The Sunrise Theater's SunFlix Series continues its stellar January movie lineup with a drama/thriller that won the 2011 Critics Grand Prize at the Sundance Film Festival and the International Critics Prize at the Cannes Film Festival.

"Take Shelter" stars Michael Shannon, Jessica Chastain, Tova Stewart and Shea Whigham, and is directed by Jeff Nichols.

The film will be shown Jan. 19-23 with shows weekdays and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. It is rated R for some language and runs for two hours.

The following plot summary is taken from the Rotten Tomatoes website: "Curtis LaForche lives in a small Ohio town with his wife, Samantha, and 6-year-old daughter, Hannah, who is deaf. Money is tight, and navigating Hannah's health care and special needs education is a constant struggle. Despite that, Curtis and Samantha are very much in love, and their family is a happy one.

"Then Curtis begins having terrifying dreams about an encroaching, apocalyptic storm. He chooses to keep the disturbance to himself, channeling his anxiety into the obsessive building of a storm shelter in their backyard. But the resulting strain on his marriage and tension within the community doesn't compare to Curtis' private fear of what his dreams may truly signify.

"Faced with the proposition that his disturbing visions signal disaster of one kind or another, Curtis confides in Samantha, testing the power of their bond against the highest possible stakes."

One critic called the film "a frightening thriller based not on special effects gimmicks but on a dread that seems quietly spreading in the land: that the good days are ending."

Roger Ebert calls it "masterful filmmaking" and writes of Shannon's performance, "I think an Oscar nomination for best actor would be well-deserved."

Critic Emanuel Levy, of Cinema 24/7, sums up the critical sentiment best , calling the film "absorbing and impressively made ... has a daunting cumulative power and eerie suggestiveness.... [director Jeff] Nichols creates a spellbinding psychological horror."

The historic Sunrise Theater, located at 250 NW Broad St. in Southern Pines, is nonprofit. Ticket prices are $7 for all shows. Refreshments, including beer and wine, are available.

For more information, contact the theater at (910) 692-3611 or go to www. sunrisetheater.com.