Kam's Kapsules: For movies opening September 9, 2011

OPENING THIS WEEK
Kam's Kapsules:
Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun
by Kam Williams
For movies opening September 9, 2011


BIG BUDGET FILMS

Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star (R for profanity, nudity, crude humor and pervasive sexuality) Coming-of-age comedy about a nerdy grocery clerk (Nick Swardson) who decides to move from the Midwest to Hollywood to follow in his parents’ footsteps after discovering they were once porn stars. With Christina Ricci, Don Johnson and Stephen Dorff.

Contagion (PG-13 for profanity and disturbing images) International thriller, directed by Steven Soderbergh, chronicling the medical community’s race against time to stem the spread of a deadly virus imperiling all of humanity. A-list cast includes Oscar-winners Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Marion Cotillard and Gwyneth Paltrow, nominees Jude Law, Laurence Fishburne and Elliott Gould, as well as Sanaa Lathan, John Hawkes and Bryan Cranston.

Creature (Unrated) Cajun Country horror flick about an ex-Navy Seal (Mehcad Brooks) who vacations with a group of friends in a backwoods region of Louisiana in the face of local folklore about a fabled swamp monster that’s half-man and half-alligator. Ensemble includes Sid Haig, Dillon Casey and Serinda Swan.

Inside Out (PG-13 for violence and profanity) Crime drama about a recently-paroled ex-con (Triple H) forced to protect his best friend’s (Michael Rapaport) family from a crime boss (Bruce Dern) bent on revenge for an accidental shooting. With Parker Posey, Julie White, Michael Cudlitz and Jency Griffin

Warrior (PG-13 for profanity, mature themes and intense fight sequences) Sibling rivalry saga about an ex-Marine (Tom Hardy) haunted by a tragic past who returns home to be trained by his retired boxer father (Nick Nolte) for a big showdown with his estranged brother (Joel Edgerton) in a mixed martial arts tournament. With Noah Emmerich, Denzel Whitaker and Kevin Dunn.


INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS

The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975 (Unrated) Cinematic collage culled from found 16mm footage of vintage interviews conducted by Swedish journalists with leaders like Stokely Carmichael, Bobby Seale, Huey Newton, Angela Davis and Eldridge Cleaver at the height of the Black Power Movement. With current-day commentary by Erykah Badu, Harry Belafonte, Melvin Van Peebles and Talib Kweli, and featuring a soundtrack scored by Questlove and Om’Mas Keith.

Echotone (Unrated) Cultural portrait of Austin, Texas as painted by members of the city’s creative class, struggling musicians balancing artistic integrity against the idea of making concessions to the demands of commercialism.

Kevin Hart: Laugh at My Pain (R for sexual humor, ethnic slurs and pervasive profanity) Stand-up comedy flick featuring the funnyman’s N-word and expletive-laced brand of observational humor as performed during his recent 90-city concert tour.

Main Street (Unrated) Urban revival drama revolving around several residents of Durham, North Carolina whose lives are changed by the arrival of a mysterious stranger (Colin Firth) with a controversial plan for saving their decaying hometown. With Patricia Clarkson, Ellen Burstyn, Orlando Bloom, Amber Tamblyn and Andrew McCarthy.

Mere Brother Ki Dulhan ( Unrated) Bollywood romantic comedy about a bachelor (Imran Khan) who arranges a marriage for his brother (Ali Zafar) living in London only to find himself falling in love with the free-spirited bride-to-be (Katrina Kaif). With Tara D’Souza, Kanwaljit Singh and John Abraham. (In Hindi and English with subtitles)

Shaolin (R for violence) Martial arts action flick about a Chinese warlord (Andy Lau) who temporarily becomes a monk to atone for his sins before returning to a life of violence to avenge the murder of his entire family by a rival gang. Cast includes Nicholas Tse, Bingbing Fan, Bing Bai and Jackie Chan. (In Mandarin and Cantonese with subtitles)

Tanner Hall (Unrated) Coming-of-age drama examining the teen angst of four students (Rooney Mara, Georgia King, Brie Larson and Amy Ferguson) at an all-girls boarding school located in rural New England as they deal with emotional issues like lovesickness, depression, sexual-confusion and discomfort about sleeping with a married man. With Chris Kattan, Tom Everett Scott and Michael Kelly.

We Were Here (Unrated) AIDS retrospective taking a long look back at the impact of the epidemic on the gay community in San Francisco where the disease claimed the lives of over 15,000 people in the early Eighties. With appearances by Paul Boneberg, Ed Wolf and Eileen Glutzer.

Where the Soldiers Come From (Unrated) “God, mom and apple pie” documentary about five childhood friends from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula who volunteered to serve in Afghanistan.