Reel to reel | Week of November 15, 2012

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Twilight: Breaking Dawn, Part 2 finally brings the series to an end.

ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina is acclaimed director Joe Wright’s bold, theatrical new vision of the epic story of love, stirringly adapted from Leo Tolstoy’s great novel by Academy Award winner Tom Stoppard (Shakespeare in Love). Rated R. At Esquire. –– Landmark Theatres 

ARGO

Ben Affleck’s latest directing project (in which he also stars) is based on true events from the Iranian revolution in 1979. Militants storm the U.S. embassy and take 52 Americans hostage, six Americans escape to the home of a Canadian ambassador. A CIA agent comes forward to get them out of the country before they’re found. Rated R. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks.

BELOVED

Starring Catherine Deneuve and (her real-life daughter) Chiara Mastroianni, this sly and exquisitely romantic musical drama spans over three decades as it follows a mother and daughter’s misadventures in love. At Boedecker. –– Boedecker Theater

BEST OF THE NY INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN’S FILM FESTIVAL

Fabulous short subjects have been selected as the best in kids movies not cooked in the cauldron of Hollywood’s big studios. Kid Flix Mix is ideal for ages 4-8, with no advanced verbal or reading skills needed to appreciate their charm. At Boedecker. –– Boedecker Theater

CHASING MAVERICKS

When 15-year-old Jay discovers that one of the biggest waves on Earth, the mythic Mavericks, exists just miles from his home in Santa Cruz, he seeks the help of local legend Frosty Hesson to help to train him to conquer it. Rated PG. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks.

CLOUD ATLAS

This overly ambitious tale covers six stories written and directed by three people and multiple actors in multiple roles. Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent, Jim Sturgess and Hugo Weaving attempt to share intersecting tales of humanity and spirituality, some of which involve intergalactic travel and a cloned Asian woman who becomes a deity. The best art is unafraid to fail. This is definitely art. Rated R. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks. — The Reader of Omaha, Neb.

COMPLIANCE

Based on true events, we see how far an average restaurant manager goes when instructed by an “authority” in the investigation of an alleged crime. Further, the story shows how easy it is to surrender rights in order to keep a job. At Boedecker. –– Boedecker Theater

DIANA VREELAND: THE EYE HAS TO TRAVEL

This documentary chronicles 50 years of international fashion and Diana Vreeland as a visionary with the ability to invent and discover fashion ideas, designers, personalities and photographers. Rated PG-13. At Mayan and Esquire. –– Landmark Theatre.

FLIGHT

Denzel Washington stars in this action-packed mystery thriller as a seasoned pilot who saves his plane after a mid-air disaster, rescuing almost all his passengers. He’s dubbed a hero but learns that the plane’s malfunctions reveal something different. Rated R. At Colony Square, Century and Twin Peaks.

FUN SIZE

Wren, a high school senior eager to distance herself from her dysfunctional family, is forced to babysit her little brother on Halloween. Her brother goes missing in a crowd of trick-or-treaters and Wren seeks the help of her nerdy friends to find her brother before her mother finds out. Rated PG-13. At Twin Peaks.

HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 3D

Dracula invites some of the world’s most famous monsters to celebrate his daughter’s 118th birthday at Hotel Transylvania, a lavish resort where humans will not be able to bother them. Rated PG. At Colony Square.

IN THE FAMILY

A 6-year-old has two dads until one dies suddenly in a car accident. He is taken from his remaining father when the dead man’s will names a sister as guardian. At Boedecker. –– Boedecker Theater

IT’S SUCH A BEAUTIFUL DAY

Cult animator and Academy Award nominee filmmaker Don Hertzfeldt has combined his recent “Bill” trilogy of short films into one seamless, beautiful, darkly comedic feature, blending traditional animation, experimental optical effects, trick photography, and new digital hybrids printed out one frame at a time. At Sie FilmCenter. –– Denver Film Society

KILLER JOE

When 22-year-old Chris finds himself in debt to a drug lord, he hires a hit man to dispatch his mother, whose $50,000 life insurance policy benefits his sister Dottie. Rated NC-17. At Esquire. –– Landmark Theatres

KISS ME

Romance unfolds at the most inopportune moment when hetero-inclined Mia and self-aware lesbian Frida meet while celebrating the engagement of Frida’s mother and Mia’s father. Status as future stepsisters is a formidable obstacle‚ not to mention Mia’s own engagement to a man. Still, the two begin a passionate emotional and erotic dialogue. At Boedecker. –– Boedecker Theater

KEEP THE LIGHTS ON

Documentary filmmaker Erik and closeted lawyer Paul meet on a cruising chat line, but find a deeper connection and become a couple. The narrative checks in on their relationship every few years over a decade. At Boedecker. –– Landmark Theatres

LABYRINTH

In this sing- and quote-along version of the movie, 15-year-old Sarah accidentally wishes that her baby half-brother be sent away to the Goblin King who will keep him if she doesn’t complete his labyrinth in 13 hours. IFS at VAC Basement Auditorium

LINCOLN

Steven Spielberg directs this revealing drama that focuses on the president’s troubling last months in office. Rated PG-13. At Colony Square, Century and Twin Peaks.

A LATE QUARTET

When the beloved cellist of a world-renowned string quartet receives a life changing diagnosis, the group’s future suddenly hangs in the balance. Rated R. At Esquire. –– Landmark Theatres

THE LONELIEST PLANET

The summer before their wedding, Alex and Nica are backpacking through the scenic Caucasus Mountains in Georgia. The fit young couple, playful and affectionate, hire a local guide to lead them on a camping trek, and the three set off into a stunning wilderness. At Chez Artiste. –– Landmark Theatres

THE MAN WITH THE IRON FISTS

See full review. Rated R. At Century.

THE MASTER

Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest challenging character sketch is set against a backdrop of pseudo-Scientology, as Joaquin Phoenix plays a troubled soldier fresh out of WW2, and Philip Seymour Hoffman plays a quasi-L Ron Hubbard. Depressing, challenging and muted, it’s guaranteed to spark discussion and mainstream teeth-gnashing. Rated R. At Esquire. — The Reader of Omaha, Neb.

NOBODY WALKS

Martine, a 23-year-old artist from New York, arrives in Los Angeles to stay in the pool house of a family living in the hip and hilly community of Silver Lake. Peter, the father, has agreed to help Martine complete sound design on her art film as a favor to his wife. At Sie FilmCenter. –– Denver Film Society

THE OTHER SON

The Other Son is the moving and provocative tale of two young men — one Israeli, the other Palestinian — who discover they were accidentally switched at birth. Rated PG-13. At Chez Artiste. –– Landmark Theatres

THE PAPERBOY

Lured by imploring letters from the beautiful siren Charlotte, handsome, hard-nosed reporter Ward James and his partner, Yardley Acheman, return to Ward’s hometown in Florida, to investigate the seemingly unjust imprisonment of Charlotte’s lover, alligator hunter Hillar Van Wetter. Rated R. At Mayan. –– Landmark Theatres

THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER

A funny and touching coming-of-age story, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a modern classic that captures the dizzying highs and crushing lows of growing up. Rated PG-13. At Colony Square, Century and Mayan. — Landmark Theatres

THIS MUST BE THE PLACE

This Must Be the Place is a visually striking, unpredictable dramatic comedy starring Sean Penn in one of his most unusual and acclaimed roles. Rated R. At Mayan. –– Landmark Theatres

PITCH PERFECT

Itty-bitty pretty Anna Kendrick stars as a college freshman sucked into the world of competitive college singing. With the aid of a group of misfits, an all-female group hopes to make it to the final bout and gain redemption and respect. And along the way ladies make snow angels in pools of vomit and talk a lot about sex. So it’s Glee and anti-Glee all at the same time. Rated PG-13. At Century, Colony Square — The Reader of Omaha, Neb.

PLANET OF SNAIL

Young-chan learned to speak as a child before losing both hearing and vision. Soon-Ho is half his height with a twisted spine and speaks to him through a language made up of finger taps. With no narration or interviews, we see them rely heavily on each other yet move through their lives with poetry and timeless grace. At Boedecker. –– Boedecker Theater

PRETTY SWEET

The much anticipated new video from Girl and Chocolate skateboards will premier in Denver on Nov. 18. At Sie FilmCenter. –– Denver Film Society

ROYAL OPERA HOUSE’S LE NOZZE DI FIGARO

Revolution is in the air in David McVicar’s wonderfully illuminating production of Mozart’s Figaro. And with an all-star cast, it’s no surprise that The Guardian raves: “The evening is remarkable.” At Boedecker. –– Boedecker Theater

SAMSARA

In Samsara, Sanskrit for “the ever turning wheel of life,” filmmakers search for the elusive current of interconnection. Filmed over nearly five years, in 25 countries, it dispenses with dialogue and descriptive text, and our own interpretations are inspired by sacred grounds, disaster zones, industrial sites, and natural wonders. At Boedecker. –– Boedecker Theater

SMASHED

Smashed is a dramatic comedy about fidelity — and what it means to be committed to someone, to love someone, and to need to change your life… when your partner isn’t capable of change. At Esquire. –– Landmark Theatres

SOMEWHERE BETWEEN

Somewhere Between tells the intimate stories of four teenage girls. They live in different parts of the US, in different kinds of families and are united by one thing: All four were adopted from China because all four had birth parents who could not keep them, due to personal circumstances colliding with China’s “One Child Policy.” At Sie FilmCenter. –– Denver Film Society

THE SESSIONS

Based on the poignantly optimistic autobiographical writings of California-based journalist and poet Mark O’Brien, The Sessions tells the triumphant story of a man confined to an iron lung who is determined — at age 38 — to lose his virginity. At Mayan and Century. –– Landmark Theatres.

SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS

An ensemble cast that includes Colin Farrell, Christopher Walken, Woody Harrelson and Tom Waits play a writer and his friends willing to go all ends necessary to help with finishing the screenplay “Seven Psychopaths.” Rated R. At Colony Square.

SIMON AND THE OAKS

An epic drama spanning 1939 to 1952, Simon and the Oaks is the gripping story of Simon, who grows up in a loving working class family on the outskirts of Gothenburg but always feels out of place. At Chez Artiste. — Landmark Theatres

SKYFALL

While Daniel Craig has provided some entertaining moments as the world’s most famous fictional spy, James Bond purists have grumbled that Craig’s two films departed too greatly from the 22-film tradition of the womanizing spy-hero. Skyfall is a return to form for 007. Action, beautiful dames, interesting gadgets and snappy one-liners abound in this thriller. No surprises there. Rated PG-13. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks. — The Reader of Omaha, Neb.

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD 50TH ANNIVERSARY

Turner Classic Movies and Universal Pictures celebrates the 50th anniversary of To Kill A Mockingbird. At Century.

TRAPPED IN THE CLOSET

Sing
along to R. Kelly’s classic hip hopera, in which Kels takes on the
role of Sylvester, who has a one-night stand with a preacher’s wife and
then ends up in a web of preposterous lies and a series of outlandish
plot twists ranging from used rubbers on his bed to an asthmatic midget
male stripper. At Sie FilmCenter. –– Denver Film Society

THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN, PART 2

In this final ending to this romantic epic, the Cullens seek the help of other vampire clans to save the newly born Renesmee and the family from the Volturi. Rated PG-13. At Colony Square, Century and Twin Peaks.

THE TWILIGHT SAGA: DOUBLE FEATURE

Watch both parts of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn with bonus content. At Century.

THE TWILIGHT SAGA MARATHON

Watch the entire saga starting with the first film in the series while awaiting the arrival of the The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 2. At Century.

WRECK-IT RALPH (3D)

When a video game bad guy (John C. Reilly) grows tired of having to be mean, he abandons his game in search of more, winding up in a first-person shooter with a no-nonsense soldier (Jane Lynch) and a kart-racing game with a child (Sarah Silverman). Sweet, fluffy and loads of fun, beware that this isn’t a game changer even if it features lots of game characters. — The Reader of Omaha, Neb. Rated PG. At Colony Square, Century and Twin Peaks.

WAKE IN FRIGHT

The film tells the story of a British schoolteacher’s descent into personal demoralization at the hands of drunken, deranged derelicts while stranded in a small town in outback Australia. Rated R. At Sie FilmCenter. –– Denver Film Society