THE AVENGERS 3D
A stunning production, based on the epic masterpiece by Miguel de Cervantes, originally created for the Bolshoi by Marius Pepita in 1869 with music by Ludwig Minkus. Starring Natalia Osipova & Ivan Vasiliev. At Boedecker Theater. — Boedecker Theater
BALLET: DON QUIXOTE
A team of superheroes including Iron Man, Captain America, the Hulk and Thor unite to save the world. Rated PG-13. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks. — Los Angeles Times/MCT
BATTLESHIP
See full review on page 41. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks.
BERNIE
Filmmaker Richard Linklater (Dazed and Confused, Before Sunset) returns to his Texas roots for this delightfully poker-faced black comedy — based on a true story — about East Texas assistant funeral home director Bernie Tiede (Jack Black). Everyone loved and appreciated Bernie, so it came as no surprise when he befriended Marjorie Nugent (Shirley MacLaine), an affluent widow who was as well known for her sour attitude as her fortune. Driven by her cruelty to put four bullets in her, Bernie goes to great lengths to keep up the illusion that she’s still alive. At Century and Mayan. — Landmark Theatres
THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL
A group of British retirees (Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson, Maggie Smith) decide to “outsource” their retirement to less expensive and seemingly exotic India. Enticed by advertisements for the newly restored Marigold Hotel and bolstered with visions of a life of leisure, they arrive to find the place a shell of its former self. At Century and Esquire. — Landmark Theatres
BEYOND THE BLACK RAINBOW
Panos Cosmatos’ moody sci-fi head trip is set within the confines of a stark and sterile laboratory circa 1983, where Dr. Barry Nyle is conducting tests on a young subject, a quiet and stunned girl named Elena. This human guinea pig is becoming aware of a power hidden deep inside of her — but is it her secret, or the work of Dr. Nyle? At Denver FilmCenter/Colfax. — Denver Film Society
BOY
This is a hilarious and heartfelt comingof-age tale about heroes, magic and Michael Jackson. Boy is a dreamer who lives with his brother, a tribe of deserted cousins and his Nan. Boy’s other hero, his father, is the subject of fantasies: a deep
sea diver, war hero and a close relation of Michael Jackson (he can even dance like him). In reality he is an inept, wannabe gangster who has been in jail for robbery. At Denver FilmCenter/Colfax. — Boedecker Theater
DARK SHADOWS
A vampire is freed from his tomb after two centuries and set loose in the world of 1972. Rated PG-13. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks.
BULLHEAD
A domineering cattle farmer, constantly pumped on steroids and hormones, initiates a shady deal with a notorious mafioso meat trader. When an investigating federal agent is assassinated and a woman from his traumatic past resurfaces, Jacky must confront his demons and face the far-reaching consequences of his decisions. At Boedecker Theater. — Boedecker Theater
DHAMMA BROTHERS
An overcrowded maximum-security prison in Alabama is dramatically changed by the influence of an ancient meditation program. The Vipassana retreat, an emotionally and physically demanding course of silent meditation lasting 10 days, is seen by some as a threat to their religious beliefs. But for some it may hold the key for personal redemption. At Boedecker Theater. — Boedecker Theater
CHERNOBYL DIARIES
From Oren Peli, creator of Paranormal Activity, comes another spine-tingler about ignored warnings and unwelcome companions. Rated R. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks.
THE COLOR WHEEL
JR, an increasingly transient aspiring news anchor, forces her disappointing younger brother Colin to embark on a road trip to move her belongings out of her professor-turned-lover’s apartment. Problem is, these grown-up kids do not get along, and are both too obnoxious to know better. At Denver FilmCenter/Colfax. — Denver Film Society
CROOKED ARROWS
Tribal pride blends with an underdog sports team story in this tale of how a young man tries to prove himself to his father and earn his place in his Native American tribe. Rated R. At Century.
THE DICTATOR
Sacha Baron Cohen is back with a character that sports a funny accent and antagonizes others. Shock! But unlike Borat, Admiral General Aladeen is neither revealing nor inherently hilarious. In what could have been a powerful and insightful statement in the wake of the Arab Spring is mostly a tired retread of moderately funny vulgar jokes. Rated PG-13. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks — The Reader of Omaha, Neb.
THE FAIRY
Starting with the premise of an everydaylooking fairy and three wishes, these talented writers-directors-actors show circus-performer virtuosity in the magic balance between the deceptively simple and delightfully complex. With a slew of colorfully anarchistic sight gags, this Keystone-style romp is firmly grounded in the work of Chaplin, Keaton and especially Jacques Tati, to which they add a few welcome socio-political twists. At Boedecker Theater and Mayan. —
Boedecker Theater
FIRST POSITION
Every year, thousands of aspiring dancers enter one of the world’s most prestigious ballet competitions, the Youth America Grand Prix, where lifelong dreams are at stake. Bess Kargman’s award-winning documentary and feature film debut, First Position, follows six young dancers as they prepare for a chance to enter the world of professional ballet. At Chez Artiste. — Landmark Theatres
FOR GREATER GLORY
A battle for religious freedom is waged over the epic backdrop of northern Mexico in this true story of a war you’ve probably never heard about. Rated PG-13. At Century.
HEADHUNTERS
Headhunters is an intense action thriller, as well as a provocative investigation into questions of betrayal, revenge and deadly ambition. The talented Aksel Hennie (Max Manus) stars as Roger, a charming scoundrel and Norway’s most accomplished corporate headhunter. At Chez Artiste. — Landmark Theatres
HUNGER GAMES
In the post-apocalyptic ruins of North America, a teenage girl competes in a nationally televised battle to the death against 23 of her peers. Rated PG-13. At Century and Colony Square. — Los Angeles Times/MCT
THE INTOUCHABLES
The Intouchables, by French writer/directors Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano, is the inspiring true story of two men who should never have met — a quadriplegic aristocrat who was injured in a paragliding accident and a young man from the projects. After Driss (Omar Sy, César Award winner for Best Actor) is hired as caretaker for Philippe (François Cluzet, Tell No One), they learn that sometimes you have to reach into someone else’s world to find what’s missing in your own. At Mayan. — Landmark Theatres
MARLEY
Bob Marley’s universal appeal, impact on music history and role as a social and political prophet is both unique and unparalleled. Director Kevin Macdonald’s (One Day In September, The Last King of Scotland) documentary Marley is the definitive life story of the musician, revolutionary and legend, from his early days to his rise to international superstardom. At Denver FilmCenter/Colfax. — Landmark Theatres
MEN IN BLACK III
See full review on page 41. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks.
THE PIANIST
Roman Polanski, who as a boy growing up in Poland watched while the Nazis devastated his country and killed his parents, directed this brilliant drama about a musician’s five-year nightmare during Nazi occupation of Warsaw. This 2002 Oscarwinning film traces the true story of Polish-Jewish pianist Wladyslaw Szpilman’s harrowing experience. At Boedecker Theater. — Boedecker Theater
THE PIRATES! BAND OF MISFITS 3-D
In this Claymation extravaganza based on a series of books, The Pirate Captain (voiced by Hugh Grant) leads his group of hapless miscreants through an adventure that involves Charles Darwin (David Tennant). While jokes about evolution are found a plenty, laughs are not had by all in this shockingly boring endeavor. Rated PG. At Colony Square. — The Reader of Omaha, Neb.
RESTLESS CITY
Restless City tells the story of an African immigrant surviving on the fringes of New York City where music is his passion, life is a hustle, and falling in love is his greatest risk. At Denver FilmCenter/ Colfax. — Denver Film Society
REVEAL THE PATH
Join in as the creators of Ride the Divide take you on a visually stunning, global-yet-personal adventure by bike. From Alaska’s rugged coast to Morocco’s high desert, from Scotland’s lush valleys to Europe’s snowcapped mountains, it will leave you with an eager desire to chart your own course to faraway lands, or simply to discover with eyes wide open what’s right around the bend. At Boedecker Theater. — Boedecker Theater
SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN
Salmon Fishing in the Yemen stars Ewan McGregor as Dr. Alfred Jones, a fisheries scientist who one day receives an unusual request. A businesswoman named Harriet Chetwode-Talbot (Emily Blunt, The Adjustment Bureau) wants his help in fulfilling a wealthy sheikh’s (Amr Waked) desire to bring sport fishing to Yemen. At Mayan. — Landmark Theatres
SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN
The second retelling this year of this classic fairytale recasts Snow White not as the hapless housecleaner for a pack of dwarves but as a woman trained in the art of war. With Kristen Stewart, Charlize Theron and Chris Hemsworth. Rated PG-13. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks.
SMALL, BEAUTIFULLY MOVING PARTS
Sarah Sparks is a freelance “technologist” who repairs everything from new computers to old-fashioned radios and considers it part of her job to interview strangers in public places about the role technology plays in their lives. At Denver FilmCenter/Colfax. — Denver Film Society
STREETS OF FIRE
Romance and violence collide in this rock ’n’ roll fantasy set against a background of highly stylized urban decay. A sexy female singer (Diane Lane) is kidnapped by a gang of vicious bikers and her cool, laconic ex-boyfriend (Michael Pare) must come to her rescue. At Denver FilmCenter/Colfax. — Denver Film Society
TONIGHT YOU’RE MINE
Strutting indie music star Adam (Luke Treadaway, Attack the Block) and feisty punk-rock girl band leader Morello (Natalia Tena, Nymphadora Tonks in the Harry Potter series) are handcuffed together as part of a backstage altercation. With no key in sight, the two feuding musicians can’t be unhitched, even to perform. At Mayan. — Landmark Theatres
WE HAVE A POPE
A cardinal suddenly finds himself elected as the next pope. Never the front runner and completely caught off guard, he panics as he’s presented to the faithful in St.
Peter’s Square. To prevent a worldwide crisis, the Vatican’s spokesman calls in an unlikely psychiatrist who is neither religious nor all that committed to finding out what is wrong with the new pope. At Chez Artiste. — Landmark Theatres
WHALEDREAMERS
Julian Lennon co-produced this chronicle of tribal elders from around the world gathering in Australia to celebrate their spiritual relationships with nature, especially the Mirning people’s relationship with whales. Told with moving optimism and spiritual strength, and intertwining incredible underwater footage with ancient legend, it examines the complex past and the possibly dire future of human civilization. Pierce Brosnan, John Hurt and Geoffrey Rush also appear in this stunning and passionate documentary. At Boedecker Theater. — Boedecker Theater
WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU’RE EXPECTING
The book What to Expect When You’re Expecting is approaching 30 — about time to start bearing its own offspring, though the disjointed high drama of this film may not exactly make a parent proud. The ensemble cast that includes every available face from Jennifer Lopez to Chris Rock leads to heavy-handed dramatics panning in an overall sitcommy film. Rated PG-13. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks.
WHERE DO WE GO NOW?
Infused with songs and dancing, this serio-comic fable of a community beset by conflict between two faiths speaks out the desire of every citizen to live in peace. Set in a remote village where a Christian church and Muslim mosque stand side by side, director/co-writer/ actress Nadine Labaki’s (Caramel) ironically humorous drama follows the antics of the town’s women to keep their blowhard men from starting a religious war.
At Chez Artiste. — Landmark Theatres
