For movies opening February 10, 2012
BIG BUDGET FILMS
Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (PG for action adventure and a mild epithet) 3-D sequel sends Sean (Josh Hutcherson) on a mission to the South Pacific in search of the mythical island of Atlantis where his long-lost, explorer grandfather (Michael Caine) is rumored to be marooned. Cast includes Vanessa Hudgens, Luis Guzman and Kristin Davis.
Safe House (R for profanity and graphic violence) International action thriller, set in Capetown, South Africa, about an inexperienced CIA Agent (Ryan Reynolds) who ends up on the run with the veteran spy-gone-rogue (Denzel Washington) he’s supposed to bring to justice. With Vera Farmiga, Sam Shepard and Brendan Gleeson.
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (PG for sci-fi violence) 3-D re-rerelease of the 1st installment of the prequel trilogy, an episode perhaps best remembered for the distracting antics of Jar-Jar Binks (Ahmed Best). With Natalie Portman, Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor and Terence Stamp.
The Vow (PG-13 for sexuality, profanity, an accident and partial nudity) Romance drama about a young newlywed (Channing Tatum) who works hard to win his wife’s (Rachel McAdams) heart all over again after her memory is erased by a car accident. Support cast includes Sam Neill, Jessica Lange and Scott Speedman.
INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS
Bonsai People (Unrated) Reverential biopic recounting the humanitarian effort of Nobel Peace Prize-winning economist Muhammad Yunis to wipe out poverty in the Third World by lending penniless people the seed money to start their own businesses. (In Bengali with subtitles)
Chico & Rita (Unrated) Oscar-nominated animated feature, set in Cuba in 1948, about the turbulent love affair of a talented jazz pianist (Eman Xor Ona) and a beautiful bolero singer (Limara Meneses). Voice cast includes Mario Guerra, Jon Adams and Lenny Mandel. (In Spanish and English with subtitles)
In Darkness (R for nudity, sexuality, profanity, violence and disturbing images) Holocaust drama, set in Nazi-occupied Poland, recounting the real-life exploits of a selfless sewer worker (Robert Wieckiewicz) who risked his life to save a dozen Jewish refugees from extermination by hiding them in tunnels under the city of Lvov for over a year. With Benno Furmann, Herbert Knaup and Marcin Bosak. (In Polish, German, Yiddish and Ukrainian with subtitles)
The Dish & the Spoon (R for profanity and sexual references) Mumblecore Movement romantic comedy revolving around a revenge-minded married woman (Greta Gerwig) who seduces a British teenager (Olly Alexander) she meets on the beach soon after learning that her husband has been unfaithful. With Amy Seimetz, Adam Rothenberg and Eleonore Hicks.
Perfect Sense (Unrated) Apocalyptic sci-fi thriller about a gourmet chef (Ewan McGregor) and a research scientist (Eva Green) who fall madly in love in the midst of a biological epidemic that robs people of their sensory perceptions. Cast includes Connie Nielsen, Stephen Dillane and Liz Strange.
Private Romeo (unrated) Homoerotic reinterpretation of Romeo and Juliet set at a military school where a couple of star-crossed cadets (Seth Numrich and Matt Doyle) fall in love while staging a classic by the Bard of Avon. Featuring Hale Appleman, Charlie Barnett and Sean Hudock.
Rampart (R for violence, sexuality and pervasive profanity) Woody Harrelson stars in this cop drama, set in 1999, as an LA police officer whose career and private life take a downward spiral after he is videotaped beating a suspected perpetrator. A-list cast includes Ben Foster, Cynthia Nixon, Steve Buscemi, Sigourney Weaver, Ned Beatty, Ice Cube and Anne Heche.
Return (Unrated) Post-traumatic stress drama about a soldier’s (Linda Cardinelli) frustrating attempt to readjust to civilian life in the Rust Belt following a tour of duty overseas. With Michael Shannon, John Slattery and Talia Balsam.
The Turin House (Unrated) Nietzsche-inspired meditation on the meaning of human existence, set in Italy in 1899, as seen through the eyes of a horse whisperer (Janos Derzsi) and the farmer’s devoted daughter (Erika Bok). (In Hungarian and German with subtitles)
