Town Topics — Princeton's Weekly Community Newspaper Since 1946.
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Vol. LXV, No. 45
Wednesday, November 9, 2011

50/50 (R for sexuality, drug use, and profanity). Drama about a 27-year-old writer (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) who learns what’s most important in life after being given a 50/50 chance of beating a rare form of spinal cancer. With Anjelica Huston, Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Philip Baker Hall.

Anonymous (PG-13 for violence and sexuality). Drama, set in the Elizabethan era, addressing the speculation that it was the Earl of Oxford (Rhys Ifans), not the Bard of Avon (Rafe Spall), who penned the complete works of William Shakespeare. With Vanessa Redgrave, Joely Richardson, and Trystan Gravelle, and narrated by Sir Derek Jacobi. In English, French, Italian, and Greek.

Courageous (PG-13 for violence and drug use). Alex Kendrick wrote, directed, and co-stars in this parable about the trials and tribulations of four colleagues facing different ethical dilemmas while serving on the Albany, Georgia, police force. Cast includes Ken Bevel, Ben Davies, and Kevin Downes.

Footloose (PG-13 for profanity, sexuality, violence, and teen drug and alcohol abuse). Remake of the 1984 Kevin Bacon classic about a city kid who moves from Boston to a small town in Georgia where he falls in love with the preacher’s (Dennis Quaid) daughter (Julianne Hough) while leading a rebellion against a local ordinance banning loud music and dancing. With Andie MacDowell, Miles Teller, and Ser’Darius Blain.

The Ides of March (R for pervasive profanity) George Clooney wrote, directed, and co-stars in this adaptation of the play Farragut North, a political potboiler about an idealistic press secretary (Ryan Gosling) who compromises a presidential candidate’s prospects by becoming embroiled in a scandal while on the campaign trail. With Marisa Tomei, Paul Giamatti, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jeffrey Wright, and Evan Rachel Wood.

Immortals (R for graphic violence and a sex scene). Greek mythology fantasy about a lowly stonemason (Henry Cavill) picked by Zeus (Luke Evans) to assemble a band of warriors for a bloody showdown with a rampaging, ruthless Titan (Mickey Rourke) who has declared war on humanity. With Isabel Lucas, Stephen Dorff, John Hurt, and Freida Pinto.

In Time (PG-13 for violence, sexuality, graphic profanity, and partial nudity). Science fiction thriller set in a dystopia where the rich live forever because time is literally money, and revolving around the effort of an unfairly accused fugitive of justice (Justin Timberlake) to clear his name while destroying the corrupt economic system with the help of a beautiful heiress (Amanda Seyfried). With Olivia Wilde, Matt Bomer, and Aaron Perilo.

J. Edgar (R for profanity). Clint Eastwood directed this biopic starring Leonardo DiCaprio in the title role of J. Edgar Hoover, the legendary director of the FBI. With Josh Lucas as Charles Lindbergh, Jeffrey Donovan as Bobby Kennedy, Gunner Wright as Dwight Eisenhower, and Christopher Shyer as Richard Nixon.

Jack and Jill (PG for sexuality, crude humor, profanity, violence, and smoking). Slapstick comedy about a happily married family man (Adam Sandler) who is dreading his passive-aggressive twin sister’s (also played by Sandler) annual Thanksgiving visit. Cast includes Katie Holmes, Al Pacino, Shaquille O’Neal, Regis Philbin, Tim Meadows, and Dana Carvey.

Johnny English Reborn (PG for mild violence, rude humor, brief sensuality, and brief profanity). Rowan Atkinson reprises the title role in this James Bond parody in which the bumbling British spy attempts to redeem himself by foiling an assassination attempt on a head of state by a team of bloodthirsty assassins. With Gillian Anderson, Rosamund Pike, Dominic West, and Ben Miller. In English and Chinese with subtitles.

Martha Marcy May Marlene (R for nudity, profanity, sexuality, and disturbing violence). Psychological thriller about an escapee (Elizabeth Olsen) from an abusive religious cult who starts suffering from paranoid delusions that she’s being stalked by the sect’s charismatic leader (John Hawkes) after taking refuge at the home of her sister (Sarah Paulson) and brother-in-law (Hugh Dancy). With Christopher Abbott, Brady Corbet, and Maria Dizzia.

Moneyball (PG-13 for profanity). Baseball biopic about Billy Beane (Brad Pitt), the Oakland Athletics’ general manager who pioneered a successful method of drafting players on a modest budget by relying on computer-generated statistical analysis. With Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jonah Hill, and Robin Wright.

Mozart’s Sister (Unrated). Historical biopic, set in 1762, examining the early years in the life of Mozart’s older sister, Anna-Maria (Marie Feret), a music prodigy in her own right. With David Moreau as Wolfgang. In French with subtitles.

Paranormal Activity 3 (R for violence, profanity, drug use, and brief sexuality). Prequel to the haunted house series finds a couple of siblings (Katie Featherstone and Sprague Grayden) befriending an invisible entity that enters their home and ends up tormenting the siblings. With Brian Boland, Lauren Bittner, and Christopher Nicholas Smith.

Puss in Boots (PG for action and mild rude humor). Animated 3-D spinoff of Shrek finds the dashing furry feline (Antonio Banderas) teaming with Humpty Dumpty (Zach Galifianakis), and a street savvy alley cat (Salma Hayek) for a swashbuckling adventure in search of the legendary goose that lays golden eggs. Narrated by Walt Dohrn, with a voice cast including Billy Bob Thornton and Amy Sedaris as Jack and Jill.

Real Steel (PG-13 for violence, intense action, and brief profanity). Futuristic science fiction about a washed-up boxer and fight promoter (Hugh Jackman) who, with the help of the young son he never knew (Dakota Goyo), trains a robot for a championship bout. With Anthony Mackie, Evangeline Lilly, Kevin Durand, and Hope Davis.

The Rum Diary (R for profanity, sexuality, and brief drug use). Johnny Depp stars in this adaptation of the Hunter S. Thompson novel of the same name, set in the fifties, about a journalist, tired of the New York City rat race, who takes a position at a newspaper in Puerto Rico where he becomes obsessed with the fiancée (Amber Heard) of a shady real estate developer (Aaron Eckart). Cast includes Richard Jenkins, Giovanni Ribisi, and Michael Rispoli. In English and Spanish with subtitles.

The Skin I Live In (R for rape, profanity, graphic sexuality, nudity, disturbing violence, and drug use). Pedro Almodovar directed and wrote this twisted thriller adapted from Tarantula, the Thierry Jonquet novel about a plastic surgeon (Antonio Banderas) bent on revenge who gives his daughter’s (Blanca Suarez) rapist (Jan Comet) an involuntary sex-change operation, only to find himself falling in love with the rapist. Cast includes Elena Anaya, Marisa Paredes, and Barbara Lennie. In Spanish with subtitles.

Take Shelter (R for profanity). Drama about a working class family man (Michael Shannon) plagued by apocalyptic visions who finds himself struggling with whether or not to have his wife (Jessica Chastain) and daughter (Tova Stewart) hide in a backyard bunker he’s built as protection from the conflagration he believes is imminent.

The Three Musketeers (PG-13 for action and violence). 3-D screen adaptation of Alexandre Dumas‘s swashbuckling classic features the trio of legendary swordsmen (Matthew Macfadyen, Ray Stevenson, and Luke Evans) teaming with D’Artagnan (Logan Lerman) to prevent the diabolical Cardinal Richelieu (Cristoph Waltz) from seizing the French throne with the help of an attractive double agent (Milla Jovovich). Supporting cast includes Helen George, Christian Oliver, Til Schweiger, and Orlando Bloom as the Duke of Buckingham.

Tower Heist (PG-13 for profanity and sexuality). Comedy about a group of swindled investors who enlist the assistance of a petty thief (Eddie Murphy) to rob the condo of the Wall Street titan (Alan Alda) who was behind a billion-dollar Ponzi scheme which left them penniless. Cast includes Ben Stiller, Matthew Broderick, Casey Affleck, Gabourey Siddibe, Tea Leoni, Judd Hirsch, and Michael Pena.

A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas (R for drug use, crude humor, pervasive profanity, graphic sexuality, frontal nudity and violence). Third installment of the series finds the protagonists (Kal Penn and John Cho) approaching 30 yet still up to a “pot”-pourri of holiday season, marijuana hijinks. With Neil Patrick Harris, Danny Trejo, Thomas Lennon, David Krumholtz, and Eddie Kaye Thomas.

The Way (PG-13 for mature themes, drug use and smoking). Bittersweet tale of overwhelming regret about a grieving doctor (Martin Sheen) collecting the remains of his recently deceased son (Emilio Estevez) in France who decides to honor his late offspring by completing the pilgrimage he had been making through the Pyrenees. Support cast includes Tcheky Karyo, Deborah Kara Unger, and James Nesbitt.

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