Reel to reel | Week of January 3, 2013

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Grassroots push-back against fracking stars in Promised Land.

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 Esquire. — 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. 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.

BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD

In
a forgotten but defiant bayou community cut off from the rest of the
world by a sprawling levee, a 6-year-old girl exists on the brink of
orphanhood. Buoyed by her childish optimism and extraordinary
imagination, she believes that the natural world is in balance with the
universe until a fierce storm changes her reality. At SIE FilmCenter. —
Denver Film Society

THE CENTRAL PARK FIVE

In 1989, five black and Latino teenagers were arrested and charged for brutally attacking and raping a white female jogger in Central Park. News media swarmed the case, calling it “the crime of the century.” But the truth about what really happened didn’t become clear until after the five had spent years in prison for a crime they didn’t commit. At SIE FilmCenter and Boedecker. — Denver Film Society

CHASING ICE

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

DJANGO

Sergio Corbucci’s influential 1966 spaghetti Western, long unseen in theatres, inspired Quentin Tarantino (Reservoir Dogs’ infamous ear-cutting scene is a direct reference) and is now being tributed in Tarantino’s newest, Django Unchained. It’s time to revisit the original that spawned more than 30 sequels and cemented the genre as an international phenomenon. At Esquire. –– Landmark Theatres

DJANGO UNCHAINED

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

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 to join on his personal adventure. Rated PG-13. At Colony Square and Twin Peaks.

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 a hidden side: his creatively explosive romance with his steadfast wife and filmmaking collaborator, Alma Reville. At Mayan. –– Landmark Theatres

THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY 3D

Peter Jackson goes back for an Unexpected Journey that
produces expected results, as this adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s
original endeavor into hobbits and wizards is every bit as good as the
fantastically successful Lord of the Rings series (and is, in some ways, even better). Rated PG-13. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks. — The Reader of Omaha, Neb.

HOLY MOTORS

Over
the course of a 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 America. At Century and Chez Artiste. –– Landmark Theatres

JACK REACHER

The tough-as-nails main character of 17 Lee Child crime thriller novels is brought to the screen in this film, an adaptation of the book One Shot. The 6-foot-5 protagonist, portrayed by the 5-foot-7 Tom Cruise, uncovers a plot to frame an Army veteran, including clues that might have been left specifically for Reacher to find. Rated PG-13. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks.

LES MISERABLES

The classic 19th century tale about the survival of the human spirit
features outlaw Jean Valjean and the factory worker’s daughter he agrees
to watch over, Cosette. This movie version features an all-star cast,
including Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway and Sacha Baron
Cohen. 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, 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 almost certain to receive a Best Picture nomination. Rated PG. At Century and Colony Square. — 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 Century and Colony Square. — The Reader of Omaha, Neb.

MONSTERS, INC. 3D

This 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. Rated G. At Colony Square and Twin Peaks.

NOT FADE AWAY

Inspired by the Rolling Stones, three friends form a rock band in what is both a coming of age story and a tribute to romanticized images of the ’60s. Not rated. At Century.

OPERA: CARMEN

Anna Caterina Antonacci is “mesmerizing” and Jonas Kaufman is “the finest Jose to be heard for ages,” says The Guardian. At Boedecker. — Boedecker Theater

PARENTAL GUIDANCE

A grandfather and his wife face new challenges when they babysit their three grandchildren while the parents are away, and they find they must adjust their methods when faced with the problems of a younger generation. Rated PG. At Colony Square and Twin Peaks.

PROMISED LAND

Matt Damon plays a slick corporate salesman sure he can snag the drilling rights from a small town in economic decline, but meets surprising resistance from a grassroots campaign. Rated R. At Century.

PSYCHO BEACH PARTY

Florence Forest (Lauren Ambrose) is a perky but unfulfilled teen. After witnessing the antics of a gang of strapping young surfer dudes at the beach one day, she decides surfing’s the thing for her, and asks the group leader, the “Great Kanaka” (Thomas Gibson), to give her lessons. But Kanaka won’t give Florence (or rather “Chicklet,” as she is soon dubbed by the boys) the time of day — until her alter ego, S&M dominatrix Ann Bowman, unexpectedly makes an appearance. At SIE FilmCenter. — Denver Film Society

RISE OF THE GUARDIANS 3D

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

A ROYAL AFFAIR

The true story of an ordinary man who wins the queen’s heart and starts a revolution. Based on the intriguing love triangle between the ever more insane Danish King Christian VII, the royal physician who is a man of enlightenment and idealism, and the young but strong Queen Caroline Mathilda. At Boedecker. — Boedecker Theater

RUST AND BONE

Academy Award-winning actress Marion Cotillard gives a tour-de-force performance in Rust and Bone that rivals anything she has done before. She plays Stéphanie, a whale trainer at a marineland on the French Riviera who suffers a devastating injury. Rated R. At Mayan. — Landmark Theatres

SAMSARA

Filmed over a period of almost five years and in 25 countries, in sacred grounds, disaster zones, industrial sites and natural wonders, this film visually explores the connectedness of all things. At Boedecker and SIE FilmCenter. — Boedecker Theater

SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN

The incredible and true story of Rodriguez, the greatest ’70s rock icon who never was. After a false-start music career, bootleg recordings found their way to apartheid South Africa and, over two decades, Rodriguez became an inspiration. At Boedecker — Boedecker Theater 

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 Esquire. — Landmark Theatres

SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK

Bradley Cooper plays a man who loses everything and has to move in with his parents while he puts the pieces back together — including reuniting with his wife, aided by a mysterious girl he meets. Rated R. At Century.

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.

STRUCK BY LIGHTNING

Chris Colfer, Kurt Hummel on Glee, wrote and stars in this touching and funny story of an aspiring writer who persuades his classmates to contribute to the school literary magazine. Colfer will be joining us online after the screening, which coincides with the movie’s red-carpet launch in L.A. At Boedecker. — Boedecker Theater

THE STORY OF FILM: AN ODYSSEY, PARTS 1-2

Guided by film historian Mark Cousins, this is a bold 15-part love letter to the movies. Part 1, “Birth of the Cinema” (1900–1920): Filmed in the buildings where the first movies were made, we see ideas and passion as the driving forces behind film, more so than money and marketing. Part 2, “The Hollywood Dream” (1920s): Star/directors like Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton made Hollywood a glittering entertainment industry. But the gloss and fantasy were challenged by movie makers like Robert Flaherty, Eric Von Stroheim and Carl Theodor Dreyer. At Boedecker. — Boedecker Theater

TEXAS CHAINSAW 3D

Set in the present, this film takes up the narrative from the earlier Texas Chainsaw tales. A young woman inherits a house that, unbeknownst to her, once housed a vicious killer. Rated R. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks.

THIS IS 40

Judd Apatow’s latest writing and directing effort takes us back to Knocked Up, kind of, as it depicts the marriage of two of the characters from the earlier film. Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann, Apatow’s real-life spouse, play a couple struggling through marriage in this emotional comedy. Rated R. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks.

A TRIP TO THE MOON/THE EXTRAORDINARY VOYAGE

A hand-painted color version of the Melies masterpiece that had been considered lost for several decades has been fully restored and set with an original score by Air. A must-see for “Hugo” fans, it is paired with The Extraordinary Voyage, the story of how three worldwide experts launched the most ambitious restoration in the history of cinema to reassemble the fragments of 13,375 frames. At Boedecker. — Boedecker Theater

WILD HORSE WILD RIDE

The Extreme Mustang Makeover Challenge is an annual contest that dares 100 people to tame a totally wild mustang in 100 days, changing several lives profoundly. At Boedecker — Boedecker Theater