This week’s releases include a Shakespearian conspiracy, a swashbuckling Spanish feline, Justin Timberlake trying to be an action hero & Johnny Depp returning to the crazy world of Hunter S. Thompson. I couldn’t imagine a more diverse cast of characters, could you?

In Theaters Today:

‘Puss In Boots‘ (Rated PG) Antonio Banderas returns to his ‘Shrek‘ introduced role as ‘Puss in Boots‘ for this spinoff prequel film that also stars Salma Hayek & Zach Galifianakis.  Ever wondered what ‘Puss‘ did before the events of ‘Shrek‘?  Me either, but here it is anyways.

‘The Rum Diary’ (Rated R)  Johnny Depp returns to another film based off Hunter S. Thompson (‘Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas‘) that was actually filmed over 2 years ago, but hold-ups in post-production and the death of Thompson held it in limbo for some time.  Manic, creative & irrational behavior abound in this looney tale set in 1950′s Puerto Rico.

‘In Time’ (Rated PG-13)  Justin Timberlake continues his quest for global media domination with this thriller set in the near future, where people stop aging at the age of 25, then live only one more year through genetic tampering.  So, naturally, JT takes a hostage and demands some kind of immortal youth.  He’s accused of murder, on the run, confusing me and anyone else who watches the previews.

‘Anonymous’ (Rated PG-13) Roland Emmerich has given us a lot of big-budget empty films (2012, The Day After Tomorrow, Godzilla) so it surprised me to see his name attached to a conspiracy period piece about the possibility that William Shakespeare was a fraud, that he didn’t really write his plays.  All this, with a political thriller backdrop revolving around Queen Elizabeth I going on.  Interesting.  Stars Rhys Ifans, who will be making his name really known when the new Spider-Man film comes out (as the Lizard).

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