FILMGUIDE
WINTER 2016
table of
contents 4 6 7 8 10 11 12 15 16 18 20 21 22 23
Fifty Shades Darker Julieta
Director: James Foley
Director: Pedro Almodรณvar
Sleepless Free Fire
Director: Baran bo Odar Director: Ben Wheatley
The Red Turtle Land of Mine
Director: Michael Dudok De Wit
Writer & Director: Martin Zandvliet
TIFF Memoirs Reviews/Interviewer: Derek Sante Bleed For This
Director: Ben Younger
20th Century Women Moonlight
Director: Barry Jenkins
Before I Fall
Director: Ry Russo-Young
Toni Erdmann La La Land
Director: Maren Ade
Writer & Director: Damien Chazelle
Film Previews
Fifty Shades Darker
Director: Mike Mills
Reviews of 29 Upcoming Releases
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Sleepless
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Film Guide Senior Staff Publisher
Robbie Arrington Managing Editor
Wendy Runyard Creative Director
Rodney Griffin Designer
Rona Qualls Corporate Editor
Bleed For This
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La La Land
Irene Gillaspy Advertising and Promotions
email: robbie.arrington@ regalcinemas.com
The Regal Cinema Art Film Guide is a free national publication courtesy of Regal Entertainment Group, 7132 Regal Lane, Knoxville, TN 37918. To have your film featured, email robbie.arrington@regalcinemas.com.
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amie Dornan and Dakota Johnson return as Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele in Fifty Shades Darker, based on the worldwide bestselling “Fifty Shades” phenomenon. Expanding upon events set in motion in the 2015 blockbuster film that grossed more than $560 million globally, this second installment of the erotic trilogy arrives for Valentine’s Day and invites you to slip into something a shade darker. When a wounded Christian Grey tries to entice a cautious Ana Steele back into his life, she demands a new arrangement before she will give him another chance. As the two begin to build trust and find stability, shadowy figures from Christian’s past start to circle the couple, determined to destroy their hopes for a future together. Also returning from Fifty Shades of Grey are Academy Award® winner Marcia Gay Harden, Jennifer Ehle, Luke Grimes, Rita Ora, Victor Rasuk, Eloise Mumford and Max Martini, who are joined for the first time by Oscar® winner Kim Basinger, Hugh Dancy, Bella Heathcote and Eric Johnson. Fifty Shades Darker is directed by James Foley (Fear, House of Cards) and once again produced by Michael De Luca, Dana Brunetti and Marcus Viscidi, alongside E.L. James, the creator of the culture-spanning blockbuster series. The screenplay is by Niall Leonard, based on the book by James. Opens in theatres February 10, 2017.
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ulieta lives in Madrid with her daughter Antía. They both suffer in silence over the loss of Xoan, Antía’s father and Julieta’s husband. But at times grief doesn’t bring people closer; it drives them apart. When Antía turns eighteen, she abandons her mother without a word of explanation. Julieta looks for her in every possible way, but all she discovers is how little she knows of her daughter. Julieta describes the mother's struggle to survive uncertainty. It's also about fate, guilt complexes and that unfathomable mystery that leads some to abandon the people they love, erasing them from their lives as if they had never meant anything, as if they had never existed. Opens in theatres December 21, 2016.
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directed by Baran bo Od a r
S
leepless stars Jamie Foxx as Las Vegas undercover police officer Vincent Downs, who is caught in a high-
stakes web of corrupt cops and the mob-controlled casino underground. When a heist goes wrong, a crew of homicidal gangsters kidnaps Downs' teenage son. In one sleepless night he will have to rescue his son, evade an internal affairs investigation and bring the kidnappers to justice. In theatres early 2017.
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“A 90-MINUTE GUNS-BLAZIN’ SHOOT OUT THAT’S DELIRIOUSLY FUNNY.” – ERIK DAVIS, FANDANGO
“FREE FIRE IS SHEER MAYHEM. DARK, VIOLENT, UPROARIOUSLY FUNNY. A SAGA OF IDIOT CRIMINALS. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.” – DAN CASEY, NERDIST
“BEN WHEATLEY’S DAZZLINGLY CHOREOGRAPHED SHOOT-OUT IS LIKE A BLOODY, SLAPSTICK RESERVOIR DOGS.” – BEN NICHOLSON, CINEVUE
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old, breathless and wickedly fun, Free Fire is an electrifying comedy-thriller about an arms deal that goes spectacularly and explosively wrong. Acclaimed filmmaker Ben Wheatley (Kill List, High Rise) propels the audience head-on into quite possibly the most epic shootout ever seen on film as he crafts a spectacular parody––and biting critique–– of the insanity of gun violence. Everyone’s got a gun, and absolutely no one is in control.
Set in a colorful yet gritty 1970s Boston, Free Fire opens with Justine (Oscar® winner Brie Larson), a mysterious American businesswoman, and her wisecracking associate Ord (Armie Hammer) arranging a black-market weapons deal in a deserted warehouse
between IRA arms buyer Chris (Cillian Murphy) and shifty South African gun runner Vernon (Sharlto Copley). What starts as a polite if uneasy exchange soon goes south when tensions escalate and shots are fired, quickly leading to a full-on Battle Royale where it’s every man (and woman) for themselves. Packed with witty one-liners, flamboyant characters and remarkable feats of cinematic gunplay, Free Fire is a full-throttle action extravaganza that keeps things fresh and fun with Wheatley’s alternately buoyant and savage sense of humor. Swinging from the madcap to the macabre and back again, the film is an exhilarating experience that will leave you quite literally blown away. winter 2016
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RED TURTLE
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directed by Mi ch a el Dud o k De Wit
Through the story of a man shipwrecked on a tropical island inhabited by turtles, crabs and birds, The Red Turtle recounts the milestones in the life of a human being.
INTERVIEW WITH CREATOR MICHAEL DUDOK DE WIT Once again, one of the themes is longing, the hero’s inner expectations while gazing at the sea… But also what you call timelessness. It’s a recurring theme in all your films—you can feel it in the shots of the trees, the sky, the clouds, the whirling birds…. Yes, these are pure and simple moments we are all familiar with. There is no past nor future; time stands still. But time is circular too. Generations succeed one another. The child makes the same gestures as his father, climbs the same rocks, and endures the same dangers. In the animal kingdom, it’s another cycle: the dead fish feeds the flies, which are in turn eaten by the spider; the crab is carried away by the bird, etc…. That’s right. The film tells the story in both a linear and circular manner. And it uses time to relate the absence of time, like music can enhance silence. This film also speaks of the reality of death. Man has a tendency to oppose death, to fear and fight against it, and this is
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both healthy and natural. Yet we can simultaneously have a beautiful and intuitive understanding that we are pure life and that we don’t need to oppose death. I hope the film conveys that feeling. Another essential element is the first appearance of the turtle and the mystery that surrounds it. The idea of creating a story with a big turtle came to me quite early. It had to be a majestic and respected sea creature. The sea turtle is peaceful and solitary; it disappears into the depths of the ocean for long periods of time and conveys an impression of quasiimmortality. Its deep red colour is fitting and makes it stand out visually. We gave a lot of thought to how much mystery we wanted to preserve in the story. In Studio Ghibli films for example, I think the presence of the mysterious is very well handled. Of course mystery can be wonderful, but not to the point where it disconnects the audience from the story. It has to be managed very subtly… And without words, since there is no dialogue in the film. It’s so easy to explain things through dialogue but there are other ways of course, such as the behaviour of the characters, the music and the editing. And without dialogue, the sounds of the characters breathing become naturally more expressive. Extracts from an interview with Bernard Génin, to be published in Positif N°665 (July/August 2016) Opens in theatres January 20, 2017.
LAND OF MINE directed and written by Martin Zandvliet
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ew films detail the immediate aftermath of conflict and occupation from the Second World War. After six years of combat, and terror the lines between right and wrong had been eradicated. Land of Mine, the new film from Danish writer/director Martin Zandvliet, exposes the previously hidden story of Denmark’s darkest hour. In the days following the surrender of Nazi Germany in May 1945, German POWs held in Denmark were put to work by the Allied Forces. With minimal or no training in defusing explosives, they were sent to remove in excess of two million of their own landmines from the Danish west coast. During this process, more than half of them were killed or severely wounded. Zandvliet sheds light on this historical tragedy as the entry point to a story that involves love, hate, revenge and reconciliation. Young German POWs Sebastian, Helmut, Ludwig, twins Ernst and Werner, and Wilhelm depict confusion, fear and defeat in their eyes. Scornful of the Germans for their five-year occupation of his country, and with the intent of punishing what is left of the Nazi regime, bullish Sergeant Rasmussen (Roland Møller) marches his squad out on the dunes each day to prod for mines. This seemingly endless task quickly becomes carnage, and even Rasmussen grows conflicted in his feelings and intent toward his young prisoners. Land of Mine is about the aftermath of war, but more so about humanity. Zandvliet finds equally compelling material for his tale of comradeship, survival, and unexpected friendships. It questions the existence of the inherent evil that could exist in us all. But is it ever possible to show sympathy for those who represented the Nazi terror? Opens in theatres on February 17, 2017.
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reviews and interviews by Derek Sante
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he journey began with a plane, continued with a train and finished with a trolley. Those were the steps taken by your fearless narrator on my way to the Great White North of Canada and its premiere movie festival, The Toronto International Film Festival. Since its beginnings in 1976 as an amalgam of related galas, the Toronto International Film Festival, or TIFF, has extended its red carpet to many highprofile films. In the last five years, in fact, it has featured at least one Academy Awards® Best Picture nominee (with two of them winning the Oscar®). Celebrities, media, and cinema fanatics from Toronto and around the world descended upon the festival for its 10-day run. Fans could be seen waiting in lines for the world premiere of the latest soon-to-be blockbuster, or they could be heard discussing arthouse fare while hoping to get a picture of stars like Ryan Gosling, Amy Adams, Chris Pratt and others.
My first interview was with the cast of the cinematically wonderful A Monster Calls from Focus Features. This is easily one of my favorite films this year. Touching on love, loss, sickness and acceptance, this film proved to be incredibly emotionally gripping. Starring Lewis McDougall in only his second film role, the story follows a young boy named Conor whose childhood is slowly being ripped away. His mother, portrayed by Felicity Jones and simply named “Mum,” is fighting a losing battle with cancer. His Grandma (played by Sigourney Weaver) attempts to help Conor traverse the rolling tide of sadness and anger that overtakes him but, in Conor’s mind, no one can feel his pain, no other human could understand what he’s going through.
It wasn’t just fun and games for me, as I was there to work. I was serving a dual role by being at the festival; I was to act as a reviewer and interviewer during my stay.
Derek Sante: When taking on a role of a dying mother, how were you able to approach her character? Felicity Jones: I felt with Lizzy that she just wants to be... alive. Her focus is she does not want to admit what’s happening. Neither does Conor. Both of them are just trying to avoid it. For her, it’s almost, annoying. It’s secondary. The primary thing is staying alive. Derek Sante: The film is able to find a sense of balance with all the emotions involved; it feels quite relatable. Was it that way for you? Sigourney Weaver: Having my own daughter, I was kind of horrified and drawn to this situation with a daughter that’s very ill. And as you watch it, you feel the emotions all come into one. So while it is a very emotionally moving film, I also think it’s very uplifting.
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Up next for me was the animated fare of Sing from Universal Pictures. Matthew McConaughey leads an all-star cast in this musical comedy that follows the adventure of Buster Moon, a cuddly koala bear with the dream of owning a successful theatre. Unfortunately, that particular dream costs money. After some quick brainstorming, a singing competition soon appears to be the answer to all of his monetary problems. Lending their voices to the film were actors and singers alike: Reese Witherspoon played Rosita, a pig with talent and a need to perform; Scarlett Johansson rocks out as Ash the porcupine; Seth MacFarlane goes old school as Mike the crooning mouse; and Tori Kelly reaches new heights as Meena the shy elephant. Many more talented voices make this film, but don’t count out the fun story and great soundtrack. Sing will keep you moving in your seats and smiling in the streets. To close out my experience with TIFF, I was given the opportunity to see a few clips of and attend a breakfast with the cast of 20th Century Fox’s Hidden Figures. This film is based on the true story
of three African-American female mathematicians who assisted NASA in sending a man safely into orbit. Derek Sante: How would you describe the dynamic of the cast in dealing with the different themes in the story?
' We couldn’t be more Janelle Monae: proud of this groundbreaking film. There are hard, dark and heavy scenes, but funny moments to make it lighthearted and uplifting. We just laughed all the time. Derek Sante: Were you aware of these women, specifically your character Katherine Johnson and her significance to the NASA program? Taraji P Henson: I did not know who she was; in fact I was a little upset. Had I known about these women, maybe I would have dreamed or aspired to be a rocket scientist. I didn’t think I could dream like that. I didn’t know that dream was available for someone like me.
When I look back on my trip to TIFF, I’m truly blown away by just how many options were available to be seen and experienced. For as many of the great films that I was able to see, there were several films that I was unable to see that are sure to be destined for greater things. Films like Moonlight, Free Fire and American Honey and many others created great buzz throughout the festival and were being hailed for their brilliance. Like music and painting, it should be remembered that movies are an art form, too, and the Toronto International Film Festival does a fantastic job of giving a gallery-like experience that this contributor is not going to forget soon.
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fter cocky Rhode Island boxer Vinny Pazienza (Miles Teller) takes a brutal beating from Junior Welterweight Champion Roger Mayweather in 1988, fight promoter Lou Duva (Ted Levine) urges him to retire. Instead, Pazienza moves up two weight classes under the guidance of his shrewd, new trainer Kevin Rooney (Aaron Eckhart). Rooney’s radical strategy pays off when Pazienza, 14 pounds heavier, takes down French boxer Gilbert Delé in front of a hometown crowd to become Super Middleweight Champion of the world. Pazienza doesn’t have much time to relish the victory, however. Shortly after the bout, a head-on car crash leaves him with a broken neck. Initially told he may never walk again, doctors recommend spinal fusion surgery that would guarantee mobility but effectively end his boxing career. Pazienza chooses the far riskier “halo” spine-stabilization treatment, requiring him to wear a circular metal brace screwed directly into his skull for six months. Recovering in the modest home he shares with his fiercely devoted father Angelo (Ciarán Hinds) and anxious mother Louise (Katey Sagal), Pazienza secretly starts weight training in the basement with the help of a reluctant Rooney, and begins to rebound emotionally as well as physically. Little over a year after the accident, the man fondly known as “The Pazmanian Devil” returns to the ring to do battle with Super Middleweight Champion Roberto Duran (Edwin Rodriguez) in the biggest fight of his life. Executive produced by Martin Scorsese and based on a true story, Bleed For This artfully blends action, humor and tragedy to portray one of the greatest comebacks in the history of sports. Opens in theatres November 18, 2016.
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ith 20th Century Women, acclaimed filmmaker Mike Mills (Academy Award® - winning Beginners) brings us a richly multilayered, funny, heart-stirring celebration of the complexities of women, family, time, and the connections we search for our whole lives. It is a film that keeps redefining itself as it goes along, shifting with its characters as they navigate the pivotal summer of 1979. Set in Santa Barbara, the film follows Dorothea Fields (Annette Bening), a determined single mother in her mid-50s who is raising her adolescent son Jamie (newcomer Lucas Jade Zumann in a breakout performance) at a moment brimming with cultural change and rebellion. Dorothea enlists the help of two younger women in Jamie’s upbringing—Abbie (Greta Gerwig), a free-spirited punk artist living as a boarder in the Fields’ home, and Julie (Elle Fanning), a savvy and provocative teenage neighbor. Mills expertly recreates the warmth and passion of a great memory—but also the urgency and energy of three generations in the throes of momentous transition. Bening gives one of her very best performances as Dorothea, conveying with subtle yet tremendous emotional power both her unconditional love for her son and her increasing bewilderment about the world she is watching him enter. Gerwig, Fanning, and Billy Crudup all do outstanding work, creating complex, unique characters who each contribute in crucial ways to Jamie’s upbringing. 20th Century Women is a poignant love letter to the people who raise us—and the times that form us—as this makeshift family forges fragile connections that will mystify, haunt and inspire them through their lives. I N T H E AT R E S N AT I O N W I D E T H I S J A N U A RY.
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RADICAL, REVELATORY, “
AND AS BEAUTIFUL A MOVIE AS YOU ARE EVER LIKELY TO SEE” – THE NEW YORK TIMES –
A FLAT-OUT MASTERPIECE” “
– ROLLING STONES –
“
EXQUISITE
THIS FILM IS THE REASON WE GO TO THE MOVIES” – TIMEOUT –
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timeless story of human connection and self-discovery, Moonlight chronicles the life of a young black man from childhood to adulthood as he struggles to find his place in the world while growing up in a rough neighborhood of Miami. At once a vital portrait of contemporary African American life and an intensely personal and poetic meditation on identity, family, friendship, and love, Moonlight is a groundbreaking piece of cinema that reverberates with deep compassion and universal truths. Anchored by extraordinary performances from a tremendous ensemble cast, Jenkins’s staggering, singular vision is profoundly moving in its portrayal of the moments, people, and unknowable forces that shape our lives and make us who we are.
WRITTEN BY
TARELL ALVIIN MCCRANEY BARRY JENKINS DIRECTED BY
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Opens in theatres Spring 2017.
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INTERVIEW WITH WRITER-DIRECTOR MAREN ADE Film Guide: How was the idea for Toni Erdmann born? Is it autobiographical? Maren Ade: All my films are partly autobiographical in the sense that I take something I know as a point of departure. When it comes to the subject of family, it was interesting to see how little I was able to escape my own family while writing. There’s nothing you know better than where you came from. You only have one family, and the relationship between parents and children is for life; it’s hard to escape that. That’s what happens with Ines in Toni Erdmann. She thinks the family in which she grew up holds nothing of relevance in her present life; they’re all trapped in their assigned roles and their interactions play out according to rigid, almost ritualistic patterns none of them can escape. FG: What gave you the idea for the Toni character invented by Ines’s father Winfried? MA: Winfried’s impulsive transformation is a bold attempt to break out of the mold of the father-daughter relationship. “Toni Erdmann” is born out of desperation. Humor is often a way of coping with things, and as such it is always also a product of pain. Winfried is unable to get through to his daughter any other way. He tried to redefine his relationship with her as a father and failed, and now he’s at a loss, torn between his desire for more closeness with Ines and the resentment he feels towards her. The balance of power between them shifted long ago. Winfried finds a way out of this dilemma with the brash offer he makes Ines in the guise of Toni. Humor is his only weapon, and he starts using it to the hilt. That means playing a much tougher game, and since Ines is a tough cookie herself, he’s suddenly speaking a language she understands. FG: Your female protagonists constantly grapple with their conflicts. Is that typical of the women you see and experience in contemporary society? MA: Ines works in a male-dominated field, and she has really internalized that. She may actually even regard herself as “one of the guys”—the problem is that, when push comes to shove, they don’t see it that way. I’ve interviewed quite a few women in leadership positions, and most of them claim to enjoy being the exception to the rule, even though it means they’re lonely at times.
directed by M a r en A de
In that sense I guess Ines is a contemporary female character. She started out convinced that selfdetermination and equality were things women of her generation could take for granted so that she had no need for feminism. When she says, “I’m not a feminist or I wouldn’t tolerate guys like you,” she really means it. She refers to the “women’s group” and “sexual harassment at work” ironically, and she assumes the same sarcastic, sexist tone in her comment about Anca “pushing the buttons.” But to be honest, I never intended to do something especially critical of sexism in the business world. I merely wanted to show things the way they are, and sexism is a part of that reality. The whole gender issue actually kind of gets on my nerves, especially when it’s given so much weight. As a woman, I’m used to identifying with male characters. I mean, when I watch a James Bond movie, I’m not the Bond Girl, I’m James Bond, too. Maybe it’s best to think of Ines as a contemporary, gender-neutral character—much like a man who cries now and then and has father issues. FG: The naked party—an impulsive decision resulting in the ultimate challenge, the ultimate surprise… What gave you the idea? MA: A female character throwing a naked birthday party is an idea I’ve had for a long time. Much like the Toni character, the naked party is an almost desperate attempt to find a way out of a stalemate. The fact that the dress turns out to be too tight provides Ines with an excuse, but what she really wants is profound change. She doesn’t decide to throw the party just for the fun of it, but to rid herself of her boss and false friends. Ines discovers that it isn’t quite so easy to cast things off and break taboos, because nowadays anything goes … all you need is the right slogan. On the one hand, it’s liberating to realize that you can actually get away with a lot more than you might have thought, but on the other hand it’s kind of depressing to realize there are hardly any taboos left to break. Opens in theatres December 25, 2016.
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written & directed by D am i en C h a zelle
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oy meets girl meets the up-ending aspirations of the city of stars—and they all break out of the conventions of everyday life as La La Land takes off on an exuberant song-and-dance journey through a life-changing love affair between a jazz pianist and a hopeful actress. At once an ode to the glamour and emotion of cinema classics, a love letter to the Los Angeles of unabated dreams, and a distinctly modern romance, the film reunites Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, bringing them together with rising writer/ director Damien Chazelle (Oscar®-winning Whiplash).
The film begins as everything begins in L.A.: on the freeway. This is where Sebastian meets Mia, with a disdainful honk in a traffic jam that mirrors all too well the gridlock they’re each navigating in their lives. Both are focused on the kind of near-impossible hopes that are the lifeblood of the city: Sebastian trying to get people to care about traditional jazz in the 21st Century, Mia aiming to nail just one uninterrupted audition. But neither expects that their fateful encounter will lead them to take leaps together they never could alone. Those leaps, toward each other and, conflictingly, into their grandest artistic dreams, create their quintessentially cinematic world of rapture in
La La Land—one that with light, color, sound, music and words takes a trip directly into the ecstasies of the happiness we chase and the heartache of the passions we never get over. Wearing its influences on its sleeve yet taking considerable risks, La La Land allows Chazelle to pay homage to legends of cinema while harnessing its current power to make the most private human terrain—the territory of intimate relationships, personal dreams and the crossroads where decisions set fate into motion—come to life on the screen as a palpably real, yet enchanted, universe. Says Chazelle: “To me, it was important to make a movie about dreamers, about two people who have these giant dreams that drive them, that bring them together, but also tear them apart.” He goes on: “La La Land is a very different movie from Whiplash in many ways. But they both deal with something that's really personal to me: how you balance life and art, how you balance reality and dreams and also, specifically, how you balance your relationship to your art with your relationships with other people. With La La Land, I wanted to tell that story using music, song and dance. I think the musical as a genre is a great vehicle for expressing that balancing act between dreams and reality.” Opens in theatres December 9, 2016.
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FIL M PREVIEWS
FILMPREVIEWS
a quick look at upcoming alternative & independent films
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20th Century Women
Director: Mike Mills Starring: Annette Bening, Elle Fanning, Alia Shawkat and Laura Wiggins With 20th Century Women, acclaimed filmmaker Mike Mills (Academy Award®winning Beginners) brings us a richly multilayered, funny, heart-stirring celebration of the complexities of women, family, time and the connections we search for our whole lives. It is a film that keeps redefining itself as it goes along, shifting with its characters as they navigate the pivotal summer of 1979. In theatres starting December 21, 2016.
A Monster Calls
Director: J.A. Bayona Starring: Sigourney Weaver, Felicity Jones and Lewis MacDougall A boy seeks the help of a tree monster to cope with his single mom’s illness. While his mother fights cancer, Conor battles with his father, grandmother, classmates, teachers and his own personal monster. In theatres starting January 16, 2017.
A United Kingdom
Director: Amma Asante Starring: David Oyelowo, Rosamund Pike and Tom Felton A United Kingdom is the true story of the forbidden love of the future King of Bechuanaland (now Botswana). Prince Seretse Khama and a white woman from London caused an international uproar when they decided to marry in the late 1940s just as apartheid was being introduced into South Africa. It was a decision that altered the course of African history. In theatres starting Febuary 17, 2017.
Before I Fall
Director: Ry Russo-Young Starring: Zoey Deutch, Halston Sage and Jennifer Beals February 12 is just another day in Sam’s charmed life until it turns out to be her last. Stuck reliving her last day over one inexplicable week, Sam untangles the mystery around her death and discovers everything she’s in danger of losing. In theatres starting March 3, 2017.
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FIL M PREVIEWS Bleed for This
Director: Ben Younger Starring: Miles Teller, Katey Sagal and Christine Evangelista Vinny “The Pazmanian Devil” Pazienza (Miles Teller), a local Providence, Rhode Island boxer, shoots to stardom after winning two world title fights. After a nearfatal car accident leaves him with a broken neck, he is told he may never walk again. Against all odds and doctor’s orders, renowned trainer Kevin Rooney (Aaron Eckhart) agrees to help Vinny return to the ring just a year after the accident for what could be the last fight of his life. The film is based on a true story. In theatres starting November 18, 2016.
Born in China
Director: Chuan Lu Starring: John Krasinski and Xun Zhou A collaboration between the Walt Disney Company and Shanghai Media Group, Born in China showcases the spectacular wildlife and natural beauty of that eastern republic. The film is a natural drama that follows the families of three endangered animals, transporting audiences to some of the most extreme environments on Earth. In theatres starting April 21, 2017.
Fifty Shades Darker
Director: James Foley Starring: Jamie Dornan, Tyler Hoechlin and Dakota Johnson This is the second film adaptation of the erotic trilogy by E.L. James. Fifty Shades Darker illustrates Christian wrestling with his inner demons while Anastasia must confront the anger and envy of the women who came before her. In theatres starting February 2017.
Free Fire
Director: Ben Wheatley Starring: Enzo Cilenti, Sam Riley and Michael Smiley Justine brokers a meeting in a deserted warehouse between two Irishmen and a gang led by Vernon and Ord, who intend to sell them a stash of guns. But when shots fire during the handover, complete pandemonium ensues. Everyone at the scene is suddenly thrust into a heart-stopping game of survival. In theatres starting December 9, 2016.
Jackie
Director: Pable Larraín Starring: Natalie Portman, Peter Sarsgaard and Billy Crudup Jackie presents a searing and intimate portrait of one of the most important and tragic moments in American history as seen through the eyes of the iconic First Lady. Following the assassination of her husband, Jacqueline Kennedy fights through grief and trauma to regain her faith, console her children, and define her husband’s historic legacy. In theatres starting December 2, 2016.
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FIL M PREVIEWS Julieta
Director: Pedro Almodòvar Starring: Adriana Ugarte, Rossy de Palma and Inma Cuesta Julieta lives in Madrid with her daughter Antía. They both suffer in silence over the loss of Xoan, Antía’s father and Julieta’s husband. But at times, grief doesn’t bring people closer; it drives them apart. In theatres starting December 21, 2016.
Kidnap
Director: Luis Prieto Starring: Halle Berry, Robert Walker Branchaud and Dana Gourrier A single mother named Karla McCoy lives a perfect life with her young son Frankie. One day, upon entering a local park, Karla sees her son suddenly being abducted by a kidnapper. To save Frankie, Karla goes on a high-speed chase, embarking on a mission to demand people in the city help rescue her son. In theatres starting December 2, 2016.
La La Land
Director: Damien Chazelle Starring: Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) and Mia (Emma Stone) are drawn together by their common desire to do what they love. However, as success mounts, they are faced with decisions that begin to fray the fragile fabric of their love affair. The dreams they worked so hard to maintain in each other threaten to rip them apart. In theatres starting December 9, 2016.
Land of Mine
Director: Martin Zandvliet Starring: Roland Moller, Louis Hofmann and Joel Basman Young German POWs held in Denmark after May 1945 were forced to remove two million of their own landmines from the Danish west coast. This seemingly endless task quickly became carnage, compelling the captors to sympathize with the captured. Land of Mine is about the aftermath of war but more so about humanity in this tale of comradeship, survival, and unexpected friendships. In theatres starting February 17, 2017.
Manchester By the Sea
Director: Kenneth Lonergan Starring: Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams, Kyle Chandler and Lucas Hedges After the death of his older brother Joe, Lee Chandler is shocked that Joe has made him sole guardian of his teenage nephew Patrick. Taking leave of his job as a janitor in Boston, Lee reluctantly returns to Manchester-by-the-Sea, the fishing village where his working-class family has lived for generations. There, Lee is forced to deal with a past that separated him from his wife Randi and the community where he was born and raised. In theatres starting December 16, 2016. winter 2016
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FIL M PREVIEWS Miss Sloane
Director: John Madden Starring: Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Jessica Chastain and John Lithgow Elizabeth Slaone, a ruthless and highly successful political strategist, exposes the cutthroat world of D.C. lobbyists on both sides of the gun-control debate. New legislation requiring more stringent background checks for gun ownership is gaining traction in Congress, and Sloane is approached to spearhead the campaign, pitting her against the formidable power of her political opponents. Deploying her notorious skills—and driven by a desire to win at all costs—she jeopardizes those closest to her and puts her own career at risk. In theatres starting January 13, 2017.
Moonlight
Director: Barry Jenkins Starring: Mahershala Ali, Shariff Earp and Duan Sanderson A young man deals with his dysfunctional home life and comes of age in Miami during the “War on Drugs” era. The story of his struggle to find himself is told across three defining chapters in his life as he experiences the ecstasy, pain, and beauty of falling in love while grappling with his own sexuality. In theatres starting October 21, 2016.
Paterson
Director: Jim Jarmusch Starring: Adam Driver, Golshifteh Farahani and Helen-Jean Arthur Set in present-day Paterson, New Jersey, this is a tale of a city bus driver who happens to be named Paterson. He is a poet and a dreamer. The history and energy of the city is a felt presence as its simple structure unfolds over the course of a single week. The quiet triumphs and defeats of daily life are observed, along with the poetry evident in its smallest details. In theatres starting December 18, 2016.
Same Kind of Different as Me
Director: Michael Carney Starring: Renée Zellweger, Greg Kinnear, Jon Voight and Djimon Hounsou Based on the nonfiction book by Ron Hall and Denver Moore with Lynn Vincent, Same Kind of Different as Me is a faith-based drama. International art dealer (Kinnear) befriends a homeless man (Honsou) in order to save his struggling relationship with his wife (Zellweger), a woman whose dreams will lead all three of them on the journey of their lives. In theatres starting Febuary 17, 2017.
Sleepless
Director: Baran bo Odar Starring: Jamie Foxx, Gabrielle Union and Michelle Monaghan A Las Vegas undercover police officer, caught between corrupt cops and the mob, must race to save his kidnapped son from a crew of murderous gangsters. The film is based on the 2011 French film “Nuit Blanche.” In theatres starting January 13, 2017.
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FIL M PREVIEWS Table 19
Director: Jeffrey Blitz Starring: Anna Kendrick, Amanda Crew and Craig Robinson Relieved of her maid-of-honor duties after being unceremoniously dumped via text by the best man, Eloise decides to hold her head high and attend her oldest friend’s wedding anyway. She finds herself seated at the “random” table in the back of the ballroom with a disparate group of strangers, most of whom should have known to just send regrets (but not before sending something nice off the registry). As everyone’s secrets are revealed, Eloise learns a thing or two from the denizens of Table 19. Friendships—and even a little romance—can happen under the most unlikely circumstances. In theatres starting January 20, 2017.
The Bye Bye Man
Director: Stacy Title Starring: Carrie-Anne Moss, Faye Dunaway and Doug Jones When three college students move into an old house off campus, they unwittingly unleash a supernatural entity known as The Bye Bye Man, who comes to prey upon them once they discover his name. The friends must try to save each other, all while keeping The Bye Bye Man’s existence a secret to save others from the same deadly fate. In theatres starting December 9, 2016.
The Comedian
Director: Taylor Hackford Starring: Robert De Niro, Leslie Mann and Danny DeVito An aging comic icon, Jackie, has seen better days. Despite his efforts to reinvent himself and his comic genius, the audience wants to know him only as the former television character he once played. Already a strain on his younger brother and his wife, Jackie is forced to serve out a sentence doing community service for accosting an audience member. While serving, he meets Harmony, the daughter of a sleazy Florida real estate mogul, and the two find inspiration in one another, resulting in surprising consequences. In theatres starting January 13, 2017.
The Founder
Director: John Lee Hancock Starring: Michael Keaton, Linda Cardellini and Patrick Wilson The Founder is the true story of how Ray Kroc, a salesman from Illinois, teamed with Richard and Maurice “Mac” McDonald in 1950s Southern California. The brothers were running a successful burger operation and Kroc was impressed by their speedy system of preparing the food, and he shrewdly realized the potential franchise opportunities. Eventually Kroc maneuvered himself into a position to enable himself to pull the company from the brothers and create a billion-dollar empire.
The Last Word
Director: Mark Pellington Starring: Shirley MacLaine, Amanda Seyfried and Anne Heche Harriet Lauler is a once-successful businesswoman in tight control of every aspect of her life. As she reflects upon her accomplishments, she’s suddenly inspired to engage a young local writer, Anne Sherman, to pen her life’s story. When the initial result doesn’t meet Harriet’s high expectations, she sets out to reshape the way she is remembered, with Anne dragged along as an unwilling accomplice. As the journey unfolds, the two women develop a unique bond that alters not only Harriet’s legacy, but also Anne’s future. In theatres starting March 10, 2017. winter 2016
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FIL M PREVIEWS The Red Turtle
Director: Michael Dudok de Wit Through the story of a shipwreck on a tropical island inhabited by turtles, crabs and birds, The Red Turtle recounts the milestones in the life of a man who runs into trouble when a massive sea turtle destroys his raft every time he tries to sail away from the tropical island. In theatres starting January 20, 2017.
The Zookeeper's Wife
Director: Niki Caro Starring: Jessica Chastain, Daniel Brühl and Iddo Goldberg
This is the real-life story of one working wife and mother who became a hero to hundreds during World War II. In 1939 Poland, Antonina Z˙ abin´ski and her husband, Dr. Jan Z˙ abin´ski, have the Warsaw Zoo flourishing under his stewardship and her care. When their country is invaded by the Nazis, Jan and Antonina are stunned—and forced to report to the Reich’s newly appointed chief zoologist Lutz Heck. To fight back on their own terms, Antonina and Jan covertly begin working with the Resistance—and put into action plans to save lives out of what became the Warsaw Ghetto. In theatres starting March 11, 2017.
Toni Erdmann
Director: Maren Ade Starring: Peter Simonischek, Sandra Hüller and Michael Wittenborn This film tells the story of a free-spirited man who’s afraid his grown daughter is becoming too driven and corporate. He goes to elaborate lengths to loosen her up. In theatres starting December 25, 2016.
Tulip Fever
Director: Justin Chadwick Starring: Alicia Vikander, Dane DeHaan and Christoph Waltz Based on Deborah Moggach’s novel, Tulip Fever tells the story about an artist who falls in love with a married woman after he’s commissioned by her husband to paint her portrait. In theatres starting Febuary 24, 2017.
Wilson
Director: Craig Johnson Starring: Woody Harrelson, Judy Greer and Laura Dern Wilson, a lonely neurotic and hilariously honest middle-aged misanthrope, reunites with his estranged wife and gets a shot at happiness when he learns he has a teenage daughter he has never met. In theatres starting March 3, 2017.
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“I LOVE THIS MOVIE!” Josh Horowitz, MTV NEWS
“A MONSTER CALLS IS THE YEAR’S BEST MOVIE.
J.A. Bayona’s A Monster Calls is a masterpiece. There are heartbreaking and uplifting scenes that will make your heart plunge and soar, and I can’t wait for more people to experience the sadness, hope, and life-affirming joy that come with A Monster Calls. This is a perfect f ilm. Perfect. It’s my favorite f ilm of the year so far, and a different movie is going to have to be out of this universe to knock A Monster Calls from the perch atop my annual Top 10.” Sean O’Connell, CINEMABLEND
“ONE OF THE BEST MOVIES OF THE YEAR.
This is one that stays with you long after the lights come up.” Rebecca Pahle, FILM JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL
WEAVER FELICITY JONES TOBY KEBBELL LEWIS MACDOUGALL FOCUS FEATURES PRESENTS IN ASSOCIATION WITH PARTICIPANT MEDI,A / RIVER ROAD ENTERTAINMENT AN APACHES ENTERTAI MONSTER , NMENT–TELECINCO CINEMA–A , CALLS, AIE –LA TRINI PRODUCTION SIGOURNEY DIRECTOR OF EXECUTIVE AND LIAM NEESON AS THE MONSTER “A MONSTER CALLS” MUSIC FERNANDO VELÅÅAZQUEZ EDITORS BERNAT DESIGNER EUGENIO CABALLERO, PHOTOGRAPHY O SCAR FAURA CO-PRODUCER SANDRA HERMIDA PRODUCERS PATRICK NESS JEFF SKOLL BILL POHLAD JONATHAN KING MITCH HORWITS , VILAPLANA JAUME MARTI , PRODUCTION UPON THE FROM AN SCREENPLAY DIRECTED PATRICK WACHSBERGER ENRIQUE LOPEZ LAVIGNE GHISLAIN BARROIS ALVARO AUGUSTIN PRODUCEDBY BELÉEN ATIENZA, p.g.a. NOVELBASEDWRITTEN BY PATRICK NESS ORIGINAL IDEA BY SIOBHAN DOWD BY PATRICK NESS BY J.A. BAYONA AMonsterCallsFilm.com WITH THE SUPPORT OF AND THEMATIC CONTENT AND SOME SCARY IMAGES
© 2016 APACHES ENTERTAINMENT, SL; TELECINCO CINEMA, SAU; A MONSTER CALLS, AIE; PELICULAS LA TRINI, SLU. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. ARTWORK: © 2016 FOCUS FEATURES LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
©2016 Disney
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