Wednesday, December 15, 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 December 24, 2010

BIG BUDGET FILMS

Gulliver’s Travels (PG for action, mild epithets and brief crude humor) Overhaul of the Jonathan Swift classic, set in the present, stars Jack Black as an aspiring travel writer, assigned to investigate the Bermuda Triangle, who ends up on the mysterious island of Lilliput where he towers over its diminutive inhabitants. Cast includes Jason Segel, Emily Blunt, Amanda Peet and Billy Connolly.

Little Fockers (PG-13 for profanity, drug use and pervasive sexual humor) Third installment of the Meet the Parents franchise finds overprotective dad (Robert De Niro) questioning whether his underachieving son-in-law (Ben Stiller) will be a good enough provider for his daughter (Teri Polo) and twin grandchildren (Daisy Tahan and Colin Baiocchi). Star-studded cast includes Blythe Danner and Oscar-winners Barbra Streisand and Dustin Hoffman, as well as nominees Owen Wilson, Harvey Keitel and Laura Dern.

True Grit (PG-13 for intense violence and disturbing images) Coen Brothers remake of the John Wayne Western about a U.S. Marshal (Jeff Bridges) who helps a 14 year-old girl (Hailee Steinfeld) track down her father’s murderer (Josh Brolin). With Barry Pepper, Ed Corbin and Oscar-winner Matt Damon.


INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS

Country Strong (PG-13 for sexuality and mature themes) Relationship drama about a fading country music star (Gwyneth Paltrow) whose marriage ends up in trouble when she goes on tour with an up-and-coming singer/songwriter (Garrett Hedlund) accompanied by her husband (McGraw) and a beauty queen (Leighton Meester) just breaking into the business.

Hadewijch (Unrated) Meditative character study about a nun (Julie Sokolowski) expelled from the convent for being a Christian fanatic who unwittingly ends up befriending the members of a Muslim terrorist cell. With Yassine Salime, Karl Sarafidis and David Dawaele. (In French and Arabic with subtitles)

The Illusionist (Unrated) Animated adventure about an aging French magician (Jean-Claude Dnda) who ventures to Scotland where he gets a new lease on life with the help of a troubled teenager (Eilidh Rankin) with a sense of wonder. (In English, Gaelic and French with subtitles)

Nénette (Unrated) Endangered species documentary about a 40 year-old orangutan who has lived most of her life caged in the primate house of a Parisian zoo. (In French with subtitles)

Secret Sunshine (Unrated) Melancholy drama about a recently-widowed pianist (Do-yeon Jon) who moves with her young son (Jung-yeop Seon) to her late husband’s hometown where she is beset by another tragedy while being courted by a bumbling mechanic (Kang-ho Song) and trying to come to grips with her grief. (In Korean with subtitles)

Somewhere (R for sexuality, nudity and profanity) Oscar-winner Sofia Coppola wrote and directed this redemption drama about a freewheeling Hollywood matinee idol (Stephen Dorff) who suddenly finds himself contemplating making lifestyle changes after his ex-wife (Michelle Monaghan) unexpectedly gives him custody of their 11 year-old daughter (Elle Fanning).

The Sound of Insects (Unrated) Post-mortem documentary about a hunter who stumbled upon the journal and mummified corpse of a mysterious man who committed suicide by starving himself to death in the forest. Starring Peter Mettler and Alexander Tschemek.

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