Reel to reel | Week of December 13, 2012

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ANNA KARENINA

Leo Tolstoy’s classic novel of love and infidelity comes to life thanks to director Joe Wright. A unique narrative device illuminates the theatrical behavior of the randy Russian nobles who can’t seem to help trying to sleep with each other’s spouses. In the end, it’s a costume drama, with a Masterpiece Theatre feel, but fans of the novel and the genre will enjoy this version. Rated R. At Century and Esquire. –– The Reader of Omaha, Neb.

ANY DAY NOW

Set in the 1970s, this audience-pleasing drama is both hilarious and heartbreaking. Rudy is a drag queen whose outrageous exterior hides a lonely but lovable interior. 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, but 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 Colony Square and Century.

CHASING ICE

Acclaimed National Geographic photographer James Balog was once a skeptic about climate change. But through his Extreme Ice Survey, he discovers undeniable evidence of our changing planet. At Century, Chez Artiste and Boedecker. –– Landmark Theatres

CHICKEN WITH PLUMS

From the creators of Persepolis, this is the story of Nasser Ali Khan, one of the most renowned musicians of his day. Since his beloved violin was broken, he has lost all taste for life and decides to confine himself to bed to await death. At Boedecker. –– Boedecker Theater

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. — The Reader of Omaha, Neb.

THE COLLECTION

The only man known to escape the grips of a psychopathic serial killer known as “The Collector” is hired to rescue a girl who has also fallen prey to him. Rated R. At Colony Square.

DEADFALL

Set in the snowy wilds of northern Michigan, this crime thriller abounds in action chases and gripping tension. Too-close siblings Addison and Liza are on the run from a casino heist gone wrong when their car crashes, stranding them in the wilderness. At Mayan. –– Landmark Theatres

END OF WATCH

Two young police officers patrol the dangerous streets of south central Los Angeles and capture the action through handheld HD cameras. Rated R. At Colony Square and Century.

EVERYTHING IS TERRIBLE! HOLIDAY 2012! THE CATACLYSMIC TRANSFORMATION!

This holiday season, Everything is Terrible!, the world-famous psychedelic soldiers of found footage, return with another epic masterpiece. This holiday season Everything Is Terrible! will be served on ice. At Sie FilmCenter. –– Denver Film Society Society

THE GUILT TRIP

Before setting off on one of the biggest trips of his life, Andy Brewster makes a quick stop at his mom’s house and unexpectedly picks her up with him to join on his personal adventure. At Colony Square.

HITCHCOCK

Lurking behind Alfred Hitchcock — cinema’s “master of suspense” and the extraordinary film icon known for orchestrating some of the most intense experiences of menace and intrigue audiences have ever seen — was his hidden side: his creatively explosive romance with his steadfast wife and filmmaking collaborator, Alma Reville. At Mayan and Century. –– Landmark Theatres

THE FITZGERALD FAMILY CHRISTMAS

In this personal and entertaining film, Ed Burns seamlessly weaves an ensemble story of adult siblings dealing with the desire of their estranged father to return home for Christmas for the first time since he walked out on his family 20 years ago. At Boedecker. –– Boedecker Theater

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 the plane’s malfunctions reveal something different. Rated R. At Colony Square, Century and Twin Peaks.

GRAND ILLUSION

It’s a WWI POW camp for French man-of-the-people flyboy Jean Gabin and aristocratic staff observer Pierre Fresnay after they’re shot down by equally aristocratic German Erich von Stroheim. But meanwhile, there are escapes — one by tunnel — to be planned. At Sie FilmCenter. –– Denver Film

THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY 3D

Bilbo Baggins finds himself thrown into an epic quest in this highly anticipated prequel to the Lord of the Rings series. Bilbo must reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor that’s being conquered by the dragon Smaug. Along with Gandalf and a company of dwarfs, they set out on this perilous adventure. Rated PG-13. At Colony Square, Century and Twin Peaks.

HOLY MOTORS

Over the course of a single day, Monsieur Oscar travels by limousine around Paris to a series of nine “appointments,” transforming into new characters or incarnations at each stop. At Sie FilmCenter. –– Landmark Theatres

HYDE PARK ON HUDSON

In June 1939 the King and Queen of England were invited to stay overnight at President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s country estate Hyde Park in upstate New York (actually, it’s his mother’s — he just lives there). This was the first-ever visit of a reigning English monarch to the U.S. At Chez Artiste. –– Landmark Theatres

JOHNNY LEGEND PRESENTS: CHRISTMAS IN ACIDLAND

Fun for the whole family, this is a time-tripping harvest of quaint seasonal snippets and some bizarre holiday media detritus. At Boedecker. –– Boedecker Theater

KILLING THEM SOFTLY

See full review. Rated R. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks.

LAY THE FAVORITE

Beth Raymer is an intense, excited, beautiful girl with a huge heart who gives up stripping in Florida to realize her dream: to become a cocktail waitress in Las Vegas. When she doesn’t land a job, she lucks into meeting Dink, an idiosyncratic sports gambler who sees potential and ability under Beth’s bubbly exterior. At Sie FilmCenter. –– Denver Film Society

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, coyly named Richard Parker. The film follows the odd couple’s lifeboat as Pi devises ways to stay alive and tame his beastly companion. Shot in 3-D, the film is a visual feast and is an almost certain to receive a Best Picture nomination. Rated PG. At Colony Square, Century and Twin Peaks. — The Reader of Omaha, Neb.

LINCOLN

This is all about the creation of the penny. OK, kidding. This is Daniel Day-Lewis proving he’s the best there is (maybe ever) embodying the emancipatory president as he works to get the 13th Amendment through a divided Congress in the midst of war. Rated PG-13. At Colony Square, Century and Twin Peaks. — The Reader of Omaha, Neb.

THE METROPOLITAN OPERA: AIDA

NCM Fathom resents the seventh season of The Met. Verdi’s Aida will be presented live on the big screen in select movie theaters. At Century.

MONSTERS, INC. 3D

This warm Pixar feature returns to the silver screen in 3D. Sully and Mike have to figure out what to do with a little girl named Boo who has followed them back into the world of monsters. At Colony Square, Century and Twin Peaks.

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 Chez Artiste. — Landmark Theatres

PLAYING FOR KEEPS

A has-been soccer star decides to turn his life around by reconnecting with his son. His forays into parenting soon lead him to a coaching position on his son’s soccer team — and ensuing chaos from a fleet of soccer moms. Rated PG-13. At Colony Square, Century and Twin Peaks.

THE POLAR EXPRESS WITH HANNAH THE MOUNTAIN DOG

The Polar Express preceded by a special reading of A Snow Day for Hannah by local author Linda Petrie Bunch with Hannah the Mountain Dog in person. At Sie FilmCenter. –– Denver Film Society

PSYCHO

Alfred Hitchcock’s masterpiece of the macabre stars Anthony Perkins as the troubled Norman Bates, whose “old dark house” and adjoining motel are not the place to spend a quiet evening. At Esquire. –– Landmark Theatres

A ROYAL AFFAIR

The epic historical romance A Royal Affair is based on the true story of an ordinary man who wins a queen’s heart and starts a revolution. The 18th century drama centers on the intriguing love triangle between young but strong Queen Caroline Mathilda, her deranged Danish King Christian VII and the royal physician who is a man of enlightenment and idealism, Johann Friedrich Struensee. At Mayan. –– Landmark Theatres

RED DAWN

In this remake of the 1984 movie, a group of teenagers seeks refuge in the woods and forms a guerrilla group of fighters when their city is attacked by foreign forces. Rated PG-13. At Colony Square.

THE REVISIONARIES

In Austin, Texas, 15 people influence what is taught to the next generation of American children. Once every decade, the highly politicized Texas State Board of Education rewrites the teaching the textbook standards for its nearly 5 million schoolchildren. At Sie FilmCenter –– Denver Film Society.

RISE OF THE GUARDIANS 3D

Childhood legends such as Santa Claus, Sandman and the Easter Bunny along with Jack Frost team up to protect the imagination and beliefs of children. Rated PG. At Colony Square, Century and Twin Peaks.

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. –– 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.

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. Rated R. At Century. –– Landmark Theatres

STARLET

Provocative, haunting, unpredictable and surprisingly sweet, Starlet explores the unlikely friendship between 21-year-old Jane, an aspiring actress, and 85-year-old widow Sadie Valley. At Chez Artiste. –– Landmark Theatres

STARS IN SHORTS

An incredible collection of short films featuring Judi Dench, Colin Firth, Keira Knightley and more. The first collection of short films to bring you everything you expect when you go to the movie theater. At Boedecker. –– Boedecker Theater

TRUE WOLF

Born in captivity, Koani could only be a captive wolf. She becomes an educational ambassador for wolves and wilderness. At Boedecker. –– Boedecker Theater

THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN – PART 2

In the 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.

WAITING FOR LIGHTNING

Waiting for Lightning is the inspirational story of legendary skateboarder Danny Way. The film follows the journey of a young boy from a broken home in Vista, Calif., whose passion for skateboarding would one day bring him fame and a lifetime of accomplishments. At Sie FilmCenter. –– Denver Film Society

THE WATCHING HOUR: XMAS POPS! SING-ALONG!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and the Action Pack’s Xmas Pops Sing- Along is one of the most wonderful new traditions to come to Denver in decades. At Sie FilmCenter. –– Denver Film Society.

WRECK-IT RALPH

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.