Friday, November 25, 2011

New this week (11/23/11):

Art of Getting By
Fatalistic teenager George Zingavoy is a master at just barely getting by. In fact, he's practically turned it into an art form--making it through the entire school year without doing a shred of work. But when George meets a beautiful and complicated girl named Sally, he discovers a kindred spirit who turns his slacker world upside down. Their quirky and unexpected romance may just inspire George to do the unthinkable--get off his butt and chase after his dreams.

Case Histories
Jason Isaacs (Harry Potter, The Patriot) stars as private investigator Jackson Brodie, the tough former soldier and policeman with a heart of gold, in this series based on the acclaimed novels by Kate Atkinson. Brodie, haunted by a past family tragedy, struggles to balance his personal and professional life while coming to the rescue of the bereaved, the lost and the dysfunctional in the Scottish city of Edinburgh.

Cave of Forgotten Dreams
A breathtaking new documentary from the incomparable Werner Herzog, follows an exclusive expedition into the nearly inaccessible Chauvet Cave in France, home to the most ancient visual art known to have been created by man. An unforgettable cinematic experience that provides a unique glimpse of pristine artwork dating back to human hands over 30,000 years ago, almost twice as old as any previous discovery.

Our Idiot Brother
A comedy about that one family member who is always just a little bit behind the curve. For sisters Liz, Miranda, and Natalie, that person is their upbeat brother Ned, an organic farmer whose willingness to rely on honesty and trusting of humankind allows for a trouble-free existence. Ned may be utterly lacking in common sense, but he is their brother and after his girlfriend dumps him and boots him off the farm, his sisters once again come to his rescue.

Sarah’s Key
In modern-day Paris, a journalist finds her life becoming entwined with a young girl whose family was torn apart during the notorious Vel d'Hiv round up, which took place in Paris, in 1942. She stumbles upon a family secret which will link her forever to the destiny of a young Jewish girl, Sarah.

Super 8
In the summer of 1979, a group of friends in a small Ohio town witnesses a catastrophic train crash while making a super 8 movie and soon they suspect that it was not an accident. Shortly after, unusual disappearances and inexplicable events begin to take place in town, and the local deputy tries to uncover the truth, something more terrifying than any of them could have imagined.

30 Minutes or Less
Nick is a small town pizza delivery guy whose mundane life collides with the big plans of two wanna-be criminal masterminds. The volatile duo kidnaps Nick and forces him to rob a bank. With mere hours to pull off the impossible task, Nick enlists the help of his ex-best friend, Chet. As the clock ticks, the two must deal with the police, hired assassins, flamethrowers, and their own tumultuous relationship.

Zookeeper
The animals at the Franklin Park Zoo love their kindhearted caretaker, Griffin Keyes. Finding himself more comfortable with a lion than a lady, Griffin decides the only way to get a girl in his life is to leave the zoo and find a more glamorous job. The animals, in a panic, decide to break their time-honored code of silence and reveal their biggest secret: they can talk! To keep Griffin from leaving, they decide to teach him the rules of courtship, animal style.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

New this week:

Beginners
A young man is rocked by two announcements from his elderly father: that he has terminal cancer, and that he has a young male lover. “A buoyant and disarming drama about sons and fathers, death and dying, living and loving and all the ways we find ourselves starting over, hoping to finally get it right.“—Los Angeles Times

Change-Up
Growing up together, Mitch and Dave were inseparable best friends, but slowly drifted apart. While Dave is an overworked lawyer, husband and father of three, Mitch has remained a single, quasi-employed man-child. Both guys seem to think the other has it made. Following a drunken night out together, Mitch and Dave's worlds are turned upside down when they wake up in each other's bodies. The guys soon discover that each other's lives are nowhere near as rosy as they once seemed.

Larry Crowne
When he suddenly finds himself without his long-standing blue-collar job, Larry Crowne enrolls at his local college to start over. There, he becomes part of an eclectic community of students and develops a crush on his teacher. Now this simple guy will discover that when you think everything worth having has passed you by, you just might find your reason to live.

Shunning
As Katie Lapp struggles with the rules that define her Amish community, a woman comes to Lancaster County hoping to find the daughter she gave up for adoption nineteen years ago.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

New this week: (11/10/11)

Life in a Day
Were you one of the more than 80,000 people around the globe who were uploading their personal video of what happened in their lives on July 24th, 2010? Directed by Kevin MacDonald and produced by Ridley Scott, these two filmmakers sifted through over 4,500 hours of footage to create one incredible motion picture event. Created entirely from footage uploaded by YouTube users, 'Life in a Day' is a film first: exhilarating, moving and very, very funny-it is the story of our world.

Pirates of the Caribbean, On Stranger Tides
A tale of truth, betrayal, youth, demise, and mermaids! When Jack crosses paths with a woman from his past, he's not sure if it's love, or if she's a ruthless con artist using him to find the fabled Fountain of Youth. Forced aboard the ship of the most feared pirate ever, Jack doesn't know who to fear more, Blackbeard or the woman from his past.

Sunday, November 13, 2011

New 11/3/11:

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
Centuries ago, two 'sworn sisters' are isolated by their families, but stay connected through a secret language written in the folds of a white silk fan. Now in modern-day Shanghai, their descendents must draw inspiration from the past as they struggle to maintain their own eternal bond in the face of life's complications. What unfolds are two stories, generations apart, but everlasting in their universal notion of love, hope and friendship.

Trespass
A husband and wife are kidnapped by extortionists and held for ransom. As the situation gets worse and the pressure gets higher, they begin to uncover a web of deceit and betrayal.

Water for Elephants
Against all odds, a veterinary student and a beautiful circus performer from a bygone era meet and fall in love through their shared compassion for a special elephant. But their secret romance incurs the wrath of her dangerously volatile husband.

Zookeeper
A city zoo in an eastern European country is abandoned when war ravages the city. Ludovic, a cynical ex-communist with a troubled past, and the vet decide to stay and take care of the animals despite the bombing and lack of supplies. Partisans soon take the Indian vet away, leaving Ludovic alone to take care of the animals. That is, until he discovers a wounded 10-year old boy hiding in the compound.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

New This Week: (10/26/11)

Buck
"... a richly textured and visually stunning film, [Buck] follows Buck Brannaman from his abusive childhood to his phenomenally successful approach to horses. A real-life 'horse-whisperer', he eschews the violence of his upbringing and teaches people to communicate with their horses through leadership and sensitivity, not punishment. Buck possesses near magical abilities as he dramatically transforms horses - and people - with his understanding, compassion and respect."

Captain America: the First Avenger
After being deemed unfit for military service, Steve Rogers volunteers to participate in an experimental program that turns him into Captain America, a Super Soldier. Now, as Captain America, Rogers joins forces with Bucky Barnes and Peggy Carter to wage war on the evil HYDRA organization, led by the villainous Red Skull.

Horrible Bosses
For Nick, Kurt and Dale, the only thing that would make the daily grind more tolerable would be to grind their intolerable bosses into dust. Quitting is not an option, so, with the benefit of a few-too-many drinks and some dubious advice from a hustling ex-con, the three friends devise a convoluted and seemingly foolproof plan to rid themselves of their respective employers, permanently. There's only one problem: even the best laid plans are only as foolproof as the brains behind them.

The Hour
This BBC mini-series is a behind-the-scenes drama and espionage thriller in Cold War-era England that centers on a journalist, a producer, and an anchorman for an investigative news program.