Volume V No. 8/9

A publication of the National Association of Theatre Owners

Advertise in In Focus

©

The Aryan Couple
Period drama, set during World War II, about a German-Jewish industrialist who bargains for his family’s safe exit from the country by relinquishing his business to the Nazis. Directed by John Daly from a screenplay by Daly and Kendrew Lascelles (“Focus”). With Kenny Doughty (“Elizabeth,” “The Great Raid,” “My First Wedding”), Caroline Carver, Martin Landau (“Hollywood Homicide”), Judy Parfitt (“Asylum”), Danny Webb (“The Upside of Anger”) and Steven Mackintosh (“The Jacket”). 120 min. PG-13: Violence; disturbing images; thematic elements. Sept. 23. Slow Hand.

 

 

Bee Season
Drama about a father who pays less attention to his failing marriage, his wife’s mental instability and his son’s involvement with a cult after his daughter exhibits extraordinary spelling bee prowess. Directed by Scott McGehee & David Siegel (“The Deep End”) from a screenplay by Naomi Foner Gyllenhaal (“Losing Isaiah”). With Richard Gere (“Shall We Dance?”), Juliette Binoche (“In My Country”), Max Minghella (“Art School Confidential,” “Syriana”), Kate Bosworth (“Beyond the Sea”) and Flora Cross. Scope. PG-13: Thematic elements; scene of sensuality; brief strong language. Sept 30. Fox Searchlight.

 

 

Clean
French-, English- and Cantonese-language drama about a methadone-addict ex-VJ who – after serving a 6-month prison term for facilitating her rock-star husband’s fatal heroin overdose – sets out to regain custody of her son. Directed by Olivier Assayas (“Les Destinees,” “Demonlover”) from a screenplay by Assayas, Malachy Martin and Sarah Perry. With Maggie Cheung (“Hero,” “2046”), Nick Nolte (“Hotel Rwanda,” “The Beautiful Country”), Don McKellar (“The Event”), Beatrice Dalle (“The Time of the Wolf”) and Rémi Martin (“Les Destinees”). Scope. 111 min. R: Drug content; language; brief nudity. Sept. 9 in New York and Los Angeles. Palm.

 

 

Cry Wolf
Thriller about high schoolers who make up a story about a serial killer, only to have no one believe them when a real serial killer turns up. Directed by 2001 USC film school grad Jeff Wadlow from a screenplay by Wadlow and Beau Bauman. Starring Jared Padalecki (“House of Wax”), Jon Bon Jovi (“Pay It Forward”), Lindy Booth (“Dawn of the Dead”), Julian Morris and Gary Cole (“The Ring Two”). Scope. PG-13: Violence; terror; disturbing images; language; sexuality; a brief drug reference. Sept. 23. Focus.

 

Derailed
Thriller about two married executives who find themselves blackmailed by a violent criminal who knows about their affair. Based on the novel by James Siegel. Swedish filmmaker Mikael Håfström directs from a screenplay by Stuart Beattie (“Collateral”). With Clive Owen (“Sin City”), Jennifer Aniston (“Along Came Polly”), Melissa George (“The Amityville Horror”), RZA (“Unleashed”), Xzibit (“XXX: State of the Union”), Giancarlo Esposito (“Ali”) and Tom Conti (“Beyond Therapy”). R: Strong disturbing violence; language; some sexuality. Oct. 21. Weinstein.

 

 

Doom
Sci-fi actioner about a marine who finds himself battling flesh-eating ghouls in a claustrophobic, labyrinthine facility. Based on the popular computer game. Directed by Andrzei Barkowiak (“Exit Wounds,” “Cradle 2 The Grave”) from a screenplay by Dave Callaham. With Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson (“Be Cool”), Karl Urban (“The Bourne Supremacy”), Rosamund Pike (“Die Another Day,” “Pride and Prejudice”), Ian Hughes (“Bright Young Things”), Robert Russel (“The Prince & Me”), Al Weaver (“The Merchant of Venice”), Dhobi Oparei (“Thunderbirds”), Ben Daniels (“Madeline”), Razaaq Adoti (“Resident Evil: Apocalypse”), Dexter Fletcher (“Layer Cake”), Richard Brake (“Batman Begins”) and Daniel York (“The Beach”). Oct. 21. Universal.

 

 

Elizabethtown
Drama about a young man who, after losing his job and girlfriend, returns to his rural Kentucky hometown, where he falls for a flight attendant. Written and directed by Cameron Crowe (“Almost Famous,” “Vanilla Sky”). With Orlando Bloom (“Kingdom of Heaven”), Kirsten Dunst (“Wimbledon”), Jessica Biel (“Blade: Trinity,” “Stealth”), Alec Baldwin (“The Aviator”), Judy Greer (“Cursed”), Susan Sarandon (“Romance & Cigarettes”), Bruce McGill (“Cinderella Man”) and Jed Rees (“Men With Brooms”). Scope. PG-13: Language; some sexual references. Oct. 14. Paramount.

 

Everything Is Illuminated
Comedy-drama about an American Jew’s journey to the Ukraine to find the woman credited with saving his grandfather’s life during the Nazi occupation. Based on the novel by Jonathan Safran Foer. Actor Liev Schreiber (“The Manchurian Candidate”) makes his feature directorial debut from his own screenplay. With Elijah Wood (“Sin City”), Boris Leskin (“Men in Black”) and Eugene Hutz. Flat. Sept. 16. Warner Independent Pictures.

Fierce People
Drama about 16-year-old who finds himself running with a much more affluent crowd when his cocaine-addicted mother is invited to move onto the estate of her wealthy, much-older boyfriend. Directed by Griffin Dunne (“Practical Magic,” “Famous”) from a screenplay by Dirk Wittenborn. With Diane Lane (“Under the Tuscan Sun”), Donald Sutherland (“Cold Mountain,” “Pride and Prejudice”), Kristen Stewart (“Undertow”), Anton Yelchin (“House of D”) and Christopher Shyer (“The Core”). Flat. 112 min. R: Language; drug use; sexuality/nudity; some violence. Oct. 21. Lions Gate.

 

The Fog
Horror thriller about a dead soldier preying on the inhabitants of a sleepy coastal town, murdering his victims under the cover of a thick fog that rolls in at night. A remake of the 1980 John Carpenter film. Directed by Rupert Wainwright (“Blank Check,” “Stigmata”) from a screenplay by Cooper Layne (“The Core”). With Tom Welling (“Cheaper by the Dozen”), Selma Blair (“In Good Company”), Maggie Grace (TV’s “Lost”), Rade Serbedzija (“Batman Begins”), DeRay Davis (“Jiminy Glick in La La Wood”) and Sara Botsford (“Eulogy”). Oct. 14. Sony.

 

The Greatest Game Ever Played
Drama, based on a true story, about a 20-year-old amateur golfer who shocked the world with his surprise defeat over British pro legend Harry Vardon in the 1913 U.S. Open. Based on the book by Mark Frost. Directed by Bill Paxton (“Frailty”) from a screenplay by Frost (“Storyville,” “Fantastic Four”). With Shia LaBeouf (“Constantine”), Stephen Dillane (“Nine Lives”), Stephen Marcus (“Stage Beauty”), Peter Firth (“Pearl Harbor”), Michael Weaver (“Broken Lizard’s Club Dread”), Elias Koteas (“Simone”), Matthew Knight and Josh Flitter (“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”). Flat. PG: Some brief mild language. Sept 30. Buena Vista.

Art School Confidential
Comedy about an art student who realizes the best route to celebrity status – and the coed he covets – is posing as a dangerous criminal. The “Ghost World” team of director Terry Zwigoff (“Bad Santa”) and novelist-screenwriter Daniel Clowes reunite. With Max Minghella (“Bee Season,” “Syriana”), Sophia Myles (“Underworld,” “Thunderbirds”), John Malkovich (“The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”), Jim Broadbent (“Vera Drake”), Anjelica Huston (“The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou”) and Chris McKenna (“In & Out”). R: Language including sexual references; nudity; a scene of violence. Sept 30. Sony Pictures Classics.

 

 

Ballet Russes
Documentary about the dancers and choreographers of the Ballet Russe, the legendary dance troupe that defined modern ballet. Written and directed by Daniel Geller & Dayna Goldfine (“Kids of Survival”). Featuring Irina Baranova, Marc E. Platt, Mia Slavenska, Yvonne Chouteau, Frederic Franklin, Nathalie Krassovska and George Zoritch. Flat. Oct. 26 in New York. Zeitgeist.

 

 

 

Brooklyn Lobster
Drama about a close-knit family whose members reexamine their respective personal relationships when their family seafood restaurant faces serious financial troubles. Written and directed by Kevin Jordan (“Smiling Fish & Goat on Fire”). With Heather Burns (“Bewitched”), Daniel Sauli (“Boiler Room”), Marisa Ryan (“Riding in Cars with Boys”), Danny Aiello (“Prince of Central Park”) and Jane Curtin (“Coneheads”). Also known as “The Lobster Farm.” Oct. 14. Meadowbrook.

 

 

Cote d’Azur
French-language farce about a man who brings his wife and two teen offspring to his childhood vacation home, where all four of them encounter unexpected romantic complications. Written and directed by Olivier Ducastel & Jacques Martineau (“The Adventures of Felix”). With Gilbert Melki (“Intimate Strangers”), Valeria Bruni Tedeschi (“5x2”), Jean-Marc Barr (“Dogville”), Romain Torres, Sabrina Seyvecou (“Secret Things”), Jacques Bonnaffé (“Va Savoir”) and Edouard Collin. Also known as “Crustacés et coquillages.” Sept. 9. Strand.

 

Dear Wendy
Drama about a young pacifist who is inexplicably drawn to a gun he finds and forms a group of antique gun collectors bonded by one vow: They will never fire their weapons. Directed by Thomas Vinterberg (“The Celebration”) from a screenplay by Lars von Trier (“Dancer in the Dark,” “Dogville”). With Bill Pullman (“The Grudge”), Jamie Bell (“Undertow,” “The Chumscrubber”), Mark Webber (“Broken Flowers”), Chris Owen (“Hidalgo”) and Alison Pill (“Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen”). 104 min. Sept. 23. Wellspring.

 

 

Don’t Come Knockin’
Drama about an aging movie star who abruptly leaves the Utah set of the Western he’s shooting to visit his long-estranged mother, who tells him about a son in Montana he never knew he had. The “Paris, Texas” team of director Wim Wenders (“Million Dollar Hotel”) and screenwriter Sam Shepard (“Simpatico”) reunite. With Shepard (“The Notebook,” “Stealth”), Jessica Lange (“Big Fish,” “Broken Flowers”), Gabriel Mann (“A Lot Like Love”), Sarah Polley (“Dawn of the Dead”), Fairuza Balk (“Personal Velocity”), Tim Roth (“Dark Water”), Majandra Delfino (“Traffic”), Mariah Delfino (“Jeepers Creppers II”), Marley Shelton (“Sin City”), George Kennedy (“View From The Top”), James Gammon (“Silver City”) and Eva Marie Saint (“Because of Winn-Dixie”). 125 min. Oct. 14 in New York and Los Angeles. Sony Pictures Classics.

 

Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story
Drama about a racehorse trainer and his young daughter, who transform a horse with a broken leg into a Breeder’s Cup contender. Actor John Gatins (“Big Fat Liar”) makes his feature directorial debut from his own screenplay. With Kurt Russell (“Sky High”), Dakota Fanning (“War of the Worlds”), Luis Guzmán (“Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events”), Kris Kristofferson (“The Jacket”), Freddy Rodríguez (“Chasing Papi”) and Elisabeth Shue (“Hide and Seek”). Scope. PG: Brief mild language. Oct. 21. DreamWorks.

 

 

Eternal
Erotic supernatural thriller, set in Canada and Italy, about a Montreal homicide investigator who comes to learn the serial killer he’s hunting may be a 500-year-old lesbian vampire. Written and directed by Wilhelm Liebenberg & Federic Sanchez. With Caroline Néron (“Seducing Doctor Lewis”), Conrad Pla (“The Terminal”), Nick Baillie, Victoria Sanchez (“Noel”) and Ilona Elkin (“King’s Ransom”). Flat. 107 min. Sept. 16. Regent.

 

The Exorcism of Emily Rose
Dramatic thriller, based on a true story, about a priest put on trial after he inadvertently murders a young woman during an exorcism. Screenwriter Scott Derrickson (“Urban Legends: Final Cut”) directs from a screenplay by Derrickson and Paul Harris Boardman (“Urban Legends: Final Cut”). With Laura Linney (“Kinsey”), Tom Wilkinson (“Batman Begins”), Jennifer Carpenter (“White Chicks”), Shohreh Aghdashloo (“House of Sand and Fog”), Joshua Close (“A Home at the End of the World”), Colm Feore (“The Chronicles of Riddick”), Marsha Regis (“White Noise”) and Campbell Scott (“The Secret Lives of Dentists”). Sept. 9. Sony.

 

Flight Plan
Thriller about a airline passenger who drifts off to sleep, then wakes to discover her daughter has mysteriously disappeared mid-flight, and that there is no evidence of the daughter ever having been aboard. Directed by Robert Schwentke from a screenplay by Peter Dowling, and Billy Ray (“Shattered Glass,” “Suspect Zero”). With Jodie Foster (“A Very Long Engagement”), Erika Christensen (“Upside of Anger”), Sean Bean (“National Treasure”), Haley Ramm and Peter Sarsgaard (“Kinsey,” “Skeleton Key”). Scope. PG-13: Violence; some intense plot material. Sept. 23. Buena Vista.

 

 

A Good Woman
Comedy about a middle-aged temptress who plans to steal away a younger woman’s husband. Directed by Mike Barker (“Best Laid Plans”) from a screenplay by Howard Himelstein. With Helen Hunt (“The Curse of the Jade Scorpion”), Scarlett Johansson (“The Island”), Stephen Campbell Moore (“Bright Young Things”), Roger Hammond (“Around the World in 80 Days”), John Standing (“The Man Who Knew Too Little”) and Tom Wilkinson (“Batman Begins,” “The Exorcism of Emily Rose”). Flat. 93 min. PG: Thematic material; sensuality; language. Sept. 16 in New York. Lions Gate.

 

 

 

Current Issue Previous Issues Newswire Search  Table of Contents