MOVies
F R I D AY januar y 1 1 — T H U R S D AY januar y 1 7
Movie summaries by Matthew Stafford Ramfis (Stefan Kocán) walks like an Egyptian in ‘Aida,’ playing Wednesday at the Marin, Regency and Sequoia.
bride whose inner demons are interfering with her husband’s sex life; Cedric the Entertainer costars.
l The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2:46)
Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf, Balin, Smaug and others return to the big screen; major must-see for fans of J.R.R. Tolkien or facial hair.
l Hyde Park on Hudson (1:34)
l
Argo (2:00) Ben Affleck directs and stars
in the true-life story of the Iran hostage crisis and an unbelievable covert operation to rescue six American prisoners. l Blancanieves (1:44) Eye-catching Snow White reimagination about a beloved 1920s matador and her posse of bullfighting dwarves. l Chasing Ice (1:15) Eye-opening documentary follows National Geographic photographer James Balog as he captures the reality of climate change with stopmotion photography of melting glaciers. l Cirque du Soleil: Worlds Away (1:31) Enter the weird and wonderful world of the mesmerizing aerial dance troupe through the wonders of 3D technology. l Clandestine Childhood (1:48) Intense look at life in fascist-era Argentina as seen through the eyes of a circumspect 10-yearold boy. l The Deep (1:31) Harrowing true story about the sole survivor of a sunken-ship disaster off the icy Icelandic coast. l The Delay (1:34) A desperate, overburdened single mother confronts her own limits in this intense Uruguayan drama. l Django Unchained (2:45) Quentin Tarantino über-Western about a slaveturned-bounty hunter (Jamie Foxx), his still-enslaved wife (Kerry Washington) and the plantation owner (Leo DiCaprio) who stands in their way. l Gangster Squad (1:53) The LAPD’s very own Untouchables take on Mickey Cohen, mob boss of 1940s Los Angeles; Sean Penn, Josh Brolin and Emma Stone star. l The Guilt Trip (1:36) La Streisand is back as an overbearing mama who teaches nebbish son Seth Rogen what life’s all about on a cross-country road trip. l A Haunted House (1:26) Marlon Wayans horror parody about a possessed young
Les Miserables (2:38) All-star adaptation of the Victor Hugo musical extravaganza stars Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean, Russell Crowe as Javert and Anne Hathaway as the lovely Fantine. l Monsters, Inc. 3D (1:32) Pixar fave about a troupe of affable corporate spooks returns in three vivid dimensions; John Goodman and Billy Crystal vocalize. l Nairobi Half Life (1:39) A rural innocent and wannabe actor falls into a life of crime in Kenya’s capital city. l
Behind-thescenes peek at George VI’s historic 1939 visit to FDR’s Hudson River estate as the president (Bill Murray) juggled wife and mistress(es); Olivia Williams plays Eleanor. l The Impossible (1:43) A vacationing family learns the true meaning of courage and compassion when they’re caught up in the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami; Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor star. l The Intouchables (1:52) True tale of the bond that developed between a disabled French aristocrat and his caretaker, a black Muslim ex-con. l Jack Reacher (2:10) Lee Child’s enigmatic shamus comes to the big screen in the person of Tom Cruise; Werner Herzog costars! l Kauwboy (1:17) Tender tale of a little boy from a broken home and his friendship with an abandoned baby bird. l Keep Smiling (1:34) Georgian comedy about the behind-the-scenes madness at a housewives’ beauty pageant. l Life of Pi (2:05) Ang Lee’s adaptation of the Yann Martel novel about an Indian teenager’s challenging odyssey: navigating across the Pacific in a life raft with a hyena, an orangutan and a Bengal tiger. l Lincoln (2:29) High-pedigree look at the 16th president’s four tumultuous years in office features a screenplay by Tony Kushner and stars Daniel Day-Lewis under the direction of Steven Spielberg. l The Master (2:17) Dazzling if overstated Paul Thomas Anderson drama about the Kane-like founder of a Scientology-ish religious sect; Philip Seymour Hoffman stars. l The Metropolitan Opera: Aida (3:40) Ancient Egypt comes alive in Verdi’s epic tale of love and loss, presented live from New York in all its high-def big-screen glory.
l
National Theatre London: The Magistrate
(2:35) Direct from South Bank it’s A.W. Pinero’s fast and furious farce about an upstanding justice, his deceptive bride and her roustabout of a son. l Not Fade Away (1:52) Period musical about the trials and tribulations of a 1960s Jersey garage band. l Our Children (1:57) Prize-winning Belgian drama about a lonely wife, her greencard husband and her wealthy physician lover. l Parental Guidance (1:36) Comedy ensues when groovy 20th century couple Bette Midler and Billy Crystal find themselves babysitting their nerdy, entitled 21st century grandkids. l Pieta (1:54) The life of a ruthless Korean loan shark is upended when a mysterious woman (his mother, perhaps?) appears on his doorstep. l Promised Land (1:46) Gus Van Sant directs Dave Eggers’ story about two corporate hotshots out of their element in a small town; Matt Damon and Hal Holbrook star. l Rise of the Guardians (1:37) Fantastical family-friendly fare about a group of ultrapowerful good guys who team up to pro-
tect the planet’s children from a marauding evil spirit. l Silver Linings Playbook (2:02) David O. Russell comedy about a down-and-outer’s attempts to rebuild his life after losing his wife and his job and moving in with his parents; Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro and Jennifer Lawrence star. l The Sleeping Beauty (3:00) Tchaikovsky’s timeless ballet is brought to dazzling life by the terpsichoreans of London’s Royal Ballet. l The Sound of Music (2:56) A dewy-eyed governess and her seven young charges enchant a cranky Austrian widower in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s megahit musical. l Texas Chainsaw (1:32) Sequel to the grisly horror saga finds a young heiress coming upon the bloodthirsty Sawyer clan in her spooky Texas mansion. l The Third Half (1:53) Macedonian drama about the forbidden love affair between a soccer star and a Jewish heiress on the eve of World War II. l This Is 40 (2:14) Judd Apatow’s “Knocked Up” sequel finds Pete and Debbie dealing with the realities of married bliss; Leslie Mann, Paul Rudd and Albert Brooks star. l War Witch (1:30) An African adolescent’s childhood is brutally negated when she’s abducted for training in guerilla warfare. l When Day Breaks (1:30) A retired Serbian professor finds out that he’s not who he always thought he was, giving him the courage to reinvent his life. l Zero Dark Thirty (2:37) Kathryn Bigelow’s brutal docudrama about an elite team of ops and agents and their decadelong hunt for Osama bin Laden. Y
Maribel Verdú in ‘Blancavieves,’ playing Friday as part of the Rafael’s week-long program of imports up for this year’s Best Foreign Film Oscar.
Showtimes can change after we go to press. Please call theater to confirm schedules. CinéArts at Marin 101 Caledonia St., Sausalito • 331-0255 CinéArts at Sequoia 25 Throckmorton Ave., Mill Valley • 388-4862 Cinema 41 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera • 924-6505 Fairfax 9 Broadway, Fairfax • 453-5444 Lark 549 Magnolia Ave., Larkspur • 924-5111 Larkspur Landing 500 Larkspur Landing Cir., Larkspur • 461-4849 Northgate 7000 Northgate Dr., San Rafael • 800-326-3264 Playhouse 40 Main St., Tiburon • 435-1234 Rafael Film Center 1118 Fourth St., San Rafael • 454-1222 Regency 80 Smith Ranch Rd., Terra Linda • 479-5050 Rowland 44 Rowland Way, Novato • 800-326-3264
k New Movies This Week
Argo (R)
Fairfax: 12:50, 6:45 Larkspur Landing: Fri 5, 7:45, 10:35 Sat-Sun 11:30, 2:15, 5, 7:45, 10:35 MonThu 7:15, 10:15 Northgate: Fri 3:10, 5:55 k Blancanieves (Not Rated) Rafael: Fri 8:30 Chasing Ice (Not Rated) Rafael: Fri 4:30, 6:15 Sat-Sun 1:45, 6:15 Mon 6:15, 8 Wed-Thu 6:15 Cirque du Soleil: Worlds Away (PG) Northgate: Fri 1:55, 9:25; 3D showtime at 6:50 k Clandestine Childhood (Not Rated) Rafael: Wed 6:30 Thu 8:15 k The Deep (Not Rated) Rafael: Wed 8:30 k The Delay (Not Rated) Rafael: Sun 4:30 Django Unchained (R) Fairfax: 12:40, 4:05, 7:50 Larkspur Landing: Fri 7, 10:30 Sat-Sun 11:40, 3:20, 7, 10:30 Mon-Thu 6:30, 10 Regency: Fri-Tue, Thu 12:15, 4, 7:55 Rowland: 11:35, 3:15, 7, 10:30 Sequoia: Fri 3:25, 7, 10 Sat 11:45, 3:25, 7, 10 Sun 11:45, 3:25, 7 Mon, Tue, Thu 4, 7:30 Wed 2:30 k Gangster Squad (R) Fairfax: Fri-Sat 12:30, 4:25, 7, 9:40 Sun-Thu 12:30, 4:25, 7 Larkspur Landing: Fri 5:15, 8, 10:40 Sat-Sun 11:45, 2:30, 5:15, 8, 10:40 Mon-Thu 7, 9:45 Northgate: Fri 11:05, 12:20, 1:50, 4:30, 7:10, 8:40, 10 Rowland: 11:30, 2:10, 4:55, 7:40, 10:25 The Guilt Trip (PG-13) Northgate: Fri 12:15, 2:45, 5:15, 7:40, 10:05 k A Haunted House (R) Northgate: Fri 12:35, 3, 5:25, 7:55, 10:20 Rowland: 11:10, 1:25, 3:35, 5:45, 8, 10:15 The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (PG) Northgate: Fri 12:25; 3D showtimes at 4, 7:35 Hyde Park on Hudson (R) Sequoia: Fri 5:10, 7:40, 10:30 Sat 12:15, 2:40, 5:10, 7:40, 10:30 Sun 12:15, 2:40, 5:10, 7:40 Mon, Tue, Thu 4:30, 7 k The Impossible (PG-13) Regency: Fri-Tue, Thu 11:30, 2:20, 5, 7:50 Rowland: 11:15, 1:55, 4:45, 7:35, 10:20 The Intouchables (R) Rafael: Fri-Sun 3:30, 8 Mon 9 Wed-Thu 8 Jack Reacher (PG-13) Northgate: Fri 10:35, 1:40, 4:45, 7:45, 10:40 k Kauwboy (Not Rated) Rafael: Thu 6:30 k Keep Smiling (Not Rated) Rafael: Fri 6:30 Sat 3 Life of Pi (PG) Fairfax: Fri-Sat 3:50, 9:30 Sun-Thu 3:50 Northgate: Fri 10:30, 4:35, 10:30; 3D showtimes at 1:30, 7:30 Lincoln (PG-13) Fairfax: 1:50, 5, 8:10 Playhouse: 4:25, 7:40 Sat-Sun 1:10, 4:25, 7:40 Regency: Fri-Sat 11:45, 3:10, 7, 10:15 Sun-Tue, Thu 11:45, 3:10, 7 The Master (R) Rafael: Fri 4:15, 7:15 Sat-Sun 1:15, 4:15, 7:15 Mon-Thu 7:15 k The Metropolitan Opera: Aida (Not Rated) Marin: Wed 6:30 Regency: Wed 6:30 Sequoia: Wed 6:30 Les Miserables (PG-13) Fairfax: 12:20, 3:40, 7:10 Larkspur Landing: Fri 7:15, 10:40 Sat-Sun 12:15, 3:45, 7:15, 10:40 Mon-Thu 6:45, 10:10 Marin: Fri-Sat 12:30, 3:50, 7:10, 10:30 Sun 12:30, 3:50, 7:10 Mon-Tue, Thu 4, 7:30 Northgate: Fri 12:10, 3:45, 7:20 Rowland: 12, 3:45, 7:15, 10:40 Monsters, Inc. (G) Northgate: Fri 11:25; 3D showtime at 4:25 k Nairobi Half Life (Not Rated) Rafael: Sun 6:30 k National Theatre London: The Magistrate (Not Rated) Lark: Thu 7:30 k Not Fade Away (R) Northgate: Fri 9:50pm k Our Children (Not Rated) Rafael: Sat 6 Lark: Fri-Sat 3:20, 5:40, 8 Sun 2:20, 4:40, 7 Mon 4 Parental Guidance (PG) Tue-Wed 4:40, 7 Thu 4:40 Northgate: Fri 10:50, 1:25, 4:05, 7, 9:35 Rowland: 11:45, 2:15, 4:50, 7:25, 10 k Pieta (Not Rated) Rafael: Sat 8:30 Promised Land (R) Northgate: Fri 11:40, 2:25, 5:05, 7:50, 10:25 Rise of the Guardians (PG) Northgate: Fri 11:50, 4:50; 3D showtimes at 2:20, 7:15 Silver Linings Playbook (R) Marin: Fri-Sat 1, 4:10, 7:20, 10 Sun 1, 4:10, 7:20 Mon-Thu 4:30, 7:20 Northgate: Fri 11, 1:45, 4:40, 7:25, 10:10 k The Sleeping Beauty (Not Rated) Rafael: Sun 1 Tue 6:30 k The Sound of Music (G) Regency: Wed 2, 7 Sequoia: Wed 2, 7 Texas Chainsaw (R) Northgate: Fri 12:30; 3D showtimes at 2:55, 5:30, 8, 10:35 Rowland: 12:20; 3D showtimes at 2:45, 5:05, 7:45, 10:10 k The Third Half (Not Rated) Rafael: Tue 8:30 This Is 40 (R) Northgate: Fri 12:45, 3:55, 7:05, 10:15 k War Witch (Not Rated) Rafael: Sun 8:30 k When Day Breaks (Not Rated) Rafael: Tue 6:30 k Zero Dark Thirty (R)
Cinema: Fri-Wed 11:45, 3:20, 7, 10:30 Fairfax: 1, 4:15, 7:30 Marin: Fri-Sat 12:15, 3:40, 7, 10:20 Sun 12:15, 3:40, 7 Mon-Thu 4:15, 7:40 Playhouse: 4:15, 7:30 SatSun 1, 4:15, 7:30 Regency: Fri-Sat 12:05, 1:55, 3:50, 5:40, 7:30, 9:20 Sun-Tue, Thu 12:05, 1:55, 3:50, 5:40, 7:30 Rowland: 12:15, 3:40, 7:10, 10:35