12 GIFTS OF CHRISTMAS
Captured live from the 12 Gifts tour, this event will feature musical performances from notable artists like Steven Curtis Chapman and Laura Story. Speakers Patsy Clairmont, Luci Swindoll, Marilyn Meberg and Mary Beth Chapman along with comedienne Anita Renfroe will be present to entertain the crowd. At Century.
ANNA KARENINA
Leo Tolstoy’s classic novel of love and infidelity comes to life thanks to director Joe Wright. A unique narrative device illuminates the theatrical behavior of the randy Russian nobles who can’t seem to help trying to sleep with each other’s spouses. In the end, it’s a costume drama, with a Masterpiece Theatre feel, but fans of the novel and the genre will enjoy this version. Rated R. At Century and Esquire. –– The Reader of Omaha, Neb.
ALIEN
One of the scariest sci-fi thrillers ever made stars Sigourney Weaver as an officer whose entire crew is menaced by unstoppable, insect-like xenomorphs, unwittingly brought on board their spacecraft after responding to a mysterious distress signal. At Esquire. — Landmark Theatres
ARGO
Ben Affleck’s latest directing project (in which he also stars) is based on true events from the Iranian revolution in 1979. Militants storm the U.S. embassy and take 52 Americans hostage, six Americans escape to the home of a Canadian ambassador. A CIA agent comes forward to get them out of the country before they’re found. Rated R. At Colony Square and Century.
BILL W.
Bill W. tells the story of William G. Wilson, co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, a man included in TIME magazine’s “100 Persons of the 20th Century.” At Chez Artiste. –– Landmark Theatres
CHASING ICE
Acclaimed National Geographic photographer James Balog was once a skeptic about climate change. But through his Extreme Ice Survey, he discovers undeniable evidence of our changing planet. At Century, Chez Artiste and Boedecker –– Landmark Theatres
CLOUD ATLAS
This overly ambitious tale covers six stories written and directed by three people and multiple actors in multiple roles. Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent, Jim Sturgess and Hugo Weaving attempt to share intersecting tales of humanity and spirituality, some of which involve intergalactic travel and a cloned Asian woman who becomes a deity. The best art is unafraid to fail. This is definitely art. — The Reader of Omaha, Neb. Rated R. At Century.
CITADEL
Tommy Crowley is a young father inflicted with chronic agoraphobia since his wife was brutally attacked by a gang of a twisted feral children. Trapped in the dilapidated suburbia of Edenstown, he finds himself terrorized by the same gang who now seem intent on taking his baby daughter. At Sie FilmCenter. –– Denver Film Society
THE COLLECTION
The only man known to escape the grips of a psychopathic serial killer known as “The Collector” is hired to rescue a girl who has also fallen prey to him. Rated R. At Colony Square.
THE COMEDY
On the cusp of inheriting his father’s estate, Swanson is a man with unlimited options. An aging hipster in Brooklyn, he spends his days in aimless recreation with like-minded friends in games of comic irreverence and mock sincerity. At Sie FilmCenter. –– Denver Film Society
END OF WATCH
Two young police officers patrol the dangerous streets of south central Los Angeles and capture the action through handheld HD cameras. Rated R. At Century and Twin Peaks.
THE FLAT
In his award-winning, emotionally riveting documentary, writer/director Arnon Goldfinger follows the hints his Israeli grandparents left behind to investigate long-buried family secrets and unravel the mystery of their painful past. At Chez Artiste. –– Landmark Theatres
FLIGHT
Denzel Washington stars in this action-packed mystery thriller as a seasoned pilot who saves his plane after a mid-air disaster, rescuing almost all his passengers. He’s dubbed a hero but the plane’s malfunctions reveal something different. Rated R. At Colony Square, Century and Twin Peaks.
HEAD GAMES
Head Games tells the story of football player and wrestler Chris Nowinski’s quest to uncover the truth about the consequence of sports related head injuries. At Sie FilmCenter. –– Denver Film Society
HITCHCOCK
Lurking behind Alfred Hitchcock — cinema’s “master of suspense” and the extraordinary film icon known for orchestrating some of the most intense experiences of menace and intrigue audiences have ever seen — was his hidden side: his creatively explosive romance with his steadfast wife and filmmaking collaborator, Alma Reville. At Mayan. –– Landmark Theatres
HOLY MOTORS
Over the course of a single day, Monsieur Oscar travels by limousine around Paris to a series of nine “appointments,” transforming into new characters or incarnations at each stop. At Chez Artiste and Sie FilmCenter. –– Landmark Theatres
KILLING THEM SOFTLY
Amped-up violence meets political and economic commentary in this adaptation of George Higgins’ novel Cogan’s Trade, directed by Andrew Dominik. Brad Pitt plays chill hit man Jackie Cogan, who has been hired to catch three guys who have decided to rob a Mob-protected card game. Rated R. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks.
A LATE QUARTET
When the beloved cellist of a world-renowned string quartet receives a life changing diagnosis, the group’s future suddenly hangs in the balance: suppressed emotions, competing egos, and uncontrollable passions threaten to derail years of friendship and collaboration. Rated R. At Chez Artiste. –– Landmark Theatres
LAY THE FAVORITE
Beth Raymer is an intense, excited, beautiful girl with a huge heart who gives up stripping in Florida to realize her dream: to become a cocktail waitress in Las Vegas. When she doesn’t land a job, she lucks into meeting Dink, an idiosyncratic sports gambler who sees potential and ability under Beth’s bubbly exterior. At Sie FilmCenter. –– Denver Film Society
LIBERAL ARTS
Thirty-five, newly single and uninspired by his job, Jesse Fisher (writer/director Josh Radnor) worries that his best days are over. When his favorite college professor invites him to campus to speak at his retirement dinner, Jesse jumps at the chance. At Boedecker. –– Boedecker Theater
LIFE OF PI 3D
A storm ravages a boat carrying a zookeeper’s family and menagerie, and the only survivors are the family’s son, Pi, and a Bengal tiger, coyly named Richard Parker. The film follows the odd couple’s lifeboat as Pi devises ways to stay alive and tame his beastly companion. Shot in 3-D, the film is a visual feast and is an almost certain to receive a Best Picture nomination. Rated PG. At Colony Square, Century and Twin Peaks. — The Reader of Omaha, Neb.
LINCOLN
This is all about the creation of the penny. OK, kidding. This is Daniel Day-Lewis proving he’s the best there is (maybe ever) embodying the emancipatory president as he works to get the 13th Amendment through a divided Congress in the midst of war. Rated PG-13. At Colony Square, Century and Twin Peaks. — The Reader of Omaha, Neb.
MATTHEW BOURNE’S SWAN LAKE
Matthew Bourne’s triumphant reinterpretation of Swan Lake at Sadler’s Well in 1995, perhaps best known for replacing the traditional female corps de ballet with a menacing male ensemble. At Boedecker. –– Boedecker Theater.
MIDDLE OF NOWHERE
Four years earlier, Ruby was a vibrant medical student married to the love of her life, Derek. Now, she makes her way to the maximum security prison on the outskirts of town, where her love now resides. At Sie FilmCenter. — Denver Film Society
THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER
A funny and touching coming-of-age story, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a modern classic that captures the dizzying highs and crushing lows of growing up. Rated PG-13. At Mayan. — Landmark Theatres
PLAYING FOR KEEPS
A has-been soccer star decides to turn his life around by reconnecting with his son. His forays into parenting soon lead him to a coaching position on his son’s soccer team — and ensuing chaos from a fleet of soccer moms. Rated PG-13. At Colony Square, Century and Twin Peaks.
RED DAWN
In this remake of the 1984 movie, a group of teenagers seeks refuge in the woods and forms a guerrilla group of fighters when their city is attacked by foreign forces. Rated PG-13. At Colony Square, Century and Twin Peaks.
RISE OF THE GUARDIANS 3D
Childhood legends such as Santa Claus, Sandman and the Easter Bunny along with Jack Frost team up to protect the imagination and beliefs of children. Rated PG. At Colony Square, Century and Twin Peaks.
THE ROLLING STONES: CHARLIE IS MY DARLING
The unseen story of a band becoming a legend, this historic Rolling Stones footage has never been shown in theaters; with 90,000 frames of painstakingly restored optical prints and negatives paired with the original sound tapes and 3-track live recordings of concerts in Ireland. At Boedecker. –– Boedecker Theater
THE ROOM
The Room is an electrifying American black comedy about love, passion, betrayal and lies, starring writer/director Tommy Wiseau as a successful banker with a great respect for — and dedication to — the people in his life, especially his future wife Lisa. At Esquire. –– Landmark Theatres
SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN
The incredible and true story of Rodriguez, the greatest ’70’s rock icon who never was. Discovered in a Detroit bar in the late ’60s, he went on to record an album that was supposed to secure his reputation as the greatest recording artist of his generation. At Boedecker. –– Boedecker Theater
THE SESSIONS
See full review. At Mayan.
SKYFALL
While Daniel Craig has provided some entertaining moments as the world’s most famous fictional spy, James Bond purists have grumbled that Craig’s two films departed too greatly from the 22-film tradition of the womanizing spy-hero. Skyfall is a return to form for 007. Action, beautiful dames, interesting gadgets and snappy one-liners abound in this thriller. No surprises there. Rated PG-13. At Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks. — The Reader of Omaha, Neb.
SMASHED
See full review. Rated R. At Century.
STARLET
Provocative, haunting, unpredictable and surprisingly sweet, Starlet explores the unlikely friendship between 21-year-old Jane, an aspiring actress, and 85-year-old widow Sadie Valley. At Chez Artiste. –– Landmark Theatres
STARS IN SHORTS
An incredible collection of short films featuring Judi Dench, Colin Firth, Keira Knightley and more. This is the first collection of short film to bring you everything you expect when you go to the movie theater. At Boedecker. –– Boedecker Theater
TARANTINO XX: PULP FICTION EVENT
A celebration of Tarantino’s 20 years in the business by bringing this movie back to the big screen, along with handpicked trailers which influenced his work. At Century.
TRADE OF INNOCENTS
In the back streets of a tourist town in present-day Southeast Asia, we find a filthy cinder block room; a bed with soiled sheets; a little girl waits for the next man. Alex, a human trafficking investigator, plays the role of her next customer as he negotiates with the pimp for the use of the child. At Sie FilmCenter. –– Denver Film Society
TRUE WOLF
Born in captivity, Koani could only be a captive wolf. She becomes an educational ambassador for wolves and wilderness. At Boedecker. –– Boedecker Theater
THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN – PART 2
In the ending to this romantic epic, the Cullens seek the help of other vampire clans to the newly born Renesmee and the family from the Volturi. Rated PG-13. At Colony Square, Century and Twin Peaks.
WAITING FOR LIGHTNING
Waiting for Lightning is the inspirational story of visionary skateboarder Danny Way. The film follows the journey of a young boy from a broken home in Vista, Calif., whose passion for skateboarding would one day bring him fame and a lifetime of accomplishments. At Sie FilmCenter. –– Denver Film Society
THE WATCHING HOUR: BLACK CHRISTMAS
Halloween gets all the credit for kick-starting the ’80s slasher movement, but Bob Clark’s ho-ho-horrifying 1974 cult classic Black Christmas was the true source, specifically of the first-person “killer-cam” that came into fashion. At Sie FilmCenter. –– Denver Film Society.
WRECK-IT RALPH
When a video game bad guy (John C. Reilly) grows tired of having to be mean, he abandons his game in search of more, winding up in a first-person shooter with a no-nonsense soldier (Jane Lynch) and a kart-racing game with a child (Sarah Silverman). Sweet, fluffy and loads of fun, beware that this isn’t a game changer even if it features lots of game characters. Rated PG. At Colony Square, Century and Twin Peaks. — The Reader of Omaha, Neb.
