Dance flick, action epic to light up silver screen
A dance picture (“Honey”), an action epic (“The Last Samurai”), an awaited re-release (“The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring – Extended Edition”) and an acclaimed documentary (“Bus 174”) are the top titles arriving during this first weekend of December. The new motion pictures (with release dates subject to change) scheduled for a theater near you include:
– “Bus 174”: This chilling unrated documentary chronicles the hijacking of a bus in Rio de Janeiro on June 12, 2000 by a so-called “street kid” who turned into a violent criminal due to extreme poverty. The event was broadcast live for more than four hours on television in Brazil and the cameras captured the danger and frenzy of the incident that took a deadly turn. Jose Padilha and Felipe Lacerda co-directed the compelling 122-minute picture.
– “Girls Will Be Girls”: Three aging actresses (played by cross-dressing actors Jack Plotnick, Clinton Leupp and Jeffrey Roberson) share a house and suffer through bad romances and career setbacks. Former TV writer Richard Day (“The Larry Sanders Show”) made his directing debut with the 79-minute comedy drama, rated R.
– “Honey”: During this glossy 95-minute tale, a Bronx girl (Jessica Alba of TV’s “Dark Angel”) dreams of becoming a professional dancer/choreographer who can help the youths in her distressed neighborhood. She gets assistance from a young rapper (Lil’ Romeo) and a local barber (Mekhi Phifer of “8 Mile”). Music-video specialist Bille Woodruff, who has worked with Dru Hill, Outkast, The Backstreet Boys, Usher, Britney Spears and Celine Dion, made his directing debut with the feel-good PG-13 musical that borrows elements from “Flashdance.”
– “The Last Samurai”: Take the plot of the Oscar-winning “Dances With Wolves,” which concerns a disillusioned Army veteran who begins fighting beside the Native Americans who were once his enemies, twist it slightly and you have this 144-minute epic. In the R-rated tale, an embittered Civil War veteran (Tom Cruise of “Mission: Impossible”) travels to Japan in the late 1870s to train the troops of the oppressive emperor and instead joins the samurai warriors who are being systematically wiped out by imperial forces. Ed Zwick (“Glory”) directed.
– “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring – Extended Edition”: The first installment in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle Earth trilogy will be re-released to theaters for one week. This marks a rare opportunity to see the 218-minute extended version, which is rated PG-13 and contains approximately 40 minutes of additional footage, on a big screen. Peter Jackson (“Heavenly Creatures”) directed.
– “Party Monster”: Former child star Macaulay Culkin (“Home Alone”) returns to the screen after an eight-year absence to play nightclub promoter and convicted killer Michael Alig. The script, which revolves around Manhattan’s club scene when ecstasy was the drug of choice during the 1980s and early 90s, is based on a 1998 documentary of the same name. The 98-minute picture, rated R, chronicles Alig’s descent into drug use and his 1966 arrest for the killing of drug dealer Angel Melendez (Wilson Cruz of TV’s “My So-Called Life”). Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, who co-created the original documentary, co-directed.
– “Prey for Rock and Roll”: A female rocker (Gina Gershon of “Showgirls”) about to turn 40 starts questioning her commitment to making it in the cutthroat music business. The modestly budgeted 104-minute picture, rated R, co-stars Drea de Matteo (HBO’s “The Sopranos”) and Lori Petty (“A League of Their Own”). Music-video specialist Alex Steyermark made his directing debut.
Israeli actor visits Philly
Moshe Ivgy, one of Israel’s most important actors, will speak before a showing of “Debt of Aharon Cohen” on Saturday, 7:30 p.m., at the International House, 3701 Chestnut St., as part of the Israeli Film Festival of Greater Philadelphia.
Based on a true story, the plot follows an ordinary man who’s arrested and incarcerated for not repaying a small debt and then is suddenly exposed to a chilling world behind the prison walls. Ivgy plays the title role in the unrated film, which will be shown in Hebrew with subtitles.
For ticket prices and other information, call 610-639-7863.
Program remembers ‘Films’
Cinema expert and preservationist Lou DiCrescenzo, a Langhorne resident, will present a program, “Films That Time Forgot,” on Monday, 7 p.m., at Doylestown’s County Theater, 20 E. State St.
The all-new two-hour program will feature various shorts from 1900-1950, including “Jammin’ the Blues,” a rare 10-minute film (1944) featuring prominent jazz musicians at an improvisational jam.
For admission prices and other information, call 215-345-6789 or go to www.countytheater.org.
At the buck$ office
The “Cat” clawed its way to the top for the second week in a row.
“Dr. Seuss’ the Cat in the Hat” was the highest-grossing film over the Thanksgiving weekend, taking in more than $25 million. The PG-rated picture was followed closely by the Eddie Murphy family comedy, “The Haunted Mansion,” which also topped the $25 million mark.
Another family film also did remarkably well. “Elf” topped $22 million over the holiday period, and in just four weeks, the Will Ferrell comedy has a total gross of $130.1 million and is still going strong.
According to the Associated Press, the top 10 films last weekend were:
1. “Dr. Seuss’ the Cat in the Hat” ($25.6 million)
2. “The Haunted Mansion” ($25.3 million)
3. “Elf” ($22.2 million)
4. “Gothika” ($12.71 million)
5. “Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World” ($12.7 million)
6. “Bad Santa” ($12.5 million)
7. “The Missing” ($11.7 million)
8. “Timeline” ($8.5 million)
9. “Love Actually” ($8.2 million)
10. “Brother Bear” ($4.9 million)
Coming Soon!
The major titles scheduled to open Dec. 12 include: “Love Don’t Cost a Thing” with Nick Cannon and Christina Milian in a teen tale; “Something’s Gotta Give” with Jack Nicholson, Diane Keaton, Keanu Reeves and Amanda Peet in a romantic comedy; and “Stuck on You” with Matt Damon and Greg Kinnear in a zany road picture about conjoined twins.