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Cinema: Step Up 4: Miami Heat - Dance, Dance and more dance

Malta Independent Thursday, 30 August 2012, 00:00 Last update: about 12 years ago

Step Up Revolution, the fourth installment in Summit Entertainment’s sizzling dance and romance franchise, ups the ante with unparalleled 3D action in sultry, sexy Miami where a group of hot young performers takes to the streets to what they do best—DANCE!

Childhood friends Sean (Ryan Guzman) and Eddy (Misha Gabriel) work as waiters at Miami Beach’s ultra-posh Dimont Hotel, owned by ruthless developer Bill Anderson (Peter Gallagher). In their off-duty hours, they lead a renegade crew known only as “The Mob,” a group of cutting-edge dancers, musicians and artists that captures the collective imagination of the city with dazzling, high-tech, hit-and-run flash mobs that appear out of nowhere—and vanish in an instant.

The Mob’s outlaw performances attract the attention of Anderson’s daughter Emily (Kathryn McCormick), a gifted dancer in her own right. Under pressure from her dad to leave her lifelong dream behind and get a “real” job, Emily has reluctantly agreed to go to work for him unless she earns a coveted spot in the prestigious Wynwood Dance Company. But after witnessing a flash mob, she is determined to join in.

After Emily and Sean connect at a dance club, he introduces her to the group, leaving out the fact that she’s the boss’s daughter. Emily’s impressive dance skills win her a place in The Mob, but her presence drives a wedge between Sean and Eddy. When Anderson and his young protégé Tripp (Tommy Dewey) announce plans to raze The Mob’s neighborhood to build a huge commercial development, the group begins planning their most daring flash mob ever to try to save the waterfront, forcing Emily and Sean to choose between family ties and their love for each other.

Step Up Revolution stars Kathryn McCormick, finalist on the hit television dance series “So You Think You Can Dance,” and Ryan Guzman in their feature film debuts. Misha Gabriel (Footloose), Stephen ‘‘tWitch’ Boss (Step Up 3), Tommy Dewey (“Sons of Tucson”), Peter Gallagher (“Covert Affairs”) and real life choreographer Mia Michaels (Rock of Ages) lead a rich supporting cast, with cameo appearances by fan favorites from the Step Up franchise.

Director Scott Speer makes his feature film debut, working from an original screenplay by Amanda Brody. The film is produced by the Offspring Entertainment team of Adam Shankman and Jennifer Gibgot (Hairspray, Rock of Ages), along with Erik Feig and Patrick Wachsberger (the Step Up franchise, Mr. and Mrs. Smith). Bob Hayward, David Garrett, Meredith Milton, Jon M. Chu (Step Up 2, Step Up 3D), Matt Smith and Nan Morales (What’s Your Number? Extraordinary Measures) are the executive producers.

Classification PG

Total Recall - Reality and memory

Total Recall is an action thriller about reality and memory, inspired anew by the famous short story “We Can Remember It For You Wholesale” by Philip K. Dick. Welcome to Rekall, the company that can turn your dreams into real memories. For a factory worker named Douglas Quaid (Colin Farrell), even though he’s got a beautiful wife (Kate Beckinsale) whom he loves, the mind-trip sounds like the perfect vacation from his frustrating life - real memories of life as a super-spy might be just what he needs.

But when the procedure goes horribly wrong, Quaid becomes a hunted man. Finding himself on the run from the police – controlled by Chancellor Cohaagen (Bryan Cranston) – there is no one Quaid can trust, except possibly a rebel fighter (Jessica Biel) working for the head of the underground resistance (Bill Nighy). The line between fantasy and reality gets blurred and the fate of his world hangs in the balance as Quaid discovers his true identity, his true love, and his true fate. The film is directed by Len Wiseman. The screenplay is by Kurt Wimmer and Mark Bomback and the screen story is by Ronald Shusett & Dan O’Bannon and Jon Povill and Kurt Wimmer. The producers are Neal H. Moritz and Toby Jaffe.

Columbia Pictures presents an Original Film production, a film by Len Wiseman, Total Recall. Starring Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale, Jessica Biel, Bryan Cranston, John Cho, and Bill Nighy. Directed by Len Wiseman. Produced by Neal H. Moritz and Toby Jaffe. Screenplay by Kurt Wimmer and Mark Bomback. Screen Story by Ronald Shusett & Dan O’Bannon and Jon Povill and Kurt Wimmer. Inspired by the Short Story “We Can Remember It for You Wholesale” by Philip K. Dick. Executive Producers are Ric Kidney and Len Wiseman. Director of Photography is Paul Cameron, ASC. Production Designer is Patrick Tatopoulos.

Classification 12

Chernobyl Diaries - They are not alone

“Chernobyl Diaries” is an original story from Oren Peli, who first terrified audiences with his groundbreaking thriller, “Paranormal Activity.”

The film follows a group of six young vacationers who, looking to go off the beaten path, hire an “extreme” tour guide.  Ignoring warnings, he takes them into the city of Pripyat, the former home to the workers of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor, but a deserted town since the disaster more than 25 years ago.

After a brief exploration of the abandoned city, however, the group soon finds themselves stranded, only to discover that they are not alone…

Brad Parker makes his feature film directorial debut with “Chernobyl Diaries.” The screenplay was written by Oren Peli and Carey Van Dyke & Shane Van Dyke, based on a story by Peli. Peli also produces, with Brian Witten. Richard Sharkey, Rob Cowan, Andrew A. Kosove, Broderick Johnson, Allison Silver, Milan Popelka and Alison Cohen serve as executive producers.

The film’s cast includes Devin Kelley, Jonathan Sadowski, Ingrid Bolsø Berdal, Olivia Taylor Dudley, Jesse McCartney, Nathan Phillips and Dimitri Diatchenko.

Classification 16

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