C’mon, Get Unhappy

Chris Rock, Vince Vaughn and the Yes Men lighten up in a rather dissatisfied week of new releases.

“An Education”
After adaptations of his novels “High Fidelity” and “About a Boy” zeroed in on the anxieties of men being forced to grow up, Nick Hornby takes a stab at fleshing out Lynn Barber’s memoir about her days as a booksmart teen who is whisked off into a world of fine living by an older man who is not all he appears. Carey Mulligan, who became the talk of this year’s Sundance with her turn as Barber’s stand-in Jenny, takes center stage amidst a cast of seasoned vets such as Peter Sarsgaard, Alfred Molina, Rosamund Pike and Emma Thompson in the latest from “Italian for Beginners” director Lone Scherfig.
Opens in New York and Los Angeles.

“Free Style”
Canadian writer/director William Dear made a career out of safe and simple “follow your dreams” family filmmaking like “Angels in the Outfield” before taking a departure in 2006 with the Crispin Glover serial killer headscratcher “Simon Says.” Now back doing what he does best (or better, at least), Dear delivers a life lesson set in the world of motocross racing with “High School Musical” star Corbin Bleu donning a helmet to play Cale Bryant, a hotshot young rider looking to earn a coveted spot on the national team while he tries to balance out his responsibility to his single mother (Penelope Ann Miller).
Opens in limited release.

“From Mexico With Love”
“Goal!” trilogy star Kuno Becker plays another raw kid from the wrong side of the tracks for soccer…err, boxing. A stunt coordinator on “Rocky,” Jimmy Nickerson takes the directorial reins for this familiar tale of an old broken down trainer (Bruce McGill) who rediscovers his passion for the fight by molding a self-destructive rookie (Becker) into a pugilistic prodigy capable of taking on the local ranch owner Big Al (Stephen Lang) and his undefeated son Robert (Alex Nesic).
Opens in limited release.

“Good Hair”
The bane of many an African American woman’s existence (not to mention Don Imus’), so-called “black hair” has spawned an entire industry of specialized products — weaves, sprays, relaxants — designed to keep it in check that generates annual revenues in excess of $9 billion. Following his daughter’s tearful tirade over her unmanageable mane, bewildered father Chris Rock decides to get to the root of the problem. Garnering opinions ranging from industry professionals to the average salon patron, Rock receives a swift education in relaxant addiction (“The Creamy Crack”), weave sex etiquette and larger issues of racial identity.
Opens in limited release; expands on October 23rd

“The Heretics”
Director Joan Braderman offers a firsthand account of the Heresies Collective, a group of feminist artists and free thinkers who operated in New York at the forefront of the so-called “second wave” women’s movement during the 1970s.
Opens in New York.

“One Good Man”
A particularly specialized instance of the always growing faith-based films market, “One Good Man” is an Mormon-centered feature about a father (Tim Threlfall) who wrestles with the everyday challenges of work, church and the impending marriage of his daughter. Christian Vuissa, founder of the LDS Film Festival, directs.
Opens in Utah and Idaho.

“Peter and Vandy”
With its thunder stolen slightly by the charming “(500) Days of Summer,” writer/director Jay DiPietro’s chronologically jumbled tale of love also premiered at Sundance earlier this year, but serves as a darker take on a doomed relationship. An adaptation of his own two-person stage play, DiPetro’s directorial debut features Jason Ritter and “Teeth” star Jess Weixler playing out a pas de deux of banality that should likely resonate with any veteran couple that have ever grown to dread the spine-chilling Pandora’s Box of a question: “What would you like for dinner?”
Opens in New York and Los Angeles.

“St. Trinian’s”
It has been more than 50 years since the mischievous giggling of unruly schoolgirls last echoed through the hallowed halls of “St. Trinian’s,” but co-directors Oliver Parker and Barnaby Thompson retool the straw bonnets and the “golly gosh” sensibility with teen slang and sass to reinvigorate this once-iconic comic franchise from the venerable Ealing Studios. Lily Cole, Jodie Whittaker and Gemma Arterton lead a class of ungovernable girls who hatch a scheme to save their beloved school from bankruptcy, while male co-stars Colin Firth and Rupert Everett perform a duet.
Opens in limited release.

“Trucker”
Whether you want to call it “Over The Top” minus the arm-wrestling, or the more recent “The Boys Are Back” with trucks, James Mottern’s directorial debut about a long-haul trucker with relationship issues covers well-worn territory. But in what’s being touted as a potential breakout role, Michelle Monaghan steps behind the wheel and seems content to keep truckin’ until her estranged son Peter (Jimmy Bennett of “Shorts”) is dropped on her doorstep after his father is admitted to hospital for cancer treatment. Nathan Fillion, Joey Lauren Adams and Benjamin Bratt round out a strong supporting cast.
Opens in New York.

“Visual Acoustics”
Julius Shulman, who passed away this year, was considered by many to be the world’s greatest architectural photographer, capturing the work of such icons as Frank Lloyd Wright and Frank Gehry. The directorial debut of Eric Bricker, this documentary about Shulman’s life and work is narrated by Dustin Hoffman.
Opens in New York; opens in Los Angeles October 16th.

“The Yes Men Fix the World”
Anti-globalization pranksters The Yes Men (Andy Bichlbaum and Mike Bonanno) continue their satirical campaign to undermine capitalism and film it, baiting gullible conference organizers and overeager media organizations into providing them with an audience and then laying bare what they believe to be the true intentions of some of the world’s most irresponsible corporations. Taking a cue from their first doc from 2003, they once again prove that the most dehumanizing actions can be legitimized and rendered palatable by the simple application of an expensive-looking suit.
Opens in New York.

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