Page 26 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • December 17, 2014 Four major releases planned for Christmas Day by Dennis Seuling Four motion pictures are scheduled to open on Christ- mas Day: Thursday, Dec. 25. Christmas is a big day for movie theaters, since so many folks are off from work and kids are on holiday break. Once all the presents have been opened, movie-going is a great holiday family activity. The Christmas films include a comedy about two TV personalities who collaborate with the Central Intelligence Agency to assassinate a world leader, an adaptation of a Ste- phen Sondheim Broadway musical, the story of an Olympic runner who survived harrowing experiences during World War II, and the true story of a popular painter whose wife harbors a secret. In “The Interview,” Dave Skylark (James Franco) and his producer Aaron Rapoport (Seth Rogen) run the popular celebrity tabloid TV show “Skylark Tonight.” When they learn that North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un is a fan of the show, they manage to land an exclusive interview with him in an attempt to show the public they are legitimate journalists. As Dave and Aaron prepare to travel to Pyong- yang, the CIA approaches them, matter-of-factly asking that they assassinate Kim. Since the two are probably the least likely, least qualified individuals to pull off such a lethal task, the CIA coaches them, leading to one incredible blunder after another. There is no question that Franco and Rogen have serious screen chemistry when it comes to eliciting laughs. Their previous films, “Pineapple Express” and “This Is the End,” showed how effortlessly they work together. There is an improvisational quality to their work, which is sometimes uneven but generally results in some hilarious scenes. The over-the-top premise of “The Interview” allows the actors an opportunity to infuse some satirical barbs into James Franco and Seth Rogen in the ‘The Interview.’ their trademark broad comedy. Lizzy Caplan, who starred with Franco and Rogen on four episodes of the short-lived but memorable “Freaks and Geeks” TV series, plays CIA Agent Lacey. Randall Park (“Neighbors,” “Sex Tape”) por- trays Kim Jong-un. Based on the Stephen Sondheim stage musical, “Into the Woods” is a modern twist on Grimm Brothers fairy tales. The film intertwines the plots of a few choice stories — “Cinderella,” “Little Red Riding Hood,” “Rapunzel,” and “Jack and the Beanstalk” — to explore the consequences of the characters’ wishes and quests. These classic tales are tied together by an original story involving a baker (James Corden) and his wife (Emily Blunt), their wish to begin a family, and their interaction with a witch who has put a curse on them. The cast includes Johnny Depp (The Wolf), Meryl Streep (Witch), Chris Pine (Cinderella’s Prince Charming), Anna Kendrick (Cinderella), and Mackenzie Mauzy (Rapunzel). Because the film is a Disney project, there have been several changes to keep the project family friendly. The film includes several songs from the play, which premiered on Broadway in 1987 and went on to win the Tony Awards for Best Score, Best Book, and Best Actress in a Musical. The big-screen adaptation features songs from the stage musical, including “Children Will Listen,” “Giants in the Sky,” “No One Is Alone,” and “Agony.” Sondheim has also written a new song for Meryl Streep. “Unbroken,” directed by Angelina Jolie, is the amazing true story of Louis Zamperini (Jack O’Connell), an Olympic runner who was taken prisoner by Japanese forces during World War II. John Magaro portrays Frank A. Tinker, an Air Force dive bomb pilot and opera singer who befriends Zamperini en route to a Japanese prisoner of war camp. At 19, Zamperini qualified for the Olympics in track and field. He finished in eighth place at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, where he met Hitler and stole his personal Nazi flag. In 1940, Zamperini’s dreams of winning a gold medal came to a halt when the Olympics were canceled at the start of World War II. He joined the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1941, later flying several dangerous missions across the Pacific. In the summer of 1943, he was the only member of an 11-man crew to survive an attack over the ocean. Initially, he and two other crew members survived on a raft, collect- ing rain water to drink and killing birds for food. One crew member died on day 33. The other two survived a total of 47 days. They drifted 2,000 miles to the Marshall Islands, where they were taken prisoner by the Japanese. Zamperini endured torture and starvation for over two years. After the (continued on Crossword page)