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Pulse-pounding thrillers

Jodie Foster turns vigilante; Michael Caine remakes one of his own classics
/ Source: msnbc.com

There are some actors who specialize in taut action thrillers. Take Jodie Foster. The woman thrives on going from terrified to take charge in two hours. This year, a spate of great actors follows her example, including Jake Gyllenhaal, Casey Affleck and Joaquin Phoenix. Don’t be surprised if some of these movies produce some Oscar contenders of their own.

“The Brave One”Starring: Jodie Foster, Terrence Howard, Naveen Andrews, Mary SteenburgenDirector: Neil JordanStory: New York radio host Erica Bain’s (Foster) world is shattered when she and her husband (Andrews) are attacked by strangers and her husband is killed. After three weeks in the hospital, Erica wakes up a different person — a person bent on revenge. As she hunts for the killers, a different, more violent side of her emerges. But will she catch the real perpetrator before an NYPD detective (Howard) catches her?Buzz: Foster basically becomes a vigilante, which begs the question: Is Jordan (“The Crying Game,” “The End of the Affair”) playing with the idea of what makes a hero? Much like David Cronenberg’s “History of Violence,” this film may have audiences questioning their own reactions to the hero. Web site: http://thebraveone.warnerbros.com/ Release date: Sept. 14

US actress Reese Whitherspoon poses 15 J
Beverly Hills, UNITED STATES: US actress Reese Whitherspoon poses 15 January 2007 at the 64th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills. AFP PHOTO/Gabriel BOUYS (Photo credit should read GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images)Gabriel Bouys / AFP