Kam's Movie Kapsules for 9-5-14

OPENING THIS WEEK

Kam's Kapsules:      

Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun         

by Kam Williams

For movies opening September 5, 2014

BIG BUDGET FILMS   

None

INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS 

But Always (Unrated) Romance drama about childhood sweethearts (Nicholas Tse and Yuanyuan Gao), raised in Beijing, who go their separate ways only to fall in love all over again a decade later when their paths cross in New York City. With Lam Suet, Qin Hao, Du Haitao and Luo Shi. (In Mandarin with subtitles)

Falcon Rising (R for sexuality and pervasive profanity) Michael Jai White stars as the title character of this revenge thriller, set in Brazil, as an ex-Marine suffering from PTSD who travels to the slums of Sao Paulo to find the attackers who left his sister (Laila Ali) for dead. Support cast features Neal McDonough, Lateef Crowder and Hazuki Cato. 

Frontera (PG-13 for rape, violence and brief profanity) Neo-Western about a pregnant undocumented alien (Eva Longoria) held for ransom by the corrupt coyotes she hired to sneak her into New Mexico where she hopes to come to the assistance of her murder suspect husband (Michael Pena). With Ed Harris, Amy Madigan and Kristen Rakes. 

God Help the Girl (Unrated) Musical drama, unfolding in Scotland over the course of the summer, revolving around an anorexic aspiring songwriter (Emily Browning) who escapes from a rural mental hospital to find fame and fortune in the city of Glasgow. Co-starring Olly Alexander, Hannah Murray and Pierre Boulanger.  

Gringo Trails (Unrated) Eco-expose’ examining the negative impact of tourism around the planet in places as far afield as Bolivia, Thailand, Mali and Bhutan.

The Identical (PG for smoking and mature themes) Coming-of-age drama about the diverging fates of twins (Blake Rayne), separated at birth, one, who becomes a pop star after being raised by their parents (Brian Geraghty and Amanda Crew), while the other fails to fulfill his potential after being adopted by a domineering minister (Ray Liotta) and his deferential wife (Ashley Judd). With Seth Green, Danny Woodburn and Joe Pantoliano.

Innocence (Unrated) Romantic fantasy revolving around a 16 year-old enrollee (Sophie Curtis) at an exclusive, Manhattan prep school run by a coven of witches who preserve their youth by drinking the blood of virgin students. Co-starring Kelly Reilly, Graham Phillips and Linus Roache. 

Keep on Keepin’ On (Unrated) Reverential biopic about 93 year-old jazz legend Clark Terry, trumpeter and flugelhorn pioneer who played with everyone from Duke Ellington to Count Basie to Dizzy Gillespie to Quincy Jones.

Kelly & Cal (Unrated) Tale of forbidden love about a middle-aged housewife (Juliette Lewis) suffering from post-partum depression who gets a new lease on life from a secret romance with the paraplegic teen (Jonny Weston) living next door. Cast includes Josh Hopkins, Cybill Shepherd, Lucy Owen and Lusia Strus.

Last Days in Vietnam (Unrated) Rory Kennedy (daughter of Ethel and Robert) directed this documentary chronicling the chaotic final days of the fall of in Saigon. 

Levitated Mass (Unrated) “How did they do that?” documentary detailing the installation of a dangling 340-ton granite boulder wedged over a walkway in the L.A. County Museum by Michael Heizer as a work of art. 

The Longest Week (PG-13 for smoking and sexuality) Romantic dramedy about a spoiled-rotten, 40 year-old playboy (Jason Bateman) who steals his BFF’s (Billy Crudup) girlfriend (Olivia Wilde) after being disinherited and evicted from his posh bachelor pad by his filthy-rich divorcing parents. With Jenny Slate, Barry Primus and Tony Roberts.

Memphis (Unrated) Atmospheric character study about a modern-day pied piper (Willis Earl Beal) who wanders around the city of Memphis amassing a motley following while singing the blues. Cast includes Constance Brantley, Larry Dodson, Devonte Hull and Lopaka Thomas.

Naked Opera (Unrated) Dying wish documentary about a gay sugar daddy with a terminal illness whose porn star boy-toy helps fulfill his last request by staging an all-nude production of his favorite opera, Don Giovanni. (In German, French, English, Italian and Luxembourgish with subtitles)

The Rule (Unrated) Inspirational documentary about the overachieving students at St. Benedict’s Prep, a Catholic school in Newark, New Jersey whose mostly black and Latino graduates enjoy a nearly 100% college acceptance rate.

Wetlands (Unrated) Romantic dramedy about a sexually-adventurous 18 year-old girl (Carla Juri) who bonds with her male nurse (Christoph Letkowski) after a shaving accident lands her in the hospital. With Marlen Kruse, Meret Becker and Axel Milberg. (In German with subtitles)