October 2006


Volume VI No. 10

A publication of the National Association of Theatre Owners

Advertise in In Focus

©

November Previes

BobbyBobby
Drama about the 1968 assassination of U.S. senator and presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, centering on 22 people who were with him at Los Angeles’ Ambassador Hotel when he was gunned to death. Written and directed by Emilio Estevez (“Men at Work,” “War at Home”). With Estevez (“D3: The Mighty Ducks 3”), Anthony Hopkins (“The World’s Fastest Indian,” “All the King’s Men”), Demi Moore (“Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle”), Elijah Wood (“Everything is Illuminated”), Martin Sheen (“Catch Me If You Can”), Helen Hunt (“A Good Woman”), Nick Cannon (“Monster House”), Lindsay Lohan (“A Prairie Home Companion”), Brian Geraghty (“Art School Confidential”), Shia LeBoeuf (“The Greatest Game Ever Played”), Freddy Rodriguez (“Lady in the Water”) and Sharon Stone (“Basic Instinct 2: Risk Addiction”). Nov. 17 in New York and Los Angeles; wider Nov. 22. MGM.

 

 

CandyCandy
Romantic drama about the tumultuous relationship shared by a poet and a student, both addicted to heroin. Directed by Neil Armfield from a screenplay by Armfield and Luke Davies. With Heath Ledger (“Casanova”), Abbie Cornish (“Somersault,” “A Good Year”), Nathaniel Dean (“Somersault”), Damon Herriman (“House of Wax”) and Geoffrey Rush (“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest”). Flat. 108 min. R: Pervasive depiction of drug addiction; disturbing images; language; sexual content; nudity. Nov. 17 in New York. ThinkFilm.

 

 

ClimatesClimates
Turkish-language drama about a
middle-aged college professor who finds his relationship with his much younger girlfriend growing increasingly turbulent during a vacation to the Aegean coast. Written and directed by Nuri Bilge Ceylan (“Distant”). With Ceylan, Ebru Ceylan (“Distant”), Nazan Kesal, Fatma Ceylan (“Distant”) and Arif Asçi (“Distant”).
98 min. Oct. 20 in New York; Nov. 10 in Los Angeles. Zeitgeist.

 

 

 

Déjà VuDéjà Vu
Sci-fi actioner about an FBI agent who falls for a woman from the past when he travels back in time to stop a terrorist attack. Directed by Tony Scott (“Man on Fire,” “Domino”) from a screenplay by Bill Marsilii and Terry Rossio (the “Pirates of the Carribbean” series). With Denzel Washington (“Inside Man”), Paula Patton (“Idlewild”), Val Kilmer (“10th & Wolf”), James Caviezel (“I Am David”), Adam Goldberg (“Keeping Up With The Steins”), Matt Craven (“Assault on Precinct 13”) and Bruce Greenwood (“Eight Below”). Scope. Nov. 22. Buena Vista.

 

 

Flushed AwayFlushed Away
Animated comedy about a pampered rat who, after accidentally getting flushed from his penthouse into the London sewers, falls in love with his new surroundings. Directed by veteran animator David Bowers (“Wallace & Gromit in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit”) and Sam Fell (the short “Chump”) from a screenplay by Dick Clement & Ian LeFrenais (“Still Crazy”). Featuring the voices of Hugh Jackman, Kate Winslet, Ian McKellen, Andy Serkis, Bill Nighy and Jean Reno. Nov. 3. DreamWorks.

 

 

The FountainThe Fountain
Science fiction epic, set in 1535, 2006 and 2500, about: a Spanish soldier seeking the fabled Mayan “tree of life”; a contemporary doctor trying to use part of that tree to find a cure for his dying wife; and a space traveler determined to transport the tree to a distant star. Written and directed by Darren Aronofsky (“Pi,” “Requiem for a Dream”). With Hugh Jackman (“Scoop,” “The Prestige”), Rachel Weisz (“The Constant Gardener”), Ellen Burstyn (“The Wicker Man”), Donna Murphy (“Spider-Man 2”), Ethan Suplee (“Clerks II”), Sean Patrick Thomas (“Barbershop 2”), Cliff Curtis (“Runaway Jury”), Mark Margolis (“Stay”) and Sean Gullette (“Requiem for a Dream”). Flat. R: Some violence. Nov. 22 limited. Warner Bros.

 

BackstageBackstage
French-language drama about an adolescent girl who gets the opportunity to meet her idol, a selfish pop rocker. Directed by Emmanuelle Bercot from a screenplay by Bercot and Jérôme Tonnerre (“Intimate Strangers”). With Emmanuelle Seigner (“Buddy Boy”), Isild Le Besco, Noémie Lvovsky (“Kings and Queen”), Samuel Benchetrit, Valéry Zeitoun and Mar Sodupe. 115 min. Nov. 22 in New York. Strand.

 

BoratBorat:
Cultural Learnings of America For Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan

Comic documentary about a faux Kazakhstani TV reporter who cannot keep his misogynistic and anti-Semitic views in check as he interviews real Americans on a variety of topics. Based on the popular character from HBO’s “Da Ali G Show.” Directed by Larry Charles (“Masked and Anonymous”). Writers on the project include “Da Ali G Show” vets Sascha Baron Cohen, Anthony Hines and Don Mazur, as well as Peter Baynham and Adam Del Rio. Cohen (“Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby”) plays the title role. Flat. R: Pervasive strong crude and sexual content including graphic nudity; language. Nov. 3. Fox.

 

Casino RoyaleCasino Royale
Action thriller about a British intelligence operative named James Bond, whose first mission as “00 agent” with a “license to kill” is to infiltrate the operations of the shadowy Le Chiffre – a villain reportedly using his casino dealings to launder terrorist funds. Based on the 1953 first James Bond novel by Ian Fleming (“Moonraker”). Returnees from “The World Is Not Enough” and “Die Another Day” include screenwriters Neal Purvis & Robert Wade (“Johnny English”) and actress Judi Dench (“Pride and Prejudice”). Martin Campbell (“Beyond Borders,” “The Legend of Zorro”), who helmed the 1995 Bond adventure “GoldenEye,” directs. Daniel Craig (“Munich,” “Infamous”) inherits the role of Bond. Other newcomers to the franchise include screenwriter Paul Haggis (“Crash,” “The Last Kiss,” “Flags of Our Fathers”) as well as actors Mads Mikkelsen (“Torremolinos 73”) as Le Chiffre, Eva Green (“Kingdom of Heaven”) as Vesper Lynd, Giancarlo Giannini (“Man on Fire”) as Rene Mathis, and Jeffrey Wright (“Lady in the Water”) as CIA agent Felix Leiter. Also with Simon Abkarian (“When The Cat’s Away”), Isaach De Bankolé (“Miami Vice”), Tobias Menzies (“Finding Neverland”), Jesper Christensen (“The Interpreter”), Tsai Chin (“Memoirs of a Geisha”), Clemens Schick (“Enemy at the Gate”), Malcolm Sinclair (“V For Vendetta”), Ade (“Formula 51”), Ludger Pistor (“Run Lola Run”) and Ivana Milicevic (“Running Scared”). Nov. 17. Sony.

 

 

Deck the HallsDeck The Halls
Comedy about two neighbors who “go to war” when one goes overboard decorating his house for Christmas. Directed by John Whitesell (“Big Momma’s House 2”) from a screenplay by Matt Corman & Chris Ord and Don Rhymer (“Big Momma’s House 2”). With Matthew Broderick (“The Producers: The Movie Musical”), Danny DeVito (“The OH in Ohio”), Kristin Davis (“The Shaggy Dog”), Kristin Chenoweth (“R.V.,” “Running with Scissors,” “Stranger Than Fiction”), Alia Shawkat (“Rebound”) and Lochlyn Munro (“Little Man”). Previously known as “All Lit Up.” Nov. 22. Fox.

 

 

Fast Food NationFast Food Nation
Ensemble drama about – among many other things – a restaurant-chain exec dispatched to investigate claims that cow feces have turned up in his company’s hamburgers. Based on the nonfiction bestseller by Eric Schlosser (“Reefer Madness”). Written and directed by Richard Linklater (“Before Sunset,” “A Scanner Darkly”). With Greg Kinnear (“Invincible”), Bruce Willis (“16 Blocks”), Catalina Sandino Moreno (“Maria Full of Grace”), Ethan Hawke (“Lord of War”), Patricia Arquette (“Holes”), Luis Guzman (“School for Scoundrels”), Bobby Cannavale (“Snakes on a Plane”), Ashley Johnson (“Killer Diller”), Avril Lavigne (“The Flock”), Wilmer Valderrama (“Beauty Shop”), Kris Kristofferson (“Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story”), Lou Taylor Pucci (“The Chumscrubber”) and Paul Dano (“Little Miss Sunshine”). 114 min. R: Disturbing images; strong sexuality; language; drug content. Nov. 17. Fox Searchlight.

 

 

For Your ConsiderationFor Your Consideration
Semi-improvisational mockumentary about the stars and filmmakers behind an independent Oscar contender. The “Waiting for Guffman”-”Best in Show”-”A Mighty Wind” team of writer-director-actor Christopher Guest, screenwriter-actor Eugene Levy, and actors Fred Willard (“Monster House,”), Parker Posey (“Superman Returns”), Bob Balaban (“Trust The Man”), Larry Miller (“Keeping Up With The Steins”), Don Lake (“Return To Me”) and Catherine O’Hara (“Monster House”) reunite. Also with Michael McKean (“The Guru”), Jennifer Coolidge (“Click”), Claire Forlani (“Hooligans”), Rachael Harris (“Kicking and Screaming”), John Michael Higgins (“The Break-Up”), John Krasinski (“Jarhead”), Jane Lynch (“Talladega Nights”), Suzy Nakamura (“The 40-Year-Old Virgin”) and Ricky Gervais (BBC’s “The Office”). Nov. 17 limited; wider Nov. 22. Warner Independent Pictures.

 

 

 

 

Current Issue Previous Issues Newswire Search  Table of Contents