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Director: Marc Forster Stars: Daniel Craig, Olga Kurylenko, Mathieu Amalric (Full Cast) Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment The Plot: Picking up where Casino Royale left off, James Bond (Craig) sets his sights on the organization behind Vesper Lynd's betrayal. The mission puts him on a collision course with Dominic Greene (Amalric), a ruthless businessman who, Bond soon learns, is brokering a deal to take total control of one of the world's most precious resources. Relying on allies new and old -- including Camille (Kurylenko), a beautiful woman with her own agenda -- Agent 007 looks to bring down Greene and his conspirators.
THE BUZZ: The first of Daniel Craig's two year-end punches has already landed around the world, as QoS pulled in $160 million in under two weeks -- and this is before its U.S. opening, where it's set to drown Casino Royale's $40 million debut, Vesper Lynd style. In a contemporary setting, where Roger Moore has croaked that the series has become "too violent," Amy Winehouse can't stay sober enough to record her Bond theme, and Jason Bourne is threatening to become the world's #1 super-spy, we have to admire Daniel Craig's PC nature (such a nice contrast to the vengeance-seeking character he plays here), as well as Marc Forster's rejiggering of the Bond formula by taking the action to South America for the shortest, densest chapter to date. Message Boards: Worst Bond film EVER | Daniel Craig looks like... Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews | |||||
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Director: Danny Boyle Loveleen Tandan Stars: Dev Patel, Freida Pinto (Full Cast) Studio: Fox Searchlight Pictures The Plot: The story of how impoverished Indian teen Jamal Malik (Patel) became a contestant on the Hindi version of "Who Wants to be A Millionaire?" -- an endeavor made without prize money in mind, rather, an effort to prove his love for his friend Latika (Pinto), who is an ardent fan of the show.
THE BUZZ: Danny Boyle's latest has had quite the ride on the way its awards-friendly berth; originally purchased by Warner Independent Pictures, the film's future was in limbo when WIP closed its doors given the gloomy climate for indie/art-house films. For a minute there, Slumdog almost went direct to DVD (which may not come as a surprise to those who saw Sunshine). "Dickensian" and "Capraesque" are two descriptors being used by those who saw it at the Telluride Film Festival, though to me it sounds like Boyle is giving a nod to his contemporary, Michael Winterbottom, who often (successfully) mines for gold outside of his native UK. Message Boards: Why was the host so mean? | Hands-down the WORST movie I have ever seen in my entire life. Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews | |||||
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Director: Arnaud Desplechin Stars: Catherine Deneuve, Jean-Paul Roussillon, Mathieu Amalric (Full Cast) Studio: IFC Films The Plot: The Vuillard family's history of physical and mental illness, estrangement, self harm, and loss doesn't lead itself to the idea of a cheerful holiday season. But can a Christmastime reunion, a scheme concocted by three of the youngest family members, finally bring peace their clan? THE BUZZ: Arnaud Desplechin's last film, Kings & Queen, was a smash in the director's native France, and it eked out a decent tally at the American box office. That film's Catherine Deneuve and Jean-Paul Roussillon reunite as the respective matriarch and patriarch of the Vuillard clan, and I think their presence, combined with Gallic cinema's string of 2008 successes on this side of the Atlantic, could add up to some sort of art-house sensation this holiday season. For sure: That audience swooned over Mathieu Amalric's performance in Diving Bell and the Butterfly, and it should be compelling to watch him portray an alcoholic who has been banished by his sister. Why is that? Well, said sister is played by Anne Consigny, who handled with grace the role of blink-by-blink translator in the Diving Bell. Message Boards: The Obligatory 'song in trailer' post | Comedy comes from France are losing credits Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews | |||||
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