Volume III No. 4

A publication of the National Association of Theatre Owners

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A Woman Is A Woman
Re-release of the 1961 French-language comedy about a stripper who -- after trying to convince her commitment-phobic boyfriend to have a baby -- approaches his best friend with the same proposition. Written and directed by Jean-Luc Godard (“In Praise of Love,” “Aria”). With Jean-Claude Brialy (“Shadow Play”), Anna Karina (“The Truth About Charlie”), Jean-Paul Belmondo (“Les Miserables”), Marie Dubois (“The Swindle”), Ernest Menzer and Marion Sarraut. Also known as “Une Femme est une Femme.” Scope. 84 min. May 15 in New York. Rialto.

X2
Sci-fi action drama about an amnesic mutant named Logan who is drawn closer to his past when the escaped mutant supervillain-leader Erik “Magneto” Lensherr helps mutant superhero-leader Charles Xavier halt a plot to wipe out every mutant on the planet. Based on the Marvel comic book characters created by Stan Lee (“Spider-Man,” “Daredevil”). Returnees from part one include director Bryan Singer (“The Usual Suspects,” “Apt Pupil”), as well as actors Hugh Jackman (“Kate & Leopold”) as Logan, Patrick Stewart (“Star Trek: Nemesis”) as Xavier, Ian McKellen (the “Lord of the Rings” series) as Magneto, Famke Janssen (“I Spy”) as Dr. Jean “Marvel Girl” Grey, James Marsden (“Sugar & Spice”) as Scott “Cyclops” Summers, Halle Berry (“Die Another Day”) as Ororo “Storm” Munroe, Rebecca Romijn-Stamos (“Femme Fatale”) as Raven “Mystique” Darkholme, Bruce Davison (“Dahmer”) as Sen. Kelly, Shawn Ashmore (“Strike”) as Bobby “Iceman” Drake and Anna Paquin (“25th Hour,” “Buffalo Soldiers”) as Marie “Rogue” D’Ancanto. Newcomers include screenwriters Michael Dougherty and Daniel Harris, as well as actors Alan Cumming (“Nicholas Nickleby”) as Kurt “Nightcrawler” Wagner, Katie Stuart (“Summer of the Monkeys”) as Katherine “Shadowcat” Pryde, Brian Cox (“25th Hour”) as Gen. William Stryker, Aaron Stanford (“Tadpole,” “25th Hour”) as St. John “Pyro” Allerdyce, and Kelly Hu (“Cradle 2 the Grave”) as Yuriko “Lady Deathstrike” Oyama. Scope. May 2. Fox.

Better Luck Tomorrow
Drama, set in Southern California, about a group of high school juniors who become bored with their banal suburban lives and use their perfect reputations to get away with risky extracurricular activites. Directed by Justin Lin from a screenplay by Lin, Ernesto M. Foronda and Julie Asato. With Parry Shen (“The New Guy”), Jason Tobin (“Beverly Hill Ninja”), Sung Kang (“Antwone Fisher”), Roger Fan (“Corky Romano”), John Cho (“Solaris”), Karin Anna Cheung and Jerry Mathers (“Back to the Beach”). 101 min. R: Violence; drug use; language; sexuality. April 25. MTV Films..

Friday Night
French-language drama, set in Paris, about a fiancée whose Friday-night encounter with an intriguing stranger changes her life. Based on the novel by Emmanuelle Bernheim (“Sa Femme”). Directed by Claire Denis (“Beau Travail,” “Trouble Every Day”) from a screenplay by Bernheim (“Under the Sand”). With Valérie Lemercier (“Sabrina”), Vincent Lindon (“Chaos”), Hélène de Saint-Père, Hélène Fillières (“Ouch”) and Florence Loiret (“Trouble Every Day”). Also known as “Vendredi Soir.” 90 min. April 18. Wellspring.

 

The Guys
Drama, based on a true story, about a journalist who teams with a New York Fire Department captain to record eulogies for eight firefighters killed in the World Trade Center tragedy. Based on a play by Anne Nelson. Actor Jim Simpson (“Pipe Dream”) makes his feature directorial debut from his own screenplay. With Sigourney Weaver (“Tadpole,” “Holes”), Anthony LaPaglia (“The Salton Sea”), Jim Simpson, Charlotte Simpson and Ron Dortch (“Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood”). 100 min. PG: Thematic elements; brief language. April 4 limited. Focus.

 

House of
1000 Corpses

Thriller about two young couples who seek refuge from a ominous storm – in a mansion inhabited by murderous lunatics. Musician and video director Rob Zombie makes his feature directorial debut from his own screenplay. With Sid Haig (“Jackie Brown”), Karen Black (“The Underground Comedy Movie”), Bill Moseley (“Mr. Jones”), Michael J. Pollard (“Tumbleweeds”), Sheri Moon and Jeanne Carmen. R: Strong sadistic violence/gore; sexuality; language. April 11 limited. Lions Gate.

 

Tycoon
Contemporary Russian-language drama about a wealthy conglomerate CEO whose downfall is tied to Uzbek mobsters, Kremlin corruption and his own greed. Based on the novel by Yuli Dubov. Directed by Pavel Lungin (“Taxi Blues”) from a screenplay by Lungin and Aleksandr Borodyansky. With Vladimir Mashkov (“Behind Enemy Lines”), Andrei Krasko, Mariya Mironova, Levani Outchaneichvili (“25th Hour”) Aleksandr Baluyev (“Deep Impact”) and Aleksandr Samojlenko. Also known as “Oligarkh.” Flat. 128 min. April 30 in New York. New Yorker.

The Dancer Upstairs
Thriller, based on a true story, about the police detective who spent 12 years trying to track down the leader of Shining Path, Peru’s extreme leftist guerrilla group. Based on the book by Nicholas Shakespeare. Actor John Malkovich (“Knockaround Guys”) makes his feature directorial debut from a screenplay by Shakespeare. With Javier Bardem (“Mondays in the Sun”), Juan Diego Botto (“1492”), Laura Morante (“The Son’s Room”), Alexandra Lencastre, Abel Folk, Elvira Mínguez and Oliver Cotton (“Shanghai Knights”). Flat. 133 min. R: Strong violence; language; drug content. April 30 limited. Fox Searchlight.

From Justin To Kelly
Comedy, set in Miami, about a pair of musically inclined young adults who share romantic misadventures during spring break. Directed by Robert Iscove (“She’s All That,” “Boys and Girls”) from a screenplay by Kim Fuller (“High Heels and Low Lifes”). With “American Idol” winner Kelly Clarkson and “American Idol” first runner-up Justin Guarini. 95 min. April 25. Fox.

House of Fools
Russian- and Chechen-language romantic comedy, set in 1996, about asylum residents who find themselves drawn into the Chechen War when a group of soldiers arrives to set up camp. Written and directed by Andrei Konchalovsky (“Tango & Cash,” “The Inner Circle”). With Yuliya Vysotskaya (“Max”), Sultan Islamov, Stanislav Varkki, Yevgeni Mironov (“Burnt By the Sun”) and musician Bryan Adams (“Pink Cadillac”) as himself. Also known as “Dom Durakov.” Flat. 104 min. R: Language; some violence; nudity. April 25 limited. Paramount Classics.

 

Lilya 4-Ever
Period Russian-, English- and Swedish-language drama, set in Sweden and the former Soviet Union, about a Russian teen who – having been abandoned by her mother – ends up lost in a world of prostitution, suicide and drugs. Directed by Lukas Moodysson (“Show Me Love,” “Together”) from his own screenplay. With Oksana Akinshina, Atryom Bogucharsky, Elina Benenson, Liliya Shinkaryova, Tomas Neumann and Pavel Ponomaryov. 109 min. April 11 in New York; April 18 in Los Angeles. Newmarket.

 

 

 

 

"And Now Ladies and Gentlemen..."The Italian Job"

"The In-Laws" - "Together"

 

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