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Volume
V No. 12
A
publication of the National Association of Theatre Owners
Advertise
in In Focus
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Munich
Drama about a Mossad agent on the trail of the Palestinian terrorists
who assassinated Israeli athletes during the 1972 Munich Olympics. Directed
by Steven Spielberg (“The Terminal,” “War of the Worlds”)
from a screenplay by Eric Roth (“The Horse Whisperer,” “The
Insider,” “Ali”), Charles Randolph (“The Interpreter”)
and playwright Tony Kushner (“Angels in America”). With Eric
Bana (“Troy”), Geoffrey Rush (“Intolerable Cruelty”),
Daniel Craig (“Layer Cake”), Ciaran Hinds (“Phantom
of the Opera”), Matthieu Kassovitz (“Amen”) and Jean
Smart (“I Heart Huckabees”). Dec. 23 limited; wide Jan. 6.
Universal.

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R-Point
Spanish-language comedy, set in 1913, about
a pregnant wife who, with the help of
her besotted brother-in-law, sets out
to track down her missing, Freud-obsessed
husband. Directed by Joaquín Oristrell
from a screenplay by Oristrell, Dominic
Harari and Teresa Pelegri. With Leonor
Watling (“Cronicas”), Luis
Tosar (“Mondays in the Sun”),
Alex Brendemühl, Mercedes Sampietro
(“Second Skin”), Juanjo Puigcorbé,
Ana Rayo, Núria Prims. Flat. Jan.
20. Regent.
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Unconscious
Spanish-language comedy, set in 1913, about
a pregnant wife who, with the help of her
besotted brother-in-law, sets out to track
down her missing, Freud-obsessed husband.
Directed by Joaquín Oristrell from
a screenplay by Oristrell, Dominic Harari
and Teresa Pelegri. With Leonor Watling (“Cronicas”),
Luis Tosar (“Mondays in the Sun”),
Alex Brendemühl, Mercedes Sampietro
(“Second Skin”), Juanjo Puigcorbé,
Ana Rayo, Núria Prims. Flat. Jan.
20. Regent.
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Why
We Fight
Documentary
arguing that the unchallenged expansion of
the U.S. defense industry since World War II
has created a constant economic and political
need for war. Written and directed by Eugene
Jarecki (“The Trials of Henry Kissinger”).
Featuring John McCain, John S.D. Eisenhower,
Ahn Duong, Wally Saeger and Gore Vidal. 99
min. Jan. 20. Sony Pictures Classics. |
World's
Fastest Indian
Drama, based on a true story,
about 72-year-old New
Zealander with a heart condition who in 1971
set a world record when he raced his self-modified
1920 Indian Scout motorcycle across Utah’s
Bonneville Salt Flats. Directed by Roger Donaldson
(“Thirteen Days,” “The Recruit”)
from his own screenplay. With Anthony Hopkins
(“Proof”), Bruce Greenwood (“Capote”),
Diane Ladd (“28 Days”), Paul Rodriguez
(“A Cinderella Story”), Chris Lawford
(“Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines”)
and Jessica Cauffiel (“D.E.B.S.”).
127 min. Jan. 27. Magnolia.

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Nanny
McPhee
Comedy about a magical nanny who uses her
charm on the world’s seven worst
children. Based on the “Nurse Matilda” book
series by Christianna Brand. Directed by
Kirk Jones (“Waking Ned Devine”)
from a screenplay by Emma Thompson (“Sense
and Sensibility”). Thompson (“Harry
Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban”),
who played “Nanny Gee” on TV’s “Cheers,” plays
Nanny McPhee. Co-stars include Colin Firth
(“Where the Truth Lies”), Angela
Lansbury (“The Company of Wolves”),
Derek Jacobi (“Gosford Park,” “Underworld:
Evolution”), Kelly Macdonald (“Finding
Neverland,” “Tristram Shandy:
A Cock and Bull Story”) and Thomas
Sangster (“Love Actually”).
PG: Mild thematic elements; some rude humor;
brief language. Jan 27. Universal.

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Running
Scared
Crime thriller about what happens after a
mobster’s
young son finds an important piece of evidence – a
discarded pistol recently used as a murder
weapon. Written and directed by Wayne Kramer
(“The Cooler”). With Cameron Bright
(“Godsend,” “Birth”),
Paul Walker (“Into the Blue”),
Elizabeth Mitchell (“The Santa Clause
2”), Chazz Palminteri (“Analyze
This,” “Into the Mix”), Johnny
Messner (“Anacondas: The Hunt for the
Blood Orchid”), Michael Cudlitz (“Forces
of Nature”), Ivana Milicevic (“Just
Like Heaven”) and Vera Farmiga (“The
Manchurian Candidate”). Scope. R: Pervasive
strong brutal violence; language; sexuality;
drug content. Jan. 6. New Line.

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Underworld:
Evolution
Sequel
to the 2003 hit finds the lovers from the first
film as they trace the origins of the ancient
feud that pits the vampiric Death Dealers against
the Lycan tribe of werewolves. Returnees from
part one include director-screenwriter Len
Wiseman, screenwriter Danny McBride and actors
Kate Beckinsale (“The Aviator”),
Scott Speedman (“XXX: State of the Union”),
Bill Nighy (“The Constant Gardener”),
Shane Brolly (“Impostor”), Scott
McElroy (“The Mask”) and Michael
Sheen (“Laws of Attraction”). Newcomers
to the franchise include Derek Jacobi (“Gosford
Park,” “Nanny McPhee”) and
Tony Curran (“Flight of the Phoenix”).
Jan. 20. Sony.

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Wolf
Creek
Thriller, based on a true story, about
three backpackers
in remote Australia who find themselves terrorized
by a serial killer. Greg McLean makes his feature
directorial debut from his own screenplay.
With John Jarratt, Kestie Morassi (“Darkness
Falls”), Cassandra Magrath, Andy McPhee,
Nathan Phillips, Guy Petersen and Jenny Starwall.
Flat. 95 min. Jan. 6. Weinstein. |
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Electric
Shadows
Mandarin-dialect coming-of-age film, set against China’s
Cultural Revolution, about a friendship that blossoms between a
troubled girl and a young boy who share a passion for movies. Directed
by Jiang Xiao from a screenplay by Xiao and Qingsong Cheng. With
Yu Xia (“China: The Panda Adventure”), Yijing Zhang,
Xiaotong Guan and Yihong Jiang. 99 min. Dec. 16 in New York. First
Run.
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The Three Burials
of Melquiades Estrada
Drama about a taciturn ranch
hand who sets out to keep a promise made
to his recently deceased friend – to bury
the man in his hometown in Mexico. Actor Tommy
Lee Jones (“The Missing,” “Man
of the House”) makes his feature directorial
debut from a screenplay by Guillermo Arriaga
(“Amores Perros,” “21 Grams”).
With Jones, Barry Pepper (“The 25th Hour”),
January Jones (“Dirty Dancing: Havana
Nights”), Melissa Leo (“Hide and
Seek”), Vanessa Bauche (“Amores
Perros”), Cecilia Suárez (“Spanglish”),
Julio Cedillo (“The Alamo”) and
Dwight Yoakam (“Wedding Crashers”).
121 min. R: Language; violence; sexuality.
Dec. 14. Sony Pictures Classics.

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Goose!
Family comedy about a
youngster determined to save the talking
goose he’s
befriended from his principal’s Christmas
cook-off. TV director Nicholas Kendall (“Just
Deal”) directs from a screenplay by Charles
Dennis (“Finders Keepers”). With
Chevy Chase (“Orange County”),
James Purefoy (“Vanity Fair”),
Joan Plowright (“Bewitched”), Kari
Matchett (“Angel Eyes”), and Tom
Arnold voicing the goose. Dec. 2. IFG.

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