In Cinemas this week (27 November – 3 December)

District 9

In 1990, a massive star ship bearing a bedraggled alien population, nicknamed “The Prawns,” appeared over Johannesburg, South Africa. Twenty years later, the initial welcome by the human population has faded. The refugee camp where the aliens were located has deteriorated into a militarized ghetto called District 9, where they are confined and exploited in squalor. In 2010, the munitions corporation, Multi-National United, is contracted to forcibly evict the population with operative Wikus van der Merwe in charge. In this operation, Wikus is exposed to a strange alien chemical and must rely on the help of his only two new ‘Prawn’ friends.

Cast:
Sharlto Copley (Wikus Van De Merwe)
Jason Cope (Grey Bradnam – UKNR Chief Correspondent)
Nathalie Boltt (Sarah Livingstone – Sociologist)
John Sumner (Les Feldman – MIL Engineer)

Director: Neill Blomkamp
Writer: Neill Blomkamp, Terri Tatchell
Runtime: 112 min
Genre: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Rating: 15
Language: English
Production Year: 2009

Law Abiding Citizen

Clyde Shelton is an upstanding family man whose wife and daughter are brutally murdered during a home invasion. When the killers are caught, Nick Rice, a hotshot young Philadelphia prosecutor, is assigned to the case. Over his objections, Nick is forced by his boss to offer one of the suspects a light sentence in exchange for testifying against his accomplice. Fast forward ten years. The man who got away with murder is found dead and Clyde Shelton coolly admits his guilt. Then he issues a warning to Nick: Either fix the flawed justice system that failed his family, or key players in the trial will die. Soon Shelton follows through on his threats, orchestrating from his jail cell a string of spectacularly diabolical assassinations that can be neither predicted nor prevented. Philadelphia is gripped with fear as Sheltons high-profile targets are slain one after another and the authorities are powerless to halt his reign of terror. Only Nick can stop the killing, and to do so he must outwit this brilliant sociopath in a harrowing contest of wills in which even the smallest misstep means death. With his own family now in Sheltons crosshairs, Nick finds himself in a desperate race against time facing a deadly adversary who seems always to be one step ahead.

Cast:
Jamie Foxx (Nick Rice)
Gerard Butler (Clyde Shelton)
Colm Meaney (Detective Dunnigan)
Bruce McGill (Jonas Cantrell)

Director: F. Gary Gray
Writer: Kurt Wimmer
Runtime: 109 min
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Rating: 18
Language: English
Production Year: 2009

Planet 51 (Greek)

Lem is just an average teenager working on getting the girl and furthering his career at the local planetarium – except that he’s an alien. At least to U.S. astronaut Captain Charles T. “Chuck” Baker who lands on Lem’s planet hoping for a quick flag plant and a hasty return to earth and his millions of screaming fans. But on this alien planet the media has tagged spacemen as brain-eating, zombie-creating monsters, causing Chuck to run for his life and into Lem’s house. Now it’s up to the green native to get the clumsy astronaut back to his spaceship before military dictator General Grawl and mad scientist Professor Kipple manage to exterminate the Earthly visitor.

Voices:
Sakis Rouvas (Chuck)

Director: Jorge Blanco, Javier Abad
Writer: Joe Stillman
Runtime: 91 min
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Family, Fantasy
Rating: K
Language: Greek
Production Year: 2009

Couples Retreat

Four Midwestern couples embark on a journey to a tropical island resort, called Eden. While one of the couples, Jason and Cynthia, is there to work on their marriage, the other three set out to jet ski, spa and enjoy some fun in the sun. They soon discover that participation in the resort’s couples therapy is not optional. After their first therapy session all four couples learn they have problems with their relationships and even Ronnie and Dave, who thought they were fine, need the therapy. They endure the resort owner Marcel’s odd methods, including swimming with sharks and yoga sessions with an amorous instructor Salvadore. Suddenly, their group-rate vacation comes at a price.

Cast:
Vince Vaughn (Dave)
Jean Reno (Marcel)
Kristen Bell (Cynthia)
Kristin Davis (Lucy)

Director: Peter Billingsley
Writer: Jon Favreau, Vince Vaughn
Runtime: 113 min
Genre: Comedy
Rating: 15
Language: English
Production Year: 2009

The Twilight Saga: New Moon

Bella Swan is still very much in love with vampire, Edward Cullen. The rest of the vampire coven who call themselves the Cullens, especially Alice, decide to throw Bella a private party for her eighteenth birthday. Things go wrong when Bella slices her finger and thirst overcomes the vampires. As a result of the danger Bella was put through, the Cullen family decide to leave Forks, Washington. At first Bella exempts herself from all social activities, until she realizes she can coexist with childhood friend, Jacob Black. As usual for Bella, things aren’t what they seem. Something is happening to Jacob that he can’t explain to Bella, and their friendship starts to deteriorate. But when someone from Bella’s past comes back to haunt her, everything will change again.

Cast:
Kristen Stewart (Bella Swan)
Robert Pattinson (Edward Cullen)
Ashley Greene (Alice Cullen)
Taylor Lautner (Jacob Black)

Director: Chris Weitz
Writer: Melissa Rosenberg
Runtime: 130 min
Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Romance, Thriller
Rating: 12
Language: English
Production Year: 2009

To Kako II (Evil in the Time of Heroes)

Three days ago everything changed. An ancient force turned humans to bloodthirsty zombies. It wasn’t the first time, though. 2800 years ago the situation was the same. Then they prevailed and The Evil was beaten. Will our heroes manage to do the same today? Will they manage to re-live The Time of Heroes?

Cast:
Billy Zane (Prophitis – Messenger)
Argiris Thanasoulas (Argyris)
Andreas Kontopoulos (Vakirtzis)
Dinos Avgoustidis (Nikias)

Director: Yiorgos Noussias
Writer: Claudio Bolivar, Yiorgos Noussias
Runtime: 88 min
Genre: Comedy, Horror
Rating: 18
Language: Greek
Production Year: 2009

2012

Never before has a date in history been so significant to so many cultures, so many religions, scientists, and governments. A global cataclysm brings an end to the world and tells of the heroic struggle of the survivors. With the Mayan calendar ending in 2012, a large group of people must deal with natural disasters such as volcanic eruptions, typhoons and glaciers.

Cast:
John Cusack (Jackson Curtis)
Amanda Peet (Kate Curtis)
Danny Glover (President Thomas Wilson)
Thandie Newton (Laura Wilson)

Director: Roland Emmerich
Writer: Roland Emmerich, Harald Kloser
Runtime: 158 min
Genre: Action, Drama, Thriller
Rating: 12
Language: English
Production Year: 2009

Land of the Lost

On his latest expedition, Dr. Rick Marshall is sucked into a space-time vortex alongside his research assistant and a redneck survivalist. In this alternate universe, the trio make friends with a primate named Chaka, their only ally in a world full of dinosaurs and other fantastic creatures.

Cast:
Will Ferrell (Dr. Rick Marshall)
Anna Friel (Holly Cantrell)
Danny McBride (Will Stanton)
Jorma Taccone (Chaka)

Director: Brad Silberling
Writer: Chris Henchy, Dennis McNicholas
Runtime: 102 min
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi
Rating: 12
Language: English
Production Year: 2009

This Is It

Michael Jackson’s THIS IS IT will offer Jackson fans and music lovers worldwide a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the performer as he developed, created and rehearsed for his sold-out concerts that would have taken place beginning this summer in London’s 02 Arena. Chronicling the months from April through June, 2009, the film is produced with the full support of the Estate of Michael Jackson and drawn from more than one hundred hours of behind-the-scenes footage.

Cast:
Michael Jackson
Mekia Cox
Darryl Phinnessee
Timor Steffens

Director: Kenny Ortega
Runtime: 112 min
Genre: Documentary, Music
Rating: K
Language: English
Production Year: 2009

Fame

This movie is based upon the 1980 film which follows NYC talent attending the New York City High School for the Performing Arts, where students get specialized training that often leads to success as actors, singers, etc. In 1936, New York City Mayor Fiorello H. LaGuardia founded the High School of Music & Art in order to provide a facility where the most gifted and talented public school students of New York City could pursue their talents in art or music, while also completing a full academic program of instruction. In 1948, the School of Performing Arts was created to provide training in performance skills to students who wished to prepare for professional careers in dance, music or drama.

Cast:
Kay Panabaker (Jenny Garrison)
Naturi Naughton (Denise Dupree)
Kherington Payne (Alice Ellerton)
Megan Mullally (Ms. Fran Rowan)

Director: Kevin Tancharoen
Writer: Allison Burnett, Christopher Gore
Runtime: 107 min
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance, Musical
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

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