Reel to reel | Week of August 23, 2012

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Premium Rush — that\'s the bike service, not an energy drink

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 3D

Peter Parker gets a new look (and origin story) in this Marvel remake of everyone’s favorite web slinger. Unlike Toby Maguire’s emo-esque rendition of the wall-crawler, actor Andrew Garfield’s portrayal hopes to bring Spidey back to his roots with more wit and fewer tears. Rated PG-13. At Colony Square.

THE APPARITION

A presence unleashed during a university parapsychology experiment haunts a young couple. At Century.

BALLET: LA SOURCE

A legendary and fantastical Persia provides the backdrop for the thwarted loves of hunter Djemil, beautiful Nouredda and spirit of the spring Naila. At Boedecker. — Boedecker Theater

BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD

Forget concerns about star power and familiarity. Fight to see this movie and to let it be seen. We have never needed a coming-of-age fable set against environmental and poverty concerns as much as we need this. And it is more than up to the challenge. At Century and Mayan. — The Reader of Omaha, Neb.

BILL W.

This film tells the story of William G. Wilson, co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, a man included in TIME Magazine’s 100 Persons of the 20th Century. A hopeless drunk near death from his alcoholism, Bill found a way out of his own addiction and then forged a path for countless others to follow. At Boedecker. — Boedecker Theater

THE BOURNE LEGACY

As the Bourne series continues minus its star, Matt Damon, we find out about another super-secret spy program that produced super-secret super spies. Jeremy Renner stars as one of the program’s experimental subjects who, after the program is terminated, becomes the subject of a global manhunt, with Rachel Weisz starring as Renner’s doctor friend/sidekick/love interest. Rated PG-13. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks. — The Reader of Omaha, Neb.

THE CAMPAIGN

Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis play dueling politicians who are only slightly more addled and alarming than our real ones. Vulgar but hilarious, unrealistic but not without its own point, this is consistently funny, which is all you can ask for in a genre like this. Rated R. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks. — The Reader of Omaha, Neb.

THE CAT RETURNS

In the Whisper of the Heart sequel, a quiet suburban schoolgirl, Haru, is pitched into a fantastical feline world and must find her inner strength to make her way back home. At Denver FilmCenter/Colfax — Denver Film Society

CASTLE IN THE SKY

One of Hayao Miyazaki’s most stunningly beautiful, exciting and infrequently screened films. A young girl with a mysterious crystal pendant falls out of the sky and into the arms and life of young Pazu. Together they search for a floating island in the sky, site of a longdead civilization. At Denver FilmCenter/ Colfax — Denver Film Society

CELESTE AND JESSE FOREVER

Celeste (Rashida Jones) and Jesse (Andy Samberg) met in high school and are a young married couple who are growing apart. Now 30, Celeste is the driven owner of her own media consulting firm, while Jesse is once again unemployed and in no particular rush to do anything with his life. Celeste is convinced that divorcing Jesse is the right thing to do — she is on her way up, he is on his way nowhere. At Esquire. — Landmark Theatres

COSMOPOLIS

New York City, not-too-distant-future: Eric Packer (Robert Pattinson), a 28-year-old finance golden boy dreaming of living in a civilization ahead of this one, watches a dark shadow cast over Wall Street. As he is chauffeured across midtown Manhattan to get a haircut at his father’s old barber, his anxious eyes are glued to the yuan’s exchange rate: It is mounting against all expectations, destroying Eric’s bet against it. Based on the novel by Don DeLillo. At Century and Denver Film Center. — Denver Film Society

THE DARK KNIGHT RISES

Director Christopher Nolan’s D.C. superhero legacy comes to an end as unwelcome and reluctant hero Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) dons his cape and deepens his voice once more. Batman battles for the future of Gotham against ruthless criminal Bane (Tom Hardy) with the help of the “catty” Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway). Rated PG-13. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks.

DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: DOG DAYS

The latest installment in this series based on the popular books sends the wimpy kid off on appropriately wimpy summer misadventures. Rated PG. At Colony Square and Twin Peaks.

THE EXPENDABLES 2

The Expendables reunite for a bloody film bulked up with a cast that includes Sylvester Stallone, Jet Li, Chuck Norris, Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren and Mickey Rourke. Rated R. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks.

FAREWELL, MY QUEEN

A glimpse at the opulent debauchery that was the cake-addled court of Marie Antoinette shortly before that ugly incident with the guillotine. Rated R. At Chez Artiste.

THE GREEN WAVE

Green is the color of hope. Green is the color of Islam. And green was the symbol of recognition among the supporters of presidential candidate Mir-Hossein Mousavi, who became the symbolic figure of the Green Revolution in Iran last year. At Denver FilmCenter/Colfax — Denver Film Society

HIT AND RUN

Like a road novel, this film tells the story of a young couple that sets off on the classic road trip meant to change their lives forever. Only instead of the profound moments a road novel often delivers, they get a rag-tag band of misfits that includes Bradley Cooper. Rated R. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks.

HOPE SPRINGS

Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones play a married couple seeking to rekindle a big romance in the hands of a couples counselor (Steve Carell) in a small town. Tommy Lee at his most endearingly gruff and Meryl at her most blushingly flustered. Rated PG-13. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks.

ICE AGE: CONTINENTAL DRIFT 3D

The endless chase for that acorn has continental ramifications. Rated PG. At Colony Square.

THE IMPOSTER

Documentary meets film noir in the riveting jaw-dropper The Imposter, a true story that has the twists and turns of a thriller. In 1994 a 13-year-old boy disappears without a trace from San Antonio, Texas. Three and a half years later he is found alive, thousands of miles away in a village in southern Spain with a story of kidnap and torture. His family is overjoyed to bring him home. But all is not quite as it seems. At Chez Artiste — Landmark Theatres

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. At Esquire. — Landmark Theatres

KIKI’S DELIVERY SERVICE

From the legendary Hayao Miyazaki comes the beloved story of a resourceful young witch who uses her broom to create a delivery service, only to lose her gift of flight in a moment of self-doubt. At Denver FilmCenter/Colfax — Denver Film Society

MOONRISE KINGDOM

Once more, writer/director Wes Anderson dips his stylish pen into murky, melancholy tales of whimsy. This time out, the Royal Tenenbaums auteur follows a young “Khaki Scout” who flees from his troop and troop leader (Edward Norton) while camping on an island to unite with his prepubescent and troubled gal pal. Her parents, played by Bill Murray and Frances McDormand, and the island cop (Bruce Willis) give chase in this Instagram fairy tale. At Century and Mayan. ­— The Reader of Omaha, Neb.

JAWS

Yes, the 1975 Jaws. Decide now if you’re going to scream or sing along to that legendary soundtrack. Rated PG. At Century.

MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO

A film that Roger Ebert called “one of the five best movies” ever made for children, My Neighbor Totoro is a tale of two girls, Satsuki and Mei, who move with their father to a new house in the countryside. They soon discover that the surrounding forests are home to a family of Totoros, gentle but powerful creatures who live in a huge and ancient camphor tree and are seen only by children. At Denver FilmCenter/Colfax — Denver Film Society

NEVER GIVE UP: THE HEART OF COMPAS- SION

Never Give Up explores the inspiration and activities of His Holiness the 17th Karmapa and three women inspired by his teachings to put their compassion in action in Bodhgaya, India. At Boedecker. — Boedecker Theater

NUIT #1

Clara and Nikolaï meet at a rave. They return to his apartment for sex. Afterwards, instead of parting ways, the two lovers divulge their deepest secrets to one another. At Denver FilmCenter/Colfax — Denver Film Society

THE ODD LIFE OF TIMOTHY GREEN

A young couple learns to expect the unexpected when it comes to children in this frolicky romp of a story that purposefully comes off with too much shine to be taken seriously. Rated PG. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks.

PARANORMAN 3D

See full review page 45. Rated PG. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks.

PHANTOM OF THE OPERA

Andrew Lloyd Webber and Cameron Mackintosh’s Phantom of the Opera, Broadway’s longest running show, comes again to the big screen for its 25th anniversary. Set in Royal Albert Hall, this special event features more than 200 cast members, orchestra musicians and luminaries involved with the production over the past 25 years. At Boedecker. — Boedecker Theater

PREMIUM RUSH

A mainstream film that glorifies hipsters and their fixies and the promising career of bike messengers. As if all the normal folks weren’t already irritated enough at hipsters, fixed gear bikes and bike messengers. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks.

THE QUEEN OF VERSAILLES

With the epic dimensions of a Shakespearean tragedy, The Queen of Versailles follows billionaires Jackie and David’s rags-to-riches story to uncover the innate virtues and flaws of the American dream. At Chez Artiste — Landmark Theatres

THE RAID: REDEMPTION

As a rookie member of an elite special-forces team, Rama is instructed to hang back during a covert mission involving the extraction of a brutal crime lord from a rundown apartment block. But when a spotter blows their cover, the stakes are raised. At Boedecker. — Boedecker Theater

RUBY SPARKS

Calvin (Paul Dano) is a young novelist who achieved phenomenal success early in his career but is now struggling with his writing — as well as his romantic life. Finally, he makes a breakthrough and creates a character named Ruby who inspires him. When Calvin finds Ruby (Zoe Kazan), in the flesh, sitting on his couch about a week later, he is completely flabbergasted that his words have turned into a living, breathing person. At Esquire and Century. — Landmark Theatres

SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED

In this scrappy romantic comedy, an unusual classified ad inspires three cynical Seattle Magazine employees (Aubrey Plaza, Jake Johnson and Karan Soni) to look for the story behind it. They discover a mysterious eccentric named Kenneth (Mark Duplass), a likable but paranoid supermarket clerk, who believes he’s solved the riddle of time travel and intends to depart again soon. At Denver FilmCenter/Colfax. — Denver Film Society

SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN

In the late ’60s, two celebrated producers discovered a musician in a Detroit bar — an artist who reminded them of a Chicano Bob Dylan, perhaps even greater. They believed the album they subsequently produced with Rodriguez — Cold Fact — was the masterpiece of their producing careers. In fact, the album bombed and the singer disappeared into obscurity amid rumors of a gruesome on-stage suicide. But a bootleg recording found its way into apartheid South Africa and became a phenomenon. At Mayan. — Landmark Theatres

SPARKLE

First, pause and consider that we’ve now seen more than 11 seasons of American Idol go by. OK, now. Jordin Sparks, American Idol #6, stars in a movie that is, predictably, about a talented young singer struggling to get her big break as a star. Rated PG-13. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks.

TAKE THIS WALTZ

When Margot meets Daniel their chemistry is intense and immediate. But Margot suppresses her sudden attraction; she is happily married. When Margot learns that Daniel lives across the street from her, the certainty of her domestic life shatters. At Boedecker. — Boedecker Theater

TO ROME WITH LOVE

While Rome is a city abundant with romance and comedy, To Rome With Love is about people having adventures that will change their lives forever. Directed by Woody Allen. At Century. — Landmark Theaters

TOTAL RECALL

Because the premise of implanted memories doesn’t sound problematic enough, this remake of the Schwarzenegger classic trips over its own action sequences in ways likely to make it totally forgettable. Rated PG-13. At Century.

UNFORGIVABLE

Francis is a successful crime writer who moves to Venice to work on his next novel. When he meets model-turned-real-estate-agent Judith, he is instantly infatuated. Francis and Judith eventually marry and move to a remote house on Torcello Island, but Francis’ newfound happiness hinders his writing. Obsessing over what Judith does while at work, he hires a young ex-convict to investigate. At Chez Artiste — Landmark Theatres

THE WELL-DIGGER’S DAUGHTER

A sun-soaked melodrama about a hardworking well-digger who is raising six girls on his own after the death of his wife. Holding a special place in his heart is his beautiful eldest daughter, 18-year-old Patricia (the luminous Astrid Bergès-Frisbey), who has come home from school in Paris to help care for her sisters. At Chez Artiste. — Landmark Theatres

WHISPER OF THE HEART

Shizuku is spending her last summer vacation before high school reading and translating foreign music into Japanese. Perusing the eclectic selection of books she has checked out from the library, her curiosity is piqued when she notices that the name Seiji appears before hers on the checkout card of each one. At Denver FilmCenter/Colfax — Denver Film Society