Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Kam's Kapsules: Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun

OPENING THIS WEEK
Kam's Kapsules:
Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun
by Kam Williams
For movies opening April 4, 2008


BIG BUDGET FILMS

Leatherheads (PG-13 for brief profanity) George Clooney directed and stars in this romantic comedy, set in 1925, as the owner/captain of a fledgling pro football franchise who finds himself competing with the decorated World War I hero (John Krasinski) he’s just signed for the affections of a skeptical sports reporter (Renee Zellweger) covering the team.

Nim’s Island (PG for mild action and brief epithets) Fanciful family adventure about a young girl (Abigail Breslin) with an active imagination who enlists the assistance of her favorite author (Jodie Foster) and fictional hero (Gerard Butler) in finding her father, a scientist who has gone missing on a magical island.

The Ruins (R for nudity, sexuality, profanity, graphic violence and gruesome images) Hardcore horror flick about four Americans friends (Jena Malone, Shawn Ashmore, Jonathan Tucker and Laura Ramsey) vacationing in Cancun who are persuaded by a German tourist (Joe Anderson) to join in the search for his missing brother amidst the ruins of an archaeological dig located in a remote Mexican jungle.


INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS

The Flight of the Red Balloon (Unrated) Fanciful fairy tale about a 7 year-old boy (Simon Iteanu) who escapes to an imaginary world with his Taiwanese babysitter (Fang Song) while his overwhelmed single-mom (Juliette Binoche) attends to a variety of snowballing obligations. (In French with subtitles)

Jellyfish (Unrated) Female empowerment flick examines the divergent fortunes of three women whose paths cross at a wedding reception in Tel Aviv: the spoiled bride (Noa Knoller), a just-dumped waitress (Sarah Adler), and the deferential Filipino nurse (Ma-nenita De Latorre) of an elderly guest (Zaharira Harifai) with anger management issues. (In Hebrew and French with subtitles)

My Blueberry Nights (PG-13 for violence, smoking, drinking and mature themes)
Grammy-winner Norah Jones makes her screen debut as the star of this road flick about a broken-hearted woman who muses about modern romance while roaming around the country. Cast includes Jude Law, David Strathairn, Rachel Weisz and Natalie Portman.

Meet Bill (R for sexuality, profanity and drug use) Aaron Eckhart plays the title character in this midlife crisis dramedy about an unhappily-married guy who befriends a beautiful cashier (Jessica Alba) after his wife (Elizabeth Banks) starts cheating on him with a TV news reporter (Timothy Olyphant).

Nana (Unrated) Musical melodrama about the relationship which develops between two girls (Mika Nakashima and Aoi Miyazaki) with the same name but very different personalities after they meet by chance. (In Japanese with subtitles)

Sex and Death 101 (R for profanity and graphic sexuality) Romantic comedy about a reformed ladies man (Simon Baker) whose impending wedding plans are complicated by the arrival of an email naming every woman he’s ever slept with and ever will sleep with. The plot thickens after an encounter with a vengeful femme fatale (Winona Ryder) who targets womanizers. With Mindy Cohn, Sophie Monk and Leslie Bibb.

Shine a Light (PG-13 for smoking, drug use and brief profanity) Martin Scorcese directs this concert flick featuring the Rolling Stones, shot in 2006 at New York’s Beacon Theater before an audience which included Bill and Hillary Clinton. With appearances by bluesman Buddy Guy and pop diva Christina Aguilera.

The Unknown Woman (Unrated) Psychological drama about a mysterious Russian nanny (Kseniya Rappoport) for a rich Italian family who remains haunted by the violence and prostitution which marked her past life in the Ukraine. (In Italian with subtitles)

Water Lilies (Unrated) Coming-of-age flick follows the sexual awakenings of a trio of 15 year-old girls (Pauline Acquart, Louise Blachere and Adele Haenel) during an eventful summer spent chasing boys in the suburbs outside Paris. (In French with subtitles)

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