Yahoo! Movies: New Art/Foreign DVD Releases

Sex and Zen

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:24:36 -0000

A man marries a beautiful wife, but decides to go out and experience as many sexual conquests as possible, with unusual and often hilarious results. Meanwhile, his wife is forced to enter a brothel and work as a prostitute. After a series of adventures, the couple is reunited. An international hit featuring a funny plot and lots of eroticism. (1 hr. 39 min.) Release date: Oct 13, 2009

Babe

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:24:35 -0000

A piglet won by Farmer Hoggett as a raffle prize is raised by Fly, the matriarch sheepdog, as one of her own. His owner senses something special in Babe and makes sure he learns sheep herding along with his new brothers. Babe proves so adept, in fact, that Farmer Hoggett enters him in the world sheepdog championship. (1 hr. 31 min.) Release date: Nov 1, 2009

Once

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:24:34 -0000

The Irish romance ONCE may be a musical, but it is miles away from the traditional Hollywood idea of people bursting into song. Glen Hansard (frontman for indie rock band The Frames) plays the guy, a street musician who is playing for change when he meets the girl (Marketa Irglova), an immigrant from the Czech Republic. The pair immediately bond over their shared love of music (he is a guitarist, and she plays the piano), and the film chronicles their tentative relationship. Both are weighed down by plenty of baggage: his songs are fueled by a painful breakup, and she is a young mother who left her husband behind in her native country.

Like the independent favorite BEFORE SUNRISE, ONCE is a simple, sweet drama that doesn't rely on an elaborate plot. With its use of digital video and handheld cameras, ONCE matches its spare visual style to its intimate mood. Each moment feels stolen from real life, and the story is at once familiar and fresh. Driven more by music than by dialogue, ONCE features a stirring soundtrack of heartfelt indie rock sung by Hansard and Irglova. Before his foray into film, director John Carney (ON THE EDGE) played bass in The Frames, and his passion for music is clear in this modern musical that hits every note perfectly. (1 hr. 28 min.) Release date: Oct 13, 2009

Monsoon Wedding

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:24:33 -0000

An extended Punjabi family gathers for an arranged wedding in New Delhi. The bride, Aditi (Vasundhara Das), is to marry a man who works in Houston, Texas and leave her family home to be with him. However, she is in love with her former boss, who happens to be married, and is having doubts about going through with the wedding. (1 hr. 54 min.) Release date: Oct 20, 2009

Audition

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:24:32 -0000

AUDITION is an art-house cult horror film that will be talked about for a long time to come. Ryo Ishibashi stars as Aoyama, a single father who has not dated since his wife died seven years earlier. To help find another woman to bring joy into Aoyama's charmless life, his best friend, television producer Yoshikawa, convinces Aoyama that they should add a fake part to a show they are auditioning actresses for--a role that will become Aoyama's real-life companion. After a series of comical auditions, in walks a woman whom Aoyama thinks is perfect--Asami, played by former model Eihi Shiina. But when Aoyama proves too tentative in his courting--and starts learning odd things about Asami's past--she decides to exact a revenge that filmgoers will never forget.

Director Takashi Miike's film, based on the novel by Ryu Murakami, begins like a slow-moving romance, carefully developing the characters and their maturing relationships. But suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, the mood and pace change, smashing viewers over the head with fast cuts between the past and the present, with dreamlike images that turn into torrid nightmares, with screams and shouts where there had been soft-spoken whispers, with blood and violence that replaces love and longing. The last section of the film is one of the most brutal torture scenes ever put on celluloid, and it is definitely not for the faint of heart. But even in its gore-filled shockingness, the film is beautiful to look at, a monumental achievement by a director willing to take chances and challenge his audience. (1 hr. 55 min.) Release date: Oct 6, 2009

The Last King of Scotland

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:24:31 -0000

Forest Whitaker delivers a ferociously commanding performance as bloodthirsty Ugandan president Idi Amin in Kevin MacDonald's THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND. Adapted from the novel by Giles Foden, the film recounts Amin's horrific reign through the eyes of a fictional character, Nick Garrigan (James McAvoy), a young doctor from Scotland who travels to Uganda hoping to do some good. Nick is more sanguine about new president Amin than is his counterpart Sarah Merrit (Gillian Armstrong), whose experience causes her to be skeptical of Amin's bombastic declarations. After an automobile accident, Nick is called in to treat the president's wounds. His authoritative behavior impresses Amin, who charms Nick into becoming his personal physician. Nick embraces his newfound life of luxury, but he is unable to grasp the reality of the situation. When he does finally realize the atrocities Amin is inflicting upon his people (and is also capable of inflicting on Nick), the terrified doctor tries to make a frantic escape before it's too late.

MacDonald, director of the acclaimed documentaries ONE DAY IN SEPTEMBER and TOUCHING THE VOID, makes a startlingly assured transition into fictional filmmaking with THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND. Working with cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle (THE CELEBRATION) and editor Justine Wright, MacDonald brings 1970s Uganda to pulsating life, perfectly recreating that tumultuous era. But ultimately the film belongs to Whitaker: as he shifts from charming to maniacal in the space of a short, unexpected breath, he infuses Amin with startling humanity. (2 hrs. 1 min.) Release date: Oct 13, 2009

North By Northwest

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:24:30 -0000

NORTH BY NORTHWEST is a suspense thriller that finds Cary Grant in the role of Roger Thornhill, a Manhattan advertising executive mistaken for a spy. Considered by many to be the prototypical pure action movie (creating the template for later James Bond and Indiana Jones films), the film is a cross-country roller-coaster ride with Alfred Hitchcock at the helm. The film is duly famous for several classic and indelible scenes, including the desert biplane encounter and the Mt. Rushmore climax. The original title was THE MAN IN LINCOLN'S NOSE, which was replaced by a reference to a line from William Shakespeare�s HAMLET (in which Hamlet says, "I am but mad north-north-west."). The magical combination of Hitchcock and the debonair Grant--who made four wonderful films together--makes NORTH BY NORTHWEST a suspense-filled standout.

When Thornhill finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time, the world as he knows it comes to an end. Suddenly danger threatens as the hapless businessman is targeted as an American intelligence agent and set up as a killer. All of Thornhill's attempts to straighten things out only make matters worse--and soon the desperate man is on the run from murderous foreign operatives, the CIA, and the police. The supporting cast, including Eva Marie Saint, James Mason, and Martin Landau, is uniformly excellent. (2 hrs. 16 min.) Release date: Nov 3, 2009

Zebraman

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:24:29 -0000

Prolific Japanese director Takashi Miike (AUDITION) helms this frenetic action-comedy hybrid about a grown man who dresses up as a beloved superhero named "Zebraman." The fun and excitement begin when he runs across another masked man, but this character has villainy on the brain. (1 hr. 51 min.) Release date: Nov 10, 2009

Z

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:24:28 -0000

Based on a true incident, the Deputy Z is struck down by a speeding truck while hundreds watch. Despite the report of accidental death, a journalist's questioning of the facts leads to an investigation. (2 hrs. 5 min.) Release date: Oct 27, 2009

All About My Mother

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:24:27 -0000

Manuela, a nurse and single mother in her late thirties must come to terms with the tragic loss of her only son, Esteban, when he is struck by a car. She never told Esteban who he was, "your father died long before you were born" was all she ever told him. In memory of her son--who's his father's namesake--Manuela leaves Madrid and goes to Barcelona in search of Esteban's father. However, the man that she left behind, eighteen years ago when she was pregnant, is now a transvestite named Lola. The search for a man with that name cannot be simple. And indeed it isn't. (1 hr. 41 min.) Release date: Nov 3, 2009

The Shaolin Temple

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:24:26 -0000

It is box office idol Jet Li's film debut. Jet Li is a renegade boy adopted and trained by the kung-fu monks at Shaolin Temple. But Li never surrenders his rage to avenge his father's tragic death. When his father's murder finally comes to Shaolin Temple, a brutal fight between Li and his father's killer is inevitable. Release date: Oct 20, 2009

Wings of Desire

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:24:25 -0000

The sky over Wenders's war-scarred Berlin is full of gentle angels wearing trench coats who listen to the tortured thoughts of mortals and try to comfort them. One wishes to become mortal after falling in love with a beautiful trapeze artist. Peter Falk, as himself, assists in the transformation by explaining the simple joys of a human experience, such as the sublime combination of coffee and cigarettes. The result is a film that is simultaneously sentimental and cerebral. (2 hrs. 10 min.) Release date: Nov 3, 2009

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:24:24 -0000

This colorful hit put director Pedro Almod�var on the international map and cemented the reputation of its star, Carmen Maura. The film is a peppy little soap bubble as TV actress Pepa (Maura) wakes up to find a note from her lover, Ivan (Fernando Guill�n), informing her he is leaving. Desperate to tell him some important information, Pepa almost kills herself with sleeping pills, burns her bed, and spends most of the movie trying to track him down. Her adventures put her in contact with Ivan's insane ex-wife (Julieta Serrano), his handsome son (Antonio Banderas), and the son's fianc�e (Rossy de Palma). They all descend on her penthouse apartment in a deliriously comic extended scene, complicated by a pitcher full of narcotic gazpacho and her friend Candela (Mar�a Barranco), a ditzy beauty wanted by the police for associating with Shiite terrorists. Through it all, the indefatigable Pepa fights gallantly against her crushing heartbreak. As a testament to the resilient beauty of women, this free-spirited film rings true and is a treasure. Also appearing are Chus Lampreave, Kiti Manver, Yayo Calvo, and Guillermo Montesinos as the hilarious driver of the Mambo Taxi. (1 hr. 38 min.) Release date: Nov 3, 2009

The Storm Riders

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:24:23 -0000

This martial arts film--starring Ekin Cheng, Aaron Kwok, and Sonny Chiba (KILL BILL)--is based on the best-selling, long-running comic book series FUNG WAN--WIND AND CLOUD by artist Ma Wing-Shing. Dazzling special effects combine with high-flying kung fu action to create one of Hong Kong's biggest hit movies. (2 hrs. 8 min.) Release date: Sep 29, 2009

Pudor

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:24:22 -0000

Director-screenwriter Tristan Ulloa teams with co-director David Ulloa to adapt author Santiago Roncaglielo Alfaguare's novel about the tenderness of family relationships. Stuck in the throes of a mid-life crisis, middle-aged wife and mother Julia suddenly finds her woes compounded when her own mother dies and her marriage begins to fall apart. It seems that the troubles between Julia and her husband, Juan, are having a detrimental effect on the rest of the family as well. Their youngest child Sergio may have been adopted, yet the further that Julia and Juan drift apart, the further Sergio drifts into a fantasy world of make-believe. Sergio's older sister, Marisa, detests her younger brother almost as much as she detests her own body, and as puberty finally kicks in the young girl does her best to adapt to her sexual orientation. Of course no adult wants to depend on their children for support, but this is exactly what has happened in the case of Grandpa Salvador. In the evenings, when the family gathers around the dinner table, the atmosphere in the house grows increasingly dense with each passing day. Perhaps sometime soon one member of the family will summon the courage to address the issue. (1 hr. 53 min.) Release date: Nov 10, 2009

Abismos de Pasion

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:24:21 -0000

Of the many British TV adaptations of Emily Bronte's gothic romance WUTHERING HEIGHTS, only a handful were able to cover the entire novel by virtue of the miniseries format. The first of these was telecast in four 50-minute segments from October 28 to November 18, 1967. Angela Scoular and Ian McShane starred as the foolishly headstrong aristocrat Cathy and her rough-hewn gypsy sweetheart, Heathcliff. The next full-scale TV version of WUTHERING HEIGHTS would not appear until 1978. (1 hr. 31 min.) Release date: Oct 13, 2009

The Uninvited

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:24:20 -0000

No description available (2 hrs. 7 min.) Release date: Nov 23, 2009

Matador

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:24:19 -0000

This twisted, brave, funny film from Spanish director Pedro Almod�var takes an unflinching look at the link between sex, death, and religion. Antonio Banderas stars as �ngel, a sensitive student of matador Diego (Nacho Martinez), whose goring at the horns of a bull has left him obsessed with killing. In order to prove his manhood to Diego, the misguided �ngel tries to rape his model girlfriend (Eva Cobo), and when that fails, he confesses to a string of murders he didn't commit. Mar�a (Assumpta Serna), a mysterious, attractive lawyer, takes his case but winds up falling for Diego, revealing some dark secrets of her own. The pair begin a beautifully doomed romance as a police inspector (Eusebio Poncela) begins to fathom who the real killer, or killers, may be. This was the fifth film from the talented Almod�var, and it reveals a true genius at work in his use of symbolic color, structure, metaphor, and homage to Hitchcock and Welles. MATADOR is fast-moving, disturbing, erotic, and undeniably brilliant in a way most American audiences may not be prepared for but should certainly seek out. Almod�var regulars Carmen Maura, Julietta Serano, Chus Lampreave, and Ver�nica Forqu� costar. (1 hr. 47 min.) Release date: Nov 3, 2009

La Cicala

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:24:18 -0000

Complications arise after a young woman moves in with her mother and both of the women find themselves competing for the same man's attentions. Release date: Nov 23, 2009

The Black Pit of Dr. M

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:24:17 -0000

After his execution for murder, a mad doctor returns from the dead to menace his ex-colleague's daughter. Release date: Nov 23, 2009

Betty Blue

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:24:16 -0000

A shocking and offbeat story of two French lovers, Zorg (Jean-Hugues Anglade) and Betty (Beatrice Dalle), who fall into a deeply erotic and all-encompassing relationship. Zorg is a simple repairman in his mid-thirties who lives a relatively dull life in a remote, weathered shack until he meets Betty, a sexy, mercurial younger woman who challenges his way of thinking and forces him to change his life. When Betty and Zorg are not having wild and uninhibited sex (and joyously traipsing around naked), Zorg is writing his novel, an unpublished masterwork that Betty discovers and vehemently champions. Betty, prone to violent fits of passionate rage, attacks Zorg's boss and burns their shack down, leaving Zorg no choice but to join her on a series of spirited adventures. They move in with Betty's best friend and her boyfriend and for a brief time live a happy bohemian lifestyle, wild and crazy in love. But as the film progresses, Betty's mental illness becomes more apparent, she lives in a fitful manic world of passionate highs and lows while Zorg desperately attempts to coddle and comfort her. Finally, the lovers start over in a dreamy rural town, hoping to live a normal life, but Betty's fantasy world encroaches on her reality as she slowly spirals out of control in this intense story of love and lust, based on the novel by Philippe Djian. (1 hr. 55 min.) Release date: Nov 17, 2009

Wild Child

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:24:15 -0000

Nicholas Moore directs this tweeny bopper fish-out-of-water comedy starring Emma Roberts. Poppy (Roberts) is a spoiled Malibu brat, and the film opens with her wreaking havoc on her stepmother's moving-in day. Her father (Aidan Quinn) decides he's had it with her wild ways and promptly packs her off to an English boarding school. Poppy arrives at Abbey Mount with blond extensions, a designer wardrobe, and plenty of attitude, and she is furious when she is forced to follow the school's strict code of conduct. She is determined to find some way back to sunny Malibu. She soon befriends�her roommates, a loyal, fun-loving troop of girls, who agree to help her come up with a way to get kicked out of school. They devise a scheme for Poppy to get caught fooling around with the headmistress's (Natasha Richardson) son, Freddie (Alex Pettyfer), but things soon go awry when Poppy's rival Harrier (Georgia King) tries to step in and foil her plan. Poppy is forced to make some big changes, and decide what it is she truly wants.

Emma Roberts is perhaps best known as the niece of Julia, and her wide smile is indeed reminiscent of her superstar aunt's, as is her feisty charm and likeability. This film is loud, silly fun, and it manages to send forth some very positive messages without sucking all the joy out of being a teen. It does touch on sex and underage drinking, so it might not be for the lower tween set. But for the older crew--this one is sure to be a sleepover favorite. (1 hr. 38 min.) Release date: Nov 17, 2009

Law of Desire

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:24:14 -0000

This bold tale of passion's dire consequences is one of Spanish director Pedro Almod�var's most smoldering films. Antonio Banderas stars as Antonio Ben�tez, an obsessive fan of writer-director Pablo Quintero (Eusebio Poncela), a cocaine-snorting homosexual hedonist whose last boyfriend, Juan (Miguel Molina), has just moved out. Antonio and Pablo have a few passionate nights, but Antonio's obsessive love soon proves hard for the noncommittal Pablo to escape from. Meanwhile, Pablo's transsexual sister, Tina (Carmen Maura), has problems of her own, including a closet brimming with dark sexual skeletons and Ada (Manuela Velasco), her unofficially adopted daughter. Pablo writes a play for Tina to star in, but when Antonio stalks and murders Juan in a fit of jealousy, the police end up suspecting the character Tina performs in the play. Pablo winds up with amnesia after a car accident, and the troubles just get weirder from there. For American audiences unfamiliar with Almod�var's style, this film may prove a shocking experience, but his fans know that beneath their transgressive exteriors, his films throb with a palpable love of humanity, life, beauty, and art. This is a fine example of that art, with great music and memorable performances all around. (1 hr. 41 min.) Release date: Nov 3, 2009

X-Cross

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:24:13 -0000

BATTLE ROYALE II and YO-YO GIRL COP director Kenta Fukusaku returns to the helm with this gruesome, over-the-top shocker concerning a picturesque resort overrun by a village of murderous marauders, and a mysterious killer whose weapon of choice is a particularly large--and sharp--pair of scissors. Shiyori (Nao Matsushita) is enjoying a particularly refreshing getaway when she discovers a cell phone warning her to get out of paradise as quickly as possible. Now, as the bloodthirsty locals set out to take her apart piece by piece, the terrified vacationer begins to recall just how it was that she and best friend Aiko (Ami Suzuki) ended up in this dire predicament in the first place. Time for reflection begins to run short, however, when a formidable villain appears sporting a pair of shears that would make even Edward Scissorhands cower in fear. (1 hr. 30 min.) Release date: Oct 27, 2009

Afterwards

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:24:12 -0000

As helmed by Gilles Bourdos, this supernatural thriller continues John Malkovich's career-long tradition of playing offbeat, enigmatic figures with a menacing air. Romain Duris stars as Nathan Del Amico, an attorney doubly haunted by his past as the survivor of a childhood near-death experience and an adult witness to his own baby's death. As a product of these crises, Nathan has buried himself in his work and now suffers from a bad case of familial estrangement from his separated wife (Evangeline Lilly) and little girl. Then the mysterious Dr. Kay (Malkovich) turns up, claiming that he has clairvoyant visions informing him when someone is about to die--a gift as a "messenger" that enables him to make each person's transition out of life a smooth and easy one. Suddenly, upon hearing Kay's claims, Nathan feels his death-laden memories double in intensity and grows increasingly convinced that either he now stands on the verge of death, or that he has the same messenger abilities as Kay. (1 hr. 47 min.) Release date: Oct 27, 2009

Black Rain

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:24:11 -0000

On August 6, 1945, the atomic bombing of Hiroshima unleashed a radioactive black rain that fell on people who survived the initial blast. In the years that followed, many of the survivors lived in fear over whether they would die from the exposure. Director Shohei Imamura's BLACK RAIN depicts the consequences of this uncertainty in the lives of a young woman, Yasuko, and her uncle Shigematsu, who believe they have been spared. Normal life eludes them, as Shigematsu is unable to find a young man willing to marry Yasuko. Probably Imamura's quietest film, BLACK RAIN is based on the novels KUROI AME and YOHAI TAICHO, both by Masuji Ibuse. A masterpiece of hibakusha (A-bomb survivor) cinema, BLACK RAIN was shot in black and white, vividly capturing the wreckage of ravaged Hiroshima. The real horror, however, emerges in the deformation of the survivors' personal relationships, whose hopes are stripped one by one. Although the film was made more than four decades after the bombing, its relevance has not passed because many of the descendants of the survivors continue to wonder if they have inherited genetic damage from their parents. (2 hrs. 3 min.) Release date: Oct 20, 2009

The Moon in the Gutter

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:24:10 -0000

This haunting drama, set in a dismal harbor town, tells the story of a stevedore who is desperately trying to discover the identity of his sister's killer. (2 hrs. 6 min.) Release date: Oct 20, 2009

Lion's Den

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:24:09 -0000

Writer-director Pablo Trapero crafts this tender tale of an incarcerated woman who gives birth to a baby boy and struggles to raise her son behind bars as she comes to the bleak realization that he is the only one who matters to her anymore. It all started when a pregnant Julia woke up in her apartment flanked by the bloodied bodies of her former lovers Nahuel and Romiro. Subsequently sent to a prison for mothers and pregnant convicts, Julia railed against the system by withdrawing into her own world. Upon giving birth, Julia realizes just how difficult it could be to raise a son in prison, but each day her feelings for the boy swell stronger within her. Later, when Julia pays a visit to Romiro in the men's prison, it becomes obvious that the couple's feelings for one another are just as muddled as the events of that fateful night back in Julia's apartment. (1 hr. 53 min.) Release date: Dec 8, 2009

Somers Town

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:24:08 -0000

Shane Meadows takes a break from gritty fare such as THIS IS ENGLAND to direct this fun, sweet comedy. Thomas Turgoose (the star of THIS IS ENGLAND) takes on the role of Tomo, a runaway teen who finds himself in London with no place to stay. But soon he finds a friend in a Polish boy named Marek (Piotr Jagiello), and he lets Tomo live with him, without his father's permission. Shot in black and white in a naturalistic style, SOMERS TOWN played to acclaim at festivals including Edinburgh and Tribeca. (1 hr. 10 min.) Release date: Dec 8, 2009

Les Les pieds dans le vide

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:24:07 -0000

No description available (105 hr.) Release date: Dec 8, 2009

A Christmas Tale

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:24:06 -0000

For some, Christmas means the joy of spending time with loved ones. But not for the Vuillard family in Arnaud Desplechin's blackly comic A CHRISTMAS TALE. Instead of egg nog, bile and venom flow at the family get-together when estranged son Henri (Mathieu Amalric, QUANTUM OF SOLACE) returns. His mother, Junon (French legend Catherine Deneuve), has cancer, and Henri may be the bone marrow donor match that could save her life. Oldest daughter Elizabeth (Anne Consigny, THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY) is equally unhappy to see her brother; he has been an emotional and financial drain on the family, and she had him legally banished from the family six years ago. But with his return, old wounds are freshly opened as the entire family gathers together for what could be their last holiday.

Director Desplechin's previous film KING AND QUEENS established his ability to seamlessly meld drama and comedy, and A CHRISTMAS TALE continues that tradition. This French film easily moves the audience between laughter, gasps, and tears. The behavior of the Vuillard famille is atrocious at times, and it goes beyond just the awful--and sometimes awfully funny--things they say to one another. But Desplechin has no trouble acheiving the right tone in these moments, and his postmodern style of filmmaking (with elements such as the actors addressing the camera) is perfectly suited to the material. His ensemble cast includes Jean-Paul Roussillon, Denueve's real-life daughter Chiara Mastroianni, and Melvil Poupaud, and though each does a fantastic job, it's the bitter and hilarious interplay between Amalric's Henri and Deneuve's Junon that carries the film. It's not destined to be a feel-good holiday classic � la IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, but A CHRISTMAS TALE may prove a perfect prescription for when viewers' families get to be a little too much. (2 hrs. 32 min.) Release date: Dec 1, 2009

Far Cry

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:24:05 -0000

A hardened seaman and a dogged reporter become trapped on an island with a mysterious scientist, a ruthless band of mercenaries, and a vicious pack of unidentifiable creatures in BLOODRAYNE director Uwe Boll's seventh video-game-to-screen adaptation. A team of mercenaries has been attacked on a remote island in the Pacific Northwest, and as mysterious reports begin to emerge from the chaos, a veteran Seattle newspaper editor sends top reporters Tom Moore and Valerie Constantine to the scene in hopes of getting the scoop on the story. Shortly after arriving on the island under the guidance of ship captain Jack Carver (Til Schweiger), the trio is attacked by mercenary commander Maria Sanchez. Though Tom is killed, Valerie and Jack manage to stage a daring escape and quickly begin to bicker over their plan as Maria's murderous soldiers fast begin gaining ground. Despite Captain Jack's plan to locate his friend Emilio and get off of the island as quickly as possible, reporter Valerie remains determined to investigate the strange situation and get as many details as possible for her upcoming story. Later, when Jack, Valerie, and Emilio are captured and taken to the secret lab of genius scientist Dr. Krieger, Valerie is extended an invitation to join the doctor in announcing his latest findings to the world. Though it finally seems as if Valerie has gotten just the scoop needed to make her story, the situation quickly turns chaotic when one of Dr. Kreiger's creatures escapes from the lab and sets out on a murderous rampage. (1 hr. 34 min.) Release date: Nov 24, 2009

All Tomorrow s Parties

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:24:04 -0000

Compiled from footage shot by over 200 filmmakers, fans, and musicians who attended the All Tomorrow's Parties festivals in recent years, this documentary offers a patchwork glimpse at the cult music festival. Footage from Super8 cameras, handheld video cameras, and cell phones combine to create a bricolage, DIY look at the history of the festival that has hosted such acts as Shellac, Portishead, and Glass Candy. (1 hr. 22 min.) Release date: Nov 24, 2009

The Rebirth

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:24:03 -0000

The mother of a killer forms a close bond with the father of her child's murdered classmate in director Masahiro Kobayashi's emotionally muted drama. A Tokyo schoolgirl has stabbed one of her classmates to death. As the police question the killer's mother, Noriko (Makiko Watanabe), and the victim's father, Junichi (Kobayashi), each just want to put the incident behind them by relocating and moving as far away from the source of their pain as possible. Widower Junichi eventually moves to Hokkaido, where he begins working manual labor at a factory and living in the nearby dorms. Noriko, too, has decided to move to Hokkaido, and it's there that the struggling single mother begins cooking and cleaning in the same dorms where Junichi currently resides. Later, Junichi purchases a pair of cell phones and leaves one for the disapproving Noriko. Though she initially rejects the gift, Noriko gradually begins to realize just how much Junichi means to her and soon attempts to repay the grieving father's kindness. (1 hr. 42 min.) Release date: Nov 24, 2009

Gomorrah

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:24:02 -0000

Matteo Garrone's GOMORRAH is a dense, sprawling expos� of the corruption plaguing the communities of Naples and Caserta in modern-day Italy. The all-powerful Camorra syndicate influences the lives of even the most innocent citizens. In a manner similar to THE WIRE, Garrone tells his story from many different angles, resulting in a complicated narrative that often feels novelistic. In many cases, the revolving stories never overlap or intersect. While that may be jarring to those viewers who are used to having their strings tied neatly for them by a film's conclusion, Garrone's decision results in an experience that feels much more honest and true. We witness the syndicate's impact from the top down and from the inside out, following a cavalcade of characters who are all trying in their own ways to escape the deadly world in which they live.

Based on the book by Roberto Saviano, Garrone's crime epic is a powerful indictment of the corruption that is running rampant in Italy. His decision to present such a wide spectrum of characters enables him to show just how deeply everyone is impacted by this terrifying, unchecked display of criminal power. Cinematically, he employs a dizzying array of styles in order to further establish the frighteningly ungoverned atmosphere that pervades this community. GOMORRAH succeeds as both visceral entertainment and thoughtful social commentary. (2 hrs. 17 min.) Release date: Nov 24, 2009

Ji Quan Bu Ning

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:24:01 -0000

Chinese filmmaker Chen Daming's ensemble comedy drama ONE FOOT OFF THE GROUND opens with the plight of a celebrated opera company buckling under the weight of financial difficulties. When the troupe collapses for good, Daming cross-cuts between the lives of the laid-off performers, each of whom desperately attempts to pull in extra income with a "substitute job": one sells phony pure-bred dogs; another becomes implicated in questionable, underhanded business practices; a third shoots professional photographs for a living. Meanwhile, the dream of the opera company's reestablishment and reemergence lingers in all of their hearts. When a con artist turns up with the funds necessary to reestablish the ensemble, his cruel manipulation and willingness to quickly build up the hopes of everyone in the company throws the performers into a state of unbridled confusion, agony, and despair. (1 hr. 46 min.) Release date: Nov 24, 2009

On His Majesty s Secret Service

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:24:00 -0000

No description available (1 hr. 40 min.) Release date: Nov 24, 2009

Franklyn

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:23:59 -0000

Writer-director Gerald McMorrow makes his feature debut with this ambitious psychological sci-fi drama set between contemporary London and the dystopic Meanwhile City, where the separation between church and state has been obliterated to make way for a religion-dominated society. As atheist vigilante Jonathan Preest (Ryan Phillippe) prepares to seek revenge against Meanwhile City's powerful leader, privileged artist Emilia (Eva Green) finds her cynicism and depression accelerated by the difficult relationship she shares with her mother. Meanwhile, sensitive Milo (Sam Riley) attempts to recover from a recent heartache, just as deeply religious Peter (Bernard Hill) arrives in London to search for his missing son, a haunted Gulf War veteran. As the narrative shifts between the real and imaginary worlds, McMorrow explores the complex relationships between fantasy, faith, and love. (1 hr. 35 min.) Release date: Nov 17, 2009

How to Be

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:23:58 -0000

At first fancying himself an "enigmatic poet," twentysomething Art gradually realizes that he must take action if he's going to escape his depressed life as a struggling musician in London. A solution comes in the shape of a book titled "It's Not Your Fault." Not content to just draw inspiration from its pages, however, Art invites the elderly author of the book to come live with him and his parents, which quickly becomes a painfully funny journey about dysfunction and growing up. (86 min.) Release date: Nov 17, 2009

Is Anybody There?

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:23:57 -0000

Growing up and growing old never played so poignantly as it does in John Crowley�s IS ANYBODY THERE? The film grapples with the sad truths of getting older and losing loved ones, all the while maintaining a sardonic wit and sincere warmth. Coming of age in a family-run rest home, the reclusive, death-obsessed Edward (Bill Milner, SON OF RAMBOW) wiles away his days tormenting his parents� elderly residents and secretly tape-recording them in search of answers about the afterlife. Edward finds a kindred spirit in Clarence (Michael Caine), the curmudgeonly, retired magician who begrudgingly takes up residence at the guest home. The two strike up an unlikely friendship that helps Clarence come to terms with losing his wife, and Edward finds a way out of his shell.

Milner holds his own alongside veteran Caine with a biting yet charming performance. Anne-Marie Duff (NOTES ON A SCANDAL) and David Morrissey (BASIC INSTINCT 2) offer up moving support as Edward�s working-class parents, who struggle to hold onto their marriage while making ends meet. The colorful cast of senior citizens, which includes seasoned actors Rosemary Harris (Aunt May from the SPIDERMAN films) and Karl Johnson (HOT FUZZ, ROME), provides some of the film's most melancholy and comic moments. Along with stellar performances from the impressive ensemble, IS ANYBODY THERE? is well-scripted and beautifully shot. Though it deals with some of life�s toughest moments, this is a film that is sure to appeal to audiences of all ages. (1 hr. 32 min.) Release date: Nov 17, 2009

The Limits of Control

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:23:56 -0000

In spite of the title, THE LIMITS OF CONTROL constantly reveals the controlling hand of its creator, the indie icon Jim Jarmusch. The film follows Jarmusch regular Isaach de Bankole as he ambles through various parts of Spain on an ambiguous criminal mission. Credited as the "Lone Man," de Bankole encounters a series of oddly disguised accomplices and absorbs their one-sided philosophical musings, all the while piecing together the nature of his assignment. This narrative sounds more compelling in summary than it is on screen, but if you are seeing a Jarmusch picture in hopes of a scintillating story, then you are as confused as the characters from his more memorable films. The sole disappointment of this film is that, despite the overwhelming strangeness of the action (or lack thereof), none of the characters display any confusion or uncertainty, as they assuredly assess the events and still find time to practice tai chi and pontificate about music, film, science, and painting. The film is rigorously structured: each encounter invokes a definitive theme that clicks firmly into place by the conclusion. The individual scenes are entirely enjoyable, as a white-blond Tilda Swinton discusses Welles and Hitchcock, and John Hurt rasps about the depiction of Spanish bohemians in art and literature. Despite Jarmusch�s domineering presence, it is the brilliant work of his collaborators, particularly cinematographer Christopher Doyle and editor Jay Rabinowitz, that shimmers in the memory of the viewer after the final shot. Doyle makes every line, curve, and diagonal in his frames vibrate with hints of radiant significance, and his ethereal images of the Almerian landscape often draw our attention from the artificial metaphysical dialogue. Jarmusch fans will be delighted by this perplexing metaphor of a film, which aims to symbolize and summarize the whole of existence through its myriad parts. (1 hr. 56 min.) Release date: Nov 17, 2009

Food Beware: The French Organic Revolution

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:23:55 -0000

Documentary filmmaker Jean-Paul Jaud sets out to discover if contemporary society can create a food supply that isn't littered with contaminants by exploring the current trend of organic, localized food production in France. The current generation is the very first in history that will grow up less healthy than the one that preceded it. Cancer and infertility rates are skyrocketing. Could it have something to do with our tainted food supplies? By paying a visit to a remote French village where the lunch menu is comprised entirely of organic, locally grown foods, Jaud highlights the ways in which some communities are shunning food industry giants to go back to the basics. A wide variety of interviews with everyone from researchers to schoolchildren reveal the deep flaws that exist within the food industry and raise though-provoking questions about what can be done to correct them. (1 hr. 52 min.) Release date: Nov 17, 2009

Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:23:54 -0000

EVANGELION 1.0: YOU ARE (NOT) ALONE is the first installment in a film series known as the Rebuild of Evangelion that reinterprets the story first told in the critically acclaimed anime series NEON GENESIS EVANGELION. Covering the material from the first six episodes of the series, this film sets the stage when 14-year-old Shinji Ikari arrives in Tokyo-3. His mother dead and his father painfully distant, Shinji is lonely, quiet, and wracked with torturous self-doubt. But Shinji's arrival in the city signifies his chance to prove himself as one of three teenagers chosen to pilot a series of technologically unprecedented robots called Evas, mysterious hybrids of man, spirit, and machine created to fight the unrelenting monsters known as Angels that continue to attack Earth, one at a time. Thrown into battle before he's had so much as a day of training, Shinji's desperate need for his father's approval isn't helped by the pressure of the world's survival on his shoulders, or the difficult time he has living amongst the other pilots, who very strangely, have suffered the same losses that he has. EVANGELION 1.0: YOU ARE (NOT) ALONE directly follows the plot of the original series in some ways, but drastically diverges in others, focusing even more on the cryptic and symbolic nature of the story's religious themes. (1 hr. 35 min.) Release date: Nov 17, 2009

My Effortless Brilliance

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:23:53 -0000

Improvisation lends authenticity to this indie comedy from director Lynn Shelton. Harvey Danger frontman Sean Nelson stars as Eric Lambert Jones, a writer who has become so wrapped up in his own success that he has neglected his longtime friendship with Dylan. To make amends, the citified novelist travels to Washington state to visit his friend, where he is hilariously out of his element. (1 hr. 19 min.) Release date: Nov 17, 2009

Three Strange Loves

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:23:52 -0000

In 1946, nervous ballet dancer Rut and her husband Bertil are returning to Sweden from his scholarship tour around Italy. In a Basle hotel room and on a train they quarrel, give food through the window to starving Germans, overhear wisdoms about marriage by Swedish clergymen returning from a conference, and finally make up. In flashbacks, Rut reminisces her romance with middle-aged officer Raoul, her subsequent abortion, and her ballet career. In a seemingly separate episode set in quiet Stockholm during Midsummer, middle-aged widow Viola is harassed first by a psychiatrist, Dr. Rosengren, and then by a lesbian old school-friend Valborg, with tragic consequences. Release date: Nov 17, 2009

American Venus

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:23:51 -0000

A competitive figure skater with Olympic aspirations turns her back on the sport by escaping to Canada in director Bruce Sweeney's border-hopping family drama. Celia (Rebecca De Mornay) is an uncompromising coach determined to push her daughter, Jenna (Jane McGregor), towards an Olympic gold metal. After Jenna's routine in the national figure-skating finals proves less than stellar, the dejected young girl decides to escape her demanding mother by fleeing to Vancouver. Though Jenna's father is diligent in keeping his daughter's current location a secret from the fierce Celia, the gun-toting mother's determination ultimately proves too powerful to deny and she is soon off to collect her daughter. Upon attempting to cross the border, Celia begins to get a taste of just how different life in Canada is when the border guards take possession of her registered firearm. It seems that Jenna, too, has grown weary of living in a land where aggression does not stand, leaving both mother and daughter adrift in some strange land that neither can truly call home. (1 hr. 21 min.) Release date: Nov 17, 2009

Luxury Car

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:23:50 -0000

A father searching for his long-lost son in central China discovers that his daughter's glamorous lifestyle masks a dark secret that may provide clues to her elusive brother's whereabouts in this director Wang Chow's subdued tale of broken dreams and pensive yearning. Yan Hong (Tian Yuan) is a pretty girl from rural China who has set out to seek her fortune in the bustling streets of Wuhan. When her father, Li Qiming (Wu Youcai), arrives with word that his wife is suffering from uterine cancer and would like to see her son Xueqin once more before she dies, Yan Hong agrees to put him up in an apartment she shares with local prostitute A Li (Li Li). Though her hectic schedule will not permit Yan Hong to assist her father in his search for Xueqin, the schoolteacher eventually receives help from an ageing cop (Li Yiqing) who is in the waning days of a long career on the force. When Li discovers that Yan Hong is currently working as an escort at a local karaoke club, the impact of the saddening revelation is soon offset by the arrival of news that his son may now be residing in Shenzhen. Though Yan Hong's criminal boss, He (Huang He), gracefully poses as her boyfriend in a bid to pay proper respect to the girl's soft-spoken father, another local gangster (Wang Guoqiang) isn't so pleased that someone has come looking for Xueqin, and soon sets into motion a plan to ensure that the unsuspecting Li not live long enough to learn of his son's decidedly grim fate. (1 hr. 30 min.) Release date: Nov 17, 2009

Lake Tahoe

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:23:49 -0000

Former music-video director Fernando Eimbcke continues to hone his feature-film career with this drama concerning a 14-year-old boy who makes the transition from childhood to adulthood while attempting to repair an irreplaceable gift. The final gift that Juan ever received from his father was a car. Now Juan has crashed that car, and he's determined to get it in working order again. As Juan searches the city for car parts, he gradually begins to realize that the decisions he makes over the course of this one day could profoundly affect him for the rest of his life. (1 hr. 29 min.) Release date: Nov 10, 2009

A Woman in Berlin

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:23:48 -0000

AIMEE & JAGUAR�s Max Faerberboeck directs this gripping drama set in the days after Russia�s invasion of Berlin in 1945. Anonyma (Nina Hoss, YELLA) is surrounded by women, children, and men too weak or old to fight in the war, and there is no one to defend her from the ravenous appetites of the invading army. After she and many of the women around her are raped, Anonyma picks Russian soldier Andrej (Evgeny Sidikhin) to be her protector, and they come to a compromise: if she has sex with him, he will keep her from his fellow men. Anonyma and Andrej embark on a strange relationship, and despite the appearance of affection, there is never any doubt of their positions in the world and the war. Based on an international bestseller, A WOMAN IN BERLIN also stars Irm Hermann, Rudiger Vogler, and Juliane Koehler. (2 hrs. 11 min.) Release date: Nov 10, 2009

Bajo la sal

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:23:47 -0000

No description available (1 hr. 50 min.) Release date: Nov 10, 2009

The Divine Weapon

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:23:46 -0000

South Korean-born filmmaker Yu-Jin Kim (A PROMISE) takes the helm for this epic, historical war-drama detailing the invention of the first multi-launch rocket system. Created during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), the revolutionary weapons system forever changed the face of combat by allowing armies to rain destruction down on their enemies with unprecedented ferocity. A century after the Sino-Korean conflict, China has grown increasingly hostile in its efforts to reign in the affairs of its small tributary state. As a result, Joseon King Sejong (Ahn Seong-gi) strives to protect his country's autonomy by allocating secret funding for the development of a highly sophisticated weapon. This responsibility is bestowed upon sleazy merchant Seol-ju (Jeong Jae-yeong), the son of a gunpowder-maker from the fallen Goryeo Kingdom (918-1392). Not only does the merchant's lowly status make him the ideal candidate to head up such a top-secret project, but his knowledge of explosives provides him with the knowledge to create a weapon that's capable of flying up to two kilometers and creating a crater up to 30 centimeters deep. When the Chinese government becomes suspicious and the original weapons designer takes his own life, his young daughter, Hong-ri (Han Eung-jeong), is faced with the task of guarding a volatile national secret. (2 hrs. 14 min.) Release date: Nov 10, 2009

The Lemon Tree

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:23:45 -0000

The conflict between Israel and Palestine is filtered through a deeply personal tale in this impressive feature from writer/director Eran Riklis. Salma Zidane (Hiam Abbass) is a lonely Palestinian widow who runs a beautiful lemon grove. But she faces trouble when the Israeli defense minister, Israel Navon (Doron Tavory), moves into her neighborhood, and his secret service agents request the destruction of the grove. The agents believe that terrorists could easily hide out in the trees and threaten the minister, so there is a court case to remove the trees. Devastated by the potential loss, Zidane hires a lawyer and takes the case to the Supreme Court, while Navon�s wife, Mira (Rona Lipaz-Michael), complicates matters by feeling sympathy for her new neighbor's plight.

Riklis�s movie is downbeat and thoughtful and provides a satisfying follow-up to his acclaimed 2004 feature, THE SYRIAN BRIDE. At the heart of the picture are two isolated women, Zidane and the minister�s wife, who feel drawn to one another despite the vast difference in their circumstances. Although the two characters barely share any scenes, Riklis deftly illustrates how they are both in opposition to the values held by Navon and his administration. The lemon grove is cleverly employed as a device that represents the vast chasm between Israel and Palestine, and the film carefully includes a broad range of characters, including the lecherous minister, some oafish soldiers, and the sad-eyed Zidane. The movie is beautifully shot, although Riklis carefully avoids turning it into a feel-good feature, instead using THE LEMON TREE as a parable that examines the stark contrasts on the West Bank in the early part of the 21st century. (1 hr. 46 min.) Release date: Nov 3, 2009

Dark Mirror

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:23:44 -0000

A photographer moves her family into a strange old house, where she discovers an alternate reality reflected in the glass... A dark reality that is closing in on her. (1 hr. 26 min.) Release date: Nov 3, 2009

24 cuadros de terror

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:23:43 -0000

No description available (1 hr. 30 min.) Release date: Nov 3, 2009

Passchendaele

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:23:42 -0000

Inspired by the stories once passed down to him by his grandfather, writer-director Paul Gross explores a defining period of Canadian history in this epic war drama concerning the Battle of Passchendaele. (1 hr. 54 min.) Release date: Nov 3, 2009

Sauna

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:23:41 -0000

JADE WARRIOR director Antti-Jussi Annila crafts this transcendentalist shocker set in 1595 and following two brothers as they descend into a world where there is no such thing as salvation. Protestant Sweden and Orthodox Russia have just reached an uneasy truce. In the wake of their fighting, Finland has become a wasteland. Conquered Finnish brothers Knut and Erik are polar opposites: one is a hardened warrior whose mind has been twisted by the horrors of war, the other is a gentle scientist with no use for fighting. Both have been assigned the task of denoting the new border between Finland and Russia, though they're about to commit a sin that will haunt them both for the rest of their days. After leaving a young girl to die an excruciating death, Knut and Erik forge ahead into an uncharted swamp, eventually reaching an unmapped town where their mere presence awakens a force of unspeakable evil. The girl has returned to haunt them, a horror that both brothers attempt to escape by washing away their sins in a mysterious sauna. But this sauna holds a terrifying secret, and in this godforsaken land there is no mercy for men who would permit such atrocities to be committed against a mere innocent. (1 hr. 23 min.) Release date: Oct 27, 2009

Il Divo

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:23:40 -0000

Director Paolo Sorrentino's audacious and inventive biopic of Italian parliamentarian (and "Senator for Life") Giulio Andreotti doesn't make the Byzantine world of modern Italian politics any less confusing (non-Italian viewers may want to brush up on the topic beforehand), but the film illuminates, in great emotional detail, important events surrounding an early-1990s investigation in which the perpetual statesman was accused of having Mafia ties. The case was appealed and overturned several times, and Andreotti never served prison time, but it effectively marked the end of his centrist Christian Democratic party and forever changed the age-old relationship between the Mafia and the Italian government.

Sorrentino's fanciful use of titles, quick edits, multiple-perspective flashbacks, slow motion, extreme close-ups, and sublime musical accents--as well as star Toni Servillo's brilliantly stylized acting--convert this airless and sinister piece of world history into a dynamic tale of moral ambiguity and seemingly invulnerable political power. Servillo plays Andreotti as an arrogant, deadpan Puck--an Italian Richard Nixon replete with easily mimicable physical tics and the conviction of his own rightness. In the film's most memorable scene, Servillo allows his ironic veneer to crack just once, in a molten monologue where, spit flying, he justifies "perpetrating evil to guarantee good." Another chilling sequence intercuts a crucial Mafia hit with shots of a particularly tense and triumphant horse race, while a punky blues number roars in the background. Sorrentino's controlled and masterly storytelling won the 2008 Prix du Jury at Cannes. (1 hr. 57 min.) Release date: Oct 27, 2009

Death In This Garden

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:23:39 -0000

A wandering adventurer comes across an Amazonian village just as a riot is breaking out over the government's nationalization of the diamond mines. Escaping in a boat with an old prospector, his deaf-mute daughter and a French prostitute, the man and his new cohorts journey into the jungle where primordial forces bring out their true natures. (2 hrs. 25 min.) Release date: Oct 27, 2009

Fear(s) of the Dark

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:23:38 -0000

As a storyteller, H.P. Lovecraft might have felt a tad shortchanged by this film's relative lack of tentacled beasts. As a literary critic, he would've delighted in the superficially stark, effectively visceral topography of FEAR(S) OF THE DARK, an animated French-language film that extends into modern media the exact anatomical lines of latent anxiety that were drawn by the supernatural-minded painters of the 19th century and burbled in the physiology known by Edgar Allan Poe. In a feat all the more remarkable by virtue of the fact that the movie is a collaborative showcase of six different drawing and animation styles, provocative in their very mutations, FEAR(S) manages to escape the seemingly inherent horror-anthology fate of adding up to an uneven tone. Rather than a campfire patchwork, it's an omnibus of inexplicable internal unease, a mounting abstract dread that resides in a collective temporal memory-mist and culminates in an extended passage of Kafkaesque isolation. Think of it as the history of fear.

Since FEAR(S)'s six contributing visual artists come from backgrounds in illustration and graphic design and were largely new to animation when they joined the project, the film lends itself to a sort of cross-media artistic appropriation, namely the retaining of the techniques of still visuals so that those techniques might take on new artistic functions and philosophies when put into motion. In one 3-D tale of insects and the strangeness of sexual encounters, comic-book crosshatchings (meant to convey, when drawn on the page, a single instance of light refraction) oftentimes remain fixed to single spots on characters' faces even as the figures move with subtle elasticity through cartoonist George Burns's bright, alienating world of thick outlines and unnaturally limited space, effectively echoing a theme of grim stagnancy. (1 hr. 20 min.) Release date: Oct 27, 2009

Cheri

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:23:37 -0000

Stephen Frears, director of THE QUEEN and HIGH FIDELITY, continues to demonstrate his genre-defying talent with this adaptation of a Colette novel. Set in Paris in the years before World War I, CHERI paints a picture of the romance between young Ch�ri (Rupert Friend) and retired courtesan L�a (Michelle Pfeiffer). Ch�ri's mother (Kathy Bates), a rival of L�a, plots to separate the pair by arranging a marriage between her son and Edm�e (Felicity Jones). Screenwriter Christopher Hampton previously collaborated with the director on DANGEROUS LIAISONS. (1 hr. 40 min.) Release date: Oct 20, 2009

Tricheuse

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:23:36 -0000

No description available (1 hr. 35 min.) Release date: Oct 20, 2009

Chef s Special

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:23:35 -0000

A distinguished and openly gay chef from Madrid is forced to reevaluate his own morals and values when the children from his former marriage suddenly come knocking and a handsome ex-football player from Argentina moves in next door. Maxi owns one of the most popular restaurants in the gay-friendly neighborhood of Chueca. But while Maxi is currently out of the closet, that doesn't mean that he doesn't have anything to hide. Years ago, Maxi fathered several children while involved in a sham marriage. Now Maxi's children want to get better acquainted with their long-lost father, but in order to truly connect with his kids, Maxi will first have to come clean about his new lifestyle. (1 hr. 51 min.) Release date: Oct 20, 2009

Casi Divas

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:23:34 -0000

Mexican director Issa Lopez's show-business-themed comedy-drama CASI DIVAS (ROAD TO FAME) follows the adventures of four aspiring actresses clamoring for a coveted part in a hotshot producer's new movie. The producer in question launches a national talent search to find his dream actress, which pits the quartet of hopefuls in a spate of intense competition against one another--despite the rumor that the producer's girlfriend will land the part by default. (1 hr. 47 min.) Release date: Oct 20, 2009

Dead Snow

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:23:33 -0000

Depending on the audience, the sub-sub-genre of the Nazi zombie movie could sound like the best or worst of cinematic offerings. But DEAD SNOW received rave reviews from audiences at Sundance, promising that this Norwegian horror comedy will be a favorite for genre fans. In the film, a group of friends think they�re in for a trip filled with skiing, drinking, and hooking up, but a defrosting band of Nazi zombies have something else in store for the vacationers. (1 hr. 31 min.) Release date: Oct 20, 2009

Fados

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:23:32 -0000

With FLAMENCO in 1995 and TANGO in 1998, director Carlos Saura painted pictures of two essential world-music styles. Now with FADOS, the filmmaker finishes his trilogy. This musical chronicles the Portuguese genre from its beginnings in the music of Africa and Brazil to its contemporary artists. FADOS features the talents of Mariza and Caman�, and also boasts appearances from the rapping faudistas, including NBC, SP, and Wilson. (1 hr. 28 min.) Release date: Oct 20, 2009

Samurai

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:23:31 -0000

Young Miyamoto (Mifune) dreams of becoming a heroic warrior in the midst of battle. When civil war grips the land, however, he finds himself becoming fighting on the wrong side and is forced to become a fugitive. Later, when he meets a caring woman and a priest who puts him on the path of the samurai, Miyamoto begins to turn his life around. Academy Award (Honorary): Best Foreign Language Film first released in the United States during 1955. (1 hr. 32 min.) Release date: Oct 20, 2009

Adoration

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:23:30 -0000

Canadian filmmaker Atom Egoyan has spent most of his career exploring themes of identity and perception, and he returns to this territory again in ADORATION. Simon (Devon Bostick) is a bright high-school student who lives with his uncle, Tom (Scott Speedman), following the death of his parents, Rachel (Rachel Blanchard) and Sami (Noam Jenkins). When Simon visits Rachel�s dying father, he learns that Sami may have killed himself and Rachel by deliberately crashing their car. In Simon�s high school, his French and drama teacher, Sabine (Arsinee Khanjian), reads a story about a terrorist who tried to blow up an airplane by planting a bomb in his girlfriend�s luggage. Simon claims the story is about his parents, telling the whole school that his father placed a bomb that failed to detonate in his mother�s carry-on. Sabine suddenly becomes close to Simon, while debate about his father�s actions lights up the school, with Egoyan carefully steering his film in several unexpected directions.

Egoyan is a master storyteller who knows exactly how to subtly manipulate the timeline of ADORATION to keep his audience on their toes. The truth behind the death of Simon�s parents slowly unravels as the film progresses, and the juxtaposition in values between Simon and Tom is thoroughly examined. Egoyan cleverly uses Simon�s obsession with Internet chatrooms to give insight into the escalation of interest in his false declaration about his parents� past, but he is always painted as a sympathetic character whose fantasy life has toppled over into reality as he struggles to come to terms with a terrible tragedy. Bostick�s performance as Simon is exceptional and thoroughly convincing, and pushes ADORATION toward the heady heights of Egoyan�s best work in EXOTICA (1994) and THE SWEET HEREAFTER (1997). (1 hr. 40 min.) Release date: Oct 13, 2009

Bad Habits

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:23:29 -0000

In this Spanish-language drama, a family is beset by numerous eating disorders but its members still encounter a variety of life's flavors. (1 hr. 43 min.) Release date: Oct 13, 2009

Love of Siam

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:23:28 -0000

Two young men go from friends to lovers as one stands on the verge of stardom in this drama from Thailand. Mew and Tong were best friends as children, and Tong's sister Tang was a close confidant to them both. Years later, Mew (Witwisit Hiranyawongkul) has become a professional musician, and he's the lead singer and songwriter with a pop group, August, who are poised to achieve major commercial success. One day, Mew happens to meet Tong (Mario Maurer) for the first time in years, and the two waste no time getting reacquainted; while both of them have girlfriends, it becomes clear that there's a bond between them that they've never felt with other people, and their friendship begins to grow into something deeper. Meanwhile, Tong's family is still reeling from Tang's mysterious disappearance several years before, and her father, Korn (Songsit Roongnophakunsri), has become a hopeless alcoholic. When Tong meets June (Chermarn Boonyasak), a personal assistant for August, he's struck by her uncanny resemblance to Tang, and asks her to pose as his sister in hopes her presence will help his father snap out of his depression. RAK HANG SIAM (aka THE LOVE OF SIAM) was written and directed by Matthew Chookiat Sakveerakul, who also had a hand in writing the songs for the film. (2 hr. 11 min.) Release date: Oct 13, 2009

Empties

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:23:27 -0000

The long-anticipated seriocomedy EMPTIES constitutes director Jan Sverak's third installment in his trilogy on aging that commenced with THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (1991) and continued with the beloved KOLYA (1996). The filmmaker's father, Zdenak Sverak, stars as Josef Tkaloun, a curmudgeonly middle-aged lit teacher who grows exhausted from instructing his demanding, occasionally obnoxious students and opts to take a hike into early retirement. Though his wife Eliska (Daniela Kolarova)--to whom he has repeatedly been unfaithful--continues to tolerate his insensitivity, Josef quickly recognizes his own need for a daily grind, and thus heads into a series of random occupations, including bike messenger and bottle retriever in a grocery store. The latter proves particularly colorful, introducing Josef to a host of eccentric and occasionally funny co-workers. Meanwhile, Josef makes feeble attempts to set his hyper-devout daughter (Tatiana Vilhelmova) up with a crass former coworker (Jiri Machacek), and lapses into lusty fantasies about the headmistress of his former school (Nela Boudova), endangering his marriage in the process. At the time of its release, this film reportedly netted a greater profit than any movie in Czech history. (1 hr. 40 min.) Release date: Oct 6, 2009

Chinese Odyssey 2002

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:23:26 -0000

CHINESE ODYSSEY 2002, produced by Wong Kar-Wai, is writer-director Jeff Lau's energetic parody of Chinese kung fu epics, with a bit of Shakespeare thrown in. Chang Chen (CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON) plays the Emperor, who, desperate for the free-spirited life of a wanderer, tries to escape from the royal palace with his sister, the Princess (Faye Wong, little seen since starring in Wong's CHUNGKING EXPRESS). He's caught and returned to his angry mother by the royal guards, but the Princess, disguised as a man, manages to escape. Meanwhile, King Bully (Tony Leung, who also starred in CHUNGKING EXPRESS) has returned to his hometown, where he is widely despised for his bullying ways, to run a restaurant with his tomboy sister, Phoenix (Vicki Zhao of SHAOLIN SOCCER). They have a very close relationship. In fact, King Bully mistakenly believes that he can read his sister's mind. When the Princess arrives in town, King Bully finds himself drawn to her, but, believing she's a man, decides that his attraction is some kind of empathy with Phoenix. King Bully and the Princess spend a night eating and drinking together. In the morning, the Princess leaves. King Bully, determined that the Princess will marry Phoenix, vows to bring the charismatic young "man" back. She does return, but soon realizes that the royal guards are following her. Meanwhile, the Emperor convinces his mother to let him leave the palace to go look for the Princess. By the time he gets to town, the Princess has been carted off by the royal guards, with King Bully in hot pursuit. He's immediately attracted to Phoenix. More confusion ensues. CHINESE ODYSSEY 2002 had its U.S. premiere at the 2003 Tribeca Film Festival. The film was awarded Best Film, and Faye Wong Best Actress, by the Hong Kong Film Critics Society. (1 hr. 45 min.) Release date: Oct 6, 2009

See You After School

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:23:25 -0000

South Korean writer-director Seok-hoon Lee tips his hat to the 1980s classic THREE O�CLOCK HIGH with his teen comedy SEE YOU AFTER SCHOOL. Lifelong loser Goong-dahl (Tae-gyu Bong) is determined to start his high-school experience on the right foot. But when he tangles with resident bully Jae-koo (Seok-jin Ha) on the very first day of class, Goong-dahl is challenged to an afterschool showdown that he is determined to avoid at any cost. (1 hr. 43 min.) Release date: Oct 6, 2009

Princess

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:23:24 -0000

THEATRICAL RELEASE DATE TO BE DETERMINED

When the sister of a clergyman named August dies, he returns home after many years, to face what she left behind. With his sister's five-year-old daughter in his care, August embarks on a difficult mission to repair his sister's image. (1 hr. 17 min.) Release date: Sep 29, 2009

Fermat's Room

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:23:23 -0000

A group of motley math experts must solve problems at lightning speed to avoid being squashed into oblivion in writer-director Luis Piedrahita's mindbending thriller FERMAT'S ROOM. The story begins with a handsome, twentysomething intellectual, Galois (Alejo Sauras), banking off the success of solving an intimidating mathematical enigma known as Goldbach's theorem. Galois then receives an invitation from the mysterious stranger Fermat (Federico Luppi) who invites both him and several other intellectuals to a set location in a warehouse, with the stated intention of having them collectively solve a mathematical riddle. He instructs them to avoid bringing cell phones, which none do. Upon arrival, Fermat indeed greets them in the warehouse, but is soon summoned offsite and leaves his invitees alone. As soon as he departs, odd events begin to transpire: the members of the group begin receiving strange mathematical riddles on their PDAs which they must solve in under a minute. Subsequently, hydraulic presses on the exterior of the warehouse kick on and the walls begin to close in, threatening the lives of the protagonists. (1 hr. 30 min.) Release date: Sep 29, 2009

Filth and Wisdom

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:23:22 -0000

Having tackled the world of music, acting, and children's publishing, Madonna has turned her attention to directing, making her feature film debut with FILTH AND WISDOM. Set in a London flat, the film follows the episodic adventures of a colorful cast of characters, including a reluctant stripper (Holly Weston), a blind poet (Richard E. Grant), and a frustrated pharmacist and his would-be do-gooder assistant, as they struggle with personal demons and unrealized dreams. At the center of all of this is A.K. (played boisterously by Gogol Bordello frontman Eugene Hutz), acting as ringmaster-cum-dime-store-philosopher.

Madonna creates a world unto itself, where characters sip brandy and smoke cigarettes while sitting in empty bathtubs. While the tone is comic and light, the film occasionally veers into the realm of the overly quirky. But what this bohemian tale lacks in originality, it makes up in charm and vivacity. Madonna shows off her inner cinephile with influences from the directors of the French New Wave, while remaining true to her own signature style, filling the frames with outlandish costumes and erotic imagery. She embraces an improvisational style that is visually striking and well complemented by the frenetic soundtrack, which is scored by Gogol Bordello. While FILTH AND WISDOM's cartoonish film-school aesthetic could have been grating, the film's boundless exuberance and bohemian style prove to be a winning combination. (1 hr. 24 min.) Release date: Sep 29, 2009

Callas assoluta

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:23:21 -0000

This intimate biography of the incomparable soprano uses archival footage to reveal a Maria Callas unknown to her fans. By using elements such as costumes from a rarely seen performance and paparazzi footage from Cannes shortly after she lost her baby son, Philippe Kohly�s CALLAS ASSOLUTA evokes the life of the diva. (1 hr. 37 min.) Release date: Sep 29, 2009

Forbidden Games

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:23:20 -0000

A young orphaned French girl is taken in by a peasant family during WWII. Becoming fast friends with the young son, the two children begin playing games imitating the tragedies of war around them. Academy Award Nominations: Best Motion Picture Story. (1 hr. 42 min.) Release date: Sep 29, 2009