New in theaters: 'Mary and the Witch's Flower,' '12 Strong'
A woodland discovery leads to magic school adventures in "Mary and the Witch's Flower," the story of a vanguard special forces team in "12 Strong," cops versus robbers in LA heist movie "Den of Thieves" and last days presidential documentary "The Final Year" release the week of January 19 in the USA and thereabouts in other selected territories. Check in below for trailers, cast, and international dates.
Mary and the Witch's Flower (PG)
youtu.be/u8tsjNYEYKQ
Starring Ruby Barnhill ("The BFG"), Louis Ashbourne Serkis ("Noddy, Toyland Detective"), Kate Winslet ("Titanic,") Jim Broadbent ("Paddington 2")
Studio synopsis: An ordinary young girl stuck in the country with no adventures or friends in sight is whisked away to Endor College, a school of magic. But when Mary tells a lie, she must risk her life to try to set things right.
Director: Hiromasa Yonebayashi ("The Secret World of Arrietty")
Select release dates: Australia, New Zealand - since January 11; USA, Canada - January 19; France - February 21; UK, Ireland - May; in Asian territories since July 2017.
US site: gkids.com/films/mary-and-the-witchs-flower
Australian site: madmanfilms.com.au/mary-and-the-witchs-flower
12 Strong (R)
youtu.be/Zxag9p-63RU
Starring Chris Hemsworth ("Thor: Ragnarok"), William Fichtner ("Black Hawk Down"), Michael Shannon ("Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice")
Synopsis: An against-all-odds story of muscle, tech, and grit based on the first special forces team deployed to Afghanistan after 9/11.
Director: Nicolai Fuglsig (feature debut)
Select release dates: Philippines - January 17; Malaysia, Singapore - January 18; USA, Canada - January 19; Netherlands - January 25; UK - January 26; France, Belgium, South Korea - January 31; Hong Kong - February 1
Website & social: 12strongmovie.com
Den of Thieves (R)
youtu.be/CZkUlNwiEBY
Starring Gerard Butler ("London Has Fallen," "Geostorm," "300"), Pablo Schreiber ("Orange Is the New Black") O'Shea Jackson ("Straight Outta Compton,") Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson ("Power")
Synopsis: The gritty crime saga of an elite unit of the LA County Sheriff's Dept. and the state's most successful bank robbery crew, as the outlaws plan a seemingly impossible heist on the city's Federal Reserve Bank.
Director: Christian Gudegast ("London Has Fallen")
Select release dates: USA - January 19; Netherlands, Singapore - February 1; UK - February 2; Australia - March 1
Website & social: denofthieves.movie, facebook.com/DenOfThieves, instagram.com/DenOfThieves, twitter.com/Den_Of_Thieves
The Final Year
youtu.be/4UUpnqvIwF4
Starring Barack Obama, John Kerry, Samantha Power, Ben Rhodes as themselves
Synopsis: An insiders' account of President Barack Obama's foreign policy team during their last year in office as the Obama Administration prepares to leave power after eight years.
Director: Greg Barker ("Frontline," "Manhunt: The Search for Bin Laden")
US release date: January 19
Website & social: finalyearfilm.com, facebook.com/FinalYearFilm, instagram.com/finalyearfilm, twitter.com/FinalYearFilm
