|
  


Volume
IV No. 4
A
publication of the National Association of Theatre Owners
Advertise
in In Focus
©
|
| Carandiru
Portuguese-language drama about a doctor who makes
regular visits to Brazill’s Sao Paulo Penitentiary,
the largest such facility in Latin America. Based
on the book “Carandiru Station” by Drauzio
Varella. Directed by Hector Babenco (“At Play
in the Fields of the Lord”) from a screenplay
by Babenco, Victor Navas and Fernando Bonassi. With
Luiz Carlos Vasconcelos (“Behind the Sun”),
Milton Gonçalves (“Wild Orchid”),
Milhem Cortaz, Ivan de Almeida, Ailton Graça
and Aida Leiner. Flat. 145 min. R: Strong bloody
violence/carnage; language; sexuality; drug use.
May 7 in New York and Los Angeles. Sony Pictures
Classics.
|
|
Coffee
and Cigarettes
Episodic black-and-white comedy about, among other
things, a racist, a movie star and her resentful
cousin, a pair of passive-aggressive character
actors, and a young man who tries to impress a
young woman with his Tesla coil. Written and directed
by Jim Jarmusch (“Mystery Train,” “Night
On Earth,” “Dead Man,” “Ghost
Dog: The Way of the Samurai”). With Bill
Murray (“Lost in Translation”), Steve
Buscemi (“Big Fish”), Steven Wright
(“Loser”), Roberto Benigni (“Pinocchio”),
Cate Blanchett (the “Lord of the Rings” series, “The
Missing”), Steve Coogan (“24 Hour Party
People”), Alfred Molina (“Identity”),
Cinque Lee (“Mystery Train”), Joie
Lee (“Summer of Sam”), Iggy Pop (“Snow
Day”), Tom Waits (“Mystery Men”),
Jack White (“Cold Mountain”), White
Stripes bandmate Meg White, and Wu Tang Clan members
RZA and GZA. 96 min. May 14 limited. MGM.

|
|
Eulogy
Comedy about three generations of relatives who
discover long-lost secrets and stories while gathered
at the funeral of their family’s patriarch.
Michael Clancy makes his feature directorial debut
from his own screenplay. With Hank Azaria (“Along
Came Polly”), Zooey Deschanel (“Elf”),
Famke Janssen (“X2”), Jesse Bradford
(“Swimfan”), Glenne Headly (“Confessions
of a Teenage Drama Queen”), Kelly Preston
(“Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat”),
Rip Torn (“Welcome to Mooseport”),
Paget Brewster (“The Specials”), Piper
Laurie (“The Faculty”), Rene Auberjonois
(“The Patriot”), Debra Winger (“Radio”)
and Ray Romano (“Welcome to Mooseport”).
Flat. R: Language; sexual content; drug use. May
28 in New York and Los Angeles; wider June 18.
Lions Gate.

|
|
The
Mother
British drama about a sixtysomething woman who
finds herself having an affair with her married
daughter’s lover, a man half her age. Directed
by Roger Michell (“Notting Hill,” “Changing
Lanes”) from a screenplay by Hanif Kureishi
(“My Son The Fanatic,” “Intimacy”).
With Anne Reid (“Liam”), Daniel Craig
(“Sylvia”), Steven Mackintosh (“Lock,
Stock and Two Smoking Barrels”), Cathryn
Bradshaw (“Bert Rigby, You’re A Fool”),
Oliver Ford Davies (“Johnny English”),
Peter Vaughan (“An Ideal Husband”)
and Anna Wilson-Jones. Flat. 112 min. R: Sexual
content including graphic images of sexuality;
language; brief drug use. May 28 in New York
and Los Angeles. Sony Pictures Classics.

|
Raising
Helen
Comedy-drama, set in New York, about an assistant
to the head of a modeling agency who finds herself
having to care for three young children following
the sudden deaths of her sister and brother-in-law.
Directed by Garry Marshall (“Runaway Bride,” “The
Princess Diaries”) from a screenplay by Jack
Amiel & Michael Begler (“The Prince & Me”).
With Kate Hudson (“Le Divorce”), John
Corbett (“My Big Fat Greek Wedding”),
Joan Cusack (“Looney Tunes: Back in Action”),
Helen Mirren (“Calendar Girls,” “The
Clearing”), Felicity Huffman (“Magnolia”),
Hector Elizondo (“The Princess Diaries”),
Hayden Panettiere (“Joe Somebody”),
Spencer Breslin (“Dr. Seuss’ The Cat
in the Hat”), Abigail Breslin (“Signs”)
and Amber Valletta (“Duplex”). PG-13:
Thematic issues involving teens. May 28. Buena
Vista.

|
|
Baadasssss!
Drama about the making of Melvin Von Peebles’ seminal
1971 blaxploitation epic “Sweet Sweetback’s
Baadasssss Song.” Directed by his son Mario
Van Peebles (“New Jack City,” “Posse,” “Panther”)
from a screenplay by Mario Van Peebles and Dennis
Haggerty. With Mario Van Peebles (“Ali,” “The
Hebrew Hammer”), Rainn Wilson (“House
of 1000 Corpses”), Paul Rodriguez (“Time
Changer”), Joy Bryant (“Honey”),
Terry Crews (“Starsky & Hutch”),
Saul Rubinek (“The Singing Detective”),
David Alan Grier (“15 Minutes”) and
Nia Long (“Big Momma’s House”).
Also known as “Gettin’ the Man’s
Foot Outta Your Baadasssss!” Flat. 109 min.
R: Pervasive language; some strong sexuality/nudity.
May 28. Sony Pictures Classics.

|
The
Clearing
Drama about a well-heeled executive whose wife
must come up with ransom money when an irate
employee holds the exec captive in a forest.
Producer Pieter Jan Brugge (“The Insider”)
makes his feature directorial debut from a screenplay
by Justin Haythe. With Robert Redford (“Spy
Game”), Helen Mirren (“Calendar Girls,” “Raising
Helen”), Willem Dafoe (“Once Upon
A Time in Mexico,” “The Reckoning”),
Melissa Sagemiller (“Sorority Boys”),
Alessandro Nivola (“Laurel Canyon”)
and Matt Craven (“Timeline”). Flat.
May 21. Fox Searchlight.

|
The
Day After Tomorrow
Science fiction thriller about a climatologist who
must rescue his son before a catastrophic shift in
the world’s weather traps the boy in New York.
Directed by Roland Emmerich (“Godzilla,” “The
Patriot”) from a screenplay by Emmerich and
Jeffrey Nachmanoff. With Dennis Quaid (“Cold
Creek Manor,” “The Alamo”), Jake
Gyllenhaal (“Moonlight Mile”), Emmy Rossum
(“Mystic River”), J.P. Manoux (“Eurotrip”),
Sela Ward (“Dirty Dancing Havana Nights”),
Christopher Britton (“Godsend”) and Tamlyn
Tomita (“Robot Stories”). Scope. May
28. Fox.

|
Love
Me if You Dare
French-language drama a pair of childhood friends
who find their feelings for each other growing
as they carry a game they invented called “Dare” into
their adult lives. Directed by Yann Samuell
from a screenplay by Samuell and Jacky Cukier
(“Day After Day”). With Guillaume
Canet (“The Beach”), Marion Cotillard
(“Big Fish”), Gilles Lellouche
(“My Wife is an Actress”), Thibault
Verhaeghe, Joséphine Lebas-Joly, Gérard
Watkins and Emmanuelle Grönvold. Also
known as “Jeux D’enfants.” 93
min. May 14 limited. Paramount Classics.
|
New
York Minute
Action comedy, set in New York City, about teen
sisters from Long Island who come to Manhattan
on a school-day to pursue different agendas,
then find themselves mixed up in a black-market
computer chip transaction. Directed by Dennie
Gordon (“Joe Dirt,” “What
A Girl Wants”) from a screenplay by Emily
Fox. With Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen (“It
Takes Two”), Eugene Levy (“American
Wedding”), Andrea Martin (“My Big
Fat Greek Wedding”), Jared Padalecki
(TV’s “Gilmore Girls”), Riley
Smith (“Radio”), Drew Pinsky (TV’s “Loveline”),
Jack Osbourne (TV’s “The Osbournes”)
and Andy Richter (“My Boss’s Daughter”).
May 7. Warner Bros.

|
|
|