In Cinemas this week (20 – 26 January)

Νήσος 2: Το κυνήγι του Χαμένου Θησαυρού (Nisos 2)

December 2009. An entire island is at loggerheads over a will. The conclusion? Some of the heroes are imprisoned, some disappeared and others stay on the island. And then we come to today … supposedly five years later!

Cast:
Vladimiros Kiriakidis (Babis)
Mihalis Marinos (Priest Labros)
Dimitris Tzoumakis (Agis)
Odysseas Papaspiliopoulos (Apostolis)

Director: Antonis Aggelopoulos
Writer: Elena Solomou, Kostis Papadopoulos
Runtime: 109 min
Genre: Comedy
Rating: K
Language: Greek
Production Year: 2011

Contraband

Chris Farraday long ago abandoned his life of crime, but after his brother-in-law, Andy, botches a drug deal for his ruthless boss, Tim Briggs, Chris is forced back into doing what he does best – running contraband – to settle Andy’s debt. Chris is a legendary smuggler and quickly assembles a crew with the help of his best friend, Sebastian, to head to Panama and return with millions in counterfeit bills. Things quickly fall apart and with only hours to reach the cash, Chris must use his rusty skills to successfully navigate a treacherous criminal network of brutal drug lords, cops and hit men before his wife, Kate, and sons become their target.

Cast:
Mark Wahlberg (Chris Farraday)
Kate Beckinsale (Kate Farraday)
Giovanni Ribisi (Tim Briggs)
Ben Foster (Sebastian Abney)

Director: Baltasar Kormákur
Writer: Aaron Guzikowski
Runtime: 110 min
Genre: Crime, Drama, Action
Rating: 15
Language: English
Production Year: 2012

War Horse

Dartmoor, 1914: To his wife’s dismay farmer Narracott buys a thoroughbred horse rather than a plough animal but his teenaged son Albert trains the horse and calls him Joey, the two becoming inseparable. When his harvest fails the farmer has to sell Joey to the British cavalry and he is shipped to France where, after a disastrous offensive he is captured by the Germans and changes hands twice more before he is found, caught in the barbed wire in No Man’s Land four years later and freed, due to a bizarre truce. He is returned behind British lines where Albert, now a private, has been temporarily blinded by gas but still recognises his beloved Joey. However as the Armistice is declared Joey is set to be auctioned off. After all they have been through will Albert and Joey return home together?

Cast:
Jeremy Irvine (Albert Narracott)
Emily Watson (Rose Narracott)
David Thewlis (Lyons)
Peter Mullan (Ted Narracott)

Director: Steven Spielberg
Writer: Lee Hall, Richard Curtis
Runtime: 146 min
Genre: Drama, History, War
Rating: 12
Language: English
Production Year: 2011

The Darkest Hour 3D

The DARKEST HOUR is the story of five young people who find themselves stranded in Moscow, fighting to survive in the wake of a devastating alien attack. The 3D thriller highlights the classic beauty of Moscow alongside mind-blowing special effects.

Cast:
Emile Hirsch (Sean)
Olivia Thirlby (Natalie)
Max Minghella (Ben)
Rachael Taylor (Anne)

Director: Chris Gorak
Writer: Jon Spaihts, Leslie Bohem
Runtime: 89 min
Genre: Action, Horror, Sci-Fi
Rating: 12
Language: English
Production Year: 2011

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

This English-language adaptation of the Swedish novel by Stieg Larsson follows a disgraced journalist, Mikael Blomkvist, as he investigates the disappearance of a wealthy patriarch’s niece from 40 years ago. He is aided by the pierced, tattooed, punk computer hacker named Lisbeth Salander. As they work together in the investigation, Blomkvist and Salander uncover immense corruption beyond anything they have ever imagined.

Cast:
Daniel Craig (Mikael Blomkvist)
Rooney Mara (Lisbeth Salander)
Christopher Plummer (Henrik Vanger)
Robin Wright (Erika Berger)

Director: David Fincher
Writer: Steven Zaillian, Stieg Larsson
Runtime: 158 min
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Rating: 18
Language: English
Production Year: 2011

Dream House

Some say that all houses have memories. For one man, his home is the place he would kill to forget. A family unknowingly moves into a home where several grisly murders were committed… only to find themselves the killer’s next target. Successful publisher Will Atenton quit a job in New York City to relocate his wife, Libby, and two girls to a quaint New England town. But as they settle into their new life, they discover their perfect home was the murder scene of a mother and her children. And the entire city believes it was at the hands of the husband who survived. When Will investigates the tragedy, his only lead comes from Ann Paterson, a neighbor who was close to the family that died. As Will and Ann piece together the disturbing puzzle, they discover that the story of the last man to leave Will’s dream house will be just as horrifying to the one who came next.

Cast:
Daniel Craig (Will Atenton)
Naomi Watts (Ann Patterson)
Rachel Weisz (Libby)
Elias Koteas (Boyce)

Director: Jim Sheridan
Writer: David Loucka
Runtime: 92 min
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Rating: 15
Language: English
Production Year: 2011

Λάρισα Εμπιστευτικό (Larisa Empisteftiko)

For years, life in Pezoula and Vrisoula had been flowing seamlessly. Certainly there is a wall between the two villages, built from edge to edge, so no one tangled in another’s work. But when Kallikrates comes to unite the two villages, everything turns upside down!

Cast:
Katerina Papoutsaki
Tasos Kostis
Kostas Voutsas
Yannis Zouganelis

Director: Stratos Markidis
Writer: Polyxeni Fragouli
Runtime: 90 min
Genre: Comedy
Rating: 12
Language: Greek
Production Year: 2012

Puss in Boots

Years before meeting Shrek and Donkey, the adorable but tricky Puss in Boots must clear his name from all charges making him a wanted fugitive. While trying to steal magic beans from the infamous criminals Jack and Jill, the hero crosses paths with his female match, Kitty Softpaws, who leads Puss to his old friend, but now enemy, Humpty Dumpty. Memories of friendship and betrayal enlarges Puss’ doubt, but he eventually agrees to help the egg get the magic beans. Together, the three plan to steal the beans, get to the Giant’s castle, nab the golden goose, and clear Puss’ name.

Cast:
Antonio Banderas/Tilemahos Krevaikas (Puss in Boots)
Salma Hayek/Vicky Nikolaidou (Kitty Softpaws)
Zach Galifianakis/Vasilis Milios (Humpty Dumpty)
Billy Bob Thornton/Fotis Petrides (Jack)

Director: Chris Miller
Writer: Charles Perrault, Brian Lynch
Runtime: 90 min
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Adventure
Rating: K
Language: English/Greek
Production Year: 2011

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol

Blamed for the terrorist bombing of the Kremlin, IMF operative Ethan Hunt is disavowed along with the rest of the agency when the President initiates “Ghost Protocol”. Left without any resources or backup, Ethan must find a way to clear his agency’s name and prevent another attack. To complicate matters further, Ethan is forced to embark on this mission with a team of fellow IMF fugitives whose personal motives he does not fully know.

Cast:
Tom Cruise (Ethan Hunt)
Simon Pegg (Benji)
Jeremy Renner (Brandt)
Paula Patton (Jane)

Director: Brad Bird
Writer: Josh Appelbaum, André Nemec
Runtime: 133 min
Genre: Action, Adventure, Thriller
Rating: 12
Language: English
Production Year: 2011

Midnight in Paris

Gil and Inez travel to Paris as a tag-along vacation on her parents’ business trip. Gil is a successful Hollywood writer but is struggling on his first novel. He falls in love with the city and thinks they should move there after they get married, but Inez does not share his romantic notions of the city or the idea that the 1920s was the golden age. When Inez goes off dancing with her friends, Gil takes a walk at midnight and discovers what could be the ultimate source of inspiration for writing. Gil’s daily walks at midnight in Paris could take him closer to the heart of the city but further from the woman he’s about to marry.

Cast:
Owen Wilson (Gil)
Rachel McAdams (Inez)
Kathy Bates Parker (Gertrude Stein)
Adrien Brody (Salvador Dalí)

Director: Woody Allen
Writer: Woody Allen
Runtime: 94 min
Genre: Comedy, Fantasy, Romance
Rating: K
Language: English
Production Year: 2011

Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chip-Wrecked (English)

Playing around while aboard a cruise ship, the Chipmunks and Chipettes accidentally go overboard and end up marooned in a tropical paradise. They discover their new turf is not as deserted as it seems.

Cast:
Jason Lee (Dave)
Justin Long (Alvin)
Matthew Gray Gubler (Simon)
Jesse McCartney (Theodore)

Director: Mike Mitchell
Writer: Jonathan Aibel, Glenn Berger
Runtime: 87 min
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Family
Rating: K
Language: English
Production Year: 2011

Happy Feet Two 3D (Greek)

Mumble, The Master of Tap, has a problem because his tiny son, Erik, is choreo-phobic. Reluctant to dance, Erik runs away and encounters The Mighty Sven – a penguin who can fly! Mumble has no hope of competing with this charismatic new role model. But things get worse when the world is shaken by powerful forces. Erik learns of his father’s “guts and grit” as Mumble brings together the penguin nations and all manner of fabulous creatures – from tiny Krill to giant Elephant Seals – to put things right.

Cast:
Elijah Wood (Mumble)
Robin Williams (Ramon / Lovelace)
Pink (Gloria)
Brad Pitt (Will the Krill)

Director: George Miller
Writer: George Miller, Warren Coleman
Runtime: 100 min
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Family
Rating: K
Language: Greek
Production Year: 2011