Fruitvale Station

New Year’s Eve, 2008. Oscar Grant (Michael B. Jordan) wakes up feeling something special in the air, and he resolves to turn his life around. Fruitvale Station tells the true story of the events on New Year’s Day, 2009 that would shake San Francisco to its core.

Oscar Grant, a hard-working 22-year-old San Francisco resident, has been waiting for the opportunity to cut ties with his criminal past, and now on the eve of 2009 he resolves to do so. He wants to be a better son to his mother (Octavia Spencer), a better partner to his girlfriend (Melanie Diaz), and a better father to his daughter (Ariana Neal). He just feels like today is his day, but he soon realizes that change doesn’t always come easy. After meeting up with some friends on the train, he gets into a confrontation with an old enemy and a BART officer shoots him in cold blood.

Fruitvale Station won both the Grand Jury Prize for dramatic feature and the 2013 Sundance Festival Audience Award for its portrayal of the tragedy that befell Oscar Grant on January 1, 2009. Written and directed by Ryan Coogler, Fruitvale Station will be released into limited theaters on July 12, 2013. This Weinstein Company drama also stars Ahna O’Reilly, Kevin Durand, and Chad Michael Murray.

 

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The Wall

 

Inside everyone lies a truth only the wilderness can reveal. In The Wall, the unnamed lead character (Martina Gedeck) is exploring the beautiful Austrian mountain landscape when she suddenly finds herself cut off from civilization by an impossibly high and unreasonably strong invisible wall. Based upon Marlen Haushofer’s acclaimed feminist novel, the film explores the despair of isolation and the ultimate triumph of the human spirit.

 

Surrounded by a gorgeous environment that most people want to escape to, she can only think of escaping from it. She finds that virtual imprisonment reverses priorities in an instant. Together with her faithful dog Lynx, she begins to explore her surroundings and come to terms with her new world. It is a difficult task indeed, to accept being cut off from all human contact. Forced to look inward, she begins a journey of spiritual awakening and transcendence. In a world untouched by civilization’s controlling hand, she realizes that the only way out is to venture deeper in.

 

Written by Martina Gedeck and directed by Julian Roman Polsler, The Wall will see a limited theatrical release in LA and NY on June 7, 2013. This Music Box Films drama fantasy also stars Ulrike Beimpold, Karlheinz Hackl, Wolfgang M. Bauer, Julia Gschnitzer, and Hans-Michael Rehberg.

Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

 

Some people’s lives are so incredible that they deserve to have movies written about them. Nelson Mandela is one of those people. Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom follows his life story from child to inmate to president, and along the way shows us what it really means to see an ideal through to fruition.

 

Born in a rural village in South Africa, Nelson Mandela (played by Idris Elba) grew up poor during the apartheid. Based upon Mandela’s 1994 autobiography of the same name, the film focuses on his time as an activist fighting the apartheid and the resulting 27-year prison sentence he was forced to serve. Mandela was an extraordinary and oft-controversial figure whose influence extended far beyond the prison walls he spent half of his life inside. Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom explores the unbreakable spirit of a man dedicated to an ideal, as well as the great deeds that hard work and determination can accomplish.

 

Written by William Nicholson and directed by Justin Chadwick, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom will be released into theaters on November 29, 2013. This Weinstein Company drama also stars Naomie Harris, Tony Kgoroge, Riaad Moosa, Zolani Mkiva, Jamie Bartlett, Lindiwe Matshikiza, Deon Lotz, and Terry Pheto.

 

The East

 

In a world of corporate influence and power, where does your loyalty lie? The East stars writer-actress Brit Marling as Sarah Moss, a former FBI agent turned private intelligence officer who is about to face the most difficult test of allegiance she’s ever experienced.

 

 

Moss’ new employer, Hiller Brood, specializes in protecting the interests of its powerful corporate clients, at any cost. When the head of a pharmaceutical giant gets targeted by the elusive eco-anarchist group The East, Moss gets assigned to infiltrate the group and stop them before their next attack. With her skills and determination, Moss has no trouble initiating herself into the collective—but stopping them becomes another story altogether. After seeing their plans and joining them on an anti-corporate mission, Moss realizes that The East is way ahead of the counter-intelligence agency; and after living and breathing with the most committed people she has ever met, Moss begins to give The East’s goals another thought. Soon, Moss becomes torn between her duties at Hiller Brood and her newfound connection with The East. Not to mention her budding romance with the group’s charismatic leader, Benji (Alexander Skarsgard)!

 

Written by Zat Batmanglij and Brit Marling and directed by Zat Batmanglij, The East will be released into limited theaters on May 31, 2013. This Fox Searchlight Pictures drama also stars Ellen Page, Patricia Clarkson, Toby Kebbell, and Shiloh Fernandez.

After Earth

 

Danger is real, but fear is a choice. Father-and-son duo Will and Jaden Smith are at it again in After Earth, M. Night Shyamalan’s futuristic thriller about man’s return to the Earth after years of abandonment.

It has been a thousand years since mankind was forced off of the Earth by cataclysmic events, and the Earth’s ecosystem has evolved to become one of the most dangerous in the galaxy. So when teenager Kitai Raige (Jaden Smith) and his father Cypher (Will Smith) crash land on Earth, it doesn’t take them long to realize the enormity of what they’re up against. With his father in critical condition, Kitai must lead the journey to the nearest signal post in order to call for help. Facing an uncharted world whose plant and animal life has evolved to fight off the threat of humans, Kitai has to grow up quickly—or die. Father and son must learn to trust each other if they hope to get off the planet alive.

 

 

Written by Gary Whitta and M. Night Shyamalan and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, After Earth will be released on May 31, 2013. This Columbia Pictures (Sony) sci-fi film is rated PG-13 for sci-fi action violence and some disturbing images.

 

Tiger Eyes

The death of a parent can take a dramatic toll on a child. In Tiger Eyes, 17-year-old Davey’s (Willa Holland) life is turned upside down when she loses her father and is forced to move from New Jersey to New Mexico with her mother and siblings.

Torn away from her home and her father, Davey no longer knows who she is or what to do. Her perspectives rapidly shift, and what used to seem important quickly becomes trivial. With her new home life deteriorating, Davey takes to exploring the surrounding wilderness. There she meets Wolf (Tatanka Means), a mysterious young Native American man, who sees past her pain and into the true woman lying beneath. With Wolf’s help, Davey pulls back from the brink of despair to find life and love waiting on the other side.

Notably, Tiger Eyes is the first major motion picture adaptation of a Judy Blume novel; the author, who has sold over 82 million books in 41 countries, is known for her more down-to-earth style of young adult novels than the standard fantasy fare. Written by Lawrence and Judy Blume and directed by Lawrence Blume, Tiger Eyes will see a limited theatrical release on June 7, 2013. This Freestyle Releasing drama also stars Amy Jo Johnson, Cynthia Stevenson, Elise Eberle, and Russell Means. Rated PG-13 for thematic material including a violent incident and some teen drinking.

Haute Cuisine

In a profession dominated by men, can a talented woman come out on top? Haute Cuisine stars Catherine Frot as Hortense Laborie, a renowned chef from Perigord who has been given the culinary opportunity of a lifetime. Based on a true story, this French-language film explores one woman’s indomitable spirit in the face of steep opposition.

No one is more shocked than Hortense when the President of France himself appoints her to be his personal cook. She quickly makes a name for herself among the snobbish and male-only kitchen staff as both an arrogant taskmaster and a rabble-rouser. It takes all her efforts to keep the “old guard” staff in line. They are indignant at being led by a woman, and the fact that she is a rural chef only adds fuel to the fire. But despite the frequent confrontations in the kitchen, Hortense’ dishes please President Mitterand (Jean d’Ormesson, making his film debut at age 87). As the chefs battle for influence over the President’s tastes, Hortense begins to see the promises that power holds—and the dangers that lie therein.

Written by Christian Vincent and Etienne Comar and directed by Christian Vincent, Haute Cuisine will be released into limited theaters on August 16, 2013. This Weinstein Company comedy/drama also stars Arthur Dupont, Hippolyte Girardot, Jean-Marc Roulot, and Philippe Uchan.

 

Nymphomaniac

Nymphomaniac tell the story of one woman’s wild adventures from birth to age 50. When Seligman (Stellan Skarsgard) finds Joe (Charlotte Gainsbourg) beaten and abandoned in an alleyway, he brings her home and tends to her wounds. While he takes care of her, Joe begins to recount her life story, in great detail and with many branching associations. A self-described nymphomaniac, Joe has had a wild life indeed, filled with adventure, pleasure, and pain.

Following Antichrist and Melancholia, Nymphomaniac forms the final part of Lars von Trier’s “trilogy of depression.” “The movie is what you think it is,” explains actor Shia LeBeouf. “There’s a disclaimer at the top of the script that basically says we’re doing it for real.” Featuring unsimulated sex acts and other stunts, Nymphomaniac pushes the envelope of what’s accepted in modern cinema.

Written and directed by Lars von Trier, Nymphomaniac will be released later in 2013 (exact date to be announced. This Magnolia Pictures drama also stars Stacy Martin, Jamie Bell, Christian Slater, Uma Thurman, Willem Dafoe, Connie Nielsen, Mia Goth, Udo Kier, Jean-Marc Barr, Caroline Goodall, Kate Ashfield, Saskia Reeves, Sophie Kennedy Clark, Hugo Speer, Felicity Gilbert, Michaël Pas, Jesper Christensen, Jens Albinus, Nicolas Bro, Cyron Melville, Shanti Roney, Omar Shargawi, Tania Carlin, Severin von Hoensbroech, and Peter Gilbert Cotton.

What Maisie Knew

Divorce can be an ugly thing, especially for a child caught in the middle. In What Maisie Knew, one young girl navigates her parents’ bitter custody battle with innocence and charm. This contemporary version of Henry James’ classic novel highlights the toll that divorce and neglect can take on a child—and the life-affirming grace that a child can bring to a parent.

Six-year-old Maisie (Onata Aprile) is caught between a rock and a hard place. Neither her father, aging rock star Beale (Steve Coogan), nor her mother, contemporary art dealer Susanna (Julianne Moore), have ever cared about her well-being. Their custody battle is just one more fight for superiority in a divorce that has become a clash of wills. As Beale and Susanna raise the stakes for their daughter, Maisie must find a way to coexist or risk losing a parent. Lauded as giving “the most remarkable performance ever seen by a child this age,” Maisie shows that there’s light in even the darkest of situations.

Written for the screen by Nancy Doyle and Carroll Cartwright, and directed by Scott McGehee and David Siegel, What Maisie Knew will see a limited theatrical release in New York  and Los Angeles on May 3, 2013 and May 17, 2013 respectively. This Millennium Films drama also stars Alexander Skarsgard and Joanna Vanderham. Rated R for some language.

 

A Green Story

Dying is a funny thing. Most people hurry through life in a headlong rush against death, but only on death’s doorstep are we forced to reflect upon what we’ve been doing. In A Green Story, aging business mogul Van Vlahakis (Ed O’Ross) contemplates his rise to riches and future legacy when he is diagnosed with cancer.

Fifty years ago, Van (born Eftichios) left his native Greece for America, with only 22 dollars and a dream to his name. Hoping to carve a better life for his family in the land of free enterprise, Van founded Earth Friendly Products, a company that manufactures environmentally-friendly cleaning products. Over time, Van’s company grew to become a top U.S. giant. As Van reflects on his early life (played by George Finn), he realizes how much he helped himself and, through his company, thousands of others to achieve their dreams.

A Green Story is an uplifting tale of self-improvement and the success of the American dream. Reflecting on all the good he’s done, Van decides to push himself one last time to close a massive deal that will cement his company’s global success.

Written and directed by Nika Agiashvili, A Green Story will be released into theaters on May 24, 2013. This Indican Pictures drama also stars Shannon Elizabeth, Annabella Sciorra, Malcolm McDowell, Roger Bart, Alexis Georgoulis, and Billy Zane.