Yahoo! Movies: New Romance DVD Releases

American Pie

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:33:22 -0000

In this coming-of-age comedy, a group of friends at the end of their senior year make a pact to lose their virginity by prom night. In their outrageous attempts to fulfill this mission, they come to some surprising, hilarious and often touching realizations about themselves, their friendships, their notions of love, romance and their relations with the opposite sex. (1 hr. 35 min.) Release date: Nov 1, 2009

What a Girl Wants

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:33:21 -0000

This is the story of a 19-year-old girl (Bynes) who has been raised in New York City by her mother (Preston), a professional singer, who decides that she wants to find her long-lost British father (Firth) in London, who's part of a very hoity-toity British aristocratic social circle. Once she gets there, however, it doesn't take long before her hip American lifestyle disrupts his entire life. Can she find a balance in the relationship between her two parents, find her own piece of mind, and along the way, possibly fall in love as well? Perhaps most importantly, does she have a chance at being the Debutante of the Year? (1 hr. 44 min.) Release date: Sep 8, 2009

Shrek

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:33:20 -0000

Set in a strange, colorful land populated by fairy tale characters, SHREK is a hilarious comedy that will win over audiences of children and adults alike. Shrek (voiced by Mike Myers) is a fearsome green ogre living in isolation in his own cozy little swamp. He is not receptive to visitors, and fends off the occasional party of torch-wielding villagers with ease. But when the power-hungry Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow) turns Shrek's swamp into a relocation camp for dozens of banished fairy-tale characters (including some pesky dwarves, wolves, and fairies) Shrek's quiet, introverted life is ruined. Joined by the talkative Donkey (Eddie Murphy), Shrek makes his way to Farquaad's realm of Duloc, where the Lord makes Shrek an offer: He will rid Shrek's land of the unwanted visitors if Shrek will go on a simple quest to free Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) from her remote, dragon-guarded castle and convince her to marry Farquaad. On their quest, Shrek and Donkey run into a number of bizarre situations, and Shrek finds himself realizing that he isn't quite the fearsome monster he has always made himself out to be. Reinventing the traditional fairy tale adventure, SHREK features gorgeous computer animation, a unique sense of humor, and compelling characters--especially Eddie Murphy's lovable Donkey. (1 hr. 29 min.) Release date: Sep 29, 2009

Twister

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:33:19 -0000

The largest storm to hit Oklahoma in more than half a century is brewing, and it promises to drop multiple twisters into Tornado Alley. It's the storm that two rival groups of scientists--Jo Harding and her band of brash university students, and corporate-sponsored Dr. Jonas Miller and his sleek, crack cadre with their state-of-the-art research vans--have been waiting for to earn their place in meteorological history. Each team wants to be the first to launch their own equipment pack inside a twister to transmit valuable scientific data about tornado behavior. But to do so, they must put themselves directly in the path of the marauding monster--and stay always just ahead of the swirling twister, anticipating its every move. Adding to the charged atmosphere, Jo's soon-to-be-ex-husband, meteorologist Bill Harding, reluctantly joins Jo and his old crew for this last, epic chase. (1 hr. 54 min.) Release date: Nov 3, 2009

King Kong

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:33:18 -0000

One of the top money-makers of the 1970s. Producer Dino Delaurentis up-dates the 1933 classic. Jessica Lange's first starring role. Academy Award Nominations: 2, including Best Cinematography, Best Sound. Academy Award: Best Special Effects. (2 hrs. 15 min.) Release date: Sep 15, 2009

Gone With the Wind

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:33:17 -0000

Hot-tempered, self-centered, part-Irish Southern beauty Scarlett O�Hara, played to the teeth by Vivien Leigh, loves the gentlemanly Ashley Wilkes. Smug, rebellious, honest blockade-running profiteer Rhett Butler, portrayed gracefully and naturally by Clark Gable, loves Scarlett. Ashley, who is also in love with Scarlett, marries his genteel cousin Melanie because he believes that their quiet similarities will create a better marriage than Scarlett�s passion. Meanwhile, sparks fly between Rhett and Scarlett at their first encounter and continue throughout Scarlett�s first two marriages. Scarlett and Rhett finally wed, but Scarlett continues to pine for her beloved Ashley. Set against the Civil War and Southern Reconstruction, this tragic love quadrangle offers the burning of Atlanta and fields of wounded Confederates as part of its lush scenery. Meticulous backdrops, glorious sunsets, numerous silhouettes, and the ultrasaturated Technicolor film create a hyperreal vision. The romantic score is every bit as lush and dramatic as the photography, borrowing folk melodies from the Old South to make the tragic war concrete. Heavy nostalgic tones pervade the often witty dialogue and larger-than-life charms and faults of the leads. GONE WITH THE WIND stands among the greatest epic dramas ever filmed. (3 hrs. 39 min.) Release date: Nov 17, 2009

Saturday Night Fever

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:33:16 -0000

Director John Badham's hit film propelled John Travolta to stardom, made white polyester suits an instant fashion craze, and garnered praise for its portrayal of blue-collar life. Nineteen-year-old Brooklyn native Tony Manero (Travolta) lives for Saturday nights at the local disco, where he's king of the club, thanks to his stylish moves on the dance floor. But outside of the club, things don't look so rosy. At home, Tony fights constantly with his father and has to compete with his family's starry-eyed view of his older brother, a priest. Nor can he find satisfaction at his dead-end job at a paint store. However, things begin to change when he spies Stephanie (Karen Lynn Gorney) in the disco and starts training with her for the club's dance competition. Stephanie dreams of the world beyond Brooklyn, and her plans to move to the big city just over the bridge soon change Tony's life forever. This portrait of young Brooklyn natives struggling to escape their sheltered lives for freedom and adventure in the big city of Manhattan defined a generation of disco dancers and 1970s youths rebelling against the more traditional expectations of their parents. Set to the popular dance music of the Bee Gees, this instant cinematic sensation revealed the fashions and aspirations of an underground culture to the world. (1 hr. 59 min.) Release date: Sep 15, 2009

Cry Baby

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:33:15 -0000

Cult director John Waters goes mainstream -- sort of -- in this send-up of 1950s teen melodramas. Heart-throb Johnny Depp stars in the title role as a glamorous delinquent who heads a gang of hoods known as the Drapes. Trouble starts when Cry-Baby falls for a squeaky clean blonde from a rival group, the Squares. Their star-crossed romance sets off a rumble between the warring factions and Cry-Baby ends up doing time in reform school. Chock-full of rock 'n roll and Waters' usual cavalcade of eccentric celebrities, including Patty Hearst, Iggy Pop and former porn star Traci Lords. (1 hr. 25 min.) Release date: Nov 1, 2009

Happy Gilmore

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:33:14 -0000

A would-be hockey player who unfortunately can't skate transforms his slap-shot into a 400-yard golf drive in this slapstick comedy. Joining the pro tour to win enough money to get his grandma's house out of hock, this unsportsmanlike sportsman enrages the staid establishment with his on-course shenanigans. (1 hr. 32 min.) Release date: Nov 1, 2009

Forrest Gump

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:33:13 -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: Nov 3, 2009

Message in A Bottle

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:33:12 -0000

The story of a long distance love connection that is made when Penn, a Chicago journalist, discovers a love letter that Costner, a widowed sailboat repairer, let drift into the ocean. She quickly tracks him down and an honest bond forms between the two. When he discovers that she hasn't been entirely honest with him, the betrayal threatens to ruin what has been, so obviously up to this point, a wonderful, romantic thing. (2 hrs. 12 min.) Release date: Nov 3, 2009

Across the Universe

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:33:11 -0000

A romantic musical told mainly through numerous Beatles songs performed by the characters. A young man from Liverpool comes to America during the Vietnam War to find his father. He winds up in Greenwich Village, where he falls in love with an American girl who has grown up sheltered in the suburbs. Together they experience the sweeping changes of America in the late 60's. (2 hrs. 11 min.) Release date: Sep 15, 2009

City of Angels

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:33:10 -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: Sep 8, 2009

Sliver

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:33:09 -0000

Carly Norris (Sharon Stone), a demure divorc�e and book editor, moves in to New York City's tall, elegant Sliver building. Unbeknownst to Carly, though, fatal mysteries enshroud her new accommodations. Soon the center of attention, Carly is befriended by Gus Hale (Keene Curtis), left gifts by a secret admirer, and pursued by two handsome men--Zeke Hawkins (William Baldwin) and Jack Lansford (Tom Berenger). However, someone is using a very sophisticated surveillance system to watch the intimate lives of these tenants--including Carly.

SLIVER is based on a novel by Ira Levin (ROSEMARY'S BABY), although the script shares striking similarities with writer Joe Eszterhas's earlier BASIC INSTINCT screenplay. Phillip Noyce directs efficiently, and Polly Walker is striking as a Londoner out of her element in the coke-addled world of upscale Manhattan. (1 hr. 46 min.) Release date: Sep 15, 2009

Varsity Blues

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:33:08 -0000

In his 35th year as head coach, Bud Kilmer is trying to lead his West Canaan Coyotes to their 23rd division title. Uncompromising and omnipotent, Kilmer is deified in the small Texas town, as long as the team is winning. But when star quarterback Lance Harbor suffers a season-ending injury, the Coyotes are forced to regroup under the questionable leadership of second-string quarterback Jonathan Moxon. His irreverent attitude and approach to football come into direct conflict with the coach's inflexible game plan. (1 hr. 44 min.) Release date: Sep 15, 2009

Michael

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:33:07 -0000

When rumor of Michael's existence reaches the National Mirror, washed-up journalist Frank Quinlan smells a page-one scoop. True or not, it's his job to track down this alleged angel, and bring him back to Chicago in time for Christmas. But his fiesty boss won't let him go alone. He sends Quinlan on assignment with angel expert Dorothy Winters and Huey Driscoll, another jaded reporter who would have been canned years ago had he not rescued Sparky, a mongrel that has become famous as the paper's prized mascot. As the trio travels to Iowa, each believes the trip is a colossal hoax until they come face-to-feather with Michael. He smells like cookies, acts like a playboy and tosses off miracles when everyone least expects them. As Quinlan and Dorothy search for the incontrovertible proof they need not to believe in Michael, Michael sets out against all odds to get Dorothy and Quinlan to believe in each other. (1 hr. 45 min.) Release date: Sep 8, 2009

Superman II

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:33:06 -0000

Once again mild-mannered reporter Clark Kent (Christopher Reeve), hiding his identity as Superman, must fight for law and order. This time around, a triumvirate of nasty villains from the planet Krypton break free of their dimensional prison and hightail it to Earth, where they enjoy the same superpowers as Superman. Meanwhile, Lois Lane (Margot Kidder) has discovered that Superman and Clark are the same person, so Superman debates whether to give up his abilities to become a normal man and share his life with Lois. Richard Lester (A HARD DAY'S NIGHT) takes the helm for this sequel, which is arguably the equal of the original hit film. (2 hrs. 7 min.) Release date: Nov 3, 2009

Sweet November

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:33:05 -0000

Based on the screenplay by Herman Raucher for the 1968 film of the same title, SWEET NOVEMBER stars Charlize Theron and Keanu Reeves in the story of an experimental love affair. Theron is Sara, a free-spirited woman who runs across tight-laced ad executive Nelson (Reeves) at the DMV. Nelson wants only to be left alone to continue on the fast track of his career, but Sara is drawn to him. She makes him an offer: to be her November, the man who will live with her for one month only, during which she will "help" him. Not sure why, Nelson accepts, finding that Sara appeals to something he didn't even know was inside him. As she begins to change his life, Nelson realizes what he's been missing in his career-centered world--but just as he begins to reach out to her, Nelson finds that Sara has secrets of her own. (1 hr. 59 min.) Release date: Sep 8, 2009

Once

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:33:04 -0000

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

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

High Fidelity

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:33:03 -0000

In a biting romantic comedy, Rob Gordon is the owner of a semi-failing record store in Chicago, where he sells music the old-fashioned way -- on vinyl. He's a self-professed music junkie who spends his days at Championship Vinyl with his two employees, Dick and Barry. Although they have an encyclopedic knowledge of pop music and are consumed with the music scene, it's of no help to Rob, whose needle skips the love groove when his long-time girlfriend, Laura, walks out on him. As he examines his failed attempts at romance and happiness, the process finds him being dragged, kicking and screaming, into adulthood. (1 hr. 47 min.) Release date: Sep 15, 2009

The Mummy

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:33:02 -0000

The mummy Kharis, from ancient Egypt, is accidentally revived after 3,700 years by a British archeology team. (1 hr. 12 min.) Release date: Sep 13, 2009

Forever Young

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:33:01 -0000

A test pilot loses his true love so he volunteers to become cryogenically frozen for an experiment. Many years later a group of young boys stumble across his frozen capsule and revive him. He befriends the boy's mother and learns that his old sweetheart is still alive. Can they be reunited after so much time has gone by? (1 hr. 42 min.) Release date: Sep 8, 2009

Say Anything

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:33:00 -0000

Romantic comedy about a less-than-average student who falls in love with a brilliant biochemistry major. (1 hr. 40 min.) Release date: Nov 3, 2009

Monster-in-Law

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:32:59 -0000

Unlucky in love, beautiful Charlotte 'Charlie' Cantilini (Jennifer Lopez) has finally met the man of her dreams, Dr. Kevin Fields (Michael Vartan). There's just one problem - his mother. Overbearing and controlling, not to mention volatile, Viola Fields (Jane Fonda) has recently been canned from her job as a star news anchor. Fearing she will lose her son's affections as she has her career, Viola decides to break up the happy couple by becoming the world's worst mother-in-law. Helping her with her crazy schemes is Viola's long-time assistant, Ruby (Wanda Sykes). The gloves come off when Charlie finally decides to fight back and it looks like Viola has finally met her match. (1 hr. 35 min.) Release date: Nov 3, 2009

Monsoon Wedding

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:32:58 -0000

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

Maverick

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:32:57 -0000

Based on 1950s television series Maverick, the story of a gambling cowboy. (2 hrs. 9 min.) Release date: Sep 8, 2009

The Buttercup Chain

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:32:56 -0000

THE BUTTERCUP CHAIN, based on Janice Elliot's novel, details the intense friendship among four people that turns tragic over the course of one summer. France (Hywel Bennett) and Margaret (Jane Asher) are first cousins, born of twin sisters on the same day. As children, they were brought up as brother and sister. The two possess such a strong platonic love for each other that they are incapable of loving anyone else. When Margaret travels to London to live with France, he picks out beautiful Swedish student Fred (Sven-Bertil Taube) to be Margaret's lover. For himself, France selects American girl Manny (Leigh Taylor-Young). As they spend their holidays travelling in Spain, England, and Sweden, the four friends communicate with each other and try to discover the meaning of love. (1 hr. 35 min.) Release date: Sep 8, 2009

Practical Magic

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:32:55 -0000

The two Owen sisters from a small Massachusetts are normal siblings- except they are actual witches. They use their magical powers to grant spells for love. (1 hr. 45 min.) Release date: Nov 3, 2009

Contact

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:32:54 -0000

She's known it since she was a young girl, when she would magically connect with distant voices on her father's shortwave radio. She's known it since college, when she chose the search for intelligent extraterrestrial messages as her discipline. She's known it since she bargained for just hours a week of satellite time to sweep the heavens for evidence. And she knows it every time she stares at the countless stars dappling the infinite night sky... Something is out there. (2 hrs. 22 min.) Release date: Sep 8, 2009

Fame

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:32:53 -0000

In Alan Parker's FAME, teenagers selected for New York City's High School for the Performing Arts push their talents to the limit to make it big in show business. This episodic tale follows savvy Coco (Irene Cara), timid Doris (Maureen Teefy), gay Montgomery (Paul McCrane), macho Raul (Barry Miller), soulful Bruno (Lee Curreri), and others as they struggle to achieve their dreams of stardom while coping with the universal teenage problems of loneliness, insecurity, and embattled, mercurial identity.

Cara, electric as the budding songstress Coco, shines brightest in the infectiously exuberant young cast. The film, which won Academy Awards for Best Original Score and Best Original Song, overflows at each corner of its loosely unfolding narrative with inspired music and dance numbers that seem to burst forth spontaneously out of sheer irrepressible emotion. With FAME (later developed into a hit television series), Parker finds a happy medium between the wildly diverging tones of his previous two features, the goofy kids-as-gangsters musical BUGSY MALONE and the harrowing prison thriller MIDNIGHT EXPRESS, and in doing so creates an enjoyable, glittering portrait of guileless teenage ambition. (2 hrs. 14 min.) Release date: Sep 15, 2009

Proof of Life

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:32:52 -0000

An American engineer in a Latin American country is captured by anti-government forces. When the rebels learn his identity they demand $3 million for his safe return. However, his U.S. employer is on the verge of insolvency and will not provide the ransom. Peter's wife Alice is forced to deal with the matter on her own. She retains the services of freelance professional hostage negotiator Terry Thorne. With the help of a fellow negotiator, Dino, and a trio of highly trained mercenaries, Terry mounts a bold operation to rescue Peter that could as easily result in disaster as in triumph. (2 hrs. 15 min.) Release date: Nov 3, 2009

Two Weeks Notice

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:32:51 -0000

Sandra Bullock is a brilliant but neurotic attorney and Hugh Grant is her charming, irresponsible and fabulously wealthy client in this story about whether or not it's ever too late to say 'I love you.' (1 hr. 41 min.) Release date: Nov 3, 2009

All About My Mother

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:32:50 -0000

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

Wings of Desire

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:32:49 -0000

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

Love N' Dancing

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:32:48 -0000

In this romance, two dancers get a second chance at proving their talent. Jake Mitchell (screenwriter and producer Tom Malloy) is a skilled dancer whose abilities are even more impressive when we realize that he is deaf. But Jake worries that his title of World West Coast Swing Champion wasn�t truly earned and that the judges only awarded him the prize because of his deafness. Jessica Donovan (CRANK�s Amy Smart) spends her time as a teacher, but she longs for the days when she was a young dancer. When she and her fianc� schedule dance lessons with Jake to prepare for her wedding, she gets a taste of everything she misses. Plus, her fianc� is too busy for the lessons, and she and Jake find that there�s more than just West Coast Swing drawing them together. The partners decide to enter the championships--but will their tentative romance keep them from the win? LOVE �N DANCING also stars Billy Zane, Rachel Dratch, and Caroline Rhea. (1 hr. 33 min.) Release date: Oct 20, 2009

Dead Again

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:32:47 -0000

In Kenneth Branagh's stylish suspense film, Branagh stars as Mike Church, a Los Angeles detective who is drawn into the life of Grace (Emma Thompson), a woman with amnesia who is plagued by disturbing nightmares. Attempts to help her regain her memory bring them to Franklyn Madson (Derek Jacobi), a mysterious hypnotist who runs an antique shop. Under hypnosis, Grace claims that in a previous life she was Margaret Strauss, a concert pianist who was murdered by her jealous husband, Roman. Further sessions lead her to believe that Mike is actually Roman reincarnated and that the two are destined to re-create the murder. Mike must then attempt to solve two mysteries--the real identity of Grace and the true story behind a 40-year-old crime. Branagh's taut thriller also features Robin Williams, Andy Garcia, and Campbell Scott. (1 hr. 47 min.) Release date: Sep 15, 2009

Law of Desire

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:32:46 -0000

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

The Moon in the Gutter

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:32:45 -0000

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

The Brothers Bloom

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:32:44 -0000

The Brothers Bloom are the best con men in the world, swindling millionaires with complex scenarios of lust, intrigue and the most complex literary-inspired setups imaginable. Now they've decided to take on one last job -- showing a beautiful and eccentric heiress named Penelope the time of her life with a romantic adventure that takes them around the world -- from New Jersey to Greece to Russia and Prague -- in pursuit of priceless artifacts wanted by some of their most unsavory competitors. (1 hr. 53 min.) Release date: Sep 29, 2009

The Whole Nine Yards

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:32:43 -0000

Nicholas "Oz" Oseransky is a nice dentist living in suburban Montreal. His new next door neighbor, Jimmy "The Tulip" Tudeski, is a hit man hiding out from a dangerous Chicago crime family. Despite their differences, Oz and Jimmy have one thing in common: someone's trying to kill them both. For Jimmy, avoiding a couple of hired killers is child's play. But for Oz, it's a whole new ball game. To stay alive, they're going to have to stick together - Jimmy with his cunning and cold-blooded accuracy and Oz with his dental tools. (1 hr. 41 min.) Release date: Sep 8, 2009

Four Christmases

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:32:42 -0000

Documentarian Seth Gordon (THE KING OF KONG: A FISTFUL OF QUARTERS) makes his feature film directorial debut with FOUR CHRISTMASES. Kate (Reese Witherspoon) and Brad (Vince Vaughn) are a happily unmarried couple who avoid spending Christmas with their families at all costs and instead travel to exotic locales. But when they find themselves fogged in at the San Francisco airport and their flight to Fiji cancelled, they have no choice but to spend the holiday with their divorced parents and the rest of their dysfunctional relatives. From his wrestling brothers and cradle-robbing mother to her oversexed grandmother and perfect sister, the couple is forced to face their worst nightmare head-on. Kate and Brad's greatest fears are realized as their families share their most personal secrets.

This film addresses broader themes of how people really know each other and the importance of connecting with family, no matter how crazy they might be. Vaughn and Witherspoon have nice chemistry as a couple that thought they had everything they wanted, improvising and playing off of each other well. Robert Duvall and Sissy Spacek appear as Brad's parents, while Jon Voight and Mary Steenburgen play Kate's parents. Jon Favreau and Tim McGraw are a hoot as Brad's tormenting brothers, and Kristen Chenoweth fits the bill as Kate's sister. Parents should be aware that the film includes adult language and themes, and some comments about Santa that may upset young children. (1 hr. 20 min.) Release date: Nov 24, 2009

Expired

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:32:41 -0000

Jason Patric and Samantha Morton star in this dark indie romance about two mismatched loners trying to make a connection. Claire (Samantha Morton) is a meek and mild parking meter attendant, who lives a quiet, lonely life with her invalid mother (Teri Garr.) Claire spends her days suffering the slurs and curses of those she tickets, then heads home to her mom, where they glean pleasure from ordering holiday decorations from catalogues. When Claire encounters Jay (Jason Patric), a fellow parking attendant, she is struck by both his overt kindness and his extreme meanness. Jay is obviously an incredibly angry individual, with some rather serious emotional problems. But Claire's mother and friend (Illeana Douglas) encourage her to break out of her shell and pursue a romance, and when Jay begins to take an interest, she happily accepts his advances. They begin a bizarre, precarious courtship, with Claire not quite knowing what to make of Jay's Jekyll and Hyde personality, or his endless stream of verbal abuse. When she suffers a personal tragedy, he surprises her by standing by her side and offering his support. However, he continues to berate and manipulate her throughout the ordeal. Just as the two seem to be forming their own strange bond, there is a revelation that brings the relationship to a head, and forces Claire to make a final choice.

Both Morton and Garr turn in solid performances, and Patric is scarily convincing as the sadistic Jay. While the unapologetic nastiness of his character does elicit some laughs, the film is ultimately a heavy, incredibly moody tale. It is billed as a romantic comedy, but viewer be warned: this is no SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE. True, some might find humor in the moments of sheer absurdity (of which there are many), but it is hard to escape the dark, rather disturbing portrait of extreme loneliness. (1 hr. 46 min.) Release date: Nov 17, 2009

The Open Road

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:32:40 -0000

Jeff Bridges, Justin Timberlake, and Mary Steenburgen star in writer-director Michael Meredith's tale of a young man looking to reconnect with his long-lost father--a famous athlete--and bring him back to the bedside of his ailing mother. Lyle Lovett, Harry Dean Stanton, and Kate Mara fill out the supporting cast in the Perfect Weekend production. (1 hr. 30 min.) Release date: Nov 11, 2009

The Ugly Truth

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:32:39 -0000

After KNOCKED UP and 27 DRESSES, Katherine Heigl continues her reign as queen of the romantic comedies with this film from director Robert Luketic. The versatile Gerard Butler of 300 and P.S. I LOVE YOU stars as an obnoxious man who gets under the skin of Heigl's TV producer character. (1 hr. 35 min.) Release date: Nov 10, 2009

The Lemon Tree

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:32:38 -0000

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

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

Passchendaele

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:32:37 -0000

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

Twilight

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:32:36 -0000

Bella Swan has always been a little bit different, never caring about fitting in with the trendy girls at her Phoenix high school. When her mother re-marries and sends Bella to live with her father in the rainy little town of Forks, Washington, she doesn't expect much of anything to change. Then she meets the mysterious and dazzlingly beautiful Edward Cullen, a boy unlike any she's ever met. Edward is a vampire, but he doesn't have fangs and his family is unique in that they choose not to drink human blood. Intelligent and witty, Edward sees straight into Bella's soul. Soon, they are swept up in a passionate, thrilling and unorthodox romance. To Edward, Bella is what he has waited 90 years for -- a soul mate. But the closer they get, the more Edward must struggle to resist the primal pull of her scent, which could send him into an uncontrollable frenzy. But what will Edward & Bella do when a clan of new vampires -- James, Laurent and Victoria -- come to town and threaten to disrupt their way of life? (120 min.) Release date: Oct 27, 2009

Cheri

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:32:35 -0000

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

Love of Siam

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:32:34 -0000

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

Away We Go

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:32:33 -0000

The journey of an expectant couple as they travel the U.S. in search of the perfect place to put down roots and raise their family. Along the way, they have misadventures and find fresh connections with an assortment of relatives and old friends who just might help them discover "home" on their own terms for the first time. (1 hr. 37 min.) Release date: Sep 29, 2009

Sex and the City

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:32:32 -0000

The continuing adventures of Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda as they live their lives in Manhattan four years after the series ended. (2 hrs. 25 min.) Release date: Sep 22, 2009

Camille

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:32:31 -0000

Not to be confused with the Greta Garbo melodrama of the same name, the romantic comedy CAMILLE stars Sienna Miller and James Franco as a pair of lovers on the run. But what saves this from being yet another BONNIE AND CLYDE knock-off is the simple fact that Camille (Miller, STARDUST) is dead. Franco (THE PINEAPPLE EXPRESS) plays Silas Parker, a man who reluctantly marries his parole officer's daughter, Camille, so he can take her to Niagra Falls and skip across the border into Canada. When the motorcycle-riding couple has an accident, Silas begins to notice some strange things about his blushing bride as her hair falls out and grows pale. Armed with a wig and a vat of Formaldehyde, the couple tries to prove their love can last as they evade the authorities. CAMILLE also stars David Carradine and Scott Glenn. (1 hr. 32 min.) Release date: Sep 15, 2009