Movie Listings (October 27, 2006)
Catch a Fire Release Date: October 27, 2006 Run Time: 1 hr. 38 min. Rating: PG-13 - thematic material involving torture and abuse, violence and brief language Cast: Tim Robbins, Derek Luke, Bonnie Henna Director: Phillip Noyce Genre: Drama, Suspense/Thriller Synopsis: In South Africa, Patrick Chamusso is a charming and loving husband to his wife Precious, and a caring father to his two young daughters. He works as a foreman at the centrally located Secunda oil refinery, which is a symbol of South Africa's self-sufficiency at a time when the world was pro-*test*-('")ing the country's oppressive apartheid system. In his spare time, Patrick coaches a local boys' soccer team. Carefully toeing the hard line imposed on blacks by apartheid, Patrick is completely apolitical. Nic Vos is a Colonel in the country's Police Security Branch. The shrewd and charismatic Vos strives to maintain order in volatile situations, which have become more and more frequent as the outlawed activist organization African National Congress (ANC) rallies blacks against apartheid. Vos is also concerned for the safety of his wife and two daughters. He and his family live a world away from the Chamusso family--until the innocent Patrick comes under suspicion and is arrested (in June 1980) for sabotage of the Secunda oil refinery. His alibi is compromised, and Patrick is desperate to shield Precious from a past indiscretion and keep his job. But he is ill-prepared to withstand brutal interrogations by Vos' men. As Vos further insinuates himself into the lives of the Chamussos, to Patrick's shock and shame, Precious herself is jailed and tortured. Although he and Precious are soon released from custody, Patrick is stunned into action and completely reorients his sense of self and purpose. He leaves his family to join up with the ANC. Becoming a rebel fighter and political operative, Patrick is radicalized on behalf of his people and his country. He ultimately envisions a formidable and dangerous follow-up strike against the Secunda refinery, risking his own life and future. Change must and will come, for Patrick and his family, and for South Africa itself. 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. Employee of the Month Release Date: October 6, 2006 Run Time: 1 hr. 43 min. Rating: PG-13 - crude and sexual humor, and language Cast: Dane Cook, Jessica Simpson, Dax Shepard Director: Greg Coolidge Genre: Comedy Synopsis: For customers of Super Club, the largest high-volume, bulk-discount retailer in the country, membership has its privileges. For workers at the cavernous store, the most coveted honor is the Employee of the Month award, and having one's photo immortalized on the wall of fame in the staff lounge. Enter Zack Bradley and Vince Downey, two ultra competitive Super Club workers whose ten years of employment have resulted in drastically different career paths. While Vince--with the aid of his trusty sidekick Jorge--has advanced to become head cashier and winner of 17 consecutive E of M awards, Zack is the ultimate slacker whose scruffy appearance and laid back attitude has made him popular with his colleagues, but kept him stuck in the lowly ranks of the store's box boys. The duo's longtime rivalry comes to a bitter head when Amy--a beautiful new cashier with a reputation of only dating Employee of the Month winners--transfers to the store, immediately becoming the object of both Zack and Vince's affection and often comical gamesmanship. While Vince instantly impresses Amy with his crowd pleasing, flamboyant style behind his checkstand register, Zack's feeble attempts to charm his beautiful new co-worker quickly backfire against him. With the race to win Amy's affections slipping away, Zack determines his only chance rests in winning the store's next Employee of the Month award. 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. 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! Infamous Release Date: October 13, 2006 Run Time: 1 hr. 50 min. Rating: R - language, violence and some sexuality Cast: Toby Jones, Sandra Bullock, Daniel Craig Director: Douglas McGrath Genre: Drama Synopsis: What starts out as the irreverent journey of the openly gay writer Truman Capote to the middle-class world of 1950's Kansas, where he goes--with his childhood friend Harper Lee--to research the murder of the Clutter family, turns to something altogether darker when Capote forms an intense and complex relationship with one of the murderers—Perry Smith. In doing so, he produced his grea-*test*-('") work, In Cold Blood, but at a devastating personal cost. Little Miss Sunshine Release Date: July 26, 2006 Run Time: 1 hr. 42 min. Rating: R - language, some sex and drug content Cast: Greg Kinnear, Steve Carell, Toni Collette Director: Jonathan Dayton,Valerie Faris Genre: Comedy Synopsis: No one among the Hoovers quite has it together, but it's not for lack of trying. Father Richard, a hopelessly optimistic motivational speaker, is desperately attempting to sell his 9-step program for success--without much success. Meanwhile, the Hoovers' pro-honesty mother Sheryl is constantly harried by her family's eccentric secrets, especially those of her brother, a suicidal Proust scholar fresh out of the hospital after being jilted by his gay lover. Then there are young Hoovers with their unlikely dreams--the four-eyed, slightly pump, seven year-old would-be beauty queen Olive and Dwayne, an anger-fueled, Nietzche-reading teen who has taken a staunch vow of silence until he gets into the Air Force Academy. Topping off the family is the grandfather, a foul-mouthed pleasure-seeker recently kicked out of his retirement home for snorting heroin. They might not be the picture of the perfect mental health, but when a fluke gets Olive invited to compete in the fiercely competitive Little Miss Sunshine competition in California, the whole Hoover family rallies behind her. They pile into their rusted-out VW bus and head West on a three-day tragicomic journey filled with madcap surprises and leading up to Olive's big debut--which will change the entire misfit family in ways they could never imagine. 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: Tom Dobbs (Robin Williams), the satirical host of a political talk show, decides to shake things up by running for U.S. president. A bizarre set of circumstances causes the stunt to backfire, and he unexpectedly finds himself as America's commander in chief. 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. The Marine Release Date: October 13, 2006 Rating: PG-13 - intense sequences of violent action, sensuality and language Cast: John Cena, Robert Patrick, Kelly Carlson Director: John Bonito Genre: Action/Adventure Synopsis: WWE wrestling champion John Cena makes his motion picture debut in this rugged action thriller. Cena is John Triton, a heroic Marine who returns home after being discharged – against his will -- from the Iraq War. Stateside, he finds himself back in action, when his wife (Kelly Carlson) is kidnapped by a murderous gang led by the merciless Rome (Robert Patrick). With everything on the line, the Marine will stop at nothing to carry out his toughest and most important mission. 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. Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles Release Date: September 1, 2006 Run Time: 1 hr. 47 min. Rating: PG - mild thematic elements Cast: Ken Takakura, Shinobu Terajima, Kiichi Nakai Director: Zhang Yimou Genre: Art House/Foreign, Drama Synopsis: For the first time in many years, Takata Gou-ichi takes the bullet train to Tokyo from the quiet fisherman's village where he lives on the northwest coast of Japan. His daughter-in-law, Rie, had telephoned to tell him that his son, Ken-ichi is seriously ill from cancer, and asking for his father. But when he arrives in the city, Takata finds that Rie was not entirely truthful: Ken-ichi has been hospitalized, but after years of painful estrangement, he still refuses to see Takata. Crushed, the old man quietly slips out of the hospital, but not before Rie gives him a videotape to watch. What Takata sees on the tape, Rie hopes, will help him get to know his son again. Takata plays the tape and learns that Ken-ichi is studying a form of Chinese exorcising drama that dates back more than a thousand years. Ken-ichi had traveled all the way to Yunnan Province in Southern China to see the famous actor Li Jiamin perform, but the actor was ill and unable to sing. Li promised to sing the legendary song 'Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles' from the literary classic, 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms' for Ken-ichi if he returns to Yunnan the following year. Hoping to bridge the gap between himself and his son, Takata decides to find Li Jiamin and videotape his performance for the dying Ken-ichi. As the old man begins an odyssey into the heart of China, he encounters a number of strangers who color his journey--from well-meaning translators who guide him through China's idiosyncrasies, to prison wardens anxious to promote Chinese culture abroad, to a young runaway with a complicated father-son relationship of his own. What Takata discovers on his journey is kindness--and a sense of family he thought he had lost long ago. 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. 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 la-*test*-('") 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 -*test*-('")s, unaware that he has a much bigger plan for both of them. The Science of Sleep Release Date: September 22, 2006 Run Time: 1 hr. 45 min. Rating: R - language, some sexual content and nudity Cast: Gael García Bernal, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Alain Chabat Director: Michel Gondry Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi/Fantasy Synopsis: The Science of Sleep is a playful fantasy set inside the topsy-turvy brain of Stephane Miroux (Gael Garcia Bernal), an eccentric young man whose dreams constantly invade his waking life. While slumbering, he is the charismatic host of "Stephane TV," expounding on The Science of Sleep in front of cardboard cameras. In "real life," he has a boring job at a Parisian calendar publisher and pines for Stephanie (Charlotte Gainsbourg), the girl in the apartment across the hall. While Stephanie is initially charmed by Stephane, she is confused by his childishness and shaky connection to reality. Stephane's co-worker, Guy (Alain Chabat) a vulgar but practical man, offers advice on the opposite sex, but Stephane is too far in the clouds to listen. Unable to find the secret to Stephanie's heart while awake, Stephane searches for the answer in his dreams. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning Release Date: October 6, 2006 Run Time: 1 hr. 24 min. Rating: R - strong horror violence/gore, language and some sexual content Cast: Jordana Brewster, Andrew Bryniarski, R. Lee Ermey Director: Jonathan Liebesman Genre: Horror Synopsis: It's 1969. The conflict in Viet Nam has exploded to immeasurable proportions, and 18-year-old Dean Hill's number is up. Dean's brother Eric, who has already seen his share of combat, plans to take Dean to enlist in his beloved Marine Corps in hopes of keeping an eye on him rather than letting him take his chances at the local induction center. But Dean plans to confront Eric about dodging the draft after the boys and their respective girlfriends, Bailey and Chrissie, head across Texas for a final fling of serious fun. Soon after their journey begins, the foursome are spooked by a menacing pair of bikers, Holden and his girlfriend, Alex. When Alex chases the group's jeep, propelling them into a serious accident, Chrissie is thrown from the vehicle. As Alex attempts to rob the injured trio, Sherriff Hoyt arrives and turns the tables on their would-be assassin. While Chrissie hides in the nearby brush, she watches as the sheriff kills Alex and then taunts her friends before ordering them into the back of the patrol car. Unbeknownst to Chrissie, Hoyt is headed to the Hewitt family home where Thomas, who is being groomed to become the terrifying monster known as Leatherface, and the rest of the Hewitt clan await. Chrissie attempts to convince Holden to help her, but he is on a one man rampage to avenge his girlfriend's death. As Chrissie witnesses the horrors inflicted by the Hewitt family upon the people she loves, she realizes she is their only hope of survival.