Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun
Big Budget Films
300 (R for sexuality, nudity, and graphic battle sequences) Ancient Historical epic, set in Greece in 480 BC, recounts the Battle of Thermopylae where the King of Sparta (Gerard Butler) defends the country by leading his badly outnumbered army of just 300 soldiers in a suicide mission against a horde of over 100,000 Persian invaders.
Independent & Foreign Films
Believe in Me (PG for mature themes and mild epithets) Inspirational sports flick, set in the Sixties, recounts the true tale about a high school basketball coach (Jeffrey Donovan) who moves to Oklahoma unaware that he has just been hired to coach the girls’ team. With Bruce Dern and Samantha Mathis.
Beyond the Gates (Unrated) Ethnic cleansing in Rwanda revisited in this bio-pic based on the exploits of a Catholic priest (John Hurt) and an idealistic English teacher (Hugh Dancy) who turn their school into a safe haven for thousands of Tutsi refugees fleeing the genocide. With Claire Hope-Ashitey as the beloved student the pair promises not to abandon.
Exterminating Angels (Unrated) Explicit erotic thriller, directed by Jean-Claude Brisseau (Secret Things) about a kinky movie director Frederic van den Driessche) who pushes actresses auditioning for his new film about female pleasure to explore any sexual taboos they’re inclined to try during their steamy screen tests. (In French with subtitles)
Maxed Out (Unrated) Predatory lenders are the subject of this shocking expose’ uncovering the unsavory methods employed by credit card companies to swallow unwary consumers into an irreversible spiral of neverending debt.
The Namesake (PG-13 for sexuality, profanity, nudity, drug use and disturbing images) Cross-cultural drama, adapted from the novel of the same name by Jhumpa Lahiri, about the struggle of the son (Kal Penn) of immigrants (Irfan Khan and Tabu) from Calcutta to develop his own identity in New York City without totally losing touch with his Indian heritage. (In Bengali, Hindi and English)
Nomad (R for violence) Epic costume drama, set in 18th Century Kazakhstan, relates the efforts of a young warrior (Jay Hernandez) to unite a number of neighboring nomadic tribes into one country. (In Kazakh with subtitles)
The Ultimate Gift (PG for violence, mature themes and mild epithets) Faith-based adventure, adapted from the best seller by Jim Stovall of the same name, about a young man (Drew Fuller) who gets a big lesson in life instead of the inheritance he expects when his filthy rich grandfather (James Garner) kicks the bucket. Cast includes Oscar-nominee Abigail Breslin, Brian Dennehy and Lee Meriwether.
