New This Week

With his first English-language film, beloved Hong Kong director Wong Kar-wai's touch loses none of the seductive luster and magic that made his Chinese films so popular. MY BLUEBERRY NIGHTS follows the fortunes of Elizabeth (Norah Jones), who after having been left by her boyfriend, sets out across America to find herself and recover. She makes a stop in Memphis, where she pulls double-duty at a diner by day and a bar at night, and watches the disintegration of another pair of troubled lovers (David Strathairn and Rachel Weisz). She moves on to Nevada where she befriends a vivacious card player and smalltime hustler (a delightfully saucy Natalie Portman) who challenges her notions of contentment. However, it is New York City and the arms of an English café owner (Jude Law) for which Elizabeth's heart truly longs and ultimately returns.

While MY BLUEBERRY NIGHTS isn't Wong's best film--as it suffers from some clunky, heavy-handed dialogue and some frustratingly broad performances--it still contains all of the hallmarks of his aesthetic, and is therefore hard not to fall for. The film is undeniably beautiful, and features the director's trademark visual sense: shimmering neons, lush chiaroscuro, and swirling slow-motion images. It makes for a seductive view of America, one populated by swaggering, yet deeply melancholic drifters that listen to Otis Redding and Ruth Brown, drink too much, and love even more. The sadness and tears that emerge from America's taverns in the wee hours are as breathtakingly alluring as its natural landscapes. In Wong's hands, everything is cast in the light of joy-life and death, suffering and happiness-and the same goes for his understanding of America. Whether this America ever existed is wholly irrelevant; for when you watch a Wong movie, you happily enter his country, wherever that may be. (1 hr. 30 min.) [Movie Page]

This amusing sex farce updates age-old concepts about love, sex, and hot lesbians. A new supercomputer (with vague ties to the afterlife) spits out random e-mails that tell when people will die, or in the case of suave, affluent groom-to-be Roderick Blank (Simon Baker), a list of all the girls he ever slept with and ever will sleep with. There's 70 he's never even met, and he's due to be married in 11 days! Naturally his wedding is off and Roderick goes gallivanting around the city, crossing off names and gradually realizing the pitfalls of empty one-nighters. Meanwhile the mysterious "Death Nell" (Winona Ryder) is seducing and destroying a stream of deserving louts, spray painting anguished poetry on their walls and creating a media sensation. These two are bound to cross paths, and when they finally do, comeuppance is in the cards, with a bloody vengeance. Director-screenwriter Daniel Waters (HEATHERS) delivers laughs from brows both low and high, with Baker revealing a flair for sophisticated comedy beneath his mellow scruff. The slew of actresses comprising "the list" turn in uniformly fine work, with Julie Bowen a standout as the hot but "just friends" gal pal. Still, it's all stolen in the ninth inning by the radiantly off-her-rocker Ryder as the girl men fall for, permanently; with her big eyes, dark hair and myriad tics she shines like a crazy beautiful diamond. The spot-on score is by Rolfe Kent (SIDEWAYS, ABOUT SCHMIDT). (1 hr. 56 min.) [Movie Page]

Jake Busey stars in this thriller as Jason, a man who is living a nightmare--and not just because he is a soldier in war-torn Iraq. Each day, the bombings take him back to the worst moment in his life when his son was killed in an explosion. When a scientist tells him about an engineered virus that creates suicide bombers, Jason begins to wonder if he has been a part of the experiment all along. [Movie Page]

DRILLBIT TAYLOR tells the story of three nerdy adolescents who, on their very first day of high school, find themselves the target of a merciless, near psychotic bully. The friends band together and pool their funds to hire a personal bodyguard, Drillbit Taylor (Owen Wilson). Taylor, a homeless beach bum and AWOL army soldier, plans to con the kids just long enough to pull together the money needed to amscray off to Canada. A momentary flash of a conscience and a growing crush on a teacher at the boys' high school, however, compels Drillbit to stick around, do the right thing, and ultimately save the day.

The movie is fluff to the extreme, and because it's from the duo of Seth Rogen and Judd Apatow it's easy to long for more. There's a remarkably talented comic cast here, though, that includes, among others, Upright Citizens Brigade veteran Matt Walsh, former Daily Show correspondent Beth Littleford, and indie favorite Frank Whaley. And while it never reaches the near poetic heights of vulgarity to be found in SUPERBAD and KNOCKED UP, one can sense Rogen and Apatow's supreme wit poking around the edges of the film. Where DRILLBIT does succeed, however, is as a fun movie for pre- and early-adolescent boys. KNOCKED UP and 40-YEAR-OLD VIRGIN deal with some adult subject matter, meaning the plots are driven by issues that 13-year-olds most likely can not relate to, and SUPERBAD is raunchy to the point where parents might not want their kids to see it until they can at least drive. DRILLBIT, on the other hand, strikes a nice middle ground, as it deals with the age-old problem of the high school bully and throws in just enough raunch & roll to keep the sleepover rowdy until dawn. (1 hr. 42 min.) [Movie Page]

A single mother living in inner city Chicago, Brenda has been struggling for years to make ends meet and keep her three kids off the street. But when she's laid off with no warning, she starts losing hope for the first time -- until a letter arrives announcing the death of a father she's never met. Desperate for any kind of help, Brenda takes her family to Georgia for the funeral. But nothing could have prepared her for the Browns, her father's fun-loving, crass Southern clan. In a small-town world full of long afternoons and country fairs, Brenda struggles to get to know the family she never knew existed -- and finds a brand new romance that just might change her life. (1 hr. 40 min.) [Movie Page]

Thomas Barnes and Kent Taylor are two Secret Service agents assigned to protect President Ashton at a landmark summit on the global war on terror. When President Ashton is shot moments after his arrival in Spain, chaos ensues and disparate lives collide in the hunt for the assassin. In the crowd is Howard Lewis, an American tourist who thinks he's captured the shooter on his camcorder while videotaping the event for his kids back home. Also there is American TV news producer Rex Brooks, relaying the historic event to millions of TV viewers across the globe. As they and others reveal their stories, the pieces of the puzzle will fall into place - and it will become apparent that shocking motivations lurk just beneath the surface. (1 hr. 30 min.) [Movie Page]

This full-length Batman movie was unleashed during the height of the television show's popularity in 1966, taking America to dizzying levels of superhero camp it had never before experienced. In stark contrast with the many dark and gritty incarnations of Batman, the film features all four of the famous crime fighter's most dastardly and cunning adversaries--the Penguin, the Joker, the Riddler, and Catwoman--joining forces to take over the world thanks to a De-Hydrator that turns people into piles of dust. The Caped Crusader and his trusty sidekick Robin pull out all the stops to thwart the bad guys, even if it means a BIFF! or a KA-POW! Before Keaton, before Bale, Adam West was...Batman. (1 hr. 45 min.) [Movie Page]

A teenage girl and her outcast boyfriend resort to murder as= revenge against their high school's popular crowd. (1 hr. 42 min.) [Movie Page]

Growing up in a culture dictated by violence and run by street gangs, teenagers Acerola and Laranjinha have become close as brothers. With their eighteenth birthdays fast approaching, Laranjinha sets out to find the father he never met, while Acerola struggles to raise his own young son. But when they suddenly find themselves on opposite sides of a gang war, the lifelong friends are forced to confront a shocking secret from their shared past. (1 hr. 50 min.) [Movie Page]

This spin-off from 2008's GET SMART, starring Steve Carrell, explores the comic adventures of the secret agent's two technological wizards, Bruce (Masi Oka, HEROES) and Lloyd (Nate Torrence, STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP). Expect plenty of pratfalls, explosions, and gadgets in this release that was produced to hit video stores just days after the parent film screened in theaters. [Movie Page]

Playwright and movie box office phenomenon Tyler Perry (MADEA'S FAMILY REUNION) conquers the time-honored American tradition of the sitcom with this irreverent, zany, occasionally harrowing look at multi-generational family life. Patriarch and fire chief Curtis "Pops" Payne is like a Bill Cosby-Danny Tanner hybrid who's been hit with a mean stick and taken some crazy pills as he doles out loving insults, such as insisting his adult nephew C.J. is "beige" rather than black. Not that Pops doesn't have every right to administer some good-natured ribbing; with C.J. and his kids moving in with Uncle Pops's family and Pops's grown son Calvin continually stopping by to mooch money, food, and the washing machine, it's only natural to get a little testy! This batch of episodes 20-40 takes on yet another array of familial and social issues--from AIDS and newly discovered paternity to excessive shower-taking and possible OCD--and backhands them into the comedy stratosphere with heart and hilarity. [Movie Page]

A romantic drama about the power of passion, ALL ABOUT US follows two filmmakers as they take one last shot at producing their own movie by tracking down Morgan Freeman and convincing him to star in it. [Movie Page]

In Marin County, a simple husband desperately tries to keep up with his family's obsession with the latest fads. Alternatively a funny parody or sad commentary about present trends toward "identity" and the "ultimate" lifestyle in modern America. (1 hr. 30 min.) [Movie Page]

A Cavalry officer volunteers for a suicidal mission to fight the hostile Apaches in an effort to prove his loyalty to his men and the woman he loves. [Movie Page]

Songs such as "Bad Moon Rising" and "Proud Mary" really established Creedence Clearwater Revival's name in the early part of their career. The group is now warmly regarded as a classic rock act, but this live recording, recorded at London's Royal Albert Hall, was shot in 1970. The band, led by acclaimed singer/songwriter John Fogerty, works through a set of future classics as they take to the stage, including versions of "Born on the Bayou" and "Tombstone Shadow." [Movie Page]

Bellydancer Petite Jamilla teaches the captivating Double Veil dance in this entry in the Bellydance Superstars series. [Movie Page]

No description available [Movie Page]

Sidney Lumet's DANIEL is fictionalized retelling of the true of story of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, who were executed as Soviet spies in the 1950s. Told from their son's point of view, who in the film is a '60s Vietnam war protester, the movie is based on the novel, THE BOOK OF DANIEL by E.L. Doctorow. (2 hrs. 9 min.) [Movie Page]

Gerald Middleton (Richard Johnson) is a retired historian whose main achievement in life was uncovering an ancient pagan fertility figure. Middleton's best friend claimed he planted the figure as a hoax, and now the distinguished scholar tries to ascertain the truth behind these claims. ANGLO SAXON ATTITUDES is based on a novel by writer Angus Wilson. [Movie Page]

This definitive collection of the vallenato music videos will please even the most hardcore fans of Columbian folk. Los Gigantes, Ivan Villazon, and Felipe Pelaez are just a few of the artists to grace this joyous release. [Movie Page]

As if being one of the most popular ranchero bands of all time wasn't enough, Los Caminantes managed to parlay their beloved personas into CAMINANTES...SI HAY CAMINOS, a thrilling, action- and music-filled movie extravaganza. Both the film and an extensive 14-track collection of their biggest hits are included on this release. [Movie Page]

Not for the yellow, this release offers a raw and graphic tour--one in which keeping arms and legs inside the tram doors will be of little help--through the deadliest towns and neighborhoods with the highest crime rates in America. Visit the hometowns of Lil' Boosie, Jadakiss, Kanye West, and others via this documentary...just don't do it in person. [Movie Page]

Saved in the last moment from throwing herself off of a bridge, a young woman (Vanessa Paradis), is convinced by her rescuer, a knife thrower (Daniel Auteuil), to accompany him in his performance and travel with him around France. The two are an unlikely pair, but their connection is bittersweet, and gradually they fall in love. This clever black and white film from director Patrice Leconte promises to delight and surprise. (1 hr. 32 min.) [Movie Page]

What do Cleopatra of the Nile, Isabelle of Spain, and Elizabeth I of the Tudors in England have in common? They were all, in their respective times, teenage princesses! DEAR AMERICA: THE ROYAL DIARIES, as adapted from the Scholastic book series, will have modern teens and tweens relating to girls they just might have been friends with had they been alive centuries ago. Made with care to capture the authenticity and historical accurateness of the time in which a given princess lived and what her life would have been like, this three-episode release aims to change pre-conceived notions of how to view the long-ago past. [Movie Page]

A pair of 1960s films set against the Mexican Revolution comprise this double feature. In LOS HERMANOS MUERTE, three dangerous brothers masquerade as freedom fighters when in reality their intentions are considerably more selfish and insidious. PEDRO PARAMO tells the story of a son searching for his father amidst the revolution. [Movie Page]