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Teacher drama Hilary Swank stars as OC’s Erin Gruwell (For ages 12 and up) Freedom Writers Opens Jan. 12, Rating pending (probably R for language and some violence) youtube.com/watch?v=lejN7Ulh10s “In Long Beach…it’s all about color,” one teen’s voiceover ironically notes in this true story about a Newport Beach resident (Erin Gruwell) who decides to teach in a racially mixed school, Wilson High. Hilary Swank stars as Gruwell (see our Cover Story, this issue), in a gritty performance about how one energetic, naïve person can change the outcome of 150 “unteachable” youth. And it all happens just across the Orange County line. (For ages 7-14) Happily N’Ever After Opens Jan. 5, Rated PG happilyneverafterthefilm.com In the spirit of “Hoodwinked,” this computer-animated comedy offers a shady take on the Grimm Brothers’ fairy tales. Seems Cinderella’s stepmother has taken evil to the nth degree and the fair maiden has had enough. Cinderella (aka Ella, voiced by Sarah Michelle Gellar) leads a resistance group against the battleaxe (Sigourney Weaver), and while all that’s going on, discovers her true love. Rumor has it he’s not Prince Charming! The movie re-teams Gellar with her “Scooby-Doo” co-star Freddie Prinze Jr. and Patrick Warburton with fellow “Hoodwinked” voice cast-mate Andy Dick. The Martian Child Opens Jan. 19, Rated PG newline.com Madonna’s adoption troubles were nothing compared to those of a recently widowed science fiction writer (John Cusack) whose new son claims to be from Mars in this light drama. A series of strange occurrences might prove that the kid is telling the truth. Amanda Peet and John’s real-life sister Joan Cusack also star. (For ages 12-16) The Italian Opens Jan. 19, Rated PG-13 sonyclassics.com/theitalian Live a comfortable life as an adopted child of a loving family in Italy or search for his mother who abandoned him? Vanya (Kolya Spiridonov) chooses the latter, and so begins a mysterious and dangerous quest for the 6-year-old Russian boy. The family drama, set in 2002 and driven by a son’s undying love for his mother, has been described as a Russian-made cousin to Steven Spielberg’s “A.I.” David Dickstein is a regular contributor. Executive Editor Craig Reem wrote the “Freedom Writers” preview. |
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