February 23

The Astronaut Farmer

Genre: Adventure, Family

MPAA Rating: PG (for thematic material, peril and language)

Cast: Billy Bob Thornton, Virginia Madsen, Bruce Dern, Tim Blake Nelson, J.K. Simmons

Story: Dismissed from NASA’s space program, former astronaut-in-training Charles Farmer (Billy Bob Thornton) pursues his lifelong dream by building his own rocket in the Polish Brothers’ family film “The Astronaut Farmer.” On the eve of his launch, he must battle foreclosure on his ranch, a small-town community of disbelievers, the FAA, and FBI agents who want to shut him down in the name of Homeland Securitynbut remains determined to reach his goal and instill in his children the courage to pursue their own dreams, no matter the odds.

Director: Michael Polish

Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures

Website: TheAstronautFarmermovie.com

Black Snake Moan

Genre: Drama, Romance

MPAA Rating: R (for strong sexual content, language, some violence and drug use)

Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, Christina Ricci, Justin Timberlake, S. Epatha Merkerson, John Cothran Jr., Brandon Raines, Michael Raymond-James, Leonard L. Thomas

Story: Desire is a burning sickness for Rae (Ricci), a feverish need that eats at her soul, while making her the white-trash sexual target of every man and boy in her small Tennessee town. When her true love Ronnie (Timberlake) leaves for military service, Rae plunges into wild excess. Beaten, left for dead, she’s taken in by Laz (Jackson) a reformed bluesman, a private self-contained black man who nurses deep anger of his own. Fiercely committed to his task of keeping her alive, Laz makes Rae his prisoner to give her a chance at freedom, and finds his own way back to the full force of life in the bargain.

Director: Craig Brewer

Studio: Paramount Vantage

Website: Moanmovie.com

Gray Matters

Genre: Comedy, Romance

MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for language and sexual content)

Cast: Sissy Spacek, Alan Cumming, Heather Graham, James Marsden, Saffron Burrows, Jane Krakowski

Story: They finish each other’s sentences, dance like Fred and Ginger, and share the same downtown loft—the perfect couple? Not exactly. Gray and Sam (Heather Graham and Tom Cavanagh), are a sister and brother so compatible and inseparable that people actually assume they are dating. Mortified, they both agree they must branch out and start searching for love. He’ll look for a guy for her and she’ll look for a gal for him. But when Sam finds his perfect mate in Charlie (Bridget Moynahan) Gray’s life turns inside out. A romantic comedy that sets sibling rivalry on its head, “Gray Matters” gives a whole new meaning to love… and destiny. With supporting roles played by Oscar Winner Sissy Spacek, Emmy nominated Molly Shannon, Tony Award winning Alan Cumming and Grammy award winning Gloria Gaynor.

Director: Sue Kramer

Studio: Yari Film Group

Website: GrayMattersmovie.com

The Number 23

Genre: Drama, Thriller

Cast: Jim Carrey, Virginia Madsen, Danny Huston, Logan Lerman, Rhona Mitra, Maile Flanagan, Patricia Belcher, Lynn Collins, Mark Pellegrino, Tara Karsian

Story: The psychological thriller “The Number 23” stars Jim Carrey as a man whose life unravels after he comes into contact with an obscure book titled The Number 23. As he reads the book, he becomes increasingly convinced that it is based on his own life. His obsession with the number 23 starts to consume him, and he begins to realize the book forecasts far graver consequences for his life than he could have ever imagined.

Director: Joel Schumacher

Studio: New Line Cinema

Website: Number23movie.com

Reno 911!: Miami

Genre: Comedy

MPAA Rating: R (for sexual content, nudity, crude humor, language and drug use)

Cast: Carlos Alazraqui, Mary Birdsong, Robert Ben Garant, Kerri Kenney-Silver, Thomas Lennon, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Niecy Nash, Cedric Yarbrough

Story: The brave men and women of the Washoe County Sheriff’s Department—the thin khaki line that keeps Reno, Nevada on the straight and narrownstar in their first feature film, based on the hit Comedy Central television series. The deputies of the Reno Sheriffs Department attend a law enforcement convention in Miami Beach, where the motley crew is charged with protecting the city after bioterrorists attack the convention.

Director: Robert Ben Garant

Studio: Paramount Pictures

Website: Not Available