Volume IV No. 3

A publication of the National Association of Theatre Owners

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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.

 

 

 

 

"The Alamo" – "Hero"

"The Saddest Music in the World" – Late Additions to March

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