Reel Movie Thoughts

Synopsis: A newlywed couple recovers from a car accident that puts the wife in a coma. Waking up with severe memory loss, her husband endeavors to win her heart again. Written by Sony Pictures

WHO’S WHO IN THE VOW

Starring: Rachel McAdams, Channing Tatum, Sam Neill, Scott Speedman, Jessica Lange

Director: Michael Sucsy

Screenwriters: Jason Katims, Abby Kohn, Stuart Sender, Marc Silverstein, Michae Sucsy

Studio: Sony Pictures

Production Companies: Screen Gems, Spyglass Entertainment

Original Music: Michael Brook, Rachel Portman

Cinematography: Rogier Stoffers

Film Editing: Melissa Kent, Nancy Richardson

Production Design: Kalina Ivanov

Art Direction: Brandt Gordon

Set Direction: Jaro Dick

Costume Design: Alex Kavanagh

MOVIE TRIVIA

Genre: Drama, Romance, Romantic Drama

Runtime: Unknown

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for an accident scene, sexual content, partial nudity and some language

Filming locations: USA (Chicago, Illinois); Canada (Toronto; Newmarket)

TRAILER: THE VOW

Sources: IMDb: THE VOW ; Rotten Tomatoes: THE VOW; Movie Poster: THE VOW

Synopsis: Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds star in the action-thriller Safe House. Washington plays the most dangerous renegade from the CIA, who comes back onto the grid after a decade on the run. When the South African safe house he’s remanded to is attacked by mercenaries, a rookie operative (Reynolds) escapes with him. Now, the unlikely allies must stay alive long enough to uncover who wants them dead. Written by Universal Pictures

WHO’S WHO IN SAFE HOUSE

Starring: Denzel Washington, Ryan Reynolds, Vera Farmiga, Brendan Gleeson, Sam Shepard, Robert Patrick, Liam Cunningham, Joel Kinnaman, Fares Fares, Nora Arnezeder, Ruben Blades

Director: David Espinosa

Screenwriter: David Guggenheim

Studio: Universal Pictures

Production Companies: Intrepid Pictures, Moonlighting Films, Relativity Media, Stuber Productions

Original Music: Ramin Djawadi

Cinematography: Oliver Wood

Film Editing: Richard Pearson

Production Design: Brigitte Broch

Art Direction: Jonathan Hely-Hutchinson, Shira Hockman, Pablo Maestre Galli, Erik Polcawartek

Set Direction: Melinda Launspach, Andrew McCarthy, Tom Olive

Costume Design: Susan Matheson

MOVIE TRIVIA

Genre: Action, Adventure, Mystery, Suspense, Crime, Thriller

Tagline: No One Is Safe

Runtime: 115 minutes

MPAA Rating: R for strong violence throughout and some language

Filming locations: South Africa (Cape Town), USA (Washington D.C.)

TRAILER: SAFE HOUSE

Sources: IMDb: SAFE HOUSE; Rotten Tomatoes: SAFE HOUSE; Movie Poster: SAFE HOUSE

Win free passes to see a special advance screening of Universal’s BIG MIRACLE in Houston and San Antonio on Saturday, January 28, 2012 at 10:00 a.m.

The first 25 emails to reelmoviethoughts@gmail.com will win a complimentary movie pass for the screening of Universal’s BIG MIRACLE in Houston, TX or San Antonio, TX on Saturday, January 28, 2012, at 10:00 a.m.

The HOUSTON screening will be held at the Edwards Grand Palace 24 (3839 Weslayan @ SW Freeway).

The SAN ANTONIO screening will be held at the Santikos Palladium (17703 IH-10 West)

Please note that seats are not guaranteed, are limited to theater capacity and are on a first come, first served basis. No passes available after the first 25 emails.

BIG MIRACLE is rated PG for language.

Synopsis: Inspired by the true story that captured the hearts of people across the world, the rescue adventure Big Miracle tells the amazing tale of a small town news reporter (John Krasinski) and an animal-loving volunteer (Drew Barrymore) who are joined by rival world superpowers to save a family of majestic gray whales trapped by rapidly forming ice in the Arctic Circle. Written by Universal

Local newsman Adam Carlson (Krasinski) can’t wait to escape the northern tip of Alaska for a bigger market.  But just when the story of his career breaks, the world comes chasing it, too. With an oil tycoon, heads of state and hungry journalists descending upon the frigid outpost, the one who worries Adam the most is Rachel Kramer (Barrymore). Not only is she an outspoken environmentalist, she’s also his ex-girlfriend.

With time running out, Rachel and Adam must rally an unlikely coalition of Inuit natives, oil companies and Russian and American military to set aside their differences and free the whales. As the world’s attention turns to the top of the globe, saving these endangered animals becomes a shared cause for nations entrenched against one another and leads to a momentary thaw in the Cold War. http://www.everybodyloveswhales.com

WHO’S WHO IN BIG MIRACLE

Starring: Drew Barrymore, John Krasinski, Kristen Bell, Dermot Mulroney, Ted Danson, Vinessa Shaw, Stephen Root, Tim Blake Nelson, James LeGros, Rob Riggle, Michael Gaston, Mark Ivanir, Andrew Daly, Bruce Altman, Jonathan Slavin

Director: Ken Kwapis

Screenwriters: Jack Amiel, Michael Begler, Thomas Rose (book “Freeing the Whales”)

Studio: Universal Pictures

Production Companies: Anonymous Content, Working Title Films

Original Music: Cliff Eidelman

Cinematography: John Bailey

Film Editing: Cara Silverman

Production Design: Nelson Coates

Art Direction: Scott Meehan

Set Direction: James Edward Ferrell Jr.

Costume Design: Shay Cunliffe

MOVIE TRIVIA

Genre: Drama, Romance, Action, Adventure, Comedy

Tagline: A family of whales trapped beneath the ice. One unforgettable rescue.

Runtime: 107 minutes

MPAA Rating: PG for language

Filming locations: Alaska (Alaska SeaLife Center/Seward, Anchorage, Barrow, Fort Richardson)

TRAILER: BIG MIRACLE

Sources: IMDb: BIG MIRACLE; Rotten Tomatoes: BIG MIRACLE; Movie Poster: BIG MIRACLE

The first 25 emails to reelmoviethoughts@gmail.com will win a complimentary movie pass for the screening of Universal’s CONTRABAND in Houston, TX or San Antonio, TX on Tuesday, January 10, 2012.

The HOUSTON screening will be held at 7:00 p.m. at the Edwards Grand Palace 24 (3839 Weslayan @ SW Freeway).

The SAN ANTONIO screening will be held at 7:30 p.m. at the Santikos Palladium (17703 IH-10 West).

Please note that seats are not guaranteed, are limited to theater capacity and are on a first come, first served basis. No passes available after the first 50 emails.

CONTRABAND is rated R for violence, pervasive language and brief drug use.

Synopsis: Chris Farraday (Mark Wahlberg) long ago abandoned his life of crime, but after his brother-in-law, Andy (Caleb Landry Jones), botches a drug deal for his ruthless boss, Tim Briggs (Giovanni Ribisi), Chris is forced back into doing what he does best- running contraband-to settle Andy’s debt. Chris is a legendary smuggler and quickly assembles a crew with the help of his best friend, Sebastian (Ben Foster), for one final run to Panama and back, hoping to return with millions in counterfeit bills. Things quickly fall apart and with only hours to reach the cash, Chris must use his rusty skills to successfully navigate a treacherous criminal network of brutal drug lords, cops and hit men before his wife, Kate (Kate Beckinsale), and sons become their target. Written by Universal Pictures

WHO’S WHO IN CONTRABAND

Starring: Kate Beckinsale, Mark Wahlberg, Ben Foster, Giovanni Ribisi, Lukas Haas, J.K. Simmons, Diego Luna, Caleb Landry Jones

Director: Baltasar Kormákur

Screenwriters: Aaron Guzikowski, Arnaldur Indrioason, Oskar Jonasson

Studio: Universal Pictures

Production Companies: Relativity Media, Working Title Films, Blueeyes Productions, Leverage Management, Closest to the Hole Productions, Farraday Films, Leverage Entertainment, Studio Canal

Original Music: Clinton Shorter

Cinematography: Barry Ackroyd

Film Editing: Elisabet Ronaldsdottir

Production Design: Tony Fanning

Set Direction: Cynthia La Jeunesse

Costume Design: Jenny Eagen

MOVIE TRIVIA

Genre: Drama, Action, Adventure, Thriller, Crime, Mystery, Suspense

Tagline: What would you hide to protect your family?

Runtime: 109 minutes

MPAA Rating: R for violence, pervasive language and brief drug use

Filming locations: USA (New Orleans, LA); Panama (Panama City)

TRAILER: CONTRABAND

Sources: IMDb: CONTRABAND ; Rotten Tomatoes: CONTRABAND; Movie Poster: CONTRABAND