Due to the ever-changing nature of the movie biz, showtimes as they appear in any and all newspapers should always be double-checked with the theaters before setting off for a night at the flicks. Please call theater for times.
Designates items highlighted in this week's issue.
Click here for movie theaters and showtimes
|
|
The Grudge 2
See Sarah Michelle Gellar get killed by chalky Japanese children in this sequel to a mediocre remake. If you are trying to talk your girlfriend out of wanting kids, take her to see
The Grudge 2
, which follows evil rugrats as they escape the house that baby-sat
them and go on a murderous rampage. Hopefully this will follow
The Ring Two
to a fate of shelving before it can incur the label "trilogy."
Dreamcatcher, UA South, PG-13, 95 min.
Infamous
Toby Jones plays the effeminate Truman Capote as he researches his bestseller
In Cold Blood
, falls for one of the killers and freaks out the Kansas folk with his penchant for fur coats and a squeaky voice. Penned around the same time as
Capote
,
Infamous
is surrounded by early buzz that declares it the superior film.
UA DeVargas, R, 110 min.
Lunacy
Master of Czech surrealism Jan Švankmajer called on the spirit of the Marquis de Sade for his newest film based loosely on two short stories by Edgar Allen Poe. Set in 19th century France, the film tells the story of a young man exposed to unspeakable horrors, including a blasphemous orgy and a therapeutic funeral, in an evening as a guest to the Marquis. Terror and humor collide in the aptly named film.
CCA, NR, 118 min.
Man of the Year
In a nation where the intellect of comedian and activist Bill Maher often ranks higher then that of the president, hasn't the thought crossed some people's minds that a switch might be in order? Written and directed by Barry Levinson, this comeback vehicle for funny man Robin Williams employs the no-longer-improbable idea that an entertainer could be elected president. But it isn't all smiles and high fives in the oval office-sometimes the most terrible thing is to get what you wish for.
Dreamcatcher, UA South, PG-13, 115 min.
The Marine
Ushering in a new exploitation genre is
The Marine
, a story about a He-Man-esque soldier who goes on a rampage to find his kidnapped wife. While perhaps not the hat-tipping homage the military deserves, it will raise a lot of pride in their ability to kick arse. Starring John Cena and Robert Patrick and directed by John Bonito.
UA South, PG-13, 93 min.
Old Joy
The story of two men, facing the milestones of life, who take off on a pilgrimage through the Oregon wilderness.
Old Joy
mirrors their personal tests through physical strain and their sublime edification through the shimmering forest that surrounds them.
The Screen, NR, 76 min.
One Night with the King
Ah, finally, a Biblical rags-to-riches story for the big screen. Hadassah, orphaned by the murder of her parents, becomes Esther in order to try to win the heart of Xerxes. She does, becoming the queen of Persia. A great cast, including John Rhys-Davies and the first collaboration for Omar Sharif and Peter O'Toole since
Lawrence of Arabia
.
UA North, PG, 122 min.
Vajra Sky
A passionate depiction of Buddhist religious practices set in its native land of Tibet. Witness the melodious lengths to which its people will go to engage in their spiritual ceremonies with a backdrop of some of the most breathtaking landscapes in the world. An inspiring score by some of Tibet's most celebrated musicians accompanies this cinematic offering to the country's people and their plight.
CCA, NR, 89 min.
The Blue Butterfly
A moving coming of age story about a 10-year-old terminally ill boy and his search for a rare and sacred butterfly. Peter Carlton (Marc Donato), given only months to live, goes to South America to fulfill his last wish and find the Blue Morpho. With his tough single mother Teresa (Pascale Bussieres), he convinces his hero, the renowned entomologist Alan Osborne (William Hurt), to accompany them. The ensuing adventure is a heart-warming celebration of life sure to bring a tear to your eye.
Santa Fe Film Center, PG, 97 min.
Bridesmaid
The newest collaboration between French new wave director Claude Chabrol and British crime novelist Ruth Rendell is being hailed by the New York Times as "deliciously twisted…deceptively understated and finally ferocious." When Philippe meets Senta at his younger sister's wedding, their attraction turns quickly to love, but her mysterious past raises serious questions about her true identity. Forced to prove his love in unimaginable ways, Philippe must decide if what she offers is real and worth the price.
CCA, NR, 110 min.
Dancing with the Guadalupe
Producer/director Diane Marron shows the utmost devotion in her new documentary that explores the history and myth of our Lady of Guadalupe. Marron will be here in the land of the Lady for both screenings.
Santa Fe Film Center, NR
End of Suburbia: Oil Depletion and the Collapse of the American Dream
Educate yourself and support the Santa Fe Farmers Market Institute through this important documentary about the oil crisis in America. Be prepared to be scared by the very serious state of our fossil fuel depletion and the commercialism that keeps us buying.
Santa Fe Film Center, NR, 78 min.
49 Up
If you've seen more then one of the films in Michael Apted's series, you're probably feeling a little old right now. The truth is that the man wasn't only chronicling the personal transformations of several people at seven-year intervals, he was capturing a phenomenon. Reality TV has nothing on Apted; his perceptive interviewing of the collective that has made up his case study for the past 49 years will blow you away (see
).
The Screen, NR, 135 min.
Gabrielle
A celebrated adaptation by Patrice Chéreau of Joseph Conrad's short story
The Return
,
Gabrielle
delves into the world of the French bourgeoisie at the turn of the 20th century. Isabelle Huppert and Pascal Greggory star in this vision of a stylish marriage on the verge of collapse.
The Screen, NR, 90 min.
Gospel
The legends of gospel music come together for an ecstatic evening at the Paramount Theater in Oakland, Calif. See the documentary the New York Times is calling "Wildly exhilarating!…An aural high!" Hailed by Variety as "the best live musical film since Martin Scorsese's
The Last Waltz
."
Santa Fe Film Center, NR, 93 min.
House of Sand
Brazil's top mother-and-daughter duo, Fernanda Montenegro and Fernando Torres, play multiple roles in the period epic
House of Sand
. Set in the remote and beautiful desert of Maranhao, the film chronicles a woman coming to terms with the "labyrinth of sand" she is forced to inhabit. This film by Andrucha Waddington spans 60 years in an exploration of the universal need for love and a home to call one's own.
CCA, R, 114 min.
Janet Gaynor: A Centennial Celebration
The tribute to our nation's first movie star continues with three romantic installments. First up is Lucky Star, in which Gaynor plays Mary, a poor farm girl who gets caught up in a classic late-'20s love triangle. Then the early disaster flick
The Johnstown Flood
, followed by the glorious short
Pep of the Lazy J
, in which she plays an heiress hiding out at a ranch. Finish up this week's classics with
Street Angel
, in which the angelic Gaynor is mistakenly arrested in Naples for prostitution.
The Screen, NR, showtimes vary
Kids First!: Cyberchase
The delightful computer geeks Matt, Jackie and Inez, together with their birdlike cyborg Digit, fight the dastardly Hacker in two animated adventures. In "Designing Mr. Perfect," Digit is transformed into a prince and must be saved by the Cyber Squad. "A Clean Sweep" finds the crew practicing their inventing skills to create a vacuum cleaner to foil Hacker's latest plan.
Santa Fe Film Center, G, 60 min.
Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man
A star-studded tribute to the life and music of songsmith Leonard Cohen. This "loving, extraordinary documentary by Lian Lunsin" boasts live performances by Nick Cave, Martha and Rufus Wainwright, and a duet between The Man Cohen and U2 frontman Bono.
CCA, NR, 98 min.
The Magic Blade
Chu Yuan's 1976 fantastical kung-fu adventure serves up some serious Chinese style and the legendary weapon-the peacock dart. This epic follows top action star Di-Long on a quest to stop a raving wizard bent on taking over the jiang hu. Along the way he must fight hordes of greasy henchmen and twisted nobility while trying to keep the lovely ladies at bay.
The Screen, NR, 86 min.
9/11: Press for Truth
A stirring chronicle of the fight to elicit the real story behind the terrorist attacks on America. This powerful and inspirational documentary follows the families of those affected by 9/11 and their ceaseless mission to find out why their loved ones died. The process is at times uplifting and at others excruciatingly painful. Their noble mission is tested again and again by bureaucracy.
Santa Fe Film Center, NR, 84 min.
Stairways to Heaven: The Practical Magic of Sacred Spaces
A documentary exploring the space between the worlds: as in, ours and the next. Using ancient monuments (like Stonehenge, presumably actual size, not 18 inches tall or made of refrigerators), great Gothic cathedrals (with secret Templar messages hidden in them) and the fairly recent advent of crop circles, the "spiritual technology" of the ancients is revealed. We humbly predict this film will play in Santa Fe well into the next ice age.
Santa Fe Film Center, NR, 54 min.
Stolen
When 13 paintings were stolen from Boston's Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in 1990, the walls remained bare. Gardner's will stated that nothing be changed after her death, and the blank spaces and frames that once housed Rembrandt, Degas and Manet are almost as powerful as the missing paintings. Blythe Danner and Campbell Scott help tell the story of the hunt for these missing treasures.
The Screen, NR, 85 min.
The World According to Shorts
The diverse and wildly creative genre of the short film gets its due place in the sun through this prestigious shorts festival curated by Jonathan Howell. The six films chosen represent the best from a international selection of experimentation and narrative sure to puzzle, delight and educate.
The Screen, NR, showtimes vary
All the King's Men
Columbia Pictures casts its net for the upcoming award season with this star-studded remake of a triple-Oscar-winning 1949 film. Sean Penn fills the screen with charisma as Willie Stark, a cunning Southern populist who turns a corrupt government on its ear in his race for governor. Based on Robert Penn Warren's novel on the life of Louisiana Governor Huey Long, the film adaptation stars Jude Law, Kate Winslet, Mark Ruffalo, Patricia Clarkson, James Gandolfini and Sir Anthony Hopkins.
UA DeVargas, PG-13, 120 min.
Barnyard: The Original Party Animals
In this animated story of epic times at the farm, Otis (voiced by Kevin James) is a carefree jokester of a bovine (who enjoys activities like cow-tipping) until his father, the patriarch of the farm (Sam Elliott), is attacked by coyotes and Otis is forced to become a more responsible member of the barnyard community. Courtney Cox's vocal talents make an appearance as Daisy, Otis' lady love, and Danny Glover is Miles, the sidekick mule.
UA South, PG, 83 min.
The Departed
Martin Scorsese kicks the cop drama up a notch with his newest criminal masterpiece, filled with serious Hollywood acting machismo. Jack Nicholson (back to his classic
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
persona) plays a cunning and twisted crime boss. Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon star as talented undercover agents, but there is a mole in their midst. This psychological roller coaster ride packs a mean street punch (see
).
Dreamcatcher, UA DeVargas, UA North, R, 150 min.
Employee of the Month
Jessica Simpson, Dane Cook and Andy Dick star in this flick filmed at Santa Fe's new Lowe's hardware store on Cerrillos Road. Simpson works hard playing the hottie while two fellow male employees try to impress her and the bosses, vying for employee of the month honors and a chance at Simpson's love.
Dreamcatcher, UA South, PG-13, 103 min.
Fearless
In his reportedly last action flick, Jet Li plays an amoral fighting master transformed by a great tragedy. Legendary fight choreographer Yuen-Wo Peng livens up the pretty period piece in which Li returns to fight the foreigners (including some Americans) who have taken over his hometown. Intended as a crossover film for Li, Fearless spends as much time watching him farm as fight, a decision about which his fans will surely have something to say.
UA South, PG-13, 104 min.
Flyboys
Director Tony Bill and cinematographer Henry Braham employ real WWI fighter planes, models and impressive CGI effects to depict the exhilarating and extremely dangerous world of the first airborne soldiers. The film follows a group of Americans who have volunteered to join the French in the then-strictly European war against the Germans. James Franco stars as an orphaned Texan lured by romantic notions into a war where his kind last an average of six weeks.
UA South, PG-13, 139 min.
Gridiron Gang
Kids at a juvenile detention center find self-empowerment through football and their coach, played by The Rock. Against all odds the segregated delinquents come together as a team to take on the league champs.
UA North, PG-13, 120 min.
The Guardian
After the
Waterworld
fiasco of 1995, it's surprising that anyone would let Kevin Costner near the water again. This time, instead of Dennis Hopper and his band of postapocalyptic gang members, he's got Ashton Kutcher as the thorn in his side. Costner plays the badass Coast Guard diver who doesn't want his thunder stolen by cocky rookie Kutcher. Yes, the plot is formulaic, but the stunts are cool, and moms and daughters can sigh together when Kutcher takes his shirt off for a swim.
Dreamcatcher, UA North, PG-13, 136 min.
Half Nelson
Hailed by the San Francisco Chronicle as "the first Oscar-caliber performance" of the year, Ryan Gosling stars as a teacher with a drug problem. He works at an inner-city junior high school, and his fervor for his students is matched only by his addiction to crack cocaine. His self-destructive behavior raises the eyebrows of one of his students, and the two become friends. In a world where there are no easy solutions, the pair embark on a road that could lead to either redemption or disaster.
UA DeVargas, R, 106 min.
The Illusionist
Based on a short story by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Steven Millhauser. A magician, Eisenheim (Edward Norton), uses his unusual talents to woo his ill-fated childhood sweetheart, Duchess Sophie von Teschen (Jessica Biel), and derail the class system in Victorian Vienna. Upon returning from exploring the world, Eisenheim finds that Sophie, with whom he's still in love, is engaged to the Crown Prince Leopold (Rufus Sewell). Eisenheim strikes up an unlikely friendship with Chief Inspector Uhl (Paul Giamatti) in his quest to win back his lady love.
UA DeVargas, PG-13, 109 min.
Jackass: Number Two
If you happen to be lacking in scatological humor and depravity, please don't miss the return of
Jackass
. This second big-screen installment of the
Jackass
TV show promises its cast of burros will fall to uncharted lows to get a laugh. Go MTV films.
Dreamcatcher, UA North, R, 95 min.
Little Miss Sunshine
A mixed bag cynical road trip that halfway morphs into a family situation comedy lovefest. While precisely stylized use of the camera evokes a boldness reminiscent of
The Graduate
or early Woody Allen, endearing moments are the glue holding this frequently cynical movie together. When the family finally arrives at its destination, the depiction of child pageant queens, at once disturbing and hilarious, is the cherry on top of this wild ride. The result is a climactic scene that is pretty near perfect: both laugh-out-loud surprising and endearingly inevitable. With Alan Arkin, Toni Collette, Steve Carell, Abigail Breslin and Greg Kinnear.
UA DeVargas, R, 110 min.
Open Season
Ever wonder what happens when captive animals are released into the wild? Well, here's your chance to find out. Martin Lawrence provides the voice of Boog, a 900-pound grizzly bear who finds himself in the wild three days before hunting season. Completely naive to the ways of the wild, he's forced to rely on a mule deer named Elliot, played by Ashton Kutcher. With hunters on their trail, the animals prepare to fight back in this hilarious animated adventure.
Dreamcatcher, UA South, PG, 99 min.
Quinceañera
Newcomer Araceli Guzman-Rico plays Maria, a girl who discovers she's pregnant on the eve of her 15th birthday. Thrust out of her home, the teenager finds support and a home with her great-grand-uncle and gay cousin.
UA North, R, 90 min.
School for Scoundrels
Jon Heder (
Napoleon Dynamite
) is Roger, a dorky, mediocre meter maid in New York City. Tired of always getting the short end of the stick, Roger joins a "top secret" confidence-building class taught by the aggressive and often inappropriate Dr. P (Billy Bob Thornton). Roger excels and soon builds up the confidence to ask out his dream girl, Amanda (Jacinda Barrett). His confidence flips a crazy switch in Dr. P's head, and the two square off to fight for Amanda's love.
Dreamcatcher, UA South, PG-13, 98 min.
The Science of Sleep
The creative whims of former music video director Michel Gondry (
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
) find endless outlets in his new flick in which dreams and reality become one. Gael García Bernal (
Fidel
,
Y tu mamá también
) stars as Stéphane, an artist who lives in his own mind. His weak grasp on the external world makes it difficult to win the heart of his neighbor Stéphanie, a toy maker played by the exquisite Charlotte Gainsbourg.
UA DeVargas, R, 105 min.
Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning
Before heading out to Vietnam, two young men and their girlfriends take a road trip through Texas. B-list actors get chopped up by maniacs. Jordanna Brewster, recognizable from such works of art as The Fast and the Furious and Annapolis, gets first billing, which means the longest life in horror movies.
Dreamcatcher, UA North, R, 84 min.
