A publication of the National Association of Theatre Owners

Advertise in In Focus

©

Stay Alive Horror thriller about a group of online gamers who start to die off in real life as their characters do within their game. Directed by William Brent Bell from a screenplay by Bell and Matthew Peterman. With Frankie Muniz (“Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London”), Samaire Armstrong (“Not Another Teen Movie,” “Just My Luck”), Jon Foster (“The Door in the Floor”), Sophia Bush (“Supercross”), Milo Ventimiglia (“Dirty Deeds”), Adam Goldberg (“How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days”), James Haven (“Monster’s Ball”) and Jimmi Simpson (“Herbie: Fully Loaded”). Scope. March 24. Buena Vista.     Take My Eyes Spanish-language drama about an abused wife who discovers she still loves the husband she fled. Directed by Icíar Bollaín from a screenplay by Bollaín and Alicia Luna. With Laia Marull, Luis Tosar (“Unconscious”), Candela Peña (“All About My Mother”), Nicolás Fernández Luna (“The Sea Inside”), Sergi Calleja and Elisabet Gelabert. Flat. 106 min. March 17 in New York. New Yorker. V For Vendetta Dramatic thriller, set in a futuristic, totalitarian Britain, about a young woman who unexpectedly becomes the ally of a revolutionary who relies on terrorist tactics to fight political oppressors. Based on the graphic novel written by Alan Moore (“Constantine”). Second Unit Director James McTeigue (the “Matrix” series, “Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones”) makes his directorial debut from a screenplay by Larry & Andy Wachowski (the “Matrix” series). With Natalie Portman (“Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith”), Hugo Weaving (the “Matrix” and “Lord of the Rings” series), John Hurt (“The Skeleton Key”), Rupert Graves (“Extreme Ops”) and Stephen Rea (“Breakfast on Pluto”). R: Strong violence; some language. March 17. Warner Bros.     Summer Storm German-language coming-of-age drama, set in a German summer camp, about a teen who comes to realize he is homosexually attracted to his best friend and rowing teammate. Directed by Marco Kreuzpaintner from a screenplay by Thomas Bahmann and Kreuzpaintner. With Robert Stadlober (“Enemy at the Gates”), Jürgen Tonkel (“The Downfall”), Alicja Bachleda-Curus, Tristano Casanova, Kostja Ullmann, Miriam Morgenstern and Marlon Kittel. Also known as “Sommersturm.” Flat. 97 min. March 10. Regent.       Thank You For Smoking Comedy about an amoral tobacco lobbyist who is enlisted by the head of the Academy of Tobacco Studies to thwart a Vermont senator’s plan to put a skull and crossbones on every package of cigarettes. Based on the novel by Christopher Buckley. Written and directed by Jason Reitman. With Aaron Eckhart (“Suspect Zero”), Maria Bello (“A History of Violence”), Katie Holmes (“Batman Begins”), Robert Duvall (“Kicking & Screaming”), William H. Macy (“Sahara”), Adam Brody (“Mr. & Mrs. Smith”), J.K. Simmons (“Spider-Man 2”), David Koechner (“The 40-Year-Old Virgin,” “Winter Passing”), Sam Elliott (“Hulk”) and Rob Lowe (“View from the Top”). Scope. 92 min. R: Language; some sexual content. March 17 limited. Fox Searchlight.   Doogal Animated fantasy about a group of friends who must journey to defeat the evil wizard who oppresses them. Directed by Dave Borthwick (“The Secret Adventures of Tom Thumb”), cinematographer Frank Passingham (“Chicken Run”) and Jean Duval from a screenplay by Stephane Sanoussi, Raolf Sanoussi and Paul Bassett, with English-language dialogue by Tad Safran. Featuring the voices of Ian McKellen, Kylie Minogue, Robbie Williams, Bill Nighy, Lee Evans, Joanna Lumley, Ray Winstone, Jim Broadbent and Tom Baker. Also known as “The Magic Roundabout.” Flat. Feb. 24. Weinstein.     Film Geek Comedy about a socially awkward video store clerk with an encyclopedic knowledge of film whose life is transformed after the store fires him and he falls for a pretty downtown hipster. Written and directed by video store clerk James Westby. With Melik Malkasian, Tyler Gannon (“Thumbsucker”), Tara Walker (“What the #$*! Do We Know!?”), Leslie Taylor (“What the #$*! Do We Know!?”), Matt Morris, Jack Ryan and John Breen. Feb. 10 in New York. First Run.     Night Watch Episodic Russian-language fantasy-thriller, set in a present-day Moscow, about a hapless vampire slayer dealing with an outbreak of evil. Based on the novel by Sergei Lukyanenko. Directed by Timur Bekmambetov from a screenplay by Bekmambetov and Lukyanenko. With Konstantin Khabensky, Vladimir Menshov, Valeri Zolotukhin, Mariya Poroshina, Galina Tyunina, Yuri Kutsenko, Aleksei Chadov, Zhanna Friske, Ilya Lagutenko, Viktor Verzhbitsky, Rimma Markova and Mariya Mironova. Also known as “Nochnoy dozor.” Flat. Feb. 17 limited. 86 min. Fox Searchlight.   Woman Is The Future of Man Korean-language drama about two old friends reuniting for one night. Written and directed by Sang-soo Hong. With Ji-tae Yu (“Oldboy,” “Lady Vengeance”), Dal-su Oh (“Oldboy,” “Lady Vengeance”), Tae-woo Kim, Ho-jung Kim and Hyeon-a Seong. Flat. 87 min. Feb. 17. New Yorker. Failure To Launch Comedy about a thirtysomething man who meets the woman of his dreams – but comes to suspect she might be part of a scheme his parents have cooked up to get him to move out of their house. Directed by Tom Dey (“Shanghai Noon,” “Showtime”) from a screenplay by TV writers Tom J. Astle (“The Tracy Morgan Show”) and Matt Ember (“Titus”). With Matthew McConaughey (“Two for the Money”), Sarah Jessica Parker (“The Family Stone”), Zooey Deschanel (“The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy,” “Winter Passing”), Katheryn Winnick (“Fabled”), Justin Bartha (“National Treasure”) and Bradley Cooper (“Wedding Crashers”). Feb. 10. Paramount.     Neil Young: Heart of Gold Concert documentary derived from rock legend Neil Young’s two August 2005 performances at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. Directed by Jonathan Demme (“Stop Making Sense,” “Storefront Hitchock,” “The Manchurian Candidate”). Featuring Young, Emmylou Harris, the Fisk University Jubilee Singers and Wayne Jackson of the Memphis Horns. Feb. 10. Paramount Classics.     Running Scared Crime thriller about a low-level thug who must think fast when he loses the gun a mobster used to kill a policeman. Written and directed by Wayne Kramer (“The Cooler”). With Cameron Bright (“Birth”), Paul Walker (“Into the Blue”), Elizabeth Mitchell (“The Santa Clause 2”), Chazz Palminteri (“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. Feb. 24. New Line.