Monday 23 February 2015

The Five-Year Engagement on AllMovie The Five-Year Engagement (2012)

A couple named Tom (Jason Segel) and Violet (Emily Blunt) find their wedding plans interrupted by a number of disappointments and surprises over the course of five years, as Violet is forced to move to Michigan for school and Tom becomes frustrated by missed job opportunities in this romantic comedy from producer Judd Apatow. Nicholas Stoller directed from a script co-written by Segel, and the supporting cast includes Alison Brie, Chris Pratt, and Rhys Ifans.

Chimpanzee on AllMovie Chimpanzee (2012)

World Chimpanzee Foundation head Christophe Boesch joins filmmakers Alastair Fothergill and Mark Linfield for this documentary offering an intimate look into the world of chimpanzees. The chimpanzee is an exceptionally intelligent species of anthropoid ape, and by spending over three years in the tropical jungles of Uganda and the Ivory Coast, filmmakers and experts offer viewers a unique opportunity to better understand their distinct role in our global ecosystem. The story in Chimpanzee centers on Oscar, a young simian born into a large family of 35 others, and eager to learn the ways of life in the jungle. As Oscar's mother Isha teaches her newborn how to find food and avoid dangerous predators, the leader of their family, Freddy, vigilantly defends their territory from his rival Scar. Scar and his clan covet the nut grove at the center of Freddy's domain, and it's only a matter of time before they attempt to take the precious resource by force. When tragedy strikes and Isha perishes, Oscar struggles to survive without a parent to feed and protect him. But just as it begins to appear as if all hope for Oscar is lost, something miraculous happens - Freddy adopts the orphaned youngster, and provides the support he so desperately needs to survive. But it may come at a devastating price, because somewhere out in the trees, Scar has noticed that Freddy has ceased defending the perimeters of his territory, providing the perfect opportunity for him and his clan to take the coveted nut grove by force. Narrated by Tim Allen.

Joyful Noise on AllMovie Joyful Noise (2012)

This light, gentle comedy from director Todd Graff stars Dolly Parton and Queen Latifah in the tale of a small-town choir determined to win a national choral competition. As the choir leaders, G.G. Sparrow and Vi Rose Hill (Parton and Latifah) band together and set out to win at any cost, supported by their eager young participants (Jeremy Jordan, Keke Palmer and others).

The Pirates! Band of Misfits on AllMovie The Pirates! Band of Misfits (2012)

Set sail for fun with this family-friendly Aardman Animations adventure following a bumbling, abundantly bearded scallywag who competes against his two biggest rivals for the title Pirate of the Year. Try as he might, the Pirate Captain (Hugh Grant) just can't be taken seriously as a plunderer. But that might change if he could only manage to win the Pirate of the Year competition. As the event gets under way, the Pirate Captain makes it his mission to leave dreaded foes Black Bellamy (Jeremy Piven) and Cutlass Liz (Salma Hayek) sinking in his wake. Before that can happen, though, the determined Pirate Captain will have to seek out the help of a love-struck scientist (David Tennant) and defeat a malevolent queen (Imelda Staunton), who might just send him down to Davy Jones' Locker.

House at the End of the Street on AllMovie House at the End of the Street (2012)

A teenager (Jennifer Lawrence) and her mother (Elisabeth Shue) move to a new town and make a gruesome discovery about the house next door in this tale of terror from Hush director Mark Tonderai. Shortly after learning that the neighboring house was recently the scene of a horrific double homicide, the curious teen forges a tender friendship with the boy who cheated death (Max Thieriot) on that fateful night.

2016: Obama's America on AllMovie 2016: Obama's America (2012)

As Americans grow increasingly divided over the presidency of Barack Obama, filmmakers Gerald R. Molen, Dinesh D'Souza, and Jim Hannon attempt to uncover the truth about the controversial politician's past, and explore the possible ramifications of his being elected to a second term.

Monsters University on AllMovie Monsters University (2013)

Take a trip back in time to when star Monsters, Inc. employees Mike Wazowski (voice of Billy Crystal) and James P. "Sulley" Sullivan (voice of John Goodman) were just two promising young students at Monsters University in this frightfully fun Disney/Pixar prequel. Long before they were lurking in closets for a living, Mike and Sulley were just two Scaring majors at Monsters University, dreaming of the day they would make children shriek in terror. When their heated competition to be the most fearsome in their class gets out of hand, however, Mike and Sulley find themselves ejected from the prestigious Scare Program, and they are forced to seek the aid of their oddball friends in order to get their education back on track. Dan Scanlon (Tracy) takes the directorial reigns for this prequel featuring additional vocal contributions by Steve Buscemi, Dave Foley, and Julia Sweeney.

Tyler Perry's Good Deeds on AllMovie Tyler Perry's Good Deeds (2012)

An upstanding businessman finds his upcoming marriage thrown into question when his connection with a down-on-her-luck cleaning woman turns unexpectedly romantic. Wesley Deeds (Tyler Perry) is a prominent businessman who has successfully taken the reins of the family business. He displays commendable patience while dealing with his insubordinate brother and strives to give his demanding fiancée, Natalie (Gabrielle Union), a happy, stable future. Up until now, Wesley's life has been comfortable, but the moment he meets Lindsey (Thandie Newton), everything starts to change. A proud single mother who has just gotten evicted and now struggles to give her daughter some much-needed stability, Lindsey never asked for a handout in her life. But when Wesley offers to lend the outspoken custodian the help that she needs to get her life back together, their friendly bond quickly develops into something much deeper. Now, with his heart and his head pulling in different directions, Wesley realizes that his entire future may not be as predictable as he once thought.

Step Up Revolution on AllMovie Step Up Revolution (2012)

An aspiring dancer in Miami befriends an innovative flash-mob dance crew, and helps them to stage a footloose protest in order to save their neighborhood from a greedy developer. Emily (Kathryn McCormick) has always dreamt of becoming a professional dancer. Shortly after moving to Miami, she meets up with Sean (Ryan Guzman) -- the leader of a crew called The Mob that takes the art of dance straight to the streets. Meanwhile, as Emily falls for Sean, a powerful businessman begins plotting to demolish the crew's historic neighborhood to make way for a highly profitable development. Now, with their homes at stake and nothing to lose, Sean, Emily, and The Mob prepare to stage a show that will save their families from getting thrown into the streets.

Frankenweenie on AllMovie Frankenweenie (2012)

Tim Burton's 1984 short film Frankenweenie is resurrected for the big screen with this stop-motion 3D remake, which once again centers on a boy (Charlie Tahan) who reanimates his dead terrier and the suburban fallout that occurs because of it. Big Fish screenwriter John August provided the script for the Walt Disney production.

The Watch on AllMovie The Watch (2012)

A group of guys stumble upon an alien invasion during a faux neighborhood watch meeting where they usually do some male bonding to get away from their dull suburban lives in this sci-fi comedy starring Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, and Will Forte. Akiva Schaffer directs from a script by Seth Rogen, and Evan Goldberg. Jonah Hill and Rosemarie DeWitt co-star.

Trouble With the Curve on AllMovie Trouble With the Curve (2012)

An aging baseball scout (Clint Eastwood) with failing sight hits the road with his estranged daughter (Amy Adams) to pursue a promising young ballplayer, and they learn just how much they have in common as they make their way from Georgia to North Carolina in this sports drama produced and directed by frequent Eastwood collaborator Robert Lorenz. For decades, Gus Lobel (Eastwood) has been one of the best scouts in Major League Baseball. But these days his eyes just aren't what they used to be, and as a phenomenal young batter enters the draft, the owners of the Atlanta Braves cast a shadow of doubt over Gus' judgment. Meanwhile, his daughter Mickey ( Adams) is an aspiring partner at a major Atlanta law firm. In the wake of his wife's death, Gus sent Mickey away, and their relationship has been strained ever since. But she knows a thing or two about baseball, and recognizing that her father's job is in jeopardy, she decides to help him -- even at the risk of derailing her own career. Now, throwing caution to the wind (and ignoring her gruff father's objections), Mickey joins Gus for a scouting trip that could keep him in the game until he's ready to retire, as well as repair a father/daughter relationship that once seemed all but lost. Justin Timberlake, John Goodman, Robert Patrick, and Matthew Lillard co-star.

That's My Boy on AllMovie That's My Boy (2012)

A single father finds his lackluster parenting skills coming back to haunt him in this Adam Sandler comedy directed by Sean Anders (Sex Drive). As a teenage father, Donny (Sandler) struggled to raise his son Todd (Andy Samberg) until Todd was old enough to strike out on his own. Subsequently estranged from his father for years, Todd is about to marry the love of his life when Donny turns up determined to form the father-son bond they never had. Now the harder Donny tries to connect with his long-lost son, the more furious Todd's future bride grows with the unwelcomed intruder and his obnoxious antics. Leighton Meester and James Caan co-star.

Sunday 22 February 2015

The Guilt Trip on AllMovie The Guilt Trip (2012)

In Anne Fletcher's family comedy, Barbra Streisand plays Joyce Brewster, a sixtysomething widow who has given up on men and seems to spend most of her free time phoning her son Andrew (Seth Rogen), a chemist who has created an all-natural cleaning solution that he's bet his career on and is trying to sell to retailers (a wager that he's losing thus far). As the movie opens, Andrew returns home to spend some time with his mom before going on a cross-country road trip to pitch his product in various cities, ending with a trip to Las Vegas where he'll shoot a Home Shopping Network demo.

Lawless on AllMovie Lawless (2012)

Three rebellious, bootlegging brothers find the elusive American Dream within their reach, and fight to maintain their grip as powerful urban gangsters reap the rewards of their hard work in this sprawling Great Depression-era crime drama from director John Hillcoat (The Road, The Proposition). At the height of Prohibition, ambitious country boy Jack Bondurant dreams of becoming "Public Enemy #1" while reaping all the benefits that go with the gangster lifestyle. By expanding his family's moonshining business, he plots to launch a vast criminal empire while winning the heart of beautiful Amish girl Bertha. With his older, intimidating brother Howard by his side, Jack has the brawn to get the job done, too. But they need a strong leader to guide them -- a responsibility that falls on their eldest sibling Forrest. Stoic and stalwart, Forrest is the kind of man who holds his cards close, and places a high value on character. Meanwhile, as the three siblings rise to power while battling treachery on both sides of the law, a mysterious woman named Maggie appears out of nowhere, prompting the thoughtful Forrest to question the true price of his outlaw ways.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter on AllMovie Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012)

As a young boy, Abraham Lincoln watched his mother Nancy (Robin McLeavy) suffer an agonizing death following a midnight encounter with malevolent bloodsucker Jack Barts (Martin Csokas). Nine years later, a vengeful Lincoln (played as an adult by Benjamin Walker) attempts to vanquish Barts and has his first terrifying encounter with the creatures of the night. Fortunately for the future of the nation, the would-be assassin is saved by determined vampire hunter Henry Sturgess (Dominic Cooper) at the last possible moment, and he lives on to perfect his vampire-slaying skills under his rescuer. Flash forward to 1837, as Lincoln arrives in Springfield, IL, and quickly lands a job as a shopkeeper under Joshua Speed (Jimmi Simpson), while also dividing his personal time between studying law and slaughtering vampires. Shortly after falling under the spell of beautiful Mary Todd (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), Lincoln has a belated reunion with his childhood friend Will Johnson (Anthony Mackie), who reinvigorates his passion to fight for freedom. But a war is coming, and immortal plantation owner Adam (Rufus Sewell) is determined to use it as a means of gaining the upper hand against mankind. Years later, as the 16th president of the United States, Lincoln is joined by his old friends in a last-ditch effort to save not just the Union, but the very future of humanity.

Rock of Ages on AllMovie Rock of Ages (2012)

A small-town girl and a big-city boy find their fates intersecting on the Sunset Strip, riding a wave of romance through the height of the "hair metal" scene as the off-Broadway musical rocks its way to the big screen courtesy of choreographer-turned-director Adam Shankman (A Walk to Remember, Hairspray). Arriving in Hollywood with stars in her eyes, Sherrie (Julianne Hough) meets Drew (Diego Boneta), and together they plunge headlong into the local rock scene. Meanwhile, as Sherrie struggles to stay afloat in a churning sea of rock 'n' roll excess, she gets swept off her feet by audacious rock star Stacee Jaxx (Tom Cruise). Russell Brand, Paul Giamatti, and Bryan Cranston co-star in a movie featuring music by Journey, Def Leppard, Poison, Whitesnake, Bon Jovi, Foreigner, Joan Jett, and REO Speedwagon.

End of Watch on AllMovie End of Watch (2012)

David Ayer's End of Watch stars Michael Peña and Jake Gyllenhaal as a pair of L.A. cops and close friends who work to keep the streets safe. Shot in a found-footage style, the movie follows the duo as they make enemies with a major drug cartel and attempt to lead happy personal lives.

Finding Nemo on AllMovie Finding Nemo (2003)

Andrew Stanton, who helped write Toy Story and Monsters, Inc., co-wrote and directed this computer-animated comedy-adventure about finding a very small fish in a very large ocean. Marlin (voice of Albert Brooks) is a more-than-slightly paranoid Clown Fish who is extremely devoted to his young son, Nemo (voice of Alexander Gould), the only survivor after an undersea predator swallowed up Nemo's mother and her other offspring. It's not Marlin's nature to explore unfamiliar waters, but when he and Nemo are accidentally separated near the Great Barrier Reef en route to Nemo's first day of fish school, Marlin gathers his courage and sets out to find his son. What Marlin doesn't know, however, is that while Nemo was looking at a boat passing on the surface, he was caught in a net and given a new home in a dentist's aquarium. As Marlin searches for his son, he makes friends with a friendly but absent-minded Regal Blue Tang named Dory (voice of Ellen DeGeneres), a Great White Shark named Bruce (voice of Barry Humphries) who is trying to cut fish out of his diet, a beach-rat Sea Tortoise named Crush (voice of Andrew Stanton), and Nigel (voice of Geoffrey Rush), a Pelican who can take Marlin's search from the ocean to dry land. Finding Nemo's impressive voice cast also includes Willem Dafoe, Allison Janney, Eric Bana, Stephen Root, and Brad Garrett.

What to Expect When You're Expecting on AllMovie What to Expect When You're Expecting (2012)

Five expectant couples learn that having a baby is anything but predictable in this uplifting romantic comedy based on Heidi Murkoff's ubiquitous best-seller. A household name thanks to her popular fitness show, Jules (Cameron Diaz) can't contain her excitement after learning she is about to have a baby with Evan (Matthew J. Morrison), the sure-footed star of a popular dance show. But the closer Jules gets to her due date, the more she and Evan realize the demands of parenthood and the responsibilities of a celebrity couldn't be more different. Meanwhile, outspoken infant-advice author Wendy (Elizabeth Banks) contends with surging hormones as her belly begins to swell, and her devoted husband Gary is shell-shocked to discover that his overbearing trophy wife will soon be having twins. Of course not everyone is cut out to be a father, and as professional photographer Holly (Jennifer Lopez) prepares to scour the globe for a child to adopt, her reluctant husband Alex gets his first glimpse of fatherhood in a brutally honest support group for new dads. And while some parents spend years preparing for the right moment to have a child, feuding food-truck owners Rosie (Anna Kendrick) and Marco (Chace Crawford) get the surprise of their lives when an impulsive act of passion has permanent repercussions.

The Cabin in the Woods on AllMovie The Cabin in the Woods (2012)

Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard team up for this bloody horror satire that offers an inventive twist on the familiar stranded-in-the-woods sub-genre. As five friends pile into an RV bound for a secluded cabin far from civilization, the operators of a mysterious, high-tech control room monitor their every move while preparing an arcane ritual that dates back to the beginning of time. Shortly after arriving at the rickety cottage, Dana (Kristen Connolly) and her friends Curt (Chris Hemsworth), Jules (Anna Hutchison), Marty (Fran Kranz), and Holden (Jesse Willaims) venture into the basement and discover a little girl's diary from the early 1900s -- which recounts a series of horrifying events that unfolded precisely where the vacationing teens how stand. Before long, the nightmare comes knocking at the door -- murder gleaming from its putrid eyes and a rusty saw clenched in rotting hands. In the control room, everything is going exactly according to plan; Sitterson (Richard Jenkins) and Hadley (Bradley Whitford) are taking bets, and their supervisor Lin (Amy Acker) is monitoring every detail. But just when it looks like the show is over, an unexpected glitch threatens to topple the entire system.

Resident Evil: Retribution on AllMovie Resident Evil: Retribution (2012)

Awakening in a top-secret Umbrella facility as the T-virus threatens to wipe out the last remnants of humanity, Alice (Milla Jovovich) must battle her way through virtual simulations in order to break out of the complex and save the Earth in this fifth Resident Evil film. While the apocalyptic plague rages above ground, below the surface lies a massive base powered the evil supercomputer, the Red Queen, who will stop at nothing to contain humanity's only biologically-enhanced hope that is Alice. While factions in the Umbrella Corporation strive to help Alice escape, the Red Queen unleashes zombies, monsters, and clones of her ex-comrades to stop her. Only when Alice stumbles across a young girl who's been bred to think that she is her mother does the two-fisted heroine find a new reason to live. Sienna Guillory, Michelle Rodriguez, and Kevin Durand co-star.

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace on AllMovie Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)

In 1977, George Lucas released Star Wars, the ultimate sci-fi popcorn flick-turned-pop-culture myth machine. It quickly became the biggest money-making film of all time and changed the shape of the film industry. After two successful sequels (1980's The Empire Strikes Back and 1983's Return Of The Jedi) that extended the story of the first film, Lucas took some time off to produce movies for others, with mixed success. In 1999, Lucas returned to the Star Wars saga with a new approach -- instead of picking up where Return Of The Jedi left off, Star Wars: Episode I -- The Phantom Menace would be the first of a trilogy of stories to trace what happened in the intergalactic saga before the first film began. Here, Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) is a young apprentice Jedi knight under the tutelage of Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson); Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd), who will later father Luke Skywalker and become known as Darth Vader, is just a nine-year-old boy. When the Trade Federation cuts off all routes to the planet Naboo, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan are assigned to settle the matter, but when they arrive on Naboo they are brought to Amidala (Natalie Portman), the Naboo queen, by a friendly but opportunistic Gungan named Jar Jar. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan plan to escort Amidala to a meeting of Republic leaders in Coruscant, but trouble with their spacecraft strands them on the planet Tatooine, where Qui-Gon meets Anakin, the slave of a scrap dealer. Qui-Gon is soon convinced that the boy could be the leader the Jedis have been searching for, and he begins bargaining for his freedom and teaching the boy the lessons of the Force. The supporting cast includes Pernilla August as Anakin's mother, Terence Stamp as Chancellor Valorum, and Samuel L. Jackson as Jedi master Mace Windu. Jackson told a reporter before The Phantom Menace's release that the best part about doing the film was that he got to say "May the Force be with you" onscreen.

The Three Stooges on AllMovie The Three Stooges (2012)

Peter and Bobby Farrelly finally deliver their long-gestating reboot of The Three Stooges with this 20th Century Fox production. Working from a script they penned with Mike Cerrone (Me, Myself & Irene), the brothers' comedic take on the trio is not a biopic, but rather a sampling of new slapstick adventures set in the present day. Sean Hayes, Will Sasso, and Chris Diamantopoulos star as, respectively, Larry, Curly, and Moe.

Dead Man Down on AllMovie Dead Man Down (2013)

Director Niels Arden Oplev (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo) makes his eagerly anticipated English-language-feature debut with this action thriller about a tough New York City enforcer and an alluring blackmailer who both put their lives on the line to seek vengeance against one of the city's most powerful crime bosses. Victor (Colin Farrell) isn't the type of man you want to come knocking at your door. A deadeye who always hits his mark, Victor works for the man who controls New York's entire underworld. But when the ruthless crime lord gives an order that results in the deaths of Victor's right-hand man's wife and daughter, he earns himself a dangerous enemy. Meanwhile, as Victor attempts to identify the unknown figure who's threatening his boss's life, the mysterious Beatrice (Noomi Rapace) ensnares the sleuthing hit man in a dangerous web of blackmail and seduction. Later, when the bullets start to fly, the lust for vengeance threatens to consume everyone involved. Terrence Howard and Dominic Cooper co-star.

Here Comes the Boom on AllMovie Here Comes the Boom (2012)

A devoted high-school teacher risks life and limb as a mixed-martial-arts fighter in order to rescue his school's music program from the cutting block in this action comedy from director Frank Coraci (The Wedding Singer, Click). Back in his prime, Scott Voss (Kevin James) was a collegiate wrestler with some fairly impressive moves. Now, at 42, he teaches biology at troubled Wilkinson High School. Mr. Voss has begun to grow deeply indifferent in his role as an educator when a troubling announcement stirs him to action. Effective immediately, Wilkinson High will be eliminating all extracurricular activities. Suddenly, the most apathetic teacher on the staff has a reason to get involved. But how is a typical high-school teacher like Mr. Voss supposed to raise the $48,000 needed to save the music program from going belly up? Upon learning that some MMA fighters earn $10,000 just for stepping into the ring, Mr. Voss vows to get back in shape, and subject himself to a series of brutal beatings so his students won't have to go without. Salma Hayek and Henry Winkler co-star.

Moonrise Kingdom on AllMovie Moonrise Kingdom (2012)

Director/co-writer Wes Anderson teams with screenwriter Roman Coppola for this period comedy-drama set in the 1960s, in which a pair of young lovers (Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward) from an island off the New England coast head for the hills and throw their small town into a frenzy. Bruce Willis co-stars with Bill Murray, Edward Norton, and Frances McDormand.

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel on AllMovie The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2012)

A small group of British retirees learn that the life they want to live might not be the life they need to live after pooling their resources to spend their twilight years in a unique setting located in India. Upon arriving at the once-opulent Marigold Hotel, however, the eager pensioners come to realize that rumors of the building's restoration have been greatly exaggerated. But just when it starts to seem that the privileged seniors have been swindled out of their life savings, they summon the courage to sever their ties to the past, and embrace their new life with a sense of wonder and adventure. Tom Wilkinson, Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, and Dev Patel star in this uplifting comedy-drama from director John Madden (The Debt, Shakespeare in Love).

The Savages on AllMovie The Savages (2007)

A pair of siblings are forced to set aside their discomfort with one another for the sake of their father in this low-key comedy drama from writer/director Tamara Jenkins. Wendy Savage (Laura Linney) is a struggling playwright living in New York City who works a day job to support herself and can't shake the feeling that she's failed as an artist. Wendy isn't especially happy about her love life either, gaining little self-esteem from her on-and-off affair with oversexed, married neighbor Larry (Peter Friedman). Wendy's anxieties about her writing career are intensified by the success of her brother, Jon (Philip Seymour Hoffman), who teaches theater history at a college in Buffalo, NY, and has published a number of books. While Jon's life seems fine on the surface, a case of writer's block has stalled work on his latest project, and he's deeply upset that his girlfriend is soon to leave the United States to return to her native Poland. Wendy and Jon don't get along and prefer not to see one another, but an unfortunate circumstance brings them together -- their father, Lenny Savage (Philip Bosco). Elderly Lenny has began showing signs of dementia, and shortly after he takes to smearing his feces on the walls of his Arizona home, his ailing long-term girlfriend suddenly dies. Wendy and Jon have little choice but to fly to Arizona and see what can be done for Lenny, but their long-simmering animosity makes it hard for them to deal with the realities of Lenny's condition. The Savages received its world premiere at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival.

Beauty and the Beast on AllMovie Beauty and the Beast (1991)

Beauty And The Beast is widely considered the best animated Disney feature of the studio's 1980s/1990s renewal of the form. Based on the classic French fairy tale, it tells the story of Belle (voiced by Paige O'Hara), an intelligent young woman scorned by her townspeople for being a bookworm, weary of fighting off the advances of the arrogant Gaston (Richard White), and dreaming of escape. When her father gets lost in the woods and captured by the forbidding Beast (Robby Benson), a once-handsome prince turned into a monster by a witch, Belle goes off to rescue him. Taken with her, the Beast agrees to release Belle's father if she agrees to stay with him forever. Initially repulsed, Belle soon finds much to appreciate in the Beast's hidden, tender nature. The Beast's servants -- a clock (David Ogden Stiers), a teapot (Angela Lansbury), and a candlestick (Jerry Orbach) -- see Belle as their salvation: if the Beast and a woman fall in love before his 21st birthday, he will be free from the curse. The songs are first-class, the tale is told with sincerity but not sentimentality, and the characters of Belle and the Beast, complex individuals who defy stereotyping and change over the course of the story, are more three-dimensional than in most live-action movies. The eye-popping animation is beautifully rendered, and Beauty And The Beast certainly deserves its place amongst Disney's animated classics. In 2002, a special 89-minute edition of the film was released in IMAX theaters with the addition of a newly animated song, ""Human Again.""

Sinister on AllMovie Sinister (2012)

A struggling true-crime novelist stumbles into a grim supernatural mystery that threatens the lives of his entire family in this nightmarish horror yarn from director Scott Derrickson (The Exorcism of Emily Rose, The Day the Earth Stood Still). Ellison (Ethan Hawke) is seeking inspiration for his latest book when he moves his wife and children into a home where an entire family perished under gruesome circumstances. Terror soon hits closer to home, however, when the writer discovers a box of old family movies in the attic of his new house, and watches in horror as images of various families being murdered flicker before his eyes. Now the deeper Ellison investigates the disturbing case, the more he begins to fear he has stirred an ancient evil that won't rest until it has claimed his entire family. Vincent D'Onofrio and James Ransone co-star.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days on AllMovie Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days (2012)

In this third film in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, Greg Heffley (Zachary Gordon) wants to spend the summer before eighth grade playing video games and maybe, if he can finagle it, getting closer to his crush Holly Hills (Peyton List). The former plan goes out the window when his dad Frank (Steve Zahn) decides to ban video games from the house. In order to connect with his young son, Frank schedules a number of fishing trips and signs the boy up for Scouts. Greg has more luck on the girlfriend front when his best friend Rowley (Robert Capron) invites him to go to his family's country club, where Holly works as a tennis instructor. Soon, in order to avoid spending so much time with his dad, Greg lies to his parents and says he works at the club, a deception that his older brother Rodrick (Devon Bostick) uses to blackmail him and gain access to the establishment.

The Possession on AllMovie The Possession (2012)

Inspired by Los Angeles Times writer Leslie Gornstein's article "A Jinx in a Box," this horror film from Ghost House Pictures and director Ole Bornedal (Nightwatch) tells the tale of a broken family that comes under attack from a malevolent supernatural entity of Jewish folklore. Shortly after her parents (Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Kyra Sedgwick) divorce, a young girl purchases an ornate antique box at a yard sale. In the weeks that follow, the young girl forms an intense fixation on the box, her behavior growing increasingly bizarre as she falls into the grip of a diabolical apparition. When the girl's father discovers that the relic is in fact a holding cell for the disconnected soul of a deceased person who has been denied entry into the afterlife and needs a human host to inhabit, he fights to rid her of the evil that threatens to consume her body and soul.

Red Tails on AllMovie Red Tails (2012)

The thrilling true story of the Tuskegee Airmen buzzes to the big screen in this epic war adventure from executive producer George Lucas and first-time feature director Anthony Hemingway. In the fire and chaos of World War II, the U.S. military recruits a fearless group of African-American fighter pilots to help reclaim the skies over Europe. Discriminated against both as citizens and as soldiers, the Tuskegee Airmen take flight in planes distinguished by distinctive red tails, and fight to defeat the tyranny of the Axis powers. As a result of their bravery, the pilots emerge as true heroes, and prove that all men are truly created equal. Terrence Howard, Cuba Gooding Jr., and Bryan Cranston star.

Fifty Shades of Grey on AllMovie Fifty Shades of Grey (2015)

Director Sam Taylor-Johnson's big screen version of the initial book in the series, Fifty Shades of Grey, stars Dakota Johnson as Anastasia Steele, an English Lit major on the verge of graduation when her best friend, a journalism major, gets sick and asks Anastasia to do an assignment for her -- interview Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan), the wealthy businessman who is speaking at their impending graduation ceremony. The two hit it off right away; the awkward young woman is immediately turned on by his power and control, and he's drawn to her naivete.

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance on AllMovie Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2012)

Crank co-directors Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor helm this sequel to 2007's Ghost Rider that finds Johnny Blaze (Nicolas Cage) summoning his infernal alter ego to help rescue a ten-year-old boy from the Devil incarnate. Tracked to a secluded area of Eastern Europe and approached by a clandestine sect of the church with word that the apocalypse is at hand, Johnny realizes that his only hope for breaking the curse of the Ghost Rider is to prevent the Devil (Ciaran Hinds) from taking possession of a young boy (Fergus Riordan) who may be humanity's last hope against the forces of darkness.

The Odd Life of Timothy Green on AllMovie The Odd Life of Timothy Green (2012)

A happy husband and wife receive a most unexpected gift in this enchanting comedy drama from Academy Award-nominated writer/director Peter Hedges (What's Eating Gilbert Grape, Dan in Real Life). Jim (Joel Edgerton) and Cindy Green (Jennifer Garner) are deeply in love and planning to start a family in Stanleyville when, one night during a thunderous storm, a young boy named Timothy (CJ Adams) comes knocking at their door. In time, the prospective new parents and their curious neighbors discover that the most amazing things can happen just when you least expect it.

The Devil Inside on AllMovie The Devil Inside (2012)

A young woman learns that her mother committed multiple murders while undergoing an exorcism, and she travels to Rome with a film crew on a mission to uncover the truth about that horrific incident in this found-footage-style possession shocker from director William Brent Bell. As a young girl, Isabella Rossi (Fernanda Andrade) had been led to believe that the killings were committed after her mother flew into a psychotic rage. But when Isabella finds evidence indicating that an exorcism was being conducted on her mother at the time, she enlists a film crew to follow her to Italy in search of the truth. In order to gain a better understanding of the spiritual plight that her mother endured, Isabella and her crew attend a series of unsanctioned exorcisms that become increasingly terrifying.

Paranormal Activity 4 on AllMovie Paranormal Activity 4 (2012)

The Paranormal Activity film series continues with this fourth entry from Paramount Pictures and returning directors of the previous outing, Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman. This time, the cell phones and computer cameras are focused on a teenage girl (Kathryn Newton) whose family allow a young boy in their neighborhood named Robbie (Brady Allen) to stay with them while his mom is sick. Soon after, eerie things start happening in the household, some of which focus on the girl's younger brother Wyatt. As the bumps in the night become more pronounced, the mysteries surrounding Robbie's family and the house across the street grow to the point where the only thing for the teen girl to do is investigate herself.

The Woman in Black (2012)

A widowed lawyer travels to a secluded village on an important assignment, and encounters a vengeful ghost with mysterious motives. After losing his beloved wife in childbirth, young barrister Arthur Kipps (Daniel Radcliffe) was nearly consumed by grief. A haunted widower father, he raises his young son with the help of his devoted nanny. Arthur is on the verge of losing his job when an important client of the firm dies, and his boss offers him one last opportunity to prove his worth by settling the woman's affairs. Determined to succeed, Arthur travels to the remote village and receives a chilly welcome. Something horrible once happened here, and it seems that the locals are determined to ensure Arthur never finds out what it was. Now, the more time Arthur spends in his client's crumbling estate, the more aware he becomes of a presence that isn't quite human. In this house dwells a woman's ghost. In life she lost something precious, and now in death she'll do whatever it takes to get it back. Until she does, her spectral presence will serve as a harbinger of doom, always to be followed by the death of an innocent.

Project X on AllMovie Project X (2012)

The Hangover's Todd Phillips produces this outrageous comedy from writers Matt Drake and Michael Bacall (Scott Pilgrim vs. The World), which follows three undistinguished high-school students who attempt to achieve popularity by throwing the ultimate party.

This Means War (2012)

Two top CIA spies (Star Trek's Chris Pine and Inception's Tom Hardy) find their enduring friendship put to the ultimate test when they engage in an all-out war to win the affections of a beautiful woman (Reese Witherspoon). Chelsea Handler and Til Schweiger co-star in a comedy co-written by Simon Kinberg (Sherlock Holmes) and Timothy Dowling (Role Models) and directed by McG (Charlie's Angels, Terminator Salvation).

ParaNorman on AllMovie ParaNorman (2012)

Writer/director Chris Butler puts his experience working on Coraline and Tim Burton's The Corpse Bride to good use in this charmingly morbid tale of an eccentric young hero facing supernatural forces that would make most grown-ups cower in fear. Eleven-year-old Norman Babcock (voice of Kodi Smit-McPhee) is a young misfit with a remarkable gift: He sees dead people. Although Norman's clairvoyance allows him the unique opportunity to enjoy the company of his beloved grandmother (Elaine Stritch) long after she has ceased to be, it also drives his frustrated father Perry (Jeff Garlin) and popularity-obsessed sister Courtney (Anna Kendrick) up the wall at home and makes him the target of dim-witted bully Alvin (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) at school. His only friend is portly Neil (Tucker Albrizzi), who isn't exactly a beacon of coolness. When Norman's deceased uncle Prenderghast (John Goodman), a local pariah, warns the young boy that he must save their small town of Blithe Hollow from a witch's curse that has plagued the area for centuries, the young creature-feature addict isn't entirely sure how to respond -- that is, until the sky turns red, the clouds start to swirl, and the dead rise up from their graves. Now, as a terrified mob takes to the streets with torches in hand, it's up to Norman, Courtney, Alvin, Neil, and Neil's older brother Mitch (Casey Affleck) to put things right, even if it means confronting the 300-year-old curse that has haunted Blithe Hollow ever since the notorious witch hunts of the 18th century.

American Reunion on AllMovie American Reunion (2012)

The American Pie series comes full circle as the characters from the 1999 comedy classic return to East Great Falls for their ten-year high-school reunion and experience a weekend they will never forget. While some couples, like Jim (Jason Biggs) and Michelle (Alyson Hannigan), got serious and tied the knot, others, like Oz (Chris Klein) and Heather (Mena Suvari), went their separate ways. Meanwhile, Finch (Eddie Kaye Thomas) still looks back with lust at that perfect evening he spent with Stifler's mom. Seann William Scott, Tara Reid, Thomas Ian Nicholas, Shannon Elizabeth, Eugene Levy, and Natasha Lyonne co-star.

Titanic on AllMovie Titanic (1997)

This spectacular epic re-creates the ill-fated maiden voyage of the White Star Line's $7.5 million R.M.S Titanic and the tragic sea disaster of April 15, 1912. Running over three hours and made with the combined contributions of two major studios (20th Century-Fox, Paramount) at a cost of more than $200 million, Titanic ranked as the most expensive film in Hollywood history at the time of its release, and became the most successful. Writer-director James Cameron employed state-of-the-art digital special effects for this production, realized on a monumental scale and spanning eight decades. Inspired by the 1985 discovery of the Titanic in the North Atlantic, the contemporary storyline involves American treasure-seeker Brock Lovett (Bill Paxton) retrieving artifacts from the submerged ship. Lovett looks for diamonds but finds a drawing of a young woman, nude except for a necklace. When 102-year-old Rose (Gloria Stuart) reveals she's the person in the portrait, she is summoned to the wreckage site to tell her story of the 56-carat diamond necklace and her experiences of 84 years earlier. The scene then shifts to 1912 Southampton where passengers boarding the Titanic include penniless Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio) and society girl Rose DeWitt Bukater (Kate Winslet), returning to Philadelphia with her wealthy fiance Cal Hockley (Billy Zane). After the April 10th launch, Rose develops a passionate interest in Jack, and Cal's reaction is vengeful. At midpoint in the film, the Titanic slides against the iceberg and water rushes into the front compartments. Even engulfed, Cal continues to pursue Jack and Rose as the massive liner begins its descent. Cameron launched the project after seeing Robert Ballard's 1987 National Geographic documentary on the wreckage. Blueprints of the real Titanic were followed during construction at Fox's custom-built Rosarito, Mexico studio, where a hydraulics system moved an immense model in a 17-million-gallon water tank. During three weeks aboard the Russian ship Academik Keldysh, underwater sequences were filmed with a 35mm camera in a titanium case mounted on the Russian submersible Mir 1. When the submersible neared the wreck, a video camera inside a remote-operated vehicle was sent into the Titanic's 400-foot bow, bringing back footage of staterooms, furniture and chandeliers. On November 1, 1997, the film had its world premiere at the 10th Tokyo International Film Festival.

Total Recall on AllMovie Total Recall (2012)

Originally adapted by director Paul Verhoeven in 1990, author Philip K. Dick's classic sci-fi short story We Can Remember It for You Wholesale returns to the big screen in this remake starring Colin Farrell, Bryan Cranston, and Kate Beckinsale, and directed by Underworld's Len Wiseman. The planet has been decimated by nuclear war in the late 21st century, leaving only two nations -- the United Federation of Britain and the Colony. Douglas Quaid (Farrell) is a factory worker with a stable job and a loving wife (Beckinsale), but upon learning that a company named Rekall could grant him the memory of the ultimate espionage adventure, he decides that a virtual vacation is better than no vacation at all. But in the midst of having the new memories implanted, something goes haywire. Still strapped to the chair as the system breaks down, he's branded a spy as the authorities close in, and quickly flees for his life. Later, Quaid discovers that he has a secret identity, and he joins forces with rebel soldier Melina (Jessica Biel) on a mission to track down Matthias (Bill Nighy), the head of a fierce resistance movement that's been labeled a terrorist organization by the tyrannical Chancellor Cohaagen (Bryan Cranston). Cohaagen seeks to control the entire free world, and now the harder Quaid fights to defeat him, the clearer it becomes that his memory had been altered long before he walked into Rekall.

The Dictator on AllMovie The Dictator (2012)

Comic Sacha Baron Cohen re-teams with director Larry Charles (Borat, Bruno) for this satirical tale of an oppressive, democracy-hating dictator and a goatherder (both played by Cohen) whose misadventures in America lead to a series of outrageous culture clashes. Anna Faris, Ben Kingsley, and Curb Your Enthusiasm's J.B. Smoove co-star.

The Lucky One on AllMovie The Lucky One (2012)

An Iraq War veteran searches for the woman from a mysterious photo that he credits with saving his life during three tours of duty in this romantic drama adapted from the book by Nicholas Sparks. U.S. Marine sergeant Logan Thibault (Zac Efron) was serving his country overseas when he happened across a discarded photo of a beautiful woman. An inscription on the back read "Keep Safe," yet the photo revealed no clues about either the subject or her whereabouts. Upon returning home to civilian life, Logan conducts his own research and discovers that the woman's name is Beth (Taylor Schilling) and that she cares for dogs at a small-town kennel. Before long, Logan manages to get a job at the kennel, and sets his sights on winning Beth's heart. But it won't be easy because Beth's past experiences have made her wary of relationships. Meanwhile, as Logan works to earn Beth's trust, a dark secret from her past threatens to derail his hope for a happy future together.

Underworld: Awakening on AllMovie Underworld: Awakening (2012)

Kate Beckinsale returns to the Underworld film series for the fourth installment, which finds fierce vampire Selene (Beckinsale) escaping captivity and taking up arms against humans after mankind discovers the existence of vampires and lycans, and launches a massive war aimed at wiping out the creatures of the night. Stephen Rea and Michael Ealy co-star.

Hope Springs on AllMovie Hope Springs (2012)

An aging couple strive to conquer their sexual hang-ups and save their 30-year marriage from going stale by visiting a renowned couple's therapist in this comedy from director David Frankel (The Devil Wears Prada, Marley & Me). After three decades of marriage, Kay (Meryl Streep) and Arnold (Tommy Lee Jones) still love each other deeply. But somewhere along the way, their passion for one another seems to have perished. Upon learning about a relationship therapist (Steve Carell) in Great Hope Springs whose methods have yielded incredible results, Kay pleads with Arnold to sign up for a weeklong session. Little does the committed couple realize that overcoming years of sexual repression will prove to be quite an exhausting challenge.