The Muppets: G – 2011 – 103 min.
dir. James Bobin w/Jason Segel, Amy Adams, Chris Cooper
Miss Piggy. Nuff said!
Chicago: PG-13 – 2002 – 113 min.
dir. Rob Marshall w/Renee Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Richard Gere
Pop! Six! Squish! Uh Uh, Cicero… Lipschitz! One the best film adaptations of a stage musical ever made. He had it comin’!
The Skeleton Key: PG-13 – 2005 – 104 min.
dir. Iain Softley w/Kurt Russell’s step-daughter, Gena Rowlands, Peter Sarsgaard
Kurt Russell’s step-daughter will be servin’ up some pizza! Oh, and this creepy, antebellum haunted mansion bayou story will keep you guessing.
Trailer Park:
See what the future holds as Rex dishes out trailers for hot upcoming releases, as well as some independent shorts and other fun stuff.
Sucker Punch: PG-13 – 2011 – 110 min.
dir. Zack Snyder w/Emily Browning, Vanessa Hudgens
This highly stylized film follows a young woman committed to an asylum for the supposed murder of her younger sister. She must escape before being lobotomized by her seedy doctor. Using the unconventional means of dance, she transports herself into a fantasy world that mimics the challenges she faces in reality. But like most things, it’s never that simple. You’ll have to come see!
Silent Hill: R – 2006 – 125 min.
dir. Christophe Gans w/Radha Mitchell, Sean Bean
Part one of the Radha Mitchell Double Feature: Sprung from one of the most horrifying and successful series of survival horror games made – a video game movie that doesn’t suck! A mother searches through the depths of terror to find her daughter with a dark secret. Silent Hill is brimming with atmosphere, beautifully disturbing imagery and one kick-ass mom.
Pitch Black: R – 2000 – 109 min.
dir. David Twohy w/Radha Mitchell, Vin Diesel
Yeah, yeah… you think Vin Diesel steals the show. But his portrayal really comes through against Radha Mitchell’s role as the leader of the party and moral center of this film, making this the perfect second half of our Radha Mitchell Double Feature.
Enchanted: PG – 2007 – 107 min.
dir. Kevin Lima w/ Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, James Marsden
In this clever parody of classic Disney films, the princess Giselle is forced from her animated home onto the unforgiving streets of New York City. Real life is a bitch.
The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec: NR – 2010 – 107 min.
dir. Luc Besson w/Louise Bourgoin and some other French people
From the director of The Fifth Element comes a whimsical tale of an Indiana Joneseque authoress and her exploits with pterodactyls, magic, and mummies in Egypt and Paris during the early 1900s. Never before released in the US – theatrically or on DVD – this film is a must see!
Best of 2011 Midwest Sci-Fi Short Film Festival:
Filmmakers from around Minnesota and the upper Midwest submitted short films of various geeky genres and styles. Come see some of Rex’s favorites.
Hanna: PG-13 – 2011 – 111 min.
dir. Joe Wright w/ Saoirse Ronan, Cate Blanchett, Eric Bana
Part espionage thriller, part messed up fairy tale, the first selection in the Cate Blanchett Double Feature is the story of a teenage assassin on a mission of revenge. The film stars Eric Bana as Hanna’s father/mentor and Cate Blanchett as the CIA agent out to destroy them both.
Elizabeth: R – 1998 – 124 min.
dir. Shekhar Kapur w/Cate Blanchett, Geoffrey Rush, Christopher Eccleston, Joseph Fiennes
Queen Elizabeth I was one of the greatest rulers in western civilization, which is especially remarkable given the paternal structure of the monarchy and society in her time. This is the film that put Cate Blanchett in the upper echelon of modern-day film actresses.
Agora: R – 2010 – 127 min.
dir. Alejandro Amenábar w/Rachel Wiesz, Max Minghella
In the midst of religious upheaval between Christians, Jews, and Pagans in ancient Alexandria, the philosopher and astronomer Hypatia tries to rectify the inelegant theories of the motions of the planets as explained by the Ptolemaic and heliocentric models. This high budget, well-made historical drama never had a theatrical release in the US.
Aeon Flux: PG-13 – 2005 – 93 min.
dir. Karyn Kusama w/Charlize Theron, Frances McDormand
From the animated MTV series of the same name, Charlize Theron stars as Aeon Flux, a member of an underground rebel movement. When sent on a mission to shatter the foundation of her dystopian society, she uncovers a conspiracy with far reaching implications. Visually striking in direction, costuming and artistic design, this is the only female-directed film showing in Rex this year!
Kill Bill Volume 1: R – 2003 – 111 min.
dir. Quentin Tarantino w/Uma Thurman, Lucy Liu, Vivica A. Fox, Daryl Hannah
Women! Brides! Blood! Swords! Tarantino’s stylized tribute to classic Kung Fu movies is a blast to watch from start to finish.
Kill Bill Vol. 2: R – 2004 – 136 min.
dir. Quentin Tarantino w/Uma Thurman, David Carradine, Michael Madsen, Daryl Hannah
More resolution than sequel, Volume 2 shifts the mood with a bit of spaghetti western flavor and a more serious emotional edge. But don’t worry, there’s still plenty of fighting and blood for your late-night viewing pleasure!
The Secret of NIMH: G – 1982 – 82 min.
dir. Don Bluth w/Elizabeth Hartman, Dom DeLuise, Derek Jacobi, Wil Wheaton
A masterpiece of classic animation, Don Bluth’s film tells the story of Mrs. Brisby’s quest to save her family as she braves dangers in her surroundings, and also the risk of her dealings with highly intelligent rats who have internal conflicts of their own.
She: NR – 1965 – 106 min.
dir. Robert Day w/Ursula Andress, Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee
Magic, adventure, a lost city, and a beautiful, immortal goddess. This was the highest budget from Hammer Studio and was shot on location in Egypt. She also teaches us an important lesson: never step into magical fires more than once.
Elektra: PG-13 – 2005 – 97 min.
dir. Rob Bowman w/Jennifer Garner, Goran Visnjic, Kirsten Prout
Often panned as one of the weakest of the early Marvel movies, Elektra far surpasses its Ben Affleckted predecessor. Well directed and well acted throughout, Elektra comes across as one of the more thoughtful, intelligent, and story driven superhero films. This along with beautiful cinematography and not overly-edited action sequences makes Elektra deserving of another look.
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (Special Extended Edition): R – 1992 – 154 min.
dir. James Cameron w/Linda Hamilton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Edward Furlong
Terminator and T2 are both great films but this story is where the character of Sarah Connor steps up and kicks ass. Cameron’s generally been good at creating and directing strong female characters and this is a prime example.
Triangle: R – 2009 – 99 min.
dir. Christopher Smith w/Melissa George, Joshua McIvor
Sailing near the Bermuda Triangle, a storm forces our characters to leave their boat for the “safety” of a deserted cruise ship. This UK-produced film was never released in US theaters. A classic horror story with a supernatural twist, it’s disturbing and surprisingly good.
Iron Sky: R – 2012 – 93 min.
dir. Timo Vuorensola w/Julia Dietze, Christopher Kirby, Stephanie Paul
Editor’s note: the opportunity to show this film came up at the very last minute, so there was no writeup for the film in the program guide. All you need to know is that it’s funny and it’s about Nazis on the moon. Really.
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