Movie Listings (November 10, 2006)
A Good Year Release Date: November 10, 2006 Run Time: 1 hr. 58 min. Rating: PG-13 - language and some sexual content Cast: Russell Crowe, Marion Cotillard, Albert Finney Director: Ridley Scott Synopsis: Failed London banker Max Skinner (Russell Crowe) inherits his uncle's (Albert Finney) vineyard in Provence, where he spent many childhood holidays. Upon his arrival, he meets a woman from California who tells Max she is his long-lost cousin and that the property is hers. Max reluctantly settles into what ultimately becomes an intoxicating new chapter in his life, as he comes to realize that life is meant to be savored. Based on the novel by Peter Mayle. Babel Release Date: October 27, 2006 Run Time: 2 hr. 22 min. Rating: R - violence, some graphic nudity, sexual content, language and some drug use Cast: Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Gael Garcia Bernal Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu Genre: Art House/Foreign, Drama Synopsis: 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. Separated by clashing cultures and sprawling distances, each of these four disparate groups of people are nevertheless hurtling towards a shared destiny of isolation and grief. In the course of just a few days, they will each face the dizzying sensation of becoming profoundly lost--lost in the desert, lost to the world, lost to themselves--as they are pushed to the farthest edges of confusion and fear as well as to the very depths of connection and love. Borat Release Date: November 3, 2006 Run Time: 1 hr. 24 min. Rating: R - pervasive strong crude and sexual content including graphic nudity, and language Cast: Sacha Baron Cohen, Pamela Anderson, Ken Davitian Director: Larry Charles Genre: Comedy Synopsis: Journalist Borat Sagdiyev leaves his native Kazakhstan to travel to America to make a documentary on what makes America a great nation. As he zigzags across the nation, Borat meets real people in real situations with hysterical consequences. His backwards behavior generates strong reactions around him, exposing prejudices and hypocrisies in American culture. In some cases, Borat's interview subjects embrace his outrageous views on race and sex by agreeing with him, while others attempt to offer a patriotic lesson in Western values. Along the way, Borat manages to offend just about everyone he meets, falls in love with actress Pamela Anderson, and sets forth on a cross-country journey to make her his wife. The Departed Release Date: October 6, 2006 Run Time: 2 hr. 29 min. Rating: R - strong brutal violence, pervasive language, some strong sexual content and drug material Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson Director: Martin Scorsese Genre: Action/Adventure, Drama, Suspense/Thriller Synopsis: In South Boston the state police force is waging war on organized crime. Young undercover cop Billy Costigan is assigned to infiltrate the mob syndicate that is run by gangland chief Costello. While Billy is quickly gaining Costello's confidence, Colin Sullivan, a hardened young criminal who has infiltrated the police department as an informer for the syndicate, is rising to a position of power in the Special Investigation Unit. Each man becomes deeply consumed by his double life, gathering information about the plans and counter-plans of the operations he has penetrated. But when it becomes clear to both the gangsters and the police that there's a mole in their midst, Billy and Colin are suddenly in danger of being caught and exposed to the enemy--and each must race to uncover the identity of the other man in time to save himself. Flags of Our Fathers Release Date: October 20, 2006 Rating: R - sequences of graphic war violence and carnage, and for language Cast: Ryan Phillippe, Adam Beach, Jesse Bradford Director: Clint Eastwood Genre: Action/Adventure, Drama Synopsis: February 1945. Even as victory in Europe was finally within reach, the war in the Pacific raged on. One of the most crucial and bloodiest battles of the war was the struggle for the island of Iwo Jima, which culminated with what would become one of the most iconic images in history: five Marines and a Navy corpsman raising the American flag on Mount Suribachi. The inspiring photo capturing that moment became a symbol of victory to a nation that had grown weary of war, and made instant heroes of the six American soldiers at the base of the flag--some of whom would die soon after, never knowing that they had been immortalized. But the surviving flag raisers had no interest in being held up as symbols and did not consider themselves heroes; they wanted only to stay on the front with their brothers in arms who were fighting and dying without fanfare or glory. Based on the book by James Bradley and Ron Powers. Flicka Release Date: October 20, 2006 Rating: PG - some mild language Cast: Alison Lohman, Tim McGraw, Maria Bello Director: Michael Mayer Genre: Action/Adventure, Drama, Family Synopsis: 16-year-old Katy McLaughlin dreams of fulfilling her family legacy by working on her father's ranch in modern-day Wyoming. But Katy's father wants more for her, insisting that Katy go to college. Katy finds a wild mustang, which she names Flicka, and sets out to make her a riding horse. But Flicka and Katy are more alike than she could have imagined. Like Katy, Flicka has a disdain for authority and is not about to give up her freedom without a fight. After her father sells Flicka, Katy schemes to win back the horse by entering a dangerous race. Based on the novel by Mary O'Hara. Flushed Away Release Date: November 3, 2006 Run Time: 1 hr. 26 min. Rating: PG - crude humor and some language Cast: Simon Callow, Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen Director: Henry Anderson,David Bowers,Sam Fell Genre: Animated, Comedy, Family Synopsis: Beneath the streets of London, Roddy St. James is a pampered pet mouse who thinks he's got it made. But when a sewer rat named Sid--the definition of "low life"--comes spewing out of the sink and decides it's his turn to enjoy the lap of luxury, Roddy schemes to rid himself of the pest by luring him into the loo for a dip in the "whirlpool." Roddy's plan backfires when he inadvertently winds up being the one flushed away into the bustling world down below. Underground, Roddy discovers a vast metropolis, where he meets Rita, a street-wise rat who is on a mission of her own. If Roddy is going to get home, he and Rita will need to escape the clutches of the villainous Toad, who royally despises all rodents and has dispatched two hapless henchrats, Spike and Whitey, as well as his cousin--that dreaded mercenary, Le Frog--to see that Roddy and Rita are iced, literally. The Grudge 2 Release Date: October 13, 2006 Rating: PG-13 - mature thematic material, disturbing images/terror/violence, and some sensuality Cast: Amber Tamblyn, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jennifer Beals Director: Takashi Shimizu Genre: Horror, Suspense/Thriller Synopsis: Aubrey Davis discovers from her bedridden mother, Mrs. Davis, that her sister Karen is in a hospital in Japan. She also finds out that Karen is under investigation for the death of her boyfriend in a fire she started in a house located in Tokyo. Since Mrs. Davis is too ill to make the trip, she asks Aubrey to go to Tokyo and bring her sister home. Shortly after she arrives in Tokyo, reporter and photographed Eason, seeks out Aubrey to warn her that her sister, Karen, is in the thrall of something unseen and dangerous. Allison attends an international school in Tokyo. Desperately trying to fit in with the school's in crowd, Vanessa and Miyuki, she is willing to do anything they ask to get in good with them--even if it means going into a mysterious burned-down house, which was the site of several unexplained murders and strange disappearances. The young introverted Jake isn't happy that his widowed father Bill is engaged to Trish. Still mourning the death of his mother, he cannot understand why his older sister Lacey gets on so well with their soon-to-be stepmother. He also doesn't understand why one of his next-door neighbors is being so elusive. It seems that everyone in his apartment building is acting stranger and stranger. One by one, they are infected by the malevolent curse known as The Grudge, which is quickly moving out of the burned-down house in Tokyo and spreading to everyone who crosses its path. The Guardian Release Date: September 29, 2006 Run Time: 2 hr. 15 min. Rating: PG-13 - intense sequences of action/peril, brief strong language and some sensuality Cast: Kevin Costner, Ashton Kutcher, Neal McDonough Director: Andrew Davis Genre: Action/Adventure, Drama Synopsis: After losing his crew in a fatal crash, legendary Rescue Swimmer, Ben Randall, is sent to teach at A School, an elite training program for Coast Guard Rescue Swimmers. Wrestling with the loss of his crew members, he throws himself into teaching, turning the program upside down with his unorthodox training methods. While there, he encounters a young, cocky swim champ, Jake Fischer, who is driven to be the best. During training, Randall helps mold Jake's character, combining his raw talent with the heart and dedication required of a Rescue Swimmer. Upon graduation, Jake follows Randall to Kodiak, Alaska, where they face the inherent dangers of the Bering Sea. In his initial solo rescue, Jake learns firsthand from Randall, the true meaning of heroism and sacrifice, echoing the Swimmer's motto--So Others May Live! Harsh Times Release Date: November 10, 2006 Run Time: 2 hr. 0 min. Rating: R - strong violence, language and drug use Cast: Christian Bale, Freddy Rodriquez, Eva Longoria Director: David Ayer Genre: Action/Adventure, Drama Synopsis: Since coming back from the Gulf War, Jim Davis hasn't been able to get his life back on track. He still feels the residue of that far off desert on his skin, still screams in his sleep from visions he just can't shake. He has burned through his savings waiting for an offer from the L.A.P.D. that hasn't come. He tells himself that if he only had a job, everything would turn around--he could marry his devoted Mexican girlfriend, Marta, bring her back to the States and settle down. But until something else materializes for Jim--some other way to help his country and not die of boredom at some desk--he'll just chill with his best friend, Mike, also unemployed. And Mike's longtime girlfriend, Sylvia, whom Mike helped put through law school, wants an equal, not a dependent, so he too finds himself on the job hunt. Jim offers to help Mike find a job, but instead they end up cutting a swath of chaos through the mean streets of South Central, looking for trouble--just like when they were kids. In a misguided quest to get their lives together they joyride, get high, plan for their glorious future and start trouble wherever they land. After the L.A.P.D. job evaporates and Jim gets a call from the much more complicated foreign office of Homeland Security, Jim and Mike's misadventures take on a darker edge, one haunted by violence and the echoes of combat Jim can't seem to shake. They no longer need to look for trouble--it's everywhere around them. As the city that was once their playground now seems to press in on them, each choice Jim and Mike make will not only test their loyalty to each other, but their ability to survive the mean streets they hope to leave behind. Keeping Mum Release Date: September 29, 2006 Run Time: 1 hr. 43 min. Rating: R - language and some sexual content/nudity Cast: Rowan Atkinson, Kristin Scott Thomas, Maggie Smith Director: Niall Johnson Genre: Art House/Foreign, Comedy Synopsis: The sleepy English hamlet of Little Wallop is about to receive a rude awakening, as the absent-minded Reverend Walter Goodman, his dissatisfied wife Gloria, and their two children, Holly and Petey, await the arrival of their new housekeeper, Grace Hawkins. Gloria is a woman struggling to cope. Her teenage daughter's a nymphomaniac, her young son's the perennial target for the local bullies, and her marriage to Walter has long-since dwindled into monotony. It's no wonder she's failing to resist the advances of her handsome, American, lothario of a golf pro, Lance. What this family needs is salvation. And fast. It comes in the form of Grace Hawkins, a gentle motherly woman with a smile for everyone and an answer for everything. But Grace is not all she seems... Man of the Year Release Date: October 13, 2006 Rating: PG-13 - language including some crude sexual references, drug related material, and brief violence Cast: Robin Williams, Laura Linney, Christopher Walken Director: Barry Levinson Genre: Comedy Synopsis: Acerbic performer Tom Dobbs has made his career out of skewering politicians and speaking the mind of the exasperated nation on his talk show. He cracked scathing jokes at a fractured system night after night--until he came up with a really funny idea: why not run for president himself? After a flip comment, Dobbs ignites a grassroots movement that puts him on the ballot. Hot on the campaign trail, he debates elected drones and says exactly what frustrated voters have often thought. Nov. 2nd later, the muckraker wins--only to learn that a computer voting error gave him the victory. With time ticking on the inaugural clock, Dobbs has a big decision to make: should he go back behind the mike or stay in the Oval Office? Marie Antionette Release Date: October 20, 2006 Rating: PG-13 - sexual content, partial nudity and innuendo Cast: Kirsten Dunst, Jason Schwartzman, Asia Argento Director: Sofia Coppola Genre: Drama Synopsis: When betrothed to King Louis XVI, the naïve and beautiful, Austrian-born Marie Antoinette enters the opulent French court, which is steeped in conspiracy and scandal. Without guidance, adrift in a dangerous world, the young girl rebels against the isolated atmosphere of Versailles and becomes France's most misunderstood monarch. Stripped of her riches and finery, imprisoned, and ultimately beheaded by her own subjects, the Queen of France became a toxic symbol for the wanton extravagance of the 18th century monarchy that incited to the French Revolution. One Night With the King Release Date: October 13, 2006 Run Time: 2 hr. 2 min. Rating: PG - violence, some sensuality and thematic elements Cast: Tiffany Dupont, Luke Goss, Peter O'Toole Director: Michael Sajbel Genre: Drama, Romance Synopsis: Born of slaves, a young Jewish woman named Hadassah becomes part of the harem of powerful King Xerxes. Simultaneously, a close adviser to the king hatches a plan to exterminate the Jews. Hadassah, now called Queen Esther, must find the courage to step forward and save her people from annihilation. Open Season Release Date: September 29, 2006 Run Time: 1 hr. 40 min. Rating: PG - some rude humor, mild action and brief language Cast: Martin Lawrence, Ashton Kutcher, Gary Sinise Director: Jill Culton,Anthony Stacchi,Roger Allers Genre: Animated, Comedy, Family Synopsis: A 900-pound domesticated grizzly bear named Boog, with no survival skills, has his perfect world turned upside-down when he meets Elliot, a scrawny, fast-talking wild mule deer. When Elliot convinces Boog to desert his idyllic existence living in a garage decked out with all the comforts of home, and try the wild life, things quickly spiral out of control. With open season upon them, and the hunters arriving in force, Elliot must help Boog get in touch with his inner grizzly to unite the woodland creatures and take the forest back! The Prestige Release Date: October 20, 2006 Rating: PG-13 - violence and disturbing images Cast: Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine Director: Christopher Nolan Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi/Fantasy Synopsis: It all begins in rapidly changing, turn-of-the-century London. At a time when magicians are idols and celebrities of the highest order, two young magicians set out to carve their own paths to fame. The flashy, sophisticated Robert Angier is a consummate entertainer, while the rough-edged purist Alfred Borden is a creative genius who lacks the panache to showcase his magical ideas. They start out as admiring friends and partners. But when their biggest trick goes terribly awry, they become enemies for life--each intent on outdoing and upending the other. Trick by trick, show by show, their ferocious competition builds until it knows no bounds, even utilizing the fantastical new powers of electricity and the scientific brilliance of radical inventor Nikola Tesla—while the lives of everyone around them hang in the balance. Full of twists and turns, The Prestige is set against the backdrop of turn-of-the-century London. The cast includes two-time Oscar® winner Michael Caine, Scarlett Johansson and David Bowie. 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. The Return Release Date: November 10, 2006 Run Time: 1 hr. 25 min. Rating: PG-13 - violence, terror and disturbing images Cast: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Peter O'Brien, Adam Scott Director: Asif Kapadia Genre: Horror, Suspense/Thriller Synopsis: Joanna Mills is a tough young Midwesterner determined to learn the truth behind the increasingly terrifying supernatural visions that have been haunting her. She has made a successful career for herself, as a sales representative for a trucking company; but her private life has been difficult. Estranged from her father, stalked by an obsessed ex-boyfriend, and with few friends in her life, Joanna fears that she is losing control. She sees and feels the brutal murder of a young woman she's never met, at the hands of a heartless killer--a man who appears to be making Joanna his next target. Determined to fight back, Joanna is guided by her nightmares to the murdered woman's hometown. Once there, she will discover that some secrets can't be buried; some spirits never die; and that the murder she is trying to solve may be her own. Running With Scissors Release Date: October 20, 2006 Run Time: 2 hr. 0 min. Rating: R - strong language and elements of sexuality, violence and substance abuse Cast: Annette Bening, Brian Cox, Joseph Fiennes Director: Ryan Murphy Genre: Comedy, Drama Synopsis: In 1971, the neatness-obsessed but sharply observant 6-year-old Augusten finds himself trapped between his troubled parents: his mother Deirdre, an unpublished--not to mention unstable--confessional poet with delusions of being hugely famous; and his father Norman, an alcoholic math professor who long ago gave up trying to solve the riddle of his wife's problems or his son's precocious behavior. When the Burroughs' marriage goes to pieces, Deirdre signs up for therapy with the eccentric Dr. Finch, a highly unconventional shrink who takes the family under his wing. From the beginning, Augusten is suspicious of Dr. Finch's peculiarities, but when Dr. Finch fails to save the Burroughs' marriage, Augusten's life takes an even more wrenching turn. While Deirdre is packed off to a motel to continue her Valium-aided therapy, Augusten is sent to live in the Finch family home--a kind of Brady-Bunch-gone-bad world where for some dog kibble is a snack, sedatives are consumed like candy and grand prophecies emerge from the bathroom. Soon Augusten unwittingly becomes part of the family comprised of: the shell-shocked Mrs. Finch, Bible-dipping daughter Hope, disco-rebel daughter Natalie and Neil Bookman, the disturbed, 35-year-old, adopted son who lives in a shed at the back of the house; along the way Augusten descends into a kind of surreal childhood hell. Yet, he also finds optimism among the horror, hilarity in the insanity and even love amid the dilapidated ruins as he never loses his spirit or his resilience. The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause Release Date: November 3, 2006 Run Time: 1 hr. 38 min. Rating: G Cast: Tim Allen, Peter Boyle, Spencer Breslin Director: Michael Lembeck Genre: Comedy, Family Synopsis: It's Christmas time once again and Scott Calvin juggles a full house of family and the mischievous Jack Frost, who is trying to take over the big guy's holiday. At the risk of giving away the secret location of the North Pole, Scott invites his in-laws to share in the holiday festivities, and upcoming birth of baby Claus with expectant wife, Carol. Along for the adventure are Scott's extended family, son Charlie, ex-wife Laura Miller, her husband, Neil Miller and their daughter, Lucy who, together with head elf Curtis, foil Jack Frost's crafty scheme to control the North Pole. Saw III Release Date: October 27, 2006 Run Time: 1 hr. 47 min. Rating: R - strong grisly violence and gore, sequences of terror and torture, nudity and language Cast: Tobin Bell, Shawnee Smith, Bahar Soomekh Director: Darren Lynn Bousman Genre: Horror Synopsis: Jigsaw has disappeared; and with his new apprentice Amanda--the puppet-master behind the cruel, intricate games that have terrified a community and baffled police--he has once again eluded capture and vanished. While city detectives scramble to locate him, Dr. Lynn Denlon is unaware that she is about to become the latest pawn on his vicious chessboard. One night, after finishing a shift at her hospital, Lynn is kidnapped and taken to an abandoned warehouse where she meets Jigsaw, bedridden and on the verge of death. She is told that she must keep the madman alive for as long as it takes another one of his victims, Jeff, to complete a game of his own. Racing against the ticking clock of Jigsaw's own heartbeat, Lynn and Jeff struggle to make it through each of their vicious tests, unaware that he has a much bigger plan for both of them. Stranger Than Fiction Release Date: November 10, 2006 Run Time: 1 hr. 53 min. Rating: PG-13 - some disturbing images, sexuality, brief language and nudity Cast: Will Ferrell, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Dustin Hoffman Director: Marc Forster Genre: Comedy, Sci-Fi/Fantasy Synopsis: One morning, a seemingly average and generally solitary IRS agent named Harold Crick begins to hear a female voice narrating his every action, thought and feeling in alarmingly precise detail. Harold's carefully controlled life is turned upside down by this narration only he can hear, and when the voice declares that Harold Crick is facing imminent death, he realizes he must find out who is writing his story and persuade her to change the ending. The voice in Harold's head turns out to be the once celebrated, but now nearly forgotten, novelist Karen "Kay" Eiffel, who is struggling to find an ending for what might be her best book. Her only remaining challenge is to figure out a way to kill her main character, but little does she know that Harold Crick is alive and well and inexplicably aware of her words and her plans for him. To make matters worse, Kay's publisher has dispatched a hard-nosed "assistant," Penny Escher, to force Kay to finish her novel and finish off Harold Crick. Desperate to take control of his destiny and avoid an untimely demise, Harold seeks help from a literary theorist named Jules Hilbert, who suggests that Harold might be able to change his fate by turning his story from a tragedy into a comedy. Professor Hilbert suggests that Harold try to follow one of comedy's most elemental formulas: a love story between two people who hate each other. His suggestion leads Harold to initiate an unlikely romance with a free-spirited baker named Ana Pascal. As Harold experiences true love and true life for the first time, he becomes convinced that he has escaped his fate, as his story seems to be taking on all the trappings of a comedy in which he will not, and cannot, die. But Harold is unaware that in a Karen Eiffel tragedy, the lead characters always die at exactly the moment when they have the most to live for.