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Volume
IV No. 11
A
publication of the National Association of Theatre Owners
Advertise
in In Focus
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Lemony
Snicket’s
A Series of
Unfortunate Events
Adventure about three orphans taken in by
Count Olaf, a relative anxious to separate
the children from an undisclosed fortune.
Based on the book series by Daniel Handler
(“Watch Your Mouth”). Directed
by Brad Silberling (“City of Angels,” “Moonlight
Mile”) from a screenplay by Robert
Gordon (“Galaxy Quest,” “Men
in Black II”). With Jim Carrey (“Eternal
Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”), Meryl
Streep (“The Manchurian Candidate”),
Emily Browning (“Ned Kelly”),
Liam Aiken (“Good Boy!”), Cedric
the Entertainer (“Johnson Family Vacation”),
Billy Connolly (“The Last Samurai”),
Jennifer Coolidge (“A Cinderella Story”),
Jane Adams (“Eternal Sunshine of the
Spotless Mind”), Deborah Theaker (“A
Mighty Wind”), Luis Guzmán (“Dumb
and Dumberer”), Craig Ferguson (“Born
Romantic”), Timothy Spall (the “Harry
Potter” series) and Jamie Harris (“Made”).
Featuring the voice of Jude Law as Lemony
Snicket. Flat. Dec. 17. Paramount.

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Meet
The Fockers
Gaylord Focker arouses all manner of new
suspicions when he introduces his fiancee’s
family to his own parents. A sequel to the
2000 comedy blockbuster “Meet the Parents.” Returnees
from part one include director Jay Roach
(the “Austin Powers” series),
screenwriter Jim Herzfeld (“Meet the
Deedles”), and actors Ben Stiller (“Anchorman”),
Robert De Niro (“Godsend”), Teri
Polo (“Beyond Borders”) and Blythe
Danner (“Sylvia”). Newcomers
to the series include screenwriters John
Hamburg (“Zoolander,” “Along
Came Polly”), Vince DiMeglio & Tim
Rasmussen, as well as actors Dustin Hoffman
(“I Heart Huckabees,” “Finding
Neverland”), Barbra Streisand (“The
Mirror Has Two Faces”), Alanna Ubach
(“Legally Blonde 2”), Jack Plotnick
(“Down With Love”), J.P. Manoux
(“The Day After Tomorrow”), Karen
Gordon (“Legally Blonde 2”),
Allan Kolman (“Holes”) and Tim
Blake Nelson (“The Last Shot”).
Flat. Dec. 22. Universal.

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Proof
Drama about a young woman who cares for her
dying father, a brilliant but unbalanced
math professor. Based on the Pulitzer
Prize-winning play by David Auburn. Directed
by John Madden (“Shakespeare in
Love,” “Captain Corelli’s
Mandolin”) from a screenplay by
Auburn and Rebecca Miller (“Personal
Velocity”). With Gwyneth Paltrow
(“Sky Captain and the World of
Tomorrow”), Anthony Hopkins (“Alexander”),
Jake Gyllenhaal (“The Day After
Tomorrow”), Hope Davis (“American
Splendor”), Leigh Zimmerman (“Mr.
Jealousy”), Colin Stinton (“The
Hours”), Daniel Hatkoff and Gary
Houston (“Fargo”). Dec. 24
in New York and Los Angeles. Miramax.

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The
Sea Inside
Spanish-language drama, set in Northern Spain
and based on a true story, about a quadriplegic
determined to end his life over the objections
of friends and family. Directed by Alejandro
Amenábar (“Open Your Eyes,” “The
Others”) from a screenplay by Amenábar
and Mateo Gil (“Open Your Eyes”).
With Javier Bardem (“Collateral”),
Lola Dueñas (“Talk to Her”),
Tamar Novas (“Butterfly’s Tongue”),
Mabel Rivera and Belén Rueda. Also
known as “Mar Adentro” and “Out
to Sea.” Scope. 125 min. Dec. 17 limited;
wider Jan. 7. Fine Line.

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Synergy
Comedy about a 50-year-old advertising executive
whose daughter begins sleeping with his new
26-year-old boss. Written and directed by
Paul Weitz (“Down to Earth,” “About
A Boy”). With Dennis Quaid (“The
Day After Tomorrow, “The Flight of
the Phoenix”), Topher Grace (“Win
a Date With Tad Hamilton,” “P.S.”),
Scarlett Johansson (“The Perfect Score”),
Marg Helgenberger (“Erin Brockovich”),
Selma Blair (“A Dirty Shame”),
Philip Baker Hall (“A House on a Hill,” “Dogville”),
David Paymer (“Alex & Emma”),
Ty Burrell (“Dawn of the Dead”),
Clark Gregg (“Spartan”) and Kevin
Chapman (“Ladder 49”). Flat.
131 min. Dec. 29 in New York and Los Angeles;
wider Jan. 14. Universal.

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An
Unfinished Life
Drama about a young, destitute mother who,
as a last resort, uproots herself and her
pre-teen daughter to live at her estranged
father-in-law’s Wyoming ranch. Directed
by Lasse Hallström (“Chocolat,” “The
Shipping News”) from a screenplay by
Mark Spragg (“Gross Anatomy”)
and Virginia Korus Spragg. With Jennifer
Lopez (“Jersey Girl,” “Shall
We Dance”), Robert Redford (“The
Clearing”), Morgan Freeman (“The
Big Bounce”), Josh Lucas (“Wonderland,” “Around
the Bend,” “Undertow”),
Damian Lewis (“Dreamcatcher”),
Camryn Manheim (“Twisted”) and
P. Lynn Johnson (“Final Destination”).
PG-13: Some violence including domestic abuse;
language. Dec. 24 in New York and Los Angeles.
Miramax.

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The
Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou
Comedy about Steve Zissou, a vain, disreputable
deep-sea oceanographer and filmmaker who
takes his crew (and the pretty journalist
he covets) on a hunt for the shark that
lunched on Zissou’s longtime partner.
Directed by Wes Anderson (“Rushmore,” “The
Royal Tenenbaums”) from a screenplay
by Anderson and Noah Baumbach (“Kicking
and Screaming,” “Mr. Jealousy”).
With Bill Murray ( “Coffee and Cigarettes”),
Owen Wilson (“Around the World in
80 Days”), Cate Blanchett (the “Lord
of the Rings” series, “The
Aviator”), Jeff Goldblum (“Igby
Goes Down”), Bud Cort (“Pollock”),
Noah Taylor (“Lara Croft Tomb Raider:
The Cradle of Life”), Willem Dafoe
(“Spider-Man 2,” “The
Aviator”), Michael Gambon (“Sky
Captain and the World of Tomorrow”),
Pawel Wdowczak (“The Royal Tenenbaums”),
Anjelica Huston (“Daddy Day Care”)
and Seu Jorge (“City of God”).
118 min. R: Language; some drug use; violence;
partial nudity. Dec. 25. Buena Vista.

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Ocean's
Twelve
As casino owner Terry Benedict contemplates
vengeance, Danny Ocean masterminds new heists
in Amsterdam, Paris and Rome. Returnees from
part one include director Steven Soderbergh
(“Full Frontal,” “Solaris”)
and actors George Clooney (“Intolerable
Cruelty”), Brad Pitt (“Troy”),
Julia Roberts (“Mona Lisa Smile,” “Closer”),
Matt Damon (“The Bourne Supremacy”),
Andy Garcia (“Twisted”), Bernie
Mac (“Mr. 3000”), Casey Affleck
(“Gerry”), Scott Caan (“Sonny”),
Don Cheadle (“The United States of
Leland,” “After the Sunset,” “Hotel
Rwanda,” “The Assassination of
Richard Nixon”), Elliott Gould (“Boys
Life 3”), Carl Reiner (“The Adventures
of Rocky & Bullwinkle”), Eddie
Jemison (“The Punisher”) and
Shaobo Qin. Newcomers to the franchise include
screenwriter George Nolfi (“Timeline”)
and actors Bruce Willis (“The Whole
Ten Yards”), Catherine Zeta-Jones (“The
Terminal”), Eddie Izzard (“All
the Queen’s Men”), Jeroen Krabbe
(“An Ideal Husband”) and Vincent
Cassel (“The Reckoning”). Scope.
Dec. 10. Warner Bros.

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Schizo
Russian-language drama, set in rural Kazakhstan,
about a 15-year-old pugilist who finds himself
pursuing the girlfriend of a fellow fighter
accidentally killed in the ring. Written
and directed by Sergei Bodrov Jr. With Oldzhas
Nusupbayev, Olga Landina, Eduard Tabishev,
Viktor Sukhorukov and Gulnara Yeraliyeva.
Flat. 86 min. Dec. 3. Picture This.
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Spanglish
Comedy-drama about a celebrity chef, his
insecure, newly unemployed wife, and the
pretty young Latina housekeeper they hire.
Written and directed by James L. Brooks (“I’ll
Do Anything,” “As Good As It
Gets”). With Adam Sandler (“50
First Dates”), Téa Leoni (“People
I Know”), Paz Vega (“Talk To
Her”), Allen Covert (“50 First
Dates”), Cloris Leachman (“Alex & Emma”),
Matt Battaglia (“Half Past Dead”),
Wendy Braun (“Paparazzi”) and
Sean Smith (“Cellular”). Flat.
128 min. Dec. 17. Sony.

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Travelers
and Magicians
Dzongkha-language drama, set in the Eastern
Himalayans, about a young Bhutanese government
officer who is torn between the enticing
dream of journeying to America for more opportunity,
and the strict customary laws and practices
of his home village. Written and directed
by Khyentse Norbu (“The Cup”).
With Tsewang Dandup (“The Cup”),
Sonam Lhamo, Lhakpa Dorji, Deki Yangzom,
Sonam Kinga. Flat. 108 min. Dec. 21 limited.
Zeitgeist.
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The
Woodsman
Drama about a pedophile who, having finally
returned to his hometown after a stay in
prison, struggles to convince the townspeople
and himself that he no longer craves sex
with youngsters. Written and directed by
Nicole Kassel. With Kevin Bacon (“Mystic
River”), Kyra Sedgwick (“Secondhand
Lions”), Eve (“The Cookout”),
Gina Philips (“Jeepers Creepers”),
Benjamin Bratt (“Catwoman”),
David Alan Grier (“Baadasssss!”),
Kevin Rice (“Serendipity”), Michael
Shannon (“Criminal”), Carlos
Leon (“She Hate Me”) and Mos
Def (“The Italian Job”). Flat.
87 min. R: Sexuality; disturbing behavior;
language. Dec. 14. Newmarket.

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Bearcub
Spanish-language comedy about an aging homosexual dentist who must
seek out the advice of friends when he’s suddenly left
to care for his 9-year-old nephew. Directed by Luis Miguel Albaladejo
from a screenplay by Albaladejo and Salvador García Ruiz.
With José Luis Garcia Pérez, David Castillo, Arno
Chevrier (“Agnes Browne”), Fernando Albizu (“Bulgarian
Lovers”), Javier Martínez (“Lovers”),
Elvira Lindo, Mario Arias and Diana Cerezo. Also known as “Cachorro.” Scope.
99 min. Nov. 5 limited; wider Nov. 19. TLA.
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It’s
All About Love
Romantic drama, set in 2021 New York, about
a crisis that convinces a divorcing couple
that they’re still in love with each
other. Directed by Thomas Vinterberg from
a screenplay by Vinterberg and Mogens Rukov
(“The Celebration,” “Kira’s
Reason: A Love Story”). With Claire
Danes (“Stage Beauty”), Joaquin
Phoenix (“Ladder 49,” “Hotel
Rwanda”), Sean Penn (“Mystic
River,” “The Assassination of
Richard Nixon”), Douglas Henshall (“The
Lawless Heart”), Alun Armstrong (“Van
Helsing”), Margo Martindale (“The
Human Stain”), Mark Strong (“Hotel”),
Geoffrey Hutchings (“The Affair of
the Necklace”) and Sean-Michael Smith
(“Dancer in the Dark”). R: A
scene of strong violence; some language;
sexuality. Nov. 5 in New York and Los Angeles.
Strand.

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Who
Killed Bambi?
French-language thriller about
a quiet young doctor whose newest
employee, a smart and beautiful nursing student,
suspects him of stealing anesthesia to molest
and murder female patients. Directed by Gilles
Marchand from a screenplay by Marchand (“Bon
Voyage,” “Red Lights”) and
Vincent Dietschy. With Laurent Lucas (“In
My Skin”), Catherine Jacob (“God
Is Great, and I’m Not”) Yasmine
Belmadi (“Criminal Lovers”), Michèle
Moretti (“The Wild Reeds”) Jean-Claude
Jay (“Time Regained”). Also known
as “Qui a tué Bambi?.” Flat.
76 min. Nov. 12 in New York and Los Angeles.
Strand.

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Guerilla:
The Taking of Patty Hearst
Documentary about the 1974 kidnapping of newspaper heiress Patty
Hearst and her alleged brainwashing at the hands of the Symbionese
Liberation Army (SLA). Featuring surveillance footage, television
and news footage, newspaper clippings, interviews and more. Directed
by Robert Stone. Flat. 89 min. Nov. 18 in New York; wider Nov.
24. Magnolia.
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Our Music
French-language
drama, broken into three short sections entitled “Hell,” “Heaven,” and “Purgatory,” about
a meeting of auteurs at a book conference in
war-torn Sarajevo. Written and directed by
Jean-Luc Godard (“In Praise of Love”).
With Sarah Adler, Nade Dieu (“The Butterfly”),
Rony Kramer, George Aguilar (“The Stepford
Wives”), Simone Eine (“The Reader”)
and Jean Christophe Bouvet (“Taxi 2”).
Also known as “Notre Music.” Flat.
76 min. Nov. 24 in New York; Dec. 3 in Los
Angeles. Wellspring.

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You I Love
Russian-language
romantic comedy about a beautiful young woman
who arrives home to celebrate her 1-year anniversary
with her boyfriend, only to find him in bed
with another man. Olga Stolpovskaja and Dmitry
Troitsky make their feature directorial debuts
from their own screenplay. With Lyubov Tolkalina,
Damir Badmajew, Jewgenij Korijakowskij and
Alisa Tanskaya. Also known as “Ya Lyublu
Tebya.” Flat. 83 min. Picture This. |
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