Movies Released December 18, 2009

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Avatar 3,452 theaters

Sam Worthington Zoe Saldana Sigourney Weaver Wes Studi

In the epic action adventure fantasy "Avatar", James Cameron, the director of "Titanic", takes us to a spectacular new world beyond our imagination. On the distant moon P... moreandora, a reluctant hero embarks on a journey of redemption, discovery and unexpected love - as he leads a heroic battle to save a civilization.

The story’s protagonist, Jake Sully, is an ex-Marine who was wounded and paralyzed from the waist down in combat on Earth. In order to participate in the Avatar program, which will give him a healthy body, Jake agrees to travel to Pandora, a lush rainforest environment filled with incredible life forms – some beautiful, many terrifying. Pandora is also the home to the Na’vi, a humanoid race that lives at what we consider to be a primate level, but they are actually much more evolved than humans. Ten feet tall and blue skinned, the Na’vi live harmoniously within their unspoiled world. But as humans encroach on Pandora in search of valuable minerals, the Na’vi’s very existence is threatened – and their warrior abilities unleashed.

Jake has unwittingly been recruited to become part of this encroachment. Since humans are unable to breathe the air on Pandora, they have created genetically-bred human-Na’vi hybrids known as Avatars. The Avatars are living, breathing bodies in the real world, controlled by a human driver through a technology that links the driver’s mind to the Avatar body. On Pandora, through his Avatar body, Jake can be whole once again. Moreover, he falls in love with a young Na’vi woman, Neytiri, whose beauty is matched by her ferocity in battle.

As Jake slides deeper into becoming one of her clan, he finds himself caught between the military-industrial forces of Earth, and the Na’vi – forcing him to choose sides in an epic battle that will decide the fate of an entire world.

Conceived 14 years ago and over four years in the making, "Avatar" breaks new ground in delivering a fully immersive, emotional story and reinvents the moviegoing experience.

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• 156 mins.

Nine 4 theaters

Marion Cottilard Penelope Cruz Kate Hudson Nicole Kidman

"Nine," based on the Tony Award Winning Broadway musical and inspired by Fellini's classic film "8 1/2," stars Academy Award winner Daniel Day-Lewis ("There Will be Blood... more") as world famous film director Guido Contini as he prepares his latest picture and balances the numerous women in his life. Contini's wife "Luisa Contini" is played by Cotillard, his sultry mistress "Carla" by Cruz, Kidman stars as his film star muse "Claudia Graham," Judi Dench plays the role of "Lily" - his confidant and costume designer, Sophia Loren is his mother or "Mamma" and Hudson plays "Stephanie" the young American fashion journalist.

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• 118 mins.

The Young Victoria 21 theaters

Emily Blunt Rupert Friend Paul Bettany Mark Strong

"The Young Victoria" chronicles Queen Victoria's ascension to the throne, focusing on the early turbulent years of her reign and her legendary romance and marriage to Pri... morence Albert.

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• 104 mins.

Fall Down Dead Limited

Dominique Swain Mehmet Gunsur Udo Kier David Carradine

Police are on the trail of a serial killer – following clues that are as barbaric as they are "artistic". They have called the criminal the "Picasso Killer": death is his... more inspiration, the carved bodies of his victims are his works of art.

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• 93 mins.

The New Daughter Limited

Ivana Baquero Kevin Costner

Kevin Costner plays John James, a single father who moves to a farm with his two kids after a painful divorce. Soon, his daughter (Ivana Baquero of "Pan's Labyrinth") sta... morerts behaving ominously, and Dad begins to suspect that the burial mound in a nearby field might have something to do with it.

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