Kam's Movie Kapsules for 10-4-13

OPENING THIS WEEK

Kam's Kapsules:      

Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun         

by Kam Williams

For movies opening October 11, 2013

BIG BUDGET FILMS   

Captain Phillips (PG-13 for intense violence, sustained terror, bloody images and substance abuse) Tom Hanks stars in this action thriller, directed by Paul Greengrass, reenacting the 2009 rescue by Navy SEALs of an American container ship hijacked by Somali pirates. With Catherine Keener, Barkhad Abdi and Faysal Ahmed.  

Machete Kills (R for profanity, sexuality and pervasive graphic violence) Danny Trejo reprises the title role in this high body-count sequel which finds the intrepid detective-turned-spy recruited by the U.S. President (Charlie Sheen) to foil a terrorist plot being hatched by a Mexican madman (Demian Bichir) and an eccentric billionaire (Mel Gibson). Ensembler includes Lady Gaga, Sofia Vergara, Jessica Alba, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Antonio Banderas and Amber Heard.

INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS  

All the Boys Love Mandy Lane (R for sexuality, nudity, profanity, violence and pervasive drug and alcohol use, all involving teens) High attrition-rate horror flick about a 16 year-old blossoming beauty (Amber Heard) invited by classmates intent on taking her virginity to a wild weekend party at a remote ranch in Texas where kids start disappearing one-by-one. With Anson Mount, Edwin Hodge and Michael Welch.

Broadway Idiot (Unrated) Punk rockumentary highlighting the effort to turn Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong’s hit album “American Idiot” into a Broadway musical. With Michael Mayer, John Gallagher, Jr. and Michael Esper.

CBGB (R for sexuality, drug use, violence and pervasive profanity) Rock & Roll retrospective revolving around Hilly Cristal (Alan Rickman), the founder of CBGB, the legendary, Greenwich Village nightclub which launched the careers of such New Wave groups as Blondie, the B-52s, the Ramones and the Talking Heads. Cast includes Malin Akerman as Debbie Harry, Joel David Moore as Joey Ramone, Mickey Sumner as Patti Smith and Taylor Hawkins as Iggy Pop.       

Design Is One: The Vignellis (Unrated) Fashion documentary revisiting the career of the husband and wife team of Massimo and Lella Vignellis, influential Italian designers of futuristic modern furniture, packaging, housewares and signage.  

God Loves Uganda (Unrated) Born Again documentary chronicling the campaign by Evangelical Christian missionaries to encourage the citizens of Uganda to abandon their cultural traditions in favor of Biblical law.

The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete (R for profanity, drug use and sexuality) Coming-of-age saga about a 9 (Ethan Dizon) and 13 year-old’s (Skylan Brooks) attempt to survive the summer on the sweltering streets of New York City after their substance-abusing mother (Jennifer Hudson) is arrested by the police. Cast includes Anthony Mackie, Jordin Sparks and Jeffrey Wright.  

Romeo and Juliet (PG-13 for violence and mature themes) A tale of forbidden love, set in Renaissance Verona, loosely based on the Shakespeare classic about a star-crossed couple (Hailee Steinfeld and Douglas Booth) hailing from feuding clans. With Paul Giamatti, Stellan Skarsgard, Damian Lewis and Ed Westwick.