Friday, July 30, 2010

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 6, 2010


BIG BUDGET FILMS

Flipped (PG for mild epithets and mature themes) Puppy love drama about a 2nd grader (Madeline Carroll) whose enduring crush on a cute classmate (Callan McAuliffe) goes unrequited for a half dozen years until the script is flipped when she starts to lose interest just as he finally begins to fall for her. With Rebecca De Mornay, Anthony Edwards and Aidan Quinn.

Middle Men (R for nudity, profanity, graphic sexuality, violence and drug use) Luke Wilson stars in this crime comedy, set in 1995, about an entrepreneur who became filthy rich by helping a couple of shady characters (Giovanni Ribisi and Gabriel Macht) streamline their internet porn business. With James Caan, Terry Crews, Kelsey Grammer, Christopher McDonald, Laura Ramsey and Kevin Pollak.

The Other Guys (PG-13 for profanity, crude humor, sexuality, violence and drug use) Unlikely-buddy comedy about a couple of grounded NYPD detectives, one (Will Ferrell), a dimwit, the other (Mark Wahlberg), a hothead with an itchy trigger-finger, who do their best to measure up to their highly-decorated idols (Samuel L. Jackson and Dwayne Johnson) when finally assigned street duty again. With Eva Mendes, Paris Hilton, Michael Keaton and Anne Heche.

Step-Up 3-D (PG for profanity) Channing Tatum reprises his lead role in round three of this dance-driven franchise which pits a tight-knit team of New York street dancers against some of the best from the world of hip-hop in a high-stakes showdown. Cast includes Alyson Stoner, Harry Shum, Jr. and Adam G. Sevani.


INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS

Brotherhood (Unrated) Out of the closet drama about the forbidden love which blossoms between a couple of Danish army veterans (David Dencik and Thure Lindhardt) when they join a neo-Nazi group against gays. With Nicolas Bro, Morten Holst and Hanne Hedelund. (In Danish with subtitles)

Cairo Time (PG for smoking and mature themes) Romance drama about an American magazine editor (Patricia Clarkson) who embarks on a brief affair with the tall, dark and handsome retired cop (Alexander Siddiq) hired by her diplomat husband (Tom McCamus) to escort her around town until he arrives from Gaza. (In English and Arabic with subtitles)

The Disappearance of Alice Creed (R for nudity, sexuality, violence and pervasive profanity) A ”best laid plans” crime caper about a couple of ex-cons (Eddie Marsan and Martin Compston) whose elaborate scheme to kidnap the daughter (Gemma Arterton) of a rich businessman for ransom goes awry.

Eccentricities of a Blonde-Haired Girl (Unrated) Flashback flick, set in Lisbon, about a bashful bachelor (Ricardo Trepa) whose life is turned upside-down the day he falls desperately in love with a mysterious stranger (Catarina Wallerstein) sitting in a window across the street. (In Portuguese with subtitles)

Last Letters from Monte Rosa (Unrated) Action-oriented WWII epic about a Nazi unit led by an inept lieutenant (Thomas Bohn) which finds itself ambushed in guerilla attacks by Italian partisans. Cast includes Daniel Asher, CJ Barkus and Nick Day. (In Italian and German with subtitles)

Lebanon (R for nudity, profanity, sexuality and disturbing violence) Claustrophobic Middle East saga revolving around the exploits of the four-man crew (Itay Tiran, Oshri Cohen, Michael Moshonov and Yoav Donat) of an Israeli tank as they reluctantly engage the enemy during the 1982 war with Lebanon. With Zohar Strauss, Dudu Tassa and Ashraf Barhom. (In Hebrew, Arabic, French and English with subtitles)

The Parking Lot Movie (Unrated) Diversity documentary about the colorful characters employed as valets at a parking garage in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Patrik, Age 1.5 (R for profanity and brief sexuality) Mistaken identity comedy about a gay couple (Gustaf Skarsgard and Torkel Petersson) who get the surprise of their lives when the 15 month-old orphan they adopt turns out to be a homophobic 15 year-old (Thomas Ljungman) with a criminal record. (In Swedish with subtitles)

The Sicilian Girl (Unrated) Mob drama, set in Palermo in 1991, recounting the plight of a feisty, if ill-fated, 17 year-old (Veronica D’Agostino) who broke the Mafia’s code of silence following the murder of her father and brother. With Gerard Jugnot, Carmelo Galati and Roberto Bonura. (In Italian with subtitles)

Spring Fever (Unrated) Homoerotic drama about a private detective (Sicheng Chen) who ends up having an affair with the gay lover (Qin Hao) of the man (Wu Wei) whose suspicious wife (Jiang Jiaqi) hired him to trail her husband. (In Mandarin and Cantonese with subtitles)

Twelve (Unrated) Coming-of-age drama about a grieving 17 year-old (Chace Crawford) who drops out of school to sell drugs on Manhattan’s Upper East Side after his mother dies of breast cancer only to have his best friend (Philip Ettinger) end up accused of the brutal murder of his cousin (Jeremy Allen White). Narrated by Kiefer Sutherland (son of Donald), with a supporting cast which includes 50 Cent, Emma Roberts (niece of Julia), Zoe Kravitz (daughter of Lenny) and Rory Culkin (brother of Macaulay).

The Wildest Dream (PG for smoking and mature themes) “Because it is there” bio-pic about George Mallory, a mountain climber who disappeared in 1925 while attempting to become the first mountain climber to scale Everest. The body was discovered by another expedition about 75 years later.

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