Monday 23 February 2015

Air Racers on AllMovie Air Racers (2012)

Strap in for the fastest motorsport on the planet in this IMAX 3D documentary that takes viewers to the Reno National Championship Air Races. Blasting by at speeds that would leave NASCAR drivers in the dust, these adrenaline-addicted pilots fly wingtip-to-wingtip just 50 feet off of the ground. And while the competition is fierce for rookies like Steve Hinton Jr., the prospect of pushing a P-51 Mustang fighter plane to the limit is just too tempting for some daredevil pilots to resist. In addition to watching the race firsthand, viewers also take to the skies with the Canadian Forces Snowbirds for a stunt-riding session that defies the laws of physics.

Chasing Ice on AllMovie Chasing Ice (2011)

Filmmaker Jeff Orlowski profiles National Geographic photographer James Balog as he endeavors to capture undeniable proof of climate change by launching the ambitious Extreme Ice Survey (EIS), a project that entails using time-lapse photography to document shifting ice glaciers. With the aid of his young assistants, Balog travels to three continents, placing 30 cameras in key positions to record vivid images of the majestic ice caps as they slowly melt away. In the process of capturing these incredible shots, Balog finds his skepticism fading, and experiences a brush with mortality that leaves him positively convinced that nature is currently experiencing a profound shift, the likes of which has never been witnessed by modern man.

Marley on AllMovie Marley (2012)

Oscar-winning documentarian Kevin Macdonald (One Day in September) examines the life of pioneering reggae artist Bob Marley in this film featuring intimate footage from the family's personal archives.

The Kid With a Bike on AllMovie The Kid With a Bike (2011)

A boy who longs to be reunited with his family refuses to accept the reality of his circumstances in this drama from the sibling writing/directing team of Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne. Cyril (Thomas Doret) is an 11-year-old boy who loves his father and believes in him. The trouble is, Cyril's dad Guy (Jeremie Renier) is a bum who doesn't care about his son, doesn't want to spend his money caring for him, and has left the boy at an orphanage rather than keep him. While these facts are clear to everyone else, Cyril refuses to believe them, and his determination to be reunited with Guy, coupled with his discipline problems, makes him a chore to look after. Samantha (Cecile De France), who works in a beauty shop, offers to take Cyril on weekends so he can have some kind of a home life, but her determined compassion makes only so much of an impact on the youngster, who is still convinced he can find his father. As Samantha struggles to bond with Cyril, the boy finds an unfortunate father figure in Wes (Egon Di Mateo), a small-time crook who drafts Cyril into his latest criminal scheme. Jeremie Renier, who plays Guy in Le gamin au vélo (aka The Kid With a Bike), made his screen debut in an earlier film by the Dardenne Brothers, 1996's La Promesse, in which he fittingly played a troubled youth.

Batman Begins on AllMovie Batman Begins (2005)

The origins of the Caped Crusader of Gotham City are finally brought to the big screen in this new adaptation of the perennially popular comic-book series. The young Bruce Wayne (Gus Lewis) leads a privileged life as the son of wealthy, philanthropist parents, both of whom stress their commitment to improving the lives of the citizens of crime-ridden Gotham City. After his mother and father are murdered by a mugger, however, Wayne grows into an impudent young man (Christian Bale), full of rage and bent on retribution until encouraged by his childhood sweetheart, Rachel Dawes (Katie Holmes), to search for answers beyond his own personal vendettas. Wayne eventually finds discipline in the Far East under the tutelage of Henri Ducard (Liam Neeson), a member of the mysterious League of Shadows who guides him in the study of martial arts -- and the ways in which an ordinary man can hone his senses to an almost superhuman acuity. After seven years away from Gotham, Wayne returns, determined to bring peace and safety back to the city. With the help of his faithful manservant, Alfred Pennyworth (Michael Caine), and Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman), a scientist at his late father's corporation, Wayne develops a secret identity as Batman, a masked fighter for justice. But when a shady psychiatrist (Cillian Murphy) joins forces with the criminal underworld, Wayne realizes that putting an end to their nefarious plans will be very difficult indeed. Batman Begins also features Gary Oldman as Lt. James Gordon and Tom Wilkinson as the crime boss Carmine Falcone.

The Dark Knight on AllMovie The Dark Knight (2008)

Christopher Nolan steps back into the director's chair for this sequel to Batman Begins, which finds the titular superhero coming face to face with his greatest nemesis -- the dreaded Joker. Christian Bale returns to the role of Batman, Maggie Gyllenhaal takes over the role of Rachel Dawes (played by Katie Holmes in Batman Begins), and Brokeback Mountain star Heath Ledger dons the ghoulishly gleeful Joker makeup previously worn by Jack Nicholson and Cesar Romero. Just as it begins to appear as if Batman, Lt. James Gordon (Gary Oldman), and District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) are making headway in their tireless battle against the criminal element, a maniacal, wisecracking fiend plunges the streets of Gotham City into complete chaos.

A Royal Affair on AllMovie A Royal Affair (2012)

Mads Mikkelsen and Alicia Vikander headline director Nikolaj Arcel's historical drama set in the 18th century, which details the tense love triangle between Queen Caroline Matilda (Vikander), her enlightened royal physician Struensee (Mikkelsen), and her increasingly deranged husband, Danish King Christian VII (Mikkel Boe Følsgaard).