Entertainment

Kam’s Kapsules: Weekly previews - 02/15/2013

For movies opening Feb. 15, 2013

BIG BUDGET FILMS

"Beautiful Creatures" (PG-13 for violence, sexuality and scary images) Supernatural fantasy, set in a sleepy South Carolina town, revolving around the budding romance between a high school sophomore (Alden Ehrenreich) and a mysterious new classmate (Lena Duchannes) who's identical to the girl of his dreams. Stellar supporting cast includes Oscar-winners Jeremy Irons and Emma Thompson and nominee Viola Davis, along with Emmy Rossum.

"Escape from Planet Earth" (PG for action and mild crude humor) Animated sci-fi adventure, set on a planet populated by blue aliens, where a lowly nerd (Rob Corddry) has to rise to the occasion after his superhero sibling (Brendan Fraser) becomes ensnared in the trap of a diabolical villain (William Shatner) bent on world domination. Voice cast includes Ricky Gervais, Sarah Jessica Parker, Sofia Vergara, Jane Lynch and George Lopez.

"A Good Day to Die Hard" (R for profanity and violence) Fifth installment in the high-octane action franchise finds former, NYPD detective John McClane (Bruce Willis) venturing to Russia where he teams up with his CIA Agent son (Jai Courtney) to crack a terrorist plot threatening the stability of the Free World. With Sebastian Koch, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Cole Hauser.

"Safe Haven" (PG-13 for violence, sexuality, threatening behavior and mature themes) Lasse Hallstrom directs this adaptation of the Nicholas Sparks romance novel of the same name about a mysterious newcomer (Julianne Hough) to a tiny North Carolina town who reluctantly comes to trust a widower (Josh Duhamel) with the dark secret that's been haunting her for years. Featuring Cobie Smulders, Irene Ziegler and Red West.

INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS

"The Berlin File" (Unrated) Intricate espionage thriller about a double-crossed, North Korean spy (Jung-woo Ha) who ends up on the run with his wife (Gianna Jun) as the focus of an international manhunt after an illegal arms trade gone bad. With Seung-beom Ryu, Numan Acar and Werner Daehn. (In Korean and English with subtitles)

"The Jeffrey Dahmer Files" (Unrated) Docu-dramatic biopic revisiting the events surrounding the arrest of Jeffrey Dahmer (Andrew Swant) in the summer of 1991, ending the cannibalistic necrophiliac/rapist/serial killer's reign of terror in Milwaukee which claimed the lives of 17 boys and young men.

"Like Someone in Love" (Unrated) Romance drama, set in Tokyo, about a prostitute with a heart of gold (Rin Takanashi) who develops a love connection with a widower (Tadashi Okuno) over the course of a couple of days. With Ryo Kase and Denden. (In Japanese with subtitles)

"No" (Unrated) Historical drama, nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Foreign Film category, recounting the recall referendum effort spearheaded in Chile in 1988 by an advertising executive (Gael Garcia Bernal) which led to the fall of President Pinochet from power. Co-stars Alfredo Castro, Antonia Zegers and Luis Gnecco. (In Spanish with subtitles)

"Saving Lincoln" (Unrated) Buddy biopic chronicling Abraham Lincoln's (Tom Amandes) close relationship with Ward Hill Lamon (Lea Coco), the longtime bodyguard who was conspicuously absent from the President's box the night Honest Abe was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth (Jonathan Roumie) at Ford's theater. With Penelope Ann Miller as Mary Todd Lincoln, Peter O'Meara as General Ulysses S. Grant and Eamon Hunt as Stephen Douglas.

"Shanghai Calling" (PG-13 for profanity and sexual references) Romantic dramedy about an ambitious American attorney (Daniel Henney) who falls in love with a relocation specialist (Eliza Coupe) after she finds him a luxury apartment upon his transfer to China. With Zhu Zhu, Geng Le, Alan Ruck & Bill Paxton. (In English and Mandarin with subtitles)