HEADHUNTERS, PONYO and More Set for Nashville's Belcourt Theatre, Now thru 6/14

The Belcourt has announced its showings for the week of June 8th-14th. The showings include:

HEADHUNTERS (2012)
Fri-Thu, June 8-14 at 2:45, 5:00, 7:15, 9:25
Additional Sat-Sun matinee at 12:30
Based on Jo Nesbø’s best-selling thriller from 2008, HEADHUNTERS stars Aksel Hennie (Max Manus) as Roger, a charming scoundrel and Norway's most accomplished headhunter.

THE RAID: REDEMPTION (2012)
Fri-Sat, June 8-9 at 11:59pm
Part of Midnight Movies - On the outskirts of Jakarta is an old apartment building stuffed to the gills with villainy. It's the headquarters of the notorious crimelord Tama, and today, a special squad of police are coming in to try and tidy things up...

CASTLES IN THE SKY: Miyazaki, Takahata and the Masters of Studio Ghibli
Two Weeks - June 1-13, 2012 – The Belcourt presents this comprehensive retrospective of films from Japan’s famed Studio Ghibli animation house.

This code indicates which version of the film will be screened:
[D] = Dubbed in English (featuring the voices of well-known actors).
[S] = In Japanese, but subtitled in English.
Download the chronological schedule here. (35mb .pdf)

MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO (1988)
Fri, June 8 at 5:10pm[D]
Sat, June 9 at 1:20pm[D]
Sun, June 10 at 3:00pm[D]
Based on Miyazaki’s own childhood imaginings, this is a deceptively simple tale of two girls who discover that their surrounding forests are home to a family of Totoros, gentle but powerful creatures who live in a huge and ancient camphor tree and are seen only by children.

OCEAN WAVES (1995)
Sun, June 10 at 7:00pm[S]
Tue, June 12 at 7:00pm[S]
Rarely seen outside of Japan, OCEAN WAVES is a subtle, poignant and wonderfully detailed story of adolescence and teenage isolation. Taku and his best friend Yutaka find their friendship tested by the arrival of Rikako, a beautiful new transfer student from Tokyo whose attitude vacillates wildly from flirty and flippant to melancholic. [ages: 10+]

POM POKO (1994)
Sat, June 9 at 7:00pm[S]
Sun, June 10 at 8:40pm[S]
Mon, June 11 at 9:30pm[S]
Mischevious raccoon-like animals spend their days playing idly in the hillsides and squabbling over food – until the construction of a huge new Tokyo suburb clears the nearby forest and threatens their way of life. In an effort to defend their home, the tanuki learn to transform into humans and start playing tricks to make the workers think the construction site is haunted, ending in a spectacular night-time spirit parade, with thousands of ghosts, dragons and other magical creatures descending on the city. [ages: 8+]

WHISPER OF THE HEART (1995)
Sat, June 9 at 3:10pm[D]
Mon, June 11 at 3:10pm[D]
Shizuku is perusing the eclectic selection of books she has checked out from the library, her curiousity is piqued when she notices that the name Seiji appears before hers on the checkout card of each one. Through a series of curious and magical incidents, a deep bond is born. [ages: 9+]

PRINCESS MONONOKE (1999)
Fri, June 8 at 7:00pm[S]
Sat, June 9 at 9:15pm[S]
A landmark of animation and an epic story of conflict between humans, gods, and nature, this highly acclaimed film follows Prince Asaka, who is infected with a lethal curse and must travel to find a cure. On his journey, he discovers himself caught in a battle between a mining town and the animals of the surrounding forest. [ages: 11+]

MY NEIGHBORS THE YAMADAS (1999)
Sun, June 10 at 4:50pm[D]
Tue, June 12 at 2:40pm[D]
With cartoon-like characters and a visual design evoking watercolor painting that is unlike anything else in the Ghibli canon, the film wryly tweaks the everyday activities of family life with his depiction of the irresponsible, slovenly, and lazy Yamada family and their unassuming way of life. [ages: 9+]

SPIRITED AWAY (2002)
Fri, June 8 at 9:40pm[S]
Mon, June 11 at 7:00pm[S]
Tue, June 12 at 8:40pm[S]
Combining Japanese mythology with Through the Looking Glass-type whimsy, SPIRITED AWAY concerns ten-year-old Chichiro who is separated from her parents and stumbles into a dream-like spirit world where she is put to work in a bathhouse for the gods, a place where all kinds of nonhuman beings come to refresh, relax and recharge. [ages: 9+]

THE CAT RETURNS (2002)
Sat, June 9 at 5:20pm[D]
Mon, June 11 at 5:20pm[D]
In this sequel to WHISPER OF THE HEART, a quiet suburban schoolgirl, Haru, is pitched into a fantastical feline world where she rescues the Prince of the Cats from being run over. In recognition for saving his life, the Prince brings her to the Kingdom of Cats -- to be his bride! [all ages]

HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE (2005)
Fri, June 8 at 2:50pm[D]
Sun, June 10 at 12:40pm[D]
After a chance meeting with a handsome but mysterious wizard named Howl, a young girl is turned into a 90-year old woman by the vain and conniving Witch of the Waste. Embarking on an incredible adventure to lift the curse, she finds refuge in Howl’s magical moving castle. [ages: 8+]

PONYO (2009)
Tue, June 12 at 4:50pm[D]
Wed, June 13 at 3:00pm[D], 7:00pm[D]
Perfect for audiences of all ages, PONYO centers on the friendship between five-year-old Sosuke and a magicAl Goldfish named Ponyo. As to be expected with Miyazaki, the film is awash in pure unbridled imagination and visual wonder — but it is the tender love, humor, and devotion exhibited by Ponyo and Sosuke that form the emotional heart of the film. [all ages]

THE SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTY (2012)
Wed, June 13 at 5:00pm[D], 9:00pm[D]
When a tiny "borrower" named Arrietty makes friends with a young boy many times her size, she must also shield her family from his towering elders. But trouble brews when a curious maid starts asking questions. [ages: 7+]

For more information, visit their website: www.belcourt.org.