Yahoo! Movies: New Thriller DVD Releases

Mr. & Mrs. Smith

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:23:08 -0000

A married couple (Pitt and Jolie) are getting bored with their quiet domestic life. What they don't know, however, is that they're both assassins, secretly hopping the world and killing for hire. But their separate lives are about to collide when each finds out their next target is their own spouse. (1 hr. 52 min.) Release date: May 12, 2009

The Matrix

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:23:07 -0000

In the near future, a computer hacker named Neo discovers that all life on Earth may be nothing more than an elaborate illusion created by a malevolent cyber-intelligence, for the purpose of placating us while our life essence is "farmed" to fuel the Matrix's campaign of domination in the "real" world. He joins like-minded Rebel warriors Morpheus and Trinity in their struggle to overthrow the Matrix. (2 hrs. 16 min.) Release date: May 12, 2009

The Usual Suspects

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:23:06 -0000

When a truck loaded with stripped gun parts is hijacked outside of Queens, five notorious thieves become overnight guests of the NYPD, but that's all they need to hatch a plan that brings them to Los Angeles for the ultimate take, $91 million in hard cash. Roger Verbal Kint, an apparent victim of cerebral palsy yet an accomplished con man, soon falls under the persuasive powers of U.S. Customs Special Agent David Kujan, who's hot on their trail. Kint weaves a tale that begins six weeks ago, back at the police shake-down in New York. Assembled among the professional felons are hardware specialist Todd Hockney, entry man Michael McManus and Dean Keaton, an ex-cop whose hijacking and smuggling exploits have incurred Kujan's wrath. Customs has been building a case on Keaton for three years, and despite Kint's claim that Keaton is dead, Kujan looks to squeeze Kint until he gets his man. In a surprise plot twist, a pitiable con man is being outwitted by an eager Fed. Or ! is he? (1 hr. 45 min.) Release date: May 12, 2009

Jumper

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:23:05 -0000

A genetic anomaly allows a young man to teleport himself anywhere. He discovers this gift has existed for centuries and finds himself in a war that has been raging for thousands of years between "Jumpers" and those who have sworn to kill them. (1 hr. 30 min.) Release date: Jun 16, 2009

The Terminator

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:23:04 -0000

James Cameron's THE TERMINATOR is one of the tightest, tensest sci-fi films ever made and a landmark in the genre. In the year 2029, battles rage between the superintelligent machines that rule the world and the last vestiges of humanity. In late-20th-century Los Angeles, Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) suddenly finds herself stalked by an unstoppable killing machine--a Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger) sent from the future to kill her and her unconceived son, John Connor, the future leader of the human resistance. Sarah can rely only on Reese (Michael Biehn), a soldier sent from the future to protect her from the seemingly indestructible Terminator and save humanity. This low-budget masterpiece was the breakthrough film for director Cameron, who weds special effects, thrills, and understated romance to create one of the finest action films of the 1980s, which spawned many imitations but few equals. Science fiction author Harlan Ellison sued over the film's similarities to his own works, especially the OUTER LIMITS episode "Demon with a Glass Hand," and won acknowledgement in the film's credits. Schwarzenegger will forever be known as the relentless Terminator, a heartless killing machine who returns (in a kinder, gentler form) in 1991's TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY. (1 hr. 48 min.) Release date: May 12, 2009

The Spiderwick Chronicles

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:23:03 -0000

Based on the bestselling series of children's fantasy novels of the same name by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi, THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES follows the adventures of the Grace family, newly transplanted from New York City to an inherited home in the remote New England woods. Angry with his mother (Mary-Louise Parker) about the move, the sulky Jared (Freddie Highmore) begin to explore the strange old house, and discovers a magical tome written by his great, great uncle Arthur Spiderwick (David Strathairn). Soon Jared and his twin brother, Simon (also played by Highmore with the aid of seamless special effects), are drawn into a realm of goblins, boggarts, and ogres--a reality that coexists with the human world. By the time the boys' older sister, Mallory (Sarah Bolger), is in on their secret, the siblings are steeped in a conflict with the evil shape-shifting ogre Mulgarath (Nick Nolte), who will stop at nothing to get Spiderwick's book.

Directed by Mark Waters (THE HOUSE OF YES, MEAN GIRLS) and scripted in part by lauded filmmaker John Sayles (THE SECRET OF ROAN INISH), SPIDERWICK succeeds as an engaging kid-oriented movie that also offers up genuine thrills and chills for adults. Highmore and Bolger impressively mask their British and Irish accents, respectively, and display a convincing brother/sister bond, while Martin Short and Seth Rogen provide comic relief as the voices of unlikely CGI allies. Intentionally smaller in scope than other like-minded literary adaptations such as THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA and THE GOLDEN COMPASS, SPIDERWICK is rooted in a beautifully earthy, antique aesthetic that provides the perfect setting for its likable protagonists and bizarre-yet-naturalistic creatures. (1 hr. 37 min.) Release date: May 5, 2009

The Spy Who Loved Me

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:23:02 -0000

THE SPY WHO LOVED ME, the 10th film in the James Bond series, ventures not only into the depths of the ocean but into the deep topic of betrayal and morality as well, placing it among the boldest of the 007 films. James Bond (Roger Moore) is coupled with Russian agent Anya "Triple-X" Amasova (Barbara Bach) to recover stolen Soviet submarines from evil oceanographer Carl Stromberg (Curt Jurgens) and his gigantic lackey, Jaws (Richard Kiel). When Triple-X learns that Bond killed her husband on a mission in the Alps, she must overcome her selfish notions of revenge and work with 007 for the good of the world.

In addition to the Bond staple of girls and gadgetry, the film features beautifully shot footage of the Austrian Alps, Venice, and the Egyptian pyramids. Furthermore, director Lewis Gilbert uses the film to push the cinematic envelope with stunning underwater action sequences, that leave the viewer gasping for air and a vodka martini--shaken, not stirred. (2 hrs. 5 min.) Release date: May 12, 2009

The Bourne Identity

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:23:01 -0000

Set against dramatic European backdrops, THE BOURNE IDENTITY is the story of a man (Matt Damon), salvaged, near death, from the ocean by the crew of an Italian fishing boat. When he recuperates, the man suffers from total amnesisa. He is completely without identity or background, but possesses a range of extraordinary talents in fighting, linguistic skills and self-defense that speak of a dangerous past. He sets out on a desperate search�assisted by the initially rebellious Marie (Franka Potente) to discover who he really is, and why he is being pursued by assassins. (1 hr. 36 min.) Release date: May 24, 2009

The Matrix Revolutions

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:23:00 -0000

In the third installment, the epic war between man and machine reaches a thundering crescendo: the Zion military, aided by courageous civilian volunteers like Zee and the Kid, desperately battles to hold back the Sentinel invasion as the Machine army bores into their stronghold. Facing total annihilation, the citizens of the last bastion of humanity fight not only for their own lives, but for the future of mankind itself. But an unknown element poisons the ranks from within: the rogue program Smith has cunningly hijacked Bane, a member of the hovercraft fleet. Growing more powerful with each passing second, Smith is beyond even the control of the Machines and now threatens to destroy their empire along with the real world and the Matrix. The Oracle offers Neo her final words of guidance, which he accepts with the knowledge that she is a program and her words could be just another layer of falsehood in the grand scheme of the Matrix. With the aid of Niobe, Neo and Trinity choose to travel farther than any human has ever dared to go - a treacherous journey above ground, across the scorched surface of the earth and into the heart of the menacing Machine City. In this vast mechanized metropolis, Neo comes face to face with the ultimate power in the Machine world--the Deus Ex Machina--and strikes a bargain that is the only hope for a dying world. The war will end tonight, with Neo's destiny and the fate of two civilizations inexorably tied to the outcome of his cataclysmic confrontation with Smith. (2 hrs. 10 min.) Release date: May 12, 2009

I Am Legend

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:22:59 -0000

Robert Neville (Will Smith) is a brilliant scientist, but even he could not contain the terrible virus that was unstoppable, incurable...and manmade. Somehow immune, Neville is now the last human survivor in what is left of New York City...and maybe the world. But he is not alone. He is surrounded by "the Infected"--victims of the plague who have mutated into carnivorous beings who can only exist in the dark and who will devour or infect anyone or anything in their path. For three years, Neville has spent his days scavenging for food and supplies and faithfully sending out radio messages, desperate to find any other survivors who might be out there. All the while, the Infected lurk in the shadows, watching Neville's every move, waiting for him to make a fatal mistake. Perhaps mankind's last, best hope, Neville is driven by only one remaining mission: to find a way to reverse the effects of the virus using his own immune blood. But his blood is also what The Infected hunt, and Neville knows he is outnumbered and quickly running out of time. (1 hr. 40 min.) Release date: May 12, 2009

Street Kings

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:22:58 -0000

David Ayer, who wrote TRAINING DAY, gives us another unflinching look at disillusionment and questionable decision-making within the ranks of the LAPD. Ayer's second directorial effort tells the story of burnt-out Tom Ludlow (Keanu Reeves), a functioning alcoholic and undisciplined detective with the Special Vice Unit. While so much of this characterization appears resonatingly familiar at first, we soon learn that the character here has been tweaked. While this loose cannon in no way does things by the book, he is also far from playing by his own rules. Ludlow is relied upon by the other detectives in the unit, and by their almost maniacally ambitious Captain Wander (Forest Whitaker), to go outside the law whenever needed. The infractions he is pressured to commit are quickly and uncomplainingly covered up by Captain Wander, while Ludlow and the rest of Special Vice receive accolades for their high clearance rate. Not until one of these cover-ups leads to the brutal murder of his ex-partner (Terry Crews) does Ludlow try to dispel the apathy (and the vodka fumes) clouding his purpose. This procedural melodrama is almost completely internalized within the LAPD, as Vice cops investigate Narcotics cops, who snitch on Homicide cops, and no one talks to Internal Affairs, etc. Crimes are staged, executed, and pinned firmly on suspects with alarming efficiency as the necessary DNA, murder weapons, and fingerprints are then sprinkled around the scenes after the fact.

A study in familiar elements slightly skewed, STREET KINGS provides a satisfying dose of bright, loud, violent police work blended with the right amount of discreetly passed interoffice envelopes to keep the taut intrigue in step with the body count. Little time is wasted on exposition, and the audience's ability to extrapolate is given a great deal of credit as Ludlow's dead wife, substance abuse, and past career troubles are flashed at us briefly, then put away in favor of the crisis at hand. (1 hr. 48 min.) Release date: Jun 16, 2009

The Matrix Reloaded

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:22:57 -0000

Neo, Morpheus, Trinity, and the rest of their crew continue to= battle the machines that have enslaved the human race in the Matrix. Now,= more humans are waking up out of the matrix and attempting to live in the= real world. As their numbers grow, the battle moves to Zion, the last= real-world city and center of human resistance. (2 hrs. 19 min.) Release date: May 12, 2009

Paranoid

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:22:56 -0000

A psychological thriller in the vein of great mind trips like ROSEMARY'S BABY, PARANOID is a terrifying look into the blurry line between the real and the imagined. When a gorgeous model (played Jessica Alba of TV's DARK ANGEL) vacations on a secluded country estate with her boyfriend and his friends, she is not prepared for the confusion she feels when she wakes up after a night of partying. Disoriented, she is unable to determine whether her visions of being harmed and sexually assaulted are dreams or reality. (1 hr. 34 min.) Release date: May 18, 2009

Nosferatu

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:22:55 -0000

F.W. Murnau's German silent classic is the original and some say scariest DRACULA adaptation, taking Bram Stoker's novel and turning it into a haunting, shadowy dream full of dread. Count Orlok, the rodentlike vampire frighteningly portrayed by Max Schreck, is perhaps the most animalistic screen portrayal of a vampire ever filmed. The design was copied by Werner Herzog in his 1979 remake and by Tobe Hooper for his telefilm of Stephen King's SALEM'S LOT that same year. Names had to be changed from the novel when Stoker's wife charged his novel was being filmed without proper permission. Running times vary depending upon versions of the film. NOSFERATU is an eerie, menacing film that should not be missed. (1 hr. 34 min.) Release date: May 5, 2009

Hitman

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:22:54 -0000

Based on the popular Playstation 2 game, HITMAN chronicles the frame-up and retribution-packed odyssey of Number 47 (Timothy Olyphant), a bald assassin raised from birth to be a killer and tattooed with a barcode on the back of his head. There's lots of BOURNE SUPREMACY-style flash-edits and superhuman stunt work as 47 seeks to find out why moderate Russian presidential nominee Belicoff (Ulrich Thomsen) was the client for his own assassination, a hit that 47 pulled off perfectly, except for one hitch: the target's still alive. For romantic interest we have Olga Kurylenko as a foxy Russian prostitute sold into slavery by the evil Belicoff. She and 47 wind up on the lam together but they'll never be safe as long as Belicoff is still alive. Meanwhile, Interpol agent Mike Whittier (Dougray Scott) has been tracking 47 for years; he's on the scent and about to close in. Luc Besson was the producer on this, and fans of his TRANSPORTER, THE PROFESSIONAL and LA FEMME NIKITA films will eat it up, as it's got the same narrative arc, same hyper-kinetic shoot-em-up flavor, vividly saturated colors, swooping camerawork, tightly choreographed fights, and lots of blood flying from the copious bullet wounds. Vin Diesel executive produced, and one wonders what stopped his big bald head from filling the screen in the lead, but no matter, as Olyphant does a thorough job, speaking in a measured drawl that recalls, of all people, Clint Eastwood in his DIRTY HARRY days. (1 hr. 33 min.) Release date: Jun 16, 2009

Virtuosity

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:22:53 -0000

In 1999 Los Angeles, an imprisoned ex-cop is given one last shot at redemption when he's turned loose to track down a virtual killer who has escaped the confines of cyberspace. Computer-generated special effects--and a pre-stardom performance from Russell Crowe as the digital killer--enhance this thriller from the director of 1992's THE LAWNMOWER MAN. (1 hr. 45 min.) Release date: May 12, 2009

Von Ryan's Express

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:22:52 -0000

The thrilling VON RYAN'S EXPRESS stars Frank Sinatra as a POW colonel who leads a daring escape from Nazi Germany by taking over a freight train, but he has to win over the British soldiers he finds himself commanding. Excellent performances by the great Trevor Howard and Luther Adler highlight this fast-paced picture directed by Mark Robson (PEYTON PLACE, THE HARDER THEY FALL). Academy Award Nominations: Best Sound Effects. (1 hr. 57 min.) Release date: May 12, 2009

Pan's Labyrinth

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:22:51 -0000

Written and directed by Guillermo del Toro, PAN'S LABYRINTH is a thrilling, violent fairy tale set in post-Civil War Spain. Ivana Baquero stars as Ofelia, a young girl who moves with her mother, Carmen (Ariadna Gil), into the home of Captain Vidal (Sergi L�pez), in an abandoned mill in the middle of dark, dangerous woods. Vidal is leading his team of soldiers against resistance fighters--and he will do whatever is necessary to kill every last one of them. As Vidal bosses around the pregnant Carmen, a flying creature leads Ofelia through a garden labyrinth and into an underground cave ruled by Pan (HELLBOY's Doug Jones), who believes that Ofelia might be the lost princess of this strange yet magical place. To prove she is royalty, Ofelia must complete three tasks, each more difficult and terrifying than the previous one. Meanwhile, Vidal is becoming more and more paranoid, torturing and murdering seemingly at will. Del Toro (THE DEVIL'S BACKBONE, HELLBOY, CRONOS) creates a marvelous battle between good and evil, between heroes and villains, in both the real world aboveground and the mystical land below. Baquero gives a compelling performance as the terrorized Ofelia, who is befriended by Mercedes (Maribel Verd�), a woman who harbors some secrets of her own. Stellar production design, superb special effects, and a stirring score by Javier Navarrete add to the scary fun. Selected as the closing-night entry in the 2006 New York Film Festival, PAN'S LABYRINTH is a captivating story that is not for the squeamish. (2 hrs.) Release date: May 19, 2009

True Lies

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:22:50 -0000

Secret agent Harry Tasker (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is a busy man; when he's not saving the world from terrorists, he's under cover as a boring computer salesman, juggling the everyday needs of his wife, Helen (Jamie Lee Curtis), and his daughter. While Harry and his partner, Gib (Tom Arnold), work to stop a gang of international terrorists from getting their hands on missing nuclear weapons, Helen, feeling neglected, begins a covert affair with a sleazy used car salesman pretending to be a spy. When Harry finds out, he decides to give Helen a lesson in spy games, which backfires when the couple is kidnapped and stuck in the middle of an international terrorist crisis. Director James Cameron topped his previous spectaculars with this action-comedy extravaganza (the most expensive film ever made before TITANIC), featuring amazing stunts and special effects. TRUE LIES is based on a 1991 French spy comedy entitled LA TOTALE! (Translation: THE JACKPOT). (2 hrs. 21 min.) Release date: May 12, 2009

Congo

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:22:49 -0000

An African mountain gorilla who's been taught sign language by a young primatologist is returned to the jungles of the Congo in this adaptation of Michael Crichton's 1980 sci-fi adventure novel. During their journey they cross paths with greedy corporate scavengers searching for a hidden cache of diamonds. (1 hr. 49 min.) Release date: May 12, 2009

Marked for Death

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:22:48 -0000

A retired DEA agent returns to his bucolic hometown only to discover that a dangerous drug lord has taken over. When the agent ventilates one of the drug lord's gunmen, he finds himself marked for death. In retaliation, he goes after the bad guys...with a vengeance. (1 hr. 34 min.) Release date: May 12, 2009

Terminator 2: Judgment Day

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:22:47 -0000

A decade after Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) destroyed the original Terminator, a second unstoppable killing machine (Arnold Schwarzenegger) arrives from the post-apocalyptic year 2029. But this time his mission is to stop an even deadlier Terminator, the T-1000 (Robert Patrick), made entirely of shape-shifting liquid metal and determined to kill young John Connor (Edward Furlong), the future leader of the human resistance. Sarah, John, and the Terminator counter by going after the scientist responsible for developing Skynet, the computer system fated to destroy humanity, leading to an explosive and spectacular clash with the fate of humanity in the balance. Whereas James Cameron's original THE TERMINATOR was a low-budget marvel of efficiency and speed, TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY is an action-packed blockbuster with some of the most amazing stunts ever filmed and ground-breaking, Academy Award-winning special effects. Star Schwarzenegger was paid in the form of a $15 million dollar jet to revisit his most famous role as the Terminator, this time made kinder and gentler against the silent, relentless T-1000. One of the most popular films of the 1990s, James Cameron's action masterpiece is both a thoughtful look at violence in human nature and an exciting, nonstop thrill ride. (2 hrs. 15 min.) Release date: May 19, 2009

Death Sentence

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:22:46 -0000

A white-collar revenge fantasy in the vein of DEATH WISH (and based on a novel by the same author, Brian Garfield), DEATH SENTENCE ponders the nature and limits of retribution, asking if murder can ever be justified. Director James Wan (SAW) delivers a high-end exploitation film, complete with a washed-out, grainy appearance and some startling violence, but with complex, thrilling action sequences.

Kevin Bacon is Nick Hume, a successful businessman with two children and a lovely wife (Kelly Preston). While driving home from his older, college-bound son's hockey game, Nick must pull into a gas station in a tough part of town. When the boy goes into the store to buy a drink, his throat is slit during a bloody robbery attempt. Nick identifies the killer, but with him as the only witness, the case is unable to go to trial. Discovering that the murder was merely a gang initiation, Nick is pushed over the edge, taking on the deadly gang headed by the fierce Billy Darley (Garrett Hedlund). Payback becomes all-encompassing for Nick: it not only takes over his life, but it also causes a startling physical transformation. Wan forgoes emotional impact in favor of souped-up, visceral, and occasionally thrilling setpieces. Bacon makes Nick's transformation from a suburban, suit-and-tie family man into a gaunt, shaved-headed angel of death startling and believable. Full of interesting contradictions, DEATH SENTENCE lets viewers have it both ways--fulfilling their bloodlust while ensuring that Nick's targets are despicable people who deserve their fates. Ultimately, though it serves to remind us that, as a solution, violence only begets more violence. (1 hr. 50 min.) Release date: Jun 16, 2009

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:22:45 -0000

Las Vegas showroom magician Cris Johnson has a secret which is a gift and a curse which torments him: he can see a few minutes into the future. Sick of the examinations he underwent as a child and the interest of the government and medical establishment in his power, he lies low under an assumed name in Vegas, performing cheap tricks and living off small-time gambling "winnings." But when a terrorist group threatens to detonate a nuclear device in Los Angeles, government agent Callie Ferris must use all her wiles to capture Cris and convince him to help her stop the cataclysm. (1 hr. 36 min.) Release date: May 5, 2009

The Taking of Pelham 1, 2, 3

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:22:44 -0000

THE TAKING OF PELHAM ONE TWO THREE superbly achieves what few other movies do: a successful blend of thrills, style, comedy, drama, suspense and action. It is the precursor for many thrillers of the 1990s, from indie hits like Quentin Tarantino's RESERVOIR DOGS, and more popular, Hollywood vehicles like SPEED.

The story focuses on four criminals who hijack a subway car and demand one million dollars from the mayor of New York, threatening to kill one hostage per minute if their demands aren't met. The hijackers are Mr. Blue (Robert Shaw), the crafty and efficient leader; Mr. Green (Martin Balsam), the train driver; Mr. Gray (Hector Elizondo), the hothead; and Mr. Brown (Earl Hindman), a nervous, stuttering man. New York City transit lieutenant Zachary Garber (Walter Matthau) goes above and beyond his call of duty to play negotiator with the hijackers. The camera grabs the viewer by taking him down into dark gritty hallows of the subway tunnels and into the midst of the harrowing situation on the hijacked car. Based on the book by John
Godey, TAKING OF PELHAM is a true classic that depicts the dark, crime-ridden climate of 1970s New York city. (1 hr. 44 min.) Release date: Jun 9, 2009

Falling Down

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:22:43 -0000

A laid-off defense worker, kept from seeing his child on her birthday by a restraining order, looks at the landscape of moral decay in Los Angeles on one hot, congested day and, after being mugged, snaps. What follows is his bitter and pathetic mission of justice, vengeance and vindication that reads uncomfortably like too many news stories. Michael Douglas is identified only by his character's license plate, D-FENS, in this attack on social ills, a film originally seen as the displacement of power felt by many white American males. (1 hr. 55 min.) Release date: May 26, 2009

Timeline

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:22:42 -0000

A mystery suspense thriller based on Michael Crichton's best-selling novel about a team of student archaeologists on a dig at a medieval site in France. When Professor Johnston, their team leader, disappears, they suddenly find themselves in 14th century feudal France on a perilous journey beyond their wildest dreams. Now, to find their missing professor and avoid a potentially catastrophic event, they won't be excavating the past, they'll be living it. (2 hrs. 18 min.) Release date: May 12, 2009

Possession

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:22:41 -0000

No description available (1 hr. 25 min.) Release date: May 12, 2009

Winter of Frozen Dreams

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:22:40 -0000

No description available Release date: May 5, 2009

A Bullet For Joey

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:22:39 -0000

Nefarious Eric Hartman (Peter van Eyck), a spy working for the Communists, tricks Joe Victor (George Raft), a naive gangster, into working for him. Victor's assignment is to kidnap a nuclear physicist and "rub out" a Federal Agent who has been sniffing after Hartman. It isn't long, however, before Victor realizes where Hartman's sympathies lie. (1 hr. 25 min.) Release date: Jun 23, 2009

Nobel Son

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:22:38 -0000

Barkley Michaelson is in a deep life rut. He's struggling to finish his PhD thesis when his father, the learned Eli Michaelson, wins the Nobel Prize for Chemistry. Barkley and his mother, Sarah, a renowned forensic psychiatrist, now have the ill-fortune of living with a man-eating monster whose philandering ways have gotten less and less discrete. As if Barkley's world is not bad enough, on the eve of his father receiving the Nobel, Barkley is kidnapped and the requested ransom is the $2,000,000 in Nobel prize money. Needless to say, Eli refuses to pay it and so starts a venomous tale of familial dysfunction, lust, betrayal and ultimately revenge. (1 hr. 50 min.) Release date: Jun 9, 2009

Mr. Brooks

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:22:37 -0000

Kevin Costner stars as Earl Brooks, a man whose seemingly perfect family and status in the community hide an ugly secret. Brooks constantly says the plea of an addict--the Serenity Prayer--but he's not in the grip of drugs or alcohol. Instead, his neat little bow tie belies a man with an urge to kill. Though he's staved off that desire for two years, it has returned thanks to the efforts of his evil inner voice (William Hurt, A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE). He is caught in the act by a man who calls himself Mr. Smith (Dane Cook, EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH), but Mr. Smith doesn't want to turn Brooks in. The smarmy amateur photographer wants to learn from Brooks's methodical ways and become a killer himself. Meanwhile, a tough cop (Demi Moore, BOBBY) hunts for the man responsible for deaths all over Portland while she deals with issues in her own life.

MR. BROOKS presents a fascinating portrait of a man at war with himself. As the devil on Brooks's shoulder, Oscar winner Hurt adeptly alternates between menace and glee, adding to a resume already replete with varied roles. Though Costner is mostly known for playing nice guys (FIELD OF DREAMS) and charming rogues (BULL DURHAM), his performance as the tortured killer is interesting to watch, and he rises to the challenge of playing a completely different character than the kind he is known for. MR. BROOKS is an engaging thriller that goes into the fractured mind of a murderer, while also delivering an intriguing maze of multiple subplots. (2 hrs.) Release date: May 12, 2009

Passengers

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:22:36 -0000

Anne Hathaway stars in this psychological thriller as Claire Summers, a driven young psychiatrist who consumes herself in work at the expense of her social life. Following a plane crash, Claire is called upon to counsel the few survivors. These men and women are understandably traumatized, showing signs of post traumatic stress syndrome, shock, and in the case of passenger Eric (Patrick Wilson), a state of euphoria. Clair leads a therapy group attended by every passenger except Eric, who will agree to see Claire only on a casual, one-on-one basis on the understanding that he is not a "patient" but a friend. Claire agrees to this reluctantly with the hope that this arrangement will help her reach Eric and get him to open up about his experience. As Claire hears contradictory accounts of the crash from each survivor, she starts to suspect foul play on the part of the airline. Meanwhile, she struggles to keep her ever-growing relationship with Eric professional.

PASSENGERS is a low-key thriller filled with slow-paced mystery. Subtle twists and turns keep the plot moving as an experienced cast of familiar faces bring the script to life. Other names include Clea Duvall as a group therapy member, and Dianne Wiest as Claire's nosy neighbor. While there are points throughout where viewers may be slightly confused, director Rodrigo Garcia pulls it together and makes it all pay off in the end. Several low-lit sequences create a gloomy atmosphere, which speaks to both the heavy subject matter and to the lonely isolation that defines Claire's world. (1 hr. 30 min.) Release date: May 12, 2009

The X-Files: I Want to Believe

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:22:35 -0000

In grand "X-Files" manner, the film's storyline is being kept under wraps. This much can be revealed: It is a stand-alone story in the tradition of some of the show's most acclaimed and beloved episodes, and takes the complicated relationship between Fox Mulder and Dana Scully in unexpected directions. Mulder continues his unshakable quest for the truth, and Scully, the passionate, ferociously intelligent physician, remains inextricably tied to Mulder's pursuits. (1 hr. 44 min.) Release date: Jun 16, 2009

Gran Torino

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:22:34 -0000

For his fourth directorial feature in the span of two years, Clint Eastwood tells the story of a grizzled Korean War vet's reluctant friendship with a Hmong teenage boy and his immigrant family. Set in contemporary Detroit, GRAN TORINO tackles the shifting cultural and economic landscape of not only the Motor City, but America as well. Eastwood stars as Walt Kowalski, an unabashed bigot who never heard a racial insult he didn't love. Bitter, haunted, and full of pride, Walt refuses to abandon the neighborhood he's lived in for decades despite its changing demographics as he clings desperately to a mindset long since out of step with the times. When his Hmong neighbor Thao tries to steal his prized muscle car as part of a gang initiation, Walt is forced to grapple with the world around him.

GRAN TORINO's approach to the complicated issue of race relations is equal parts Archie Bunker and CRASH. That is to say, there is nothing subtle about Walt's bigotry, yet his misanthropy knows no bounds, and Eastwood does a remarkable job of finding the humor in Walt's equal opportunity racism. More than simply a racial morality tale, however, GRAN TORINO is about the unlikely bonds that people form to navigate the subtle complexities every day life. Like MILLION DOLLAR BABY, GRAN TORINO explores the challenging yet rich new world that can open up when individuals let down their guard, even if for just a moment. Estranged from his family and his church, and without any sense of personal peace, Walt offers all that he has to Thao and his family, namely wisdom and protection. When tragedy strikes the family, Eastwood allows a little classic Harry Callahan to poke through, but the surprising finale posits a hero that Dirty Harry would never have the guts to be. It's a potent symbolic gesture to Eastwood's own growth as a storyteller. (1 hr. 56 min.) Release date: Jun 9, 2009

Gozu

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:22:33 -0000

This wildly bizarre Japanese horror movie from master Takashi Miike (AUDITION) follows the mysterious disappearance of a gangster who was accidentally killed by one of his Mafia cohorts, Minami. Searching for the body - which vanished minutes after he was shot - Minami stumbles into a strange secluded inn and gets a room. He is instantly aware that something fishy is going on, and as he gets to know the innkeepers more intimately that feeling is backed up by evidence. Loud, rambunctious sessions of breast milk pumping, the violent sadomasochistic relationship (read: whipping) shared between the innkeepers, for example. Nothing, however, can top Miike's grand finale for GOZU which combines some very important Givenchy crotchless panties, an old man who has a unique solution for his anal fixation, and an extremely gelatinous odds-defying birth. (2 hrs. 9 min.) Release date: Jun 2, 2009

Killshot

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:22:32 -0000

In an adaptation of Elmore Leonard�s best-selling crime novel, the beautiful Carmen Colson (Diane Lane) and her husband Wayne (Thomas Jane) become entangled in a scam with a bumbling, small time con artist (Joseph Gordon Levitt) and his over-the-hill hitman partner the Blackbird (Mickey Rourke). Ultimately, it all comes down to one wife, one husband, two killers... and one lethal killshot. A Quentin Tarantino presentation. (1 hr. 24 min.) Release date: May 26, 2009

Eden Log

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:22:31 -0000

A man wakes up deep inside a cave. Suffering amnesia, he has no recollection of how he came to be here or of what happened to the man whose body he finds beside him. Tailed by a mysterious creature, he must continue through this strange and fantastic world. Enclosed, Tolbiac has no other option to reach the surface than to use REZO ZERO, secret observing cells in this cemetery-like abandoned mine. He embarks upon this journey guided by the roots of a plant, leading the way and the main subject of attention of the REZO. (1 hr. 41 min.) Release date: May 19, 2009

Valkyrie

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:22:30 -0000

In a country in the grips of evil, in a police state where every move is being watched, in a world where justice and honor have been subverted, a group of men hidden inside the highest reaches of power decide to take action. Based on the true story of Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg and the daring and ingenious plot to eliminate one of the most evil tyrants the world has ever known.

A proud military man, Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg is a loyal officer who serves his country all the while hoping that someone will find a way to stop Hitler before Europe and Germany are destroyed. Realizing that time is running out, he decides that he must take action himself and joins the German resistance. Armed with a cunning strategy to use Hitler's own emergency plan - known as Operation Valkyrie - these men plot to assassinate the dictator and overthrow his Nazi government from the inside.

With everything in place, with the future of the world, the fate of millions and the lives of his wife and children hanging in the balance, von Stauffenberg is thrust from being one of many who oppose Hitler to the one who must kill Hitler himself. (2 hrs.) Release date: May 19, 2009

The Grudge 3

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:22:29 -0000

No description available (90 hr.) Release date: May 12, 2009

Underworld: Rise of the Lycans

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:22:28 -0000

The third film in the UNDERWORLD saga goes back hundreds of years to explain the origins of the feud between the vampire Death Dealers and the werewolf Lycans. Taking over directing duties from Len Wiseman is rookie Patrick Tatoupolos, known for his creature-designing duties in GODZILLA (1998), I AM LEGEND (2007), and the first two films in this series. Less an action-horror film than an old-fashioned "sword-and-sandal" film with monsters, RISE OF THE LYCANS finally gets to the root of why those vampires and werewolves really can't stand each other. Ruled by Viktor (Bill Nighy, VALKYRIE), the aristocratic, vampiric Death Dealers keep the wolflike Lycans as slaves. When a captive Lycan woman births a human boy, Viktor resists the urge to kill it, instead naming him Lucian and keeping him as a pet. Lucian (Michael Sheen, FROST/NIXON) grows up to be a blacksmith with the ability to change between human and wolf and begins a clandestine romance with Viktor�s daughter, Sonja (Rhona Mitra, DOOMSDAY). Viktor learns of this forbidden romance and takes drastic steps to ensure that Sonja will never be able to see Lucian again. Lucian, in retaliation, leads a Lycan slave revolt, resulting in an all-out assault on Viktor�s kingdom.

Though viewers who have skipped the first two installments of the saga may feel a little left out when it comes to the mythology of the series, LYCANS hits the ground running and doesn�t allow much time for questions. While Sheen has been lauded for his work in more traditionally dramatic films, here he gives his all to every growl and battle cry. Mitra is an appealing presence as Sonja, and Nighy is visibly relishing the opportunity to glower in his blue contacts and chew the moonlight-bathed scenery. (1 hr. 33 min.) Release date: May 12, 2009

Death Defying Acts

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:22:27 -0000

Celebrated director Gillian Armstrong (MY BRILLIANT CAREER, LITTLE WOMEN) helms this film about Harry Houdini's romance with a con woman. In his attempts to contact his dead mother, the magician (Guy Pearce) meets a beautiful psychic named Mary (Catherine Zeta-Jones) who isn't all she appears. Joined by her daughter (ATONEMENT's Saoirse Ronan), Mary tries to con Harry out of his $10,000 reward, an effort which is complicated by the love that grows between them. Set in 1926, this lush period drama also stars Timothy Spall (ENCHANTED). (1 hr. 36 min.) Release date: May 12, 2009

Nothing But the Truth

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:22:26 -0000

Inspired by real-life political events, director Rod Lurie (THE CONTENDER) once again delves into issues of power and gender with NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH, an engaging thriller about the right to a free press and the price of principles. As the film opens, the president of the United States has survived an assassination attempt. Believing that the leader of Venezuela was behind the plot, the U.S. launches a military attack against the country. In Washington, D.C., reporter Rachel Armstrong (Kate Beckinsale) has revealed that Erica Van Doren (Vera Farmiga), the wife of the U.S. Ambassador to Venezuela, is a C.I.A. operative who found no proof of a plot. Armstrong quickly finds herself contending with both Van Doren and special prosecutor Patton DuBois (Matt Dillon), hellbent on discovering Armstrong's source. When she refuses to reveal her source, Armstrong is jailed for contempt of court. In the troubled year that follows both women will confront the harsh realities of life during wartime, including the questioning of their patriotism and even threats to their lives. As a Supreme Court hearing draws near, and with her family cracking under the strain, Armstrong must decide whether her individual needs trump the importance of civil liberties. Lurie ably balances the personal struggles with the political machinations, while Beckinsale and Farmiga compellingly convey each woman's strength of conviction. The result is a challenging, chillingly relevant cautionary tale about truth and consequences. (1 hr. 47 min.) Release date: May 12, 2009

UV

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:22:25 -0000

No description available (1 hr. 42 min.) Release date: May 5, 2009

Just Another Love Story

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:22:24 -0000

A man accidentally causes a car crash that leaves another driver, Julia, in the hospital. When she awakens with amnesia, he assumes the identity of her boyfriend--resulting in plenty of chilling plot twists in this Danish thriller. Ole Bornedal (NIGHTWATCH) directs. (1 hr. 44 min.) Release date: May 5, 2009

Dorothy Mills

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:22:23 -0000

In a small town in Ireland, a teenage girl attempts to strangle a baby. Shortly after being called in to meet and analyze the girl, psychiatrist Jane Morton (Clarice Van Houten of BLACK BOOK and VALKYRIE) is convinced the young woman suffers from some sort of personality disorder. But when the troubled girl starts speaking to Jane in the voice of her recently deceased son, she may have to reconsider. Just when viewers think they have it pegged, this twist-filled thriller eludes predictability. (1 hr. 42 min.) Release date: May 5, 2009