Great escapes: our list of holiday movies to see when you absolutely have to get away from your family.Casino Royale (MGM/Columbia, Nov. 17) Pierce Brosnan, we still love ya, but we're starry-eyed over the new Bond, Daniel Craig (it doesn't hurt that he canoodled with Truman Capote in Infamous). This franchise reboot, based on creator Ian Fleming's first Bond novel, sees 007 go from dangerous assassin to dapper albeit no less hazardous--superagent. Backstage (Strand, Nov. 22) What if a Madonna-like pop star allowed one of her obsessed ob·sess v. ob·sessed, ob·sess·ing, ob·sess·es v.tr. To preoccupy the mind of excessively. v.intr. , sexually confused female fans to enter her inner circle? So goes the premise behind this provocative French psychodrama psychodrama /psy·cho·dra·ma/ (-drah´mah) a form of group psychotherapy in which patients dramatize emotional problems and life situations in order to achieve insight and to alter faulty behavior patterns. . Let's just say some divas are best worshipped from afar. The Fountain (Warner Bros., Nov. 22) Three times the Jackman! Three times the Weisz! And three times the romance in this psychedelic, time-twisting fable about a 16th-century Spanish conquistador conquistador (kŏnkwĭs`tədôr, Span. kōng-kē'stäthôr`), military leader in the Spanish conquest of the New World in the 16th cent. , a 21st-century scientist, and a 26th-century space traveler all determined to save the women--or woman?--they love. Eating Out 2 (Ariztical, Nov. 22) Carbs aren't a concern for college students Tiffani and Marc--their delicacy of choice is Troy, a hunky and sexually undecided new guy on campus. This breezy sequel has full-frontals, hysterical set pieces, the first film's adorable Jim Verraros, and Mink Stole as his mama. Mr. Leather (Regent, Dec. 8) Orphans, you may find your daddy yet. This documentary, revolving around the 2003 Mr. Los Angeles Leather contest, delves beneath the hide of the leather scene and its manly yet sweet-natured devotees. The Good German (Warner Bros., Dec. 8) When VH1 finally gets around to I Love the '40s, they'd be wise to give Steven Soderbergh a call. The versatile director revives the Casablanca era with black-and-white cinematography cinematography: see motion picture photography. cinematography Art and technology of motion-picture photography. It involves the composition of a scene, lighting of the set and actors, choice of cameras, camera angle, and integration of special and stylized styl·ize tr.v. styl·ized, styl·iz·ing, styl·iz·es 1. To restrict or make conform to a particular style. 2. To represent conventionally; conventionalize. turns by Cate Blanchett, George Clooney, and Tobey Maguire for his tale of love and intrigue in post-war Berlin. The Holiday (Columbia, Dec. 8) A romantically frustrated Brit and her American counterpart--played by Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz, respectively--swap homes for the Christmas holiday. Jude Law comes with the London property, Jack Black with the L.A. digs. We think Cameron got the better deal. The Good Shepherd (Universal, Dec. 22) Despite all the Brangelina stuff she has become known for as of late, Angelina Jolie evinces serious acting chops as the wife of CIA CIA: see Central Intelligence Agency. (1) (Confidentiality Integrity Authentication) The three important concerns with regards to information security. Encryption is used to provide confidentiality (privacy, secrecy). agent Matt Damon in director Robert De Niro's star-studded tale of the history and birth of the intelligence agency. 3 Needles (Wolfe, Dec. 1) How about a gift of levity lev·i·ty n. pl. lev·i·ties 1. Lightness of manner or speech, especially when inappropriate; frivolity. 2. Inconstancy; changeableness. 3. The state or quality of being light; buoyancy. this holiday season? A handful of dynamic actresses we love--including Chloe Sevigny, Olympia Dukakis, Lucy Liu, and Stockard Channing--wrap this powerful triptych of AIDS-related stories with a stunning red ribbon. Dreamgirls (DreamWorks, Dec. 15) Gay writer-director Bill Condon (Kinsey, Gods and Monsters) brings us this so-anxiously-awaited-it-hurts adaptation of the Broadway musical about a Supremesesque 1960s girl group. Early word is that Oscar will be warbling its tune. Fast Food Nation (Fox Searchlight, Nov. 17) Yeah, fast food's bad for us, but this movie is simply too good to pass up. Starring Patricia Arquette, Bobby Cannavale, and Greg Kinnear, Fast Food Nation is a fictional take on Eric Schlosser's best-selling 2001 industry expose of the same name. The History Boys (Fox Searchlight, Nov. 21) Gay U.K. playwright Alan Bennett and out director Nicholas Hytner bring to the screen their Tony-winning play about a group of private-school boys and the instructor who can't keep his mitts off them. Black Christmas (Dimension, Dec. 25) The '70s horror cult classic about a slasher slash·er n. One that slashes. adj. Characterized by gory violence: slasher movies. slasher Noun Austral & NZ stalking a sorority house gets remade re·made v. Past tense and past participle of remake. . While it may lack the original's sardonic humor, returning cast member Andrea Martin (of SCTV SCTV Second City Television SCTV Slow Scan Television SCTV Sea Cadet Training Vessel (Canada) SCTV Separation and Control Test Vehicle fame), Mysterious Skin's Michelle Trachtenberg, and director Glen Morgan have some bloody fun surprises in store. Children of Men (Universal, Dec. 25) Director Alfonso Cuaron brings us this thrilling "handmaid's tale" of a dystopian dys·to·pi·an adj. 1. Of or relating to a dystopia. 2. Dire; grim: "AIDS is one of the dystopian harbingers of the global village" Susan Sontag. Adj. near-future in which all women are infertile. When one female gets knocked up, Julianne Moore and Clive Owen fight to protect her and the future of humanity. Queer as Folk's Charlie Hunnam and Kinky Boots" Chiwetel Ejiofor also star. |
|
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion