Reel to reel | Week of March 14, 2013

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21 AND OVER

In this comedy from the writers of The Hangover, one beer inevitably turns into many more the night before Jeff Chang’s medical school interview. Rated R. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks.

THE ABCS OF DEATH

The motion picture is composed of 26 individual chapters, each helmed by a different director assigned a letter of the alphabet. The directors were then given free rein in choosing a word to create a story involving death. At SIE FilmCenter. — Denver Film Society

A.K.A. DOC POMUS

Filmmakers Peter Miller and William Hechter chronicle the life of rock ‘n’ roll icon Doc Pomus from his childhood battle with polio through his induction into the Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame. At Boedecker. —Boedecker Theater

AMOUR

Georges and Anne are a couple in their 80s about to experience one of the perils of mortality, dementia. Rated PG-13. At Century and Chez Artiste. — The Reader of Omaha, Neb.

ARGO

Ben Affleck’s latest directing project (in which he also stars) is based on true events from the Iranian revolution in 1979. Rated R. At Century and Mayan.

BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD

A 6-year-old girl, buoyed by her childish optimism, believes that the natural world is in balance with the universe. At SIE FilmCenter. — Denver Film Society

BEETLEJUICE

Sight gags and puns abound as the diabolically funny title character (played with gruesome wit by Michael Keaton) helps “newlydeads” Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis rid their home of obnoxious new owners Catherine O’Hara, Jeffrey Jones and Winona Ryder. At Esquire. — Landmark Theatres

BICYCLE DREAMS

What begins as the adventure of a lifetime is transformed in an instant when tragedy strikes the race. At SIE FilmCenter. — Denver Film Society

BOULDER JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL

This festival runs for two weeks and includes My Australia; Precious Life; Tony Curtis: Driven to Stardom; AKA Doc Pomus; From Shtetl to Swing; A Fire in the Forest; Beyond the Boundaries; Dolphin Boy; Hava Nagila. At Boedecker.

THE BRAKHAGE CENTER SYMPOSIUM 2013

Through screenings and discussions the ninth Brakhage symposium will explore art practices, and assumptions about cinema art, the historical avant-garde and the media arts. At VAC Basement Auditorium. — International Film Series

THE CALL

Halle Berry plays a 911 operator who takes a call from a kid that launches her into a suspense-filled quest to track down a killer. Rated R. At Twin Peaks, Century and Colony Square.

DEAD MAN DOWN

Colin Farrell is a man who has lost everything, or rather has had everything taken from him. Now he’s out for revenge. He doesn’t have much to say in this high octane action thriller, but his message comes through loud and clear. Rated R. At Colony Square, Twin Peaks and Century.

DJANGO UNCHAINED

Quentin Tarantino does to slave owners what he did to Nazis in Inglourious Basterds. Rated R. At Colony Square. — The Reader of Omaha, Neb.

DON’T STOP BELIEVING: EVERYMAN’S JOURNEY

The real life rock ‘n’ roll fairy tale of Filipino Arnel Pineda, who was plucked from YouTube to become the front man for iconic American rock band Journey. At SIE FilmCenter. — Denver Film Society

EMPEROR

General Douglas MacArthur (Tommy Lee Jones) suddenly finds himself the de facto ruler of a foreign nation after Emperor Hirohito’s World War II surrender. At Chez Artiste and Century. — Landmark Theatres

ESCAPE FROM PLANET EARTH

An animated space hero (voiced by Brendan Fraser) fights to defend his planet, Beeb. Rated PG. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks.

FROM SHTETL TO SWING: A MUSICAL ODYSSEY

Lower East Side kids Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, the Marx Brothers, Artie Shaw, and numerous others, and how they turned into legends, forever changing the face of American popular music. At Boedecker. —Boedecker Theater

THE GATEKEEPERS

The head of the Shin Bet, Israel’s secret service, is present for every decision made. Six former heads share their insights and reflect on their actions and decisions. At Chez Artiste. –– Landmark Theatres

A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD

John McClane (Bruce Willis) is out to get the bad guys in Moscow, but this time his son is helping him do it. Believe it or not, a whole bunch of people get shot and blown up, and at some point, Bruce is so banged up you just can’t believe that he can win in the end. But we won’t spoil it, maybe this time the bad guys get the best of him. Rated R. At Colony Square.

GREEDY LYING BASTARDS

Filmmaker and political activist Craig Rosebraugh investigates the reason behind stalled efforts to tackle climate change despite consensus in the scientific community that it is not only a reality but also a growing problem placing us on the brink of disaster. At Mayan. — Landmark Theatres

THE INCREDIBLE BURT WONDERSTONE

When three crazy, dysfunctional magicians try to outdo each other in their effort to be the top dog on the Vegas strip, funny things happen. Starring Steve Carell, Steve Buscemi and Jim Carrey. Rated PG. At Twin Peaks, Century and Colony Square.

IDENTITY THIEF

The director of Horrible Bosses returns with a redemption tale. Rated R. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks.

JACK THE GIANT SLAYER 3D

Jack climbs a beanstalk, fights giants and adds to a list of other action fairytale flicks. Rated PG-13. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks.

THE JEFFREY DAHMER FILES

In the summer of 1991 Jeffrey Dahmer was arrested in Milwaukee and sentenced to 957 years in prison for killing 17 people and dismembering their bodies. The film explores this Midwestern city by meeting those surrounding Dahmer during and after his hidden spree. Part of The Watching Hour series at SIE FilmCenter. — Denver Film Society

LA SCALA’S CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA AND PAGLIACCI

Opera fans’ favorite double billing, Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci, are two brief operas that pack a big punch. At Boedecker. — Boedecker Theater

THE LAST EXORCISM PART II

Nell picks up the pieces after an ordeal she can barely remember. But the force that terrorized her isn’t finished. Rated PG-13. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks.

LIFE OF PI 3D

A storm ravages a boat carrying a zookeeper’s family and menagerie, and the only survivors are the family’s son, Pi, and a Bengal tiger, Richard Parker. Rated PG. At Century and Colony Square. — The Reader of Omaha, Neb.

LORE

Left to fend for themselves, five German children undertake a harrowing journey. At Esquire. –– Landmark Theatres

MY AUSTRALIA

Tadek and Andrzej grow up in Poland and begin to hate Jews until their mother moves to Israel to teach them about their roots. At Boedecker.— Boedecker Theater

OSCAR-NOMINATED SHORT FILMS 2013: LIVE ACTION

This year’s program is being hosted by last year’s winners: William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg. At Boedecker. — Landmark Theatres

OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL 3D

We know all about Dorothy and have heard the Wicked Witch’s take. Now it’s the Wizard of Oz’s turn. Rated PG. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks.

A PLACE AT THE TABLE

Forty-nine million people in the U.S. — one in four children — don’t
know where their next meal is coming from. At SIE FilmCenter. — Denver
Film Society

PRECIOUS LIFE

Precious Life tells the story of Mohammad Abu Mustaffa, a
four-month-old Palestinian boy from Gaza who was born without an immune
system and requires a bone marrow transplant, which can only be done in
an Israeli hospital. A desperate plea from his doctor leads Israeli
journalist Shlomi Eldar to document this complex and touching story of
Israeli and Palestinian doctors’ attempt to save Mohammad’s life. The
film explores the challenges and prejudices that must be overcome when
officials from conflicting nations attempt to put aside their
differences for a noble cause. At Boedecker. —Boedecker Theater

QUARTET

Beecham House is abuzz when an unexpected singer returns home. Rated PG-13. At Century and Esquire. — Landmark Theatres

RUST AND BONE

Macho
Ali has just been given custody of his five-year-old son and is
struggling to care for him. He finds work as a bouncer and extreme
fighter, and meets Stéphanie when he protects her in a fight at the club
where he works. At Boedecker. — Boedecker Theater

SAFE HAVEN

Girl is in love. Girl gets hurt. Girl must learn to love again. Just act like you liked it, guys. Rated PG. At Century.

SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN

How
is it possible that a musician named Rodriguez could bomb with two
albums in the U.S., disappear into obscurity for years and then be
unknowingly resurrected as a successful, inspirational hero in a totally different country? Searching for Sugar Man tells the uplifting, almost unbelievable true mystery of Rodriguez, a story more extraordinary than any of the existing myths about him. At Mayan. — Landmark Theatres

SIDE EFFECTS

After her husband returns home from jail, a woman takes pills for anxiety that may cause her to murder. Rated R. At Century.

SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK

Everything is sanitized and clichéd enough to make this a feel-good romance. Rated R. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks.

SNITCH

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson plays a dad who must become a drug cartel-fighting informant. Rated PG-13. At Twin Peaks.

SOUND CITY

Deep in the San Fernando Valley, amidst rows of dilapidated warehouses, was rock ‘n’ roll’s best kept secret: Sound City. At SIE FilmCenter. — Denver Film Society

STOKER

When India becomes infatuated with her weird uncle Charlie, strange things happen. Rated R. At Century.

THE STORY OF FILM: PARTS 5 AND 6

Part 5 of The Story of Film shows how the trauma of war made cinema more daring. Part 6 explores the story of sex and melodrama in the movies of the ’50s. At Boedecker. — Boedecker Theater

TONY CURTIS: DRIVEN TO STARDOM

The life of Tony Curtis, from his humble beginnings in the Bronx through his most striking movie roles. At Boedecker. — Boedecker Theater

UPSIDE DOWN

Kirsten Dunst (Spider-Man, Melancholia) and Jim Sturgess star in Upside Down, an interplanetary dystopian romance that puts an eye-popping, original twist on the classic tale of forbidden love. At Esquire. — Landmark Theatres

WRONG

The story revolves around Dolph Springer (Jack Plotnick), a man who wakes up one morning to find his dog Paul missing. At VAC Basement Auditorium. — International Film Series

YOSSI

Ten years after Yossi & Jagger, the tragic story of an Israeli commander whose gay lover is killed during a raid on Lebanon, director Eytan Fox returns to find out what has happened with Yossi. At Mayan. — Landmark Theatres