MOVies
F R I D AY feb r ua r y 2 2 — T H U R S D AY feb r ua r y 2 8 M ovie summaries by M at t hew St af fo r d
Werner Herzog’s ‘Happy People: A Year in the Taiga’ opens Friday at the Rafael. Academy Awards Night Party Catch the Oscars on the Lark’s big, big screen at an evening of fun, glitz and frabjous food and drink. Prizes for most glam getups. l Amour (2:05) Critically acclaimed French drama stars Jean-Louis Trintignant and Emmanuelle Riva as an elderly Parisian couple battling the realities of old age. 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 Beautiful Creatures Kami Garcia’s gothic horror romance comes to the big screen with Jeremy Irons as the mysterious overlord of Ravenwood Manor and Alice Englert as his cursed niece Lena. l Dark Skies (1:35) Yet another mysterious disembodied force targets yet another clean-cut suburban family; this time the victim is Keri Russell. l Django Unchained (2:45) Quentin Tarantino über-Western about a slave-turned-bounty hunter (Jamie Foxx), his still-enslaved wife (Kerry Washington) and the plantation owner (Leo DiCaprio) who stands in their way. l Escape from Planet Earth (1:29) Cartoon comedy about a dashing extraterrestrial astronaut, his nerdy brother and their dangerous mission to violent, crazy faraway planet Earth. l 56 Up (2:24) Michael Apted’s acclaimed ongoing documentary series, checking in on 14 disparate Britons every seven years, is back, this time examining Apted’s diverse subjects at the age of 56. l The Gatekeepers (1:36) Thought-provoking documentary features six former heads of the Israeli Secret Service discussing their mixed feelings about the agency’s often controversial counterterrorism methods. l A Good Day to Die Hard (1:38) Rogue cop John McClane teams up with his CIA-agent son to halt a global nuclear showdown, Russian Mafia be damned; Bruce Willis stars, of course. l Happy People: A Year in the Taiga (1:34) Documentarians Dmitry Vasyukov and Werner Herzog examine a year in the life of an inaccessible Siberian village practically untouched by the modern (post-18th century) world. l Identity Thief (1:51) Denver ad exec Jason Bateman’s savings and self spiral out of control l
when Miami grifter Melissa McCarthy taps into his virtual-plastic soul. 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 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 Oscar Experience The Rafael hosts the Bay Area’s only Academy-sanctioned Oscar Night event replete with prize-packed raffle, silent auction, fine wines, delectable noshes and the live telecast in dazzling high definition. Michael Krasny emcees. l Oscar Marathon Bone up for the 85th Academy Awards at an all-day marathon of Best Picture nominees: “Argo” (1pm); “Silver Linings Playbook” (3:20); “Zero Dark Thirty” (5:20); “Django Unchained” (8:20). $30 admission includes discounted snacks and drinks! l Quartet (1:38) The cozy elegance of a retired musicians’ home is torn asunder when an exwife/diva arrives to open old wounds; Dustin Hoffman directs Maggie Smith, Tom Courtenay and Michael Gambon. l Safe Haven (1:55) Lasse Hallström drama about a woman with a haunted past who tries to make a new life for herself in an idyllic North Carolina village. l Side Effects (1:45) Steven Soderbergh thriller follows the unraveling life of a successful Manhattan couple after they partake of a new anti-anxiety wonder drug; Catherine Zeta-Jones and Jude Law star. 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 Snitch (1:35) Angry dad Dwayne Johnson tracks down and turns in a top-shelf drug dealer to reduce his recreationally mellow teenage son’s three-strikes 10-year prison sentence. l Stand Up Guys (1:35) Alan Arkin, Christopher Walken and Al Pacino as very old buddies trying to recapture their glory days of sex, drugs and criminal malfeasance. l Still Moving: Pilobolus at Forty (0:40) Documentary focuses on the cutting-edge dance troupe, still dazzling audiences with its astonishingly pliant choreography. l Warm Bodies (1:37) Zombie comedy about the unusual romance between an undead slacker and a totally alive knockout. l Zero Dark Thirty (2:37) Kathryn Bigelow’s brutal docudrama about an elite team of ops and agents and their decade-long hunt for Osama bin Laden. Y
k New Movies This Week k Academy Awards Night Party (Not Rated)
Lark: Sun 5 Rafael: Fri 3:15, 6:15, 9 Sat 12:15, 3:15, 6:15, 9 Mon-Thu 6:15, 9 Fairfax: Fri-Sat 1:20, 7, 9:40 Sun-Thu 1:20, 7 Larkspur Landing: Fri 5, 7:45, 10:30 Sat-Sun 11:15, 2:15, 5, 7:45, 10:30 Mon-Thu 6:30, 9:20 Northgate: 10:50, 1:35, 4:30, 7:25, 10:15 Beautiful Creatures (PG-13) Fairfax: Fri-Sat 12:50, 3:50, 6:40, 9:25 Sun-Thu 12:50, 3:50, 6:40 Marin: Fri 4:50, 7:30, 10:10 Sat 2, 4:50, 7:30, 10:10 Sun 2, 4:50, 7:30 Mon-Thu 5, 7:45 Northgate: 11:30, 1, 2:30, 4, 5:30, 7, 8:30, 10 Rowland: 1, 4, 7, 9:50 k Dark Skies (PG-13) Northgate: 11:50, 2:20, 4:55, 7:40, 10:05 Rowland: 12:15, 2:45, 5:15, 7:55, 10:20 Django Unchained (R) Regency: 12:30, 4:10, 7:50 Escape from Planet Earth (PG) Northgate: 10:55, 3:25; 3D showtimes at 1:10, 5:40, 7:55, 10:10 Rowland: 11:45; 3D showtimes at 2:20, 4:40, 7:10, 9:35 56 Up (Not Rated) Rafael: Fri, Mon-Thu 8 Sat 8:45 k The Gatekeepers (PG-13) Regency: Fri-Sat 11:25, 1:55, 4:30, 7:10, 9:40 Sun-Thu 11:25, 1:55, 4:30, 7:10 A Good Day to Die Hard (R) Cinema: Fri-Wed 11:45, 2:15, 4:45, 7:15, 9:50 Fairfax: Fri-Sat 12:30, 2:50, 5:10, 7:30, 9:45 Sun-Thu 12:30, 2:50, 5:10, 7:30 Northgate: 10:45, 12, 1:20, 2:35, 3:55, 5:10, 6:30, 7:45, 9:05, 10:20 Rowland: 12, 1:15, 2:35, 3:55, 5:05, 6:30, 7:30, 9, 10:10 k Happy People: A Year in the Taiga (Not Rated) Rafael: Fri 3:45, 6 Sat 12:30, 2:30, 6:45 Mon-Thu 6 Identity Thief (R) Larkspur Landing: Fri 7:30, 10:10 Sat-Sun 11:30, 2:10, 4:45, 7:30, 10:10 Mon-Thu 7:15, 9:50 Northgate: 11:10, 12:35, 1:55, 3:15, 4:35, 6, 7:15, 8:45, 10 Rowland: 11:35, 2:10, 4:50, 7:35, 10:15 Life of Pi (PG) Fairfax: 1:30, 4:10 Northgate: 10:45, 4:40, 10:30; 3D showtimes at 1:45, 7:35 Lincoln (PG-13) Regency: 12:10, 3:35, 7 Sequoia: Fri 4, 7:15, 10:30 Sat 12:45, 4, 7:15, 10:30 Sun 12:45, 4, 7:15 Mon-Thu 4, 7:15 Les Miserables (PG-13) Northgate: 11:35, 3:10, 6:55, 10:25 k Oscar Experience (Not Rated) Rafael: Sun 3:30 k Oscar Marathon Marin: Sat only—Argo (1), Silver Linings Playbook (3:20), Zero Dark Thirty (5:30), Django Unchained (8:20) Quartet (PG-13) Playhouse: Fri 4:15, 7:10, 9:40 Sat 1:30, 4:15, 7:10, 9:40 Sun 1:30, 4:15, 7:10 Mon-Thu 4:15, 7 Rafael: Fri 4, 6:30, 8:45 Sat 1:30, 4, 6:30, 8:45 Mon-Thu 6:30, 8:45 Safe Haven (PG-13) Fairfax: Fri-Sat 12:40, 3:40, 6:30, 9:10 Sun-Thu 12:40, 3:40, 6:30 Larkspur Landing: Fri 7:15, 10 Sat-Sun 11, 1:45, 4:30, 7:15, 10 Mon-Thu 6:45, 9:30 Marin: Fri 4:10, 7, 9:45 Sat 1:30, 4:10, 7, 9:45 Sun 1:30, 4:10, 7 Mon-Thu 4:30, 7:20 Regency: Fri-Sat 10:55, 1:40, 4:25, 7:20, 10:10 Sun-Thu 10:55, 1:40, 4:25, 7:20 Rowland: 11:30, 2:10, 4:55, 7:40, 10:25 Side Effects (R) Fairfax: Fri-Sat 4:40, 7:10, 9:45 Sun-Thu 4:40, 7:10 Larkspur Landing: Fri 5:15, 7:55, 10:25 Sat-Sun 11:45, 2:30, 5:15, 7:55, 10:25 Mon-Thu 7, 9:35 Regency: Fri-Sat 11:05, 1:50, 4:35, 7:30, 10:15 Sun-Thu 11:05, 1:50, 4:35, 7:30 Silver Linings Playbook (R) Fairfax: Fri-Sat 1:10, 4, 6:50, 9:35 Sun-Thu 1:10, 4, 6:50 Lark: Fri, Mon-Thu 5:15, 8 Sat 2:30, 5:15, 8 Marin: Fri 4:30, 7:15, 10:10 Sun 1:45, 4:30, 7:15 Mon-Thu 4:45, 7:30 Northgate: 11, 1:40, 4:25, 7:10, 9:50 Playhouse: Fri 4, 6:50, 9:30 Sat 1:10, 4, 6:50, 9:30 Sun 1:10, 4, 6:50 Mon-Thu 4, 6:50 k Snitch (PG-13) Northgate: 11:55, 2:25, 5, 7:30, 9:55 Rowland: 11:55, 2:30, 5, 7:25, 10 Stand Up Guys (R) Regency: Fri-Sat 12, 2:35, 5:10, 7:40, 10:05 Sun-Thu 12, 2:35, 5:10, 7:40 k Still Moving: Pilobolus at Forty (Not Rated) Rafael: 4:30 (Pilobolus dancers in person!) Warm Bodies (PG-13) Northgate: 11:40, 2:15, 4:50, 7:20, 9:45 Zero Dark Thirty (R) Northgate: 11:45, 3:20, 7:05, 10:30 Sequoia: Fri 3:40, 7, 10:25 Sat 12:15, 3:40, 7, 10:25 Sun 12:15, 3:40, 7 Mon-Thu 3:40, 7 Amour (PG-13) Argo (R)
Samuel L. Jackson in ‘Django Unchained,’ one of four Best Picture nominees screening Saturday at the Marin’s all-day Oscar Marathon.
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