January Movie Releases

January 2

The Killing of John Lennon

Genre: Drama

Cast: Jonas Ball, Thomas A. McMahon, Robert C. Kirk, Krisha Fairchild

Story: A dramatization of Mark Champman’s plan to murder John Lennon.

Director: Andrew Piddington

Studio: IFC Films

Web site: Not Available

January 4

One Missed Call

Genre: Supernatural Thriller

MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for intense sequences of violence and terror, frightening images, some sexual material and thematic elements)

Cast: Ed Burns, Shannyn Sossamon, Ana Claudia Talancon, Ray Wise, Azura Skye, Johnny Lewis, Jason Beghe, Margaret Cho

Story: What will it sound like when you die? In “One Missed Call,” a chain of people receive terrifying cell phone messages of their own final fatal moments. Though the messages can be deleted, their number is up. Beth Raymond is traumatized when she witnesses the gruesome deaths of two friends just days apart. Even more disturbing, she knows that both of them had received chilling cell phone messages-actual recordings of their own horrifying last moments. Impossibly, the calls were received days before they died, but each death occurred precisely when and how the messages foretold. But even as they get closer to the truth, Beth’s cell phone begins to ring with an eerie tune, and the readout says One Missed Call…

Director: Eric Valette

Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures

Web site: Not Available

January 11

27 Dresses

Genre: Comedy, Romance

MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for language, some innuendo and sexuality)

Cast: Katherine Heigl, James Marsden, Malin Akerman, Ed Burns, Melora Hardin, Judy Greer

Story: A young woman (Heigl) who has made a career out of being a bridesmaid but never a bride and faces her worst nightmare when her sister (Akerman) becomes engaged to the man of her dreams. Luckily, the wedding brings around the man (Marsden) who will change her bridesmaid status for good.

Director: Anne Fletcher

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Web site: 27Dressesthemovie.com

First Sunday

Genre: Comedy

MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for language, some sexual humor, and brief drug references)

Cast: : Ice Cube, Katt Williams, Tracy Morgan, Loretta Devine, Michael Beach, Keith David, Regina Hall, Malinda Williams, Clifton Powell, Nick Turturro, Chi McBride

Story: In this hilarious comedy, Durell (Ice Cube) and LeeJohn (Tracy Morgan) are best friends and bumbling petty criminals. When told they have one week to pay a $17,000 debt or Durell will lose his son, they come up with a desperate scheme to rob their neighborhood church. Instead, they end up spending the night in the presence of the Lord and are forced to deal with much more than they bargained for.

Director: David E. Talbert

Studio: Screen Gems (Sony)

Web site: Sony.com/FirstSunday

In the Name of the King:

A Dungeon Siege Tale

Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy

Cast: Jason Statham, Leelee Sobieski, John Rhys-Davies, Ray Liotta, Matthew Lillard, Burt Reynolds, Will Sanderson, Ron Perlman, Claire Forlani, Brian J. White, Kristanna Loken, Gabrielle Rose

Story: A simple family man (Jason Statham) is forced to take up arms after an evil sorcerer (Ray Liotta) unleashes an army of bloodthirsty beasts that destroy his small village and capture his beautiful wife (Claire Forlani). As the marauding forces overrun the land in an effort to overthrow the king (Burt Reynolds) and his loyal magus (John Rhys-Davies), the once peace-loving peasant and his two companions (Ron Perlman and Will Sanderson) venture into perilous, uncharted terrain on a daring rescue mission. In this breathtaking fantasy adventure, director Uwe Boll conjures up a medieval world filled with royal treachery, dark magic and spectacular battles, all set against some of the most awe-inspiring vistas ever captured on film.

Director: Uwe Boll

Studio: Freestyle Releasing

Web site: IntheNameoftheKing.com

The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything – A VeggieTales Movie

Genre: Adventure, Animation

Cast: Mike Nawrocki, Phil Vischer

Story: From the creators of 2002’s wildly successful “Jonah—A VeggieTales Movie” comes a new story of heroism in the beloved VeggieTales’ world, “The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything.” Now, we follow the comic misadventures of three animated veggie pals who reluctantly set sail for adventure and discover that real heroes don’t have to be tall, strong, handsome…or even human.

Director: Mike Nawrocki

Studio: Universal Pictures

Web site: VeggiePirates.com

January 18

Cloverfield

Genre: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Cast: Michael Stahl-David, Mike Vogel, Odette Yustman, Lizzy Caplan, Jessica Lucas, T.J. Miller

Story: Five young New Yorkers throw their friend a going-away party the night that a monster the size of a skyscraper descends upon the city. Told from the point of view of their video camera, the film is a document of their attempt to survive the most surreal, horrifying event of their lives.

Director: Matt Reeves

Studio: Paramount Pictures

Web site: Cloverfieldmovie.com

Mad Money

Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Crime, Drama

Cast: Diane Keaton, Queen Latifah, Katie Holmes, Ted Danson

Story: A crime caper where three working-class women conspire to rob their employer, narrated by one of the women. Based on a true story.

Director: Callie Khouri

Studio: Overture Films

Web site: MadMoneymovie.com

How She Move

Genre: Drama

MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for some drug content, suggestive material and language)

Cast: Tracey Armstrong, Clé Bennett, Nina Dobrey, Romina D’Ugo, Kevin Duhaney, Shawn Fernandez, Brennan Gademans, Jason Harrow, Jai Jai Jones, Tristan D. Lalla, Daniel Morrison, Dwain Murphy, Mya, Rutina Wesley

Story: “How She Move” is an energetic, gritty and ultimately inspiring coming of age tale about a gifted young woman who defies all the rules as she step dances her heart out to achieve her dreams. Featuring a fresh cast of new discoveries, this Sundance Film Festival hit marks the feature film debut of the electric Rutina Wesley, with street-style step sequences by top choreographer Hi Hat and special appearances by R&B singer-songwriter Keyshia Cole and comedian DeRay Davis.

Director: Ian Iqbal Rashid

Studio: Paramount Vantage

Web site: HowSheMove.com

Meet the Spartans

Genre: Comedy

Cast: Diedrich Bader, Kevin Sorbo, Method Man, Jim Piddock, Sean Maguire

Story: A spoof of “300.”

Director: Jason Friedberg, Aaron Seltzer

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Web site: MeettheSpartans.com

Rambo

Genre: Action, Drama, Thriller

Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Julie Benz, Paul Schulze, Matthew Marsden, Graham McTavish, Rey Gallegos, Tim Kang, Jake LaBotz, Maung Maung Khin, Ken Howard

Story: Twenty years after the last film in the series, John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) has retreated to northern Thailand, where he’s running a longboat on the Salween River. On the nearby Thai-Burma (Myanmar) border, the world’s longest-running civil war, the Burmese-Karen conflict, rages into its 60th year. But Rambo, who lives a solitary, simple life in the mountains and jungles fishing and catching poisonous snakes to sell, has long given up fighting, even as medics, mercenaries, rebels and peace workers pass by on their way to the war-torn region.

Director: Sylvester Stallone

Studio: Lionsgate

Web site: Break.com/Rambo

Seed

Genre: Horror, Thriller

Cast: Will Sanderson, Ralf Moeller, Michael Paré, Jodelle Ferland, Andrew Jackson, Michael Eklund

Story: Sam Seed, an insane mass murderer, is scheduled for execution at the hands of Warden Wright. After three attempts to electrocute, he’s still alive. The executioner, Wright & the doctor collectively agree, that the breathing Seed be pronounced dead. He is bound and buried alive. After biting & clawing his way to the surface, Seed, the blood soaked, enraged madman, is now bent on vengeance. The reign of violence that follows will redefine the boundaries of extreme gore, physical & mental torture explored through cinema.

Director: Uwe Boll

Studio: Freestyle Releasing

Web site: Not Available

Untraceable

Genre: Thriller

Cast: Diane Lane, Colin Hanks, Billy Burke, Joseph Cross, Mary Beth Hurt

Story: Within the FBI, there exists a division dedicated to investigating and prosecuting criminals on the internet. Welcome to the front lines of the war on cybercrime, where Special Agent Jennifer Marsh (Diane Lane) has seen it all… until now.

Director: Gregory Hoblit

Studio: Screen Gems (Sony)

Web site: Not Available