Volume VI No. 5

A publication of the National Association of Theatre Owners

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Lower City
Portuguese-language drama, set in the split-level Brazilian city of Salvador de Bahia, about two petty hustlers whose lifelong friendship is threatened when they both fall in love with the same beautiful prostitute. Directed by Sergio Machado from a screenplay by Machado and Karim Ainouz. With Alice Braga (“City of God”), Lázaro Ramos (“The Man Who Copied”), Wagner Moura (“Woman on Top”), Olga Machado, Harildo Deda and José Dumont. Flat. 98 min. June 14. Palm.

 

 

 

Nacho Libre
Comedy about a young priest who dons a mask and cape and enters the world of Mexican wrestling to save a monastery from financial ruin. Directed by Jared Hess (“Napoleon Dynamite”) from a screenplay by Jared Hess & Jerusha Hess (“Napoleon Dynamite”) and Mike White (“The Good Girl,” “School of Rock”). With Jack Black (“King Kong”), Peter Stormare (“The Brothers Grimm”), Carla Jimenez (“Phat Girlz”) and Lauro Chartrand (“Annapolis”). Flat. June 16. Paramount.

 

 

Only Human
Spanish-language comedy, set in Madrid, about a Jewish girl who introduces her Palestinian boyfriend to her family. Written and directed by Dominic Harari & Terese de Pelegri. With Guillermo Toledo, Marián Aguilera, Norma Aleandro, María Botto and Fernando Ramallo. 89 min. June 9. Magnolia.

 

 

 

Poster Boy
Drama about a conservative Republican senator who wants to bring his son, a closeted homosexual, into his re-election campaign. Directed by Zak Tucker from a screenplay by Lecia Rosenthal and Ryan Shiraki. With Matt Newton (“Van Wilder”), Michael Lerner (“When Do We Eat?”), Karen Allen (“In the Bedroom”), Ian Reed Kesler and Jack Noseworthy (“Phat Girlz”). 98 min. June 16 limited. Regent.

 

 

Say Uncle
Comedy-drama about an adult homosexual who raises the suspicions of neighborhood moms when he befriends children at a local park. Actor Peter Paige (TV’s “Queer as Folk”) makes his feature directorial debut from his own screenplay. With Paige, Kathy Najimy (“Rat Race”), Lisa Edelstein (“Daddy Day Care”), Melanie Lynskey (“Shattered Glass”), Anthony Clark (“The Rock”), Robert Blanche (“Thumbsucker”), Jim Ortlieb (“Dirty”) and Gabrielle Union (“The Honeymooners”). 91 min. R: Some language. June 23. TLA.

 

 

Superman Returns
The Man of Steel returns to Earth following a 6-year absence to discover that Lois Lane is now a mother, and the forces of evil have grown more powerful than ever. Directed by Bryan Singer (“X-Men,” “X2”) from a screenplay by Michael Dougherty (“X2”) and Dan Harris (“X2,” “Imaginary Heroes”). With Brandon Routh (TV’s “One Life to Live”) as Clark Kent, Kate Bosworth (“Bee Season”) as Lois Lane, Sam Huntington (“Sleepover,” “Freshman Orientation”) as Jimmy Olsen, Frank Langella (“Good Night, and Good Luck”) as Perry White, James Marsden (“The Notebook,” “X-Men: The Last Stand”) as Richard White, Eva Marie Saint (“Because of Winn-Dixie”) as Martha Kent, Kevin Spacey (“Beyond the Sea”) as Lex Luthor, and Marlon Brando (“The Score”) as Jor-El. Also with Parker Posey (“Blade: Trinity”), Peta Wilson (“The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen”) and Kal Penn (“A Lot Like Love”). Scope. PG-13: Some intense action violence. June 30. Warner Bros.

Loverboy
Drama about a woman who overcompensates for her own lonely childhood by stifling her son with a nearly all-consuming love. Actor Kevin Bacon (“Beauty Shop,” “Where the Truth Lies”) makes his feature directorial debut from a screenplay by Hannah Shakespeare. With Kyra Sedgewick (“The Woodsman”), Campbell Scott (“The Exorcism of Emily Rose”), Marisa Tomei (“Alfie”), Blair Brown (“Dogville”), Jessica Stone (“Failure to Launch”) and Oliver Platt (“Casanova”). Flat. 87 min. June 2. Thinkfilm.

 

The Mostly Unfabulous Life of Ethan Green
Comedy about a homosexual man who, as his ex-boyfriend tries to sell his home out from under him, falls for a recently uncloseted ex-ballplayer. Based on the comic strip of the same name by Eric Omer. Second-unit director George Bomber (“Men in Black II,” “Dodgeball”) makes his first-unit directorial debut from a screenplay by David Vernon. With Daniel Letterle (“Camp”), Ramon De Ocampo (“XXX: State of the Union”), David Monahan (“Something New”) and Scott Atkinson (“Windtalkers”). 88 min. June 9. Regent.

 

 

The Omen
Remake of the 1976 horror classic about an American diplomat who comes to believe his son is the Antichrist. Directed by John Moore (“Behind Enemy Lines,” “Flight of the Phoenix”) from a screenplay by Dan McDermott. With Liev Schreiber (“The Manchurian Candidate”), Julia Stiles (“The Bourne Supremacy”), David Thewlis (“Basic Instinct 2: Risk Addiction”), Mia Farrow (“Reckless”), Pete Postlethwaite (“The Constant Gardener”) and Michael Gambon (“Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”). Flat. June 6. Fox.

 

 

Peaceful Warrior
Drama about a college gymnast whose life is altered following a gas-station encounter with a philosopher who ultimately convinces him that happiness is more important than victory. Based on the best-selling, semi-autobiographical book “Way of the Peaceful Warrior: A Book that Changes Lives” by Dan Millman (“The Life You Were Born To Live”). Directed by Victor Salva (“Jeepers Creepers,” “Jeepers Creepers 2”) from a screenplay by Kevin Bernhardt. With Scott Mechlowicz (“Mean Creek”), Nick Nolte (“The Beautiful Country,” “Clean”), Amy Smart (“Just Friends”), Agnes Bruckner (“Venom,” “Haven”), Paul Wesley (“Roll Bounce”) and Beatrice Rosen (“Chasing Liberty”). Flat. PG-13: Sensuality; sex references; accident scenes. June 2. Lionsgate.

 

 

Prairie Home Companion
Comedy set backstage of the long-running radio program, which is leaving the air because its host theatre has been scheduled for demolition. Directed by Robert Altman (“Gosford Park,” “The Company”) from a screenplay by real-life “Prairie Home Companion” writer/host Garrison Keillor. With Keillor, Lindsay Lohan (“Herbie: Fully Loaded,” “Just My Luck”), Meryl Streep (“Prime,” “The Devil Wears Prada”), Lily Tomlin (“I Heart Huckabees”), Kevin Kline (“The Pink Panther”), Maya Rudolph (“50 First Dates”), Woody Harrelson (“North Country”), L.Q. Jones (“The Mask of Zorro”), Virginia Madsen (“Firewall”) and John C. Reilly (“Dark Water”). 105 min. PG-13: Risqué humor. Scope. June 9. Picturehouse.

 

 

Strangers With Candy
Comedy about an adult who re-enrolls at her old high school after 30 years of hard living as a drop-out. A feature version of the 1999 Comedy Central TV series. Paul Dinello, who directed episodes of the series, makes his feature directorial debut. Stephen Colbert (TV’s “The Colbert Report”), Amy Sedaris (TV’s “Exit 57”) and Dinello (TV’s “Exit 57”), who all scripted episodes of the series, contribute the movie’s screenplay. Actors reprising their TV roles include Sedaris (“Stay”), Colbert (“Bewitched”), Dinello (“Plump Fiction”), Deborah Rush (“American Wedding”) and Maria Thayer (“Storytelling”). Newcomers to the franchise include Sarah Jessica Parker (“Failure to Launch”), Philip Seymour Hoffman (“Capote,” “Mission: Impossible 3”), Matthew Broderick (“The Producers: The Movie Musical”), Allison Janney (“The Chumscrubber”), Justin Theroux (“The Baxter”), Jonah Bobo (“Zathura”) and Ian Holm (“Lord of War”). Flat. 90 min. June 28 in New York and Los Angeles. Thinkfilm.

 

 

 

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