By David Weiner
10:00 AM PDT, October 7, 2011
Hugh Jackman puts rock 'em sock 'em robots in the ring, Clooney & Gosling team up for a political drama, The Human Centipede is back and more in this weekend's new releases.
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'Dirty Girl' (Limited Release)
Weinstein Company
Who's in it: Juno Temple, Jeremy Dozier, Milla Jovovich, William H. Macy, Mary Steenburgen
Director: Abe Sylvia (My Mother's Hairdo)
The Plot: An Oklahoma high schooler in search of the father she never met befriends a closet case looking to escape the prospect of military school and sets out with him to California, developing a funny and serendipitous relationship.
Reason to See it: Set in the late '80s with a bouncy soundtrack, this campy road movie has its share of laughs and drama.
To Help You Decide: Watch the trailer.
Director: Abe Sylvia (My Mother's Hairdo)
The Plot: An Oklahoma high schooler in search of the father she never met befriends a closet case looking to escape the prospect of military school and sets out with him to California, developing a funny and serendipitous relationship.
Reason to See it: Set in the late '80s with a bouncy soundtrack, this campy road movie has its share of laughs and drama.
To Help You Decide: Watch the trailer.
'The Way' (Limited Release)
Who's in it: Martin Sheen, Deborah Kara Unger, Emilio Estevez, Angela Molina
Director: Emilio Estevez (Bobby)
The Plot: An American doctor travels to France to collect the remains of his estranged adult son who was killed in a hike, and sets off to finish the journey.
Reason to See it: An inspirational meditation on discovering the difference between the life we live and the life we choose, the project unites Sheen with son Estevez.
To Help You Decide: Watch the trailer.
Director: Emilio Estevez (Bobby)
The Plot: An American doctor travels to France to collect the remains of his estranged adult son who was killed in a hike, and sets off to finish the journey.
Reason to See it: An inspirational meditation on discovering the difference between the life we live and the life we choose, the project unites Sheen with son Estevez.
To Help You Decide: Watch the trailer.
'The Human Centipede 2 (Full Sequence)' (Limited Release)
IFC Films
Who's in it: Laurence R. Harvey, Ashlyn Yennie, Maddi Black
Director: Tom Six (The Human Centipede (First Sequence))
The Plot: A disturbed loner, inspired by the events of the first film, dreams of sewing 12 people together like a centipede -- and sets out to realize his sick vision.
Reason to See it: If you saw the first, you may as well see the second!
To Help You Decide: Watch the trailer.
Director: Tom Six (The Human Centipede (First Sequence))
The Plot: A disturbed loner, inspired by the events of the first film, dreams of sewing 12 people together like a centipede -- and sets out to realize his sick vision.
Reason to See it: If you saw the first, you may as well see the second!
To Help You Decide: Watch the trailer.
'Blackthorn' (Limited Release)
Magnolia Pictures
Who's in it: Sam Shepard, Eduardo Noriega, Stephen Rea, Magaly Solier
Director: Mateo Gil (Nobody Knows Anybody, Vanilla Sky -- writer)
The Plot: Supposing that Butch Cassidy survived the standoff against the Bolivian military alongside the Sundance Kid, Shepard plays the aging Cassidy, quietly living out his years in a secluded Bolivian village. Hoping to see his family one more time, he journeys back to the U.S., only to be thrust into one last adventure.
Reason to See it: Shepard as Cassidy is inspired casting, and he inhabits the role like a well-worn saddle.
To Help You Decide: Watch the trailer.
Director: Mateo Gil (Nobody Knows Anybody, Vanilla Sky -- writer)
The Plot: Supposing that Butch Cassidy survived the standoff against the Bolivian military alongside the Sundance Kid, Shepard plays the aging Cassidy, quietly living out his years in a secluded Bolivian village. Hoping to see his family one more time, he journeys back to the U.S., only to be thrust into one last adventure.
Reason to See it: Shepard as Cassidy is inspired casting, and he inhabits the role like a well-worn saddle.
To Help You Decide: Watch the trailer.
'1911' (Limited Release)
Who's in it: Jackie Chan, Li Bing Bing, Winston Chao, Joan Chen, Sun Chan, Jiang Wu, Jaycee Chan, Ning Jing
Director: Jackie Chan and Li Zhang (Police Story, Operation Condor)
The Plot: Huang Xin (Chan) and Sun Yat Sun (Chao) are the leaders of the revolution against the deteriorated Qing Dynasty, fighting for a better life for the people.
Reason to See it: A tribute to the 100th anniversary of the 1911 Xinhai Revolution, the epic war film marks the 100th film of Jackie Chan's career.
To Help You Decide: Watch the trailer.
Director: Jackie Chan and Li Zhang (Police Story, Operation Condor)
The Plot: Huang Xin (Chan) and Sun Yat Sun (Chao) are the leaders of the revolution against the deteriorated Qing Dynasty, fighting for a better life for the people.
Reason to See it: A tribute to the 100th anniversary of the 1911 Xinhai Revolution, the epic war film marks the 100th film of Jackie Chan's career.
To Help You Decide: Watch the trailer.
'The Ides of March' (Nationwide)
Sony Pictures
Who's in it: George Clooney, Ryan Gosling, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Marisa Tomei, Paul Giamatti, Jeffrey Wright, Max Minghella, Evan Rachel Wood
Director: George Clooney (Good Night, And Good Luck, Leatherheads)
The Plot: In the days before an Ohio presidential primary, an up-and-coming campaign press secretary (Gosling) working for an Oval Office candidate (Clooney) finds himself involved in a political scandal that threatens to upend his candidate's shot at the top.
Reason to See it: Clooney is a natural as a presidential candidate on the fast track to the Oval Office, but who is the man behind the man? Co-written and directed by Clooney, The Ides of March delves into the challenges and compromises of the staffers who prop up the political façade.
To Help You Decide: Watch the trailer.
Director: George Clooney (Good Night, And Good Luck, Leatherheads)
The Plot: In the days before an Ohio presidential primary, an up-and-coming campaign press secretary (Gosling) working for an Oval Office candidate (Clooney) finds himself involved in a political scandal that threatens to upend his candidate's shot at the top.
Reason to See it: Clooney is a natural as a presidential candidate on the fast track to the Oval Office, but who is the man behind the man? Co-written and directed by Clooney, The Ides of March delves into the challenges and compromises of the staffers who prop up the political façade.
To Help You Decide: Watch the trailer.
'Real Steel' (Nationwide)
Dreamworks
Who's in it: Hugh Jackman, Evangeline Lilly, Hope Davis, Dakota Goyo
Director: Shawn Levy (Date Night, Night at the Museum)
The Plot: A washed-up fighter turned small-time promoter (Jackman) -- who lost his chance at the title when 2000-pound, 8-foot-tall steel robots took over the ring -- reluctantly teams up with his estranged son to build and train a lean, mean championship contender.
Reason to See it: It's a feel-good, futuristic rock 'em sock 'em robots in a Rocky for the PlayStation generation.
To Help You Decide: Watch the trailer.
Director: Shawn Levy (Date Night, Night at the Museum)
The Plot: A washed-up fighter turned small-time promoter (Jackman) -- who lost his chance at the title when 2000-pound, 8-foot-tall steel robots took over the ring -- reluctantly teams up with his estranged son to build and train a lean, mean championship contender.
Reason to See it: It's a feel-good, futuristic rock 'em sock 'em robots in a Rocky for the PlayStation generation.
To Help You Decide: Watch the trailer.