Volume IV No. 4

A publication of the National Association of Theatre Owners

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Carandiru
Portuguese-language drama about a doctor who makes regular visits to Brazill’s Sao Paulo Penitentiary, the largest such facility in Latin America. Based on the book “Carandiru Station” by Drauzio Varella. Directed by Hector Babenco (“At Play in the Fields of the Lord”) from a screenplay by Babenco, Victor Navas and Fernando Bonassi. With Luiz Carlos Vasconcelos (“Behind the Sun”), Milton Gonçalves (“Wild Orchid”), Milhem Cortaz, Ivan de Almeida, Ailton Graça and Aida Leiner. Flat. 145 min. R: Strong bloody violence/carnage; language; sexuality; drug use. May 7 in New York and Los Angeles. Sony Pictures Classics.

 

 

Coffee and Cigarettes
Episodic black-and-white comedy about, among other things, a racist, a movie star and her resentful cousin, a pair of passive-aggressive character actors, and a young man who tries to impress a young woman with his Tesla coil. Written and directed by Jim Jarmusch (“Mystery Train,” “Night On Earth,” “Dead Man,” “Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai”). With Bill Murray (“Lost in Translation”), Steve Buscemi (“Big Fish”), Steven Wright (“Loser”), Roberto Benigni (“Pinocchio”), Cate Blanchett (the “Lord of the Rings” series, “The Missing”), Steve Coogan (“24 Hour Party People”), Alfred Molina (“Identity”), Cinque Lee (“Mystery Train”), Joie Lee (“Summer of Sam”), Iggy Pop (“Snow Day”), Tom Waits (“Mystery Men”), Jack White (“Cold Mountain”), White Stripes bandmate Meg White, and Wu Tang Clan members RZA and GZA. 96 min. May 14 limited. MGM.

 

 

Eulogy
Comedy about three generations of relatives who discover long-lost secrets and stories while gathered at the funeral of their family’s patriarch. Michael Clancy makes his feature directorial debut from his own screenplay. With Hank Azaria (“Along Came Polly”), Zooey Deschanel (“Elf”), Famke Janssen (“X2”), Jesse Bradford (“Swimfan”), Glenne Headly (“Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen”), Kelly Preston (“Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat”), Rip Torn (“Welcome to Mooseport”), Paget Brewster (“The Specials”), Piper Laurie (“The Faculty”), Rene Auberjonois (“The Patriot”), Debra Winger (“Radio”) and Ray Romano (“Welcome to Mooseport”). Flat. R: Language; sexual content; drug use. May 28 in New York and Los Angeles; wider June 18. Lions Gate.

 

 

The Mother
British drama about a sixtysomething woman who finds herself having an affair with her married daughter’s lover, a man half her age. Directed by Roger Michell (“Notting Hill,” “Changing Lanes”) from a screenplay by Hanif Kureishi (“My Son The Fanatic,” “Intimacy”). With Anne Reid (“Liam”), Daniel Craig (“Sylvia”), Steven Mackintosh (“Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels”), Cathryn Bradshaw (“Bert Rigby, You’re A Fool”), Oliver Ford Davies (“Johnny English”), Peter Vaughan (“An Ideal Husband”) and Anna Wilson-Jones. Flat. 112 min. R: Sexual content including graphic images of sexuality; language; brief drug use. May 28 in New York and Los Angeles. Sony Pictures Classics.

 

 

Raising Helen
Comedy-drama, set in New York, about an assistant to the head of a modeling agency who finds herself having to care for three young children following the sudden deaths of her sister and brother-in-law. Directed by Garry Marshall (“Runaway Bride,” “The Princess Diaries”) from a screenplay by Jack Amiel & Michael Begler (“The Prince & Me”). With Kate Hudson (“Le Divorce”), John Corbett (“My Big Fat Greek Wedding”), Joan Cusack (“Looney Tunes: Back in Action”), Helen Mirren (“Calendar Girls,” “The Clearing”), Felicity Huffman (“Magnolia”), Hector Elizondo (“The Princess Diaries”), Hayden Panettiere (“Joe Somebody”), Spencer Breslin (“Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat”), Abigail Breslin (“Signs”) and Amber Valletta (“Duplex”). PG-13: Thematic issues involving teens. May 28. Buena Vista.

 

Baadasssss!
Drama about the making of Melvin Von Peebles’ seminal 1971 blaxploitation epic “Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song.” Directed by his son Mario Van Peebles (“New Jack City,” “Posse,” “Panther”) from a screenplay by Mario Van Peebles and Dennis Haggerty. With Mario Van Peebles (“Ali,” “The Hebrew Hammer”), Rainn Wilson (“House of 1000 Corpses”), Paul Rodriguez (“Time Changer”), Joy Bryant (“Honey”), Terry Crews (“Starsky & Hutch”), Saul Rubinek (“The Singing Detective”), David Alan Grier (“15 Minutes”) and Nia Long (“Big Momma’s House”). Also known as “Gettin’ the Man’s Foot Outta Your Baadasssss!” Flat. 109 min. R: Pervasive language; some strong sexuality/nudity. May 28. Sony Pictures Classics.

 

The Clearing
Drama about a well-heeled executive whose wife must come up with ransom money when an irate employee holds the exec captive in a forest. Producer Pieter Jan Brugge (“The Insider”) makes his feature directorial debut from a screenplay by Justin Haythe. With Robert Redford (“Spy Game”), Helen Mirren (“Calendar Girls,” “Raising Helen”), Willem Dafoe (“Once Upon A Time in Mexico,” “The Reckoning”), Melissa Sagemiller (“Sorority Boys”), Alessandro Nivola (“Laurel Canyon”) and Matt Craven (“Timeline”). Flat. May 21. Fox Searchlight.

 

The Day After Tomorrow
Science fiction thriller about a climatologist who must rescue his son before a catastrophic shift in the world’s weather traps the boy in New York. Directed by Roland Emmerich (“Godzilla,” “The Patriot”) from a screenplay by Emmerich and Jeffrey Nachmanoff. With Dennis Quaid (“Cold Creek Manor,” “The Alamo”), Jake Gyllenhaal (“Moonlight Mile”), Emmy Rossum (“Mystic River”), J.P. Manoux (“Eurotrip”), Sela Ward (“Dirty Dancing Havana Nights”), Christopher Britton (“Godsend”) and Tamlyn Tomita (“Robot Stories”). Scope. May 28. Fox.

 

Love Me if You Dare
French-language drama a pair of childhood friends who find their feelings for each other growing as they carry a game they invented called “Dare” into their adult lives. Directed by Yann Samuell from a screenplay by Samuell and Jacky Cukier (“Day After Day”). With Guillaume Canet (“The Beach”), Marion Cotillard (“Big Fish”), Gilles Lellouche (“My Wife is an Actress”), Thibault Verhaeghe, Joséphine Lebas-Joly, Gérard Watkins and Emmanuelle Grönvold. Also known as “Jeux D’enfants.” 93 min. May 14 limited. Paramount Classics.

 

 

 

New York Minute
Action comedy, set in New York City, about teen sisters from Long Island who come to Manhattan on a school-day to pursue different agendas, then find themselves mixed up in a black-market computer chip transaction. Directed by Dennie Gordon (“Joe Dirt,” “What A Girl Wants”) from a screenplay by Emily Fox. With Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen (“It Takes Two”), Eugene Levy (“American Wedding”), Andrea Martin (“My Big Fat Greek Wedding”), Jared Padalecki (TV’s “Gilmore Girls”), Riley Smith (“Radio”), Drew Pinsky (TV’s “Loveline”), Jack Osbourne (TV’s “The Osbournes”) and Andy Richter (“My Boss’s Daughter”). May 7. Warner Bros.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Shrek2" –"Van Helsing"

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