Published: November 19, 2009
Kam's Kapsules: Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun
By Kam Williams
For movies opening November 20, 2009
BIG BUDGET FILMS
The Blind Side (PG-13 for sexual references, drug use and brief violence) Sandra Bullock and Tim McGraw co-star in this true, overcoming-the-odds tale about a wealthy white couple who adopt a homeless black teenager (Quinton Aaron) and help him pursue his dream of playing football in college and the pros.
Planet 51 (PG for mild action and suggestive humor) Animated sci-fi comedy about an astronaut (Dwayne Johnson) who lands on a planet inhabited by little green people living in a world eerily reminiscent of suburban America in the 1950s. Featuring voicework by Jessica Biel, John Cleese, Justin Long, Seann William Scott and Gary Oldman.
The Twilight Saga: New Moon (PG-13 for violence and action) Second installment in Stephenie Meyer's fantasy series finds 18 year-old Bella (Kristen Stewart) brokenhearted but in a budding relationship with her mysterious childhood friend, Jacob (Taylor Lautner), after her vampire lover Edward (Robert Pattinson) and the rest of the Cullen clan leave town to protect her from their craven bloodlust. Cast includes Dakota Fanning, Nikki Reed, Ashley Greene and Billy Burke.
INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS
Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (Unrated) Nicolas Cage handles the title role in this remake loosely-based on a 1992, NYC crime thriller, now set in post-Katrina New Orleans and chronicling the efforts of an amoral cop to solve the murder of several Senegalese immigrants. Cast includes Val Kilmer, Michael Shannon, Eva Mendes, Xzibit, Jennifer Coolidge, Fairuza Balk, Denzel Whitaker and Brad Dourif. (In English and Spanish with subtitles)
Broken Embraces (R for profanity, sexuality and drug use) Magical drama dealing with themes of love and betrayal, and revolving around a grieving writer (Lluis Homar) left blind by the car accident which claimed the life of his lover (Penelope Cruz). With Blanca Portillo, Jose Luis Gomez and Tamar Novas. (In Spanish and English with subtitles)
Defamation (Unrated) Incendiary documentary directed by Israeli Yoav Shamir investigates the recent reemergence of anti-Semitism around the world to determine whether we're on the verge of another Holocaust or just dealing with rumors being circulated by right-wing Zionists as a scare tactic. (In English and Hebrew with subtitles)
Fix (Unrated) Fact-based drama about a documentary filmmaker's (Tao Ruspoli) desperate race to get his brother (Shawn Andrews) into rehab hours before he's slated to start serving a three-year prison sentence for a drug violation.
Mammoth (Unrated) Cross-cultural drama, about a NYC website developer (Gael Garcia Bernal) with misgivings about cheating on his wife (Michelle Williams) with a struggling single-mom turned prostitute (Run Srinikornchot) he met while in Thailand on business. (In English, Thai and Tagalog with subtitles)
The Missing Person (Unrated) Neo-noir about a private detective (Michael Shannon) hired to track down a married man presumed dead since the attack on the World Trade Center on 9/11. Cast includes Amy Ryan, Margaret Colin and John Ventimiglia.
Red Cliff (R for graphic warfare) John Woo directs this historical drama, set at the dawn of the 3rd Century during the final days of the Han Dynasty, depicting the epic Battle of Red Cliff in which the prime minister (Fengyi Zhang) led a million man army against rebel forces in Southern China. With Tony Leung, Chen Chang, Yong You and Wei zhao. (In Mandarin with subtitles)
Staten Island (R for profanity and violence) Crime saga, set in NYC, about a septic tank cleaner (Ethan Hawke) a MafiA boss (Vincent D'Onofrio) and a deaf deli worker (Seymour Cassel) whose lives become intertwined in the wake of a botched mob hit. (In English, French, Italian and sign language with subtitles)
Kam Williams is a syndicated film and book critic who writes for 100+ publications. He is a member of the New York Film Critics Online, the African-American Film Critics Association, and the NAACP Image Awards Nominating Committee. Contact him through NewsBlaze.
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