|
  


Volume
IV No. 3
A
publication of the National Association of Theatre Owners
Advertise
in In Focus
©
|
| Hypnotic
Thriller, set in London, about an American hypotherapist
who uses his unique ability – he can receive
flashes from 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 (“Once Upon a Time in the Midlands,” “Wilbur
Wants to Kill Himself,” “Intermission”),
Paddy Considine (“In America”), Miranda
Otto (the “Lord of the Rings” series),
Colin Farrell (“Veronica Guerin,” “Intermission”)
and Corin Redgrave (“Enigma”). Also known
as “Doctor Sleep.” 108 min. April 16.
First Look.

|
|
Klezmer
on Fish Street
English-, Polish- and Yiddish-language documentary
about a group of Jewish-American klezmer musicians
who travel to Poland to explore the Jewish communities
there. Directed by Yael Strom. 86 min. April 16
in New York; May 7 in Los Angeles. Castle Hill.
|
|
Kill
Bill: Vol.2
Having dispatched Vernetta Green and O-Ren Ishi,
the vengeful bride turns her attention to Bill,
Bill’s brother Budd, and one-eyed blonde
Amazon Elle Driver, “the California Mountain
Snake.” Returnees from Vol. 1 include
writer-director Quentin Tarantino (“Pulp
Fiction,” “Jackie Brown”)
and actors Uma Thurman (“Paycheck”),
Michael Madsen (“My Boss’s Daughter”),
Daryl Hannah (“Casa de Los Babys”),
David Carradine (“Roadside Prophets”),
Michael Parks (“Julian Po”), Gordon
Liu (“Drunken Master III”), Chiaki
Kuriyama (“Battle Royale”), Sonny
Chiba (“Aces: Iron Eagle III”),
Lucy Liu (“Charlie’s Angels: Full
Throttle”) and Vivica A. Fox (“Boat
Trip,” “Ella Enchanted”).
Newcomers to the franchise include Michael
Jai White (“Pandora’s Box”),
Samuel L. Jackson (“S.W.A.T.,” “Twisted”),
Bo Svenson (“Speed 2: Cruise Control”)
and LaTanya Richardson (“The Fighting
Temptations”). Scope. April 16. Miramax.

|
|
Man
on Fire
Action thriller about an acrimonious ex-marine
who moves to Italy to take a job as bodyguard
to a wealthy 10-year-old kidnap target. Based
on the novel by A.J. Quinnell (“Siege
of Silence”). Directed by Tony Scott
(“Enemy of the State,” “Spy
Game”) from a screenplay by Brian Helgeland
(“The Order,” “Mystic River”).
With Denzel Washington (“Out of Time”),
Christopher Walken (“The Rundown,” “Envy”),
Dakota Fanning (“Dr. Seuss’ The
Cat in the Hat”), Radha Mitchell (“Phone
Booth”), Mickey Rourke (“Once Upon
a Time in Mexico”) and Marc Anthony (“Bringing
Out the Dead”). Scope. April 23. Fox.

|
Noi
Albinoi
Drama, set in a remote Icelandic fjord community,
about a 17-year-old struggling to survive the monotony
of his rural hometown. Written and directed by
Dagur Kári. With Tómas Lemarquis,
Throstur Leo Gunnarsson (“No Such Thing”),
Elin Hansdóttir, Anna Fridriksdóttir
and Pétur Einarsson (“101 Reykjavik”).
89 min. April 23. Palm.
|
The
Sacred Earth
Large-format documentary examining some of the most
exotic places on earth, from Alaska and Arizona
to the beaches of New Zealand and the ancient ruins
of Thailand. Directed by Jon Long (“Extreme”).
45 min. G. April 22. Buena Vista. |
|
Home
on the Range
Animated adventure, set in the Old West, about
a herd of cows who plan to capture an outlaw and
use the reward to save their owner’s farm
(and save themselves from being sold to a meat-packing
plant). Written and directed by Will Finn (“The
Road to El Dorado”) and John Sanford. Featuring
the voices of Judi Dench, Cuba Gooding Jr., Roseanne,
Jennifer Tilly, Randy Quaid, David Burnham and
Steve Buscemi. Flat. 76 min. April 2. Buena Vista.

|
I'm
Not Scared
Italian-language thriller, set in rural 1978
Sicily, about a 9-year-old who finds a boy held
captive in a hole under a house, then learns
his own parents may be part of a nefarious conspiracy.
Based on the novel by Niccolò Ammaniti.
Directed by Gabriele Salvatores (“Mediterraneo”)
from a screenplay Ammaniti and Francesca Marciano
(“Iris Blond”). With Aitana Sánchez-Gijón
(“The Chambermaid and the Titanic”),
Dino Abbrescia, Giorgio Careccia, Giuseppe Cristiano,
Mattia Di Pierro and Diego Abatantuono (“Mediterraneo”).
Also known as “Io Non Ho Paura.” 108
min. April 9. Miramax.

|
Johnson
Family Vacation
Comedy about a family that takes a roadtrip to
attend their family reunion in Missouri. Christopher
Erskin makes his directorial debut from a screenplay
by Earl & Todd Jones. With Cedric the Entertainer
(“Barbershop 2: Back in Business”),
Philip Bolden (“The Animal”), Bow Wow
(“Like Mike”), Steve Harvey (“You
Got Served”), Godfrey (“Zoolander”),
Vanessa Williams (“Shaft”) and Shannon
Elizabeth (“Love Actually”). Scope.
PG-13: Some sexual references; crude humor; brief
drug material. April 7. Fox/Fox Searchlight.

|
Laws
of Attraction
Romantic comedy about two divorce lawyers who
marry each other – only to find that they
are plagued by the same marital difficulties
that affect their clients. Directed by Peter
Howitt (“AntiTrust,” “Johnny
English”) from a screenplay by Howitt,
Douglas McFerran, Aline Brosh McKenna (“Three
to Tango”), Robert Harling (“The
Evening Star”) and Karey Kirkpatrick (“The
Little Vampire”). With Pierce Brosnan (“Die
Another Day”), Julianne Moore (“The
Hours”), Parker Posey (“A Mighty
Wind,” “The Event”), Michael
Sheen (“Timeline”), Frances Fisher
(“House of Sand and Fog”) and Nora
Dunn (“Runaway Jury”). 87 min. Scope.
PG-13: Sexual content; language. April 30. New
Line.

|
Mean
Girls
Teen comedy, set against a backdrop of Illinois
high-school life, about a new girl who falls for
the ex-boyfriend of one of the most popular students.
Based on the book “Queen Bees and Wannabees:
Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip,
Boyfriends and Other Realities of Adolescence” by
Rosalind Wiseman. Directed by Mark Waters (“Head
Over Heels,” “Freaky Friday”)
from a screenplay by “Saturday Night Live” writer-performer
Tina Fey. With Fey, Lindsay Lohan (“Freaky
Friday,” “Confessions of a Teenage
Drama Queen”), Rachel McAdams (“The
Hot Chick”), Jonathan Bennett, Lacey Chabert
(“Daddy Day Care”), Lizzy Caplan (“Orange
County”), Amanda Seyfried and Daniel Franzese
(“Party Monster”). Flat. 98 min. April
30. Paramount.

|
The
Punisher
Actioner about an ex-soldier who embarks on a one-man
crusade against the crime syndicate that murdered
his family. Based on the Marvel comic book character.
Screenwriter Jonathan Hensleigh (“The Saint,” “Armageddon”)
makes his feature directorial debut from a screenplay
by Hensleigh, Michael Tolkin (“Changing Lanes” and
Michael France (“Hulk”). With Thomas
Jane (“Dreamcatcher”) as the Punisher,
John Travolta (“Basic”) as Howard Saint,
Laura Harring (“Willard”) as Livia
Saint, Ben Foster (“Northfork”) as
Spacker Dave, Rebecca Romijn-Stamos (“X2,” “Godsend”)
as “Joan The Mouse,” and Jeff Chase
(“The Rundown”) as the Enforcer. Scope.
April 16. Lions Gate.

|
Since
Otar Left
Georgian- and French-language drama, set in the impoverished
Georgian capital of Tbilisi, about three generations
of women who pin all their hopes and aspirations
to a son working in Paris. Directed by Julie Bertucelli
from a screenplay by Bertucelli, Roger Bohbot (“The
Dreamlife of Angels”) and Bernard Renucci.
With Esther Gorintin (“Carnage”), Nino
Khomasuridze, Dinara Drukarova, Temur Kalandadze
and Rusudan Bolqvadze. Also known as “Depuis
Qu’Otar est Parti.” 102 min. April 9.
Zeitgeist. |
|
|