reel to reel | Week of Jan. 12, 2012

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The Adventures of Tintin

When an intrepid young reporter purchases a model ship that holds the key to a mystery, he and his dog embark on a globe-trotting adventure. Rated PG. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks. — Los Angeles Times/MCT

Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked

A group of talking chipmunks and their human companions get shipwrecked on a remote island. Rated G. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks. — Los Angeles Times/MCT

The Artist

Hollywood 1927. Silent movie matinee idol George Valentin is enjoying the good life, although he seems fonder of his faithful dog than of his trophy wife. He meets funny, sexy young extra Peppy Miller, a dancer set for a big break, and sparks fly. With the advent of the talkies George’s career nosedives, while Peppy’s takes off. At Chez Artiste. — Landmark Theatres

Balibo

As Indonesia prepares to invade the tiny nation of East Timor, five Australian-based journalists go missing. Four weeks later, a veteran foreign correspondent is determined to uncover the truth as the threat of invasion intensifies, and an unlikely friendship develops between the last foreign correspondent in East Timor and the man who will become president. Based on a true story. At Boedecker Theater. — Boedecker Theater

Ballet: The Flames of Paris – Bolshoi

Presented on the eve of the anniversary of the October Revolution, this ballet became Stalin’s favorite. Hardly surprising, as The Flames of Paris is about the conflagration of the great French Revolution. Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev are wondrous and passionate in this drama of idealism. At Boedecker Theater. — Boedecker Theater

Beauty and the Beast

A three-dimensional version of the classic animated tale about a princess taken captive by a monster who may be more than meets the eye. Rated G. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks. — Los Angeles Times/MCT

Carnage

The bitterly amusing story of two families who become locked in a showdown after their children are involved in a playground squabble, Carnage shines a spotlight on the risible contradictions and grotesque prejudices of four well-heeled American parents.

At Chez Artiste. — Landmark Theatres

Contraband

A former international smuggler is forced to re-enter the criminal underground to settle his brother-in-law’s debt and protect his own family. Rated R. At Century, Colony

Square and Twin Peaks. — Los Angeles Times/MCT

Crazy Wisdom

Raised and trained in the rigorous Tibetan monastic tradition, Trungpa came to the West and shattered preconceived notions about how an enlightened teacher should behave. He openly smoked, drank and had intimate relations with students — yet his teachings are recognized as authentic, vast and influential. At Boedecker Theater. — Boedecker Theater

A Dangerous Method

Drawn from true-life events, A Dangerous Method takes a glimpse into the turbulent relationships among fledgling psychiatrist Carl Jung (Michael Fassbender), his mentor Sigmund Freud (Viggo Mortensen) and Sabina Spielrein (Keira Knightley), the troubled but beautiful young woman who comes between them. At Esquire. — Landmark Theatres

The Darkest Hour

Five young people stranded in Moscow fight to survive in the wake of a devastating alien attack. Rated PG-13. At Colony Square and Twin Peaks. — Los Angeles Times/MCT

The Descendants

From Alexander Payne, creator of the

Oscar-winning Sideways, comes The Descendants, a sometimes humorous, sometimes tragic journey for Matt King (George Clooney), a distracted husband and back-up parent to two girls who is forced to reexamine his past and embrace his future when his wife suffers a life-threatening boating accident off of Waikiki. At Century and Esquire. — Landmark Theatres

The Devil Inside

Twenty years after her mother confessed to three brutal murders, a woman travels to Italy and recruits two young exorcists to find out what really happened and set things right. Rated R. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks. — Los Angeles Times/MCT

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) and his unlikely colleague, the heavily pierced bisexual fantasy pin-up Lisbeth (Rooney Mara), go about nailing a killer of women. All roads lead to a rich family led by Henrik Vanger (Christopher Plummer), whose relatives have a lot to hide. Director David Fincher is a true talent working with an exceptional cast, so if you needed another version of Stieg Larsson’s combo of prurience and payoff, here you go. Rated R. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks. — Michael Phillips/TMS

How to Start a Revolution

Few people outside the world of academia have ever heard his name, but Gene Sharp’s writings on nonviolent revolution, translated into 40 languages, have inspired and informed protesters around the world in toppling authoritarian regimes. This unassuming, orchid-growing octogenarian is considered a major threat to dictators and was unfairly accused of being a CIA puppet. At Boedecker Theater. — Boedecker Theater

Hugo

To write off this dreamy, overwhelmingly beautiful movie as mere kids’ stuff would be an injustice. This adaptation of Brian Selznick’s illustrated children’s book The Invention of Hugo Cabret (John Logan wrote the screenplay) is as much of a personal Martin Scorsese picture as Raging Bull or Taxi Driver. Rated PG. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks. — Rene Rodriguez/MCT

The Ides of March

The Ides of March is an intense tale of sex, ambition, loyalty, betrayal and revenge. The film takes place during the frantic last days before a heavily contested Ohio presidential primary, when an up-and-coming campaign press secretary (Ryan Gosling of Drive and Blue Valentine) falls prey to backroom politics, the treacherous manipulations of veteran operatives and seduction by a young intern. At Denver FilmCenter/Colfax. — Denver Film Society

In the Land of Blood and Honey

Set against the backdrop of the Bosnian War that tore the Balkan region apart in the 1990s, In the Land of Blood and Honey tells the story of Danijel (Goran Kostic) and Ajla (Zana Marjanovic), two people from different sides of a brutal ethnic conflict. Danijel, a soldier fighting for the Serbs, and Ajla, a Bosnian held captive in the camp he oversees, knew each other before the war, and could have found love with each other. At Denver FilmCenter/Colfax. — Denver Film Society

The Iron Lady

This biopic presents a portrait of Margaret Thatcher, the only woman to be prime minister of the United Kingdom. Rated PG-13. At Century and Colony Square. — Los Angeles Times/MCT

Joyful Noise

The two leading ladies of a small-town Georgia choir butt heads while trying to win a national singing competition. With Queen Latifah and Dolly Parton. Rated PG-13. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks. — Los Angeles Times/MCT

Melancholia

Justine (Kirsten Dunst) and Michael (Alexander Skarsgård) are celebrating their marriage at a sumptuous party in the home of her sister Claire (Charlotte Gainsbourg), and brother-in-law John (Kiefer Sutherland). Despite Claire’s best efforts, the wedding is a fiasco, with family tensions mounting and relationships fraying. Meanwhile, a planet called Melancholia is heading directly toward Earth. At Mayan, Denver FilmCenter/Colfax and Boedecker Theater. — Landmark Theatres

Midnight in Paris

Midnight in Paris, a new romantic comedy from writer/director Woody Allen, tells the story of a family that travels to the picturesque French capital on business. Rated PG-13. At Mayan. — Landmark Theatres

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol

The latest in the “M:I” franchise begins with a Moscow prison break, proceeds to a terrorist bombing of the Kremlin, skedaddles off to Dubai and the world’s tallest building, and then heads to Mumbai, chasing nuclear madmen, goons and Mrs. Patton’s cleavage. Rated PG-13. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks. — Michael Phillips/TMS

Moneyball

Moneyball is based on the true story of Billy Beane (Brad Pitt). Heading into the 2002 season, Billy faces a dismal situation: his small-market Oakland A’s have lost their star players (again) to big market clubs (and their enormous salaries) and he is left to rebuild his team and compete with a third of their payroll. At Denver FilmCenter/ Colfax. — Denver Film Society

The Muppets

The oddest, sweetest movie you’re likely to see this season is The Muppets, a quirky little musical fantasy about plush frogs, diva pigs, friendship and dreams. Rated PG. At Century and Colony Square. — Moira Macdonald/MCT

My Week With Marilyn

Marilyn Monroe, at the height of her pin-up popularity, is making a movie in London with master actor Laurence Olivier. Behind the scenes she is a complete mess — doped up, paranoid and suffocating in insecurities. Monroe finds solace in one of Olivier’s young assistants, Colin Clark. Rated R. At Mayan. — Tom Horgen/MCT

New Year’s Eve

On the last night of the year, the lives of people searching for love, hope, forgiveness and second chances intertwine in New York City. Rated PG-13. At Century and Twin Peaks. — Los Angeles Times/MCT

Nuremberg: Its Lesson for Today

Nuremberg: Its Lesson for Today shows how international prosecutors built their case against the top Nazi war criminals using the Nazis’ own films and records. The trial established the “Nuremberg principles,” laying the foundation for all subsequent trials for crimes against the peace, war crimes and crimes against humanity. At Denver FilmCenter/Colfax. — Denver Film Society

Outrage

In a ruthless battle for power, several yakuza clans vie for the favor of their head family in the Japanese underworld. At Denver FilmCenter/Colfax. — Denver Film Society

Shame

Brandon shuns intimacy with women but feeds his desires with a compulsive addiction to sex. When his wayward younger sister moves into his apartment, stirring memories of their shared painful past, Brandon’s insular life spirals out of control. At Mayan. — Landmark Theatres

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

If you enjoyed the first Guy Ritchie retelling of Sherlock, then you’ll likely leave the sequel feeling satiated. If you hated the first one, you’ll probably find so little pleasure in this that, sometime around the seventh gamerstyle action sequence, you may ponder: Is this doing permanent damage to the medium? At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks. — Michael Phillips/MCT

Still

Still tells the story of Clyfford Still’s remarkable life and his indelible contribution to American art. Though not as well known as his contemporaries Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko, Still was one of the leaders of the Abstract Expressionist movement, yet deliberately turned his back on the art establishment at the height of his career. At Denver FilmCenter/Colfax. — Denver Film Society

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy is the feature film version of John le Carré’s classic bestselling thriller. The Cold War of the mid-20th century continues to threaten international relations. Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) is striving to keep pace with other countries’ espionage efforts. At Chez Artiste and Century. — Landmark Theatres

War Horse

Steven Spielberg’s enthusiasm and excitement glows in every single frame of War Horse. There isn’t a moment in the movie where you don’t feel Spielberg’s passion for this simple story, and this time, the film is worthy of his enthusiasm. The story is based on Michael Morpurgo’s 1982 children’s novel about the bond between a boy and his horse during World War I. Rated PG-13. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks. — Los Angeles Times/MCT

We Bought a Zoo

Benjamin Mee (Matt Damon) is a widower with two children who quits his job and, searching for a fresh start for his preteen daughter, played by Maggie Elizabeth Jones, along with his grieving son, played by Colin Ford, finds exactly what he wasn’t looking for: a zoo on the skids. Scarlett Johansson plays the head zookeeper, conveniently single. Damon deftly stays true and above the corn. Parts of this are enjoyable, but it’s pretty weak overall. Rated PG. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks. — Michael Phillips/TMS

Wild Strawberries

Ingmar Bergman’s Wild Strawberries is variously held to be one of his best, most emotional and most optimistic films. It won several awards, including a Golden Globe. At Boedecker Theater. — Boedecker Theater

Young Adult

When a YA writer returns to her small hometown to relive her glory days and reunite with her now-married high school sweetheart, things don’t go quite as she’d planned. Rated R. At Century. — Los Angeles Times/MCT