Volume VII No. 1/2

A publication of the National Association of Theatre Owners

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February Preview

SeveranceSeverance
Comic horror thriller about a corporate team-building weekend in Eastern Europe that goes horribly awry when one group finds itself holding off local crazies bent on revenge. Directed by Christopher Pike from a screenplay by Pike and James Moran. With Danny Dyer, Tim McInnerny (“Casanova”), Claudie Blakely (“Pride & Prejudice”), Andy Nyman, Toby Stephens (“Die Another Day”), Laura Harris (“A Mighty Wind”) and David Gilliam. 95 min. March 9. Magnolia.

 

Smokin' AcesSmokin’ Aces
Action-comedy about a semi-famous Las Vegas magician who becomes a walking target after he snitches on the mob. Written and directed by Joe Carnahan (“Narc”). With Ryan Reynolds (“Just Friends”), Ray Liotta (“The Last Shot,” “Wild Hogs”), Jeremy Piven (“Keeping Up with the Steins”), Ben Affleck (“Hollywoodland”), Alicia Keys (“The Nanny Diaries”), Andy Garcia (“The Lost City”) and Martin Henderson (“Flyboys”). Scope. R: Strong bloody violence; pervasive language; some nudity; drug use. March 2. Universal.

 

300300
Historical epic about the Battle of Thermopylae (480 B.C.), in which King Leonides led 300 Spartans against overwhelming numbers of invading Persians. Based on the graphic novel by Frank Miller (“Sin City”). Directed by Zack Snyder (“Dawn of the Dead”) from a screenplay by Snyder, Michael Gordon and Kurt Johnstad. With Gerard Butler (“Dear Frankie”), Lena Headey (“Click”), David Wenham (“The Proposition”), Vincent Regan (“Unleashed”) and Dominic West (“The Forgotten,” “Hannibal Rising”). R: Graphic battle sequences throughout; some sexuality; nudity. March 9. Warner Bros.

 

Tyler Perry's Daddy's Little GirlsTyler Perry’s Daddy’s Little Girls
Romantic comedy about a successful attorney who falls for a struggling auto mechanic, but faces complications in the form of his three kids and ex-wife. Written and directed by Tyler Perry (“Diary of a Mad Black Woman,” “Madea’s Family Reunion”). With Gabrielle Union (“Running With Scissors”), Idris Elba (“The Gospel,” “The Reaping”), Louis Gossett, Jr. (“A Good Man in Africa”), Brian J. White (“The Family Stone,” “Stomp the Yard”), Malinda Williams (“Idlewild”) and Tasha Smith (“You, Me and Dupree”). Flat. Feb. 14. Lionsgate.


ShooterShooter
Thriller about a marksman who employs the help of a renegade FBI agent to track down the men who framed him for the assassination of a political leader. Based on the novel “Point of Impact” by Stephen Hunter. Directed by Antoine Fuqua (“Tears of the Sun,” “King Arthur”) from a screenplay by Jonathan Lemkin (“The Devil’s Advocate,” “Red Planet”). With Mark Wahlberg (“The Departed”), Kate Mara (“Zoom,” “We Are Marshall”), Michael Peña (“World Trade Center”), Danny Glover (“Dreamgirls”) and Lane Garrison (TV’s “Prison Break”). Scope. March 16. Paramount.

 

SunshineSunshine
Sci-fi thriller about a team of astronauts who, while on a mission to use nuclear devices to re-ignite the dying sun, come across what’s left of the ship that disappeared years earlier on the same mission. Directed by Danny Boyle (“28 Days Later,” “Millions”) from a screenplay by Alex Garland (“28 Days Later”). With Cillian Murphy (“Breakfast on Pluto”), Rose Byrne (“Marie Antoinette”), Michelle Yeoh (“Memoirs of a Geisha”), Troy Garity (“Milwaukee, Minnesota”), and Chris Evans (“Fantastic Four”). March 16. Fox Searchlight.

 

TMNTTMNT
Computer-animated action comedy about ordinary turtles transformed by industrial waste into walking, talking, fighting, pizza-loving bi-peds. Based on the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” comic book series. Written and directed by Kevin Munroe (the 2001 ABC Christmas special “Donner”). Those lending their voices to the enterprise include Quinton Flynn. March 23. Warner Bros.

 

ZodiacZodiac
The true story of the hunt for the Zodiac Killer, a never-captured serial murderer who terrorized the San Francisco Bay Area between 1966 and 1978, taunted local law enforcement officials and claimed credit for 37 murders. Based on the books "Zodiac" and "Zodaic Unmasked" by Robert Graysmith ("Auto Focus: The Murder of Bob Crane"). Directed by David Fincher ("Fight Club," "Panic Room") from a screenplay by James Vanderbilt ("Basic," "The Rundown"). With Jake Gyllenhaal ("Brokeback Mountain") as Graysmith, Mark Ruffalo ("All the King’s Men") as detective Dave Toschi, Brian Cox ("Running with Scissors") as attorney Melvin Belli, and Robert Downey, Jr. ("A Scanner Darkly," "Fur") as investigating reporter Paul Avery. Also with Anthony Edwards ("The Forgotten"), Clea DuVall ("The Grudge"), John Getz ("Curly Sue"), Adam Goldberg ("Déjà Vu"), Zach Grenier ("Pulse," "Rescue Dawn"), Pell James ("The King"), Elias Koteas ("The Greatest Game Ever Played"), Donal Logue ("The Groomsmen"), John Carroll Lynch ("Looking For Comedy in the Muslim World"), Dermot Mulroney (“The Family Stone”), Chloe Sevigny (“Manderlay”), Ione Skye (“Fever Pitch”), John Terry (“The Big Green”), Tom Verica (“Flags of Our Fathers”) and Charles Fleisher (“Permanent Midnight”). Scope. R: Some strong killings; language; drug material; brief sexual images. March 2. Paramount.


Late Additons to January

Blood & ChocolateBlood & Chocolate
Horror thriller about a teen werewolf whose romance with a human puts her at odds with the rest of her pack. Based on the young adult novel by Annette Curtis Klause. Directed by Katja von Garnier (“Bandits”) from a screenplay by Ehren Kruger (“The Brothers Grimm,” “Skeleton Key”). With Agnes Bruckner (“Peaceful Warrior”), Olivier Martinez (“Taking Lives”), Hugh Dancy (“Basic Instinct 2: Risk Addiction”), Katja Reimann (“Rosenstrasse”), Bryan Dick (“Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World”), Tom Harper (“The Upside of Anger”) and Kata Dobo (“Basic Instinct 2: Risk Addiction”). PG-13: Violence/terror; some sexuality; substance abuse. Jan. 26. MGM.

 

The hitcherThe Hitcher
Horror thriller about two college kids who, on a road trip through desolate terrain, become prey for a hitchhiking serial killer. A remake of the 1986 film starring Rutger Hauer, Jennifer Jason Leigh and C. Thomas Howell. Veteran music video director Dave Meyers (The Offspring’s “Defy You,” Britney Spears’ “Lucky”) makes his feature directorial debut from a screenplay by Jake Wade Wall (“When A Stranger Calls”) and Eric Bernt (“Romeo Must Die”). With Sean Bean (“Silent Hill”), Sophia Bush (“John Tucker Must Die”), Zachary Knighton (“The Mudge Boy”), Lauren Cohn (“Win A Date with Tad Hamilton!”), Kyle Davis (“Elizabethtown”) and Neal McDonough (“Flags of our Fathers”). Jan. 19. Focus.

 

Lucky YouLucky You
Drama, set in Las Vegas, about a high-stakes poker player who tries to overcome some personal demons as he vies for a world championship. Directed by Curtis Hanson (“8 Mile,” “In Her Shoes”) from a screenplay by Hanson and Eric Roth (“Munich,” “The Good Shepherd”). With Eric Bana (“Munich”), Drew Barrymore (“Fever Pitch,” “Music and Lyrics”), Robert Duvall (“Kicking & Screaming”), Robert Downey Jr. (“Fur,” “Zodiac”), Jean Smart (“I Heart Huckabees”), Horatio Sanz (“School for Scoundrels”), Charles Martin Smith (“Deep Impact”) and Debra Messing (“The Wedding Date”). Scope. PG-13: Some language; sexual humor. Warner Bros.

 

Race You to the BottomRace You To The Bottom
Romantic drama about a male bisexual travel writer who begins to fall for a female friend while the two are traveling together, despite the fact that both have boyfriends. Written and directed by Russell Brown. With Amber Benson (“Latter Days”), Cole Williams (“North Country”), Danielle Harris (“Poor White Trash”), Jeremy Lelliott (“Jack”), Philipp Karner (“The Battle of Shaker Heights”), Adam Del Rio (“The Hot Chick”) and Justin Zachary. 72 min. R: Sexual content; language; brief drug use. Jan. 19. Regent.

FakersFakers
British caper comedy about a con man trying to pay off a 50,000-pound debt by selling the same long-lost Italian sketch five times. Directed by Richard Janes from a screenplay by Paul Gerstenberger. With Tom Chambers, Kate Ashfield (“Pure”), Matthew Rhys (“What Ever Happened to Harold Smith?”), Art Malik (“A Kid in King Arthur’s Court”), Tony Haygarth and Edward Hibbart (“Uptown Girls”). 84 min. R: Language; some nudity. Jan. 26. Indican.

 

Hostel Part IIHostel Part II
Sequel to the 2006 horror hit, this time about three young American women lured to a remote Eastern European hostel, where a brutal fate awaits them. Returnees from the previous film include writer-director Eli Roth (“Cabin Fever”) and actor Jay Hernandez (“World Trade Center”). Newcomers include Lauren German (“Standing Still”), Heather Matarazzo (“Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement”), Bijou Phillips (“Venom”), Roger Bart (“The Producers”) and Richard Burgi (“Fun With Dick and Jane”). Jan. 5. Lionsgate.

 

The martian ChildThe Martian Child
Drama about a single writer who decides to adopt a troubled young boy dealing with his history of abuse by telling people he’s from another planet. Based on the 2002 novel by David Gerrold (“Child of Earth”). Directed by Menno Meyjes (“Max”) from a screenplay by Seth Bass & Jonathan Tolins (the TV-movie “Twilight of the Golds”). With John Cusack (“Ice Harvest”), Bobby Coleman (“Friends with Money”), Amanda Peet (“Syriana”), Sophie Okonedo (“Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker”), Joan Cusack (“Friends with Money”) and Oliver Platt (“Loverboy”). PG: Thematic elements; mild language. Jan. 19. New Line.

 

Stephanie DaleyStephanie Daley
Drama about a forensic psychologist assigned to a case of a 17-year-old girl accused of concealing her pregnancy and murdering the baby. Written and directed by Hilary Brougher. With Amber Tamblyn (“The Grudge 2”), Tilda Swinton (“The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe”), Melissa Leo (“The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada”), Denis O’Hare (“Derailed”), Deirdre O’Connell (“Winter Passing”), Jim Gaffigan (“Trust The Man”) and Timothy Hutton (“Last Holiday,” “The Good Shepherd,” “Off the Black”). 91 min. R: Disturbing material involving teen pregnancy; sexual content; language. Jan. 12. Regent.

 

 

 

 

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