Before Midnight

Before Midnight is the third installment in Richard Linklater’s acclaimed “Before” series. In Before Sunrise, Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Selene (Julie Delpy) meet on a train in Europe and spend one romantic evening together in Vienna. Nine years later in Before Sunset, the two run into one another on the French leg of Jesse’s book tour. Now, in Before Midnight, almost two decades after their first fateful meeting in Vienna, Selene and Jesse find each other in Greece and spend another enchanted day together.

By now, Selene and Jesse are in their early 40s. So many things have changed since they first met, and yet so many things have stayed the same. Richard Linklater’s idiosyncratic series explores adulthood in a way that no other movie has attempted, examining three snapshots in time filmed contemporaneously nine years apart. Selene and Jesse may be separated by years and continents, but a single meeting can hold a world of depth.

Written by Academy Award nominees Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, and Ethan Hawke, and directed by Richard Linklater, Before Midnight will see a limited theatrical release in LA and NY on May 24, 2013. This Sony Pictures Classics drama also stars Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick, Ariane Labed, Athina Rachel Tsangari, Xenia Kalogeropoulou, Walter Lassally, Yannis Papadopoulos. Rated R for sexual content/nudity and language.

Paranoia

In the business world, there’s no such thing as a free lunch. Based on a 2004 novel of the same name, Paranoia follows Adam Cassidy (Liam Hemsworth), a likable entry-level worker at the Wyatt Corporation, as he tries to work his way up the corporate ladder. The conventional method is cut short, however, after Adam makes an expensive and illegal mistake that costs the company millions. Facing potential legal repercussions, Adam fears his career is at an end. However, the Wyatt Corporation’s ruthless CEO, Nicholas Wyatt (Gary Oldman), sees an opportunity in Adam’s misfortune. In exchange for keeping his job, Adam must spy on Wyatt’s chief corporate rival—and former mentor—Jock Goddard (Harrison Ford).

Suddenly Adam finds himself living the life of his dreams. In order to spy on the top executives of Goddard’s corporation, Adam needs to blend in. This means a corner office, an expensive car, the whole nine yards. But despite having all the trappings of power, Adam finds that Wyatt still pulls all the strings. As Adam infiltrates deeper into Goddard’s organization, he realizes that he must escape from Wyatt’s control before it’s too late.

Written by Barry Levy and Jason Dean Hall and directed by Robert Luketic, Paranoia will be released on August 16, 2013. This Relativity Media thriller also stars Lucas Till, Amber Heard, Embeth Davidtz, Julian McMahon, Richard Dreyfuss, and Josh Holloway.

 

Into the White

In a time of war, the greatest challenge is just staying alive. Into the White follows the story of five soldiers—three German, two British—whose planes were shot down over a remote stretch of the harsh Norwegian north. Inspired by real events, this World War II biopic explores how politics and nationalism can be swept aside in the name of survival.

The Germans (David Cross, Stig Henrik Hoff, and Florian Lukas) crash land first and quickly set up camp in an abandoned hunting cabin they find nearby. It isn’t long before the British crew (Rupert Grint, Lachlan Nieboer) stumble upon the cabin and are taken as prisoners of war. However, the roles of captor and captive aren’t so clear cut. As tensions fly, the five men realize that the only way to survive is to set aside their differences and work together. Thus begins an uneasy truce to last through the winter and return to the war. But as time passes, each of them comes to see their enemies in a new light.

Written by Ole Meldgaard, Petter Næss, and Dave Mango, and directed by Petter Næss, Into the White was released into limited theaters on April 12, 2013. This Magnolia Pictures drama is rated R for language.

The Kings of Summer

In The Kings of Summer, three teens fed up with their parents set out to live on their own for a summer. Along the way, they test the bonds of their friendship and learn that family—whether born or created—is everything.

Having had enough of his parents’ draconian rule, Joe (Nick Robinson) decides to run away for the summer—but responsibly. Together with his best friend Patrick (Gabriel Basso) and an eccentric wild card named Biaggio (Moises Arias), Joe begins building a summer cabin in the woods, as far away from adult civilization as possible. The trio hope to live off the land for the summer in an ultimate act of rebellion, but they soon realize that supporting oneself and getting along with a new “family” takes a lot more effort than they expected.

The Kings of Summer is a heartwarming coming-of-age story about three friends’ struggle for independence and self-sufficiency. Garnering rave reviews at the Sundance Film Festival, the film explores what it means to be an individual…and what it means to be part of a family.

Written by Chris Galletta and directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts, The Kings of Summer will see a limited theatrical release on May 13, 2013. This CBS Films comedy also stars Nick Offerman, Megan Mullally, Alison Brie, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Erin Moriarty, Marc Evan Jackson, Thomas Middleditch, and Tony Hale.

 

Inescapable

How far would you go to save your child’s life, if your own life hung in the balance? In Inescapable, one man will have to confront his past and make some difficult decisions in order to bring his daughter to safety—hopefully without sacrificing his own life in the process.

Toronto resident Adib Abdel Kareem (Alexander Siddig) has crafted a wonderful life for himself. A confident and affluent man, Adib has a beautiful wife, a great job, and two grown daughters that he loves dearly. But his life hasn’t always been this way. When his daughter Muna (Jay Anstley) goes missing in Damascus, Adib’s dark and mysterious past comes back to haunt him in ways that he never predicted.

Born and raised in Syria, Adib had had a bright future as a military police officer—until he was forced to flee the country under unusual circumstances twenty-five years ago. He made his way to Toronto, abandoning his old life to rebuild a new one out of the ashes. But now, he must uncover a secret past he hoped to forget in order to save his daughter’s future.

Written and directed by Ruba Nadda, Inescapable was released in theaters in New York on February 22, 2013. This IFC Films thriller also stars Marisa Tomei, Joshua Jackson, Saad Siddiqui, and Oded Fehr. Rated R for some violence and brief language.

Trance

Do you want to remember—or do you want to forget? In Trance, fine art auctioneer Simon (James McAvoy) has teamed up with a ruthless gang to steal a priceless Goya masterpiece from a public auction. But when Simon double-crosses the gang and stashes the painting in a secure hiding place, mob boss Franck (Vincent Cassel) knocks Simon unconscious and begins torturing him to find the location.

However, as a result of Simon’s head trauma, he cannot remember where he hid the painting. Growing frustrated, Franck hires charismatic hypnotherapist Elizabeth (Rosario Dawson) to uncover Simon’s memories and get him talking. But as they delve into Simon’s subconscious, the lines between reality and hypnotic suggestion begin to blur. “We are the sum of everything we’ve ever done,” says Elizabeth, “and it’s constantly being revised and remembered.” With the stakes higher than ever, Simon must find his way through an increasingly jumbled world of truth and deceit—before it’s too late.

Written by Oscar-nominated John Hodge and directed by Oscar-winning Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours, Trainspotting), Trance will be released into limited theaters on April 5, 2013. This Fox Searchlight Pictures thriller is rated R for sexual content, graphic nudity, violence, some grisly images, and language.

Midnight’s Children

Based on Salman Rushdie’s internationally acclaimed novel, Midnight’s Children tells the story of two lives, two dreams, and two worlds intertwined. On the eve of India’s declaration of independence from Britain, a pair of newborns are accidentally switched by a nurse in a Bombay hospital. Saleem Sinai (Satya Bhabha) was the illegitimate son of a poor woman, fated for a life of discrimination and hardship. Shiva (Siddarth) was the child of a wealthy couple, destined for riches. But raised by the other’s parents, each man experiences a view of life he was never meant to see. “We were the promises of independence,” says Saleem, “And like all promises, made to be broken.”

Although Saleem and Shiva grow up worlds apart, their lives remain mysteriously connected in ways they could have never guessed. As India gains its footing as an independent nation, both men must learn to navigate a nation that’s nothing like that of their parents’ generation.

Written for the screen by Salman Rushdie and directed by Oscar-nominated Deepa Mehta, Midnight’s Children will see a limited theatrical release on April 26, 2013. This Paladin drama also stars Shahana Goswami, Rajat Kapoor, Seema Biswas, Shriya Saran, Ronit Roy, Rahul Bose, Charles Dance, and Kulbushan Kharbanda.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

In The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, we return to the world of Katniss Everdeen—a bleak dystopia called Panem in which the Capitol holds an annual competition called the “Hunger Games” to keep the twelve subservient Districts in check. Every year, each District must send two children as Tributes to fight to the death in the Hunger Games, and the last Tribute standing wins.

Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) and Petar (Josh Hutcherson) have just returned home to District Twelve after winning the 74th Hunger Games in an unprecedented double victory. No sooner do they arrive than they are whisked back away from their families and friends, to participate in a “Victor’s Tour” of the other Districts. During this tour Katniss finds that the fabricated nightmare of the Games has been replaced by the real-life nightmare facing the oppressed Districts she visits. But under the Districts’ facade of loyalty a rebellion is brewing. As Katniss begins to understand the enormity of her role in the events, President Snow plans the historic 75th Hunger Games—and the fate of Panem hangs in the balance.

Directed by Francis Lawrence and written for the screen by Simon Beaufoy, Michael deBruyn, and Scott Frank, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire will be released into 2D theaters and IMAX on November 22, 2013. This Lionsgate action/drama/sci-fi also stars Liam Hemsworth, Lenny Kravitz, Elizabeth Banks, Stanley Tucci, Donald Sutherland, Toby Jones, Woody Harrelson, Jena Malone, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amanda Plummer, Lynn Cohen, Patrick St. Esprit, Meta Golding, Bruno Gunn, Alan Ritchson, E. Roger Mitchell, Maria Howell, Stephanie Leigh Schlund, Sam Claflin, and Jeffrey Wright.

We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks

The Internet lets governments grab more information than ever—but it also lets citizens do the same. We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks chronicles the rapid rise and tremendous impact of the infamous website. A non-profit organization, WikiLeaks anonymously publishes news leaks and classified information to the web. This documentary details the creation and evolution of the site, focusing on the 2010 leak of over 400,000 confidential documents related to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Called by some the greatest triumph of the internet to date, and by others the greatest security breach in U.S. history, the leak changed the way that many Americans view their government and involvement in the Middle East. We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks traces the rise and fall of both Pfc. Bradley Manning, the young soldier who uploaded hundreds of thousands of classified U.S. military documents and diplomatic cables, and Julian Assange, the elusive founder and mastermind behind WikiLeaks. Progressing like an espionage thriller, We Steal Secrets explores the idea of transparency in the information age, as well as the nature of the people’s relationship with their government.

Written and directed by Academy Award winner Alex Gibney, We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks will see a limited release on May 24, 2013. This Focus Features documentary is rated R for some disturbing violent images, language, and sexual material.

The Place Beyond the Pines

One moment can define your life. In The Place Beyond the Pines, a crime drama from the acclaimed director of Blue Valentine, one fateful decision will forge two mens’ legacies for generations to come.

Luke (Academy Award-nominee Ryan Gosling) is a free-spirited stunt motorcyclist who travels from city to city with the carnival. After meeting his former lover Romina (Eva Mendes) in New York, he discovers that in his absence she has born a son—his son. Realizing the gravity of his past choices, Luke decides to abandon the carnival to settle down and raise his son correctly. When his new employer Robin (Ben Mendelsohn) learns of his driving talents, Robin proposes a string of bank heists to make a little extra cash on the side. That’s when Luke runs up against Avery Cross.

Avery (Bradley Cooper) is an ambitious young cop seeking to make a name for himself in a menacingly corrupt department. When he learns about the series of robberies, he pushes to lead the investigation. Soon Avery and Luke become locked in a tense chase that will have repercussions for both them and their sons for years to come.

Written by Derek Cianfrance, Ben Coccio, and Darius Marder and directed by Derek Cianfrance, The Place Beyond the Pines will see a limited theatrical release on March 29, 2013. This Focus Features drama also stars Rose Byrne, Ray Liotta, Dane DeHaan, Emory Cohen, and Mahershala Ali. Rated R for language throughout, some violence, teen drug and alcohol use, and a sexual reference.