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.

 

Stolen

“Stolen,” a fast-paced action thriller directed by Simon West, demonstrates that even convicted felons will do just about anything when their kid’s life is on the line.

Set in New Orleans during Mardi Gras, “Stolen” tells the story of Will Montgomery (Nicholas Cage), a master thief who spent eight years in prison after being double-crossed in a robbery that didn’t go as planned. Recently released from the state penitentiary, Will is determined to leave his criminal life behind. His main goal: to reconnect with his daughter Allison (Sami Gayle), now a teenager, whom he hasn’t seen since she was a little girl.

However, both the FBI and his old partner in crime, Vincent (Josh Lucas), believe that Will hid the $10 million that was stolen in that last robbery. They’re wrong – Will doesn’t have the money. But with the detective that put him away (Danny Huston) on his trail, Will gets an unexpected call from Vincent. Vincent has kidnapped Allison, he’s driving around town with Alison in the soundproofed trunk of a stolen Taxi Cab, and he is demanding the entire $10 million as ransom.

To save his daughter Will has just 12 hours to come up with the $10 million that he doesn’t have. To do this he must trust another of his former partners in crime, the beautiful Riley (Malin Ackerman), to help him pull off one more massive robbery before it’s too late.

“Stolen,” which is based on a screenplay by David Guggenheim, is scheduled for a limited release on September 14, 2012 by Millennium Films.