CinePhillyist

What's new and/or interesting in Philly theaters this weekend. A ton of new stuff this week, to make up for last week's drought.
The Dukes
Starring and directed by Robert Davi, The Dukes is a story of faded Doo Wop stars who, never giving up on their dreams of making the big time, get themselves embroiled in a burglary. The film is a little bit heist comedy, a little bit buddy movie, and a little bit retro rock and roll. Davi says of the film: "With The Dukes, I wanted to tell as story that would appeal to the Everyman—a story filled with music and humor that was raw and honest but also very positive, a story about the American spirit that makes people want to pick themselves back up and get back in the game." Davi not only directed and stars in the film, he also co-wrote and co-produced. Chazz Palminteri and Peter Bogdanovich also star.
Trailer - Freshness
Showing at: UA Riverview

Slumdog Millionaire
Danny Boyle's latest is a tale of an impoverished teen from the slums of Mumbai who wins big on India's version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, only to be accused of cheating at the game. Adapted from the novel Q & A by Vikas Swarup, the story follows the unlikely hero on a journey from the being a poor tea server, to a game show winner, to being tortured by police for suspicion of cheating. Along the way, the audience is shown just how much we learn from our world by being participants in this crazy life. While Twilight (see below) is getting all the tween and teen buzz, this film is getting the industry cred. It's a must see.
Trailer - Freshness
Showing at: Ritz East, Ritz Sixteen

Twilight
Did you hear screams and yells reverberating across the country the other night? If so, you were hearing the throngs of frantic teens outside the LA premiere of Twilight. Actor Robert Pattinson, with his strangely entrancing hairdo, has managed to turn this teen vampire thriller into something else entirely—a fantasy of every teenage girl to have their blood sucked by him. Evidently the teenage boys are sticking around too for the engaging story and the movie is poised to be one of the top hits of the season.
Trailer - Freshness
Showing at: UA Riverview, The Bridge,UA Mainstreet Manayunk, AMC Loews Cherry Hill, Ritz Sixteen

Bolt
Despite John Travolta providing the voice of Bolt, this one actually looks cute. Thankfully it's animated so we don't have to see his horrible hairpiece. The concept might be a little tough for younger audiences to grasp (the premise is sort of like The Truman Show but for a dog), but with its solid cast, it appears to appropriately fall into that cliche of "fun for the whole family."
Trailer - Freshness
Showing at: UA Riverview, UA Main Street Manayunk, AMC Loews Cherry Hill (also showing in Disney Digital 3-D), Ritz Sixteen (also showing in Disney Digital 3-D)

JCVD
If you're up for some ironic film viewing, go see this movie in which Jean-Claude Van Damme plays as himself. Some say performing in this meta-action film is a savvy comeback attempt on his part, but we just hope that life doesn't end up imitating art as the down-and-out movie character version of Jean-Claude finds himself mixed up in a bank heist along with some shady criminals who just happen to be Van Damme fans. This one might be worth viewing to see the only-too-real difficulties that fading actors struggle with—just leave your schadenfreude at home.
Trailer - Freshness
Showing at: Ritz at the Bourse

A Thousand Years of Good Prayers
Wayne Wang's film portrays a father's attempt to reconnect with his adult daughter after her divorce. Only knowing a lifestyle where parents remain intertwined with their child's lives forever, the father comes to America to be with his daughter after twelve years apart and quickly becomes a nuisance to her. This gently paced film examines the tensions and emotions that can build between parents and adult children and will surely leave viewers with much to ponder about their own relationships.
Trailer - Freshness
Showing at: Ritz at the Bourse

A Christmas Tale (Un conte de Noel)
This French holiday dramedy stars Catherine Deneuve as the matriarch of a troubled family whose youngest members strive to bring the family together at Christmas. If you are looking for something different than the typical holiday big budget films, this study of the complexity of family life and interdealings might be for you.
Trailer - Freshness
Showing at: Ritz Five