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Volume VI No. 7
A
publication of the National Association of Theatre Owners
Advertise
in In Focus
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| Idlewild
Musical, set in the American South during prohibition, about a pair of speakeasy
performers who have to fend off the gangsters eying their club for takeover.
Music video director Bryan Barber makes his feature directorial debut from
his own screenplay. Antwone “Big Boi” Patton (“ATL”)
and “Andre 3000” Benjamin (“Scary Movie 4”), perhaps
better known as the recording duo OutKast, star. Also with Ving Rhames
(“Mission: Impossible III”), Terrence Howard (“Get Rich
or Die Tryin’”), Macy Gray (“Domino”), Faizon Love
(“Just My Luck”), Paula Patton (“Hitch”) and Patti
LaBelle (“Sing”). Scope. R: Violence; sexuality; nudity; language.
Aug. 25. Universal.

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Jet
Li’s Fearless
Mandarin-dialect actioner, set in 1910, about Huo
Yuanjia, a Chinese martial arts master and national
hero who agreed to fight in one day opponents
from Britain, France, Russia and Japan – the
four nations occupying China at the time. Directed
by Ronny Yu (“Formula 51,” “Freddy
vs. Jason”) from a screenplay by Chris
Chow. With Jet Li (“Unleashed”),
Nathan Jones (“Troy”), Collin Chou
(“The Matrix Revolutions,” “DOA:
Dead or Alive”), Shido Nakamura and Masato
Harada. Aug. 4. Scope. Focus.

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Material
Girls
Comedy about a pair of spoiled cosmetic-heiress
sisters who, after they lose their fortune in
a company scandal, set out to expose the individual
who ruined them. Directed by Martha Coolidge
(“Out to Sea,” “The Prince & Me”)
from a screenplay by John Quaintance (“Aquamarine”)
and Jessica O’Toole & Amy Rardin. With
Hilary Duff (“Cheaper By the Dozen 2”),
Haylie Duff (“Napolean Dynamite”),
Anjelica Huston (“Art School Confidential”),
Brent Spiner (“The Aviator”), Lukas
Haas (“Brick”), Maria Conchita Alonso
(“Chasing Papi”) and Colleen Camp
(“In Good Company”). PG: Language;
rude humor. Aug. 25. MGM.

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The
Ordeal
French-language thriller about an aspiring musician,
stranded in the woods during a rainstorm, who takes
refuge with a seemingly kindly innkeeper – only
to discover the innkeeper is not as stable as he
originally appeared. Directed by Fabrice du Welz
from a screenplay by du Welz and Romain Protat.
With Laurent Lucas (“Who Killed Bambi?”),
Jackie Berroyer (“Sequins”), Philippe
Nahon (“High Tension”), Philippe Grand’Henry,
Jo Prestia (“Irreversible”) and Brigite
Lahaie (“Henry and June”). Scope. 94
min. Aug 18. Palm.

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Quinceañera
Drama, set in Los Angeles, about a pregnant 15-year-old
Mexican-American who gets kicked out and moves
in with her great-uncle and a gay cousin. Written
and directed by Richard Glatzer & Wash
Westmoreland (“The Fluffer”). With
Emily Rios, Jesse Garcia (TV’s “The
Shield”), David W. Ross, Jesus Castanos,
Johnny Chavez and Dane Rosselli. R: Language;
some sexual content; drug use. Aug. 2 in New
York and Los Angeles. Sony Pictures Classics.
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How
To Eat Fried Worms
Comedy-drama about a 10-year-old who becomes so
desperate to fit in at his new school that he
accepts a bet that he can eat 15 worms. Based
on the 1972 novel by Thomas Rockwell (“How
To Fight A Girl”). Written and directed
by Bob Dolman (“The Banger Sisters”).
With Luke Benward (“Because of Winn-Dixie”),
Hallie Kate Eisenberg (“Beautiful”),
Adam Hicks (“The Shaggy Dog”), Ryan
Malgarini (“Freaky Friday”), Nick
Krause, Clint Howard (“Fun With Dick and
Jane”) and James Rebhorn (“The Last
Shot”). Scope. Aug. 25. New Line.

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Invincible
Sports drama based on a true story of Vince Papale,
a newly separated part-time bartender who at
age 30 joined the Philadelphia Eagles and became
the oldest non-kicker rookie in NFL history.
Cinematographer Ericson Core (“Daredevil”)
makes his feature directorial debut from a screenplay
by Brad Gann. With Mark Wahlberg (“Four
Brothers”), Elizabeth Banks (“Slither”),
Frank Ferrara (“Just My Luck”), Greg
Kinnear (“The Matadors,” “Little
Miss Sunshine”), Daniel Spink (“The
Butterfly Effect”), Kirk Acevedo (“The
New World”), Lola Glaudini (“Blow”),
Kevin Conway (“Gods and Generals”)
and Michael Kelly (“Loggerheads”).
Scope. Aug. 25. Buena Vista.

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Lunacy
Czech-language comic horror thriller, set in 19th-century
France, about a marquis who decides to help a young
man overcome his fears by taking him to an insane
asylum where the patients are free but the staff
is locked up. Written and directed by Jan Svankmajer
(“Little Otik”). With Jan Triska (“Zelary”),
Pavel Liska, Anna Geislerová (“Zelary”),
Jaroslav Dusek (“Zelary”) and Martin
Huba. Also known as “Sileni.” Aug. 9
in New York. Zeitgeist.

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The
Night Listener
Mystery about a homosexual radio talk-show host
who begins to suspect that an AIDS-stricken 14-year-old
boy who has written a book with appalling tales
of parental abuse is actually a healthy adult
woman perpetrating a hoax. Based on the novel
by Armistead Maupin (“Tales of the City”).
Directed by Patrick Stettner (“The Business
of Strangers”) from a screenplay by Stettner,
Maupin and Terry Anderson. With Robin Williams
(“R.V.”), Rory Culkin (“Down
in the Valley”), Toni Collette (“In
Her Shoes,” “Little Miss Sunshine”),
Sandra Oh (“Hard Candy”), Joe Morton
(“Stealth”), Bobby Cannavale (“Happy
Endings,” “Snakes on a Plane”)
and John Cullum (“The Notorious Bettie
Page”). Aug. 4. Miramax.

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The
Quiet
Drama about a recently orphaned and seemingly deaf
teen who learns her new, adoptive suburban
family’s very dark secrets. Directed
by Jamie Babbit (“But I’m a Cheerleader”)
from a screenplay by Micah Schraft & Abdi
Nazemian (the TV movie “Celeste in the
City”). With Camilla Belle (“When
a Stranger Calls”), Elisha Cuthbert (“House
of Wax”), Shawn Ashmore (“X-Men:
The Last Stand”), Martin Donovan (“Saved!”),
David Gallagher (“Look Who’s Talking
Now”) and Edie Falco (“Freedomland”).
Also known as “Dot.” 87 min. Aug.
25 in New York and Los Angeles. Sony Pictures
Classics.

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