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 August 1, 2008


BIG BUDGET FILMS

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (PG-13 for adventure and action violence) Brendan Fraser returns for a third go-round as intrepid explorer Rick O’Connell who is now joined by his son (Luke Ford), wife (Maria Bello) and her brother (John Hannah) in an epic adventure to the Far East to combat a recently-resurrected, 2,000 year-old, shape-shifting entity (Jet Li) bent on world domination. With Michelle Yeoh, Isabella Leong and Russell Wong.

Midnight Meat Train (R for sexuality, nudity, profanity, eroticized graphic violence and grisly images) Gruesome horror flick about a struggling photographer (Bradley Cooper) who ends up putting his and his girlfriend’s (Leslie Bibb) lives in danger after being egged on by a prominent art gallery owner (Brooke Shields) to get grittier shots for his show by following the trail of the serial killer (Vinnie Jones) who’s been butchering late-night commuters on the NYC subway.

Swing Vote (PG-13 for profanity) Civic duty comedy about an apathetic, alcoholic loser (Kevin Costner) who suddenly finds himself the center of attention after his mischievous, 12 year-old daughter (Madeline Carroll) sets in motion a chain of events which means his vote will decide the outcome of the presidential election. Star-studded cast includes Nathan Lane, Kelsey Grammer, George Lopez, Willie Nelson, Paula Patton, Dennis Hopper and Stanley Tucci, with cameos by political pundits James Carville, Chris Matthews, Larry King, Arianna Huffington, Bill Maher, Tucker Carlson and Campbell Brown.


INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS

America the Beautiful (R for profanity and some sexual references) Body image documentary explores America’s unhealthy obsession with beauty via an examination of subjects ranging from airbrushed ads to cosmetic surgery to skin color to makeup ingredients to self-esteem. With appearances by Jessica Simpson, pre-teen supermodel Gerren Taylor and celebutante Paris Hilton.

Frozen River (R for profanity) Cross-cultural, Christmastime tale about a recently-abandoned, white housewife (Melissa Leo), struggling to support her sons on a Mohawk reservation in upstate New York, who is pressured by a Native American single-mom (Misty Upham) to start smuggling illegal immigrants across the Canadian border into the U.S. Cast includes Michael O’Keefe, Mark Boone, Jr. and Charlie McDermott.

In Search of a Midnight Kiss (Unrated) New Year’s Eve adventure, shot in black and white, about a 29 year-old slacker (Scott McNairy) with no plans to celebrate the holiday until at the suggestion of his best friend (Brian McGuire) he places a personal ad online which leads to a rendezvous with a beautiful woman (Sara Simmonds) determined to find Mr. Right by midnight.

Profit Motive and the Whispering Wind (Unrated) Whistling through the graveyard documentary, inspired by leftist professor emeritus Howard Zinn, chronicling a “Peoples’ History of the United States” as revealed by headstones and plaques located in American cemeteries.

Sixty Six (PG-13 for profanity, nudity and sexuality) Bio-pic, set in 1966, revisiting real-life events of almost 13 year-old Bernie Reubens (Gregg Sulkin) an asthmatic, bar mitzvah boy whose big day appears ruined when it falls on the same day as the World Cup final. Cast includes Helena Bonham Carter, Stephen Rea and Eddie Marsan.

Stealing America Vote by Vote (Unrated) Post-democracy documentary questioning why exit polls are no longer able to accurately predict the results of elections in America while painting a chilling picture of a possibly tainted voting process.