Yahoo! Movies: New Drama DVD Releases

The Notebook

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:52 -0000

As a man (Garner) reads from a faded notebook to the woman (Rowlands) he regularly visits, his words bring to life the story of a couple (Gosling and McAdams) who are separated by World War II, then passionately reunited 7 years later, after they have taken different paths. Though her memory has faded, his words give her the chance to relive her turbulent youth and the unforgettable love they shared. (2 hrs. 1 min.) Release date: Jan 19, 2010

Braveheart

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:51 -0000

Mel Gibson directs and stars in this Academy Award-winning epic based on the life of legendary thirteenth century Scottish hero William Wallace. Returning to his homeland following the death of an heirless king, Wallace (Mel Gibson) finds the political landscape precarious. Edward the Longshanks, King of England (Patrick McGoohan), has captured Scotland's throne and threatens the freedom of all Scottish people, as tyrannical policies instituted by the English plague the Scots. Initially, Wallace is content to stand by the wayside, yearning for the simple life of building a home and raising a family. However, when the woman he loves (Catherine McCormack) suffers a cruel fate at the hands of English soldiers, Wallace takes a stand against the new rule. With his fierce patriotism and determination, he gathers an amateur but passionately rebellious army. Although this makeshift force may be outnumbered by the English troops, their desperation and love for their land surpass any military maneuvers, as evidenced in the film's breathtaking battle sequences. (2 hrs. 59 min.) Release date: Feb 2, 2010

Meet Joe Black

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:50 -0000

This modern fantasy stars Anthony Hopkins as William Parrish, a wealthy New York City media mogul who suffers a heart attack on the eve of his 65th birthday; although he survives, he senses that his death is near. On the same day, Parrish's younger daughter, Susan (Claire Forlani), meets a handsome young stranger (Brad Pitt) at a neighboring coffee shop and is instantly smitten. As they part, the young stranger is killed and his body is occupied by Death, who is coming to Earth to warn Parrish that his death is, indeed, imminent. Death enters the Parrish household disguised as Joe Black, the handsome stranger, and although Parrish understands Death's intentions he lets the family believe that Joe Black is a young business associate. Susan is shocked to find the familiar young man at her family dinner that evening, and, as she begins a passionate love affair with the debonaire stranger, she has no idea that she has fallen not for the young stranger from the coffee shop but for Death himself. In an effort to prolong his life and his daughter's happiness, William agrees to take Joe on a tour of human life that includes board meetings, family parties, and, ultimately, romance. As long as Joe falls in love, Parrish remains alive. This version was inspired by the Alberto Casella play DEATH TAKES A HOLIDAY and the subsequent 1934 film. (3 hrs.) Release date: Jan 3, 2010

Saving Private Ryan

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:49 -0000

Steven Spielberg's grisly realistic account of a squad of D-Day survivors sent behind enemy lines on a PR mission to rescue the last son of a devastated Iowa family. Tom Hanks gives a staggering performance as the squad's tormented leader, but be warned, the carnage is as explicit as it is persistent. (2 hrs. 50 min.) Release date: Feb 2, 2010

The 40-Year-Old Virgin

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:48 -0000

40-year-old Andy Stitzer (Steve Carell) has done quite a few things in his life. He's got a cushy job stamping invoices at an electronics superstore, a nice apartment with a proud collection of action figures and comic books, good friends, a nice attitude. But there's just one little thing he hasn't quite gotten around to doing yet--something most people have done by his age. Andy's never, ever, ever had sex. His friends at the store consider it their duty to help, but nothing proves effective enough until he meets Trish (Catherine Keener), a 40-year-old mother of three. Andy's friends are psyched by the possibility that "it" may finally happen...until they hear that Andy and Trish have begun their relationship based on a mutual no-sex policy. (1 hr. 51 min.) Release date: Jan 25, 2010

Top Gun

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:47 -0000

A young recruit aspires to become the top fighter pilot in the prestigious naval training school he attends. (1 hr. 50 min.) Release date: Feb 2, 2010

Pride & Prejudice

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:46 -0000

The classic tale of love and values unfolds in the class-conscious England of the late 18th century. The five Bennet sisters--including strong-willed Elizabeth and young Lydia--have all been raised by their mother with one purpose in life: finding a husband. When a wealthy bachelor takes up residence in a nearby mansion, the Bennets are abuzz. Amongst the man's sophisticated circle of friends, surely there will be no shortage of suitors for the Bennet sisters. But when Elizabeth meets up with the handsome but snobbish Mr. Darcy, the battle of the sexes is joined. Based on the novel by Jane Austen. (2 hrs. 8 min.) Release date: Feb 9, 2010

The Shining

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:45 -0000

Frustrated writer Jack Torrance takes a job as the winter caretaker at the ominous, mountain-locked Overlook Hotel so that he can write in peace. When he arrives there with his wife and son, they learn that the previous caretaker had gone mad. Slowly Jack becomes possessed by the evil, demonic presence in the hotel. (2 hrs. 26 min.) Release date: Feb 2, 2010

Gladiator

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:44 -0000

In the final days of Marcus Aurelius' reign, the aging emperor arouses his son Commodus' anger when he makes known his wish that Maximus be his successor. Power-hungry Commodus kills his father and orders the death of Maximus. But the latter flees and hides his identity by becoming slave and a gladiator. Eventually, Maximus journeys back to Rome to confront his archrival. (2 hrs. 30 min.) Release date: Feb 2, 2010

Driving Miss Daisy

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:43 -0000

Director Bruce Beresford's affinity for the subtleties of southern life is apparent in this adaptation of Alfred Uhry's Pulitzer Prize-winning play. Starring Jessica Tandy as Daisy Werthan and Morgan Freeman as Hoke Colburn, the film opens in late-1940s Atlanta. Since Miss Daisy is becoming a menace behind the wheel, her son, Boolie (Dan Aykroyd), ignores her protests and hires Hoke, a black chauffeur. When the feisty matron decides to resist necessity and walk to the store, the equally stubborn chauffeur follows her in her car. As he says to Boolie, "I used to rassle hogs down to the ground...ain't nary a hog got away from me yet." But Hoke's methods are gentleness and patience, and as the years elapse in his ongoing tug-of-war with the temperamental Daisy, she begins to tacitly acknowledge his wisdom. When she expresses annoyance over the demands of the nascent civil rights movement, Hoke points out to the Jewish woman the similarity between the attack on her synagogue and Klan attacks on black churches. But it is only after many years together that they can finally admit to the depth of the friendship they have shared. The two stars give unforgettable performances, and Beresford's direction is a model of restraint. (1 hr. 39 min.) Release date: Feb 2, 2010

Fried Green Tomatoes

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:42 -0000

Academy Award winners Kathy Bates and Jessica Tandy star with Mary Stuart Masterson and Mary-Louise Parker in this comic, heartwarming tale of family, friendship and murder in rural Georgia. In a Southern nursing home, a feisty resident and old local fixture named Ninny Threadgoode (Tandy) befriends Evelyn Couch (Kathy Bates) a depressed housewife and stirs her to action with an inspirational tale. She tells the story of a transcendent friendship between two young women living in Georgia in the 1930s, Idgie Threadgoode (Mary Stuart Masterson) and Ruth (Mary Louise Parker), who forge a powerful bond after witnessing a terrible tragedy together. The two women open a cafe (where fried green tomatoes are a house specialty) together in their small Southern town of Whistle Stop and manage to survive the hardships of life, despite racism, prejudice and the pressures of trying to live their lives as individuals in a strict and close-minded Southern society. Their friendship lasts through many ups and downs over the years, helping one of the women through an abusive marriage, and buoying both of them through the gossip and jealousy of those small-minded people who try to control their lives. Based on Fannie Flagg's best-selling novel FRIED GREEN TOMATOES AT THE WHISTLE STOP CAFE. (2 hrs. 10 min.) Release date: Jan 3, 2010

Ghost

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:41 -0000

After he's murdered, a young executive attempts to communicate with his girlfriend through a phony psychic. (2 hrs. 7 min.) Release date: Feb 2, 2010

Forrest Gump

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:40 -0000

The title character leads viewers through an accidental travelogue of American social history from the early 1960s through the present in this revisionist fable. Vietnam, desegregation, Watergate, and more are presented from the perspective of Tom Hanks's loveably slow-witted Forrest Gump as he finds himself embroiled in situations he can't quite comprehend. Hanks leads an excellent cast, featuring Robin Wright Penn as Jenny, Forrest's lifelong love; Gary Sinise as the irascible Lt. Dan, his Vietnam superior; Mykelti Williamson as Bubba, a shrimp-loving soldier; and Sally Fields as his devoted mother. Robert Zemeckis's emotional, heartwarming film garnered 13 Academy Award nominations and six wins, including Best Picture, Director, Actor--Tom Hanks, and Adapted Screenplay. (2 hrs. 22 min.) Release date: Feb 2, 2010

Almost Famous

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:39 -0000

Sixteen-year-old avid rock fan William lands an assignment from Rolling Stone to accompany a fledgling band from Michigan called Stillwater on their first tour. As he becomes more involved with the band members, he loses his objectivity and is soon entangled in the infamous 70's rock scene. (2 hrs. 2 min.) Release date: Feb 2, 2010

City of Angels

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:38 -0000

What happens when an angel falls in love with a mortal? In this Hollywoodized version of Wim Wenders' "Wings of an Angel," the romance is as longing and deferred as it was in "Sleepless in Seattle." (1 hr. 57 min.) Release date: Jan 19, 2010

Hustle & Flow

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:37 -0000

Though DJay, a streetwise Memphis pimp, has always had a way with words, that gift has long been misused; this philosopher-hustler lives a dead-end life at the fringes of society. Still, DJay wonders what happened to all the big dreams he had for his life. A chance encounter with an old friend, Key, a sound engineer who has always wanted to make it in the music business, spurs DJay: if he's ever going to make his mark, it has to happen now. He begins to write down his freestyle raps - his flow - and the two team up with Shelby, a church musician with a beat machine, to lay down bass-thumping crunk tracks. DJay's metamorphosis affects his entire house, as the women in his life - Shug and Nola - find ways to contribute to the creative process. With the impending visit to Memphis of hometown platinum-selling rapper Skinny Black, DJay has to make one last hustle if he's ever going to flow. (1 hr. 54 min.) Release date: Feb 2, 2010

The Godfather, Part II

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:36 -0000

Francis Ford Coppola's compelling sequel lives up to the brilliance of THE GODFATHER, contrasting the life of Corleone father and son. In parallel story lines the movie traces the problems of a matured Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) in 1958 and that of young immigrant Vito Corleone (Robert De Niro) in 1917's Hell's Kitchen. Vito is introduced to a life of crime by two-bit hood Clemenza (Bruno Kirby) while Michael survives an attempt on his life, familial betrayals, and Senate hearings...but at a cost. De Niro, speaking almost completely in Italian, is charismatic as the young Don, a Robin Hood-type figure. (3 hrs. 20 min.) Release date: Feb 2, 2010

Robots

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:35 -0000

Set on a world populated entirely by robots, this is the story of a young genius, Rodney (Ewan McGregor), who wants to make robots capable of making the world a better place, but he finds his dream challenged by a corporate tyrant and a master inventor, Big Weld (Mel Brooks), while also being seduced by a sexy corporate robot, Cappy (Halle Berry). (1 hr. 29 min.) Release date: Feb 2, 2010

Loverboy

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:34 -0000

An unsound mother surrounds her only son with a magical world for two, filled with art, games and bottomless devotion. When the boy longs to attend a school with other children, outsiders threaten their world. (1 hr. 26 min.) Release date: Feb 2, 2010

Lean on Me

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:33 -0000

Based on actual events, director John G. Avildsen's LEAN ON ME tells the story of Joe Clark (Morgan Freeman), a tough and radical disciplinarian hired to save the worst school in Paterson, New Jersey. Eastside High School is in trouble--the once exemplary school is now failing miserably. Graffitti lines the halls, gangs and drugs rule the school, and teachers and students live in perpetual fear. In one school year, Clark is challenged to turn the snake pit of a school into a halfway civilized place of learning, populated by decent students. To make sure his students pass a basic proficiency exam, Clark resorts to what some believe to be questionable methods--including wandering the halls threateningly with a baseball bat--to restore order to his school. Clark's extreme tactics also include firing teachers for talking back, forcing students to sing the school song on demand, and locking out students known to be drug dealers. Freeman delivers an astonishing performance as the tough-as-nails principal who became a national hero and symbol for tough-love education. (1 hr. 48 min.) Release date: Feb 2, 2010

August Rush

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:32 -0000

AUGUST RUSH is part romance, part gentle fantasy, but this sweet drama is all heart. When young cellist Lyla (Keri Russell) and rock musician Louis (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) meet at a party in the mid 1990s, it's love at first sight, and they spend the night in each other's arms. But Lyla's father forces them apart, even though she later learns she's pregnant. Later, an accident lands Lyla in the hospital, and though her father tells her that her baby died, the child survives and is given up for adoption. AUGUST RUSH jumps to the present and begins to follow Evan (Freddie Highmore), an 11 year old who has grown up in a boys' home. As Evan embarks on a crusade to find his parents, he imagines he can communicate with them through his gift for music. His journey to New York City brings him into contact with Wizard (Robin Williams), a man eager to capitalize on the child prodigy's talent. Wizard gives Evan the name August Rush as he begins performing all over the city, but the boy's ultimate goal is to find the parents he has never met.

From FINDING NEVERLAND to CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, Highmore has displayed an almost prodigious talent himself. He's a gifted young actor, and this emotional story is the perfect venue for his acting. AUGUST RUSH isn't a film for the cynics, but even the hard-hearted in the audience will have difficulty not being touched by this sentimental film. As in Evan's life, music plays a central role in AUGUST RUSH, and it's tough not to let your heart soar along with the melodies. Though it could draw comparisons to OLIVER! and ANNIE, this is a unique and heartwarming film. (1 hr. 53 min.) Release date: Jan 19, 2010

Somewhere in Time

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:31 -0000

A young writer (Christopher Reeve) is mystified by the old portrait of a beautiful stage actress (Jane Seymour) from the turn of the century. He uses his mind through self-hynosis to turn back the years to the misty distant past, and find the woman who has him spellbound. Soon they are in love, and the time difference is only one of the problems to overcome. Scored by composer John Barry (of James Bond fame). (1 hr. 44 min.) Release date: Jan 3, 2010

Flowers in the Attic

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:30 -0000

In this film adaptation of author V.C. Andrews' bestselling novel, dreams of an inheritance turn into a nightmare for four innocent children left fatherless by a tragic accident. Locked in the deserted north wing of the family mansion by a cruel grandmothe (Fletcher), their only hope lies in survival and escape - but a horrible truth awaits them in the main house. This novel was the one that launched the phenomenal career of author Andrews. (1 hr. 35 min.) Release date: Dec 22, 2009

The Godfather

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:29 -0000

Epic tale of a 1940s New York Mafia family and their struggle to protect their empire from rival families as the leadership switches from the father to his youngest son. (2 hrs. 55 min.) Release date: Feb 2, 2010

Free Willy

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:28 -0000

Jesse, a homeless orphan who spends his days evading the police, finally gets caught spray painting a whale tank at a local park. Because he distrusts adults intensely, Jesse's not too happy when authorities place him in a foster home and sentence him to clean up the tank he vandalized. Unexpectedly, Willy, the whale who inhabits the tank, takes a liking to Jesse, and the animal and child develop a bond -- a bond that also helps Jesse open up to the adults in his life, including his new parents and the whale's caretakers. But then Jesse learns that Dial, who owns the park, only wants to keep Willy if he can be trained to perform for an audience. Can the boy find a way to save his beloved whale before Dial plays some dirty tricks of his own? (1 hr. 52 min.) Release date: Mar 2, 2010

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:27 -0000

Story based on the adventures of Robin Hood. (2 hrs. 23 min.) Release date: Feb 2, 2010

Casablanca

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:26 -0000

Fiftieth anniversary print (1992) of classic World War II story, starring Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid, Claude Rains et al, looks terrific in glorious black and white. A half century later, it still is a sublimely romantic, soul-satisfying experience. (1 hr. 42 min.) Release date: Feb 2, 2010

The Bourne Supremacy

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:25 -0000

'The Bourne Supremacy' re-enters the shadowy world of expert assassin Jason Bourne (Matt Damon), who continues to find himself plagued by splintered nightmares from his former life. The stakes are now even higher for the agent as he coolly maneuvers through the dangerous waters of international espionage - replete with CIA plots, turncoat agents and ever-shifting covert alliances - all the while hoping to find the truth behind his haunted memories and answers to his own fragmented past. (1 hr. 48 min.) Release date: Jan 19, 2010

Cape Fear

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:24 -0000

A deranged convict seeks revenge on the attorney who improperly= defended him. (2 hrs. 8 min.) Release date: Jan 22, 2010

P.S. I Love You

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:23 -0000

Two-time Oscar winner Hillary Swank tries her hand at romantic comedy in this touching film based on the bestselling Irish novel. Holly Kennedy (Swank) and her charming Irish husband Gerry (Gerard Butler) are a young couple struggling to get by in New York City. Their marriage is 10 years strong, and they are madly in love, but the fates soon step in, when Gerry develops cancer and dies. Holly is completely devastated, and her friends Denise (Lisa Kudrow) and Sharon (Gina Gershon) do their best to console her. Her mother (Kathy Bates) and sister, Rose (Nellie Mckay), also offer their support, but it seems nothing can pull Holly out of her grief. Then one day, she begins to receive love letters Gerry penned before his death. The letters are filled with various stories and instructions, and one of them even contains a plan that sends her and her friends on a trip to Ireland. As Gerry's posthumous letters buoy her up, Holly slowly begins to piece her life back together. His letters help her to celebrate their special love story, and remind her that she must continue to live her life, and seek out happiness.

The film's stellar cast delivers many tearjerker moments, and P.S. I LOVE YOU does a fine job of yanking on the heartstrings. However, the tone often shifts so abruptly, it at times feels as though they couldn't quite decide if Holly was a steel magnolia, a Bridget with a diary, or a devil in search of some Prada. But the strong performances manage to hold the tale together, and the story is ultimately moving, and yes, romantic. (1 hr. 59 min.) Release date: Jan 19, 2010

The Ant Bully

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:22 -0000

New in town, friendless and tormented by a neighborhood bully, 10-year-old Lucas Nickle has been taking out his frustration on the innocent ant hill in his yard. But one day the ants retaliate. Using a magic potion, they shrink Lucas down to ant size and sentence him to live like an ant in their colony. In this strange new world Lucas will learn important lessons about friendship, get a whole new perspective on life and ultimately find the courage to stand up for himself. (88 min.) Release date: Mar 2, 2010

American Beauty

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:21 -0000

A biting, penetrating and often humorous take on contemporary life in suburban America, Lester Burnham becomes intrigued by a young girl named Angela, and this fascination sparks him to make some major changes in his life. He relishes these changes, much to the exasperation of his wife Carolyn. (1 hr. 58 min.) Release date: Feb 2, 2010

Kids in America

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:20 -0000

When the principal begins an authoritarian crackdown on free speech in her high school, a group of seven diverse seniors band together to stage a series of demonstrations to protest the hypocrisy they see in their school administration. (1 hr. 31 min.) Release date: Feb 2, 2010

Something New

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:19 -0000

While 42.4% of African- Americans have never been married, Kenya, a professional African-American woman is determined to do something about it. She is shocked to discover, however, that she's falling in love with a white landscaper. (1 hr. 39 min.) Release date: Jan 3, 2010

L.A. Confidential

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:18 -0000

Curtis Hanson's adaptation of the James Ellroy best-seller is that rarest of modern Hollywood creations, a crime drama with the brains, sex appeal, humor, danger and action to satisfy all tastes. The best film about Los Angeles since "Chinatown." (2 hrs. 15 min.) Release date: Feb 2, 2010

Stoned

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:17 -0000

This is the tale of debauched 1960s rock icon, Brian Jones, the charismatic guitarist who co-founded the Rolling Stones but was fired in 1969. A few weeks later he was found dead at the bottom of his swimming pool. (1 hr. 43 min.) Release date: Feb 2, 2010

An Officer and A Gentleman

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:16 -0000

Zack Mayo (Richard Gere) has nothing--the son of an alcoholic, indifferent military father, he's grown up in the Philippines living on top of a brothel. But after college he decides he wants more and, despite his father's mockery, enrolls in the navy's Officer Candidate School to become a jet pilot. His sergeant, brilliantly played by Louis Gossett Jr., makes his life a living hell from day one, but Zack won't quit. The candidates are warned to stay away from the local girls looking for naval husbands, but Zack and his bunkmate, Sid (David Keith), find themselves falling for two friends, Paula (Debra Winger) and Lynette (Lisa Blount), who work at the local paper mill. Zack fights his feelings for Paula, determined to let nothing sway him from his goals. But as the hellish weeks of training go by, Zack begins to see that maybe he can't do it alone--and that what's getting him through are his friends in the ranks, and the girl he's been pushing away. Widely acclaimed at the time of its release, director Taylor Hackford's inspiring film is a romance for the ages. (2 hrs. 6 min.) Release date: Feb 2, 2010

Penny Serenade

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:15 -0000

In one of his rare departures from the realm of comedy, Cary Grant stars along with Irene Dunne in this sentimental tale about the marriage of Roger and Julie Adams.Told in flashbacks by Julie as she considers divorce, the film limns the couple's earlier years, when her reluctant journalist boyfriend finally proposes after being posted in Japan by the newspaper where he works. When Julie joins him after a three-month delay, she announces that she's pregnant, and is greatly concerned by Roger's rash spending habits. Shortly thereafter, their house is destroyed by an earthquake, which also ends Julie's pregancy. The couple returns to San Francisco only to find that Julie will no longer be able to bear children. Hoping to cheer his wife, Roger floats the idea of buying a small-town newspaper, but she remains inconsolable. He goes ahead with his plan to buy the paper, and the twosome rent an apartment above its offices. Meanwhile, their friend Applejack (Edgar Buchanan) begins gently coaxing the couple to adopt a child. Although the film is awash in sentimentality, it remains curiously compelling, which can be attributed to Stevens restrained direction, the skillful interweaving of comic material, and excellent work by the two leads. (2 hrs. 5 min.) Release date: Jan 26, 2010

Far and Away

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:14 -0000

Ron Howard's epic tale tells the story of two Irish immigrants' quest for land during the 1890s Oklahoma land rush. Tom Cruise stars as Joseph Donnelly, an ambitious young farmer in western Ireland. When a local protest against wealthy landlord Daniel Christie (Robert Prosky) results in the death of his father, Joseph seeks revenge. But his attempt at vengeance is thwarted by Shannon Christie (Nicole Kidman), the landlord's high-spirited and headstrong daughter, who stabs Joseph with a pitchfork. While convalescing at the Christies' manor, Joseph is propositioned by Shannon, who asks him to travel with her to America--where she is determined to acquire some of the free land being given away in the Oklahoma Territory. Arriving in Boston, Joseph acts as protective brother to Shannon in the foreign city streets as they struggle to earn the money to travel out west. (2 hrs. 20 min.) Release date: Jan 3, 2010

Reality Bites

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:13 -0000

Lelaina Pierce (Winona Ryder) faces life after college, using a video documentary about her confused and drifting friends to advance her ambitions in the entertainment industry. When a video executive (Ben Stiller, also making his directorial debut) becomes romantically interested in her, she is forced to choose between her slacker boyfriend (Ethan Hawke) and the big cruel world of adulthood lurking ahead. (1 hr. 39 min.) Release date: Jan 3, 2010

About a Boy

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:12 -0000

Based on Nick Hornby's popular British novel, ABOUT A BOY is a comedy-drama starring Hugh Grant as Will, a rich, child-free and irresponsible Londoner in his thirties who, in search of available women, invents an imaginary son and starts attending single parent meetings. As a result of one of his liaisons, he meets Marcus, an odd 12-year-old boy with problems at school. Gradually, Will and Marcus become friends, and as Will teaches Marcus how to be a cool kid, Marcus helps Will to finally grow up. (1 hr. 41 min.) Release date: Jan 3, 2010

The Others

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:11 -0000

THE OTHERS begins with a close-up of a woman screaming. By the time this intense film ends, everyone watching it will be screaming and gasping. Nicole Kidman stars as Grace, a woman raising two children by herself in a creepy mansion. World War II is over, but Grace's husband never returned. Meanwhile, the two children, Anne and Nicholas, must constantly stay in the dark because they are deathly allergic to light. Then one day three people show up to take over for Grace's disappeared staff, and trouble starts to brew. The odd trio--an aging nanny, an elderly gardener, and a young mute girl--seems to have a slightly different agenda than Grace and the children do. But when Anne starts talking to strange, unseen people, the scares start building to an incredible climax. (1 hr. 41 min.) Release date: Dec 22, 2009

Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:10 -0000

When Jesse meets up with the Orca friend he liberated two years earlier, an offshore oil spill forces them into another race-against-time adventure. They have to band together to save Willy and his family by getting them back into the open ocean. (1 hr. 38 min.) Release date: Mar 2, 2010

Malcolm X

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:09 -0000

Spike Lee brings the life of African-American leader Malcolm X (an intense Denzel Washington in an Oscar-nominated performance) to the big screen in this sprawling, epic biographical drama. Born Malcolm Little, son of a Nebraska preacher, on May 19, 1925, he became one of the most militant leaders and charismatic spokesmen of the black liberation movement before his assassination at the Audubon Ballroom in New York City on February 21, 1965. The film sweeps through his early life as a small-time hustler and thief with his friend Shorty (Lee), his conversion to Islam in jail, and his subsequent life as a controversial spiritual leader and husband of Betty Shabazz (Angela Bassett). Malcolm's tragic assassination is presented as a conspiracy of Nation of Islam leaders; the film shows how his philosophy has been realized in the lives of others who have been moved by his words. Filmed with great visual flair by Lee, the film is a work of entertainment as much as it is a historical artifact. Washington captures the spiritual conversion of the hero with a sincerity that is entirely as believable and ultimately moving as it was in the book that inspired the film, THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MALCOLM X. (3 hrs. 21 min.) Release date: Feb 2, 2010

The Untouchables

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:08 -0000

Kevin Costner is idealistic federal agent Eliot Ness, whose assignment to clean up Prohibition-era Chicago leads to violence and manly questions about upholding the law. Initially powerless to stop the flow of booze into the city (the police force is corrupt and everyone in town seems to be on the mob's payroll), Ness finds guidance from an older streetwise cop (Sean Connery, who won an Academy Award for this role) who convinces him he'll need to break some rules if he wants to bring down head mobster Al Capone (Robert De Niro). Andy Garcia and Charles Martin Smith play Ness's other recruits, who together must stand tall against a city full of assassins. Director Brian De Palma (MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE) packs the film with violence and creative camera movements while David Mamet's intelligent script capably dodges clich� at every turn. There's a real sense of what's at stake for these characters on a personal level, which contrasts nicely with the futility inherent in enforcing Prohibition in the first place. The film is based on the autobiographical book by Ness (cowritten with Oscar Fraley) and the 1959-63 TV series; Ennio Morricone (THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY) composed the uninhibitedly bombastic score. (2 hrs.) Release date: Feb 2, 2010

There Will Be Blood

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:07 -0000

Director Paul Thomas Anderson's THERE WILL BE BLOOD is a masterly, unflinching examination of a consummately evil man. Daniel Plainview (via a transcendent performance by the great Daniel Day-Lewis) is, as he likes to remind those around him, an oil man: he finds it, he drills for it, and he makes money from it. Following a tip from a visitor named Paul Sunday, whose family sits atop a veritable ocean of oil, Plainview travels to the town of New Boston, California, with his young son. Sunday's preacher brother Eli (both roles are played by the excellent Paul Dano) grudgingly accepts Plainview's ambitions under the condition that he help fund the town church. As Plainview's plans come to fruition, a series of events begin to fracture the insular world he has constructed for himself, pitting Plainview against Sunday and forcing him to become even more vindictive and ruthless.

Anderson proved with BOOGIE NIGHTS and MAGNOLIA that he was adept at handling expansive storylines and layered plots; however, he stakes out a claim here as a new master of the cinematic epic. The film is visually stunning, and alternates between lush widescreen shots of the desert and meticulously composed, darkly lit close-up of his actors, presenting complex images of the American landscape and the souls that dot it. As a narrative, THERE WILL BE BLOOD is told with a sense of economy, yet never at the expense of the film's inherently grand scope. It's difficult to determine precisely what Anderson wants his viewers to take from the experience: the film is, in the end, appropriately complex and ambiguous. THERE WILL BE BLOOD forces us to confront Plainville, who seems to be a larger-than-life personification of evil; that we don't entirely understand him at the film's conclusion is not a shortcoming, but rather a tribute to the depths of this most vile creature and this most brilliant film. (2 hrs. 38 min.) Release date: Feb 2, 2010

Rock My World

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:06 -0000

Alicia Silverstone stars in this rock and roll comedy as Nat, a hot new bass player looking for a bad to hook up with. Luckily, she heads to Lord and Lady Foxley's (O'Toole and Plowright) mansion where the country's hottest band happens to be holed up. Missing a frontman, the band has Nat stand in as the group plays for a crowd of rowdy revelers. Meanwhile, the mischievous Lord and Lady Foxley masquerade as servants during, mixing it up with the guests and fueling the fire of culture clash that threatens to reach epic proportions. (1 hr. 46 min.) Release date: Jan 5, 2010

Serious Moonlight

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:05 -0000

When high-powered attorney Louise (Meg Ryan) learns that her husband, Ian (Timothy Hutton), plans to leave her after 13 years of marriage to run off with his twentysomething girlfriend, Sara (Kristen Bell), she immediately decides to take drastic action. She ties up Ian in their country house and refuses to let him go until they talk things through. Naturally, he resists, and things take an even worse turn for the couple when a young hooligan (Justin Long) hears Ian's cries for help and decides to rob the couple blind instead of helping the hapless husband.

SERIOUS MOONLIGHT was scripted by actress-director Adrienne Shelly, who was murdered in 2006. After her death, Shelly's husband, Andy Ostroy (who produced the film and has a small role in it), decided to go forward with the project. SERIOUS MOONLIGHT marks the feature directorial debut of actress Cheryl Hines (CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM), who co-starred in Shelly's last directorial effort, WAITRESS. (1 hr. 24 min.) Release date: Feb 9, 2010

Training Day

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:04 -0000

A veteran officer (Denzel Washington) escorts a rookie (Ethan Hawke) on his first day with the LAPD's tough inner-city narcotics unit. (2 hrs.) Release date: Feb 2, 2010

Streamers

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:03 -0000

Robert Altman follows up his critically acclaimed film of the theatre piece COME BACK TO THE 5 & DIME JIMMY DEAN, JIMMY DEAN with this adaptation of David Rabe's savage play. STREAMERS takes place in a desolate Vietnam-era Army barracks where a group of disparate young recruits wait nervously for their orders. Billy (Matthew Modine) and Roger (David Alan Grier) have learned to ignore their racial differences and become good friends. Richie (Mitchell Lichtenstein) is an effeminate soldier whose personality disarms the others, and when Carlyle (Michael Wright), an angry black man, arrives, the simmering tensions come to a boil. He berates Roger for living in a white barracks, and crudely exposes Richie's homosexuality. When drunken officer Cokes (George Dzundza) tries to calm the quarreling soldiers, Carlyle is driven to destructive behavior. Placing the characters in a purgatory-like locale where death and violence is imminent, Rabe's screenplay crackles with the anger, fear, and confusion of a group of young men at a pivotal moment in their lives. Altman, notorious for allowing his actors to improvise, proves with STREAMERS that he also can adhere to a tightly woven script, resulting in a tense, uncompromising drama. (1 hr. 58 min.) Release date: Jan 19, 2010

30 Years to Life

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:02 -0000

As each of a group of six African-American friends in New York City approach their thirtieth birthdays, they pause to evaluate life and question whether their hopes and dreams are going to come true as the realities of age, mortality and loss of metabolism start to set in. The ensemble includes: an investment banker with a great portfolio but few prospects for companionship; a stand-up comedian whose future in the biz is more than a little uncertain; a real-estate agent fighting a lifelong battle with weight; a marketing executive who fears that getting ahead is akin to growing old; and a young man in a long-term relationship who is being asked, "Where does it go from here?". (1 hr. 43 min.) Release date: Mar 2, 2010

The Naked Kiss

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:01 -0000

In director Samuel Fuller's pure pulp classic, Kelly, a former prostitute, hoping to escape her brutalizing big-city life by moving to a small town, discovers even more depravity in her new, supposedly sanitized environment. When she discovers a shocking murder scene, the townspeople are quick to make accusations based on her past. (1 hr. 33 min.) Release date: Jan 26, 2010

Waist Deep

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:31:00 -0000

This sun scorched, bullet-blasted South Central L.A. story follows the car- and corpse-strewn trail of an ex-con turned security guard O2 (Tyrese Gibson), who gets carjacked while his son is still asleep in the backseat. The thugs hold the child for ransom, and O2 has 48 hours to come up with a hundred grand. His only lead in getting the kid back is Coco (Meagan Good) the cutie who distracted him at the traffic light. Together they bicker, fall in love, and launch a plan to take down a vicious gang leader named Meat (The Game) while they roll along on a bank-robbing spree. Director Vondie Curtis-Hall keeps the action humming and swathes his gritty South Central locations in a thick haze of urban grime and chaotic spontaneity, making it reminiscent of 1970s cult classics like BLACK CAESAR and THE WARRIORS. Tyrese is more than up for the job here as the tough but tender O2; he and the very sexy Meagan Good generate major onscreen chemistry. Larenz Tate plays O2's dope-head cousin, and Kimora Lee Simmons has a funny cameo as a fencer of hot designer dresses. Her husband, Russell Simmons, was one of the producers. (1 hr. 37 min.) Release date: Jan 25, 2010

Nights in Rodanthe

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:59 -0000

Diane Lane and Richard Gere team up for the third time (after COTTON CLUB and UNFAITHFUL) for this three-hankie romance based on a Nicholas Sparks novel. Adrienne Willis (Lane) feels her life falling apart around her: her unfaithful husband (Christopher Meloni, LAW & ORDER: SVU) is begging to come home, and her teenage daughter (Mae Whitman, HOPE FLOATS) can't stand to be around her. When her friend (Viola Davis, ANTWONE FISHER) asks her to watch her bed and breakfast in the picturesque town of Rodanthe, Adrienne leaps at the chance to get away. But since it's late in the season, there's only one guest: the handsome Dr. Paul Flanner (Gere), who is quiet about his reason for coming to the town. Driven together by a powerful hurricane, Adrienne and Paul find love and comfort in each other's arms.

Cinematic romances between grown-ups are rare, and this finely cast drama will appeal to people who love films like THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY and other adaptations of Sparks's books, particularly MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE. Gere and Lane are both veterans (who look none the worse for wear), and they have perfected starring in relationship-driven films. But the North Carolina town of Rodanthe deserves plenty of praise as well, since it takes a starring role. Director of photography Affonso Beato (a frequent collaborator with Pedro Almodovar) shoots the beautiful beaches and the welcoming inn with such affection that it's hard not to see it as the perfect place to fall in love. (1 hr. 37 min.) Release date: Jan 19, 2010

Smile

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:58 -0000

An American teen travels to China as part of a charitable organization to meet a Chinese counterpart who receives surgery to correct a facial deformity. (1 hr. 56 min.) Release date: Dec 15, 2009

Interstate 60

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:57 -0000

Bob Gale, screenwriter of classic comedies like BACK TO THE FUTURE and USED CARS, directed this unique comic fantasy. In it, James Marsden stars as Neal, a young man freshly graduated from high school and unsure of what to do with his life. Torn between his father's vision of himself and his own budding dreams, Neal gets a push in a strange direction when he suffers a blow to the head and begins hallucinating. Sent on a journey by a mysterious man named Ray, Neal drives down a nonexistent highway to deliver a package, only to have his ideas of reality turned inside out. (1 hr. 52 min.) Release date: Jan 5, 2010

Plenty

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:56 -0000

PLENTY is an exploration of post World War II European society and its discontents, as symbolized by the shifting emotional and political alliances of one English woman. For Susan Traherne (Meryl Streep), nothing can match the heroism and excitement of her wartime involvement with the French Resistance; nor can any man match the young soldier with whom she had an affair. Back in England, her youthful optimism slowly fades as she experiments with a variety of political movements and a variety of men. Tracey Ullman costars as Susan's constant companion, who lives life as a bohemian free spirit, uninhibited, but unable to stop Susan's decline into depression and unabashed alienation. Ultimately, Susan settles into a marriage with an upper class diplomat that leads to disillusionment and, finally, madness. Meryl Streep gives an astonishing performance as the fiercely independent and emotionally overwrought woman, with command performances from a remarkable ensemble cast including: John Geilgud, Tracey Ullman, Sam Neill, and Sting. The film is based on the critically acclaimed play by David Hare. (2 hrs. 5 min.) Release date: Mar 2, 2010

Frances

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:55 -0000

This is the true story of Frances Farmer's meteoric rise to fame in Hollywood, and her later downfall and ill health which were the result of blacklisting. An inspirational account of the life and career of a woman of courage. Academy Award Nominations: Best Actress--Jessica Lange, Best Supporting Actress--Kim Stanley. (2 hrs. 20 min.) Release date: Mar 2, 2010

Beyond the Sea

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:54 -0000

Kevin Spacey directs and stars in this film biography of singer Bobby Darin, singer of pop hits like "Splish Splash," then moved on to performing jazz standards with the gigantic hit "Mack the Knife." Kate Bosworth plays his wife, the movie star Sandra Dee. (1 hr. 58 min.) Release date: Jan 12, 2010

The Hurt Locker

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:53 -0000

This thriller from director Kathryn Bigelow (POINT BREAK) travels to Baghdad with a U.S. military bomb detonating unit. THE HURT LOCKER stars Jeremy Renner, Guy Pearce, and Ralph Fiennes. (2 hrs. 10 min.) Release date: Jan 12, 2010

Outrage

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:52 -0000

With OUTRAGE, provocative documentarian Kirby Dick (THIS FILM IS NOT YET RATED) confronts his most controversial topic yet. In his latest piece of cine-journalism, Dick exposes what he deems to be the rampant, hypocritical homophobia that exists in an American government that is, in fact, teeming with closeted homosexuals. Dick brings an impassioned and well-reasoned eye to his material, which should have viewers on the more conservative side of the fence paying closer attention than they would have had he taken a more blustery approach. As it stands, OUTRAGE is an illuminating, stirring call to arms. Dick interviews the political community�s most prominent gay figures--including former New Jersey governor Jim McGreevey and Congressman Barney Frank--as well as many others (radio DJ Michelangelo Signorile, blogger Michael Rogers, and writer/activist Larry Kramer), who share their own thoughtful insights into just how deeply the personal and political corruption runs. In what is clearly the most controversial aspect of the film, Dick makes a case for the homosexuality of several politicians who continue to deny it (most notably, former Idaho senator Larry Craig and current Florida governor Charlie Crist). But OUTRAGE is by no means a finger-wagging witch-hunt--Dick�s intention is not to ruin the life of anyone. Like McGreevey, who lived through his own personal years of torment, he believes that everyone would be better off if they acknowledged who they are, in public and in private. Release date: Jan 19, 2010

The Girl From Monaco

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:51 -0000

In this dark French comedy, rich lawyer Bertrand (Fabrice Luchini) gets more than he bargained for when he travels to Monaco to defend a client in a murder trial. Accompanied by his loyal bodyguard, Christophe (Roschdy Zem), Bertrand meets the young and sexy Audrey (Louise Bourgoin), a weathergirl who may get him into trouble. (1 hr. 35 min.) Release date: Dec 15, 2009

Triangle

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:50 -0000

No description available (1 hr. 40 min.) Release date: Feb 2, 2010

Unbeatable Harold

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:49 -0000

Elvis-devotee Harold James Clark (Gordon Michaels) was perfectly happy. He is an assistant manager at a Reno steakhouse, his 1950 Cadillac convertible is perfect for the warm weather, and his sideburns are just where he wants them. But then he meets Wanda Livingston (Nicole DeHuff), and he realizes his life is missing something, and it�s pretty and blonde. The only things standing between Harold and true happiness are his unconventional wooing strategies and the arrival of Wanda�s ex-boyfriend (an almost unrecognizable Dylan McDermott), but he won�t let that stop him from winning Wanda�s heart. This romantic comedy also stars Henry Winkler, Charles Durning, Gladys Knight, Phyllis Diller, and Taryn Manning. (1 hr. 22 min.) Release date: Feb 23, 2010

Carlito s Way Rise To Power

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:48 -0000

In this prequel to Brian De Palma's 1993 film 'Carlito's Way,' Jay Hernandez stars as the young Carlito Brigante, who from an early age is seduced by the power and excitement of the New York underworld. Assisted by his two "brothers" in crime, Rocco (Michael Kelly) and Earl (Mario Van Peebles), Carlito is on the fast-track to becoming Spanish Harlem's ultimate kingpin. But when he is challenged, Carlito has just one thing on his mind...survival. (1 hr. 40 min.) Release date: Jan 22, 2010

Spin

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:47 -0000

A rebellious teen struggles to follow father's last wishes by learning to fly. Faced with losing his girlfriend to a family tragedy, he must race high above the Arizona desert to save her from certain death. Based on the 1991 novel of the same title by Donald Everett Axinn. (1 hr. 54 min.) Release date: Mar 2, 2010

A Foreign Affair

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:46 -0000

When their mother, who had always done all of their cleaning, dies, two brothers (Arquette, Nelson) go on a "romance tour" of Russia to meet prospective women that the younger brother can marry to bring back home to America to help them back on the farm, which captures the attention of a documentary filmmaker (Mortimer). (1 hr. 25 min.) Release date: Mar 2, 2010

Bliss

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:45 -0000

Seventeen-year-old Meryem (Ozgu Namal) is suspected of losing her virginity by her family. According to ancient custom, she now must be put to death in an "honor killing" by her cousin, Cemal (Murat Han). The two go on a road trip to Istanbul during which Cemal is supposed to kill her. But the entrance of an unusual stranger (Talat Bulut) into their lives changes everything. This Turkish drama is based on the novel by Zulfu Livaneli. (105 hr.) Release date: Feb 23, 2010

Lola Montes

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:44 -0000

LOLA MONTES, the last film by Max Oph�ls, is one of the most celebrated examples of both wide screen CinemaScope and lush Technicolor in film history. Added to this is Oph�ls' usual use of sweeping crane shots and angled tracking shots, making this a beautiful, creative film. It is the story of Lola Montes (Martine Carol), the 19th Century dancer who was famous for her scandalous affairs with everyone from Franz List (Will Quadflieg) to Ludwig, the King of Bavaria (Anton Walbrook). At the end of her career she was the main attraction at a circus in the United States which featured a lavish tableaux of scenes from her life. The ringmaster, played by Peter Ustinov, leads the circus audience through her life, and also cues the cinematic flashbacks. Oph�ls had used a similar structure in his adaptation of Arthur Schnitzler's play REIGEN in his film LA RONDE. Here, although not in chronological order, the flashbacks span Lola's life, covering everything from her early unhappy marriage to a drunken military officer, who she leaves to embark on a career as a dancer, to a very short affair with a German student played by a young Oskar Werner. Oph�ls, with his always-moving camera, gives the story a wonderful sense of historical drama. (1 hr. 55 min.) Release date: Feb 16, 2010

Peter and Vandy

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:43 -0000

The relationship of a New York couple is put under the microscope in Jay DiPietro's adaptation of his own stage play. PETER AND VANDY centers on the lovers (played by Jason Ritter and TEETH's Jess Weixler), as it skips back and forth between different stages of their relationship. Fans of the cinematic adaptation of RENT will be pleased by the reunion of castmates Jesse L. Martin and Traci Thoms. (1 hr. 25 min.) Release date: Feb 9, 2010

Fighting Tommy Riley

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:42 -0000

Trainer Marty Goldberg has been stuck working on the fringes of the professional circuit far too long. Searching for a way out, he discovers Tommy, a young man with raw talent to burn. Outside the ring however, Tommy displays a self-destructive streak that could end his career before it begins. (1 hr. 49 min.) Release date: Feb 2, 2010

New York, I Love You

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:41 -0000

After the success of PARIS, JE T'AIME, the film's producers take their winning concept across the Atlantic for this compilation film set in Gotham. THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL stars Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson each make their directorial debuts, and I LOVE YOU, NEW YORK also boasts directors as varied as Turkish auteur Fatih Akin and blockbuster helmer Brett Ratner. A total of 12 shorts will be included in this portmanteau film. (1 hr. 52 min.) Release date: Feb 2, 2010

Paris, Texas

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:40 -0000

Winner of the Grand Prize at the Cannes Film Festival in 1984, Wim Wenders's PARIS, TEXAS tells the haunting story of an amnesiac (Harry Dean Stanton) and his struggle to rebuild his shattered life. Featuring a story by Sam Shepard and a renowned score by Ry Cooder, the film also stars Nastassja Kinski and Dean Stockwell. (2 hrs. 30 min.) Release date: Jan 26, 2010

The Kingdom

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:39 -0000

Actor, writer, and director Peter Berg (FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS) delivers a fearless, action-packed political thriller with THE KINGDOM. Shot in the Middle East with unsettling immediacy, the hand-held cameras put viewers right inside the action, while the tension between American FBI agents and their Saudi counterparts maintains an interesting uncertainty about who's "right" and who's "wrong." The bad guys, however, are unmistakable: the film opens with a brutal terrorist attack on an oil company compound in Saudi Arabia, where a visiting FBI agent is killed. Back home in Washington, fellow agents Ronald Fleury (Jamie Foxx, RAY) and Janet Mayes (Jennifer Garner, ALIAS), want revenge, and will do whatever it takes to gain access to the investigation. Fleury all but blackmails a Saudi prince to get clearance against the wishes of a timorous attorney general, and flies overnight to the scene of the crime. Accompanying him are the no-nonsense forensics expert Mayes, Southern-fried bomb authority Grant Sykes (Chris Cooper, ADAPTATION), and Jewish smart aleck Adam Leavitt (Jason Bateman, ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT). Once there, they encounter the resistance of a Saudi government more interested in getting the Americans safely out of the country and avoiding conflict, rather than in solving the crime. They are assigned a smarmy handler with a weak stomach (Jeremy Piven, ENTOURAGE) to make sure they stay out of trouble. The team must navigate a maze of bureaucracy to begin collecting evidence, but they have an unlikely ally in their Saudi escort, Colonel Faris Al Ghazi (Ashraf Barhom, PARADISE NOW), a scrupulous and intelligent officer whom Fleury befriends. Soon enough, procedure and protocol give way to car chases and explosive fire fights, and the current bleak political climate of extremism and violence is portrayed in a stark light with no easy answers. (1 hr 50 min) Release date: Jan 25, 2010

Fort Apache, the Bronx

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:38 -0000

Deep in the bombed-out streets of the Bronx lies Fort Apache, the local police station, in this hard-hitting drama that portrays the lives of two local cops working the beat in the worst precinct in New York. Paul Newman stars as Murphy, a loyal and ethical cop who has been working on the force for 18 years. He and his partner, Corelli (Ken Wahl), hit the streets every day, facing desperate and impoverished conditions with a combination of courage, responsibility, and gritty humor. Despite the hardships the two men face, they carry on with their off-duty lives, carousing at local bars, flirting with girls, and sharing a deep respect for each another. Murphy's developing relationship with Isabella (Rachel Ticotin), a local nurse, is at the heart of the film, a captivating combination of romance, violence, and tragedy. When two rookie cops are murdered in broad daylight, the new police chief (Ed Asner) shakes up the force and demands violent and reactionary measures against the local citizens. But their extreme police actions provoke riots in the streets, and Murphy and Corelli are forced to face the corruption and indifference that pervade their department. A truly moving tale of two men attempting to stay afloat in an urban wasteland, director Daniel Petrie's film features outstanding lead performances and an excellent supporting cast, including Danny Aiello and Pam Grier. (2 hrs. 3 min.) Release date: Jan 19, 2010

Chicha Tu Madre

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:37 -0000

Director Gianfranco Quattrini takes a closer look at the frantic lives of Latin-American suburbanites in this drama about a father who discovers that his teenage daughter is pregnant and becomes determined to change his destiny. Julio Cesar's daughter is going to have a baby. Realizing that by working as a taxi driver he will never make the money needed to support his grandchild, the soon-to-be grandfather opts to drop his job as a wheelman and become a full time tarot reader. Following the wisdom of the deck, Cesar sets out into the streets of Lima and encounters a fledgling streetwalker, a mysterious Argentine nurse, and a second-league football championship featuring his favorite team. (1 hr. 33 min.) Release date: Jan 12, 2010

In Praise of Older Women

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:36 -0000

A man's amorous adventures in love are traced from young girls to passionate affairs with older women. (1 hr. 50 min.) Release date: Jan 12, 2010

Danger on the Air

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:35 -0000

A radio sound engineer uses his unique skills to solve a murder. Release date: Dec 29, 2009

The Philadelphia Experiment

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:34 -0000

The time is 1943, and the Navy is experimenting with methods for making ships invisible to enemy radar. Suddenly, a strange accident occurs. Several of the participants in the experiment are hurled forty-one years into the future. (1 hr. 42 min.) Release date: Dec 22, 2009

Torso: The Evelyn Dick Story

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:33 -0000

The case of Evelyn Dick is one of the most notorious in Canada's history. The Black Widow, as she was known, was convicted of the brutal 1946 murder of her streetcar conductor husband--only the bloody torso of the corpse of her husband. Mrs. Dick, a stunning beauty, admitted to numerous affairs and was suspected of killing her husband as a means for her to gain a new financial foothold. Many questions still surround the case and this 2001 dramatization of the events attempts to explain some of the mystery. Kathleen Robinson plays the convicted femme fatale. (2 hrs.) Release date: Dec 22, 2009

Cold Souls

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:32 -0000

Paul Giamatti stars as himself, agonizing over his interpretation of "Uncle Vanya." Paralyzed by anxiety, he stumbles upon a solution via a New Yorker article about a high-tech company promising to alleviate suffering by extracting souls. Giamatti enlists their service -- only to discover that his soul is the shape and size of a chickpea. His intention is to reinstate it once he survives the performance but complications ensue when a mysterious, soul-trafficking "mule" borrows Giamatti's stored soul for an ambitious, but unfortunately talentless, Russian soap-opera actress. (1 hr. 41 min.) Release date: Mar 2, 2010

The Private Lives of Pippa Lee

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:31 -0000

For this dramedy, filmmaker Rebecca Miller (THE BALLAD OF JACK AND ROSE) directs this star-studded adaptation of her own novel. THE PRIVATE LIVES OF PIPPA LEE stars Robin Wright Penn, Maria Bello, Alan Arkin, Monica Bellucci, Blake Lively, and Julianne Moore. (1 hr. 33 min.) Release date: Mar 2, 2010

Basic Love

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:30 -0000

No description available (1 hr. 43 min.) Release date: Feb 23, 2010

Motherhood

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:29 -0000

Eliza Welch is a former fiction writer-turned-mom-blogger who lives and works in two rent-stabilized apartments in a walk-up tenement building smack in the middle of an otherwise upscale Greenwich Village. Starting at dawn, her to-do list is daunting: prepare for and throw her daughter's 6th birthday party, mind her toddler son, battle for a parking space during an epic alternate side parking showdown, navigate playground politics with overbearing moms, and mend a rift with after posting her best friend's confession on her blog. On top of it all, Eliza decides to enter a contest run by an upscale parenting magazine. All she has to do is write 500 words answering the deceptively simple question, "What Does Motherhood Mean to Me?" In the process of trying by nightfall to put these thoughts into words that don't "sound like bad ad copy," Eliza rediscovers her own voice and realizes what is truly valuable in her life. (1 hr. 30 min.) Release date: Feb 23, 2010

The Informant!

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:28 -0000

OCEAN'S 11's Steven Soderbergh and Matt Damon reunite for this comedy based on a true story. In THE INFORMANT, a high-ranking executive at Archer Daniels Midland joins forces with the FBI to bring down both his company and the entire food industry. (1 hr. 48 min.) Release date: Feb 23, 2010

Howards End

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:27 -0000

E.M. Forster's 1910 novel is adapted for the screen by Merchant Ivory Productions in this masterful Edwardian Age romance directed by James Ivory. The dying Ruth Wilcox (Vanessa Redgrave) wishes to leave her country home, Howards End, to Margaret Schlegel (Emma Thompson in an Academy Award-winning role), a modest woman of little means who will soon be forced out of her own home in London. But Ruth's husband, Henry (Anthony Hopkins), an upper middle class businessman, keeps secret her desire even after he and Margaret become friends. However, after Henry and Margaret marry, their class differences and philosophies threaten to cause them unhappiness. Margaret's sister, Helen (Helena Bonham Carter), is disgusted by the Wilcox's snobbish ways and is attracted to helping struggling clerk Leonard Bast (Sam West) improve his position. Merchant-Ivory screenwriter Ruth Prawer Jhabvala was the force behind adapting this Forster novel into a film, winning her second Academy Award for her screenplay; her first Oscar was for A ROOM WITH A VIEW. (2 hrs. 22 min.) Release date: Feb 23, 2010

Flame & Citron

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:26 -0000

In this thriller set in World War II-era Copenhagen, two men put everything on the line in their fight against the Nazis. Bent Faurschou-Hviid, aka Flame (Thure Lindhardt, INTO THE WILD), is young and idealistic, while J�rgen Haagen Schmith, aka Citron (Mads Mikkelsen, CASINO ROYALE), is concerned about his family as his role in the resistance grows more prominent. As they get closer to attacking the head of the Gestapo (Christian Berkel, DOWNFALL), the men realize that they can only trust each other. Directed by Ole Christian Madsen, this Danish hit is based on true events. (2 hrs. 12 min.) Release date: Feb 23, 2010

Everybody's Fine

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:25 -0000

Robert De Niro leads a stellar cast in this insightful dramedy starring Drew Barrymore, Kate Beckinsale, and Sam Rockwell. A remake of the Italian film STANNO TUTTI BENE, EVERYBODY�S FINE features De Niro playing a widower who tries to improve his relationships with his troubled adult children. (1 hr. 40 min.) Release date: Feb 23, 2010

Alexander the Last

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:24 -0000

Director Joe Swanberg (NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS) goes beyond the mumblecore movement with this revealing drama about marriage. For ALEXANDER THE LAST, Swanberg reigns over an experienced cast of actors--including Jane Adams, Jess Weixler, and Josh Hamilton--but still incorporates his usual improvisational techniques. MARGOT AT THE WEDDING director Noah Baumbach serves as one of the film's producers. (1 hr. 12 min.) Release date: Feb 23, 2010

Breakfast With Scot

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:23 -0000

Eric, a handsome ex-hockey player turned sportscaster, is living the perfect gay life at home with his lawyer boyfriend, Sam. However, their closely-closeted paradise is threatened when they receive news that Sam's brother Billy's ex-girlfriend has died, leaving custody of her son Scot to Billy. Eric never wanted kids, and certainly never expected one like this. When 11 year-old Scot arrives and they open his duffle bag, they find a pink musical hairbrush, a pink poodle belt and white sock-ettes with lacy fringe at the top. Scot throws Eric and Sam's life into complete disarray, but they soon find that they can't bear to part with him. (1 hr. 35 min.) Release date: Feb 23, 2010

The Internecine Project

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:22 -0000

A corrupt industrial tycoon sets out to "eliminate" four individuals who know too much about him. They are all killed by particularly grisly methods. (1 hr. 29 min.) Release date: Feb 23, 2010

Captain Abu Raed

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:21 -0000

No description available (1 hr. 44 min.) Release date: Feb 23, 2010

Swedish Auto

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:20 -0000

No description available (1 hr. 37 min.) Release date: Feb 23, 2010

Power Play

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:19 -0000

A small group of determined and desperate men stage a military coup in a country in Europe. A finely wrought political drama, filled with suspense and intrigue. (1 hr. 42 min.) Release date: Feb 23, 2010

Hunger

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:18 -0000

Renowned English video artist Steve McQueen's feature film debut, HUNGER, is a cinematic punch to the gut. McQueen brings a visceral intensity to his retelling of the hunger strike instigated by Bobby Sands (Michael Fassbender) and several other detained Irish Republican Army members in the early 1980s, who were determined to live in a Northern Ireland free from British rule. In prison, Sands and other IRA members--including Davey Gillen (Brian Milligan) and Gerry Campbell (Liam McMahon)--at first protest by refusing to wear the standard prison garb, but soon, they take their protest dangerously further.

McQueen comes from an experimental background, and it shows. He and co-screenwriter, the acclaimed Irish playwright Enda Walsh, blow all the prison movie clich�s out of the water. They break their film into three distinct acts. In the first, Gillen and Campbell are tormented by prison guards and made to suffer in a cramped, feces-smeared cell. In the second, Sands and Father Moran (Liam Cunningham) have a startling battle of wits--and emotions--that occurs in a dazzling extended one-take sequence. Lastly, we watch as Sands slowly withers away to nothing. It's impossible not to make a political film out of this furiously political material, but McQueen chooses to concentrate on the more visceral, tactile elements of the story to drive his point home. HUNGER is one of the more exciting directorial debuts of recent memory. (1 hr. 36 min.) Release date: Feb 16, 2010

Coco Before Chanel

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:17 -0000

Romance reigns in this biographical drama that has AMELIE�s Audrey Tautou starring as French icon Coco Chanel. But which is the love supreme for Coco: men or fashion? Anne Fontaine directs a cast that also includes Benoit Poelvoorde and Alessandro Nivola. (1 hr. 50 min.) Release date: Feb 16, 2010

Revanche

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:16 -0000

Goetz Spielmann directs this film which was Austria's submission for the 2008 Oscars. (2 hr. 1 min.) Release date: Feb 16, 2010

Clint Eastwood: 35 Films 35 Years at Warner Bros.

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:15 -0000

No description available Release date: Feb 16, 2010

Women in Trouble

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:14 -0000

Filmmaker Sebastian Gutierrez writes and directs this ensemble comedy following 10 Los Angeles women over the course of 24 hours. When porn starlet Electra Luxx (Carla Gugino) discovers that she's pregnant, her wild world of pleasure and excess is suddenly turned upside down. Subsequently stuck in an elevator with neurotic Doris (Connie Britton), Electra realizes she's standing at a pivotal crossroads in life. Meanwhile, adult-film up-and-comer Holly Rocket (Adrianne Palicki) struggles with her reluctance to go girl-on-girl in front of the cameras by putting on a private show with her sexy friend Bambi (Emmanuelle Chriqui); a therapist (Sarah Clarke) turns to the bottle after discovering her husband has been unfaithful; a flight attendant (Marley Shelton) applies for membership in the Mile High Club with a famous passenger; and a precocious teen (Isabella Gutierrez) realizes that the adults in her life aren't nearly as well-adjusted as they'd like her to believe. (1 hr. 35 min.) Release date: Feb 16, 2010

Bronson

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:13 -0000

This drama tells the real-life story of the infamous British prisoner Charles Bronson (not to be confused with the American actor of the same name). Though Bronson was initially sentenced to seven years for burglary, his bad behavior--including attacking violently, taking hostages, and staging protests from the roof--has had him imprisoned for more than three decades, most of it in solitary confinement. (1 hr. 32 min.) Release date: Feb 9, 2010

The Pleasure of Being Robbed

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:12 -0000

The loopy life of a young kleptomaniac (El�onore Hendricks), and her adventures in compulsive thievery are the subject for this observant comedy. Lo-fi cinematography and muffled audio add a patina of reality, and veil of obscurity, to this memorable debut from Josh Safdie. (1 hr. 11 min.) Release date: Feb 9, 2010

The Time Traveler's Wife

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:11 -0000

THEATRICAL RELEASE DATE TO BE DETERMINED

Just like Audrey Niffenegger's beloved bestseller, this adaptation promises to be an epic love story to please both sexes. Eric Bana (MUNICH) stars as a man who is unable to control his tendency to time travel, and Rachel McAdams (THE NOTEBOOK) is his long-suffering love who must wait for him to return to her. (1 hr. 48 min.) Release date: Feb 9, 2010

The Song of Sparrows

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:10 -0000

Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidi (CHILDREN OF HEAVEN) directs this drama that earned its lead actor, Reza Naji, the award for best actor at the Berlin Film Festival. After losing his job at a rural ostrich farm, Karim (Naji) takes his motorcycle into the city of Tehran. A case of mistaken identity leads the out-of-work family man to start earning money as a motorcycle taxi driver, but his wife and daughters dislike the man the city has turned him into. THE SONG OF SPARROWS features nonprofessional actors, lending a sense of authenticity to the beautifully shot proceedings. (1 hr. 36 min.) Release date: Feb 9, 2010

Hurricane Season

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:09 -0000

In this drama based on a true story, a high school basketball team learns about victory and defeat in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Oscar winner Forest Whitaker leads a cast that also includes Isaiah Washington, Taraji P. Henson, Courtney B. Vance, Lil Wayne, and Shad Moss (aka Bow Wow). HURRICANE SEASON is directed by Tim Story (BARBERSHOP). Release date: Feb 9, 2010

The Four Minute Mile

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:08 -0000

A story about four athletes who are each determined to run a mile under four minutes and the competition they all face. Release date: Feb 9, 2010

A Serious Man

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:07 -0000

The Coen Brothers (NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN) get back to their Minnesota roots with this film that blithely walks the line between comedy and drama. Set in 1967, A SERIOUS MAN centers on Larry Gopnik (Michael Stuhlbarg), a university professor whose life is falling apart around him. (1 hr. 45 min.) Release date: Feb 9, 2010

De Usynlige

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:06 -0000

No description available (1 hr. 55 min.) Release date: Feb 9, 2010

King Lear

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:05 -0000

Orson Welles stars in the title role in this made-for-television production of the Shakespearean tragedy about an aging king who is betrayed by his daughters. Release date: Feb 9, 2010

Adam

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:04 -0000

Adam is a handsome but intriguing young man who has all his life led a sheltered existence -- until he meets his new neighbor, Beth, a beautiful, cosmopolitan young woman who pulls him into the outside world, with funny, touching and entirely unexpected results. Their implausible and enigmatic relationship reveals just how far two people from different realities can stretch in search of an extraordinary connection. (1 hr. 37 min.) Release date: Feb 2, 2010

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:03 -0000

"I was born under unusual circumstances." And so begins "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," adapted from the 1920s story by F. Scott Fitzgerald about a man who is born in his eighties and ages backwards: a man, like any of us, who is unable to stop time. We follow his story, set in New Orleans from the end of World War I in 1918, into the 21st century, following his journey that is as unusual as any man's life can be. (2 hrs. 47 min.) Release date: Feb 2, 2010

The Trap

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:02 -0000

A group of hikers discover a corpse and a cash-stuffed bag, but soon a pair of murderers arrives to take what's theirs. The men have already killed to get what they want, and they won�t hesitate to hunt down the campers to make sure they get to keep the money. (1 hr. 24 min.) Release date: Feb 2, 2010

Love Happens

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:01 -0000

When a self-help author arrives in Seattle to teach a sold-out seminar, he unexpectedly meets the one person who might finally be able to help him help himself. (1 hr. 49 min.) Release date: Feb 2, 2010

Freedom Road

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:00 -0000

A black man, recently freed from slavery, rises to the position of senator in the turbulent years following the end of the Civil War. Made for television. Release date: Feb 2, 2010

Ice Castles

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:29:59 -0000

Oscar-nominated director Donald Wrye takes the helm for this remake of his own 1979 ice skating melodrama staring Robbie Benson. An overnight success in the hyper-competitive world of figure skating, Alexis Winston ditched her hometown boyfriend in a bid for superstardom. Alexis is at the top of her game when she's suddenly blinded in a tragic ice skating mishap. Her spirit broken, the fallen figure skater seeks the love that will help her lace up her skates, and reach for her dreams. (1 hr. 35 min.) Release date: Feb 2, 2010

Amelia

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:29:58 -0000

Hilary Swank and Richard Gere star in director Mira Nair's biopic tracing the life of famed aviator Amelia Earhart -- who made history in 1932 by becoming the first woman ever to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. The trip made the aviatrix a national celebrity -- with help from her publicist George Putnam (Gere), whom she fell in love with and eventually married. Their union was tested, however, as Earhart developed feelings for contemporary Gene Vidal (Ewan McGregor ), and the couple's marriage faced the ultimate tragedy years later, as Earhart's fierce independent spirit spurred her to attempt to fly around the world -- a venture that infamously shrouded her in mystery, as the pilot simply vanished after crashing into the Pacific Ocean. (1 hr. 51 min.) Release date: Feb 2, 2010

The Duchess

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:29:57 -0000

After PRIDE AND PREJUDICE and ATONEMENT, Keira Knightley continues her reign as the queen of the period film with this 18th-century costume drama. The corset-clad actress stars as Georgiana Spenser, the Duchess of Devonshire. With her marriage to the duke (Ralph Fiennes), Georgiana achieves an impressive level of fame as Britons follow both her clothing style and her political advice. But even celebrity and wealth can't act as a salve in her marriage to the boring, boorish duke. When he begins to flaunt his affairs, Georgiana is tempted to return to a teenage crush, Charles Grey (Dominic Cooper of THE HISTORY BOYS), to the anger of her husband and her mother (Charlotte Rampling, SWIMMING POOL).

Fiennes's portrayal of the duke ranks roughly with his Lord Voldemort on a scale of beastly behavior, but the acclaimed actor manages to give him a level of humanity that far surpasses what he deserves. THE DUCHESS focuses on the lack of power possessed by Georgiana and, in fact, all women of her time, and the duke is the primary agent of her suppression. As she has done with other period films from the PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN series to KING ARTHUR, Knightley brings spirit to the role, as well as a regal carriage that perfectly fits the detailed costumes by Michael O'Connor. Fans of history-based drama--Georgiana was real-life royalty who is found in the genealogy of Princess Diana--will find much to like in this film, which boasts impressive locations, lush costumes, and forbidden love. (1 hr. 45 min.) Release date: Feb 2, 2010

The Mermaid

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:29:56 -0000

From writer-director Anna Melikyan comes this whimsical drama about a green-haired girl whose family is forced to move from their rural home to Moscow. Once there, the quirky, introverted girl comes of age while clashing with the trappings of the big city. Originally titled RUSALKA, MERMAID screened at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival, where it was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize. (1 hr. 58 min.) Release date: Jan 26, 2010

The Escapist

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:29:55 -0000

Brian Cox (THE BOURNE SUPREMACY) stars in this festival favorite as a man desperate to escape prison. But in this thriller, it's not just about freedom from the bars; the man needs to see his daughter before she dies from an illness. Joined by a group of his fellow prisoners, THE ESCAPIST makes his break from his cell in a fascinating and thought-provoking way. (1 hr. 43 min.) Release date: Jan 26, 2010

Daytime Drinking

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:29:54 -0000

When a broken-hearted city dweller goes to meet his friends in the countryside for a getaway, he finds that not only have none of them showed up for the trip, but the tiny seaside town is shuttered- no shops are open, no tourists are around, the beach is freezing, and there's no cell phone signal. Unable (and unwilling) to return to Seoul, in the company of some very unusual locals, and subject to the rigid rules of Korean drinking culture (never decline the first drink, always accept a drink from an elder, etc.), he finds himself on an increasingly strange odyssey nursing a never-ending hangover. (1 hr. 56 min.) Release date: Jan 26, 2010

Moscow, Belgium

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:29:53 -0000

A fender bender sends a single mother and a much younger man on a collision course toward love in this comic drama. Set in Belgium's blue collar neighborhood of Moscow, the film's heroine, Matty, has nothing but harsh words for Johnny when the trucker inflicts a dent in her car. But soon she sees a whole different side of him. Can their relationship survive a secret about his past? (1 hr. 42 min.) Release date: Jan 26, 2010

Ji Quan Bu Ning

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:29:52 -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: Jan 26, 2010

The Boys Are Back

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:29:51 -0000

Clive Owen has taken on the role of men living dangerous lives, such as a bank robber (INSIDE MAN) and an ex-secret agent (DUPLICITY), but those types might seem easy next to being a single father in this dramedy. After the death of his wife, Joe Warr is left with two sons and zero ideas on how to run his house. Soon, the home devolves into chaos, and Joe must decide if his parenting plan wasn't such a good idea after all. (1 hr. 40 min.) Release date: Jan 26, 2010

Worlds Apart

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:29:50 -0000

A girl is torn between her faith and her budding emotions in this coming-of-age drama from Denmark. Sara Dahl (Rosalinde Mynster) is 17 years old and has been raised in a family of strict Jehovah's Witnesses. Sara follows the tenets of the faith and often joins her family to distribute church literature door to door in hopes of attracting new converts. Despite the Dahl family's devotion to their church, there has been a great deal of tension in the household--her father (Jens Jorn Spottag) has been unfaithful to her mother (Sarah Boberg), and while he's deeply contrite, she's unwilling to forgive him. One night, Sara goes out with some friends from school and they end up at a dance club where she meets a handsome boy named Teis (Pilou Asbaek). The two feel an immediate attraction to one another, and as Sara falls for Teis, she begins to encounter a world and ideas she's never considered before, and starts to question the doctrine that she's been taught since childhood. However, Sara's parents are uncomfortable with her relationship with Teis, so they discuss her new attitudes with John (Anders W. Berthelsen), the pastor at their church, and he confronts her both privately and publicly about the morality of her new love. TO VERDENER (aka WORLDS APART) was screened in competition at the 2008 Berlin Film Festival. (1 hr. 48 min.) Release date: Jan 26, 2010

Quiet Chaos

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:29:49 -0000

Nanni Moretti stars in and co-wrote this moving Italian drama about grief. Pietro (Moretti) has just lost his wife, and he is left alone with their young daughter (Blu Yoshimi). He promises the girl that he will wait for her in the car when she returns to school for the first time, but then his temporary offer turns into habit. Now, Pietro spends his days in his car, watching the world around him and grieving in his own way. (1 hr. 45 min.) Release date: Jan 26, 2010

Bright Star

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:29:48 -0000

After playing music legend Bob Dylan in I�M NOT THERE, Ben Whishaw plays another master of words: John Keats. Directed by Jane Campion, BRIGHT STAR chronicles Keats�s brief, doomed romance with Fanny Brawne (Abbie Cornish, ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE), who was five years his junior. (1 hr. 59 min.) Release date: Jan 26, 2010

The Lonely Sex

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:29:47 -0000

"His desperate cry tears thru the night!" A twisted young man makes a love slave of a young girl, keeping her in a shack in the woods. The girl's psycho housemate tracks him down, seeking revenge. Release date: Jan 26, 2010

Just Like the Son

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:29:46 -0000

No description available (1 hr. 26 min.) Release date: Jan 26, 2010

Give Me Your Hand

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:29:45 -0000

No description available (1 hr. 17 min.) Release date: Jan 26, 2010

Tennessee

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:29:44 -0000

In this drama, a pair of brothers (played by Adam Rothenberg and Ethan Peck) head from New Mexico to Tennessee on a search for their father, whom they haven't seen in years. But the brothers aren't alone on their trip; a struggling singer (played by pop star Mariah Carey) soon joins them as she tries to escape her husband (THE WIRE's Lance Reddick). (1 hr. 39 min.) Release date: Jan 26, 2010

My Piano

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:29:43 -0000

Hosted by music teacher Irma Irene Justicia and her cartoon friend Pam the Piano, this instructional program teaches kids ages six and up how to play the piano through 100 fun and easy lessons covering such topics as proper hand positioning, learning notes, playing chords, counting rhythm, and reading music. (1 hr. 48 min.) Release date: Jan 26, 2010

Che Part One

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:29:42 -0000

Nearly 40 years after Che Guevara's execution in Bolivia, director Steven Soderbergh retraces the life of the iconic Cuban revolutionary in this nearly four-and-a-half-hour saga. PART 1 begins on November 26, 1956, as Fidel Castro (Demian Bichir) sails into Cuban waters with 80 rebels in tow. Among those rebels is Argentine doctor Ernesto "Che" Guevara (Benicio Del Toro), a man who shares Castro's dream of overthrowing corrupt dictator Fulgencio Batista. As the struggle gets under way, Guevara proves an indispensable part of the revolution due to his firm grasp on the concepts of guerilla warfare. Guevara is heartily embraced by both his comrades and the Cuban people, and quickly rises through the ranks to become first a commander and ultimately a revolutionary hero. PART 2 of the saga begins with Guevara at the absolute peak of his fame and power. Disappearing suddenly, Guevara subsequently resurfaces in Bolivia to organize a modest group of Cuban comrades and Bolivian recruits in preparation for the Latin American Revolution. But while the Bolivian campaign would ultimately fail, the tenacity, sacrifice, and idealism displayed by Guevara during this period would make him a symbol of heroism to followers around the world. PART 1 and PART 2 were screened together as CHE at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival, and also received a limited theatrical release under that same title in U.S. theaters later that same year. (Part One - 129 min./Part Two - 128 min.) Release date: Jan 19, 2010

Once Upon a Time in Rio

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:29:41 -0000

No description available (117 hr.) Release date: Jan 19, 2010

Death in Love

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:29:40 -0000

The romance between a Nazi doctor and a Jewish woman has severe repercussions for their family decades later. Boaz Yakin (FRESH) directs this powerful film about battling the traumas of the past. (1 hr. 40 min.) Release date: Jan 19, 2010

Sultanes Del Sur

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:29:39 -0000

No description available (98 hr.) Release date: Jan 19, 2010

Fame

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:29:38 -0000

This remake of the 1980s classic focuses on a group of young students attending a high school for the performing arts. Classmates study various aspects of performance from dance to songwriting to acting, all of them hoping for the chance to one day become stars. Debbie Allen, Charles S. Dutton, Kelsey Grammer, Megan Mullally, and Bebe Neuwirth portray the instructors, with a host of newcomers toplining the production as the students. (1 hr. 47 min.) Release date: Jan 12, 2010

Moon

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:29:37 -0000

After spending three years on the moon as a solitary miner, Sam Bell is almost ready to return home to his wife and daughter. But as his homecoming approaches, he begins to experience strange things that can't be explained and his employer may have a sinister plan in mind for him. (1 hr. 37 min.) Release date: Jan 12, 2010

Onimasa

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:29:36 -0000

In this brutal Japanese melodrama, the gangster boss of the town of Shikoku had been in charge since 1921. Though he is married and has two mistresses, the yakuza leader has no children so he adopts a pre-adolescent girl. The two become very close, and even the birth of a natural daughter does not tear them apart. (2 hrs. 26 min.) Release date: Jan 12, 2010

Tru Loved

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:29:35 -0000

Tru, a 16-year-old girl with lesbian mothers, moves with her family from San Francisco to Southern California. There, she must find new friends in a considerably more conservative atmosphere. But her budding friendship with a secretly gay jock gets complicated when she decides to launch a gay-friendly club at her high school. (1 hr. 39 min.) Release date: Jan 12, 2010

Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All By Myself

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:29:34 -0000

A hard-living nightclub singer discovers the importance of family with the help of a handsome Mexican immigrant in this inspirational comedy drama from writer-director Tyler Perry. When pistol-packing granny Madea (Perry) awakens to the sound of her home being ransacked by wayward teen Jennifer (Hope Olaide Wilson) and her two younger brothers, she promptly marches the troubled kids over to their aunt April's house. But despite being the only relative the kids can turn to, April (Taraji P. Henson) is hardly a role model--a self-destructive songbird with a serious drinking problem, she spends her nights at the club and relies on her married boyfriend, Raymond, to pay the bills. Suddenly, into April's life wanders Sandino (Adam Rodriguez), a hard-luck immigrant in search of some honest work. Before long, Sandino has moved into April's basement room and formed a solid connection with the kids. The closer April and Sandino grow, the more April begins to recognize the importance of faith and family. When the time comes to say goodbye to her old ways and start a new life, the wounded chanteuse realizes that she may have finally found the true love that's always eluded her. (1 hr. 53 min.) Release date: Jan 12, 2010

Passing Strange The Movie

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:29:33 -0000

Oscar-nominated filmmaker Spike Lee turns his camera toward the stage for this filmed performance of the acclaimed Broadway musical by singer-songwriter Stew and his creative partner, Heidi Rodewald. Developed at the Sundance Theater Lab, the story follows a young black man from Los Angeles as he attempts to make sense of the conflicted cultural signals constantly bombarding him from all sides. Raised in a religious household somewhere south of Interstate 10, the frustrated adolescent feels suffocated by his mother's fixation on family ties, her unwavering devotion to the church, and her unapologetically bourgeois aspirations in life. He longs to experience something "real" in life, ultimately making the decision to follow in the footsteps of James Baldwin and Josephine Baker by traveling to Europe and exploring the world. From outrageous Amsterdam to ultra-militant Berlin, the impressionable wanderer experiences misadventures with sex, drugs, politics, and art as his eyes are opened ever wider to the world around him. (2 hrs. 15 min.) Release date: Jan 12, 2010

Wrong Turn at Tahoe

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:29:32 -0000

No description available (1 hr. 30 min.) Release date: Jan 12, 2010

Downloading Nancy

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:29:31 -0000

When Albert Stockwell comes home from work one day, he finds a note from his wife of 15 years, Nancy, saying she has gone to see friends. After waiting several days, Albert realizes that his wife is missing. Nancy has met her salvation on the Internet in the form of Louis. Nancy and Louis, both wounded souls, take comfort in one another through e-mail, pictures, and promises of perverse sexual encounters. Nancy has finally found the one and only thing that can liberate her from the pain in her life. While she pursues the freedom that she feels will only come with ultimate liberation, Albert is left to put the pieces together and try to salvage what is left. (1 hr. 42 min.) Release date: Jan 12, 2010

You, the Living

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:29:30 -0000

Swedish filmmaker Roy Andersson continues in the absurdist tradition of his film SONGS FROM THE SECOND FLOOR with this bleak comedy. At first, YOU, THE LIVING might seem small, thanks to its structure of numerous short stories, but this was a mammoth undertaking. The director spent three years just shooting footage and creating sets, but the effort shows in this nicely crafted film. (1 hr. 35 min.) Release date: Jan 12, 2010

A Man Called Adam

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:29:29 -0000

Davis stars as successful jazz trumpeter, Adam Johnson, a man whose tormented past and inner anger threaten to destroy his career. (1 hr. 43 min.) Release date: Jan 12, 2010

Breaking Point

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:29:28 -0000

No description available (1 hr. 37 min.) Release date: Jan 12, 2010

The Burning Plain

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:29:27 -0000

Sylvia is a beautiful restaurant manager whose cool, professional demeanor masks the sexually charged storm within. When a stranger from Mexico confronts her with her mysterious past, Sylvia is launched into a journey through space and time that inextricably connects her to these disparate characters, all of whom are grappling with their own romantic destinies.

In Mexico, a young motherless girl, Maria, lives happily with her father and his best friend until a tragic accident changes it all. In the New Mexico border town of Las Cruces, two teenagers, Mariana and Santiago, find love in the aftermath of their parents' sudden deaths. In an abandoned trailer, a housewife, Gina, embarks on a passionate affair that will put Sylvia and the others on a collision course with the explosive power of forbidden love. (1 hr. 51 min.) Release date: Jan 12, 2010

Departures

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:29:26 -0000

After Daigo Kobayashi (Masahiro Motoki) loses his job as a cellist, he feels lost. Daigo returns to his hometown in search of work, and a job ad leads him to work at a funeral home. While those around him shun his new career, Daigo finds solace and direction in his work. This thought-provoking look at life and death was Japan�s submission for the Oscars in 2008. (2 hrs. 11 min.) Release date: Jan 12, 2010

Amreeka

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:29:25 -0000

A divorced Palestinian woman and her teenage son find their lives changing in ways they never anticipated upon relocating to rural Illinois. (1 hr. 37 min.) Release date: Jan 12, 2010

Trucker

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:29:24 -0000

When a truck driver hears that her ex-husband is dying, she must become a parent to their young son. (1 hr. 33 min.) Release date: Jan 5, 2010

Anne B. Real

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:29:23 -0000

This gritty coming of age story follows Cynthia, an aspiring hip-hop artist whose daily life is a struggle. From her New York City high school to her home, Cynthia faces indifference and disdain as she tries to realize her dream of becoming a successful rapper. However, when she reads a copy of THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK, Cynthia is inspired, and uses Frank's novel as motivation to overcome the odds and become a star. (1 hr. 31 min.) Release date: Jan 5, 2010

Half-Life

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:29:22 -0000

As time starts spinning faster and a series of natural disasters send the world plunging into chaos, the disillusioned, self-absorbed suburbanites nestled comfortably in the hills of northern California find their lives unraveling at an alarming rate. Global cataclysms are on the rise and the air quality around the world is at an all-time low. As the pressure begins to build up in the mind of suburban single mother Saura Wu, a sinister charmer appears and disrupts her efforts to rebuild her family. Meanwhile, across town, a troubled girl named Pam seeks comfort in the arms of affable young hipster Scott. But while Scott is more than willing to be a good friend to Pam, he's just now coming to terms with his identity as a gay man--a reality his fundamentalist parents refuse to accept. Now, as a series of disastrous supernormal continue to unfold, Saura's son, Timothy, realizes that he has been gifted with paranormal powers, which he quickly learns how to develop and hone. By drawing on his unique powers, Timothy is somehow able to alter everyone's reality--but what good can this do in a world overcome by misery and catastrophe? First-time feature filmmaker Jennifer Phang crafts an apocalyptic fable that takes a philosophical look at the end of the world and shows how sometimes hope can still manage to cut through fatalism with extraordinary results. (1 hr. 56 min.) Release date: Dec 29, 2009

Hansel and Gretel

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:29:21 -0000

A callow young traveler finds himself in a most peculiar predicament after crashing his car in the forest and being taken in by a strange family in this sinister fairy tale from second-time director Yim Phil-Sung. Lee Eun-Soo was driving though the forest and talking on the phone with his pregnant girlfriend when he swerved to avoid running over road kill and winded up wrecking his car. Dragged from his car in a daze by a serene young woman, Lee is spirited to the "House of Happy Children" in the heart of the forest. Though the couple who owns the home and their three young children are more than accommodating, their injured guest begins to suspect that something is amiss when his cell phone loses all reception and he discovers the land line is out of order. The following morning, as Lee struggles in vain to locate his car, it gradually begins to dawn on him that these are no ordinary woods. (1 hr. 56 min.) Release date: Dec 29, 2009

The Reckless Way

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:29:20 -0000

A young girl heads out west to make it in the movies, though the way is fraught with danger and deception. Release date: Dec 29, 2009

Loser

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:29:19 -0000

As he lies dying, a shiftless, unrepentant drug dealer recalls how he disdained the straight world in favor of robbery and criminal mayhem. Sexy temptress Peta Wilson (of TV's LA FEMME NIKITA) co-stars. (1 hr. 25 min.) Release date: Dec 22, 2009

Motherland

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:29:18 -0000

Six women sharing the same sort of profound grief come together to help others while coming to terms with their own loss in this documentary by Jennifer Steinman. Debbi works as a paramedic with an ambulance company. Anne is married to a man in the advertising business and spends her spare time working with children's charities. Mary Helena works as an actress and storyteller. Barbara is completing her degree in nursing while she finalizes her divorce. Kathy is married to a policeman and works in the emergency ward of a hospital. And Lauren is a college student in her early 20s. While these women all come from different walks of life and cultural backgrounds, they have one thing in common--each of them has had to live with the pain of losing a child, except for Lauren, who is mourning the death of her brother. In late December 2006, the six women traveled to South Africa to spend two-and-a-half weeks volunteering with children's organizations, daycare facilities, centers for abused children, and support groups for at-risk teens. Far from home, the women devote themselves to the shattered lives of others while coming to a better understanding of their own grief; by bonding with one another and a community of welcoming strangers, they come to understand how the death of their loved ones has changed them and how to find a way out of sorrow. MOTHERLAND was an official selection at the 2009 South by Southwest Film Festival. (80 hr.) Release date: Dec 22, 2009

Staten Island

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:29:17 -0000

Ethan Hawke reteams with his ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13 screenwriter James DeMonaco for the latter's directing debut with this independent drama focusing on three New Yorkers (Hawke, Vincent D'Onofrio, and Seymour Cassel) whose lives intersect in the shadow of the Big Apple. Luc Besson co-produces the Europa Corp picture. (1 hr. 36 min.) Release date: Dec 22, 2009

Beyond a Reasonable Doubt

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:29:16 -0000

Jesse Metcalfe, Amber Tamblyn, and Michael Douglas star in this thriller based on an RKO classic. Metcalf (JOHN TUCKER MUST DIE) plays a writer who stands trial for a murder he didn�t commit in order to expose a corrupt district attorney (Douglas). (1 hr. 45 min.) Release date: Dec 22, 2009

Lucky Bastard

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:29:15 -0000

No description available (1 hr. 35 min.) Release date: Dec 17, 2009

The Other Man

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:29:14 -0000

Rainmark and Gotham Films present this tale of a scorned husband who seeks out the man he thinks is involved with his wife in Richard Eyre's adaptation of Bernhard Schlink's novel THE OTHER MAN. Liam Neeson, Laura Linney, Antonio Banderas, and Romola Garai star in the joint UK/USA production. (1 hr. 29 min.) Release date: Dec 15, 2009

Taking Woodstock

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:29:13 -0000

Ang Lee (BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN) directs this film about the beginnings of the epic and legendary 1969 Woodstock Festival, which took place in Bethel, New York. (2 hrs. 1 min.) Release date: Dec 15, 2009

The Headless Woman

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:29:12 -0000

After only three features, Lucrecia Martel has firmly established herself as one of world cinema's most distinctive visionaries. Following up on her subliminally atmospheric LA CIENAGA and THE HOLY GIRL, Martel goes even deeper into cinematic obliqueness with THE HEADLESS WOMAN. The story concerns Veronica (Maria Onetto), who accidentally hits something while driving one day. To the viewer, it appears to be a dog, but Veronica is unable to shake the fear that she killed a young boy. As the days wear on, she has trouble recalling even the most basic details of her life, to the point where she appears to be suffering from amnesia. Or is she simply trying to deny the truth about what really happened? All signs point to her being in the clear, yet just when she begins to feel okay another mysterious coincidence arises that makes her doubt herself once again.

Martel challenges viewers in a way that will cause many to scratch their heads, but this is clearly calculated behavior on her part. By using clever sound design and exquisitely framed images, she creates a palpable tension that makes THE HEADLESS WOMAN feel like a most unlikely thriller. She is also driven by a desire to expose the horrific divides in Argentina's class system, making the film as much a work of social commentary as a fine example of thought-provoking entertainment. THE HEADLESS WOMAN is a film that demands multiple viewings to break through its mysterious surface. (1 hr. 27 min.) Release date: Dec 15, 2009