In Cinemas this week (18 – 19 April)

Transcendence

Dr. Will Caster is the foremost researcher in the field of Artificial Intelligence, working to create a sentient machine that combines the collective intelligence of everything ever known with the full range of human emotions. His highly controversial experiments have made him famous, but they have also made him the prime target of anti-technology extremists who will do whatever it takes to stop him. However, in their attempt to destroy Will, they inadvertently become the catalyst for him to succeed – to be a participant in his own transcendence. For his wife Evelyn and best friend Max Waters, both fellow researchers, the question is not if they can… but if they should. Their worst fears are realized as Will’s thirst for knowledge evolves into a seemingly omnipresent quest for power, to what end is unknown. The only thing that is becoming terrifyingly clear is there may be no way to stop him.

Cast:
Johnny Depp (Will Caster)
Rebecca Hall (Evelyn Caster)
Morgan Freeman (Joseph Tagger)
Paul Bettany (Max Waters)

Director: Wally Pfister
Writer: Jack Paglen
Runtime: 119 min
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Rating: 12
Language: English
Production Year: 2014

Non-Stop

Bill Marks is a former cop who after dealing with his daughter’s death by drinking, is now an air marshal. While on a flight from London to New York, Marks gets a text telling him that unless 150 million dollars is deposited to an off shore account within 20 minutes someone will die.

Cast:
Liam Neeson (Bill Marks)
Julianne Moore (Jen Summers)
Scoot McNairy (Tom Bowen)
Michelle Dockery (Nancy)

Director: Jaume Collet-Serra
Writer: John W. Richardson, Christopher Roach
Runtime: 106 min
Genre: Action, Mystery, Thriller
Rating: 15
Language: English
Production Year: 2014

Rio 2

It’s a jungle out there for Blu, Jewel and their three kids after they’re hurtled Rio de Janeiro to the wilds of the Amazon. As Blu tries to fit in, he goes beak-to-beak with the vengeful Nigel, and meets the most fearsome adversary of all: his father-in-law.

Cast:
Jesse Eisenberg/Dimitris Papadatos (Blu)
Anne Hathaway/Marina Tsigonaki (Jewel)
Jemaine Clement/Thanassis Kourlambas (Nigel)
Jamie Foxx/Fotis Petridis (Nico)

Director: Carlos Saldanha
Writer: Don Rhymer, Carlos Saldanha
Runtime: 101 min
Genre: Animation
Rating: K
Language: English/Greek
Production Year: 2014

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

After the cataclysmic events in New York with The Avengers, Steve Rogers, a.k.a. Captain America, lives quietly in Washington, D.C. and tries to adjust to the modern world. But when a S.H.I.E.L.D. colleague comes under attack, Steve becomes embroiled in a web of intrigue that threatens to put the world at risk. Joining forces with the Black Widow, Captain America struggles to expose the ever-widening conspiracy while fighting off professional assassins sent to silence him at every turn. When the full scope of the villainous plot is revealed, Captain America and the Black Widow enlist the help of a new ally, the Falcon. However, they soon find themselves up against an unexpected and formidable enemy – the Winter Soldier.

Cast:
Chris Evans (Steve Rogers / Captain America)
Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury)
Scarlett Johansson (Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow)
Robert Redford (Alexander Pierce)

Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Writer: Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely
Runtime: 136 min
Genre: Adventure, Action
Rating: 12
Language: English
Production Year: 2014

Her

Theodore is a lonely man in the final stages of his divorce. When he’s not working as a letter writer, his down time is spent playing video games and occasionally hanging out with friends. He decides to purchase the new OS1, which is advertised as the world’s first artificially intelligent operating system, “It’s not just an operating system, it’s a consciousness,” the ad states. Theodore quickly finds himself drawn in with Samantha, the voice behind his OS1. As they start spending time together they grow closer and closer and eventually find themselves in love. Having fallen in love with his OS, Theodore finds himself dealing with feelings of both great joy and doubt. As an OS, Samantha has powerful intelligence that she uses to help Theodore in ways others hadn’t, but how does she help him deal with his inner conflict of being in love with an OS?

Cast:
Joaquin Phoenix (Theodore)
Amy Adams (Amy)
Scarlett Johansson (Samantha – voice)
Rooney Mara (Catherine)

Director: Spike Jonze
Writer: Spike Jonze
Runtime: 126 min
Genre: Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi
Rating: 15
Language: English
Production Year: 2013

Little Odysseus and the Cyclops

The main character is a boy of 11 named Odysseus, who lives in Nicosia. When he visits the Archaological Museum with his class he is impressed by a statue of a cyclops – a one-eyed giant from Greek mythology – and buys a small replica of it to take home. That night he dreams that he is the ancient hero Odysseus, leaving Troy, and being caught in a storm at sea with his followers – who are in fact his classmates Sophocles and Chloe. They land on an island and start to explore. When they enter a dark cave they are confronted by a gigantic Cyclops. Just as the Cyclops reaches down to scoop them up in his huge hand Odysseus wakes up. The next day Sophocles and Chloe come to Odysseus’ house to play. When Odysseus paints a coloured eye on the little white statue of the Cyclops it comes to life… not the fierce cyclops of his dream but a friendly innocent who wants to play with the children – and who leads them into many adventures.

Cast:
Christos Michaelides
Dina Kapitsi
Christos Margadjis
Andreas Nikolaides

Director: Michael Papas
Writer: Michael Papas
Runtime: 90 min
Genre: Adventure
Rating: K
Language: Greek
Production Year: 2014

Noah

A man is chosen by God to undertake a momentous mission of rescue before an apocalyptic flood destroys the world.

Cast:
Russell Crowe (Noah)
Jennifer Connelly (Naameh)
Anthony Hopkins (Methuselah)
Emma Watson (Ila)

Director: Darren Aronofsky
Writer: Darren Aronofsky, Ari Handel
Runtime: 138 min
Genre: Adventure, Drama
Rating: 12
Language: English
Production Year: 2014

Divergent

Set in a futuristic dystopia where society is divided into five factions that each represent a different virtue, teenagers have to decide if they want to stay in their faction or switch to another – for the rest of their lives. Tris Prior makes a choice that surprises everyone. Then Tris and her fellow faction-members have to live through a highly competitive initiation process to live out the choice they have made. They must undergo extreme physical and intense psychological tests, that transform them all. But Tris has a secret that she is Divergent, which means she doesn’t fit into any one group. If anyone knew, it would mean a certain death. As she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, this secret might help her save the people she loves… or it might destroy her.

Cast:
Shailene Woodley (Tris)
Theo James (Four)
Ashley Judd (Natalie)
Kate Winslet (Jeanine)

Director: Neil Burger
Writer: Evan Daugherty, Vanessa Taylor
Runtime: 139 min
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Rating: 12
Language: English
Production Year: 2014

The Bird of Cyprus (Το Πουλί της Κύπρου)

The film deals with the financial crisis through a very exciting, yet hilarious perspective. The kidnapping of a popular Greek actor in Athens, the adventurous wanderings in the Mediterranean, the unexpected arrest by the Turks and the venture to realize a bold dream are just some of the elements that give tremendous momentum to the plot of the movie.

Cast:
Lenia Sorokou
Antonis Katsaris
Krateros Katsoulis
Fotis Georgidis

Director: Nicholas Koumides
Writer: Loris Loizides
Genre: Comedy
Rating: 12
Language: Greek
Production Year: 2014

Need for Speed

Fresh from prison, a street racer who was framed by a wealthy business associate joins a cross country race with revenge in mind. His ex-partner, learning of the plan, places a massive bounty on his head as the race begins.

Cast:
Aaron Paul (Tobey Marshall)
Dominic Cooper (Dino Brewster)
Scott Mescudi (Benny)
Imogen Poots (Julia Maddon)

Director: Scott Waugh
Writer: George Gatins
Runtime: 132 min
Genre: Action, Crime
Rating: 15
Language: English
Production Year: 2014

The Lego Movie (Greek)

The LEGO Movie is a 3D animated film which follows lead character, Emmet a completely ordinary LEGO mini-figure who is identified as the most “extraordinary person” and the key to saving the Lego universe. Emmet and his friends go on an epic journey to stop the evil tyrant, Lord Business. In Greek dubbed by Stavros Sioulis, Tanya Paleologou, Dinos Soutis, Konstantinos Kakouris

Cast:
Will Arnett (Batman / Bruce Wayne)
Elizabeth Banks (Wyldstyle / Lucy)
Will Ferrell (Lord Business)
Morgan Freeman (Vitruvius)

Director: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller
Writer: Dan Hageman, Kevin Hageman
Runtime: 100 min
Genre: Animation
Rating: K
Language: Greek
Production Year: 2014

Mr. Peabody & Sherman (Greek)

Mr. Peabody is a business titan, inventor, scientist, gourmand, two-time Olympic medalist and genius… who also happens to be a dog. Using his most ingenious invention, the WABAC machine, Mr. Peabody and his adopted boy Sherman hurtle back in time to experience world-changing events first-hand and interact with some of the greatest characters of all time. But when Sherman breaks the rules of time travel, our two heroes find themselves in a race to repair history and save the future, while Mr. Peabody may face his biggest challenge yet – being a parent.

Cast:
Ty Burrell/Christodoulos Stylianou (Mr. Peabody)
Max Charles/Arsenios Chalkiopoulos (Sherman)
Stephen Colbert/Thanassis Kourlambas (Paul Peterson)
Leslie Mann/Maria Zervou (Patty Peterson)

Director: Rob Minkoff
Writer: Jay Ward, Craig Wright
Runtime: 92 min
Genre: Animation
Rating: K
Language: Greek
Production Year: 2014

Barbie: The Pearl Princess (Greek)

This is the tale of a young mermaid who is being raised by her aunt. This young mermaid has the power to control pearls and make beautiful magic with them. One day her Aunt is called upon by a member of the royal family to help out at the official passing of the crown from the king and queen to the young prince since the death of the young princess. When the young mermaids aunt forgets her invitation to the royal party, the young mermaid takes off to give her the important paper. Along the way our new mermaid friend meets new friends and unknowing to her is part of a long lost secret and scandal that happened when she was just a baby.

Director: Terry Klassen
Writer: Cydne Clark, Steve Granat
Runtime: 73 min
Genre: Animation
Rating: K
Language: Greek
Production Year: 2014

The Book Thief

Based on the beloved international bestselling book, The Book Thief tells the story of an extraordinary, spirited young girl sent to live with a foster family in WWII Germany. Intrigued by the only book she brought with her, she begins collecting books as she finds them. With the help of her new parents and a secret guest under the stairs, she learns to read and creates a magical world that inspires them all.

Cast:
Geoffrey Rush (Hans)
Sophie Nélisse (Liesel)
Emily Watson (Rosa)
Nico Liersch (Rudy)

Director: Brian Percival
Writer: Markus Zusak, Michael Petroni
Runtime: 131 min
Genre: Drama
Rating: K
Language: English
Production Year: 2013

Turbo (Greek)

Theo, a.k.a Turbo, is a garden snail who dreams of being the greatest racer in the world, just like his hero, 5-time Indianapolis 500 champ, Guy Gagne. His obsession with speed and all things fast has made him an oddity and an outsider in the slow and cautious snail community, and a constant embarrassment to his cautious older brother, Chet. Turbo desperately wishes he could escape the slow-paced life he’s living, but his one chance to live proves a near fatal disaster. Demoralized Theo wanders onto a freeway to admire the traffic and gets into a freak accident when he gets sucked into the supercharger of a drag racer, fusing his DNA with nitrous oxide on a street race.

Cast:
Yiorgos Skoufis
Antinoos Albanis
Yiannis Stefopoulos
Fotis Petridis

Director: David Soren
Writer: Darren Lemke, Robert D. Siegel
Runtime: 96 min
Genre: Animation
Rating: K
Language: Greek
Production Year: 2013