In Cinemas this week (1 – 7 April)

Black Swan

Nina is a ballerina in a New York City ballet company whose life, like all those in her profession, is completely consumed with dance. She lives with her obsessive former ballerina mother Erica who exerts a suffocating control over her. When artistic director Thomas Leroy decides to replace prima ballerina Beth MacIntyre for the opening production of their new season, Swan Lake, Nina is his first choice. But Nina has competition: a new dancer, Lily, who impresses Leroy as well. Swan Lake requires a dancer who can play both the White Swan with innocence and grace, and the Black Swan, who represents guile and sensuality. Nina fits the White Swan role perfectly but Lily is the personification of the Black Swan. As the two young dancers expand their rivalry into a twisted friendship, Nina begins to get more in touch with her dark side – a recklessness that threatens to destroy her.

Cast:
Natalie Portman (Nina Sayers)
Mila Kunis (Lily)
Vincent Cassel (Thomas Leroy)
Barbara Hershey (Erica Sayers)

Director: Darren Aronofsky
Writer: Mark Heyman, Andres Heinz
Runtime: 108 min
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Rating: 18
Language: English
Production Year: 2010

Red Riding Hood

Valerie is a beautiful young woman torn between two men. She is in love with a brooding outsider, Peter, but her parents have arranged for her to marry the wealthy Henry. Unwilling to lose each other, Valerie and Peter are planning to run away together when they learn that Valerie’s older sister has been killed by the werewolf that prowls the dark forest surrounding their village. For years, the people have maintained an uneasy truce with the beast, offering the creature a monthly animal sacrifice. But under a blood red moon, the wolf has upped the stakes by taking a human life. Hungry for revenge, the people call on famed werewolf hunter, Father Solomon, to help them kill the wolf. But Solomon’s arrival brings unintended consequences as he warns that the wolf, who takes human form by day, could be any one of them. As the death toll rises with each moon, Valerie begins to suspect that the werewolf could be someone she loves. As panic grips the town, Valerie discovers that she has a unique connection to the beast – one that inexorably draws them together, making her both suspect…and bait.

Cast:
Amanda Seyfried (Valerie)
Gary Oldman (Solomon)
Billy Burke (Cesaire)
Shiloh Fernandez (Peter)

Director: Catherine Hardwicke
Writer: David Johnson
Runtime: 100 min
Genre: Fantasy, Mystery, Horror
Rating: 12
Language: English
Production Year: 2011

I Am Number Four

Extraordinary teen John Smith is a fugitive on the run from ruthless enemies sent to destroy him. Three like him have already been killed … he is Number Four. Changing his identity, moving from town to town with his guardian Henri, John is always the new kid with no ties to his past. In the small Ohio town he now calls home, John encounters unexpected, life-changing events – his first love, powerful new abilities and a connection to the others who share his incredible destiny.

Cast:
Alex Pettyfer (John)
Timothy Olyphant (Henri)
Teresa Palmer (Number 6)
Dianna Agron (Sarah)

Director: D.J. Caruso
Writer: Alfred Gough, Miles Millar
Runtime: 109 min
Genre: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Rating: 12
Language: English
Production Year: 2011

Open Season 3 (Greek)

Boog, Elliot and their forest friends return with an all-new adventure, this time in a Big Top Circus! The comedy begins when Boog’s pals choose their family obligations over the annual guys’ trip, and a disappointed Boog decides to take a trip of his own, which leads him right into the middle.

Voices:
Matthew J. Munn (Boog/Doug)
Dana Snyder (Alistair)
Matthew W. Taylor (Elliot)
Crispin Glover (Fifi)

Director: Cody Cameron
Writer: David I. Stern
Runtime: 85 min
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Rating: K
Language: Greek
Production Year: 2011

Kilimanjaro Trek 2009, Cyprus Team

On February 2009, 8 Cypriot Mountaineers attempt to climb Mountain Kilimanjaro. Their ambition is to reach the Roof of Africa, Uhuru Peak, at 5985 meters of altitude. Their ambition is not an easy task.
Edited by Eleutherios Kakathimis. Original Music by Orestis Kalvaris. Photographs by Marios Hadjipetris & Panos Vlamis

Director: Nektarios Vilanides
Genre: Documentary

Battle: Los Angeles

A Marine Staff Sergeant who has just had his retirement approved goes back into the line of duty in order to assist a 2nd Lieutenant and his platoon as they fight to reclaim the city of Los Angeles from alien invaders.

Cast:
Aaron Eckhart (Sgt. Michael Nantz)
Michelle Rodriguez (TSgt. Elena Santos)
Ramon Rodriguez (2nd Lt. William Martinez)
Bridget Moynahan (Michele)

Director: Jonathan Liebesman
Writer: Christopher Bertolini
Runtime: 116 min
Genre: Action, Sci-Fi
Rating: 12
Language: English
Production Year: 2011

Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son

FBI agent Malcolm Turner and his 17-year-old son, Trent, go undercover at an all-girls performing arts school after Trent witnesses a murder. Posing as Big Momma and Charmaine, they must find the murderer before he finds them.

Cast:
Martin Lawrence (Malcolm / Big Momma)
Brandon T. Jackson (Trent / Charmaine)
Jessica Lucas (Haley)
Michelle Ang (Mia)

Director: John Whitesell
Writer: Matthew Fogel, Don Rhymer
Runtime: 107 min
Genre: Comedy
Rating: K
Language: English
Production Year: 2011

Mars Needs Moms 3D (Greek)

The film follows a boy named Milo. Milo is just beginning summer but his mother gives him chores and tasks like weeding the garden or eating his vegetables. But after Milo tints his sister’s face purple, his mother sees no humor in this. She orders him up to his room. After an argument with his mother in which Milo says “I don’t see what’s so special about mothers!”, he goes to his room. After falling asleep, Milo does not hear the rumble of the rocket landing outside. Martians enter Milo’s house and take away his mother. Milo embarks on an adventure to rescue his mother.

Voices:
Thanos Lambrou
Christos Thanos
Zoe Katsatou
Iphigenia Staikou

Director: Simon Wells
Writer: Simon Wells, Berkeley Breathed
Runtime: 88 min
Genre: Animation, Action, Adventure
Rating: K
Language: Greek
Production Year: 2011

The Adjustment Bureau

Do we control our destiny, or do unseen forces manipulate us? On the brink of winning a seat in the U.S. Senate, ambitious politician David Norris meets beautiful contemporary ballet dancer Elise Sellas – a woman like none he’s ever known. But just as he realizes he’s falling for her, mysterious men conspire to keep the two apart. David learns he is up against the agents of Fate itself – the men of The Adjustment Bureau – who will do everything in their considerable power to prevent David and Elise from being together. In the face of overwhelming odds, he must either let her go and accept a predetermined path… or risk everything to defy Fate and be with her.

Cast:
Matt Damon (David Norris)
Emily Blunt (Elise Sellas)
Anthony Mackie (Harry Mitchell)
John Slattery (Richardson)

Director: George Nolfi
Writer: George Nolfi, Philip K. Dick
Runtime: 106 min
Genre: Romance, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Rating: 12
Language: English
Production Year: 2011

The Mechanic

Arthur Bishop is a ‘mechanic’ – an elite assassin with a strict code and unique talent for cleanly eliminating targets. It’s a job that requires professional perfection and total detachment, and Bishop is the best in the business. But when his mentor and close friend Harry is murdered, Bishop is anything but detached. His next assignment is self-imposed – he wants those responsible dead. His mission grows complicated when Harry’s son Steve approaches him with the same vengeful goal and a determination to learn Bishop’s trade. Bishop has always acted alone but he can’t turn his back on Harry’s son. A methodical hitman takes an impulsive student deep into his world and a deadly partnership is born. But while in pursuit of their ultimate mark, deceptions threaten to surface and those hired to fix problems become problems themselves.

Cast:
Jason Statham (Arthur Bishop)
Ben Foster (Steve McKenna)
Donald Sutherland (Harry McKenna)
Tony Goldwyn (Dean)

Director: Simon West
Writer: Richard Wenk, Lewis John Carlino
Runtime: 93 min
Genre: Action, Drama, Thriller
Rating: 18
Language: English
Production Year: 2011

Rango (English)

Rango is a pet chameleon who lives in a terrarium. He has long thought himself a hero, but then finds himself removed from his contemporary American southwest surroundings and ending up in an Old West town called Dirt, which is populated by various desert critters garbed like characters out of a spaghetti western. As he’s always thought himself a hero, Rango establishes himself as the lawman, strolling the streets as a sheriff-like character. Unknown to him, the “good guy” role doesn’t do very well in Dirt — with a whole cemetery filled with good guy tombstones. But that doesn’t stop Rango from trying, constantly seeking to fit in with his surroundings, no matter how challenging. At a certain point in the narrative, Rango will come to question everything about himself.

Voices:
Johnny Depp (Rango / Lars)
Isla Fisher (Beans)
Alfred Molina (Roadkill)
Abigail Breslin (Priscilla)

Director: Gore Verbinski
Writer: John Logan
Runtime: 107 min
Genre: Animation, Action, Adventure
Rating: K
Language: English
Production Year: 2011

Rango (Greek)

Rango is a pet chameleon who lives in a terrarium. He has long thought himself a hero, but then finds himself removed from his contemporary American southwest surroundings and ending up in an Old West town called Dirt, which is populated by various desert critters garbed like characters out of a spaghetti western. As he’s always thought himself a hero, Rango establishes himself as the lawman, strolling the streets as a sheriff-like character. Unknown to him, the “good guy” role doesn’t do very well in Dirt — with a whole cemetery filled with good guy tombstones. But that doesn’t stop Rango from trying, constantly seeking to fit in with his surroundings, no matter how challenging. At a certain point in the narrative, Rango will come to question everything about himself.

Voices:
Dimitris Marizas (Rango / Lars)
Vicky Nikolaidou (Beans)
Costas Darlasis
Nikos Nikas

Director: Gore Verbinski
Writer: John Logan
Runtime: 107 min
Genre: Animation, Action, Adventure
Rating: K
Language: Greek
Production Year: 2011

True Grit

Following the murder of her father by hired hand Tom Chaney, 14-year-old farm girl Mattie Ross sets out to capture the killer. To aid her, she hires the toughest U.S. marshal she can find, a man with “true grit,” Reuben J. “Rooster” Cogburn. Mattie insists on accompanying Cogburn, whose drinking, sloth, and generally reprobate character do not augment her faith in him. Against his wishes, she joins him in his trek into the Indian Nations in search of Chaney. They are joined by Texas Ranger LaBoeuf, who wants Chaney for his own purposes. The unlikely trio find danger and surprises on the journey, and each has his or her “grit” tested.

Cast:
Jeff Bridges (Rooster Cogburn)
Matt Damon (LaBoeuf)
Josh Brolin (Tom Chaney)
Hailee Steinfeld (Mattie Ross)

Director: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Writer: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Runtime: 110 min
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Western
Rating: 15
Language: English
Production Year: 2010

Burlesque

The Burlesque Lounge has its best days behind it. Tess, a retired dancer and owner of the venue, struggles to keep the aging theater alive, facing all kinds of financial and artistic challenges. With the Lounge’s troupe members becoming increasingly distracted by personal problems and a threat coming from a wealthy businessman’s quest to buy the spot from Tess, the good fortune seems to have abandoned the club altogether. Meanwhile, the life of Ali, a small-town girl from Iowa, is about to change dramatically. Hired by Tess as a waitress at the Lounge, Ali escapes a hollow past and quickly falls in love with the art of burlesque. Backed by newfound friends amongst the theater’s crew, she manages to fulfill her dreams of being on stage herself. Things take a dramatic turn though when Ali’s big voice makes her become the main attraction of the revue.

Cast:
Cher (Tess)
Christina Aguilera (Ali)
Stanley Tucci (Sean)
Kristen Bell (Nikki)

Director: Steve Antin
Writer: Steve Antin
Runtime: 119 min
Genre: Drama, Musical, Romance
Rating: K
Language: English
Production Year: 2010

The Fighter

The Fighter is a drama about boxer “Irish” Micky Ward’s unlikely road to the world light welterweight title. His Rocky-like rise was shepherded by half-brother Dicky, a boxer-turned-trainer who rebounded in life after nearly being KO’d by drugs and crime.

Cast:
Mark Wahlberg (Micky Ward)
Christian Bale (Dicky Eklund)
Amy Adams (Charlene Fleming)
Melissa Leo (Alice Ward)

Director: David O. Russell
Writer: Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy
Runtime: 115 min
Genre: Biography, Drama, Sport
Rating: 15
Language: English
Production Year: 2010

Gnomeo & Juliet 3D (Greek)

Garden gnomes Gnomeo and Juliet have as many obstacles to overcome as their quasi namesakes when they are caught up in a feud between neighbors. But with plastic pink flamingos and lawnmower races in the mix, can this young couple find lasting happiness?

Voices:
James McAvoy (Gnomeo)
Emily Blunt (Juliet)
Michael Caine (Lord Redbrick)
Jason Statham (Tybalt)

Director: Kelly Asbury
Writer: Kelly Asbury, William Shakespeare
Runtime: 84 min
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Adventure
Rating: K
Language: Greek
Production Year: 2011

No Strings Attached

Emma and Adam are life-long friends who almost ruin everything by having sex one morning. In order to protect their friendship, they make a pact to keep their relationship strictly “no strings attached.” “No strings” means no jealousy, no expectations, no fighting, no flowers, no baby voices. It means they can do whatever they want, whenever they want, in whatever public place they want, as long as they don’t fall in love. The question becomes – who’s going to fall first? And can their friendship survive?

Cast:
Natalie Portman (Emma)
Ashton Kutcher (Adam)
Kevin Kline (Alvin)
Cary Elwes (Dr. Metzner)

Director: Ivan Reitman
Writer: Elizabeth Meriwether, Michael Samonek
Runtime: 108 min
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Rating: 15
Language: English
Production Year: 2011

Megamind (English)

Megamind is the most brilliant super-villain the world has ever known…and the least successful. Over the years, he has tried to conquer Metro City in every imaginable way. Each attempt, a colossal failure thanks to the caped superhero known as “Metro Man,” until the day Megamind actually defeats him in the throes of one of his botched evil plans. Suddenly, the fate of Metro City is threatened when a new villain arrives and chaos runs rampant, leaving everyone to wonder: Can the world’s biggest “mind” actually be the one to save the day?

Voices:
Will Ferrell (Megamind)
Brad Pitt (Metro Man)
Tina Fey (Roxanne Ritchie)
Jonah Hill (Titan)

Director: Tom McGrath
Writer: Alan J. Schoolcraft, Brent Simons
Runtime: 95 min
Genre: Animation, Action, Comedy
Rating: K
Language: English
Production Year: 2010

Arthur 3: The War of Two Worlds (Greek)

Maltazard traps Arthur in the Land of the Minimoys and travels in the opposite direction into the humans’ world, where he forces a plastic surgeon to stitch him a human face and tricks his way into Arthur’s grandparents’ house. There he searches for a phial containing the elixir Arthur needs to get back to his normal size! When miniature Arthur, Selenia and Betameche finally reach the house, Maltazard has the phial in his grasp. Time is running out for them. Now over two meters tall, Maltazard assembles an army of giant mosquitoes in the nearby forest. Arthur enlists the help of the Queen Bee, whose magical honey is his only way to grow back to full size. But will that be enough for him to win the war of the two worlds?

Cast and voices:
Freddie Highmore (Arthur)
Mia Farrow (Granny)
Robert Stanton (Armand)
Mylène Farmer (Sélénia)

Director: Luc Besson
Writer: Luc Besson, Céline Garcia
Runtime: 100 min
Genre: Animation
Rating: 12
Language: Greek
Production Year: 2010