In Cinemas this week (9 – 15 October)

Halloween II

It is that time of year again, and Michael Myers has returned home to sleepy Haddonfield, Illinois to take care of some unfinished family business. Unleashing a trail of terror that. Myers will stop at nothing to bring closure to the secrets of his twisted past. But the town’s got an unlikely new hero, if they can only stay alive long enough to stop the unstoppable.

Cast:
Sheri Moon Zombie (Deborah Myers)
Chase Wright Vanek (Young Michael)
Scout Taylor-Compton (Laurie Strode)
Brad Dourif (Sheriff Lee Brackett)

Director: Rob Zombie
Writer: Rob Zombie
Runtime: 105 min
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Rating: 18
Language: English
Production Year: 2009

Orphan

The tragic loss of their unborn child has devastated Kate and John, taking a toll on both their marriage and Kate’s fragile psyche as she is plagued by nightmares and haunted by demons from her past. Struggling to regain some semblance of normalcy in their lives, the couple decides to adopt another child. At the local orphanage, both John and Kate find themselves strangely drawn to a young girl named Esther. Almost as soon as they welcome Esther into their home, however, an alarming series of events begins to unfold, leading Kate to believe that there’s something wrong with Esther–this seemingly angelic little girl is not what she appears to be. Concerned for the safety of her family, Kate tries to get John and others to see past Esther’s sweet facade. But her warnings go unheeded until it may be too late-for everyone.

Cast:
Vera Farmiga (Kate Coleman)
Peter Sarsgaard (John Coleman)
Isabelle Fuhrman (Esther)
Jimmy Bennett (Daniel Coleman)

Director: Jaume Collet-Serra
Writer: David Johnson, Alex Mace
Runtime: 123 min
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Rating: 18
Language: English
Production Year: 2009

The Ugly Truth

A romantically challenged morning show producer is reluctantly embroiled in a series of outrageous tests by her chauvinistic correspondent to prove his theories on relationships and help her find love. His clever ploys, however, lead to an unexpected result.

Cast:
Katherine Heigl (Abby Richter)
Gerard Butler (Mike Chadway)
Bree Turner (Joy)
Eric Winter (Colin)

Director: Robert Luketic
Writer: Nicole Eastman, Karen McCullah Lutz
Runtime: 96 min
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Rating: 15
Language: English
Production Year: 2009

Inglourious Basterds

In Nazi occupied France, young Jewish refugee Shosanna Dreyfus witnesses the slaughter of her family by Colonel Hans Landa. Narrowly escaping with her life, she plots her revenge several years later when German war hero Fredrick Zoller takes a rapid interest in her and arranges an illustrious movie premiere at the theater she now runs. With the promise of every major Nazi officer in attendance, the event catches the attention of the “Basterds”, a group of Jewish-American guerilla soldiers led by the ruthless Lt. Aldo Raine. As the relentless executioners advance and the conspiring young girl’s plans are set in motion, their paths will cross for a fateful evening that will shake the very annals of history.

Cast:
Brad Pitt (Lt. Aldo Raine)
Mélanie Laurent (Shosanna Dreyfus)
Christoph Waltz (Col. Hans Landa)
Diane Kruger (Bridget von Hammersmark)

Director: Quentin Tarantino
Writer: Quentin Tarantino
Runtime: 153 min
Genre: Drama, War
Rating: 18
Language: English
Production Year: 2009

I Hate Valentine’s Day

As the owner of the Brooklyn florist Roses for Romance, Genevieve should welcome the love-centric holiday. But heartache has kept her from serious relationships, and she has obeyed her romance rule: never go on more than five dates. New restaurateur Greg can’t follow any rules when it comes to dating–he doesn’t know how male-female relationships are supposed to work, so he stays unmarried. When the two pair up, they try to stick to Genevieve’s five-date mandate, but they didn’t count on love entering the equation.

Cast:
Nia Vardalos (Genevieve Gernier)
John Corbett (Greg Gatlin)
Stephen Guarino (Bill)
Zoe Kazan (Tammy Greenwood)

Director: Nia Vardalos
Writer: Nia Vardalos
Runtime: 98 min
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Rating: K
Language: English
Production Year: 2009

G-Force (Greek)

A group of guinea pigs trained by the government to work in espionage, armed with the latest high-tech spy equipment, soon discovers that the fate of the world is in their paws. The team takes on a mission for the US government to stop evil billionaire Leonard Saber, who plans to destroy the world with household appliances. Tapped for the G-Force are guinea pigs Darwin the squad leader determined to succeed at all costs; Blaster, an outrageous weapons expert with tons of attitude and a love for all things extreme; and Juarez a sexy martial arts pro; plus the literal fly-on-the-wall reconnaissance expert, Mooch, and a star-nosed mole, Speckles, the computer and information specialist. Along the way, the G-Force encounters myriad other members of the animal kingdom, including pet shop layabout Hurley and the rabidly territorial hamster Bucky.

Voices:
Zeta Makripoulia
Giorgos Karamichos

Director: Hoyt Yeatman
Writer: Cormac Wibberley, Marianne Wibberley
Runtime: 88 min
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Rating: K
Language: Greek
Production Year: 2009

The Other Man

Peter and Lisa have been married for 30 years. He is a successful web designer, and she is a top-fashion shoe designer. After Peter hears a phone message to Lisa from another man, he realizes that she may be having an affair. Soon he finds out about Lisa’s lover, Ralph. Peter loses all in interest in life other than to pursue the new lovers and hopefully confront them. Unfortunately, by now his wife has disappeared. Peter is determined to not only track them down, but to exact his revenge. However, he soon discovers a maze of secrets about his wife that had been long hidden from him.

Cast:
Antonio Banderas (Ralph)
Liam Neeson (Peter)
Laura Linney (Lisa)
Romola Garai (Abigail)

Director: Richard Eyre
Writer: Richard Eyre
Runtime: 85 min
Genre: Drama
Rating: 12
Language: English
Production Year: 2008

Aliens in the Attic

After the Pearson family arrive at their dream vacation house in Michigan, the children discover a friendly alien living in their attic. However, he lives with three other aliens that are attempting to rule the universe. The children in the Pearson family have to defend their vacation house. At the same time, the youngsters work hard to keep their parents in the dark about the battle upstairs.

Cast:
Carter Jenkins (Tom Pearson)
Ashley Tisdale (Bethany Pearson)
Robert Hoffman (Ricky Dillman)
Austin Robert Butler (Jake Pearson)

Director: John Schultz
Writer: Mark Burton, Adam F. Goldberg
Runtime: 86 min
Genre: Adventure, Fantasy
Rating: Κ
Language: English
Production Year: 2009

Love Happens

Dr. Burke Ryan is on the precipice of a major multimedia deal, but the therapist who asks his patients to openly confront their pain is secretly unable to take his own advice. Eloise Chandler has sworn off men and decided to focus on her floral business. However, when she meets Burke at the hotel where he’s speaking, there is an instant attraction. But will two people who have met the right person at exactly the wrong time be able to give love another chance? As each struggles with the hurt of love and loss, they realize that in order to move forward, they need to let go of the past.

Cast:
Aaron Eckhart (Burke)
Jennifer Aniston (Eloise)
Martin Sheen (Burke’s Father-in-Law)
Judy Greer (Marty)

Director: Brandon Camp
Writer: Brandon Camp, Mike Thompson
Runtime: 109 min
Genre: Drama, Romance
Rating: K
Language: English
Production Year: 2009

Funny People

George is a very successful stand up comedian who learns that he has an untreatable blood disorder and is given less than a year to live. Ira is a struggling up-and-coming stand up comedian who works at a deli and has yet to figure out his onstage persona. One night, these two perform at the same club and George takes notice of Ira. George hires Ira to be his semi-personal assistant as well as his friend.

Cast:
Adam Sandler (George Simmons)
Seth Rogen (Ira Wright)
Leslie Mann (Laura)
Eric Bana (Clarke)

Director: Judd Apatow
Writer: Judd Apatow
Runtime: 146 min
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Rating: 15
Language: English
Production Year: 2009

Gamer

Set in a future-world where humans can control other humans in mass-scale, multi-player online gaming environments, a star player from a game called “Slayers” looks to regain his independence while taking down the game’s mastermind.

Cast:
Gerard Butler (Kable)
Amber Valletta (Angie)
Michael C. Hall (Ken Castle)
Kyra Sedgwick (Gina Parker Smith)

Director: Mark Neveldine, Brian Taylor
Writer: Mark Neveldine, Brian Taylor
Runtime: 95 min
Genre: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Rating: 18
Language: English
Production Year: 2009

Up (English)

By tying thousands of balloons to his home, 78-year-old Carl Fredricksen sets out to fulfill his lifelong dream to see the wilds of South America. Right after lifting off, however, he learns he isn’t alone on his journey, since Russell, a wilderness explorer 70 years his junior, has inadvertently become a stowaway on the trip.

Voices:
Edward Asner (Carl Fredricksen)
Christopher Plummer (Charles Muntz)
Jordan Nagai (Russell)
Bob Peterson (Dug / Alpha)

Director: Pete Docter, Bob Peterson
Writer: Bob Peterson, Pete Docter
Runtime: 96 min
Genre: Animation, Action, Comedy
Rating: K
Language: English
Production Year: 2009

Up (Greek)

By tying thousands of balloons to his home, 78-year-old Carl Fredricksen sets out to fulfill his lifelong dream to see the wilds of South America. Right after lifting off, however, he learns he isn’t alone on his journey, since Russell, a wilderness explorer 70 years his junior, has inadvertently become a stowaway on the trip.

Voices:
Costas Voutsas
Giorgos Constantinou
Giorgos Kapoutzides
Thanasis Tsaltampasis

Director: Pete Docter, Bob Peterson
Writer: Bob Peterson, Pete Docter
Runtime: 96 min
Genre: Animation, Action, Comedy
Rating: K
Language: Greek
Production Year: 2009

Public Enemies

The difficult 1930s is a time of robbers who knock over banks and other rich targets with alarming frequency. Of them, none is more notorious than John Dillinger, whose gang plies its trade with cunning efficiency against big businesses while leaving ordinary citizens alone. As Dillinger becomes a folk hero, FBI head J. Edger Hoover is determined to stop his ilk by assigning ace agent Melvin Purvis to hunt down Dillinger. As Purvis struggles with the manhunt’s realities, Dillinger himself faces an ominous future with the loss of friends, dwindling options and a changing world of organized crime with no room for him.

Cast:
Johnny Depp (John Dillinger)
Christian Bale (Melvin Purvis)
Jason Clarke (John ‘Red’ Hamilton)
Marion Cotillard (Billie Frechette)

Director: Michael Mann
Writer: Ronan Bennett, Michael Mann
Runtime: 140 min
Genre: Crime, Drama, History
Rating: 15
Language: English
Production Year: 2009

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra

From the Egyptian desert to deep below the polar ice caps, the elite G.I. JOE team uses the latest in next-generation spy and military equipment to fight the corrupt arms dealer Destro and the growing threat of the mysterious Cobra organization to prevent them from plunging the world into chaos.

Cast:
Dennis Quaid (General Hawk)
Sienna Miller (Ana / Baroness)
Channing Tatum (Duke)
Christopher Eccleston (McCullen / Destro)

Director: Stephen Sommers
Writer: Stuart Beattie, David Elliot
Runtime: 118 min
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Rating: 15
Language: English
Production Year: 2009

Fly Me to the Moon 3D

A preteen-aged fly named Nat and his two best friends, I.Q. and Scooter, build a “fly-sized” rocket in a field across from Cape Canaveral, Florida, where the Apollo 11 sits on its launch pad. From his earliest memory, Nat remembers his grandfather, Amos, telling him of his daring rescue of Amelia Earhart as she crossed the Atlantic Ocean on her historic flight. Wanting to be an adventurer like his Grandpa, Nat knows what he has to do. Defying the notion that “Dreamers get swatted!” he tells his friends his plan to get aboard the Apollo 11 and go to the moon.

Director: Ben Stassen
Writer: Domonic Paris
Runtime: 84 min
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Family
Rating: K
Language: Greek
Production Year: 2008