Shepard's character parties like a (Western) rock star, that the film also features Jessica Lange and Tim Roth, and that the rest of the cast ranges from Fairuza Balk to Eva Marie Saint.
So, hoist an Alec Guinness this weekend with a loud and hearty "Erin Go Brockovich!" (All film scores are from metacritic.com.)
24 March: After a week in which V for Vendetta led the box office race, we can look for these films to hit theatres: Spike Lee's Inside Man (Universal, 76), in which a bank robber (Clive Owen) plays cat-and-mouse with a cop (Denzel Washington), who's facing increasing pressure to foil his opponent's intricate plot. The stand-off is further complicated and confused by the arrival of a power broker (Jodie Foster) who requests a private meeting with the perp. Stay Alive (Buena Vista, 24) For a group of teens, the answer to the mysterious death of their old friend lies within the world of an online video game based on the true story of an ancient noblewoman known as "The Blood Countess." Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector (Lions Gate, 23), where a misfit health inspector (Larry the Cable Guy) goes undercover to get to the bottom of a series of food poisoning incidents at his city's top restaurants.
Filmgoers in LA and NYC can see L'Enfant (The Child) (Sony Pictures Classics, 82), an R-rated Belgian drama, in which a 20-year-old father has second thoughts (and then some) after selling his infant son on the black market for some much-needed cash. The lives of a grieving, ostracized mother (Marcia Gay Harden), a stressed-out high school principal (Forest Whitaker), a promising student (Arien Escarpeta), and a discontented co-ed (Linda Cardellini) are symbolically brought together in American Gun (IFC Films, 41), first-time director Arie Avelino's take on the proliferation of guns in American society. And New Yorkers can see Steve Buscemi's Lonesome Jim (IFC Films, 54), a look at a failed 20-something writer who returns home to live with his family in Indiana. Casey Affleck and Liv Tyler star. (All film scores are from metacritic.com.)
31 March: Spike Lee's Inside Man was the big earner at the box office this past week, debuting with an estimated $29 million. This weekend, cinemagoers can look forward to the following new releases: Basic Instinct 2 (Sony Pictures Entertainment, 26). Those of you who still vaguely recall a sexy 1992 thriller starring Michael Douglas and Sharon Stone may be surprised to learn that the sequel has finally arrived. Only Stone returns from the original, and the setting has been moved from San Francisco to London with David Morrissey as the male lead. Michael Caton-Jones directs. ATL (Warner Bros., 62). This coming-of-age drama set in Atlanta follows four teens who hang out at the roller rink. Mykelti Williamson and OutKast's Big Boi star. Ice Age: The Meltdown (20th Century Fox, 64). This sequel to the 2002 animated box office hit returns the vocal chords of Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Queen Latifah and Denis Leary. Slither (Universal, 75). It's monsters galore in this somewhat comedic horror film as a small town is terrorized by -- well, by just about everything.
Limited relases are planned for these pictures: The Devil and Daniel Johnston (Sony Pictures Classics, 77), Jeff Feuerzeig's look at artistic/manic-depressive/genius Daniel Johnston, observed in this portrait of madness, creativity, and love. [LA/NY] Awesome; I Fuckin' Shot That! (ThinkFilm, 73), a live performance shot by audience members at a 2004 Beastie Boys concert at Madison Square Garden. [Limited] Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing and Charm School (Samuel Goldwyn, 73), a romantic comedy starring Robert Carlyle, Marisa Tomei, Mary Steenburgen and Sean Astin, directed by Randall Miller. [Limited] Swimmers (Skouras Pictures, xx) - When an ear problem forces young Emma Tyler (Tara Devon Gallagher) to give up her favorite past-time, she bonds with Merrill (Sarah Paulson), a slightly damaged woman who has just returned to her hometown. Emma's wide-eyed observations allow Merrill to reconnect with her own lost innocence, while the presence of an adult mentor helps Emma's deal with her family's personal and financial troubles. Doug Sadler directs. [Limited] Adam & Steve (TLA Releasing, 48) - Nearly 20 years after their tragic, abortive one-night stand, Adam (Craig Chester) and Steve (Malcolm Gets) meet up again -- both of them blissfully unaware of their prior offense. As they fall in love, however, clues and reminders cause them to think they might have first met under less than romantic circumstances. Chester also directs. [Limited] Brick (Focus Features, 75) - A loner (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) drags himself through his high school's underbelly in an attempt to find out what happened to his ex-girlfriend (Emilie DeRavin), who reached out to him right before she vanished. [LA/NY] And Drawing Restraint 9 (IFC Films, 75), a love story focused on two Western guests (Matthew Barneym who also directs, and Björk) aboard a Japanese whaling ship. [NY]
So, see if you can tear yourself away from the finale of "March Madness" and take in a movie! (All film scores are from metacritic.com.)
7 April: Fox's Ice Age: The Meltdown, the sequel to its 2002 animated hit, led last week's box office with an impressive $68 million opening. Here's what you can look forward to seeing this weekend: Friends with Money (Sony Pictures Classics, 69) - Lovely & Amazing director Nicole Holofcener returns with a study of four friends, played by Joan Cusack, Frances McDormand, Jennifer Aniston, and Catherine Keener. The Benchwarmers (Sony Pictures Releasing, 26) - In an attempt to right things from their respective childhoods, Ritchie (David Spade), Clark (Jon Heder), and Gus (Rob Schneider) form a three-player baseball team to compete against standard little league squads. "Yer OUT!!" Phat Girlz (Fox Searchlight, 36) - Can fashion designer Mo'Nique find love in a world full of skinny women? Yes. There, now you don't actually have to see the movie. Take the Lead (New Line Cinema, 55) - Call it Mad Hot High School: This feel-good drama stars Antonio Banderas as real-life ballroom-dance instructor Pierre Dulaine, known for teaching public schoolers in inner-city New York. Lucky Number Sleven (MGM, 53) - A case of mistaken identity lands a man (Josh Hartnett) in the middle of a murder being plotted by two of the city's most rival crime bosses: The Rabbi (Ben Kingsley) and The Boss (Morgan Freeman). Adding more tension to his situation is the presence of a relentless detective (Stanley Tucci) and an assassin (Bruce Willis) who are both out to get him.
Going into limited relase are On a Clear Day (Focus Features, 63) - An unemployed 55-year-old man attempts to swim the English Channel in this UK import. And, When Do We Eat? (ThinkFilm, 43) - A family's Passover gets screwy after the patriarch (Michael Lerner) unknowingly ingests a hit of Ecstasy and subsequently tries to unite his squabbling brood. (Did they leave an extra tab in the middle of the table for the prophet Elijah?)
Mazel tov! (Scores are taken from metacritic.com.)
14 April: Ice Age: The Meltdown continued to lead at the box office with another $33 million in receipts. The Benchwarmers was second with a $19.7 million opening week. There's a movie opening this weekend that will appeal to any moviegoer; you just have to find it: The Wild (Disney, 47) - In a non-Pixar Disney computer-animated comedy that sounds an awful lot like Madagascar, a group of animals escape from a New York City zoo and go on an adventure. Did we mention that it sounds an awful lot like Madagascar? Scary Movie 4 (The Weinstein Co., 40) - What's truly scary is that there are now four of these movies. This installment lampoons recent releases such as War of the Worlds and Million Dollar Baby. And how often do you get to see Leslie Nielsen, Dr. Phil and Shaq in the same movie?
Scheduled for limited release this weekend: Hard Candy (Lions Gate, 60) - A photographer who preys on young girls picks the wrong teenager to invite back to his home in this thriller from music video director David Slade. The Notorious Bettie Page (Picturehouse, 59) - Gretchen Mol portrays the scandalous 1950's pin-up icon in a biopic from Mary Harron. Kinky Boots (Buena Vista, 58) - An English shoe factory owner attempts to save his family's failing business by making boots for drag queens in this comedy. Well, we've heard worse business ideas. La Mujer de mi hermano (Lions Gate, 40) - A Mexican woman falls in love with her husband's brother in this Spanish-language drama. (In any language, that means trouble.) Preaching to the Choir (Code Black Entertainment, 47) - A gangsta rapper returns home to reconnect with his minister brother and finds himself becoming involved with the church choir... and one of its members. And Kekexili: Mountain Patrol (IDP Distribution, 78) - In this runner-up as China's official submission to the Academy Awards as best foreign language film, a group of volunteers try to protect endangered antelope from poachers in a National Geographic drama set in an animal preserve at the mountainous China-Tibet border.
And if all else fails after you can't remember where you hid that last Easter egg, see if you can find the re-release of Days of Heaven (91), Terrence Malick's 1978 drama about a love triangle between Richard Gere, Brooke Adams and Sam Shepard that is perhaps best known for its stunning cinematography and Ennio Morricone's score. (Scores and descriptions are taken from metacritic.com.)
21 April: Scary Movie 4 did a surprising $40.2 million this week. Opening in theatres nationwide this weekend -- Silent Hill (TriStar, 30) The 1999 Playstation classic is the latest videogame to be reincarnated as a movie. It follows Rose (Radha Mitchell) as she attempts to track down her missing daughter in a strange and menacing alternate universe. Hopefully, she knows the cheat code for infinite health. American Dreamz (Universal, 44) A not-quite-with-it President of the United States agrees to appear as a guest judge on an "American Idol"-like television program... the same night when one of the finalists just happens to be a terrorist. This Paul Weitz comedy stars Hugh Grant, Mandy Moore and Dennis Quaid. The Sentinel (20th Century Fox, 48) Clark Johnson's thriller finds Jack Bauer -- er, make that Kiefer Sutherland -- charged with protecting the President against a potential rogue Secret Service agent (Michael Douglas) who wants to assassinate him. Eva Longoria and Kim Basinger also star.
Three films are scheduled for limited release: Somersault (Magnolia, 73) An erotic, lyrical depiction of a young girl's sexual awakening, this film is a breakthrough debut for both its director, Cate Shortland, and its star, Abbie Cornish. Standing Still (Freestyle, 40) When a group of college friends re-unite four years after graduation, anything can and will happen. And, In Her Line of Fire (Regent, not reviewed) When the Vice President's (David Keith) plane goes down near a remote South American island, he is kidnapped by rebel forces and held for ransom. It's up to his female Secret Service agent (Mariel Hemingway) and a press secretary (Jill Bennett) to infiltrate the camp and save him.
 And, if you live in New York City, you may want to save your money this weekend in order to buy a ticket to one of the most critically acclaimed films in recent memory: Moartea domnului Lazarescu (The Death of Mr. Lazarescu) (Tartan USA, (93), scheduled to open in the City on Wednesday, 26 April. This Romanian film, co-written and directed by Cristi Pulu, won awards at the Cannes, Chicago, Copenhagen, Motovun, Namur, Norwegian and Transylvania Festivals last year. Anyone who has waited for treatment in an emergency room or chafed under the less than devoted care of a disinterested doctor will recognize Mr. Lazarescu's dilemma. A 60-ish widower, living alone in Bucharest with his cats, he feels sick enough one evening to call an ambulance. This is the beginning of his Dantesque odyssey deep into the bowels of a big city medical establishment. It's a story that could take place anywhere and Mr. Lazarescu could be your next-door neighbor -- or he could be you. (Scores and descriptions are taken from metacritic.com.)
 28 April: Silent Hill led all releases with a so-so $20.2 million during a sluggish week at the box office. Even though we seem to be flooded with lightweight fare, there is some light at the end of the tunnel. First, the good news: United 93 (Universal, 90) opens nationwide. This sensitive subject matter -- the downing of a hijacked airliner during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks -- has already been covered by two separate television movies (including the similarly titled "Flight 93"). But unlike previous efforts, United 93 boasts an equally sensitive director (Paul Greengrass) and stellar reviews. Now, the rest of the news: R.V. (Columbia, 33) Barry Sonnenfeld's comedy packs dad (Robin Williams), mom (Cheryl Hines) and kids into an R.V. and sends them on a wacky cross-country trip. (Although perhaps "wacky" is not quite the right adjective to describe being stuck in a vehicle with Robin Williams for a prolonged period of time.) Jeff Daniels and Will Arnett are also featured. Stick It (Buena Vista, 53) This teen gymnastics movie follows a troubled 17-year-old as she attempts to fix her life by returning to competition. Akeelah and the Bee (Lions Gate, 72) This Starbucks-approved feel-good drama follows a young girl from South Los Angeles as she works her way toward the National Spelling Bee. But can the little lady spell "Frappuccino?" Water (Fox Searchlight, 80) When her husband dies, an 8-year-old Indian girl is sent to a temple in Varanasi where widows live in penitence. Her behavior sends ripples throughout the temple, most notably affecting a woman who longs for a different life and has fallen for a follower of Mahatma Ghandi. Directed by Deepa Mehta.
These films are scheduled for limited release this weekend: Guys and Balls (Regent Releaseing, 60) A title like that can only mean one thing: a German movie about an all-gay soccer team. Andy Garcia's The Lost City (Magnolia, 43) marks his feature film directorial debut with this drama set in Havana during the Cuban Revolution. Dustin Hoffman and Bill Murray star alongside Garcia. Killer Diller (Kd Productions, xx) A guitar-playing car thief (William Lee Scott) who is supposed to mend his ways ends up changing the lives of a group of fellow inmates in a half way house in the middle of the Bible Belt. Wassup Rockers (First Look Pictures, 56) Based on the real life experiences of a group of Latino teenagers who do not conform to the hip hop culture of their gang-infested neighborhood. They wear their clothes tight, listen to and play punk rock, and ride skateboards. Constantly harassed for being different, they fight to be themselves. And, finally, New York audiences can see Clean (Palm Pictures, 77) A former drug addict struggles to escape her tragic past and forge a bond with her young son, currently in the custody of his grandparents. Maggie Cheung, once just a beauty queen and Jackie Chan sidekick, finally cemented her status as a bona fide actress-with-a-capital-A with this role, which won her the Best Actress award at Cannes 2005. Nick Nolte, as one of the grandparents, is said to be just as good, but this is Cheung's show all the way. And, of course, there are the festivals underway in Dallas and Tribeca. So many movies, so little time... (Scores and descriptions are taken from metacritic.com.)
5 May: Robin Williams's R.V. did a so-so $16.4 million last weekend to lead at the box office. Here's what you can look forward to this weekend: An American Haunting (AfterDark Films, 43) - Donald Sutherland and Sissy Spacek star in a horror-drama based on the only officially documented case (whatever that means) of a murder being caused by a demonic spirit, stemming from mysterious events in Tennessee in the early 19th century. Courtney Solomon directs. Mission: Impossible III (Paramount, 66) - It's been ten years since the first Mission: Impossible film (which itself arrived three decades after the television series) and six years since the second, but the Tom Cruise franchise finally returns with a third installment, this one helmed by "Alias" and "Lost" creator J.J. Abrams, who makes the jump to the big screen for the first time. Philip Seymour Hoffman is the baddie in this one. Hoot (New Line Cinema, 46) - Three Florida middle-schoolers fight to protect endangered owls from developers in this family film based on Carl Hiaasen's novel. Wil Shriner directs.
Scheduled for limited release: Art School Confidential (Sony Pictures Classics, 51) - Director Terry Zwigoff once again collaborates with comic artist Daniel Clowes for this drama about a young art student who becomes a celebrity when he is accused of a murder. Max Minghella, John Malkovich, Jim Broadbent and Anjelica Huston star. Wu ji (The Promise) (Warner Independent Pictures, 53) - Known as the most expensive Chinese film to date, the latest from director Kaige Chen boasts cinematography by Peter Pau and stunt coordinator Dion Lam. Originally a Weinstein Company release, Warner Independent picked up rights to the film after Harvey and Bob disagreed with the producers on how the film should be marketed (the Weinsteins saw it as an art house film, while the Chinese backers wanted a full-scale Oscar® campaign). One Last Thing... (Magnolia, 44) - A terminally-ill teenager asks a charity for a weekend with a supermodel as his last wish in a low-budget dramedy. And, Crazy Like a Fox (IFG, 53) - Richard Squires directs the mad adventures of an eccentric farmer (Roger Rees) who's cheated out of his farm by cityfolk and decides to abandon his family for a new home in a cave on the local creek. Happy Cinco de Mayo! (Scores are taken from metacritic.com.)
12 May: When is $47.7 million disappointing? When it's what you bring on your opening weekend if you're Tom Cruise's Mission: Impossible III. Here's what's scheduled to open in theatres this week: Poseidon (Warner Bros., 50) - Wolfgang Petersen directs this remake of the 1972 sinking-ship adventure (which also resurfaced as a lousy remake for NBC last fall), aided by a ginormous budget. Josh Lucas and Kurt Russell head the cast, which is sadly lacking Ernest Borgnine. Just My Luck (20th Century Fox, 28) - Poor Lindsay Lohan's lifelong lucky streak comes to an end when she swaps fortunes with a previously unlucky man at a party. Well, at least now we know why she kept getting movie roles.
Scheduled for limited release: Goal! (Buena Vista, 53) - This is the first film in a planned trilogy exploring the rise of a Mexican-American kid living in Los Angeles from impoverished youth to soccer superstar. Keeping Up with the Steins (Miramax, 62) - First-time director Scott Marshall (son of director Garry, who co-stars here) offers this comedy about parents (Jami Gertz and Jeremy Piven) determined to show-up a rival family by throwing their son the ultimate bar mitzvah. Giuliani Time (Cinema Libre, 59) - This somewhat outdated documentary about former New York City mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani focuses on his rise to power and his time in office, pre-9/11. Down in the Valley (ThinkFilm, 68) - Edward Norton thinks he's a cowboy, but it turns out he's only a delusional resident of the San Fernando Valley (is there any other kind?) in this slow-paced drama from writer-director David Jacobson. Evan Rachel Wood co-stars. Dead Man's Shoes (Magnolia Pictures, 62) - Paddy Considine stars in this British revenge movie about a soldier who seeks the gangsters who killed his brother. Wah-Wah (Roadside Attractions, 60) - Gabriel Byrne and Emily Watson star in a coming-of-age story set in Africa's Swaziland at the end of the British occupation. So, buy Mom a 'mum and take her to the movies. (Scores and descriptions are taken from metacritic.com.)
19 May: Mission: Impossible III continued its lead at the box office this week, posting another $25 million in earnings. Here's what you can look forward to seeing in US theatres this weekend: In case you've just returned from Fallujah, there's a small film called The Da Vinci Code (Columbia, 50) that may be coming to a theatre near you. Take the biggest book of the decade, add director Ron Howard and star Tom Hanks, and you have yourself a hit. A monster hit. (Well, unless people actually listen to the critics.) Free publicity generated by a controversy with the Catholic church won't hurt, either.... although Hanks' haircut might. Over the Hedge (Paramount, 67) features the voices of Bruce Willis, Garry Shandling, Steve Carell, Gene Wilder and William Shatner in DreamWorks' latest computer-animated comedy, based on the comic strip of the same name. Tim Johnson & Karey Kirkpatrick direct. See No Evil (Lions Gate, 17) - Directed by Gregory Dark, this slasher flick features a Shaq-sized bad guy with razor-sharp fingernails and a steel plate in his head. His personality's not so hot, either. And, in limited release, you can see Twelve and Holding (IFC Films, 64). Michael Cuesta directs this coming-of-age drama about four 12-year-olds coping with a murder. (Scores and descriptions are taken from metacritic.com.)
5 June: Here's a look at what's currently playing in theatres nationwide: The Break-Up (Universal, 44), in which Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn star in a romantic comedy about a couple that breaks up but won't move out, as neither one will leave the condo they jointly own. X-Men: The Last Stand (20th Century-Fox, 58) - With Bryan Singer too busy directing Superman movies, Brett Ratner takes over for the third (but -- despite the title -- definitely not last) installment of this popular franchise. Kelsey Grammer heads the roster of new mutants. An Inconvenient Truth (Paramount Classics, 72) - Almost-president Al Gore narrates a documentary look at the effects of climate change on the Earth, or as the Bush administration thinks of it, a lot of hot air. (Scores and descriptions are taken from metacritic.com.)
6 June: Movies rarely open on a Tuesday night, unless the movie is a horror flick and the Tuesday happens to fall on 6/6/06 -- a date with evil implications key to the movie's storyline. Such is the case with today's release of Fox's remake of its 1976 hit The Omen, with Liev Schreiber and Julia Stiles stepping into the roles originally played by Gregory Peck and Lee Remick. David Seltzer, who wrote the original film, wrote the remake. Check out metacritic.com to see a summary of reviews. They give it a 43. -- IMDb
9 June: The Break-Up led at the box office this past weekend with receipts of $39.2 million. Opening this weekend -- Cars (Buena Vista, 74), the latest from Pixar and Disney, featuring the voices of Owen Wilson, Paul Newman, Bonnie Hunt, Larry the Cable Guy, Cheech Marin, Tony Shalhoub, George Carlin, John Ratzenberger, Michael Keaton, Bob Costas, Tom & Ray Magliozzi, Jay Leno, and a host of NASCAR drivers, all directed by John Lasseter. The plot for this one? En route to a big race, a hot-shot stock-car known as Lightning McQueen (Wilson) gets waylaid in the town of Radiator Springs. During his idle time, McQueen befriends some locals who help him begin to realize that there might be more important things in life than fame and fortune. A Prairie Home Companion (Picturehouse, 76) - Robert Altman directs a cast that includes Meryl Streep, Lily Tomlin, Woody Harrelson, Garrison Keiller, Tommy Lee Jones, Kevin Kline, Lindsay Lohan, Virginia Madsen, John C. Reilly and a host of others in a look at what goes on backstage during the last broadcast of America's most celebrated radio show.
In limited release, look for The King (ThinkFilm, 58), directed by James Marsh, in which Elvis (Gael García Bernal), the illegitimate son of an upstanding Texas preacher (William Hurt), returns to his hometown after a 20-year absence. When his dad spurns him a second time, Elvis dedicates himself to taking the man's life apart piece-by-piece. And, finally, Chup Chup Ke (xx), in which a botched suicide attempt lands small-time hustler Jeet (Shahid Kapoor) in the nets of two fishermen who mistakenly believe him to be wealthy. The fishermen hatch a plan to cash in on Jeetu's value, though things quickly go awry. Jeetu's attention is diverted by one of the men's niece, who has just been shamed after her arranged marriage is called off. Priyadarshan directs. (Scores are taken from metacritic.com.)
16 June: Heaven help us, the summer movies are upon us. Disney/Pixar's Cars led last weekend's box office with a gross of $60.1 million. Scheduled to open this weekend: Nacho Libre (Paramount, 52) - Pair Napoleon Dynamite writer-director Jared Hess with funnyman Jack Black and you already have a movie with potential; pair Hess with Jack Black in spandex as an orphanage-cook-turned-Mexican wrestler, and you have potentially the funniest movie of the summer. The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (Universal, 48) - When most of the publicity photos feature cars rather than actors, you know you're not in for a star-filled movie. The real emphasis of this third Fast and the Furious film (in which the action moves to Japan for the first time) is on the underground and dangerous world of "drift" racing. The Lake House (Warner Bros., 53) - Keanu Reeves, Sandra Bullock and Shohreh Aghdashloo star in a remake of a South Korean romance about a man and a woman who are able to write each other love letters despite living two years apart. (And to think: where we live, we just get all of our mail late.) Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties (20th Century-Fox, 37) - We knew they should have killed off Garfield in the last one. Let's hope he really doesn't have nine lives -- or a nine-picture deal.
Opening in limited release: The Heart of the Game (Miramax, 73) - This documentary focuses on the passion and energy of a girls' high school basketball team. The Mostly Unfabulous Social Life of Ethan Green (Regent, 40) - This gay romantic comedy is based on the comic strip of the same name. Wordplay (IFC Films, 73) - New York Times crossword puzzle editor Will Shortz is profiled in a documentary that includes interviews with a diverse group of fans, including Bill Clinton and Jon Stewart. Lower City (Palm Pictures, 61) - Two friends who co-own a cargo boat fall for the same girl in this Brazilian drama. Loverboy (Screen Media Ventures, 45) - Kevin Bacon makes his directorial debut and is only one degree away from fellow cast members Kyra Sedgwick, Matt Dillon, Oliver Platt and Marisa Tomei with this drama about an extremely overprotective mother. Stay cool, everybody, and go see A Prairie Home Companion! (Scores and descriptions are taken from metacritic.com.)
23 June: Cars continued to lead at the box office last weekend, bringing its total earning to $117 million. Cinemagoers can look forward to the following scheduled openings this coming weekend: Click (Sony, 46) - This Adam Sandler comedy centers on a man with an unusual remote control that allows him to pause, rewind, and fast-forward his own life. Too bad he still can't get it to work with his A/V receiver, DVD player and plasma television at the same time. Waist Deep (Focus Features, 37) - A man (Tyrese Gibson) tries to save his kidnapped son the only way he knows how -- by robbing a bank -- in this Vondie Curtis Hall-directed actioner.
Scheduled for limited release: The Road to Guantanamo (Roadside Attractions, 65) - Part documentary, part dramatization, this film is the terrifying first-hand account of three British citizens who were held for two years without charges in the American military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man (Lions Gate, 73) - The Canadian singer-songwriter and poet is profiled in a documentary that includes footage from a 2005 tribute concert that featured performances of Cohen songs by U2, Beth Orton, Nick Cave, and more. Wassup Rockers (First Look, 54) - Ten years after Kids, Larry Clark hits the streets of South Central Los Angeles. Wassup Rockers is based on the real life experiences of a group of Latino teenagers who do not conform to the hip hop culture of their gang-infested neighborhood. They wear their clothes tight, listen to and play punk rock, and ride skateboards. Constantly harassed for being different, they fight to be themselves. And, finally, The Hidden Blade (Tartan USA, 76) - Munezo Katagiri (Masatoshi Nagase), an honest and low ranking samurai is trapped in a state of personal and professional imbalance. Raised to respect traditions from the past and the demanding moral code of the samurai, circumstances have now forced Munezo to look to the future. Required to master western military strategies, particularly the art of artillery, Munezo is ordered to find and kill Yaichiro, a former friend, samurai, and brilliant swordsman. Munezo enlists the help of his old teacher, Kansai Toda, a master swordsman who entrusts Munezo with the secret and power of The Hidden Blade.
That's it for this weekend. See if you can find a theatre that's showing Wordplay. (Scores and descriptions are taken from metacritic.com.)
27 June: Superman Returns (Warner Bros., 72) opens nationwide tomorrow. The Man of Steel is finally with us again, this time with X-Men director Bryan Singer at the helm. The plot focuses on Superman (Brandon Routh) questioning if he is the last survivor of the doomed planet Krypton. Without a word to anyone, he goes in search of its remains. Finding nothing, he returns to Earth where he finds that the world no longer needs a hero... and neither does Lois Lane (Kate Bosworth). Lois has also moved on with her life in ways that can only hurt Superman. One person who isn't happy with Superman's return is his longtime nemesis Lex Luthor (Kevin Spacey), who's fresh out of prison and has another scheme up his sleeve. Superman must overcome his most daring obstacles yet, reclaim the heart of Lois, and go out to prove that the world needs an example to follow... and a hero. -- IMDb
30 June: Adam Sandler's Click was the number one film at the box office last weekend with an estimated $40 million. Scheduled to open nationally this weekend: The Devil Wears Prada (Fox 2000, 57) - Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep star in this adaptation of Lauren Weisberger's bestselling satire of the fashion industry. In limited release, look for Who Killed the Electric Car? (Sony Pictures Classics, 72), Chris Paine's documentary that traces the history of GM's short-lived EV-1 vehicle. (Scores and descriptions are taken from metacritic.com.)
7 July: Superman Returns led the summer's offerings at the box office with $52.5 million. Scheduled to open nationally this weekend: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (Disney, 51) - One of two upcoming sequels to the quite successful 2003 swashbuckler (the third installment arrives in 2007), Dead Man's Chest returns Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley. A Scanner Darkly (Warner Independent Pictures, 73) - Director Richard Linklater utilizes the rotoscoping animation technique that he first showcased in Waking Life for this adaptation of the Philip K. Dick story about a bleak future world. Keanu Reeves, Winona Ryder, Robert Downey Jr., and Woody Harrelson star. Scheduled for limited release is Strangers with Candy (ThinkFilm, 55) - This film is a daring leap backwards. A prequel to the critically acclaimed Comedy Central series of the same name, it is the tale of Jerri Blank (Amy Sedaris), a forty-seven year old ex-con, junky whore who decides to return home after thirty-two years as a runaway. The film also features Stephen Colbert, Paul Dinello, Matthew Broderick, Sarah Jessica Parker and Philip Seymour Hoffman. (Scores and descriptions are taken from metacritic.com.)
21 July: Having yielded to Disney's Pirates, the other major studios are filling the screens of theatres with new releases this weekend -- Lady in the Water (Warner Bros., 35) - M. Night Shyamalan's latest thriller about a bedtime story come to life stars Paul Giamatti and Bryce Dallas Howard. Monster House (Sony, 69) - The creepy-looking motion-capture animation used in The Polar Express finds a more appropriate vehicle in this Steven Spielberg- and Robert Zemeckis-produced adventure about three children who battle an evil house. Clerks II (MGM, 66) - You (well, some of you, at least) have waited 12 years, but your favorite New Jersey store clerks Dante and Randal are back for another day of work in this sequel to writer-director Kevin Smith's debut picture. My Super Ex-Girlfriend (Fox, 54) - A guy learns his girlfriend is a superhero only after dumping her in this Ivan Reitman-directed comedy that stars Luke Wilson, Uma Thurman and Rainn Wilson.
Scheduled for limited release: Once in a Lifetime (Miramax, 66) - It was 1977 and one of New York's most tumultuous and decadent summers. Then, in the midst of blackouts, riots, the Son of Sam serial killer scare and the dawn of Studio 54, came an entirely unexpected moment of inspiration: the rise of the New York Cosmos, America's first great soccer team, and its larger-than-life superstar, Pelé. Suddenly embraced by a city obsessed with celebrity and flamboyance, the Cosmos kicked off America's first passionate love affair with the world's most popular sport & found themselves swept up in a careening path of glory, glamour, debauchery and controversy. The Amateurs (Bauer Martinez) - A man (Jeff Bridges) in the midst of his mid-life crisis somehow convinces the residents of his small town to come together and make an adult film. Find a nice cool theater and beat the heat this weekend! (Scores and descriptions are taken from metacritic.com.)
28 July: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest continued its lead at the box office last weekend, hauling in another $35.2 million. Opening in theaters this week: The Ant Bully (Warner Bros., 60) - An animated comedy about ants? Brilliant! That hasn't been done in at least a few years. This one does boast a big-name voice cast, including Meryl Streep, Nicolas Cage, Julia Roberts, Paul Giamatti, and Lily Tomlin, and it's based on the book by John Nickle. John Tucker Must Die (Fox, 29) - When three high school girls discover that they are dating the same guy, they plot their revenge. Ashanti stars. Miami Vice (Universal, 63) - Who better to adapt the iconic 1980s television series for a new medium (and decade) than the man who created it -- make that the Michael Mann who created it. Jamie Foxx seems a good choice for Ricardo Tubbs, but we still prefer Don Johnson to Colin Farrell as Sonny Crockett. Watch for Woody Allen's Scoop (Universal, 49) in selected theatres. Allen returns to the city of London -- and star Scarlett Johansson -- for this romantic comedy about a visiting student journalist who uncovers a murder mystery and falls in love. The cast also includes Hugh Jackman, Ian McShane and Allen himself.
Also in limited release: Little Miss Sunshine (Fox Searchlight, 75) - Steve Carell, Greg Kinnear, Toni Collette, and Alan Arkin star in an indie comedy about an unlikely road trip, a popular favorite at 2006's Sundance festival. Brothers of the Head (Fuse Network, 75) - Conjoined twins grow up to become unlikely punk rock stars in this adaptation of the novel by Brian Aldiss. Another Gay Movie (TLA Releasing, 35) - This teen comedy spoof features a group of gay protagonists, including Scott Thompson. America: Freedom to Fascism (Cinema Libre, 26) - Aaron Russo's documentary suggests an erosion of civil liberties caused by recent actions of various branches of the federal government. (Scores and descriptions are taken from metacritic.com.)
4 August: Miami Vice repelled Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest at the box office last weekend with gross receipts of $25.7 million. Pirates still took in another $20.6 million, raising its ticket sales to $358.5 million -- the most ever for a Disney movie. Scheduled for nationwide release this weekend: Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (Columbia, 67) - The team behind Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy turns their focus to the world of NASCAR. Will Farrell, John C. Reilly and Sacha Baron Cohen head the cast. The Night Listener (Miramax, 59) - This "thriller of the heart" is largely inspired by an extraordinary, unsettling true-life chain of events. Robin Williams, Toni Collette star, supported by Sandra Oh, John Cullum and Rory Culkin star. The Descent (Lions Gate, 74) - One year after a tragic accident, six girlfriends meet in a remote part of the Appalachians for their annual extreme outdoor adventure, in this case the exploration of a cave hidden deep in the woods. Far below the surface of the earth, disaster strikes, and there's no way out. But there is something else lurking under the earth. Barnyard: The Original Party Animals (Paramount, 45) - Kevin James, Sam Elliott, Danny Glover, Courteney Cox, Wanda Sykes, and Andie MacDowell voice a hilarious look at what really happens in a barnyard when the farmer's back is turned.
Looking for limited release this weekend: Quinceañera (Sony Pictures Classics, 70) - Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland's film looks at what happens when teenage sexuality, age-old rituals and real estate prices collide. It is a story fueled by the racial, class and sexual tensions of Echo Park, a Latino neighborhood in transition. And, finally, Boynton Beach Club (Roadside Attractions, 57) - Joseph Bologna, Dyan Cannon, Len Cariou, Sally Kellerman, Michael Nouri, Brenda Vaccaro, Renée Taylor, and Mal Z. Lawrence are featured in this romantic comedy about our amazing capacity to rebound and fall in love -- at any age. Susan Seidelman co-wrote and directs. So, find a nice cool cinema and take in a flick this weekend. (Scores and descriptions are taken from metacritic.com.)
11 August: Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby lapped the field last weekend, earning $47 million. Here's a look at what's new in theaters this weekend: Oliver Stone's World Trade Center (Paramount, 66) - This 9/11 drama has a narrow dramatic focus: the rescue of two police officers (Nicolas Cage, Michael Pena) trapped in the rubble of one of the collapsed towers. Zoom (Columbia, 26) - Faster than you can say "X-Men for kids," Tim Allen, Courteney Cox Arquette, and Chevy Chase star in a comedy about an academy for young superheroes. Pulse (Dimension, 70) - Small-screeners Kristen Bell ("Veronica Mars") and Ian Somerhalder ("Lost") star in this Wes Craven-penned techno-horror film, which --surprise, surprise --is a remake of a Japanese thriller. And Step Up (Buena Vista, 48) - Can an angry teen rebel in trouble with the law be saved by, and find love in, the world of ballet? Yes.
Slated for limited release: Conversations with Other Women (Fabrication Films, 62) - Helena Bonham Carter and Aaron Eckhart star in a romantic character study presented entirely in split-screen. Poster Boy (Regent Releasing, 38) - A conservative U.S. Senator discovers that his son is gay during a re-election campaign in this indie drama from director Zak Tucker. The House of Sand (Sony Pictures Classics, 73) - This drama traces the life of a woman who lives in the barren desert of northern Brazil. And, finally, Half Nelson (ThinkFilm, 86) - A drug-addled junior high school teacher (Ryan Gosling) becomes an unlikely mentor to the student (Shareeka Epps) who discovers his secret. Not too excited about what's out there now? Don't worry. You only have to wait until the 18th for Snakes on a Plane! (Scores and descriptions are taken from metacritic.com.)
18 August: Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby continued its lead at the box office for another week, bringing in an additional $22 million.Scheduled to open in general release this weekend: The Illusionist (Yari Film Group, 71) - Edward Norton stars as a magician in a romantic drama set in turn-of-the-(previous)-century Vienna. Jessica Biel and Paul Giamatti also star. Trust the Man (Fox Searchlight, 44) - Bart Freundlich directs real-life wife Julianne Moore, David Duchovny, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Billy Crudup in this dramedy about two wealthy New York City couples. Snakes on a Plane (New Line, 59) - While its absurd premise and even more absurd (albeit forthright) title has generated a cult following well before the movie's release, this Samuel L. Jackson action pic (which, yes, really is about snakes on a plane) may have a much harder time winning fans based on merit. Accepted (Universal, 45) - Here's some advice to you high school seniors out there: If you can't get into the college of your choice, simply open your own fake university. That's the premise behind this teen comedy from screenwriter-turned-director Steve Pink. And, Material Girls (MGM, 17) - Hilary Duff and Haylie Duff are cosmetics heiresses who must take charge of the family company after a scandal threatens their fortune... you know, the sort of thing you'd like to see happen to Paris Hilton in real life.
Look for these films in limited release: Factotum (IFC Films, 71) - Matt Dillon stars in an adaptation of the semi-autobiographical novel by Charles Bukowski. Queens (Regent Releasing, 49) - Five mothers prepare for their sons to get hitched at a mass gay wedding. 10th & Wolf (ThinkFilm, 38) - The true story of undercover FBI agent Donnie Brasco -- previously depicted in the appropriately titled Donnie Brasco -- is the inspiration for this mob movie set in Philadelphia. James Marsden, Giovanni Ribisi, and Val Kilmer head the cast. (Scores and descriptions are taken from metacritic.com.)
25 August: Snakes on a Plane can advertise that it's the #1 movie in America this week; it grossed $15.2 million, despite an Arizona incident in which a rattlesnake was released in a cinema showing the film. Here's what you can look forward to this weekend in general release: Invincible (Disney/Buena Vista, 66) - Inspired by the true story of Vince Papale, Mark Wahlberg portrays a man with nothing to lose who ignored the staggering odds and made his dream of playing professional football come true. Idlewild (Universal/HBO Films, 52) - Set against the backdrop of a 1930s southern speakeasy, Idlewild explores the lives of Percival (André Benjamin), the club's shy piano player, and Rooster (Antwan A. Patton), the club's showy lead performer and manager. Bryan Barber's film synthesizes drama, music, cinema and style to bring the tale of struggling singers to life. Beerfest (Warner Bros., 45) - The Broken Lizard comedy group returns to the big screen in a new comedy that proves revenge, like beer, is best served cold. How to Eat Fried Worms (New Line, 61) - Based on the hugely popular Thomas Rockwell book, this film tells the classic story of a boy whose bravado lands him in a difficult predicament.
In limited release, look for The Quiet (Sony Picture Classics, 32) - Popular cheerleader Nina Deer's (Elisha Cuthbert) world is turned upside down when her parents (Edie Falco and Martin Donovan) adopt a recently orphaned deaf girl, Dot (Camilla Belle). But in this suburban home, things are not what they seem. Dot's arrival puts a crack in Nina's idyllic social life and the dark secrets her family harbors soon become exposed. (Scores and descriptions are taken from metacritic.com.)
1 September: Disney's Invincible earned a better-than-expected $17 million to lead at the box office last weekend. Scheduled to open nationwide over the Labor Day weekend: Crank (Lions Gate, 56) - Imagine Speed where the bus is replaced by a person, and you have this thriller about a man (Jason Statham) who has been poisoned in such a way that he will die unless he can keep his adrenaline level high. We're certain that happens all the time in real life. The Wicker Man (Warner Bros., 38) - Nicolas Cage stars in Neil LaBute's remake of the 1970s cult classic thriller about a cop searching for a missing girl on a small, creepy island. Crossover (Sony, 32) - This drama follows two high school basketball stars who have differing dreams for their futures.
Look for these films that are opening in limited release: This Film Is Not Yet Rated (IFC, 77) - Actually, Kirby Dick's documentary about the MPAA's secretive and controversial ratings determination process is [Rated NC-17] (LA/NY). Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles (Qian li zou dan qi) (Sony Pictures Classics, 68) - Director Zhang Yimou (Hero, House of Flying Daggers) takes a break from acrobatic martial arts spectacles with this drama about a Japanese man who visits China with his dying son. Lassie (Genius Products Inc., 84) - This new British take on Lassie is set just before the outbreak of WWII. Samantha Morton and Peter O'Toole star (neither one as the dog, mind you). (Scores and descriptions are taken from metacritic.com.)
8 September: Disney's Invincible continued to lead at the box office, grossing an additional $15.4 million last weekend. Scheduled to open in US theaters this weekend: The Covenant (Screen Gems, 18) - Renny Harlin's horror film centers on four prep school students with special powers. We're not sure how those powers will affect their SAT scores. Hollywoodland (Focus Features, 62) - Adrien Brody and Ben Affleck star in this biopic about a detective who investigates the mysterious death of George Reeves, the star of the original "Superman" television series. Allen Coulter directs. The Protector (Dragon Dynasty, 51) - In this Thai action pic set in Australia, Ong Bak star Tony Jaa must rescue a pair of elephants that have been stolen by a crime syndicate.
And look for these films in limited release: Idiocracy (Fox, 59) - The Pentagon selects Army soldier and average American Joe Bowers (Owen Wilson) as its guinea pig for a top-secret program. Zapped 1,000 years into the future, Bowers encounters a society in which he's easily the smartest person around. Directed by Mike Judge. [Limited] Sherrybaby (IFC Films, 67) - Maggie Gyllenhaal stars as a drug addict who tries to regain custody of her daughter after serving a three-year prison sentence. Laurie Collyer directs. [LA/NY] (Scores and descriptions are taken from metacritic.com.)
15 September: The Covenant led a disappointing week at the US box office, grossing $8.85 million in its opening week. There are quite a few new releases vying for your dollar this weekend: Gridiron Gang (Columbia, 52) - The Rock stars as real-life probation officer Sean Porter, who organized a group of gang members into a competitive high school football team. Everyone's Hero (Fox, 52) - A young boy goes on a journey to retrieve Babe Ruth's stolen bat in this G-rated animated adventure, originally slated to be directed by Christopher Reeve and finished by Colin Brady. The Black Dahlia (Universal, 52) - Brian De Palma directs Josh Hartnett, Scarlett Johansson, Aaron Eckhart and Hilary Swank in this film noir about the infamous unsolved Hollywood murder, based on James Ellroy's novel which comes from the same series that spawned L.A. Confidential. The Last Kiss (DreamWorks SKG, 58) - A group of 30-somethings -- led by Zach Braff -- muddle their way through relationships in this drama written by Paul Haggis. Confetti (Fox Searchlight, 55) - Three couples battle it out to win the honor of having the "Most Original Wedding of the Year."
And look for these pictures in limited release: The U.S. vs. John Lennon (Lions Gate, 70) - A documentary on the life of John Lennon, with a focus on the time in his life when he transformed from a musician into an antiwar activist. [LA/NY] The Ground Truth (Focus Features, 72) - A documentary on a group of Iraq war veterans, from their recruitment and missions through their return home and different experiences with reacclimating to everyday life. Haven (Freestyle Releasing, 36) - Acting on a tip, a shady businessman (Bill Paxton) grabs his daughter (Agnes Bruckner) and flees to the Cayman Islands to avoid the feds. Their fate is tied to that of a local guy (Orlando Bloom) who is destined to commit a crime that will rock the nation. Aurora Borealis (Regent Releasing, 58) - When his grandfather (Donald Sutherland) falls ill, slacker Duncan Shorter (Joshua Jackson) takes a job as the handyman of his grandparents' building so he can be close to them. His slow maturation is assisted by the home nurse (Juliette Lewis) who is hired as the old codger's therapist. And, finally, Beer League (Echo Bridge, xx) - A crass, unemployed, freeloading slacker (Artie Lange) leads his softball teammates in a loser-walks showdown against their archenemies. (Scores and descriptions are taken from metacritic.com and The Internet Movie Database.)
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22 September: Gridiron Gang rocked at the box office this past weekend, grossing $14.4 million. Here's what's coming to a cinema near you: All the King's Men (Columbia, 38) - Steven Zaillian's adaptation of Robert Penn Warren's Pulitzer-winning novel about corruption in Southern politics stars Sean Penn, Jude Law and Kate Winslet. It was already once made into an Oscar®-winning drama, but if you trust the critics, it doesn't appear that lightning will strike twice. Flyboys (MGM, 52) - James Franco dons a military uniform once again for this based-on-a-true-story look at WWI fighter pilots. Jackass: Number Two (Paramount, 67) - Johnny Knoxville & co. return for more gross-out stunts in this Jackass sequel. Fearless (Rogue Pictures, 66) - Or call it "Jet Li's Retirement." The star's allegedly final martial arts epic is set in early 20th century China.
In limited release, look for The Science of Sleep (Warner Independent Pictures, 72) - Writer-director Michel Gondry's visually adventurous drama explores the boundaries of dreamlife and reality. Gael García Bernal stars. American Hardcore (Sony Pictures Classics, 74) - This documentary about the 1980s hardcore punk scene in America focuses on bands such as Bad Brains, Minor Threat, Black Flag and the Circle Jerks. Renaissance (Miramax, 58) - A black-and-white, R-rated animated thriller from France, Renaissance follows a Parisian cop on the trail of a missing person in a dystopian future. And, finally, Feast (Miramax, 41) - If you watched the last, best season of "Project Greenlight," then you've been waiting for (or perhaps dreading) this low-budget, John Gulager-directed horror flick for quite some time. If you don't have that back story, however, you may not be quite so enthusiastic.
29 September: Jackass Number Two was the box-office leader in its opening weekend, grossing over $29 million in the US. Here's what you can look forward to this weekend: The Guardian (Disney, 51) - The Guardian will no doubt occupy one of the top slots on your list of all-time favorite Coast Guard movies. Of course, if you can name another Coast Guard movie, you are already one ahead of us. Ashton Kutcher and Kevin Costner star. (You'd think after Waterworld, the latter would prefer to stay dry.) Open Season (Columbia, 50) - Yes, we get it: CGI animals with celebrity voices. Funny stuff. Of course, this Ashton Kutcher- and Martin Lawrence-starring comedy about a group of wild animals who team up to go after a hunter marks Sony Pictures' first foray into computer animation, so in that sense, at least, it's original. School for Scoundrels (MGM, 48) - Old School director Todd Phillips' remake of the 1960 British comedy finds confidence-building-class student Jon Heder and teacher Billy Bob Thornton competing over the same woman. Ben Stiller, David Cross, and Sarah Silverman also appear.
In limited release, look for The Last King of Scotland (Fox Searchlight Pictures, 77) - Forest Whitaker is already drawing raves from critics and film festival-goers for his portrayal of brutal Ugandan dictator Idi Amin, who in this thriller (based on the novel) tangles with a Scottish doctor visiting on a medical mission.
Jesus Camp (Magnolia, 59) - This documentary from the directors of The Boys of Baraka examines an Evangelical Christian summer camp in North Dakota. (By the way: Jesus Camp? Nothing at all like Band Camp). Facing the Giants (Carmel Ent. Group, xx) - After six losing seasons, Grant Taylor (Alex Kendrick) realizes there's a plot to have him fired as coach of Shiloh Academy's football team, the Shiloh Eagles. Relying on his faith, Coach Taylor comes up with a new, winning plan for his life, and for his team. A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints (First Look, 68) - Robert Downey Jr. stars as a writer who is called back to his Queens home, where he flashes back to his troubled teen years. Dito Montiel directs from his own memoir. (Scores and descriptions are taken from metacritic.com and The Internet Movie Database.)
6 October: Open Season was tops at last weekend's box office, netting $23.6 million in the US. If you're a teenage boy, you're due for another week in Movie Nirvana with two of this week's scheduled releases: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (New Line, 40) - Are you interested in how Leatherface, the original TCM baddie, grew up? Then this prequel's for you. Employee of the Month (Lions Gate, 57) - Comedian Dane Cook stars in a comedy about the employees of a Sam's Club-esque warehouse store. For serious moviegoers, there's The Departed (Warner Bros., 87) - It's the cops vs. the Mafia (with undercover agents on both sides) in Martin Scorsese's Oscar®-seeking remake of Infernal Affairs. Leonardo DiCaprio, Jack Nicholson, and Matt Damon head a typically strong cast.
In limited release, look for The Queen (Miramax, 90) - Stephen Frears directs this look at Elizabeth II (Helen Mirren) and Tony Blair coping with the death of Princess Diana. And, So Goes the Nation (IFC Films, 66) - A documentary look at campaigning in Ohio during the 2004 elections. [LA/NYC] (Scores and descriptions are taken from metacritic.com
13 October: Martin Scorsese's new thriller The Departed opened strong at the box office last weekend, grossing almost $27 million in the US. Here's what you can look forward to at your local cinema this weekend: The Grudge 2 (Columbia, 34) - Amber Tamblyn co-stars with Sarah Michelle Gellar in this horror sequel. Man of the Year (Universal, 39) - Imagine "The Daily Show"'s Jon Stewart running for President, and you get the gist of this Robin Williams comedy. Of course, it would probably be funnier if Jon Stewart actually starred. Barry Levinson directs. The Marine (Fox, 39) - Pro wrestler John Cena stars as an Iraq War veteran who must save his kidnapped wife from an evil gang leader.
Look for these films in limited release: Shortbus (ThinkFilm, 65) - Hedwig and the Angry Inch writer-director John Cameron Mitchell follows that musical with a New York-set ensemble comedy that happens to include quite a bit of real, graphic, on-camera sex. Infamous (Warner Bros., 70) - This film follows the dangerous quest for artistic greatness chosen by Truman Capote (Toby Jones) as he travels to Kansas to investigate the brutal murder of the Clutter family, accompanied by lifelong friend and Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Nelle Harper Lee (Sandra Bullock). Little Children (New Line, 73) - This adaptation about Tom Perrotta's suburban novel stars Kate Winslet and Jennifer Connelly. Deliver Us from Evil (Lions Gate, 86) - This controversial documentary is the story of Father Oliver O'Grady, the most notorious pedophile in the history of the modern Roman Catholic Church. (Alex Rider: Operation) Stormbreaker (Weinstein Co., 32) - Alex Rider (Alex Pettyfer) is a normal teenager who lives with his uncle, a nondescript bank manager. Or so it seems until his uncle, Ian Rider (Ewan McGregor), disappears under mysterious circumstances. Alex soon learns that his uncle was a spy for Britain's secret intelligence service (MI6), and he is recruited to take on a dangerous mission for them. Within days he's gone from schoolboy to super spy -- but will Alex's first assignment be his last? Driving Lessons (Sony Pictures Classics, 61) - An intensely personal rites of passage story about the influence that an older actress (Julie Walters) has on an awkward young teenager (Rupert Grint), the son of a vicar, when he goes to work as her assistant. [LA/NYC] (Scores and descriptions are taken from metacritic.com)
20 October: The Grudge 2 had a successful US opening last weekend, leading all other features with gross sales of $20.8 million. These films are scheduled to open nationwide in the US this weekend: Flags of Our Fathers (DreamWorks SKG, 83) - Clint Eastwood's WWII drama focuses on the battle of Iwo Jima and the fates of the six American flag-raisers immortalized in the famous photograph taken there in 1945. It will be followed next year by a second film that tells the story from the Japanese perspective. Running with Scissors (Sony Pictures Entertainment, 45) - Annette Bening, Brian Cox, Joseph Fiennes, Evan Rachel Wood, Alec Baldwin, Joseph Cross, Jill Clayburgh, Gwyneth Paltrow, Gabrielle Union, and Patrick Wilson star in this hilarious and poignant feature film based on the personal memoir by Augusten Burroughs. The film chronicles Augusten's survival under the most extraordinary of circumstances. The Prestige (Newmarket Films, 60) - Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale and Scarlett Johansson star in Christopher Nolan's period drama about rival magicians. Did we mention that David Bowie co-stars as scientist Nikola Tesla? The Nightmare Before Christmas (Touchstone Home Video, 75) - Tim Burton and director Henry Selick are among the collaborators working on the digital remastering of their classic film, which Disney will release in 3-D for Halloween. Look for this to become an annual event, as some cities already screen the film for costumed fans every year. Yay for collectable 3-D glasses! Boo for a revamped soundtrack featuring Fall Out Boy! Marie Antoinette (Columbia, 69) - Sofia Coppola's follow-up to Lost in Translation is quite a departure from that indie character piece: a larger ($40 million) budget, stylized costume drama about the 18th century French teen ruler and cake-eating-encourager. Kirsten Dunst and Jason Schwartzman star. Flicka (20th Century-Fox, 57) - Alison Lohman and Tim McGraw star in a new adaptation of May O'Hara's classic horse novel My Friend Flicka. Sleeping Dogs Lie (Roadside Attractions, 68) - Bobcat Goldthwait has written and directed a story that adeptly explores honesty, family, forgiveness and courage. By frankly probing our relationships and idealization of the absolute virtues of honesty, Sleeping Dogs Lie is a funny and perceptive dark comedy. (Scores and descriptions are taken from metacritic.com)
27 October: The Presige was the most successful movie last week, netting $14.8 million in its first week of general release in the US. Here's what you can look forward to seeing this coming weekend in a cinema near you: Saw III (Lionsgate, 44) - If you haven't been able to satisfy your gruesome torture fix by watching Saw, Saw II, and the nightly news, then this third installment might tide you over for a while. Catch a Fire (Focus Features, 62) - Tim Robbins stars in Phillip Noyce's 1980s-set thriller based on the true story of a South African freedom fighter.
And, in limited release, look for Babel (Paramount Vantage, 71) - In the remote sands of the Moroccan desert, a rifle shot rings out -- detonating a chain of events that will link an American tourist couple's frantic struggle to survive, two Moroccan boys involved in an accidental crime, a nanny illegally crossing into Mexico with two American children and a Japanese teen rebel whose father is sought by the police in Tokyo. Death of a President (Newmarket Films, 49) - This film follows the investigation of the fictional assassination of President George W. Bush in October 2007. Combining real archival footage with a credible but fictional story, it presents a fascinating and thought-provoking political thriller. Shut Up & Sing (The Weinstein Co.) - Anti-Bush comments made by lead singer Natalie Maines at a 2003 Dixie Chicks concert result in a tumultuous three-year period for the Dallas-based band. Barbara Kopple and Cecilia Peck direct this documentary. (Film scores and plot descriptions are from metacritic.com.)
3 November: Saw III was the leading grosser in US cinemas last weekend with $33.6 million in pre-Halloween receipts. Here's what you might find at a local cinema this coming weekend: Volver (Sony Pictures Classics, 86) - Penélope Cruz gives a widely-lauded performance in the latest emotional dramedy from Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar. The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (Buena Vista, 32) - Well, at least there's some good news implied in that title: this is probably the last time we have to see Tim Allen don the Santa suit. Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (20th Century-Fox, 89) - For those of you still not in on the joke, Borat Sagdiyev is the Kazakhstani television reporter portrayed by Sacha Baron Cohen on his "Da Ali G Show." Borat the movie plays out like an extended version of one of that program's skits (not that there's anything wrong with that), with Borat trekking across the U.S., encountering real people and real celebrities. Flushed Away (DreamWorks, 74) - This computer-animated co-production of DreamWorks and England's Aardman Animations takes place in the sewers of London, with Hugh Jackman, Kate Winslet and Ian McKellen providing some of the voices.
Looks like a good weekend to catch a new release. (Film scores and plot descriptions are from metacritic.com.)
10 November: Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan made benefit glorious studio of Fox last week, leading the box office race with opening weekend earnings of $26.5 million in the US. Here's what you might find opening at your local cinema this weekend: Stranger Than Fiction (Sony, 66) - It sounds like a Charlie Kaufman story, but Zach Helm wrote the screenplay for this absurdist comedy about an IRS employee (Will Ferrell, in an atypical role) who begins hearing the voice of a narrator describing the events of his life and discovers that he is a character in a novel in progress. Maggie Gyllenhaal, Emma Thompson and Dustin Hoffman co-star. The Return (Rogue Pictures, 36) - Sarah Michelle Gellar stars as a Midwestern woman with visions of a murder in a spooky supernatural thriller that marks the American debut of British director Asif Kapadia. A Good Year (Fox 2000, 47) - A change of pace for director Ridley Scott, this romantic comedy centers on a disgraced businessman (Russell Crowe) who moves to Provençe when he inhertis a small vineyard there. Albert Finney and Marion Cotillard co-star. Harsh Times (Bauer Martinez, 56) - Christian Bale and Freddy Rodriguez star in a drama about an ex-Army Ranger who falls into a life of crime when he returns home to Los Angeles. Written and directed by David Ayer.
Look for these films in limited release: Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus (Picturehouse, 51) - This film creates a ravishing imaginary portrait of the visionary artist Diane Arbus. Much as an actual Arbus photo transports us into strange and unfamiliar worlds, Fur travels through the looking glass to explore the transformation of a shy woman into a powerfully original artist. Steven Shainberg directs Nicole Kidman, Robert Downey Jr., Ty Burrell, Harris Yulin, Jane Alexander, Emmy Clarke, and Genevieve McCarthy. Fuck (ThinkFilm, 61) - A definitive look at the infamous expletive, this film explores how this oft-used word, still widely seen as obscene, somehow permeates every aspect of our culture - from Hollywood, to the schoolyard, to the Senate floor in Washington, D.C., where it is at the very center of the ongoing debate on free speech. Copying Beethoven (MGM, 61) - In this romantic period piece set in Vienna, a young music student and aspiring composer (Diane Kruger) accepts a job as a copyist for Ludwig von Beethoven (Ed Harris) as he works to complete his latest symphony. Agnieszka Holland directs. (Film scores and plot descriptions are from metacritic.com.)
17 November: Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan maintained its lead at the box office this past weekend, grossing another $28.3 million in the US. Here are a few of the features scheduled to open across the country this weekend: Casino Royale (Sony, 80) - After earning his license to kill, MI6 dispatches James Bond (Daniel Craig) to Madagascar to track a terrorist. The spy soon expands his search to include an entire terrorist cell, tipping off an adventure that leads him into a Montenegro casino, where his organization backs him in a marathon game against Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen), a banker to international terrorist organizations. Martin Campbell directs; also featuring Eva Green, Judi Dench, Jeffrey Wright and Giancarlo Giannini. Fast Food Nation (Fox Searchlight, 65) - A marketing executive (Greg Kinnear) for a fast food giant travels to the Colorado town that's home to feedlots and packing plant that fuel his business. His goal: to quietly investigate whether cow manure has found its way into his product. Richard Linklater directs a cast that also features Bruce Willis and Catalina Sandino Moreno. Happy Feet (Warner Bros., 77) - Into the world of the Emperor Penguins, who find their soul mates through song, a penguin named Mumble (voiced by Elijah Wood) is ashamed by the fact that he cannot sing. However, he can tap dance something fierce, but how does this fit into his society? George Miller directs this animated comedy that also features the voices of Robin Williams, Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman, Brittany Murphy and Hugo Weaving. Let's Go to Prison (Universal, xx) - A career criminal (Dax Shepard) and a rich snob (Will Arnett) are brought together in a cell in a maximum-security prison. Bob Odenkirk directs.
In limited release, look for The Aura (IFC FirstTake, 74) - A loner taxidermist (Ricardo Darin) obsessed with the idea of committing the perfect crime seizes an opportunity after he accidentally kills a motel owner (Manuel Rodal) that may or may not have been on the level. Written and directed by Fabián Bielinsky. Come Early Morning (Bold Films, 64) - Lucy (Ashley Judd), a hard-drinking, blue collar woman whose life has dissolved into a series of one-night stands, confronts her issues after meeting a newcomer to town (Jeffrey Donovan) who challenges her to consider a healthy relationship with him. Joey Lauren Adams writes and directs a cast that also features Diane Ladd, Ray McKinnon and Tim Blake Nelson. Candy (ThinkFilm, 61) - A poet (Heath Ledger) falls in love with an art student (Abbie Cornish) who gravitates to his bohemian lifestyle -- and his love of heroin. Hooked as much on one another as they are on the drug, their relationship alternates between states of oblivion, self-destruction, and despair. Written and directed by Neil Armfield. [NYC] (Film scores are from metacritic.com, and plot descriptions come from the Internet Movie DataBase.)
22 November: Agent 007 did not rule the US box office last weekend. Instead, it was Happy Feet that led the pack with over $41.5 million in ticket sales. Casino Royale followed with just over $40.8 million. The studios are advancing their releases for the upcoming Thanksgiving Day weekend. Opening on Wednesday, the 22nd are Déjà Vu (Buena Vista, 60) - ATF agent Doug Carlin (Denzel Washington) is introduced to a secret government agency in order to prevent the crime he's working on - an explosion aboard a New Orleans ferry - from ever happening. Tony Scott directs. The Fountain (Warner Bros., 50) - As a 16th-century conquistador, Tom (Hugh Jackman) discovers the Tree of Life. He spends the next 1,000 years searching for a way to save his love, Izzi (Rachel Weisz), as he begins to develop an understanding of the mysteries that have plagued him for centuries. Written and directed by Darren Aronofsky. Bobby (MGM, 52) - Part fact and part fiction, the story of U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy's assassination is told via the intertwining lives of people who were present at Los Angeles' Ambassador Hotel in the hours leading up to the event. Emilio Estevez wrote the script, and he directs a cast that includes Anthony Hopkins, Demi Moore, Sharon Stone, Harry Belafonte, Laurence Fishburne, Heather Graham, Helen Hunt, Lindsay Lohan, Martin Sheen, Elijah Wood and William H. Macy. Tenacious D: The Pick of Destiny (New Line, 55) - In Venice Beach, naive Midwesterner JB (Jack Black) bonds with local slacker KG (Kyle Glass) and they form the rock band Tenacious D. Trying to become the world's greatest band is no easy feat, so they scheme to steal what could be the answer to their prayers -- a magical guitar pick housed in a rock-and-roll museum some 300 miles away. Directed by Liam Lynch. Deck the Halls (Fox, 28) - Near Christmas, a friendly neighborhood dad (Matthew Broderick) goes beserk after the new guy on the block (Danny DeVito) decorates his family's house so outrageously that it can be seen from space. John Whitesell directs.
In limited release, you can see The History Boys (Fox Searchlight, 72) - During the 1980s, at a boys' grammar school in the north of England, bright, unruly students pursue sex, sport, and college degrees, guided all along by a pair of teachers with contrasting styles. Nicholas Hytner directs the London/Broadway cast in this film version of the Tony Award-winning play. Inconscientes (Unconscious) (Regent Releasing) - Danger, love, and hypnosis await Alma (Leonor Watling) as she enlists her brother-in-law, Salvador (Luis Tosar), to help find her missing husband. Co-written and directed by Joaquín Oristrell.
And, on Friday the 24th, look for For Your Consideration (Warner Independent Pictures, 71) in limited release. Three actors (Catherine O'Hara, Parker Posey, and Harry Shearer) learn their respective performances in the film Home for Purim, a drama set in the mid-1940s American South, are generating award-season buzz. A documentary crew captures all the excitement. Written by Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy; directed by Guest. (Film scores are from metacritic.com, and plot descriptions come from the Internet Movie DataBase.)
1 December: Last week's box office leader continued to be Happy Feet, with another $37 million in US business. Here's what to look forward to in theatres this weekend: The Nativity Story (New Line Cinema, 52) - Keisha Castle-Hughes, Oscar Isaac and Shohreh Aghdashloo star in Catherine Hardwicke's film of how Mary and Joseph's love, faith, and beliefs are tested by her miraculous pregnancy, and the birth of their son. 10 Items or Less (ThinkFilm, 54) - In Carson, California to research a potential role, a fading actor (Morgan Freeman) meets a fastidious grocery store clerk (Paz Vega). A wrinkle in his plan causes him to rely on her for a ride back to Brentwood, where their tentative bond slowly begins to resemble a new friendship. Written and directed by Brad Silberling. Van Wilder 2: The Rise of Taj (MGM, 22) - Taj Mahal Badalandabad (Kai Penn) leaves Coolidge College behind for the halls of Camford University, where he looks to continue his education, and teach an uptight student how to make the most out of his academic career. Mort Nathan directs. Turistas (Fox Atomic, 36) - Stranded in a Brazilian beach town, a group of backpackers are first trapped by a military group and then used to carry out their mysterious agenda.
Here's what you might see in limited release: 3 Needles (Covington USA, 48) - A three-paneled look at the worldwide AIDS crisis: in Montreal, a porn actor (Shawn Ashmore) schemes to pass his mandatory blood test; a young nun (Chloë Sevigny) makes a personal sacrifice for the benefit of a South African village; in rural China, a black market operative (Lucy Liu) posing as a goverment-sanctioned blood drawer jeopardizes an entire village's safety. Written and directed by Thom Fitzgerald. Two Weeks (MGM, 41) - Four siblings rush to their dying mother's bedside, a situation that allows them to work on their familial issues as her farewell is lasting longer than anyone imagined. Written and directed by Steve Stockman. (Film scores are from metacritic.com, and plot descriptions come from the Internet Movie DataBase.)
8 December: Those singing (and dancing) penguins continued to be #1 at the US box office last weekend. Happy Feet grossed another $17.5 million in US business. Look for these features at a theatre near you: The Holiday (Sony, 62) - Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, and Jack Black star in a romantic comedy about an English woman and American woman who decide to solve their man troubles by temporarily swapping homes. Since this is a movie, it works. Apocalypto (Buena Vista, 78) - Mel Gibson's violent epic about the decline of the Mayan civilization is his first film since the mega-success of The Passion of the Christ... and his first since his notorious drunk driving arrest. Whether either of those events (or the fact that Apocalypto, like Passion, is in an obscure language) factor into the box office results of this film remain to be seen. Blood Diamond (Warner Bros., 69) - Edward Zwick's latest issue movie addresses the impact of diamond mining (hint: it's not positive) on the people of Sierra Leone. Leonardo DiCaprio and Djimon Hounsou star. Unaccomanied Minors (Warner Bros., 43) - What if a group of five children were stranded in a snowed-in airport on Christmas Eve... would that be something that interests you? What if we also told you that there were both hijinks and misadventures? TV director Paul Feig ("Freaks & Geeks") directs. Off the Black (ThinkFilm, 67) - A coming-of-age story of teenager Dave Tibbel (Trevor Morgan) who copes with his own distant father (Timothy Hutton) by forming an unlikely friendship with a disheveled, irascible high school umpire, Ray Cooke (Nick Nolte). As they grow more dependent on each other, Ray asks Dave to go to his 40th high school reunion and pretend to be his son, a benevolent act of deception that winds up opening unexpected dimensions in the two men.
And, in limited release on the 26th, look for Derecho de familia (Family Law) (IFC First Take, 63) - Ariel Perelman (Daniel Hendler) is an attorney, like his father (Arturo Goetz). And, because it is customary in Argentina to do so, the people refer to them both as Dr. Perelman -- regardless of whether they mean the father or the son. Yet it is not so much sharing the same name that bothers Perelman Junior as not knowing if he is beginning to look just like his father -- or at least, the exact opposite. Daniel Burman writes and directs this Argentinian release. (Film scores and plot descriptions are from metacritic.com.)
15 December: Mel Gibson's Apocalypto surprised the pundits by claiming the box office title last weekend with a $15 million opening weekend. Not bad for a movie in Mayan. Here's what scheduled to open nationwide in theatres this coming weekend: Eragon (Fox 2000, 40) - When Eragon (Edward Speieers) finds a polished blue stone in the forest, he thinks it's the lucky discovery of a poor farm boy. But when the stone brings a dragon hatchling, Eragon soon realizes he has stumbled upon a legacy nearly as old as the Empire itself. Can Eragon take up the mantle of the legendary Dragon Riders? The fate of the Empire may rest in his hands. Directed by Stefan Fangmeier. The Pursuit of Happyness (Columbia, 64) - Chris Gardner (Will Smith) is a bright and talented, but marginally employed salesman. Struggling to make ends meet, Gardner finds himself and his five-year-old son evicted from their San Francisco apartment with nowhere to go. When Gardner lands an internship at a prestigious stock brokerage firm, he and his son endure many hardships, including living in shelters, in pursuit of his dream of a better life for the two of them. Directed by Gabriele Muccino. Charlotte's Web (Paramount, 72) - This live-action film, directed by Gary Winick, brings the classic children's story about a frightened pig and his friend the spider to life. The star-studded cast includes Dakota Fanning, Beau Bridges, Ellen Burstyn and the voices of Julia Roberts, Steve Buscemi, Dominic Scott Kay, John Cleese, Oprah Winfrey, Cedric the Entertainer, Kathy Bates, Reba McEntire, André Benjamin, Thomas Haden Church, Jennifer Garner, John Cullum and Robert Redford. (Film scores and plot descriptions are from metacritic.com.)
22 December: Will Smith and The Pursuit of Happyness were the box office leaders last week, debuting with $26.5 million in US sales. Movie openings are somewhat staggered this coming weekend with studios taking advantage of the holiday. Rocky Balboa (MGM, 63) opened on 20 December to surprisingly positive reviews. Sylvester Stallone doesn't just star in this sixth installment of the Rocky series (the first in 16 years), he wrote and directed too. Makes sense; who else would write a screenplay about a 60-year-old boxer? Scheduled to open 22 December are The Good Shepherd (Universal, 65) - The tumultuous early history of the Central Intelligence Agency is viewed through the prism of one man's life in this espionage drama. The film features Matt Damon, Robert De Niro (who also directs), Angelina Jolie, Joe Pesci, John Turturro, Alec Baldwin, William Hurt, Billy Crudup, and Timothy Hutton. (Yeah, that's six Oscar®-winners in the cast!) Night at the Museum (Fox, 44) - In this wild comedy fantasy, a bumbling night watchman (Ben Stiller) at New York's Museum of Natural History inadvertently triggers a dormant curse that fully animates the dioramas, causing Mayans, Romans, Gladiators and cowboys to emerge, not to mention an angry T-Rex. Shawn Levy directs the cast that also includes Carla Gugino, Robin Williams, Owen Wilson, Dick Van Dyke, Steve Coogan, Patrick Gallagher, Ricky Gervais, and Mickey Rooney. We Are Marshall (Warner Bros., 55) - For the team at Marshall University and the small West Virginia community around it, Marshall football is more than just a sport, it's a way of life. So, on a fateful night in 1970, when 75 members of the football team and coaching staff were killed in a plane crash, those left behind struggled to cope with the devastating loss. The grieving families found hope and strength in the leadership of Jack Lengyel (Matthew McConaughey), a young coach who was determined to rebuild Marshall's football program and, in the process, helped to heal a community. Directed by McG; also features Matthew Fox, Anthony Mackie, David Strathairn, Ian McShane, Kate Mara, January Jones, and Kimberly Williams. The Good German (Warner Bros., 52) - George Clooney, Cate Blanchett, and Tobey Maguire star in Steven Soderbergh's black-and-white murder mystery set in Berlin after the conclusion of WWII and shot in the style of 1940s cinema.
  In limited release, look for Letters from Iwo Jima (Warner Bros., 91), Clint Eastwood's companion piece to Flags of Our Fathers. Eastwood presents the untold story of the Japanese soldiers and their general who 61 years ago defended against the invading American forces on the island of Iwo Jima. Features Ken Watanabe, Kazunari Ninomiya, Shido Nakamura, Tsuyoshi Ihara, Ryo Kase, Yuki Matsuzaki, Hiroshi Watanabe, and Takumi Bando [LA/NY]. Venus (Miramax, 83) - An aging English actor finds his life changed by the arrival of a friend's precocious grandniece. Roger Mitchell directs Peter O'Toole and Leslie Phillips [LA/NY]. Man cheng jin dai huang jin jia (Curse of the Golden Flower) (Sony Pictures Classics, 74) - Set in 10th century China, the film portrays the imperial Chinese family rapidly losing internal strength due to a power struggle between the emperor (Yun-Fat Chow), the empress (Li Gong), and the couple's three sons. Directed by Zhang Yimou [LA/NY].
Finally, on Christmas Day, look for the national distribution of Dreamgirls (Paramount/DreamWorks SKG, 74) - Twenty-five years after bringing Broadway audiences to their feet, the Tony Award-winning musical sensation comes to the big screen. Set in the turbulent early 1960s to mid-70s, Dreamgirls follows the rise of a trio of women (Jennifer Hudson, Beyoncé Knowles and Anika Noni Rose) who have formed a promising girl group called The Dreamettes. Bill Condon wrote the screenplay and directs a cast that also includes Jamie Foxx, Eddie Murphy, Danny Glover, Keith Robinson and Sharon Leal. The film opened in LA and NYC last weekend to glowing reviews.
Film scores and plot descriptions are from metacritic.com.
 29 December: Night at the Museum brought in an unexpected $42.2 million at the US box office last weekend to lead all releases. A number of films go into limited release in Los Angeles this week in order to qualify for this year's Awards: Children of Men (25 December: Universal, 87) - Alfonso Cuarón envisages a world one generation from now that has fallen into anarchy on the heels of an infertility defect in the population. The world's youngest citizen has just died at 18, and humankind is facing the likelihood of its own extinction. Set against the backdrop of London torn apart by violence and nationalistic sects, the film follows disillusioned bureaucrat Theo (Clive Owen) as he becomes an unlikely champion of Earth's survival. Notes on a Scandal (27 December: Fox Searchlight, 71) - Based on the novel by Zoe Heller, this psychological thriller portrays two women (Judi Dench & Cate Blanchett) caught up in a drama of need and betrayal. Richard Eyre directs. The Painted Veil (Warner Independent Pictures, 69) - Based on the novel by W. Somerset Maugham and set against the visually stunning backdrop of China during one of its most dramatic periods of upheaval, John Curran's film tells a unique love story of an estranged husband and wife (Edward Norton & Naomi Watts) who find redemption and unexpected grace in a very unlikely place. Pan's Labyrinth (Picturehouse, 98) - Guillermo del Toro delivers a unique, richly-imagined epic, a gothic fairy tale set against the postwar repression of Franco's Spain. Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (DreamWorks SKG, 53) - Based on Patrick Suskind's best-selling novel, Tom Tykwer's film is set in Paris and revolves around an eccentric 18th-century murderer with an extraordinary sense of smell. Features Ben Whishaw, Dustin Hoffman, Alan Rickman, Rachel Hurd-Wood, and John Hurt. Factory Girl (Weinstein Co., 35) - In 1965, young Edie Sedgwick (Sienna Miller) drops out of Harvard and heads to New York City, where she becomes the muse of artist Andy Warhol (Guy Pearce). Directed by George Hickenlooper. Miss Potter (Weinstein Co./MGM, 58) - Chris Noonan directs this story of Beatrix Potter, the author of the beloved and best-selling children's book, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, and her struggle for love, happiness and success. Features Renée Zellweger in the title role with Emily Watson and Ewan McGregor. Arthur et les Minimoys (Arthur and the Invisibles) (Weinstein Co./MGM, 27) - Ten-year-old Arthur (Freddie Highmore), in a bid to save his grandfather's house from being demolished, goes looking for some much-fabled hidden treasure in the land of the Minimoys, a tiny people living in harmony with nature. Luc Besson directs Mia Farrow, Ron Crawford, Penny Balfour and David Bowie (voice).
Film scores and plot descriptions are from metacritic.com and the Internet Movie Database.
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4 January: An American Haunting, Descansos, The Secret Life of Words, Grandma's Boy, BloodRayne, Brokeback Mountain