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Volume
III No. 7
A
publication of the National Association of Theatre Owners
Advertise
in In Focus
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| American
Splendor
Biography, incorporating documentary footage, of
Harvey Pekar, a world-famous writer of autobiographical
comic books who still makes ends meet with his
day job as a file clerk for a Cleveland VA hospital.
Based on Pekar’s comic book series. Written,
directed by and co-starring Shari Springer Berman & Robert
Pulcini. With Paul Giamatti (“Confidence”),
Hope Davis (“About Schmidt,” “The
Secret Lives of Dentists”), James Urbaniak
(“Confessions of a Dangerous Mind”),
Earl Billings (“Antwone Fisher”), Molly
Shannon (“The Santa Clause 2,” “My
Boss’s Daughter”), Judah Friedlander
(“Showtime”) and Pekar as himself.
100 min. R: Language. Aug. 15 limited; wider Aug.
22; wider Aug. 29; wider Sept. 12. Fine Line.

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And
Now Ladies & Gentlemen
English-, Arabic-, Italian- and French-language
romantic thriller, set in Morocco, about a British
jewel thief and a French jazz singer who discover
they have something in common besides a mutual
attraction: They both suffer from mysterious
memory blackouts. Directed by Claude Lelouch
(“Les Misérables,” “One
4 All”) from a screenplay by Lelouch, Pierre
Leroux (“One 4 All”) and Pierre Uytterhoeven
(“One 4 All”). With Jeremy Irons
(“The Time Machine”), Patricia Kaas,
Thierry Lhermitte (“The Closet,” “Le
Divorce”), Alessandra Martines (“One
4 All”), Ticky Holgado (“Amélie”)
and Jean-Marie Bigard. Scope. 126 min. PG-13:
Momentary language. Aug. 1 limited. Paramount
Classics.

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The
City of No Limits
Spanish-language drama, set in Paris and Madrid,
about a young man who sets out to find the source
of a mysterious fear that grips his dying father.
Directed by Antonio Hernández from a screenplay
by Hernández & Enrique Brasó.
With Leonardo Sbaraglia (“Intacto”),
Fernanco Fernán Gómez (“Butterfly”),
Geraldine Chaplin (“Talk to Her”),
Ana Fernández (“Talk to Her”),
Adriana Ozores and Leticia Brédice (“Nine
Queens”). Also known as “En la Ciudad
Sin Limites.” 125 min. Aug. 22. Venevision.

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Don’t
Tempt Me
Spanish-, English- and French-language comedy about a land battle between Heaven
and Hell over the soul of a popular boxer. Written and directed by Agustín
Díaz Yanes. With Penélope Cruz (“Waking Up in Reno,” “Masked & Anonymous”),
Gael Garcia Bernal (“The Crime of Father Amaro”), Victoria Abril
(“101 Reykjavík”), Demián Bichir (“Santitos”)
and Fanny Ardant (“8 Women”). Also known as “Sin Noticias de
Dios.” Scope. 95 min. July 11. First Look.

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Envy
Comedy about the jealousy one man feels when his
longtime friend and neighbor suddenly becomes
absurdly rich from selling an invention. Directed
by Barry Levinson (“An Everlasting Piece,” “Bandits”)
from a screenplay by Steve Adams. With Ben Stiller
(“The Royal Tenenbaums”), Jack Black
(“Orange County”), Christopher Walken
(“Poolhall Junkies,” “Gigli”),
Amy Poehler (“Wet Hot American Summer”),
Rachel Weisz (“The Shape of Things”),
Ving Rhames (“Dark Blue”) and LisaRaye
(“The Wood,” “Civil Brand”).
Aug. 15. DreamWorks.

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Freddy
Vs. Jason
Horror thriller about a group of teens who decide
to pit two murderers – the silent stalker
Jason Voorhees and the yappy slasher Freddy Krueger – against
each other. A sequel to the “A Nightmare
on Elm Street” and “Friday the 13th” horror
franchises. Directed by Ronny Yu (“Formula
51”) from a screenplay by David S. Goyer
(“Blade II”), Damian Shannon and Mark
Swift. With Robert Englund (“Strangeland”)
as Freddy Krueger and Ken Kirzinger (“Trixie”)
as Jason Voorhees. Also with Jason Ritter (“Swimfan”),
Monica Keena (“Orange County”), Jason
Bateman (“The Sweetest Thing”) and
Destiny’s Child vocalist Kelly Rowland. Scope.
Aug. 15. New Line.

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Grind
Action comedy
about four skateboarders who embark on an adventurous
road trip from Chicago to Oceanside, Calif., in hopes
of catching the eye of a skating sponsor. Casey La
Scala makes his directorial debut from a screenplay
by Ralph Sall. With Cryss Adeff, Summer Altice (“The
Scorpion King”), Robert Baker (“Old School”),
Adam Brody (“The Ring”), Carrie “CeCe” Cline
and Shonda Farr (“Crossroads”). Aug.
22. Warner Bros.

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Autumn
Spring
Czech-language comedy about a 75-year-old prankster
whose life becomes more complicated when he infuriates
his wife – a penny-pincher frantically saving
for twin funeral plots – with his childish
antics. Directed by Vladimír Michálek
from a screenplay by Jirí Hubac. With Vlastimil
Brodský, Stella Zázvorková (“Kolya”),
Stanislav Zindulka, Ondrej Vetchý (“Dark
Blue World”) and Simona Stasová (“Divided
We Fall”). Also known as “Babí Léto.” Flat.
95 min. Aug. 8 in New York. First Look.
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American
Wedding
When pastry-loving Jim and his flutist love,
Michelle, decide to tie the knot, Stifler throws
a bachelor party and competes with Finch for
the affections of Michelle’s visiting
sister. A sequel to the 1999 blockbuster “American
Pie” and its higher-grossing 2001 sequel “American
Pie 2.” Returnees from parts one and
two include screenwriter Adam Herz as well
as actors Jason Biggs (“Saving Silverman,” “Prozac
Nation”), Alyson Hannigan (“Boys
and Girls”), Sean William Scott (“Bulletproof
Monk”), Eugene Levy (“A Mighty
Wind,” “Dumb and Dumberer: When
Harry Met Lloyd”), Thomas Ian Nicholas
(“The Rules of Attraction”) and
Eddie Kaye Thomas (“Stolen Summer”).
Newcomers to the series include director Jesse
Dylan (“How High”) and actress
January Jones (“Anger Management”).
Aug. 1. Universal.

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The
Battle of Shaker Heights
Contemporary
comedy about a 17-year-old with a passion for re-enacting
World War II battles – and what happens – to
his love life, his family and the high school bully – when
he meets another re-enactor. Winner of the “Project
Greenlight” screenwriting competition. Directed
by Efram Potelle and Kyle Rankin from a screenplay
by Erica Beeney. With Shia LaBeouf (“Holes,” “Dumb
and Dumber: When Harry Met Lloyd,” “Charlie’s
Angels: Full Throttle”), Amy Smart (“Rat
Race”), Elden Henson (“Manic,” “Dumb
and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd”), Anson
Mount (“Poolhall Junkies”), Ray Wise
(“Two Can Play That Game,” “Jeepers
Creepers 2”) and Shiri Appleby (“Swimfan”).
Aug. 15 in New York and Los Angeles. Miramax.

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Civil Brand
Drama about a group of inmates
who join together to protest the unjust conditions
at their all-female maximum-security prison.
Directed by Neema Barnette (TV’s “7th
Heaven”) from a screenplay by Joyce Renee
Lewis and Preston A. Whitmore II. With LisaRaye
(“The Wood,” “Envy”),
N’Bushe Wright (“3 Strikes”),
Mos Def (“The Italian Job”), Da Brat
(“Glitter”), Monica Calhoun (“Pandora’s
Box”) and Clifton Powell (“Lockdown”).
Flat. 95 min. R: Violence including a rape; pervasive
strong language. Aug. 22 limited. Lions Gate.

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Emerald
Cowboy
Spanish- and English-language drama, based on
a true story, about a man who embarks on a 25-year
journey into the dangerous world of gem mining
in Colombia. Directed by Andrew Molina and Eishy
Hayata from a screenplay by Hayata. With Luis
Velasco, Eva Varella and Ricardo Wilke. 124 min.
Aug. 22 limited. Indican.
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Freaky
Friday
Remake of the 1976 comedy about a mother and
daughter whose shared desire to escape their
respective situations is granted when they switch
bodies. Directed by Mark S. Waters (“The
House of Yes,” “Head Over Heels”)
from a screenplay by Heather Hach. With Jamie
Lee Curtis (“Halloween: Resurrection”),
Lindsay Lohan (“The Parent Trap”),
Tom Selleck (“The Love Letter”),
Chad Murray (“Megiddo: The Omega Code 2”)
and Stephen Tobolowsky (“View From the
Top”). Flat. 93 min. PG: Mild thematic
elements; some language. Aug. 6. Buena Vista.

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Gigli
Comedy, set in Los Angeles, about a low-ranking
mob hitman assigned to kidnap the district attorney’s
mentally challenged brother – and what happens
when the hit man comes to bond with his captive.
Written and directed by Martin Brest (“Scent
of a Woman,” “Meet Joe Black”).
With Ben Affleck (“Daredevil”), Jennifer
Lopez (“Maid in Manhattan”), Christopher
Walken (“Poolhall Junkies,” “Envy”),
Nichole Hiltz (“Austin Powers in Goldmember”),
Melissa Crider (“Mulholland Drive”),
Al Pacino (“People I Know”) and Justin
Bartha. Also known as “Tough Love.” Scope.
123 min. R: Sexual content; pervasive language;
brief strong violence. Aug. 1. Sony.

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Highwaymen
Action-thriller
about a widowed motorist who takes to the highways
in search of the serial killer who ran over his wife
with a ‘72 El Dorado. Directed by Robert Harmon
(“Nowhere to Run,” “They”)
from a screenplay by Craig Mitchell and Hans Bauer
(“Anaconda”). With Jim Caviezel (“High
Crimes”), Rhona Mitra (“The Life of David
Gale”), Frankie Faison (“Gods and Generals”),
Gordon Currie (“The Circle”), Colm Feore
(“National Security”) and Paul Mota.
Scope. 71 min. Aug. 27. New Line.

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