TITANIC SAILS AGAIN
JACK AND ROSE ARE BACK, BUT IN 3-D
Check out our winter/spring movie preview to see what else will be playing
Spring is coming, and a young man’s thoughts lightly turn to seeing old movies that have been rejigged for 3-D.
In which case the young man — and the young woman — are in luck: both Star Wars: Episode 1 — The Phantom Menace and Titanic are being re-released in three dimensions over the next few months, creating a rare chance to see stereoscopic versions of Jar-jar Binks and The King of the World within weeks of one another.
The biggest news of spring has nothing to do with 3-D, though. It’s the highly anticipated film version of The Hunger Games, the postapocalyptic young-adult novel that caused a pre-apocalyptic youngadult sensation and is the surest bet of the season.
Feb. 3
Albert Nobbs
Glenn Close puts on a suit and tie for this film — which sounds like a sort of irish yentl— about a19 th-century woman who posed as a man so she could get a job as a waiter. Close also co-wrote the screenplay and the lyrics for the film’s theme song, “Lay Your Head Down”. (Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver; will expand)
The Woman in Black
Daniel Radcliffe, having finally graduated from Hogwarts, makes his post-harry Potter debut in this horror film remake about a lawyer who discovers the angry ghost of a wronged woman is terrorizing a village. Good thing he studied spells.
Feb. 10
We Need to Talk About Kevin
Tilda Swinton grieves persuasively as a mother who is devastated when her son — a sort of horror-film monster with surface charm who fools everyone but her — massacres his schoolmates. (Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver; will expand) Journey 2: The Mysterious Island
In this 3-D sequel to Journey to the Center of the Earth, Dwayne johnson leads an expedition to find missing explorer Michael Caine on a, well, mysterious island. Key scene in the trailer: Johnson pops a berry off his chest muscles and it flies right into the audience’s laps. Star Wars: Episode 1 The Phantom Menace (3-D)
Jar-jar Binks flies right into the audience’s laps.
Feb. 17
Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance
Nicolas Cage is back as Johnny Blaze, the motorcycle rider who became the devil’s bounty hunter and now must protect a young boy from Satan’s clutches. Oh yes: it’s in 3-D.
Feb. 24
Act of Valor
In this mix of fiction and reality, reallife Navy SEALS — with their real-life techniques and equipment — reenact the rescue of a captured CIA operative and foil a terrorist plot.
Wanderlust
Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd are together again for this film from the Judd Apatow factory of transgressive comedy about a Manhattan couple that moves to a free-love commune. How transgressive? Aniston apparently appears topless.
March 2
Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax
Zac Efron, Taylor Swift, Danny Devito and Betty White headline the voice actors in this animated story of the grumpy creature trying to protect his beloved trees. It was made by the directors of the ingenious Despicable Me (who are now working ondespicable Me 2, by the way). And yes: 3-D.
March 9
John Carter
Canadian Taylor Kitsch stars in this large, expensive adaptation of the Edgar Rice Burroughs story of a Civil War veteran who goes to Mars and must rescue a woman from the massive creatures who live there.
March 16
21 Jump Street
Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum star in this adaptation of the TV show — which starred a kid named Depp — about two cops who are sent back to high school to find a drug gang.
Mirror, Mirror
In this version of Snow White, Julia Roberts — who, once upon a time, would have played the heroine — has matured into the role of the evil queen, with Armie Hammer as the handsome prince. Yes: 3-D.
Jeff, Who Lives At Home
Jason Segel stars in this small offbeat comedy about a slacker who is forced out of his mother’s basement on an errand that changes his life and that of his brother (Ed Helms). (limited release; will expand)
March 23
The Hunger Games
Jennifer Lawrence — who exploded onto the scene in her Oscar-nominated turn in the gritty little Winter’s Bone — won the talent hunt to star as Katniss Everdeen in the film version of Suzanne Collins’ novel about a future world where people fight to the death on television. It doesn’t sound like much of a stretch from reality TV. When a you sa thinking we are in trouble?
March 30
The Pirates! Band of Misfits, 3-D
Hugh Grant provides the voice of a pirate captain in this animated comedy about buccaneers competing for the “pirate of the year” award. It’s three-dimensional. Wrath of the Titans
In this sequel laden with Greek mythology, not to mention three dimensions, Perseus (Sam Worthington) must rescue Zeus (Liam Neeson) from the underworld.
April 4
The Three Stooges
The life of three nyuck-nyucknyuckleheads from the time they are left on the orphanage steps until their fame in a reality-tv show. The Farrelly Brothers are responsible.
April 6
The Moth Diaries
In Mary Harron’s horror film, a girl at a boarding school suspects her roommate is a vampire. (Limited)
Titanic 3-D
Finally, Leonardo Dicaprio right in the audience’s laps.
April 13
The Deep Blue Sea
Terence Davies directs this version of the Terence Rattigan play about the affair between a Royal Air Force pilot and a judge’s wife. Rachel Weisz stars.
April 20 Seeking a Friend for the End of the World
In this twist on the end-of-theworld movie — the romantic comedy at apocalypse — Keira Knightley and Steve Carell co-star as two people taking a last-minute road trip as an asteroid nears Earth. A Thousand Words
In Eddie Murphy’s comeback as a leading man — although it been sitting around since it was filmed in 2008 — he plays a lying literary agent who discovers he can speak only 1,000 more words before he dies. Eddie Murphy? Should take him about 10 minutes.
April 27
The Five-year Engagement
Another comedy from the Judd Apatow gang, this one with Jason Segel and Emily Blunt as a couple who can’t quite get married.
All dates subject to change by studios.