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.

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.

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.

The English Teacher

Where’s the fun in life if you don’t take a few risks? In The English Teacher, Linda Sinclair (Julianne Moore) is about to have her carefully balanced world turned upside down. A forty-year-old unmarried high school teacher in rural Pennsylvania, Linda lives alone with her cats and her books, preferring the company of great literature to real-life drama. But when one of her former students returns home, she finds that she may have to give up her quiet life of books if she wants to help him succeed in the real world.

Jason Sherwood (Michael Angaro) had been one of Linda’s best pupils, but now he has fallen upon hard times. Forced to move back in with his parents after failing as a playwright in New York, Jason is about ready to switch careers and go to law school. But Linda can’t bear to watch one of her star pupils abandon his dreams, so she agrees to stage one of his plays as a high school drama production, directed by flamboyant drama teacher Carl Kapinas (Nathan Lane). With her career and reputation on the line, will Linda be able to find the courage to fight for what she knows is right?

Written by Dan and Stacy Charlton and directed by Craig Zisk, The English Teacher will be released into limited theaters on May 17, 2013. This Cinedigm comedy also stars Greg Kinnear and Lily Collins.

Phantom

“There are only two reasons why a boat would defect. One is to go rogue, and the other is to start a war.” With these words, Captain Dmitri Zubov (Ed Harris) sets the tone for Phantom, a Cold War action film inspired by actual events. Torn from his family, Zubov is ordered to lead a classified Soviet submarine mission into the South Pacific. As the vessel approaches a U.S. Navy fleet that’s been targeted for nuclear attack, Zubov must confront his past—as well as a rogue KGB group (led by David Duchovny) that’s bent on taking over the ship—in order to preserve his future.

But everything isn’t as it seems. As tensions rise, whisperings of an otherworldly force begin to spread through the ship, and the men begin to fear that they aren’t alone in their underwater cage. Zubov must peel fact from fiction and maintain control of his submarine if he wants any hope of staving off nuclear apocalypse. With the fate of the world in his hands, Zubov’s dark past comes crashing down on him. Can he overcome it in time to save the future?

Written and directed by Todd Robinson, this RCR Media Group action/thriller will see a limited release on March 1, 2013. Phantom also stars William Fichtner, Sean Patrick Flanery, Johnathon Schaech, Lance Henriksen, Dagmara Dominczyk, Jason Beghe, Matt Bushell, Jason Gray-Stanford, Derek Magyar, and Julian Adams.

No

In 1988, after 15 years of brutal rule, Chilean military dictator Augusto Pinochet faces increasing international pressure to legitimize his regime. He calls for a presidential referendum and gives each side fifteen minutes of television time per day to argue their case. The people of Chile will have a simple choice: vote “Yes” and keep Pinochet in power, or vote “No” and move to democracy. No is the true story of the advertising campaign that changed a nation.

Rene Saavedra (Gael García Bernal) is a young, up-and-coming advertising executive who has been given the opportunity to lead the “No” campaign. After seeing the depressing attack ads that the committee has already developed, Rene decides that if they are to win, they will have to focus on the positives of democracy rather than the evils of Pinochet’s regime. No is a tale of human elation, of the power that collective joy holds over fear and anger. Plagued by a lack of resources and beset upon by Pinochet’s spies, Rene and his team devise a daring plan to win over the hearts and minds of a population that has been trampled on for too long. He must convince Chile that freedom is worth fighting for. Filmed with lo-fi cameras and weaving in the actual ads used in 1988, No examines how one dedicated man can change the course of history.

Written by Pedro Peirano and directed by Pablo Larraín, No will see a limited release on February 15, 2013. This Spanish-language Sony Pictures Classics drama also stars Alfredo Castro, Antónia Zegers, Marcial Tagle, Néstor Cantillana, Jaime Vadell, and Pascal Montero. Rated R for language.

The Gatekeepers

In The Gatekeepers, all six surviving former heads of Shin Bet, Israel’s secretive counter-terrorist agency, reflect on the actions they took and the lessons they learned in their often-controversial struggle for domestic security. Never before have these powerful men discussed their time in Shin Bet, and their commentary is eye-opening. Working closely with the Israeli prime minister, these men were responsible for responding to all matters related to security. Their insights helped to shape Israeli policy for years, and will continue to shape it for years to come. This documentary follows the Shin Bet leaders’ greatest successes and worst failures, and in the process paints a vivid history of Israel from its decisive victory in the Six Day War of 1967 to its political turbulence in the present day.

Through a mix of interviews and period footage, The Gatekeepers opens a window into the conflicted, troubled, yet strongly-resolute minds behind Israel’s security policies. “We wanted security, but got more terrorism,” reflects Ami Ayalon (1996-2000). Although the six men are wildly different, they shared the same goals and now face the same agonizing remorse. “The power to take lives in an instant, there’s something unnatural about it,” says Yuval Diskin (2005-11). But in “the war against terror, forget about morality,” insists Avraham Shalom (1981-86). “Find morals in terrorists first,” he adds. The Gatekeepers’ candid examination of these men’s difficult decisions may just change the way you view the world.

Written and directed by Dror Moreh, this Sony Pictures Classics documentary will see a limited release in Los Angeles and New York on February 1, 2013. Rated PG-13 for violent content, including disturbing images.

A Dark Truth

When corporate whistle-blower Morgan (Deborah Kara Unger) begins to suspect that her company is involved in a massive cover-up in South America, she hires ex-CIA agent Jack Begosian (Andy Garcia) to discover the truth. Jack, now a political talk show host, is plunged back into the world of lies and subterfuge that he had managed to avoid for so long. For in South America a desperate struggle has erupted between the local military, backed by American corporate interests, and villagers protesting the exploitation and massacre of their people and their environment. One protester, Francisco (Forest Whitaker), holds enough evidence to tie the corporation to the brutalities. As the clock runs down, Jack must protect Francisco long enough to reveal the truth before corporate mercenaries take him out.

Through a blend of action, suspense, and gritty realism, this film examines the all-too-common conflict between business interests, environmental conservation, and indigenous peoples’ rights. “This film isn’t like Transformers or James Bond,” actor Andy Garcia stresses. “This is a realistic story and things are kept within the boundaries of realism.” In a world where corporate greed often trumps national borders and political resistance, how will we protect the earth’s dwindling natural resources or the people who rely on them most heavily?

Written and directed by Damian Lee and also starring Kim Coates and Eva Longoria, this Magnolia Pictures action thriller will have a limited release date of January 4, 2013. A Dark Truth is available to rent on iTunes before its theatrical release. Rated R for violence and disturbing images.

 

The Impossible

On December 26, 2004, Thailand was hit by a massive tsunami that caused unthinkable destruction. “The Impossible” is based on the true story of one family’s experience during this terrible natural disaster.

The film starts with the family’s arrival in Thailand for what was expected to be an amazing Christmas holiday. Mom Maria (Naomi Watts), dad Henry (Ewan McGregor), and their three boys – Lucas (Tom Holland), Simon (Oaklee Pendergast) and Thomas (Samuel Joslin) – quickly settle into their beachside bungalow and begin to enjoy their vacation in this tropical paradise.

On the morning of December 26 the family is relaxing in and around the pool when they hear a terrifying roar and see a wall of black water rushing towards them. The family is separated, with Maria and Lucas managing to stay together while Henry grabs hold of their other two boys. Pulled deeper and deeper inland by the water, Maria and Lucas are injured as they’re pummeled by floating debris.

“The Impossible” tells the story of this family’s fight for survival amidst thousands of strangers in a destroyed landscape, and journey to find each other and eventually reunite. It’s a true-life terror that’s tempered by the compassion, courage and simple kindness that the family encounters along the way.

Directed by J.A. Bayona from a screenplay by Sergio G. Sanchez, “The Impossible” is a drama thriller that is set for a limited release in New York and Los Angeles on December 21, 2012 by Summit Entertainment.

 

The Paperboy

Set in the 1960s in the swamplands of South Florida, “The Paperboy” is a crime thriller that explores everything from prejudice and family dysfunction to desire and ambition. W.W. James (Scott Glenn) is a small town Florida newspaper publisher. His son Jack James (Zac Efron), recently kicked out of college, just returned home to take a job as a lowly paper boy. Jack’s older brother Ward (Matthew McConaughey) makes his living as a journalist in Miami.

Shortly after Jack returns home, Ward and his colleague Yardley (David Oyelowo) come into town, too. Their goal: to write a big story about an apparant miscarriage of justice. They want to prove that an innocent man, Hillary Van Wetter (John Cusack), was hastily convicted of murdering the local sheriff. Ward also brought in tow the alluring and very unstable Charlotte Bless (Nicole Kidman), a woman who has been corresponding with Hillary and is now engaged to marry him.

With Jack coming along as their driver, Ward and Yardley are allowed to accompany Charlotte as she visits Hillary on death row. Although he may be innocent of this particular crime, Hillary, a seedy alligator hunter, proves to be a very sleazy character anyway.

Inevitably, Jack falls for Charlotte, and amidst a tangled web of sexual tension, mixed motives and shadowy facts they all end up in strange and sometimes dangerous journey to prove Hillary’s innocence.

Inevitably, Jack falls for Charlotte, and amidst a tangled web of sexual tension, mixed motives and shadowy facts they all end up in strange and sometimes dangerous journey to prove Hillary’s innocence.