Sneak Peak: Movies for December 2008

"Cadillac Records"

Stars include Emmanuelle Chrique, Beyonce' Knowles, Jeffrey Wright, Gabrielle Union, Adrien Brody, Mos Def, Cedric the Entertainer, and more. It is directed by Darnell Martin. Set in 1950"s Chicago, this film follows the rise of Chess Records and its recording artists. These artists include musical legends Muddy Waters, Leonard Chess, Little Walter, Howlin' Wolf, Etta James, and Chuck Berry. This Sony BMG Feature Films drama/musical is rated R.

"Frost/Nixon"

Stars include Frank Langella, Michael Sheen, Kevin Bacon, Janneke Arent, Mickie Banyes, Jay Bird, and more. It is directed by Ron Howard. This is a dramatic film about the post-Watergate television interviews with British talk-show host, David Frost and former president, Richard Nixon. This Universal film is rated R and 122 minutes long.

"Nobel Son"

Stars include Bryan Greenberg, Alan Rickman, Shawn Hatosy, Mary Steenburgen, Eliza Dushku, and Bill Pullman. As Barkley Michaelson struggles to finish his Ph.D. thesis, his father, Eli Michaelson, wins the Nobel Prize for Chemistry. Unfortunately, Eli's past indiscretions resurface to the present and Barkley is kidnapped on the eve of his father's acceptance of the prize. To make matters worse, Eli refuses to pay the ransom, leading to a tale of family dysfunction, lust, betrayal, and revenge. This Freestyle black comedy/drama is rated R and is 110 minutes long.

"Punisher: War Zone"

Stars include Ray Stevenson, Dominic West, Colin Salmon, Dash Mihok, Doug Hutchison, and Wayne Knight. Marvel Comics' vigilante, The Punisher, comes to life on the big screen for a third time when he is pitied against the scarred villain Jigsaw. Microchip is the Punisher's trusted weapons expert, and Looney Bin Jim, is another villain the Punisher has to tackle with. This Lionsgate action/crime/mystery is rated R and is 107 minutes long,

December 10, 2008

"The Reader"

Stars include Kate Winslet, Ralph Fiennes, and Alexandra Maria Lara. The film is directed by Stephen Daldry. Based on the award-winning novel by German law professor and judge Bernhard Schlink, this film centers on Michael Berg's obsession with older woman, Hanna, and their involvement in a war crimes trial, where an awful truth is revealed. This romantic drama period film is Not Yet Rated. Limited USA release of this film is scheduled on December 10, 2008 but the official USA release date is January 9, 2009.

"Wendy and Lucy"

Stars include Michelle Williams, Walter Dalton, Larry Fesseden Will Oldham, and Will Patton. This film is directed by Kelly Reichardt and chronicles the life of Wendy, an alienated Indiana woman and her dog, Lucy, who starts out travelling to Alaska in an old Honda with only $600 to her name. She and her trusted four-legged friend then become stranded in a small Oregon town. Thus, Wendy ends up in a local jail, when she decided to shoplift puppy chow for Lucy. When Wendy finally pays her fine and gets out of jail and returns to the supermarket, Lucy is gone. Alone, broke, and desperately seeking the whereabouts of her beloved Lucy, Wendy must now rely on the kindness or unkindness of strangers to help her through her ordeal. The film is Not Yet Rated and is 80 minutes long.

December 12, 2008

"Che"

Stars include Benicio del Toro, Franka Potente, and Catalina Standino Moreno. It is directed by Steben Soderbergh. The film centers on revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara and is actually a merged version of two films by Soderbergh, "The Argentine" and "Guerilla." The first part of the film focuses on the Cuban revolution, from the moment Fidel Castro, Guevara, and other revolutionaries landed on the Caribbean island, until the toppled dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista. The second part of the film focuses on Che's attempted revolution and eventual demise in Bolivia. This Telecinco adaptation/historical/period film is Not Yet Rated. Limited USA release of this film is scheduled on December 12, 2008 but the official USA release date is January 9, 2009.

"Dark Streets"

Stars include Gabriel Mann, Bijou Phillips, and Izabella Miko. This film is directed by Rachel Samuels. It seems that spoiled, rich kid, Chaz wants to make a go of a new nightclub, while trying to forget his father's apparent suicide. Then, he discovers that suicide might not have been what happened, and the more Chaz discovers the truth, the more danger he finds himself in. This Samuel Goldwyn Films drama thriller is Not Yet Rated and is 86 minutes long.

"The Day the Earth Stood Still"

Stars include Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Kathy Bates, and Jaden Christopher Syre Smith. Directed by Scott Derrickson, this film is adapted by the 1951 sci-fi film of the same name, where an alien traveler, Klaatu, arrives on Earth with his bodyguard robot, Gort. They come to deliver a warning of planetary destruction if peace is not bestowed upon the human civilization. This Fox science fiction is Not Yet Rated.

"Doubt"

Stars include Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, and Viola Davis. This Miramax drama is directed by John Patrick Shanley. It's 1964 and priest, Father Flynn tries to upend the schools' strict customs, fiercely guarded by Sister Aloysius Beauvier for a long time. Sister Beauvier is the iron-gloved Principal who believes in the power of fear and discipline. Political change is about to take over the community and the school just accepted its first black student, Donald Miller. One day, Sister James shares with Sister Aloysius her suspicion that Father Flynn is paying too much personal attention to Donald. Thus, Sister Aloysius sets off to uncover the truth and to expunge Flynn from the school. This Miramax Films drama/adaption/period film is Not Yet Rated and is 100 minutes long.

"Fados"

Stars include Caetano Veloso, Lila Downs, and Chico Buarque. This film is directed by Carlos Saura. This movie focuses on fado, a type of music that can be traced back to 1820's Portugal. As we journey through the history of fado, we study its various styles and permutation as it absorbs Brazilian and African influences. This documentary, foreign musical is Not Yet Rated and is 92 minutes long.

"Nothing Like the Holidays"

Stars include Freddy Rodriquez, John Leguizamo, Debra Messing, Alfred Molina, and Jay Hernandez. It is directed by Alfred de Villa. The Rodriguez family has cause to celebrate this year. The youngest sibling, Jesse, returned home safe and sound after fighting overseas. Jesse's old flame still won't forgive him for leaving in the first place. His older sister, Roxanna, has little to show for time spent chasing her Hollywood dreams, and eldest brother, Mauricio, married a high-strung executive, who wants to advance her career, not start a family. Concerned mother, Anna, drops her own bombshell. She announces to the children that she is divorcing their father, Eduardo, This new revelation forces Roxanna, Jesse, and Mauricio to reevaluate their past, while looking at the future. This Overture Films comedy/drama is rated PG-13.

"What Doesn't Kill You"

Stars include Barry Ace, Michael Balcanoff, Adria Blackman, and Christopher Connelly. This film is directed by Brian Goodman. Here, two childhood friends from South Boston turn to crime as a way to get by, causing a strain in their personal lives and on their friendship. This crime drama is rated R and is 100 minutes long. This Battle Plan Productions crime drama is rated R and is 100 minutes long.

"Where God Left His Shoes"

Stars include John Leguizamo, Leonor Varella, David Castro, and Samantha Rose. This film is directed by Salvatore Stabile. The film centers on struggling ex-boxer, Frank, his wife, Angela, and their two children, who are evicted from their New York City apartment and have to move into a homeless shelter. Hope arrives on Christmas Eve, when a nearby housing project has an apartment available immediately! But, in order for Frank to qualify, he needs a job. So while the rest of the city prepares for Christmas, Frank and his ten-year-old stepson, Justin, search the cold streets of the city, in hopes of finding a job so can have a home on Christmas morning. This IFC Films family drama is 110 minutes long.

December 17, 2008

"Gran Torino"

Stars include Clint Eastwood and Brian Haley. This film is also directed by Clint Eastwood. Decades later, aging veteran, Walt Kowalski, remains haunted by the horrors he witnessed on the battlefield. The two objects that matter most to Kowalski: the classic Gran Torino that represents his happier days working in a Ford assembly plant and the M-1 rifle that saved his life countless times during combat. When his teenaged Hmong neighbor attempts to steal his Gran Torino as part of a gang initiation rite, Kowalski manages to catch the young thief. Later, the boy is forced to return to Kowalski's house and perform an act of penance. Afterwards, Kowalski wants nothing to do with the young troublemaker, but soon realizes that the quickest way out of the situation is to cooperate. Thus, he tries to set the teenager on the right path and attempts to toughen him up. Reluctantly, he sets him up with an old construction crony. Finally, Kowalski comes to the conclusion that the only way to put those painful memories to rest is to face his own blinding prejudice. This Village Roadside Pictures Entertainment drama is Not Yet Rated.

"The Wrestler"

Stars include Mickey Rourke, Marisa Tomei, Evan Rachel Wood, Judah Friedlander, and Ajay Naidu. This film is directed by Darren Aronofsky. This film is about a has-been wrestler, who goes back into the ring with hopes of a comeback. This Summit Entertainment drama/comedy/action film is Not Yet Rated and is 109 minutes long.

December 19, 2008

"The Brothers Bloom"

Stars include Rachel Weisz, Adrien Brody, Rinko Kikuchi, and Mark Ruffalo. This film is directed by Rian Johnson. When the younger of two notorious sibling con artists decides to go legit and leave his criminal past behind, his brother encourages him to participate in one more swindle, involving a scheme to claim the wealth of an eccentric millionaire. This Gordonstreet Pictures romance/action/adventure film is rated PG-13 and is 109 minutes long.

"Nothing but the Truth"

Stars include Kate Beckinsale, Matt Dillon, Vera Farmiga, Edie Falco, and Alan Alda. This film is directed by Rod Lurie and is the tale of a jailed journalist who refuses to reveal the name of her source in the case of an outed CIA agent. It is based on the dramatization of the Valarie Plame case with Beckinsale taking on the Judith Miller role, who actually went to jail to protect her source. This Yari Film Group dramatic political thriller is Not Yet Rated and is 108 minutes long.

"Seven Pounds"

Stars include Will Smith, Woody Harrelson, Rosario Dawson, Michael Ealy, and Barry Pepper. Directed by Gabriele Muccino, this emotional drama is centered on an IRS agent, Ben Thomas, whose quest for redemption is complicated after he unexpectedly falls in love and changes the lives of seven strangers. Assuming the identity of his younger brother, he ventures out on a search of redemption. This drama/romance is Not Yet Rated.

"The Tale of Despereaux"

This Larger Than Life Production stars Matthew Broderick, Dustin Hoffman, Emma Watson, Tracey Ullman, Sigourney Weaver, Kevin Kline, Stanley Tucci, William H. Macy, and Christopher Lloyd. In this animated tale, a mouse, Despereaux Tilling, strives to make a dramatic change in his troubled kingdom of Dor. It seems a horrible accident broke the heart of the king, left a beautiful princess crestfallen, and filled the townspeople with despair. Then we have, Despereaux Tilling, who was later born with oversized ears, a discernible wheeze, and bravery, which was ultimately too big for such a small world. When Despereaux fails to abide by the rules of his society, sadly, he is banished from Dor. Later, the lonely Despereaux is joined by a kindhearted rat named Roscuro, who was also banished from his own homeland. Roscuro still refuses to look into a mirror, since it reminds him of his painful past. Later, as Despereaux attempts to rescue the endangered Princess Pea, Roscuro is set down a path of self-destruction, when he receives a painful rejection from his highness. Now these two unlikely heroes face off against the malevolent leader of the sewer rats, befriend a common serving girl who longs to become princess, and meet a host of colorful characters that they'll never forget. This animated children's film is Not Yet Rated.

"Yes Man"

Stars include Jim Carrey, Zooey Deschanel, Bradley Cooper, Terence Stamp, and Molly Sims. This film is directed by Peyton Reed and is about a man who decides to spice up his life by saying yes to everything in his life that he would normally say no to. This Warner Brothers comedy is rated PG-13.

December 24, 2008

"The Secret of the Grain"

Stars include Bruno Lochet, Habib Boufares, Bouraouia Marzouk, Hatika Karouai, and Abdelhamid Aktouche. Directed by Abdellatif Kechiche, in this film, modern-day France incorporates a number of immigrant communities, with many indigenes from North Africa populating the bucolic regions of southern Gaul. Abdel Kechiche's La Graine et le Mulet hones is located in one of those communities. For many years, sexagenarian Slimane Beiji nurtured a single lifelong dream: to open up his own restaurant in the community. Soon, Slimane is promptly laid off but, not giving up on his dream, he immediately focuses on the idea of occupying a wrecked boat and converting it into the restaurant. Meanwhile, Slimane's oldest son, Hamid, enjoys an extramarital affair, ignoring his nuptials with his Russian wife, and the presence of his infant boy. This foreign drama is Not Yet Rated and is 151 minutes long.

December 25, 2008

"Bedtime Stories"

Stars include Adam Sandler, Guy Pearce, Keri Russell, Richard Griffiths, and Courteney Cox Arquette. This film is directed by Adam Shankman. This film centers on children's fantasy, concerning a worrisome architect, who gradually begins to realize that the imaginative bedtime stories he tells his niece and nephew are beginning to come true. This Walt Disney Pictures action/comedy/family/fantasy is Not Yet Rated.

"The Class"

Stars include Francois Begaudeau, Nassim Amrabt, Laura Baguela, Cherif Bounaidia Rachedi, and Juliette Demaille. This film is directed by Laurent Cantet. This film centers on modern French identity and the attempt to transform bodies into citizens. With cell phones and pouts, these bored, restless junior high students look pretty much like the kids of Any town U.S.A. Yet, these African, Arab, and Asian Parisians live in a country that insists its citizens have only one cultural identity. This drama/adaptation/foreign film is Not Yet Rated and is 128 minutes long.

"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"

Stars include Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Taraji P. Henson, Tilda Swinton, Jason Flemyng, Elias Koteas, and Julia Ormond. This film is directed by David Fincher. Adapted from the 1920's story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, this film is about a man who is born in his 80's and ages backwards. Set in New Orleans, his saga begins at the end of World War I and is followed through the 21st century. Along the way, this not-so-ordinary man discovers love, joy, and death, just like an ordinary person. This Paramount drama/fantasy/romance is rated PG-13.

"Marley & Me"

Stars include Jennifer Anniston, Haley Bennett, Alan Arkin, Owen Wilson, and more. This film is directed by David Frankel. Based on journalist, John Grogan's bestselling autobiographical book, this film centers on an adorable, but naughty and neurotic dog, who teaches his family very important life lessons. Grogan and his wife decide to get a dog and end up with the titular hyperactive, extremely disobedient dog. But, the dog eventually grows on them and they end up loving the menace. This Fox comedy is Not Yet Rated.

"The Spirit"

Stars include Gabriel Macht, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Eva Mendes, Jaime King, Sarah Paulson, and Paz Vega. This film is directed by "Sin City" writer/director, Frank Miller. Adapted from the legendary comic strip, "The Spirit," this film centers on the story of a former rookie cop who returns from the dead to fight crime in Central City from the shadows. But, his nemesis, the Octopus, has other plans. He's going to wipe out Spirit's beloved city as he pursues his own version of immortality. Thus, the Spirit tracks this cold-hearted killer throughout Central City's rundown warehouses, the damp catacombs, and the windswept waterfront. This Lionsgate action is rated PG-13.

December 26, 2008

"Last Chance Harvey"

Stars include Dustin Hoffman, Emma Thompson, Kathy Baker, James Brolin, Eileen Atkins, and more. This film is directed by Joel Hopkins. While in London at his daughter's wedding, a man-at-the-end of his rope, finds his romantic spirits lifted by the new woman in his life. This drama/romance is rated PG-13. The limited USA release of this film is scheduled on December 26, 2008, but the official release date for the USA is scheduled on January 23, 2009.

"Revolutionary Road"

Stars include "Titanic" shipmates, Kathy Bates, Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. This film is directed by Sam Mendes. It's about suburban malaise in 1950's-era Connecticut. Adapted from Richard Yates' 1961 novel, this is a story about a young couple, whose once-healthy relationship steadily deteriorates into a ceaseless cycle of petty jealousy and bickering. This Paramount Vantage drama is Not Yet Rated.

"Valkyrie"

Stars include Tom Cruise, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson, and Carice van Houten. This film is directed by Bryan Singer. During World War I, German generals hatch a plan to assassinate Adolf Hitler and render the German war machine impotent. This drama/thriller/war film is Not Yet Rated.

"Waltz with Bashir"

Stars include Ari Folman, Ori Sivan, Roni Dayg, Shmuel Frenkel, and Ron Ben Yisahi. This film is directed by Ari Folman. This film is an emotional attempt to decipher the horrors that unfolded one night in September of 1982. It seems that Christian militia members massacred more than 3,000 Palestinian refugees in the heart of Beirut as Israeli soldiers surrounded the area. Unfortunately, Folman was one of those soldiers. Nearly 20 years after the fact, his memories of that night remain particularly hazy. After hearing an old friend recall a vivid nightmare in which he is pursued by 26 ferocious dogs, Folman and his friend conclude that the dream must somehow relate to that fateful mission during the first Lebanon War. When Folman realizes his recollections regarding that period in his life were wiped clean, he travels the world to interview old friends and fellow soldiers from the war. This animated war documentary is rated Not Yet Rated and is 87 minutes long.

December 31, 2008

"Defiance"

Stars include Daniel Craig, Liev Schrelber, Jamie Bell, and more. This film is directed by Edward Zwick. Inspired by a true story, this epic World War II drama is about three Jewish Eastern European brothers, who barely escape certain death at the hands of the Nazis. Vowing to avenge the deaths of their loves ones, they launch a desperate battle against the forces that seek to exterminate their entire race. In 1941, in Nazi-occupied Poland, the Final Solution is in full effect, and the Jews of Eastern Europe are being slaughtered. Tuvia, Zus, and Asael somehow managed to escape into the forest. This drama/adaption/action film is rated R and is 137 minutes long.

"Good"

Stars include Viggo Mortensen, Jodie Whittaker, Jason Isaacs, and Romola Garai. This film is directed by Vicente Amorim. Set in 1930s-era Germany, John Halder is a professor of literature. When he's not teaching, John looks after his neurotic wife, tending to the couple's two young children, and caring for his elderly mother, who suffers from senile dementia. Based on his mother condition, he writes a novel supporting euthanasia for the terminally ill. Surprisingly, the Nazi party singles out his tome as the "way forward," and soon bestows on him glowing compliments and extravagant gifts. As a result, John finds himself making a variety of minor moral compromises that soon begin to snowball. As his moral compass becomes less and less reliable and music manifests John's conscience at the most inopportune moments. This Axiom Films adaption/period/political film is Not Yet Rated and is 96 long.