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UK Cinema Releases: Friday 16th January 2009

UK Cinema Releases 16-01-09

NATIONAL RELEASES

Seven Pounds (Sony Pictures): Will Smith stars in this drama about an IRS agent who tries to change the lives of seven people. Directed by Gabriele Muccino, who worked with Smith on The Pursuit of Happyness in 2006, it is a fable-like story that won’t be to everyone’s taste. However, in its way it does work and Smith and Rosario Dawson give good performances in the lead roles. Some of the supporting characters don’t fully click but this is much better than some of the US reviews would have you believe. Although Smith’s status as the biggest movie star in the world still holds, it didn’t help the US gross, which was below par for his usual standards. That said it should expect to do decent business over here, especially as it will have a wider opening than the other national releases.Ā [CertĀ 12A /Ā Empire Leicester Square & Nationwide]

The Wrestler (Optimum Releasing): Since making waves and winning awards at the Venice and Toronto film festivals, this proved a glorious comeback forĀ Mickey Rourke. He playsĀ Ā an ageing wrestler – Randy ā€˜The Ramā€™ Robinson – who struggles to make ends meet doing shows on the weekends inĀ New Jersey.Ā The story follows him as he works in a deli, strikes up a relationship with a stripper (Marisa Tomei) and seeks a reconciliation with his estranged daughter (Evan Rachel Wood).Ā It marks a departure of sorts for director Darren Aronofsky, with none of the stylistic flourishes of his earlier work. However, it has a refreshing down-to-earth quality and in Rourke contains one of the performances of the year. Rourke won a Golden Globe earlier this week and is a (un)likely Oscar contender. Given the popularity of wrestling here and the buzz over the film this could do excellent business for Optimum.Ā [CertĀ 15 /Ā Nationwide]

Beverly Hills Chihuahua (Walt Disney): The tale ofĀ aĀ ChihuahuaĀ who getsĀ dognappedĀ inĀ MexicoĀ and has to escape from an evilĀ DobermanĀ did surprisngly brisk business at the US box office and could ensnare family audiences over here. It stars Jamie Lee CurtisĀ and features the voiceĀ ofĀ Drew BarrymoreĀ as the chihuahua. Depressingly decent box office could await. [CertĀ U /Ā Odeon Mezzanine & Nationwide]

My Bloody Valentine 3-D (Lionsgate UK): A 3-D remake of the 1981 CanadianĀ slasher filmĀ of theĀ same name. The lack of big names and awareness might hamper its prospects but horror in January can do well.Ā [CertĀ 18 /Ā Vue West End & Nationwide]

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IN SELECTED RELEASE

A Christmas Tale (New Wave Films): The latest film from directorĀ Arnaud Desplechin, who madeĀ Kings and Queenin 2004,Ā Ā is a drama about a dysfunctional family who gather together for the first time in years after a tragedy and starsĀ Catherine DeneuveĀ and Mathieu Amalric. It got solid reviews when it premiered in Cannes and is likely to do decent arthouse business here.Ā [CertĀ 15 /Ā Apollo Picc Circus, Cine Lumiere, Odeon Covent Garden, Renoir & Key Cities]

Boogie (Dogwoof Pictures):Ā Three Romanian thirty-somethings relive their college days for one night. Directed byĀ Radu MunteanĀ it starsĀ Dragos BucurĀ andĀ Anamaria Marinca. [Renoir & Key Cities]

Chandni Chowk To China (Warner Bros.): Ā A BollywoodĀ action-comedy about a simple cook from Chandni Chowk who is mistaken for the reincarnation of an ancient peasant warrior Liu Shengh by residents of an oppressed Chinese village. Directed byĀ Nikhil AdvaniĀ it starsĀ Akshay KumarĀ andĀ Deepika PadukoneĀ in the lead roles.Ā [Cineworld Shaftesbury Ave & Nationwide]

Clubbed (Route One Rel.):Ā An underworld drama set in the early 1980s, about a lonely factory worker whose life is transformed when he becomes a nightclub doorman.Ā [CertĀ 18 /Ā Apollo Picc. Circus, Empire Leicester Square & Key Cities]

Hansel & Gretel (Terracotta Distribution):Ā Ā AĀ South KoreanĀ horror filmĀ loosely based on the fairytale, which sees a salesman (Chun Jeong-myeong) crash his car and wakes up to find an angelic little girl standing over him. When he goes back to her house in the woods things take a sinister turn.Ā  [ICA Cinema & Key Cities]

Notorious (bfi Distribution): Alfred Hitchcock‘s classic 1946 thriller which starsĀ Cary GrantĀ andĀ Ingrid BergmanĀ as two people whose lives become intimately entangled during anĀ espionageĀ operation.Ā [BFI Southbank & Key Cities]

>Ā UK Cinema Releases for January 2009
>Ā Get the latest showtimes for your local cinema via Google Movies
>Ā Check out our latest DVD picks (Monday 12th January)