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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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The
Science Of Sleep
Romantic comedy-drama, set in Paris, about a childlike, dream-obsessed
graphic artist who strikes up an unlikely relationship with his pretty
new neighbor. Michael Gondry (“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless
Mind,” “Dave Chappelle’s Block Party”) directs
from his own screenplay. With Gael García Bernal (“The King”),
Charlotte Gainsbourg (“21 Grams”), Patricia Arquette (“Holes”),
Alain Chabat (“The Taste of Others”), and Rhys Ifans (“Enduring
Love”). 105 min. Aug. 4 in New York and Los Angeles; wider Aug.
11 and Aug. 18. Warner Independent Pictures.

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Step
Up
Drama about a juvenile delinquent who is
sentenced to community service at a performing
arts high school, where he falls for a student
and discovers some aptitude for dance. Choreographer
Anne Fletcher (“The Longest Yard,” “The
40-Year-Old Virgin”) makes her feature
directorial debut from a screenplay by Duane
Adler (“Save the Last Dance”)
and Melissa Rosenberg (TV’s “The
O.C.,” “Love Monkey”).
With Channing Tatum (“She’s the
Man”), Jenna Dewan (“Take the
Lead”), Rachel Griffiths (“Ned
Kelly”), Josh Henderson (“Yours,
Mine and Ours”), Heavy D (“Big
Trouble”) and R&B singer Mario.
Scope. PG-13: Thematic elements; brief violence;
innuendo. Aug. 11. Buena Vista.

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Talladega
Nights
Comedy about a star NASCAR driver who finds
his dominance of the racetrack threatened
by the arrival of a flamboyant French competitor.
The “Anchorman” team of writer-director
Adam McKay and writer-actor Will Ferrell
reunite. Also with Sacha Baron Cohen (TV’s “Da
Ali G Show”), John C. Reilly (“A
Prairie Home Companion”), David Koechner
(“Larry The Cable Guy: Health Inspector,” “Snakes
On A Plane”), Amy Adams (“Standing
Still”), Leslie Bibb (“See Spot
Run”), Gary Cole (“Cry Wolf”),
Elvis Costello (“De-Lovely”),
Greg Germann (“Friends With Money”),
Emmy Laybourne (“The In-Laws”),
Jane Lynch (“The 40-Year-Old Virgin”),
Ed Lauter (“The Longest Yard”),
Chris Parnell (“Anchorman”),
Rob Riggle (TV’s “Saturday Night
Live”), Molly Shannon (“Little
Man”), Andy Richter (“New York
Minute”) and Michael Clarke Duncan
(“The Island”). Aug. 4. Sony.

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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 (“Bad
Education”), Luis Tosar (“Take
My Eyes”), Alex Brendemühl, Mercedes
Sampietro, Juanjo Puigcorbé, Ana Rayo
and Núria Prims. Aug. 25. Regent.
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Zoom
Action comedy about a retired superman who
must team with a new generation of superheroes
to avert the Earth’s destruction. Based
on the graphic novel “Amazing Adventures
From Zoom’s Academy” by Jason Lethcoe.
Directed by Peter Hewitt (“The Borrowers,” “Garfield:
The Movie”) from a screenplay by Adam
Rifkin (“Small Soldiers,” “Night
at the Golden Eagle”) and David Berenbaum
(“Elf”). With Tim Allen (“The
Shaggy Dog”), Courteney Cox (“November”),
Rip Torn (“Yours, Mine and Ours”),
Kevin Zegers (“Transamerica”),
Chevy Chase (“Orange County”),
Spencer Breslin (“The Shaggy Dog”),
Kate Mara (“Brokeback Mountain”)
and Michael Cassidy (TV’s “The
O.C.”). Aug. 11. Sony.

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Snakes
on a Plane
Thriller about an assassin who, in an effort
to kill a witness mid-flight, releases deadly
snakes onto a crowded passenger plane. Second-unit
director David Ellis (“The Matrix Reloaded,” “Harry
Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”)
makes his first-unit feature directorial
debut from a screenplay by Sebastian Gutierrez
(“The Big Bounce”), John Heffernan,
David Loucka and Sheldon Turner (“The
Longest Yard”). With Samuel L. Jackson
(“Freedomland”), Tygh Runyan
(“K-19: The Widowmaker”), Julianna
Margulies (“Ghost Ship”), Flex
Alexander (“Out Cold”), Rachel
Blanchard (“Where the Truth Lies”),
Todd Louiso (“Thank You For Smoking”),
Kenan Thompson (“Fat Albert”),
David Koechner (“Larry the Cable Guy:
Health Inspector,” “Talladega
Nights”), and Bobby Cannavale (“Happy
Endings,” “The Night Listener”).
Scope. Aug. 18. New Line.

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Street
Poet
Romantic drama about a poet trying to win
the heart of a young publisher by competing
in
a slam poetry contest. TV writer E. Paul
Edwards (“Knight Rider,” “21
Jump Street”) makes his feature directorial
debut from his own screenplay. With Jeff
Stearns (TV’s “Pacific Blue”),
Tara D’Agostino, Val Lauren (“The
Salton Sea”), Michael Parks (“Kill
Bill”), Fred Williamson (“Starsky & Hutch”),
Fred Willard (“Date Movie,” “Monster
House”), Tucker Smallwood (“Like
Mike”), C. Thomas Howell (“The
Keeper: The Legend of Omar Khayyam”),
Dominic Comperatore and Edward Albert (“The
Work and the Glory”). Aug. 25. Indican.

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Trust
the Man
Comedy-drama about two couples – a successful
actress married to a sex-addicted househusband
and children’s book author involved with
a commitment-phobe – dealing with the
collapse of their relationships. Written and
directed by Bart Freundlich (“World Traveler,” “Catch
That Kid”). With Julianne Moore (“Freedomland”),
David Duchovny (“House of D”),
Billy Crudup (“Mission: Impossible III”),
Maggie Gyllenhaal (“Happy Endings,” “Monster
House,” “World Trade Center”),
Ellen Barkin (“Palindromes”), Bob
Balaban (“Capote,” “Lady
in the Water”), James Le Gros (“Catch
That Kid”), Eva Mendes (“Hitch”),
Gary Shandling (“Town & Country”)
and Stewart Summers (“Prime”).
R: Language; sexual content. Aug. 18 limited.
Fox Searchlight.

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World
Trade Center
Drama about two Port Authority officers who,
while rushing into the World Trade Center
to aid in rescue, were themselves trapped
beneath rubble as the towers collapsed. Directed
by Oliver Stone (“Any Given Sunday,” “Alexander”)
from a screenplay by Andrea Berloff. With
Nicolas Cage (“The Weather Man”),
Michael Peña (“Crash”),
Maria Bello (“Thank You for Smoking”),
Jay Hernandez (“Hostel”), Stephen
Dorff (“Alone in the Dark,” “Shadowboxer”),
Jude Ciccolella (“Sin City”),
Patti D’Arbanville (“Personal
Velocity”), William Mapother (“Ask
the Dust”) and Maggie Gyllenhaal (“Happy
Endings,” “Monster House,” “Trust
the Man”). Aug. 9. Paramount.

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Ant
Bully
Computer-animated tale about a boy who enjoys tormenting the ants in his backyard,
until he is shrunken down to insect size and forced to do hard labor on the
ant hill to pay for his crimes. Written and directed by John A. Davis (“Jimmy
Neutron: Boy Genius”). Featuring the voices of Nicolas Cage, Paul Giamatti,
Julia Roberts, Meryl Streep, Cheri Oteri, Lily Tomlin, Ricardo Montalban, Larry
Miller and Bruce Campbell. July 28. Warner Bros.

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In My Father's
Den
Drama, set in New Zealand, about a disillusioned
journalist
who
returns home and befriends a teen girl, only
to find himself a key suspect when the girl
mysteriously vanishes. Written and directed
by Brad McGann. With Matthew Macfadyen (“Pride & Prejudice”),
Miranda Otto (“War of the Worlds”),
Colin Moy (“Vertical Limit”), Matthew
Chamberlain (“King Kong”) and
Emily Barclay. 126 min. July 14. Tartan.

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Wondrous
Oblivion
Comedy-drama, set in 1960s London, about
an unlikely friendship that develops between
a
Jewish boy and his West Indian neighbors
over a shared passion for cricket. Written
and directed
by Paul Morrison (“Solomon and Gaenor”).
With Sam Smith, Dominic Barklem, Yasmin Paige,
Leagh Conwell (“The Order”) and
Stanley Townsend (“The Libertine”).
106 min. July 14. Palm.

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Boys Briefs 4
A collection of six short films
about young male hustlers working the streets:
1) “Boy,” written and directed
by Welby Ings, with Jesse Lee, Bryan Bevenge
and Tammy Warwick; 2) “Build,” written
and directed by Greg Atkins, with Atkins
and Nancy Beatty; 3) “Gold,” directed
by Armen Kazazian, with Aron Tager and P.J.
Lazic; 4) “Into the Night,” directed
by Tony Krawitz from a screenplay by Cath
Moore, with Bryan Marshall, Sam Barlow and
Sebastian Lamour; 5) “Gigolo,” written
and directed by Bastian Schweitzer, with
Salim Kéchiouche (“Three Dancing
Slaves”) and Amanda Lear; and 6) “Rock
Bottom,” directed by Mary Feuer from
a screenplay by Feuer and John Militello,
with Militello and Timothy Lee DePriest.
July 14 in New York. Picture This!
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Scoop
Comedy, set in London, about a pretty American
journalism student who gets involved with an
older English aristrocrat as she pursues a
major story. Written and directed by Woody
Allen (“Melinda and Melinda,” “Match
Point”). With Allen (“Anything
Else”), Scarlett Johansson (“Match
Point”), Hugh Jackman (“X-Men:
The Last Stand”), Ian McShane (“Nine
Lives”), Ramola Garai (“Vanity
Fair”), James Nesbitt (“Match Point”),
Kevin McNally (“Phantom of the Opera,” “Pirates
of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest”)
and Robyn Kerr. PG-13: Some sexual content.
July 28 limited. Focus.

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