New Movie Releases for 12/9/05: Featuring The Chronicles of Narnia

After last week's disappointing release, will this week do any better? I would have to say yes. The build up to next week's King Kong is in full swing. But before we can get there, we have to get through this weekend, which is definitely a step up from last.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. C.S. Lewis' classic tale gets the big screen treatment. I am unfamiliar with the story, but it looks pretty good. It has a cast of unknowns, which helps a film of this sort, I believe. It is a fantasy epic for the entire family. Hopefully it is good.

Syriana. Here is a movie that looks fantastic, top to bottom. A story about the oil politics, and featuring a cast including George Clooney and Matt Damon. I have love the trailers, and hope that it lives up to the perceived expectations that I have been grooming for it.

Elevator to the Gallows. This a 1957 film from director Louis Malle getting a week long engagement at the local art house. It tells the tale of a married woman and her lover planning to murder her husband. I am not familiar with this film, but I would like to check it out.

Ballet Russes. This is a documentary about a group of Russian dancers who were integral to giving birth to modern ballet. Not much of a ballet fan, but as a film fan, this could be interesting. This is also playing at the local art house.

Taking Back the Hudson. This is having 1 show at the art house, and it is free. This is a documentary about the battle between GE and the EPA filtered through the eyes of people in Hudson Falls and St Edward. They are a pair of towns ravaged by the effects of dumped PCBs.

Also opening this week, but not near me:

• Brokeback Mountain
• Marebito
• Memoirs of a Geisha
• Mrs. Henderson Presents
• Neal -N- Nikki
• The World's Fastest Indian

That's all, until the coming of Kong.