'ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE' This sequel to the Academy Award-winning film, "Elizabeth," further explores the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Elizabeth nurtures her secret love for adventurer Sir Walter Raleigh (Clive Owen), even as military and political forces threaten her empire at home and abroad.
"Elizabeth" won a slew of Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actress for Cate Blanchett. Can the sequel be as epic as its predecessor, or will it simply be another unnecessary sequel? On Oct. 12, aft er being an elf queen in "Th e Lord of the Rings" trilogy, Blanchett will take up the crown of Elizabeth once more.
'THINGS WE LOST IN THE FIRE' Coping with losing a loved one is never easy, and Halle Berry attempts to reach out to people who have suff ered such a loss in "Th ings We Lost in the Fire." Berry is Audrey Burke, a widow whose husband was fatally shot in a parking lot. Audrey invites her late husband's best friend Jerry (Benicio del Toro) to live with them, although Jerry has troubles of his own.
Jerry starts turning his life around as he helps Audrey and her children deal with their loss. "Th ings We Lost in the Fire" does not market itself as a candidate for a huge blockbuster, but with acting bigwigs Berry and del Toro, it will be interesting to see how this fi lm does at the box offi ce. Th e fi lm is set for release on Oct. 27.
'THE KITE RUNNER' Khaled Hosseini's bestselling novel brings the tragedy of the Taliban regime of Afghanistan to the silver screen. Amir (Khalid Abdalla) is a wealthy Pashtun Afghani whose betrayal of his best friend leaves him ridden with guilt as he and his father are forced to fl ee the country while the Taliban's rule begins. Years later, Amir has become a successful novelist. An old friend contacts Amir, telling him the tagline of the film: "Th ere is a way to be good again," giving Amir a chance to redeem himself. Whether "Th e Kite Runner" can be made into a feature fi lm without losing the charm that won the novel so many readers remains to be seen, at least until Nov. 2.
'LIONS FOR LAMBS' A cast of big Hollywood names and relatively unknown character actors come together under seasoned director Robert Redford to tell several stories about the struggle in Afghanistan. As rookie soldiers Arian and Ernest (Derek Luke and Michael Pena) fi ght desperately for survival behind enemy lines, stories unfold back home.
At a West Coast university, college professor Stephen Malley (Redford) reaches out to a student disillusioned with the war on terror. In Washington, a charismatic senator (Tom Cruise) is about to release a major story to a probing journalist (Meryl Streep), who gradually becomes suspicious of his motives. Th ese stories unfold to reveal how individuals can profoundly aff ect the struggle in Afghanistan. "Lions for Lambs" is slated for Nov. 9.
'ENCHANTED' Disney treads new grounds in its latest feature fi lm. An idyllic romance in a faraway fantasy land between Princess Giselle (Amy Adams) and Prince Edward (James Marsden) is threatened when an evil queen casts Giselle into the most unlikely world imaginable: ours. Giselle is stranded hopelessly in present-day New York City until she fi nds a friend in unassuming lawyer Robert (Patrick Dempsey), who reluctantly takes up the task to get Giselle home. On Nov. 21, a Disney fairy tale and the real world will collide. Moviegoers will determine if the company's attempt to poke fun at its own classic movies is cause for laughter.
'MR. MAGORIUM'S WONDER EMPORIUM' A family comedy in the vein of "Night at the Museum," "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium" is directed by Zach Helm, who gained fame for his offb eat stories aft er writing "Stranger Th an Fiction." In his latest fi lm, a young woman named Molly Mahoney (Natalie Portman) inherits a magical toy shop from her eccentric old boss, Mr. Magorium (Dustin Hoff man).
She doubts her ability to run the toy shop as effi ciently as her boss did, but with the help of a new, uptight accountant (Jason Bateman), Molly takes the store into her own hands and discovers the extent of the adventures it off ers. Look for "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium" on Thanksgiving.
