Movies in Theaters This Friday, December 14, 2012: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Stand Up Guys, Save The Date, and More
Last week was kind of a down week (yes, you could call it a “weak week”), especially when you consider the month-old Skyfall (yes, a great movie) took the box office prize. Still, though, this can be blamed on our hairy-footed hobbit friends that will be gracing thousands of theaters this weekend.
Starting last night at midnight (where I was seeing it), Peter Jackson’s hotly-anticipated prequel to the Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey kicked off the next trilogy. These films are based on the popular J.R.R. Tolkien novel The Hobbit. Not only is it piggy-backing off the Lord of the Rings success, but The Hobbit is the first major movie to use a higher frame rate (48 fps), so some audiences will be in for a visual treat.
There are other options, though, because Stand Up Guys, starring Al Pacino, Christopher Walken, and Alan Arkin releases in N.Y. and L.A. (likely to get awards consideration) before general audiences get it in February.
The other notable movie is the theater release of Save The Date, which was previously available On Demand.
Finally, Any Day Now and Let Fury Have The Hour have limited releases as well. Hyde Park on Hudson expands this weekend, too, and you can read my review here.
Like always, enjoy your weekend!
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
The adventure follows the journey of title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the fearsome dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakenshield. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Sorcerers.
Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain, first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever…Gollum.
Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of ingenuity and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum’s “precious” ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities… A simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know.
Winner of 10 Audience Awards at film festivals around the country and starring the amazing Alan Cumming, ANY DAY NOW is a powerful tale of love, acceptance and family. When a teenager with Down syndrome (Isaac Leyva) is abandoned by his mother, a gay couple (Alan Cumming and Garret Dillahunt) takes him in and becomes the loving family he’s never had. But when their unconventional living arrangement is discovered by authorities, the men are forced to fight a biased legal system to save the life of the child they have come to love as their own. Inspired by a true story from the late 1970s, ANY DAY NOW touches on legal and social issues that are as relevant today as they were 35 years ago.
Let The Fury Have The Hour
Rough, raw and unapologetically inspirational, LET FURY HAVE THE HOUR is a charged journey into the heart of the creative counter-culture in 2012. In a time of global challenges, big questions and by-the-numbers politics, this upbeat, outspoken film tracks the story of the artists, writers, thinkers and musicians who have gone underground to re-imagine the world – honing in on equality, community and engaged creativity – in exuberantly paradigm-busting ways.
Writer/director Antonino D’Ambrosio unites 50 powerful, of-the-moment voices –from street artist Shepard Fairey to rapper Chuck D to playwright Eve Ensler to musicians Tom Morello and Billy Bragg to novelist Edwidge Danticat to filmmaker John Sayles to comic Lewis Black – who share personal and powerful tales of how they transformed anger and angst into provocative art and ideas. Mix-mastered with historical footage, animation and performances, D’Ambrosio presents a visceral portrait of a generation looking to re-jigger a system that has failed to address the most pressing problems of our times . . . or human potential.
In the Michael Mohan-directed film, fiercely independent Sarah (Caplan) breaks up with her overeager boyfriend Kevin (Arend) and finds herself caught-up in an intense rebound relationship with new infatuation Jonathan (Webber). Always one to give life advice is Sarah’s sister Beth (Brie), who is diligently planning her upcoming wedding to apprehensive fiancé – and Kevin’s band mate – Andrew (Starr). With heart and humor, all five struggle with the trials, happiness, and pain of modern love. Simple and honest and always human, “Save the Date” is a contemporary story about the familial and romantic bonds that make us who we are.
STAND UP GUYS stars Academy Award (R) winners Al Pacino, Christopher Walken and Alan Arkin in a tough but touching action comedy as retired gangsters who reunite for one epic last night.
VAL (Al Pacino) is released from prison after serving twenty-eight years for refusing to give up one of his close criminal associates. His best friend DOC (Christopher Walken) is there to pick him up, and the two soon reteam with another old pal, HIRSCH (Alan Arkin). THeir bond is as strong as ever, and the three reflect on freedom lost and gained, loyalties ebbed and flowed, and the days of glory gone by. And despite their age, their capacity for mayhem is still very much alive and well – bullets fly as they make a hilariously valiant effort to compensate for the decades of crime, drugs and sex they’ve missed.
But one of the friends is keeping a dangerous secret – he’s been put in an impossible quandary by a former mob boss, and his time to find an acceptable alternative is running out. As the sun rises on the guys’ legendary reunion, their position becomes more and more desperate and they finally confront their past once and for all.
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