Entertainment

Kam’s Kapsules: Weekly previews - 12/22/2011

For movies opening Dec. 23, 2011

BIG BUDGET FILMS

“The Adventures of Tintin” (PG for violence, drunkenness and smoking) Steven Spielberg directs this animated adaptation of the classic comic book series about an intrepid young journalist who is abducted from Europe to Morocco where he escapes his kidnappers to embark on a perilous quest for hidden treasure. Voice cast includes Daniel Craig, Simon Pegg, Andy Serkis and Toby Jones.

“The Darkest Hour” (PG-13 for profanity and violence) Sci-fi horror flick about the struggle to survive of a quintet (Olivia Thirlby, Emile Hirsch, Rachael Taylor, Joel Kinnaman and Max Minghella) stranded in Moscow during an invasion of Earth by aliens in need of a power supply. With Dato Bakhtadze, Gosha Kutsenko and Veronika Ozerova.

“Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” (PG-13 for profanity, disturbing images and mature themes) Post 9/11 drama about a 9 year-old boy’s (Thomas Horn) desperate search for the lock that matches the mysterious key left behind by his father (Tom Hanks) who perished in the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. With Sandra Bullock, Viola Davis, John Goodman and Jeffrey Wright.  

“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” (R for rape, torture, brutal violence, profanity, frontal nudity and graphic sexuality) David Fincher directs the English-language version of the Swedish thriller based on the first installment of the Stieg Larsson trilogy about the effort of a disgraced journalist (Daniel Craig) to restore his name by solving a decades-old missing person case with the help of a sociopathic computer hacker (Rooney Mara). Cast includes Christopher Plummer, Stellan Skarsgard, Robin Wright and Joely Richardson.      

“Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol” (PG-13 for violence and intense action sequences) Fourth episode in the espionage franchise finds Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his fellow secret agents (Jeremy Renner, Paula Patton, Simon Pegg and Josh Holloway) going rogue to clear the IMF’s name after a bomb blast flattens the Kremlin while they just happened to be carrying out an undercover operation in Moscow. With Ving Rhames, Michelle Monaghan and Tom Wilkinson.

“War Horse” (PG-13 for ) Steven Spielberg directed this World War I saga about a young man (Jeremy Irvine) who enlists in the British Army after his beloved horse is sold to the cavalry. With Emily Watsaon, Benedict Cumberbatch and David Thewlis. (In English and German with subtitles)

“We Bought A Zoo” (PG for mature themes and mild profanity) Screen adaptation of Benjamin Mee’s bittersweet memoir recounting the grieving widower’s (Matt Damon) decision to relocate his family to a dilapidated estate with 200 exotic animals on the premises with hopes of refurbishing the zoo while rebuilding their lives. Cast includes Scarlett Johansson, Thomas Haden Church, Elle Fanning and J.B. Smoove.    

INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS

“Albert Nobbs” (R for profanity, sexuality and brief nudity) Glenn Close plays the title character in this genderbending drama about a lesbian who passed as a man for over 30 years in order to survive in 19th Century Ireland. With Janet McTeer, Brenda Fricker, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Brendan Gleeson and Mia Wasikowska.     

“The Flowers of War” (Unrated) Historical drama based on the Geling Yan novel about a mortician (Christian Bale) who poses as a priest in order to save the lives of prostitutes and parishioners during the Japanese’s rape of Nanking. With Shigeo Kobayashi, Bai Xue and Paul Schneider. (In English, Mandarin and Japanese with subtitles)

“In the Land of Blood and Honey” (R for sexuality, nudity, violence, rape, ethnic cleansing and profanity) Angelina Jolie directed this romance drama set during the War in Bosnia and revolving around a Serbian soldier (Goran Kostic) who reencounters a Muslim ex-girlfriend (Zana Marjanovic) now being held captive in a POW camp. With Fedja Stukan, Branko Djuric and Nikola Djuricko.   

“Miss Minoes” (PG for rude behavior, smoking and brief profanity) Carice van Houten stars as the title character in this kiddie comedy about a cat which morphs into a woman in order protect its quaint hometown from developers with evil intentions. Cast includes Theo Maassen, Sarah Bannier and Pierre Bokma. (In Dutch with subtitles)

“Pina” (PG for sensuality, smoking and partial nudity) Reverential biopic about modern dance maven Pina Bausch (1940-2009), featuring both tributes to and performances of four pieces by the late choreographer. (In English, French, Russian, German, Spanish, Croatian, Korean, Italian and Portuguese with subtitles)