Movie Listings (January 19, 2007)
Alpha Dog Release Date: January 12, 2007 Run Time: 2 hr. 2 min. Rating: R - pervasive drug use and language, strong violence Cast: Emile Hirsch, Bruce Willis, Ben Foster Director: Nick Cassavetes Genre: Drama Synopsis: Teenage drug dealer Johnny Truelove and his friends kidnap the impressionable younger brother of a junkie who refuses to pay his debt to Truelove. Events take an unexpected turn when Frankie, one of Johnny's pals, befriends the youth. Based on a true story. Arthur and the Invisibles Release Date: December 29, 2006 Run Time: 1 hr. 43 min. Rating: PG - fantasy action and brief suggestive material Cast: Freddie Highmore, Madonna, David Bowie Director: Luc Besson Genre: Family, Sci-Fi/Fantasy Synopsis: From the creative mind of talented filmmaker Luc Besson, comes a larger-than-life, family adventure about a boy who, after his grandfather disappears, sets out to save his family home from emerging real estate developers. Arthur learns that he must follow his grandfather's ancient clues to a vast treasure – and unlock the passageway to a spectacular new world filled with mysterious little people, so tiny they are considered invisible, and enlist their help. But once in the magical land, Arthur must join swords with a beautiful princess and a reckless army of defenders to save the land from the evil wizard. It seems like an impossible task, but as he discovers along the way, sometimes the smallest heroes can make the biggest difference. Blood Diamond Release Date: December 8, 2006 Run Time: 2 hr. 18 min. Rating: R - strong violence and language Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Connelly, Djimon Hounsou Director: Edward Zwick Genre: Action/Adventure, Drama Synopsis: Set against the backdrop of civil war and chaos in 1990's Sierra Leone, Blood Diamond is the story of Danny Archer (Leonardo DiCaprio) - a South African mercenary - and Solomon Vandy (Djimon Hounsou) - a Mende fisherman. Both men are African, but their histories as different as any can be, until their fates become joined in a common quest to recover a rare pink diamond that can transform their lives. While in prison for smuggling, Archer learns that Solomon - who was taken from his family and forced to work in the diamond fields - has found and hidden the extraordinary rough stone. With the help of Maddy Bowen (Jennifer Connelly), an American journalist whose idealism is tempered by a deepening connection with Archer, the two men embark on a trek through rebel territory, a journey that could save Solomon's family and give Archer the second chance he thought he would never have. Casino Royale Release Date: November 17, 2006 Run Time: 2 hr. 24 min. Rating: PG-13 - intense sequences of violent action, a scene of torture, sexual content and nudity Cast: Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Judi Dench Director: Martin Campbell Genre: Action/Adventure Synopsis: After receiving a license to kill, British Secret Service agent James Bond (Daniel Craig) heads to Madagascar, where he uncovers a link to Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen), a man who finances terrorist organizations. Learning that Le Chiffre plans to raise money in a high-stakes poker game, MI6 sends Bond to play against him, gambling that their newest "00" operative will topple the man's organization. Based on Ian Fleming's novel. Charlotte’s Web Release Date: December 15, 2006 Run Time: 1 hr. 53 min. Rating: G Cast: Dakota Fanning, Julia Roberts, Steve Buscemi Director: Gary Winick Genre: Drama, Family Synopsis: The classic story of loyalty, trust, and sacrifice comes to life in this live-action adaptation. Fern (Dakota Fanning) is one of only two living beings who sees that Wilbur is a special animal as she raises him, the runt of the litter, into a terrific and radiant pig. As Wilbur moves into a new barn, he begins a second profound friendship with the most unlikely of creatures – a spider named Charlotte – and their bond inspires the animals around them to come together as a family. When the word gets out that Wilbur's days are numbered, it seems that only a miracle will save his life. A determined Charlotte – who sees miracles in the ordinary – spins words into her web in an effort to convince the farmer that Wilbur is "some pig" and worth saving. Children of Men Release Date: December 25, 2006 Run Time: 1 hr. 49 min. Rating: R - strong violence, language, some drug use and brief nudity Cast: Clive Owen, Julianne Moore, Chiwetel Ejiofor Director: Alfonso Cuarón Genre: Action/Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Suspense/Thriller Synopsis: When infertility threatens mankind with extinction and the last child born has perished, a disillusioned bureaucrat, named Theo Faron (Clive Owen), becomes an unlikely champion in the fight for Earth's survival. He must confront his own demons and protect the planet's last remaining hope from danger. Based on the novel by P.D. James. Code Name: The Cleaner Release Date: January 5, 2007 Run Time: 1 hr. 24 min. Rating: PG-13 - sexual content, crude humor and some violence Cast: Cedric the Entertainer, Lucy Liu, Nicollette Sheridan Director: Les Mayfield Genre: Action/Adventure, Comedy Synopsis: Jake is a seemingly regular guy who has no idea who he is after being hit over the head by mysterious assailants. When he finds himself unexpectedly entangled in a high-level government conspiracy, Jake and his pursuers begin to believe that he is an undercover agent who subconsciously holds a key piece of information that could expose an arms deal involving the CIA and FBI. Curse of the Golden Flower Release Date: December 21, 2006 Run Time: 1 hr. 54 min. Rating: R - violence Cast: Chow Yun-Fat, Gong Li, Liu Ye Director: Zhang Yimou Genre: Action/Adventure, Art House/Foreign, Drama, Romance Synopsis: In the spirit of such landmark Asian films as Akira Kurosawa's Ran from Japan and Zhang Yimou's own Hero and House of Flying Daggers, Curse of the Golden Flower promises to be Zhang Yimou's most colorful and biggest production to date, fusing high drama and romantic intrigue with the best of contemporary martial arts. The plot concerns the volatile balance of power between the King (Chow Yun Fat) and the Queen (Gong Li) and his three sons, which entails betrayal, deceit and passion, pitting the King against Queen and father against sons. Dreamgirls Release Date: January 19, 2007 Run Time: 2 hr. 5 min. Rating: PG-13 - language, some sexuality and drug content Cast: Jamie Foxx, Beyonce Knowles, Jennifer Hudson Director: Bill Condon Genre: Drama, Music/Performing Arts Synopsis: Three girlfriends from Chicago form a singing trio and take steps toward musical stardom. After several dramatic shifts, they begin to realize their dreams. Fame and fortune, though, turn out not to be exactly what they had envisioned. Eragon Release Date: December 15, 2006 Run Time: 1 hr. 39 min. Rating: PG - fantasy violence, intense battle sequences and some frightening images Cast: Edward Speleers, Jeremy Irons, Djimon Hounsou Director: Stefen Fangmeier Genre: Action/Adventure, Family, Sci-Fi/Fantasy Synopsis: Searching for food for his family during a harsh winter, a boy named Eragon happens upon a shiny blue stone in the forest. Soon, he's helped hatch a dragon who takes him on an adventure through a mystical land. Freedom Writers Release Date: January 5, 2007 Run Time: 2 hr. 3 min. Rating: PG-13 - violent content, some thematic material and language Cast: Hilary Swank, Patrick Dempsey, Scott Glenn Director: Richard LaGravenese Genre: Drama Synopsis: A dedicated teacher (Hilary Swank) in a racially divided Los Angeles school receives a class of at-risk teenagers the system deems incapable of learning. Instead of giving up, she inspires her students to take an interest in their education and planning their futures. She assigns reading material that the youths can relate to and encourages them to keep journals of their daily lives. Based on the true story of Erin Gruwell. The Good Shepard Release Date: December 22, 2006 Run Time: 2 hr. 40 min. Rating: R - some violence, sexuality and language Cast: Matt Damon, Angelina Jolie, Billy Crudup Director: Robert De Niro Genre: Drama, Suspense/Thriller Synopsis: Discreet, idealistic and intensely loyal, Edward Wilson (Matt Damon) finds that service in the OSS and later as a founding member of the Central Intelligence Agency is the perfect career for a man of his talents. His methods become standard operating procedure for the CIA while he combats his counterparts in the KGB. But, as the country slips deeper into the Cold War, Edward finds that dedication to duty above family has a price. Happily N'Ever After Release Date: January 5, 2007 Run Time: 1 hr. 15 min. Rating: PG - some mild action and rude humor Cast: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Freddie Prinze Jr., Sigourney Weaver Director: Paul J. Bolger Genre: Animated, Comedy, Family, Sci-Fi/Fantasy Synopsis: Fairy Tale Land becomes a realm of happy endings gone wrong when Cinderella's wicked stepmother, Frieda (Sigourney Weaver), joins forces with legendary villains to tip the balance between good and evil. With events spinning wildly out of control, Cinderella (Sarah Michelle Gellar), or Ella for short, must lead a resistance movement to defeat Frieda and restore order to the kingdom. Happy Feet Release Date: November 17, 2006 Run Time: 1 hr. 38 min. Rating: PG - some mild peril and rude humor Cast: Elijah Wood, Robin Williams, Brittany Murphy Director: George Miller Genre: Action/Adventure, Animated, Family, Music/Performing Arts Synopsis: Happy Feet is set deep in Antarctica. Into the land of Emperor Penguins, where each needs a heart song to attract a soul mate, a penguin is born who cannot sing. Our hero Mumble, son of Memphis and Norma Jean, is the worst singer in the world...however, as it happens, he is a brilliant tap dancer! The Hitcher Release Date: January 19, 2007 Run Time: 1 hr. 30 min. Rating: R - strong bloody violence, terror and language Cast: Sean Bean, Sophia Bush, Zachary Knighton Director: Dave Meyers Genre: Horror, Suspense/Thriller Synopsis: Dave Meyers makes his feature directorial debut on this new thriller, an update of the 1986 film of the same name. The film tracks the terrifying trajectory of Grace Andrews (Sophia Bush) and Jim Halsey (Zachary Knighton), a collegiate couple who are tormented by the mysterious hitchhiker John Ryder, a.k.a. The Hitcher (Sean Bean). The young couple hit the road in a 1970 Oldsmobile 442, en route to spring break. But their pleasure trip soon turns into a waking nightmare. The initial encounters with Ryder are increasingly off-putting for Grace and Jim, and they bravely fight back when he ambushes them. But they are blindsided when he implicates them in a horrific slaying and continues to shadow them. The open road becomes a suspenseful battleground of blood and metal as, in trying to elude not only Ryder but also New Mexico State Police Lieutenant Esteridge's (Neal McDonough) officers, Grace and Jim must fight for their lives and face their fears head-on. The Holiday Release Date: December 8, 2006 Run Time: 2 hr. 16 min. Rating: PG-13 - sexual content and some strong language Cast: Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law Director: Nancy Meyers Genre: Comedy, Romance Synopsis: Two women on opposite sides of the globe, Amanda Woods (Cameron Diaz) and Iris Simpkins (Kate Winslet) find themselves in a similar predicament. Desperate for a change of scenery, the two women meet on the internet and swap houses for the Christmas holiday discovering that a change of address really can change your life. The Last King of Scotland Release Date: September 27, 2006 Run Time: 2 hr. 3 min. Rating: R - some strong violence and guesome images, sexual content and language Cast: Forest Whitaker, James McAvoy, Kerry Washington Director: Kevin Macdonald Genre: Drama Synopsis: While in Uganda on a medical mission, Scottish doctor Nicholas Garrigan (James McAvoy) becomes the personal physician and close confidante of dictator Idi Amin (Forest Whitaker). Although at first Dr. Garrigan feels flattered by his new position of power, he soon comes to realize that Amin's rule is soaked in blood, and that he is complicit in the atrocities. Garrigan faces the fight of his life as he tries to escape Amin's grasp. Based on the novel by Giles Foden. Letters From Iwo Jima Release Date: December 20, 2006 Run Time: 2 hr. 21 min. Rating: R - graphic war violence Cast: Ken Watanabe, Kazunari Ninomiya, Shido Nakamura Director: Clint Eastwood Genre: Drama Synopsis: Long-buried missives from the island reveal the stories of the Japanese troops who fought and died there during the World War II battle. Among them are Saigo, a baker; Baron Nishi, an Olympic champion; and idealistic soldier Shimizu. Though Lt. Gen. Tadamichi Kuribayashi knows he and his men have virtually no chance of survival, he uses his extraordinary military skills to hold off the Americans as long as possible. Clint Eastwood's companion piece to Flags of Our Fathers. Little Children Release Date: October 6, 2006 Run Time: 2 hr. 10 min. Rating: R - strong sexuality and nudity, language and some disturbing content Cast: Kate Winslet, Jennifer Connelly, Patrick Wilson Director: Todd Field Genre: Drama, Romance Synopsis: Sarah (Kate Winslet) is a well-educated woman who cannot come to terms with her life as a housewife and mother. Brad (Patrick Wilson), a stay-at-home dad, is married to a beautiful filmmaker (Jennifer Connelly) and goes skateboarding instead of studying for the bar exam. The pair meet at a playground and soon begin having secret trysts while their children nap and their spouses are at work. Based on the book by Tom Perrotta. Night at the Museum Release Date: December 22, 2006 Run Time: 1 hr. 49 min. Rating: PG - mild action, language and brief rude humor Cast: Ben Stiller, Carla Gugino, Dick Van Dyke Director: Shawn Levy Genre: Action/Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi/Fantasy Synopsis: A night watchman (Ben Stiller) at a museum of natural history makes a startling discovery. Thanks to the unleashing of an ancient Egyptian curse, the museum's animals, birds, bugs and other exhibits spring to life after the building closes. Former President Teddy Roosevelt (Robin Williams) is among those the hapless guard encounters. Based on the book by Milan Trenc. The Painted Veil Release Date: December 20, 2006 Run Time: 2 hr. 4 min. Rating: PG-13 - some mature sexual situations, partial nudity, disturbing images and brief drug content Cast: Naomi Watts, Edward Norton, Liev Schreiber Director: John Curran Genre: Drama, Romance Synopsis: Caught in an affair with another man (Liev Schreiber), a scientist's callow wife (Naomi Watts) accompanies her husband (Edward Norton) to mainland China in the 1920s to fight a cholera epidemic. There, she embarks on a journey of self-discovery that leads to an unexpected chance at redemption. Primeval Release Date: January 12, 2007 Rating: R - strong graphic violence, brutality, terror, and language Cast: Dominic Purcell, Orlando Jones, Brooke Langton Director: Michael Katleman Genre: Action/Adventure, Horror, Suspense/Thriller Synopsis: In one of the most remote places on earth, a serial killer has claimed over 300 victims, and is still at large. This horror-thriller follows an American news crew determined to capture this terrifying murderer alive. The danger begins as producer Tim Freeman (Dominic Purcell), cameraman Steven Johnson (Orlando Jones) and their rag-tag team set out on a journey up-river in search of their subject. But the deeper they probe into the mystery of this elusive assassin, the deadlier their trip becomes. The Pursuit of Happyness Release Date: December 15, 2006 Run Time: 1 hr. 56 min. Rating: PG-13 - some language Cast: Will Smith, Jaden Christopher Syre Smith, Thandie Newton Director: Gabriele Muccino Genre: Drama Synopsis: 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. The Queen Release Date: September 30, 2006 Run Time: 1 hr. 43 min. Rating: PG-13 - brief strong language Cast: Helen Mirren, Michael Sheen, James Cromwell Director: Stephen Frears Genre: Drama Synopsis: A revealing, witty portrait of the British royal family in crisis immediately following the death of Princess Diana. The setting for this fictional account of real events is no less than the private chambers of the Royal Family and the British government in the wake of the sudden death of Princess Diana in August of 1997. In the immediate aftermath of the Princess's passing, the tightly contained, tradition-bound world of the Queen of England clashes with the slick modernity of the country's brand new, image-conscious Prime Minister, Tony Blair. The result is an intimate, yet thematically epic, battle between private and public, responsibility and emotion, custom and action - as a grieving nation waits to see what its leaders will do. In the balance is the family's need for privacy and the public's demand for an outward show of mourning. Rocky Balboa Release Date: December 20, 2006 Run Time: 1 hr. 42 min. Rating: PG - boxing violence and some language Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Burt Young, Milo Ventimiglia Director: Sylvester Stallone Genre: Drama Synopsis: The greatest underdog story of our time is back for one final round of the Academy Award-winning Rocky franchise. Former heavyweight champion Rocky Balboa steps out of retirement and back into the ring, putting himself against a new rival in a dramatically different era. After a virtual boxing match declares Rocky Balboa the victor over current champion Mason "The Line" Dixon, the legendary fighter's passion and spirit are reignited. But when his desire to fight in small, regional competitions is trumped by promoters calling for a rematch of the cyber-fight, Balboa must weigh the mental and physical risks of a high profile exhibition match against his need to be in the ring. Stomp the Yard Release Date: January 12, 2007 Run Time: 1 hr. 55 min. Rating: PG-13 - a scene of violence, some sexual material and language Cast: Columbus Short, Meagan Good, Laz Alonso Director: Sylvain White Genre: Drama, Music/Performing Arts Synopsis: After his brother's tragic death, a troubled but gifted street dancer enrolls in Atlanta's Truth University. As he tries to concentrate on his studies and woo a pretty classmate, he finds himself in the midst of a tug-of-war between fraternities, who want to utilize his talents in an upcoming dance competition. Volver Release Date: November 3, 2006 Run Time: 1 hr. 51 min. Rating: R - some sexual content and language Cast: Penelope Cruz, Carmen Maura, Chus Lampreave Director: Pedro Almodóvar Genre: Art House/Foreign, Drama Synopsis: Three generations of women survive the east wind, fire, insanity, superstition and even death by means of goodness, lies and boundless vitality. They are Raimunda, who is married to an unemployed labourer and has a teenage daughter; Sole, her sister, who makes a living as a hairdresser; and the mother of both, who died in a fire along with her husband. This character appears first to her sister and then to Sole, although the people with whom she has some unresolved matters are Raimunda and her neighbor in the village, Agustina. We Are Marshall Release Date: December 22, 2006 Run Time: 2 hr. 7 min. Rating: PG - emotional thematic material, a crash scene, and mild language Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Matthew Fox, David Strathairn Director: McG Genre: Drama Synopsis: We Are Marshall tells an inspiring true story set in Huntington, West Virginia, a small town steeped in the rich tradition of college football. For decades, players, coaches, fans and families have come together to cheer on Marshall University's "Thundering Herd." For this team and this community, Marshall football is more than just a sport, it's a way of life. But on a fateful night in 1970, while traveling back to Huntington after a game in North Carolina, 75 members of Marshall's football team and coaching staff were killed in a plane crash. As those left behind struggled to cope with the devastating loss of their loved ones, the grieving families found hope and strength in the leadership of Jack Lengyel, a young coach who was determined to rebuild Marshall's football program and in the process helped to heal a community.