What's new and/or interesting in Philly theaters this weekend.

Stealing America: Vote by Vote
This documentary takes a look at how electronic votes are tallied and how susceptible voting machines are to tampering. You can tell by the title that it doesn't come to any happy conclusions. Critical opinions on this film are split right down the middle, so we're not sure what to tell you. It could leave you better informed about what to expect at the elections in November, or it could just make you paranoid about them.
Freshness
Showing at: Ritz at the Bourse

Frozen River
Two days before Christmas, Ray Eddy, a woman living in rural upstate New York, finds her husband has gambled away all the family's savings and run off. She's unable to make ends meet without him, so she strikes out to find him, only to come upon a street-smart Mohawk woman who has found a way to make money: by smuggling illegal immigrants across the border. All she needs is a car, and Ray has one, so although they don't trust each other, they team up to make a run across the frozen St. Lawrence River. Sounds dramatic and fascinating, and the reviews are mostly positive. Give it a try if you're up for it.
Trailer - Freshness
Showing at: Ritz at the Bourse

A Jihad for Love
This documentary examines the intersection of Islam and homosexuality by focusing on a transcontinental group of homosexual individuals—from France, South Africa, Turkey, and India—trying to reconcile their religious teachings with their sexuality, their public lives with their private lives. It's an interesting topic and the critics are supportive. Probably worth a trip to the theater.
Trailer - Freshness
Showing at: Ritz at the Bourse

Most Likely to Rule: Transsiberian
Woody Harrelson and Emily Mortimer star as Roy and Jessie, an American couple who decide to take the Trans-siberian Express on their way home from a trip to Asia. On their way, they meet another couple from the West and quickly form a bond with them. But when Roy gets separated from the group during a stopover, it becomes clear that their new friends aren't who they appear to be. Things get even worse as the locals and a deceitful Russian detective (Sir Ben Kingsley) start terrorizing Jessie. Sounds like a very interesting little suspense thriller, and it's getting excellent reviews. We're excited to see it.
Trailer - Freshness
Showing at: Ritz at the Bourse

Elegy
It's another movie new to local theaters this week starring Sir Ben Kingsley! This time he plays David Kepesh, a celebrated college professor who loves pursuing his female students, but never lets any of them get too close. Until, that is, he meets Consuela Castillo (Penelope Cruz), a raven-haired beauty with great emotional intensity who captivates and unsettles him. She becomes his obsession, but his jealous fantasies of betrayal drive her away. Then, two years later, she comes back into his life with an urgent request that will change everything. The film, which is an adaptation of Philip Roth's The Dying Animal, also stars Patricia Clarkson, Debbie Harry, Dennis Hopper, and Peter Sarsgaard. The plot summary's got us curious, and the relatively high freshness rating is encouraging, too. Probably worth a viewing.
Trailer - Freshness
Showing at: Ritz Five

Hamlet 2
Don't worry, the studio bosses didn't go off the deep end and decide to make a straight-up, serious sequel to Hamlet. No, this is a comedy about a washed up actor (Steve Coogan) named Dana Marschz who is about to wash up as a high school drama teacher, too, when he decides the way to save the department is to stage a politically incorrect musical sequel to Shakespeare's most famous play, which opens up with Hamlet and Jesus coming out of a time machine. The film also stars Catherine Keener as Dana's dissatisfied wife, David Arquette as a boarder at their house, Amy Poehler as an ACLU attorney who supports Dana's cause, and Elisabeth Shue as herself. The premise is hilarious, the film was a hit at this year's Sundance, and the critics are generally saying positive things. If you're willing to endure some cringe-worthy moments, we're pretty sure you'll also get a lot of laughs.
Trailer - Freshness
Showing at: Ritz East

Death Race
This remake (or reimagining?) of the '70s action film Death Race 2000 was directed by Paul W.S. Anderson and stars bad action movie actor extraordinaire Jason Statham as Jensen Ames, an ex-con who thinks he's finally turned his life around when he's suddenly framed for a gruesome murder he didn't commit. Unfortunately for Ames, the film is set in "the post-industrial wasteland of tomorrow" where the sporting event of choice is a grisly high-speed race in cars equipped with guns, flamethrowers, and grenade launchers. The warden at Ames' prison (who's played by Joan Allen, of all people) offers him his freedom back if he'll take on an insane three-day Death Race challenge wherein he'll have to survive a gauntlet of the most vicious criminals in the country's toughest prison. This sounds like our kind of movie, but as much as we love Jason Statham, his presence in a film lately is pretty much a guarantee that it will suck, and the freshness rating seems to bear this out.
Trailer - Freshness
Showing at: The Pearl, UA Riverview, The Bridge

Most Likely to Suck: The Longshots
Based on the true story of a poor Illinois town who come together behind the local Pop Warner football team and their unlikely quarterback, the first female player in Pop Warner history. Ice Cube plays the girl's uncle, a former high school football star, and Fred Durst (yes, that Fred Durst) directs. We're pretty tired of inspirational, true-life sports movies by now, and even more tired of movies with Ice Cube in them. And who told Fred Durst he could direct? The story's sweet and all, but we think we'll stay home, thank you very much.
Trailer - Freshness
Showing at: The Pearl, UA Riverview, The Bridge

The Rocker
This is one of those weird movies that got released on a Wednesday for some reason, but it's still relatively new, so we thought we'd give it a spot in the post anyway. Rainn Wilson of The Office stars as Robert "Fish" Fishman, a dedicated and passionate drummer for an '80s hair band who's living his rock and roll fantasy until one day he gets kicked out of the band. Twenty years later, he gets a shot at recapturing his dream when his nephew's high school rock band starts looking for a new drummer. It sounds like a promising premise, but the critics say it's just a predictable retread that lacks substance.
Trailer - Freshness
Showing at: UA Riverview

The House Bunny
Anna Faris plays a Playboy playmate who is unceremoniously evicted from Hugh Hefner's mansion to make room for some younger beauties, and is forced to take a job as a den mother to an unpopular L.A. sorority. Colin Hanks, Rumer Willis, Katharine McPhee, Monet Mazur, and Beverly D'Angelo also star. As with Stealing America, critics are split 50/50 on this one, but, hey, it's got Playboy bunnies, and probably some stupid laughs. If you feel like taking it easy on your brain this weekend, it'll probably be a decent amount of fun.
Trailer - Freshness
Showing at: UA Riverview

I.O.U.S.A.
This documentary takes a look at the rapidly growing federal debt and explores the implications for the United States and its citizens. Hint: it's not good news! Obviously an important subject, and the film is getting good reviews. You probably won't leave the theater happy, but you might leave it better informed.
Trailer - Freshness
Showing at: UA Riverview

Fania All-Stars in Afrika
As part of its Perspectivas series, the International House is presenting, along with Afrotaino Productions, a screening of this concert film tonight at 8:30 on the roof of the Whole Foods at 929 South Street. The Fania All-Stars were invited to play a three-day music festival in Zaire in 1974, timed to coincide with the Rumble in the Jungle Ali/Foreman fight. The film documents the last night's performance, which took the form of a massive encore. The only Philadelphia-based member of the Fania All-Stars will appear at the screening in person, as will La Familia Rojas, one of Philly's renowned Bomba dance companies. DJ Rahsaan will play a rare vinyl set featuring hits and rarities from the Fania label. There'll even be free popcorn. Sounds like a party!
Showing at: Whole Foods

Image via Internet Movie Poster Awards Gallery