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Volume
III No. 3
A
publication of the National Association of Theatre Owners
Advertise
in In Focus
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The Good Thief
English-language remake
of the 1955 French comic-noir classic “Bob
Le Flambeur,” about
an aging gambler who tries to end his losing streak
by pulling the ultimate casino robbery. Written
and directed by Neil Jordan (“In Dreams,” “The
End of the Affair”). With Nick Nolte (“The
Golden Bowl”), Tchéky Karyo (“Kiss
of the Dragon,” “The Core”),
Emir Kursturica (“The Widow of Saint-Pierre”),
Saïd Taghmaoui (“Three Kings”),
Nutsa Kukhanidze, Mark Lavoine (“My Wife
is an Actress”) and Gérard Darmon
(“For Sasha”). Flat. 108 min. April
2 limited. Fox Searchlight.

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Hypnotic
Thriller, set in London, about an
American hypnotherapist who uses his ability to
receive flashes from inside patients’ minds
to help a detective catch a ritualistic killer.
Based on the novel “Doctor Sleep” by
Madison Smartt Bell (“Master of the Crossroads”).
Directed by Nick Willing from a screenplay by Willing
and William Brookfield (“Rough Magic”).
With Goran Visnjic (“The Deep End”),
Shirley Henderson (“Harry Potter and the
Chamber of Secrets”), Paddy Considine (“24
Hour Party People”), Miranda Otto (“Lord
of the Rings: The Two Towers”) and Corin
Redgrave (“Enigma”). April 18. First
Look.

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Malibu's Most Wanted
Comedy, set in Greater Los Angeles,
about an aspiring white rapper from Malibu whose
politician father – in an attempt to scare
the “ghetto” out of the boy – hires
two Julliard-trained actors to kidnap his son and
drop him off in gang-riddled Compton. Based on
a Jamie Kennedy character created for the TV prank
show “JKX: The Jamie Kennedy Experiment.” Directed
by John Whitesell (“See Spot Run”)
from a screenplay by Kennedy, Nick Swardson and
Fax Bahr & Adam Small (“Son in Law,” “In
the Army Now”). With Kennedy (“Max
Keeble’s Big Move”), Nick Swardson
(“Almost Famous”), Anthony Anderson
(“Kangaroo Jack,” “Cradle 2 the
Grave,” “My Baby’s Mama”),
Taye Diggs (“Chicago,” “Basic”),
Blair Underwood (“Full Frontal”) and
Ryan O’Neal (“The Zero Effect,” “People
I Know”). Scope. April 18. Warner Bros.

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The Man Without a Past
Finnish-language drama, set in and
around Helsinki, about a man who must struggle
to start his life over again after a near-fatal
attack leaves him with no memories. Directed by
Aki Kaurismäki from his own screenplay. With
Markku Peltola, Kati Outinen, Juhani Niemelä,
Kaija Pakarinen (“Restless”), Pertti
Sveholm (“Restless”) and Sakari Kuosmanen
(“Night on Earth”). Also known as “Mies
vailla menneisyyttä.” 97 min. April
4 in New York. Sony Pictures Classics.

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Mondays in the Sun
Spanish-language drama, set in Northwestern
Spain and based on a true story, about a group
of laid-off shipyard workers who haplessly wander
in and out of bars, relationships and dead-end
jobs in an attempt to build respectable lives for
themselves. Directed by Fernando León de
Aranoa from a screenplay by Aranoa and Ignacio
del Moral. With Javier Bardem (“Before Night
Falls,” “The Dancer Upstairs”),
José Ángel Egido (“Open Your
Eyes”), Nieve de Medina (“Spanish Fly”),
Serge Riaboukine (“Safe Conduct”),
Enrique Villén (“The Day of the Beast”),
Celso Bugallo (“Butterfly”), Joaquín
Climent (“Goya”) and Luis Tosar. Also
known as “Los Lunes al sol.” Flat.
113 min. April 11 in New York and Los Angeles.
Lions Gate.

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People I Know
Drama, set in New York
City, about a burned-out publicist who sees his life
grow much more complicated when the starlet girlfriend
of his client is murdered. Directed by Daniel Algrant
(“Naked in New York”) from a screenplay
by Jon Robin Baitz (“The Substance of Fire”).
With Al Pacino (“The Recruit”), Kim Basinger
(“8 Mile”), Ryan O’Neal (“Faithful,” “Malibu’s
Most Wanted”), Téa Leoni (“Hollywood
Ending”), Richard Schiff (“I am Sam”),
Robert Klein (“How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days”)
and Bill Nunn (“Spider-Man”). 99 min.
R: Language; drug use; brief sexual images. April
25 in New York and Los Angeles. Miramax.

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Ghosts of the Abyss
Large-format
documentary that takes an undersea 3D look at the
wreckage
of the Titanic. Directed by James Cameron (“True
Lies,” “Titanic”). Featuring
Bill Paxton as himself. Rated G. April 11. Buena
Vista.
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Holes
Drama about a young man wrongly
sent to a Texas juvenile prison where the inmates
are forced to do nothing but dig holes all day – to
facilitate the female warden’s secret quest
for buried treasure. Based on the National Book
Award- and Newberry Medal-winning novel by Louis
Sachar. Directed by Andrew Davis (“A Perfect
Murder,” “Collateral Damage”)
from a screenplay by Sachar. With Sigourney Weaver
(“Tadpole,” “The Guys”),
Jon Voight (“Ali”), Patricia Arquette
(“Human Nature”), Tim Blake Nelson
(“The Good Girl”), Khleo Thomas (“Friday
After Next”) and Shia LaBeouf (TV’s “Even
Stevens”). Flat. PG: Violence; mild language;
some thematic elements. April 18. Buena Vista.

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It Runs in the Family
Dark comedy, set in New York, about
an aged professional and his efforts to reconcile
with an estranged son and grandson. Directed
by Fred Schepisi (“Fierce Creatures,” “Last
Orders”) from a screenplay by Jesse Wigutow.
With Michael Douglas (“Don't Say a Word”),
Kirk Douglas (“Diamonds”), Cameron
Douglas (“Mr. Nice Guy”), Diana Douglas
(“Planes, Trains & Automobiles”),
Rory Culkin (“Igby Goes Down”), Michelle
Monaghan (“Unfaithful”) and Bernadette
Peters (“Snow Days”). Also known
as “Smack in the Kisser” and “A
Few Good Years.” PG-13: Drug content; sexual
material; language. April 25. MGM.

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A Man Apart
Actioner about a U.S. customs agent
who teams with an imprisoned cartel boss in an
effort to track down a mysterious new drug kingpin.
Directed by F. Gary Gray (“The Negotiator”)
from a screenplay by Christian Gudegast and Paul
T. Scheuring. With Vin Diesel (“Knockaround
Guys”), Larenz Tate (“Biker Boyz”),
Jacqueline Obradors (“Tortilla Soup”),
Geno Silva (“Mulholland Dr.”), Richard
Gross (“The Deep End”), Steve Eastin
(“Catch Me If You Can”), Timothy
Olyphant (“Rock Star,” “Dreamcatcher,” “The
Safety of Objects”), Jeff Kober (“Enough”)
and Emilio Rivera (“Confessions of a Dangerous
Mind”). Also known as “Diablo” and “El
Diablo.” April 4. New Line.

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A Mighty Wind
Mockumentary about folk musicians
who reunite in New York City to perform at a
Carnegie Hall memorial concert honoring one of
their own. The “Waiting For Guffman”-”Best
in Show” team of writer-director-actor
Christopher Guest and writer-actor Eugene Levy
reunite. With “This is Spinal Tap” vets
Guest (“A Few Good Men”), Michael
McKean (“The Guru”), and Harry Shearer
(“Teddy Bears’ Picnic”), as
well as Levy (“Like Mike,” “Bringing
Down the House”), Parker Posey (“Personal
Velocity”), Fred Willard (“How High,” “Teddy
Bears’ Picnic”), Catherine O’Hara
(“Orange County”), Ed Begley Jr.
(“Auto Focus”), Bob Balaban (“Gosford
Park”) and Laura Harris (“Just the
Ticket”). April 16. Warner Bros.

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My Baby's Mama
Comedy, about three young men who
are forced to take on new responsibilities when
their girlfriends simultaneously become pregnant.
Directed by Cheryl Dunye (“The Watermelon
Woman”) from a screenplay by actor Eddie
Griffin (“The New Guy”) and Damon “Coke” Daniels.
With Griffin, Anthony Anderson (“Kangaroo
Jack,” “Cradle 2 the Grave,” “Malibu’s
Most Wanted”), Bai Ling (“Anna and
the King”), Paula Jai Parker (“High
Crimes,” “Phone Booth”), Method
Man (“How High”), Michael Imperioli
(“Love in the Time of Money”) and Joanna
Bacalso (“Snow Dogs”). April 4. Miramax.

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