In Cinemas this week (20 Feb. – 26 Feb.)

Valkyrie

At the height of WW2, a group of high-ranking German officers hatched a plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler, and seize power of the military command in order to end the war. The operation was codenamed “Valkyrie”, for the emergency plan that was meant to be used in case of a revolt against the Nazi government. This plan had been modified by the conspirators to ensure their success, but for various reasons the plot failed when finally carried out on 20 July 1944.

Cast:
Tom Cruise (Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg)
Kenneth Branagh (Major-General Henning von Tresckow)
Bill Nighy (General Friedrich Olbricht)
Tom Wilkinson (General Friedrich Fromm)

Director: Bryan Singer
Writer: Christopher McQuarrie, Nathan Alexander
Runtime: 121 min
Genre: Drama, History, Thriller
Rating: 12
Language: English
Production Year: 2008

Revolutionary Road

It’s 1955. Frank and April Wheeler, in the seventh year of their marriage, have fallen into a life that appears to most as being perfect. They live in the Connecticut suburbs with two young children. Frank commutes to New York City where he works in an office job while April stays at home as a housewife. But they’re not happy. April has forgone her dream of becoming an actress, and Frank hates his job – one where he places little effort – although he has never figured out what his passion in life is. One day, April suggests that they move to Paris – a city where Frank visited during the war and loved, but where April has never been – as a means to rejuvenate their life.

Cast:
Leonardo DiCaprio (Frank Wheeler)
Kate Winslet (April Wheeler)
Michael Shannon (John Givings)
Ryan Simpkins (Jennifer Wheeler)

Director: Sam Mendes
Writer: Justin Haythe, Richard Yates
Runtime: 119 min
Genre: Drama, Romance
Rating: 15
Language: English
Production Year: 2008

Everything will be OK (Όλα Θα Πάνε Καλά)

Miltiadis, convinces his fiance, Tzina, and her secret lover, Fanis, to kidnap someone for ransom. Their plan fails when instead of kidnapping a corrupted hot-shot lawyer, Yioti Mathiopoulo, they kidnap… his aunt Elenitsa. Now, they will face a hilarious situation, since their victim is no ordinary one…

Cast:
Efi Papatheodorou (Elenitsa)
Orfeas Avgoustidis (Fanis)
Akis Sakellariou (Miltiadis)
Faye Xila (Tzina)

Director: Yannis Xanthopoulos
Writer: Yannis Xanthopoulos
Runtime: 95 min
Genre: Comedy
Rating: K
Language:Greek
Production Year: 2009

The Pink Panther 2

Inspector Jacques Clouseau, the legendary French Officer of the Law, who single-handedly saved the priceless Pink Panther Diamond, has been working outside the museum where the diamond is on display writing parking tickets for the last 6 months. Chief Inspector Dreyfus assigned this duty to his bumbling and inept police officer to get him out of his hair. Recently, treasures from around the world have been stolen by the Tornado, and an international dream team of detectives is being assembled to capture him. Chief Inspector Dreyfus is ordered to assign Clouseau to the dream team. As soon as Clouseau joins the team, the Pink Panther Diamond is stolen by the Tornado. Now Clouseau must not only capture the Tornado, but save the diamond again.

Cast:
Steve Martin (Insp. Jacques Clouseau)
Jean Reno (Ponton)
John Cleese (Chief Inspector Dreyfus)
Andy Garcia (Vicenzo)
Alfred Molina (Pepperidge)

Director: Harald Zwart
Writer: Scott Neustadter, Michael H. Weber
Runtime: 92 min
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Family
Rating: K
Language: English
Production Year: 2009

Friday 13th

Clay Miller travels to Crystal Lake, the last known location that his missing sister Whitney was seen. The police have searched with no luck, and Clay is searching alone. Local citizens have advised Clay not to go into those woods, because anyone who shows up missing is already dead, and he is wasting his time. During the search, Clay meets a group of thrill-seeking college students who have just arrived at Crystal Lake for a weekend of sex, booze and pot smoking. One of the students, Jenna decides to help Clay find his sister, and they go into the woods. They find the abandoned Camp Crystal Lake and search the dilapidated camp house for any signs of his sister. They soon see why people don’t come to these woods, because they encounter the evil and psychopathic killer, Jason Voorhees.

Cast:
Jared Padalecki (Clay Miller)
Danielle Panabaker (Jenna)
Amanda Righetti (Whitney Miller)
Derek Mears (Jason Voorhees)

Director: Marcus Nispel
Writer: Damian Shannon, Mark Swift
Runtime: 97 min
Genre: Horror
Rating: 18
Language: English
Production Year: 2009

Vicky Christina Barcelona

Two girlfriends Vicky and Christina visit Barcelona for their summer. Vicky is practical and traditional in her approach to love and commitment, and is engaged to the reliable but unromantic Doug. Cristina, on the other hand, is spontaneous and unsure of what she wants in life. She is just out of a relationship and wants to get over the bad time she had making a 12-minute film about Love. At an art exhibition, they notice the artist Juan Antonio. They both become enamored with him, unaware that his ex-wife, Maria Elena, with whom he has a tempestuous relationship, is about to re-enter the picture.

Cast:
Scarlett Johansson (Cristina)
Penélope Cruz (Maria Elena)
Javier Bardem (Juan Antonio)
Rebecca Hall (Vicky)

Director: Woody Allen
Writer: Woody Allen
Runtime: 93 min
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Rating: 12
Language: English, Spanish
Production Year: 2008

Bride Wars

Emma and Liv are best friends who have planned every detail of their weddings since childhood. At the top of their bridal “must have” list: a ceremony at New York’s ultimate bridal destination, the Plaza Hotel. Now, at age 26, they’re both about to get married, they’re about to realize their dreams, and they’re about to live happily ever after. Or maybe not. When a clerical error causes a clash in wedding dates – they’re now to be married on the same day! – Liv, Emma and their lifelong friendship are put to the ultimate test.

Cast:
Kate Hudson (Liv)
Anne Hathaway (Emma)
Bryan Greenberg (Nate)
Chris Pratt (Fletcher)

Director: Gary Winick
Writer: Greg DePaul, Casey Wilson
Runtime: 89 min
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Rating: K
Language: English
Production Year: 2009

Bolt (Greek)

Bolt, an American White Shepherd, has lived his whole life on the set of his action TV show, where he believes he has superpowers. When separated from the studio by accident, he meets a female alley cat named Mittens and a hamster named Rhino. Along the way, he learns that he doesn’t have superpowers and that the show is not real.

Voices:
Katerina Tsavalou
Demetris Starovas
Smaragda Karidi
Chris William

Director: Byron Howard, Chris Williams
Writer: Dan Fogelman, Chris Williams
Runtime: 103 min
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Family
Rating: K
Language:Greek
Production Year: 2008

Nights in Rodanthe

Adrienne Willis, a woman with her life in chaos, retreats to the tiny coastal town of Rodanthe, in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, to tend to a friend’s inn for the weekend. Here she hopes to find the tranquility she so desperately needs to rethink the conflicts surrounding her — a wayward husband who has asked to come home, and a teen-aged daughter who resents her every decision. Almost as soon as Adrienne gets to Rodanthe, a major storm is forecast and a guest named Dr. Paul Flanner arrive. The only guest at the inn, Flanner is not on a weekend escape but rather is there to face his own crisis of conscience. Now, with the storm closing in, the two turn to each other for comfort and, in one magical weekend, set in motion a life-changing romance that will resonate throughout the rest of their lives.

Cast:
Diane Lane (Adrienne Willis)
Richard Gere (Dr. Paul Flanner)
Christopher Meloni (Jack Willis)
Viola Davis (Jean)

Director: George C. Wolfe
Writer: Ann Peacock, John Romano
Runtime: 97 min
Genre: Drama, Romance
Rating: K
Language: English
Production Year: 2008

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

On the day that Hurricane Katrina hits New Orleans, elderly Daisy Williams nee Fuller is on her deathbed in a New Orleans hospital. At her side is her adult daughter, Caroline. Daisy asks Caroline to read to her aloud the diary of Daisy’s lifelong friend, Benjamin Button. Benjamin’s diary recounts his entire extraordinary life, the primary unusual aspect of which was his aging backwards, being born an old man who was diagnosed with several aged diseases at birth and thus given little chance of survival, but who does survive and gets younger with time.

Cast:
Brad Pitt (Benjamin Button)
Cate Blanchett (Daisy)
Julia Ormond (Caroline)
Tilda Swinton (Elizabeth Abbott)

Director: David Fincher
Writer: Eric Roth
Runtime: 166 min
Genre: Mystery, Romance
Rating: 12
Language: English
Production Year: 2008

Frost / Nixon

Writer Peter Morgan’s legendary battle between Richard Nixon, the disgraced president with a legacy to save, and David Frost, a jet-setting television personality with a name to make, in the story of the historic encounter that changed both their lives. For three years after being forced from office, Nixon remained silent. But in summer 1977, the steely, cunning former commander-in-chief agreed to sit for one all-inclusive interview to confront the questions of his time in office and the Watergate scandal that ended his presidency. Nixon surprised everyone in selecting Frost as his televised confessor, intending to easily outfox the breezy British showman and secure a place in the hearts and minds of Americans (as well as a $600,000 fee). Likewise, Frost’s team harbored doubts about their boss’ ability to hold his own. But as cameras rolled, a charged battle of wits resulted.

Cast:
Frank Langella (Richard Nixon)
Michael Sheen (David Frost)
Sam Rockwell (James Reston, Jr.)
Kevin Bacon (Jack Brennan)

Director: Ron Howard
Writer: Peter Morgan
Runtime: 122 min
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Rating: K
Language: English
Production Year: 2008

Twilight

Bella Swan has always been a little bit different, never caring about fitting in with the trendy girls at her Phoenix high school. When her mother re-marries and sends Bella to live with her father in the little town of Forks, she doesn’t expect much of anything to change. Then she meets the mysterious and dazzlingly beautiful Edward Cullen, a boy unlike any she’s ever met. Edward is a vampire. Soon, they are swept up in a passionate, thrilling and unorthodox romance. But the closer they get, the more Edward must struggle to resist the primal pull of her scent, which could send him into an uncontrollable frenzy. But what will Edward and Bella do when a clan of new vampires come to town and threaten to disrupt their way of life?

Cast:
Kristen Stewart (Bella Swan)
Robert Pattinson (Edward Cullen)
Billy Burke (Charlie Swan)
Ashley Greene (Alice Cullen)

Director: Catherine Hardwicke
Writer: Melissa Rosenberg, Stephenie Meyer
Runtime: 122 min
Genre: Drama, Romance, Thriller
Rating: 12
Language: English
Production Year: 2008

Beverly Hills Chihuahua

Chloe is a Beverly Hills Chihuahua who is just so pampered, with clothes, jewelery, and a life style anyone would die to have. Her owner, Vivian, has to go away on a business trip and leaves her party girl niece, Rachel, to watch Chloe. When they go to Mexico, Chloe is kidnapped and put into a dog fight… she is then saved by another dog, Delgado, who is going to help her get back to Beverly Hills. But when the man who runs the dog fights finds out that Chloe is worth something, he sends his Doberman dog, Diablo, after her. Rachel, the land scaper, Sam, and his dog, Pepi who is also in love with Chloe, are on the hunt to find her and get her home safe and sound.

Cast:
Drew Barrymore (Chloe – voice)
Piper Perabo (Rachel Ashe Lynn)
Andy Garcia (Delgado – voice)
George Lopez (Papi – voice)

Director: Raja Gosnell
Writer: Analisa LaBianco, Jeffrey Bushell
Runtime: 91 min
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Family
Rating: K
Language: English
Production Year: 2008

Underworld: Rise of the Lycans

The prequel story traces the origins of the centuries-old blood feud between the aristocratic vampires and their onetime slaves, the Lycans. In the Dark Ages, a young Lycan named Lucian emerges as a powerful leader who rallies the werewolves to rise up against Viktor, the cruel vampire king who has enslaved them. Lucian is joined by his secret lover, Sonja, in his battle against the Vampire army and his struggle for Lycan freedom.

Cast:
Michael Sheen (Lucian)
Bill Nighy (Viktor)
Rhona Mitra (Sonja)
Steven Mackintosh (Tannis)

Director: Patrick Tatopoulos
Writer: Danny McBride, Dirk Blackman
Runtime: 92 min
Genre: Action, Thriller
Rating: 18
Language: English
Production Year: 2009

Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (Greek)

The sequel to 2005’s “Madagascar”, in which New York Zoo animals, Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe and Gloria the Hippo, still stranded on Madagascar, start to leave the island. All of a sudden, they land in the wilderness of Africa, where Alex meets the rest of his family, but has trouble communicating with them after spending so much time at the Central Park Zoo.

Voices:
Gerasimos Gennatas
Diamantis Karanastasis
Katerina Girgis
Thanos Kalliris

Director: Eric Darnell, Tom McGrath
Writer: Etan Cohen
Runtime: 89 min
Genre: Animation, Action, Adventure, Comedy, Family
Rating: K
Language:Greek
Production Year: 2008

High School Musical 3

As seniors in high school, Troy and Gabriella struggle with the idea of being separated from one another as college approaches. Along with the rest of the Wildcats, they stage a spring musical to address their experiences, hopes and fears about their future.

Cast:
Zac Efron (Troy Bolton)
Vanessa Hudgens (Gabriella Montez)
Ashley Tisdale (Sharpay Evans)
Lucas Grabeel (Ryan Evans)

Director: Kenny Ortega
Writer: Peter Barsocchini
Runtime: 112 min
Genre: Comedy, Musical, Romance
Rating: K
Language: English
Production Year: 2008