September 2004 Movies

With Reese Witherspoon • Jonathan Rhys Meyers • James Purefoy • Mira Nair • Rhys Ifans • Jim Broadbent • Douglas Hodge • Gabriel Byrne • Bob Hoskins • Romola Garai • Aileen Atkins • Natasha Little • Geraldine McEwan • Julian Fellowes • Lydia Dean Pilcher • Donna Gigliotti • Janette Day

Set in early 19th-century London. The daughter of a starving English artist and a French chorus girl, Becky is orphaned at a young age. Even as a child, she yearns for a more glamorous life than her birthright promises. As she leaves Miss Pinkerton's Academy at Chiswick, Becky resolves to conquer English society by any means possible. She deploys all of her wit, guile, and sexuality as she makes her way up into high society during the first quarter of the 19th century. Becky's ascension to the heights of society commences when she gains employment as governess to the daughters of eccentric Sir Pitt Crawley. Becky wins over the children, and the Crawley family's rich spinster Aunt Matilda as well. The rural Hampshire household comes to find her indispensable, and Matilda comes to confide in the bright young woman. But Becky knows that she cannot be a true part of English society until she moves to the city. When Matilda invites her to come live in London, Becky eagerly accepts. There, Becky is reunited with her best friend Amelia Sedley, who-having grown up comfortably—does not share Becky's more brazen ambitions. Hewing close to the family she already knows so well, Becky secretly marries dashing heir Rawdon Crawley but when Matilda discovers their union, she casts the newlyweds out. When Napoleon invades Europe, Rawdon bravely reports to the front lines. Pregnant Becky stands by distraught newlywed Amelia, whose own husband George Osborne is also called to fight. When George does not survive the Battle of Waterloo, Becky's friendship with Amelia is strained beyond repair. Becky is reunited with Rawdon and gives birth to a boy, but, post-war, money and comforts are sparse for the trio. More intent than ever on gaining acceptance into London society and living well, Becky finds a patron in the powerful Marquess of Steyne. Steyne's whims enable Becky to realize her dreams, but the ultimate cost may be too high for her.

With Mel Gibson • Cole Hauser • Tom Sizemore • Wendy Braun • Bruce Davey • Stephen McEveety • Dennis Farina • Robin Tunney • Robert Cantini • Duane Davis • Paul Abascal • Forrest Smith

The paparazzi are the chroniclers of Hollywood glitz and glamour, and key players in the public's insatiable appetite for information and photos about their favorite stars. They are as much part of gala premiers as bright lights and red carpets. Their photos can make or break careers. For rising action star Bo Laramie, a quartet of paparazzi is at first an annoyance, then an ever-disturbing presence. One night they trap Bo and his family into a high speed chase that ends in a terrible accident, sending his wife Abby into intensive care and son Zach into a coma. Veteran Los Angeles detective Burton believes Bo's version of the accident, but when Burton can't make the case against the photographers, Bo seeks vengeance on his own. And the paparazzi start falling one by one.

With Rose Byrne • Josh Hartnett • Tom Rosenberg • Diane Kruger • Paul McGuigan • Matthew Lillard • Gary Lucchesi • Christopher Cousins • Andre Lamal

Intricately stepping back and forth in time and revealing the story from each character's perspective, "Wicker Park" is an intense psychological drama about a man (Josh Hartnett) caught in an obsessive search for a woman he fell deeply in love with - a woman who then vanished without a trace. Two years after her disappearance, he catches a fleeting glimpse of her in a local bar and begins a twisting search to find her and discover what really happened.

With Danny Glover • Queen Latifah • Meagan Good • Tim Meadows • Jenifer Lewis • Stephanie Marquardt • Eve • Jonathan Silverman • Ja Rule • Quran Pender • Farrah Fawcett • Lance Rivera • Ramsey Gbelawoe • Laurie Turner

When Todd Anderson is chosen as the #1 NBA draft pick by the New Jersey Nets, he signs a contract for thirty million dollars that instantly changes his life. Whether he likes it or not his mom, Lady Em, is not going to let her son forget his roots. When Todd buys a new house and mistakenly invites family from the old neighborhood for a cookout on the same day he scheduled an endorsement interview, chaos erupts and Todd must choose between his down home roots and his newfound celebrity.

With Jean-Pierre Gros • Jean-Pierre Darroussin • Carole Bouquet • Vincent Deniard • Charline Paul • Cedric Kahn • Francoise Galfre

It's a summer holiday weekend in Paris and Antoine and Hélène are on their way to pick up their children at summer camp, thus joining thousands of other vacationers on the highways to the south of France. At first in high spirits, the couple starts sniping at each other during the drive as tensions in their relationship bubble to the surface. Frustrated by the freeway, Antoine takes a byway detour, much to Helene's displeasure, and then leaves her in the car as he stops for a drink. Once they're back on the road, their bickering escalates, with Antoine blaming Hélène for his drinking. Antoine then stops again to continue drinking at another tavern, although this time, Helene warns that she won't be there when he gets back. Still he defies her and goes into the bar, taking the car keys with him. He panics when he leaves the bar and discovers she has left. Believing that she has taken the train, he drives like a madman to the next station, but upon his arrival, the last train is mid-pulling out of the station. Driving away in a state of dread, he picks up a strange hitchhiker—not knowing he might have already crossed the path of his soon-to-be-missing wife.

With Kiichi Nakai • Zhao Wei • Jiang Wen • Wang Xueqi • Hasi Bagen • He Tao • Harrison Liu • Wang Deshun • Yang Haiquan • Yeerjiang Mahepushen • Zhou Yun • He Ping • Wang Zhongiun

Set in the ferocious Gobi Desert, the story follows two protagonists, Lieutenant Li (Jiang Wen) and Japanese emissary Lai Qi (Kiichi Nakai) - both first-class warriors and master swordsmen. After decades of service to the Chinese Emperor, Lai Qi longs to return to Japan, but is instead sent to the West to chase wanted criminals. His only passport back to Japan is to capture and execute Lieutenant Li, a renegade soldier wanted for leading a violent mutiny when he refused orders to kill female and child prisoners. Li and Lai Qi battle, but finally agree to delay their final personal fight until the caravan carrying Minzhu and a Buddhist monk is brought to safety. The monk, however, is carrying a sacred and powerful pagoda that attracts the attention of the region's ruthless overlord, Master An (Wang Xueqi). Lai Qi and Lt. Li, accompanied by Li's former posse of soldiers, who have forsaken their peaceful new lives to return to his side, must face the cruelty of the desert, the region's barbaric bandits and the brutality of the overlord's men before they can finally face one another.

With Mateen Butt • Syed Ali • Alison MacLean • Muhamed Abushhaker • Tobias Perse • Khadrah Ali • Nabil Ayesh • Jackie Kelman • Daniel Massey

A chronicle that depicts the human cost of the U.S. Justice Department's campaign against Arab or Muslim immigrants during the post-9/11 frenzy to combat terrorism. While few question the need to undertake measures to protect national security, the sweeping detention, arbitrary arrests and confinement (often without any family communication or legal representation), and subsequent deportation and/or ongoing imprisonment make a mockery of fundamental American principles like the presumption of innocence. Using a bare room and mostly static camera, the filmmakers record a series of encounters with a diverse range of detainees and family members and present them seemingly without much need for skill. But in fact, the subtle and creative direction of these individual and ultimately cumulative portraits belies the effortless appearance of the presentation and produces a simultaneous poignancy and disbelieving outrage. You may feel that you already know all about the issues and experiences communicated in Persons of Interest. Think again. The specific details of these disrupted lives speak volumes. Not since the massive internment of another ethnic group during World War II has the United States experienced such a massive assault on basic civil liberties.

With Marky Ramone • Dee Dee Ramone • Joey Ramone • Johnny Ramone • Tommy Ramone • Michael Gramaglia • Jim Fields

In 1974, the New York City music scene was shocked into consciousness by the violently new and raw sound of a band of misfits from Queens, called The Ramones. Playing in a seedy Bowery bar to a small group of fellow struggling musicians, the band struck a chord of disharmony that rocked the foundation of the mid-'70s music scene. This quartet of unlikely rock stars traveled across the country and around the world connecting with the disenfranchised everywhere, while sparking a movement that would resonate with two generations of outcasts across the globe. Although the band never reached the top of the Billboard charts, it managed to endure by maintaining a rigorous touring schedule for 22 years.

With Milla Jovovich • Thomas Kretschmann • Sienna Guillory • Matthew G. Taylor • Don Carmody • Bernd Eichinger • Zack Ward • Jeremy Bolt • Oded Fehr • Eric Mabius • Samuel Hadida • Paul Anderson • Paul W S Anderson

After escaping a secret corporate facility overrun by the undead, Alice finds herself roaming the streets in the heart of the ravaged and deserted Racoon City. She has been subjected to biogenetic experimentation by the vast Umbrella Corporation and becomes genetically altered, with super-human strengths, senses and dexterity. These skills, and many more, will be needed if anyone is to stay alive.

With Neve Campbell • Karen Allen • Dominic Chianese • Frederick Weller • Joelle Carter • James Toback • Ron Rotholz

Set in Manhattan, a beautiful and clever woman devises a scheme to turn the tables on two men who made the mistake of taking her for granted.

With Diego Luna • Steven Soderbergh • Peter Mullan • John C. Reilly • Maggie Gyllenhaal • Jonathan Tucker • Greg Jacobs

John C. Reilly ("Chicago"), Diego Luna ("Y Tu Mama Tambien") and Maggie Gyllenhaal ("Secretary") star in a contemporary caper movie set in Los Angeles. It's the story of an extremely odd couple: a young Latino man who will do anything for his family (Luna) and a 30-something scheming white guy who will do anything to his family (Reilly). One wants to save his father. The other wants to get rich, in any way possible. So when they come across one of the most valuable pieces of currency in U.S. history, they're suddenly stuck together, and that's just . . . criminal. All they have to do is sell it, which is where the real problems begin. And of course the only way out is family: the one person who can help them, hates them: the schemer's sister (Gyllenhaal).

With Robert Duvall • Maggie McOmie • George Lucas • Donald Pleasence • Don Pedro Colley • Ian Wolfe • Sid Haig • Lawrence Sturhahn • Walter Murch

Made in 1971, 'THX 1138' marked the George Lucas's filmmaking debut. Francis Ford Coppola and his American Zoetrope studios produced the film at the height of the American independent movement. It is a thought-provoking and visually rich exploration of a theme that would repeat itself throughout Lucas's career: One man's quest to realize his own potential amid an oppressive society. 'THX 1138' is a chilling look at a 25th-century totalitarian state where mankind is stripped of any individuality. People are numbered drones, and a government-enforced program of sedating drugs controls the populace. The story's title character, THX, is a factory worker whose life is irrevocably changed when he stops taking his mind-numbing drugs.

With Jason Statham • Chris Evans • William H. Macy • Kim Basinger • David R. Ellis • Lauren Lloyd • Valerie Cruz • Matt McColms • Eric Bress • J. Mackye Gruber • Dean Devlin • Larry Cohen

A man receives a call on his cellular phone from a woman who says she's been kidnapped, and thinks she and her family are going to be killed soon. The catch? She doesn't know where she is... and his cell phone battery might go dead soon.

With James McAvoy • Jon Favreau • Paul Bettany • Kirsten Dunst • Sam Neill • Tim Bevan • Austin Nichols • Nikolaj Coster Waldau • Richard Loncraine • Debra Hayward • Bernard Hill • Eleanor Bron • Jennifer Flackett • Mark Levin • Eric Fellner • Liza Chasin • Mary Richards • David Livingstone

Peter Colt (Paul Bettany) is an unlucky guy, scoring "love" both professionally and personally. Seeded near the bottom of the world tennis ranks, he manages to score a wild card, allowing him to play in the prestigious Wimbledon tournament. There, he meets and falls in love with American tennis star Lizzie Bradbury (Kirsten Dunst). Fueled by a mixture of his newfound luck, love and on-court prowess, Peter works his way up the ranks of the tournament players and actually stands a chance of fulfilling his lifelong dream of winning the men's singles title—if his luck can just hold out.

With Angelina Jolie • Casey Affleck • Jude Law • Giovanni Ribisi • Gwyneth Paltrow • Bai Ling • Jon Avnet • Kerry Conran • Sadie Frost • Marsha Oglesby

Famous scientists around the world have mysteriously disappeared and Chronicle reporter Polly Perkins (Gwyneth Paltrow) along with ace aviator Sky Captain (Jude Law) are on the investigation. Risking their lives as they travel to exotic places around world, can the fearless duo stop Dr. Totenkopf, the evil mastermind behind a plot to destroy the earth? Aided by Franky Cook (Angelina Jolie), commander of an all-female amphibious squadron, and technical genius Dex (Giovanni Ribisi), Polly and Sky Captain may be our planet's only hope.

With Danny Huston • Daryl Hannah • Kris Kristofferson • Chris Cooper • Thora Birch • Cheech Marin • Maria Bello • John Sayles • Maggie Renzi

Set against the backdrop of a mythic "New West," "Silver City" follows grammatically-challenged, "user-friendly" candidate Dicky Pilager (Chris Cooper), scapegrace scion of Colorado's venerable Senator Jud Pilager (Michael Murphy), during his gubernatorial campaign. When Pilager finds that he's reeled in a corpse during the taping of an environmental political ad, his ferocious campaign manager, Chuck Raven (Richard Dreyfuss), hires former idealistic journalist turned rumpled private detective Danny O'Brien (Danny Huston) to investigate potential links between the corpse and the Pilager family's enemies. Danny's investigation pulls him deeper and deeper into a complex web of influence and corruption, involving high stakes lobbyists, media conglomerates, environmental plunderers, and undocumented migrant workers.

With Nikki Schieler Ziering • Renee Taylor • Brian Greenspun • Chris Owen • Will Friedle • Louise Lasser • Gary Preisler • Don Ashley • Amy Greenspun • J.B. Moresco • Kami Norton • Michael Canale

Losers Calvin and Leonard try to rob a couple of 70-year-old women, but the plan fails, and they're soon thrown behind bars. After being mysteriously bailed out, Cal and Leo are summoned to a house, where the women they tried to rob have devious, sexual plans for them.

With Michael Karnow • Werner Herzog • Kitana Baker • Gabriel Beristain • Russell Williams • David A. Davidson • Robert O'Meara • Zak Penn • Steven Gardner

This documentary will examine the legendary Loch Ness monster, sometimes known as Nessie. Legendary film director Werner Herzog will spend months shooting at the lake, talking to locals, diving underwater, and examining everything surrounding the mythical beast that may or may not live in one of the world's deepest lakes.

With Charlize Theron • Penelope Cruz • Jonathan Olsberg • Thomas Kretschmann • Daniel Gillies • Karine Vanasse • Stuart Townsend • David La Haye • John Duigan • Jason Piette • Elizabeth Chouvalidze • Rachelle Lefevre • Amy Sloan • Linda Tomassone • Michael Cowan • Bertil Ohlsson • André Rouleau • Maxime Rémil

When 18 year old Guy Malyon takes up a scholarship at Cambridge University his world is forever changed following a passionate affair with a stunning, aristocratic but hedonistic fellow student, Gilda Besse, which takes him across Europe from the killing fields of Spain's Civil War to occupied France... before a dangerous secret threatens to tear them apart.

With Akio Ôtsuka • Atsuko Tanaka • Kôichi Yamadera • Tamio Ôki • Yutaka Nakano • Naoto Takenaka • Mamoru Oshii • Mitsuhisa Ichikawa

After nine years, acclaimed writer/director Mamoru Oshii follows up his cult hit "Ghost in the Shell"—one of the biggest animé successes of all time—with the long-awaited sequel "Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence". It is the year 2032 and the line between humans and machines has been blurred almost beyond distinction. Humans have forgotten that they are human and those that are left coexist with cyborgs (human spirits inhabiting entirely mechanized bodies) and dolls (robots with no human elements at all). Batou is a cyborg. His body is artificial: the only remnants left of his humanity are traces of his brain…and the memories of a woman called The Major. A detective for the government's covert anti-terrorist unit, Public Security Section 9, Batou is investigating the case of a gynoid—a hyper-realistic female robot created specifically for sexual companionship—who malfunctions and slaughters her owner. As Batou delves deeper into the investigation, questions arise about humanity's need to immortalize its image in dolls. The answers to those questions lead to the shocking truth behind the crime...and quite possibly the very meaning of life.

With Anna Geislerová • György Cserhalmi • Jaroslava Adamová • Miroslav Donutil • Ondrej Trojan • Petr Jarchovský • Kveta Legátová

It is the 1940s and the Czech lands have been occupied by the Nazis. Eliska is a young woman who was unable to complete medical school because the Germans closed the universities and now works as a nurse in a city hospital. She is also involved in the resistance movement along with her lover, the surgeon Richard, and their friend Dr. Chldek. One night, a man from a rural mountain area is brought to the hospital with serious injuries and desperately needs a transfusion. Eliska is the only one with the same blood type. Her blood saves his life and a connection is formed between the two that in the course of the story becomes an extraordinarily strong relationship between the modern, cosmopolitan, and educated Eliska and the barbaric, salt of the earth man with the soul of a child, Joza. The resistance group that the doctors are involved in is discovered and hunted by the Gestapo and suddenly their lives are threatened. While Eliska's lover, Richard, flees the country overnight, the group quickly has to find a different safe haven for her. They ask Joza, the patient whose life she saved with her blood, to hide her in his remote mountain cabin. Eliska is forced to leave her urban life and all at once become a new woman: Hana, the wife of a mountain man. Her new home is the wild mountain village where time stopped one hundred and fifty years ago called Zelary.

With Edgar Wright • Nick Frost • Simon Pegg • Peter Serafinowicz • Bill Nighy • Penelope Wilton • Dylan Moran • Natascha Wharton • Lucy Davis • Kate Ashfield • Nira Park

Shaun's life is stuck in a rut. He's a twenty nine year old who lives with his two best friends Ed and Pete. Shaun's girlfriend Liz is sick of the same old, boring nights down their local pub. So when Shaun (Simon Pegg) breaks his promise to organize a special anniversary meal for them both, Liz (Kate Ashfield) decides to break it off with him. Drowning his sorrows the following day, Shaun devises a plan to win Liz back, but today, all is not as it seems... Unfortunately for Shaun 'the dead' have risen in London and soon a full Zombie apocalypse has exploded onto the streets. Determined to save his girlfriend and salvage their relationship, Shaun and his pals let nothing stand in their way as they go forth on a zombie killing spree to save the day!

With Michael Keaton • Forest Whitaker • Katie Holmes • Mike Karz • Jerry O'Connell • John Davis • Amerie Rogers • Marc Blucas • Margaret Colin • Lela Rochon Fuque • Jessica Bendinger • Arnon Milchan

When Samantha Mackenzie (Katie Holmes), the 18-year-old daughter of the president of the United States, demands that she be allowed to go to college without having to be followed by a fleet of secret service agents (with their suits, sunglasses, ear-pieces and very unhip attitudes), her dad agrees... while actually assigning one of the youngest Secret Service agents to follow her around on campus disguised as a student anyway. The president's plan goes smoothly until the young agent falls in love with this girl he has to spend all day following, and she falls in love with him too, until... she finds out whom he really is. Can their love outlive the deception that gave it fruit?

With Julianne Moore • Joe Roth • Dominic West • Bruce Cohen • Gerald Di Pego • Gary Sinise • Alfre Woodard • Joseph Ruben • Dan Jinks

The story follows Telly Paretta (Julianne Moore), a grief-stricken mother A grieving mother is told by her psychiatrist that she has created the memories of a lost 8 year-old son that she never had. But she meets with another patient who has a similar experience, and sets out to find her missing child.

With Johnny Knoxville • Selma Blair • Tracey Ullman • James Ransone • Suzanne Shepherd • Alan J. Wendl • Christine Vachon • Mink Stole • Chris Isaak • John Waters • Patricia Hearst • Susan Allenback • Lance Baldwin • Paul DeBoy • Kosha Engler • Michael Gabel • Jackie Hoffman • Wes Johnson • Jewel Orem • Richard Pelzman • Kevin Reese • Susan Rome • Ted Hope

When the owner of a Baltimore working class convenience store, Sylvia Stickles (Tracey Ullman), suffers a concussion, the injury causes a drastic change in her sexual drive, turning her into a sex addict with crazy, wild and urgent desires and compulsions, much to the joy and then frustration of her husband (Chris Isaak) who has trouble keeping up with her, as her new personality threatens to tear apart the remnants of what wasn't an entirely perfect family to begin with.

With The Yes Men • Dr. Andreas Bichlbauer • Dan Ollman • Sarah Price • Chris Smith

"The Yes Men" is a biting and revelatory documentary directed by the filmmaking team behind the acclaimed Sundance Grand Jury Prize-winner "American Movie". "The Yes Men" follows The Yes Men, a small group of prankster-activists, as they gain worldwide notoriety for impersonating the World Trade Organization on television and at business conferences around the world. The film begins when two members of The Yes Men, Andy and Mike, set up a website that mimics the World Trade Organization's and it's mistaken for the real thing. They play along with the ruse and soon find themselves invited to important functions as WTO representatives. Delighted to represent the organization they politically oppose, Andy and Mike don thrift-store suits and set out to shock unwitting audiences with darkly comic satire that highlights the worst aspects of global free trade.

With Bill Pullman • Agnes Bruckner • Sandra Oh • Jim Czarnecki • Dylan Baker • Aaron Stanford • Sofia Sondervan • Ruth Charny

Bill Pullman stars in the title role as Rick, a brown-nosing employee of a young, crass, and incredibly arrogant Wall Street success story (Aaron Stanford). When Duke (Stanford) isn't in the office, he's busy seducing Rick's teenage daughter Eve (Agnes Bruckner) via cyberspace. Meanwhile, a smooth-talking hit man (Dylan Baker) specializes in bumping off corporate bigwigs, which puts both of the men in a complicated and deadly situation.

With William H. Macy • Alec Baldwin • Rob Schneider • Matthew Broderick • Jeff Nathanson • Toni Collette • Walter Hamada • Tony Shalhoub • Judy Greer • Calista Flockhart • David Hoberman • Tim Blake Nelson • Larry Brezner

Inspired by the true story of a sting operation in Providence, R.I. "The Last Shot" revolves around a young filmmaker (Matthew Broderick) who is given millions of dollars to make his first movie by a mysterious benefactor (Alec Baldwin) on the condition that he shoot it in Providence. But the filmmaker eventually discovers that his film's producer is an undercover FBI agent.

With Gael García Bernal • Jaime Azócar • Sofia Bertolotto • Mercedes Morán • Mía Maestro • Rodrigo De la Serna • Jorge Chiarella • Ulises Dumont • Michael Nozik • Karen Tenkhoff • Edgard Tenenbaum • Jose Rivera

Based on the respective diaries of two Argentines, Ernesto Guevara de la Serna (later known as "El Che") and Alberto Granado, the new film from award-winning director Walter Salles follows a journey of self-discovery, tracing the origins of a revolutionary heart. In January 1952, Ernesto and Alberto set out on a road trip to discover the real Latin America. Ernesto (Gael Garcia Bernal) is a 23 year-old medical student specializing in leprology, and Alberto (Rodrigo de la Serna) is a 29 year-old biochemist. With a highly romantic sense of adventure, the two friends leave their familiar Buenos Aires surroundings on a rickety 1939 Norton 500. Their experiences awaken within them the men they will later become by defining the ethical and political journey that they will take in their lives.

With Angela Bassett • Dondre T. Whitfield • Amaury Nolasco • Gary Barber • Eric Champnella • Bernie Mac • Paul Sorvino • Brian White • Evan Jones • Michael Rispoli • Charles Stone • Roger Birnbaum • Maggie Wilde • Keith Mitchell

Funnyman Bernie Mac brings his irreverent comedy to the big screen to star in this hysterical movie about an over-the-hill ballplayer who learns there's more to the game than individual stats and a Hall-of-Fame plaque. Stan Ross (Mac) once loved the game of baseball, playing with passion, energy, and every ounce of his natural talent. But somewhere along the way, the fame went to his head. The self-centered star ended his career prematurely, shocking his teammates by selfishly quitting the game in the middle of a season, right after getting his 3,000th hit—the unofficial key to baseball's Hall of Fame. Now, ten years later, three of Mr. 3000's hits have been disqualified, and the 47-year- old out-of-shape former slugger attempts a comeback—hitting the gym and facing down pitchers half his age—only to find that three hits are a lot harder to come by than they used to be! The media love to hate the bigheaded basher and they're going to delight in ripping him for every strikeout. With only his ex- flame (Angela Bassett) believing in him, for once in his life, Stan must either rediscover his passion for the national pastime—or settle for living as "Mr. 2997."