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Volume
III No. 12
A
publication of the National Association of Theatre Owners
Advertise
in In Focus
©
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Big Bounce
Romantic thriller, set in Hawaii, about a wandering
surfer who falls for the lover of a powerful
local businessman. Based on the novel by Elmore
Leonard (“Jackie Brown,” “Out
of Sight”). Directed by George Armitage
(“Miami Blues,” “Grosse Pointe
Blank”) from a screenplay by Armitage and
Sebastian Gutierrez. With Owen Wilson (“Shanghai
Knights”), model and former “ET on
MTV” host Sara Foster, Morgan Freeman (“Bruce
Almighty”), Charlie Sheen (“Scary
Movie 3”), Gary Sinise (“The Human
Stain”), Vinnie Jones (“Night at
the Golden Eagle”), Scott Caan (“Sonny”),
Kris Kristofferson (“Blade 2”) and
Bebe Neuwirth (“Le Divorce”). Jan.
30. Warner Bros.
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Chasing
Liberty
Romantic comedy about a U.S. president’s
18-year-old daughter, who ditches her Secret Service
men to go on a European road trip with a handsome
friend. Directed by Andy Cadiff (“Leave it
to Beaver”) from a screenplay by Derek Guiley
and Dave Schneiderman. With Mandy Moore (“How
To Deal”), Matthew Goode (the ABC-TV movie “Confessions
of an Ugly Stepsister”), Jeremy Piven (“Scary
Movie 3”), Mark Harmon (“Freaky Friday”),
Annabella Sciorra (“King of the Jungle”)
and Caroline Goodall (“The Princess Diaries”).
Previously known as “First Daughter.” (But
not to be confused with “First Daughter,” the
Fox project previewed on page 42.) Jan. 7. Warner
Bros.
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Latter Days
Romantic comedy, set in
Los Angeles, about a young, homosexual “party boy” who bets his
friends that he will be able to sleep with one
of the Mormon missionaries who moved in next door.
Screenwriter C. Jay Cox (“Sweet Home Alabama”)
makes his feature directorial debut from his own
script. With Steve Sandvoss, Wesley Ramsey (“Way
Off Broadway”), Jacqueline Bisset (“Dangerous
Beauty”), Mary Kay Place (“The Safety
of Objects”), Erik Palladino (“U-571”),
Joseph Gordon-Levitt (“Manic”), Dave
Power (“U-571”), Rob McElhenny (“Thirteen
Conversations About One Thing”), Linda Pine
(“End of Days”) and Amber Benson (“Bye
Bye, Love”). Flat. 108 min. Jan. 30. TLA.
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My
Baby’s Daddy
Comedy about three bachelors suddenly confronted
with parenthood when all of their girlfriends simultaneously
become pregnant. Directed by Cheryl Dunye (“The
Watermelon Woman”) from a screenplay by Eddie
Griffin (TV’s “Malcolm & Eddie”)
and Damon “Coke” Daniels. With Griffin
(“Scary Movie 3”), Anthony Anderson
(“Scary Movie 3”), Method Man (“Scary
Movie 3”), Bai Ling (“Anna and the
King”), Paula Jai Parker (“Phone Booth”),
Michael Imperioli (“Love in the Time of Money”),
and Joanna Bacalso (“Snow Dogs”). Jan.
9. Miramax.
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Along
Came Polly
Comedy about a married man who analyzes risk for
a living while carefully avoiding risk himself,
until he has an affair that turns his life upside-down.
Written and directed by John Hamburg (“Safe
Men”). With Ben Stiller (“Duplex”),
Jennifer Aniston (“Bruce Almighty”),
Philip Seymour Hoffman (“Owning Mahowny,” “Cold
Mountain”), Hank Azaria (“America’s
Sweethearts,” “Shattered Glass”),
Alec Baldwin (“Pearl Harbor,” “Dr.
Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat,” “The
Cooler”) Debra Messing (“Hollywood
Ending”) and Bryan Brown (“Grizzly
Falls”). Flat. 90 min. Jan. 16. Universal.
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The
Butterfly Effect
Science fiction drama about a man who travels
back in time to reinhabit his 13-year-old body,
only to discover that changing his timeline precipitates
unforseen results. “Final Destination
2” screenwriters J. Mackye Gruber & Eric
Bress make their feature directorial debuts from
their own script. With Ashton Kutcher (“My
Boss’s Daughter,” “Cheaper
by the Dozen”), Amy Smart (“The Battle
of Shaker Heights”), William Lee Scott
(“Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd”),
Elden Henson (“Under the Tuscan Sun”),
Eric Stoltz (“Harvard Man,” “The
Rules of Attraction”), Ethan Suplee (“The
First $20 Million is Always the Hardest,” “Cold
Mountain”) and Melora Walters (“Speaking
of Sex”). Flat. 113 min. R: Violence; sexual
content; language; brief drug use. Jan. 23. New
Line.
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First
Daughter
Romantic comedy about a U.S. president’s
daughter who wants to attend college without a
Secret Service detail, and the handsome young agent
who impersonates a college student to protect her.
Directed by Forest Whitaker (“Waiting to
Exhale,” “Hope Floats”) from
a screenplay by Jessica Bendinger (“The Truth
About Charlie”), Kate Kondell (“Legally
Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde”) and actor
Jerry O’Connell (“Kangeroo Jack”).
With Katie Holmes (“The Singing Detective”),
Marc Blucas (“The Alamo”), Michael
Keaton (“Jack Frost”), Ted Garcia (“Bruce
Almighty”), Parry Shen (“Better Luck
Tomorrow”), Margaret Colin (“Blue Car”),
Lela Rochon (“Any Given Sunday”) and
Andrew Caple-Shaw (TV’s “American Dreams”).
(Not to be confused with “Chasing Liberty,” a
Warner Bros. project discussed on the previous
page. Jan. 9. Fox.
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Miracle
Drama about legendary coach Herb Brooks, who
in 1980 led the underdog U.S. hockey team to
an astonishing victory over its Soviet Union
counterpart. Directed by Gavin O’Connor
(“Tumbleweeds”) from a screenplay
by Eric Guggenheim. With Kurt Russell (“Dark
Blue”), Eddie Cahill (TV’s “Glory
Days”), Noah Emmerich (“Beyond Borders”),
Ken Mitchell (“The Recruit”), Patricia
Clarkson (“Pieces of April”), Michael
Coristine (TV’s “Taken”) and
Nathan West (“Not Another Teen Movie”).
Jan. 30. Buena Vista.
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