LIFE AS WE KNOW IT

LIFE AS WE KNOW IT

The Story:
Holly Berenson (Katherine Heigl) is an up-and-coming caterer and Eric Messer (Josh Duhamel) is a promising network sports director. After a disastrous first date, the only thing they have in common is their dislike for each other and their love for their goddaughter, Sophie. But when they suddenly become all Sophie has in the world, Holly and Eric are forced to put their differences aside. Juggling career ambitions and competing social calendars, they’ll have to find some common ground while living under one roof.

Starring:
Katherine Heigl, Josh Duhamel, Josh Lucas, Christina Hendricks, Jean Smart

Directed By:
Greg Berlanti

Release:
2010

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SHANGHAI

SHANGHAI

The Story:
Set in the ancient Chinese city a week before the attack on Pearl Harbor. U.S. Secret Agent Paul Soames (John Cusack) has just arrived to investigate the murder of his best friend Connor (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), only to become quickly immersed in a web of conspiracy and lies that beset the city.

Shadowed by a Japanese intelligence officer Tanaka (Ken Watanabe), Soames’ investigation quickly centers on a charismatic local gangster, Anthony Lanting (Chow Yun-Fat) – and Lanting’s beautiful wife, Anna (Gong Li). Before long, Soames and Anna are involved in an affair that will put everything they have at stake. As national loyalties are traded fast-and-loose for those of the heart, Soames and Anna must race to solve the mystery and make it out of occupied China before the city’s collapse.”

Starring:
John Cusack, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Yun-Fat Chow, Li Gong, Ken Watanabe, Rinko Kikuchi, Nicholas Rowe, Daniel Lapaine, Wolf Kahler, Michael Culkin

Directed By:
Mikael Håfström

Release:
2010

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THE KILLER INSIDE ME

THE KILLER INSIDE ME

The Story:
Based on the classic novel by legendary pulp writer Jim Thompson. Lou Ford (Casey Affleck) is a handsome, unassuming small town sheriff’s deputy, a quiet charmer of his idyllic West Texas town, Ford has a simple life and a pretty girl (Kate Hudson) to come home to. But when the job brings him face to face with a gorgeous prostitute (Jessica Alba) on the edge of town, Ford’s fragile world cracks – unbridling his own dark urges.

Starring:
Casey Affleck, Kate Hudson, Jessica Alba, Simon Baker, Bill Pullman, Ned Beatty, Elias Koteas

Directed By
Michael Winterbottom

Release:
2010

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THE LAST EXORCISM

The Story:
When he arrives on the rural Louisiana farm of Louis Sweetzer (Louis Herthum), the Reverend Cotton Marcus (Patrick Fabian) expects to perform just another routine “exorcism” on a disturbed religious fanatic. An earnest fundamentalist, Sweetzer has contacted the charismatic preacher as a last resort, certain his teenage daughter Nell (Ashley Bell) is possessed by a demon who must be exorcized before their terrifying ordeal ends in unimaginable tragedy.

Buckling under the weight of his conscience after years of parting desperate believers with their money, Cotton and his crew plan to film a confessionary documentary of this, his last exorcism. But upon arriving at the already blood drenched family farm, it is soon clear that nothing could have prepared him for the true evil he encounters there. Now, too late to turn back, Reverend Marcus’ own beliefs are shaken to the core when he and his crew must find a way to save Nell – and themselves – before it is too late.

Starring:
Patrick Fabian, Ashley Bell, Iris Bahr, Louis Herthum, Caleb Landry Jones, Tony Bentley, John Wright, Jr., Shanna Forrestall, Justin Shafer

Directed By:
Daniel Stamm

Release:
2010

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MORNING GLORY

Morning Glory

The Story:
When hard-working TV producer Becky Fuller (Rachel McAdams) is fired from a local news program, her career begins to look as bleak as her hapless love life. Stumbling into a job at "Daybreak" (the last-place national morning news show), Becky decides to revitalize the show by bringing on legendary TV anchor Mike Pomeroy (Harrison Ford). Unfortunately, Pomeroy refuses to cover morning show staples like celebrity gossip, weather, fashion and crafts – let alone work with his new co-host, Colleen Peck (Diane Keaton), a former beauty queen and longtime morning show personality who is more than happy covering morning "news."

As Mike and Colleen clash, first behind the scenes and then on the air, Becky's blossoming love affair with fellow producer, Adam Bennett (Patrick Wilson) begins to unravel – and soon Becky is struggling to save her relationship, her reputation, her job and ultimately, the show itself

Starring:
Rachel McAdams, Harrison Ford, Diane Keaton, Patrick Wilson, Jeff Goldblum

Directed By:
Roger Michell

Release:
2010

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FINDING BLISS

FINDING BLISS

The Story:
An idealistic 25 year old award winning film school grad, Jody Balaban (Leelee Sobieski), new to Los Angeles.

After a long humbling year temping as a traffic cop on a studio lot, Jody is faced with the hard decision of taking the only well paying industry she has yet been offered - editin porn at Grind Production, a profitable X-rated comany run by former porn star and shred business woman Irene Fox (Kristen Johnson). Irene explains that Grind is embarking on their first 'real' movie, which they plan to release in art-house theatres across the county. The consummate saleswoman, she attempts to deduce the desperate Jody to edit the film by challenging her to bring a smart female point of view to the sexual content in the movies, which is the crucial element needed for the film to cross-over into the mainstream.

At first horrified by the prospect of exposing herself to the cochroaches of the film industry, not to mention the effect it would have on her strict Jewish paretns. Jody has a remarkable change of heart when she realises that grind has all she needs to make her own low budget movie - on the sly of course. Judy rationslises taking the job on the grounds that 'the means justify the ends' - by editing porn during the day she'll be able to make meaningful art at night.

At first Jody's plan seems to be working out - she prepares to shoot her film after hours and her parents, happyily think that she has a respectable job, but things get complicated when Jody meets Jeff Drake (Matt Davis), the charming Herr Director of porn. Jeff, also an award winning filmmaker, once had his own dreams of making real films but now is a hard worn cynic who masks his disappointment behind a facade of irony. In Jody he sees the idealism he once had while Jody starts to face her own sexual hang ups as she begins to get aroused by the porn she so harshly judges.

When Jody starts making her own low budget romantic comedy at night she hires Laura (Denise Richards), a sweet ingenue who questions Jody's preconceptions about love and sex and gradually ispires Jody to embrace her growing attraction to Jeff not to mention her unexpected affection for the lowlifes of porn' including the dimwitted but lovable porn star Richard "Dick" Harder (Jamie Kennedy).

Starring:
Leelee Sobieski, Matthew Davis, Jamie Kennedy, Kristen Johnson, Donnamarie Recco, Denise Richards

Directed By:
Julie Davis

Release:
2010

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LOVE RANCH

LOVE RANCH

The Story:
Set in the late–1970s, depicting larger than life personalities living on the edge, Grace Bontempo (Helen Mirren) and Charlie Bontempo (Joe Pesci), the husband and wife team who own and run Nevada’s first legalized brothel. Their lives are suddenly altered when Armando Bruza (Sergio Peris-Mencheta), a husky, world famous heavy weight boxer from South America, is brought to the Ranch to train as part of Charlie’s ever–expanding entrepreneurial empire. Plans quickly go awry when Bruza comes between Grace and Charlie as an unforeseen love triangle develops that erupts into uncontrollable passion and murder.

Starring:
Helen Mirren, Joe Pesci, Sergio Peris-Mencheta, Gina Gershon, Taryn Manning, Bryan Cranston, Bai Ling, M.C. Gainey, Scout Taylor-Compton

Directed By:
Taylor Hackford

Release:
2010

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SIMON WERNER A DISPARU (LIGHTS OUT)

SIMON WERNER A DISPARU (LIGHTS OUT) (French)

The Story:
March 1992, in a small town in the suburbs of Paris.During an alcohol fuelled party, teenagers discover a body hidden in the bushes of a forest. A body that seems lifeless.

Two weeks earlier. Simon Werner (Jules Pelissier), a 16 year-old teenager, has not shown up for class. Blood stains are found in a class-room. Run-away, kidnap, suicide, murder? A few days later, Laetitia (Ana Girardot), a student from the same class goes missing without her parents knowing where she has gone. A young girl with no dark background or connection to Simon.

The next day, Jean-Baptiste (Serge Riaboukine), a third student, also disappears. Rumors start to spread. The psychosis begins…

Starring:
Laurent Capelluto, Ana Girardot, Arthur Mazet, Jules Pellisier, Serge Riaboukine, Yan Tassin

Directed By:

Fabrice Gobert

Release:

2010

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GOING THE DISTANCE

GOING THE DISTANCE

The Story:
Erin’s (Drew Barrymore) wry wit and unfiltered frankness charm newly single Garrett (Justin Long) over beer, bar trivia and breakfast the next morning. Their chemistry sparks a full-fledged summer fling, but neither expects it to last once Erin heads home to San Francisco and Garrett stays behind for his job in New York City. But when six weeks of romping through the city inadvertently become meaningful, neither is sure they want it to end. And while Garrett’s friends, Box (Jason Sudeikis) and Dan (Charlie Day), joke about his pre-flight calorie-cutting and his full-time relationship with his cell phone, they don’t like losing their best drinking buddy to yet another rocky romance. At the same time, Erin’s high-strung, overprotective married sister, Corrine (Christina Applegate), wants to keep Erin from heading down an all-too-familiar road. But despite the opposite coasts, the nay-saying friends and family, and a few unexpected temptations, the couple just might have found something like love, and with the help of a lot of texting, sexting and late-night phone calls, they might actually go the distance.

Starring:
Drew Barrymore, Justin Long, Christina Applegate, Ron Livingston, Charlie Day, Jim Gaffigan, Jason Sudeikis

Directed By:
Nanette Burstein

Release:
2010

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YEAR OF THE CARNIVORE

YEAR OF THE CARNIVORE

The Story:
Sammy Smalls (Cristin Milioti) is an impish 21-year-old tomboy who works as a store detective at Big Apple Food Town. Her job is to deliver shoplifters to her boss Dirk (Will Sasso) who beats them up so they never re-offend. Sammy feels guilty over her part in the dodgy scheme and wants to quit, but she doesn't have many options. She certainly isn't moving back home to live with her unhappy and over-protective parents. Meanwhile, Sammy is head over heels for scruffy street musician Eugene Zaslavsky (Mark Rendall). He's perfect for her — funny, irreverent, charming and as much of an oddball as she is, but the problem is, he doesn't want to be in a relationship. After a disastrous encounter that goes beyond the boundaries of their friendship, Eugene suggests they play the field to get more experience. Following his advice, Sammy hatches a plan catapulting her on a quest that includes blackmailing shoplifters into giving her sex lessons in the woods behind the supermarket.

Starring:
Cristin Milioti, Mark Rendall, Ali Liebert, SHeila McCarthy, Kevin McDonald, Will Sasso

Directed By:
Sook-Yin Lee

Release:
2010

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THE NEW DAUGHTER

THE NEW DAUGHTER

The Story:
John James (Kevin Costner) is a novelist with a severe case of writer's block who's taken custody of his two kids, teen Louisa (Ivana Baquero) and boy Sam (Gattlin Griffith), relocating the family to a remote home in the sticks of South Carolina. Trying to make sense out of Louisa's adolescent mood swings, John is quickly overwhelmed, looking for help from a local schoolteacher Cassandra (Samantha Mathis). However, matters turn spooky when Louisa is drawn to a gigantic dirt mound on the property, which alters her behavior, making her increasingly withdrawn, much to John's unease. Researching the mound after animals and locals turn up dead, John finds an evil force is manipulating his daughter, pitting the reluctant dad against his possessed child.

Starring:
Kevin Costner, Ivana Baquero, Samantha Mathis, Erik Palladino

Directed By:
Luis Berdejo

Release:
2010

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THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU

THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU

The Story:
David Norris (Matt Damon), an ambitious politician who meets a ballet dancer named Elise Sellas (Emily Blunt), but just as he realizes he’s falling for her, mysterious men conspire to keep the two apart.

David learns he is up against the agents of Fate itself–the men of The Adjustment Bureau–who will do everything in their considerable power to prevent David and Elise from being together. In the face of overwhelming odds, he must either let her go and accept a predetermined path…or risk everything to defy Fate and be with her.

Starring:
Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Anthony Mackie, John Slattery, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Michael Kelly, Terence Stamp

Directed By:
George Nolfi

Release:
2010

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LE PERE DE MES ENFANTS (FATHER OF MY CHILDREN)

LE PERE DE MES ENFANTS (FATHER OF MY CHILDREN) (French)

The Story:
Grégoire Canvel (Louis-Do de Lencquesaing) has everything a man could want. Sylvia (Chiara Caselli) his wife that he loves, three delightful children and a stimulating job. He's a film producer. Discovering talented filmmakers and developing films that fit his conception of the cinema—free and true to life—is precisely his reason for living. His vocation. It fulfills him and Grégoire devotes almost all his time and energy to his work. He's hyperactive, he never stops. Except on weekends, which he spends in the country with his family—gentle interludes, as precious as they are fragile. With his bearing and exceptional charisma, Grégoire commands admiration. He seems invincible. Yet his prestigious production company, Moon Films, is on its last legs. Too many productions, too many risks, too many debts. Storm clouds are gathering. But Grégoire plows on at all costs. Where will his blind obstinacy lead him? One day, he is obliged to face the facts. In one word: failure. He is overwhelmed by fatigue. Which soon, secretly, turns into despair.

Starring:
Louis-Do de Lencquesaing, Chiara Caselli, Alice de Lencquesaing, Alice Gautier, Manelle Driss

Directed By:
Mia Hansen-Love

Release:
2010

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INCEPTION

INCEPTION

The Story:
In a world where technology exists to enter the human mind through dream invasion, a single idea within one's mind can be the most dangerous weapon or the most valuable asset.

Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a skilled thief, the absolute best in the dangerous art of extraction, stealing valuable secrets from deep within the subconscious during the dream state, when the mind is at its most vulnerable. Cobb’s rare ability has made him a coveted player in this treacherous new world of corporate espionage, but it has also made him an international fugitive and cost him everything he has ever loved. Now Cobb is being offered a chance at redemption. One last job could give him his life back but only if he can accomplish the impossible—inception.

Instead of the perfect heist, Cobb and his team of specialists have to pull off the reverse: their task is not to steal an idea but to plant one. If they succeed, it could be the perfect crime. But no amount of careful planning or expertise can prepare the team for the dangerous enemy that seems to predict their every move. An enemy that only Cobb could have seen coming.

Starring:
Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, Marion Cotillard, Cillian Murphy, Michael Caine, Ken Watanabe, Tom Hardy, Tom Berenger, Lukas Haas

Directed By:
Christopher Nolan

Release:
2010

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WINTER’S BONE

WINTER’S BONE

The Story:
Set in the bleakness of the Ozark mountains, 17-year-old Ree Dolly (Jennifer Lawrence) is trying to find her father. He's due in court, and he has signed over his house and land for his bond money. If he doesn't show up in court, then Ree and her family will be homeless. The Ozarks are populated with a society of people. It would be too easy to just call them all "hicks," because it's more complicated than that. These people are all related and they have their own set of laws.

Rule number one: Never talk to the cops. When Ree starts asking her various family members where her father might be, she's met with resentment and hostility. What she's doing is viewed as helping the police and no one will have anything to do with her. Most of the people Ree knows are cooking meth. Any kind of police presence would seriously jeopardize their livelihoods. Ree has to navigate, for lack of a better term, the redneck mafia in order to find out the secrets behind her dad's disappearance.

Starring:
Jennifer Lawrence, John Hawkes, Lauren Sweetser, Kevin Breznahan, Isaiah Stone, Shelley Waggener, Ashlee Thompson, William White, Casey MacLaren, Valerie Richards

Directed By:
Debra Granik

Release:
2010

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DEATH AND CREMATION

DEATH AND CREMATION

The Story:
In Crest Point, people go about their day-to-day lives with no sense of urgency and standard stereotypes abound. There’s the high school bully with the popular girlfriend. The single mother raising her son after her husband has died. The detective who’s never cracked a big case. Then there’s Stan (Brad Dourif), a single 59 year old recluse who contributes to society by offering cremation services from the basement of his funeral home.

Jarod Leary (Jeremy Sumpter), a bullied and fatherless 17-year-old high school outcast doesn’t even try to fit in with his high school peers. Dressed in black, with his hair and fingernails matching his wardrobe, Jarod draws attention to himself but not in a good way. He’s constantly picked on by resident jock David Valentine (Blake Hood) and doesn’t seem to have much luck with the ladies either. Many decide he’s a freak including cool girls Lindsey Weaver (Kate Maher) and Courtney Taylor (Madison Eginton), and although Courtney doesn’t mind him, Lindsey has other plans.

In addition to troubles at school, home life for Jarod isn’t much better. Living out of a trailer, Jarod has to put up with nagging from his mother, Martha Leary (Debbon Ayer), and her budding romance with self-righteous immigration attorney Rick Waters (Sam Ingraffia). Sick of the badgering, Jarod finds after-school work as an apprentice at Stan’s cremation house. The two quickly develop a quirky working relationship and soon Jarod starts to see Stan as a father figure.

Not long after Jarod begins working at the cremation house people start to go missing, including Lindsey Weaver. Her parents Bill (Daniel Baldwin) and Becky Weaver (Staci Keanan) tell suburban detective Matt Fairchild (Scott Elrod) about their recent family visit to a cremation house, and all trails lead to Stan.Rick begins to apply pressure on Jarod to accept him as Martha’s boyfriend just as Jarod gets acclimated to life at the cremation home. When Jarod rejects a summer trip to Alabama witnessing Rick shows his ugly side. Detective Fairchild, meanwhile, steps up his investigation as more bodies amass. It’s then that Stan must decide if protecting his newfound trainee is worth killing for.

Starring:
Brad Dourif, Jeremy Sumpter, Scott Elrod , Debbon Ayer , Sam Ingraffia, Daniel Baldwin, Staci Keanan

Directed By:
Justin Steele

Release:
2010

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JONAH HEX

The Story:

Jonah Hex (Josh Brolin) is a scarred drifter and bounty hunter of last resort, a tough and stoic gunslinger who can track down anyone…and anything. Having survived death, Jonah’s violent history is steeped in myth and legend, and has left him with one foot in the natural world and one on the “other side.” His only human connection is with Leila (Megan Fox), whose life in a brothel has left her with scars of her own. But Jonah’s past is about to catch up with him when the U.S. military makes him an offer he can’t refuse: in exchange for his freedom from the warrants on his head, he must track down and stop the dangerous terrorist Quentin Turnbull (John Malkovich). But Turnbull, who is gathering an army and preparing to unleash Hell, is also Jonah’s oldest enemy and will stop at nothing until Jonah is dead.

Starring:

Josh Brolin, John Malkovich, Megan Fox, Will Arnett, Michael Shannon

Directed By:
Jimmy Hayward

Release:

2010

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