Kym’s Picks: 02/17 and 02/24/2009

The Obvious: 

Changeling Christine Collins (Angelina Jolie, in an Oscar-nominated role) is overjoyed when her young kidnapped son Walter is brought back home. But when Christine suspects that the Walter who was returned to her isn’t her actual child, the police captain (Jeffrey Donovan) has her committed to an asylum. John Malkovich co-stars as the crusading reverend who comes to Christine’s rescue in this gripping, 1920s-set drama helmed by ace director Clint Eastwood.

 

Body of Lies Newly stationed in Jordan, idealistic CIA agent Roger Ferris (Leonardo DiCaprio) teams up with veteran operative Ed Hoffman (Russell Crowe) and the head of Jordanian intelligence (Mark Strong) to infiltrate an underground network of terrorists and locate a criminal mastermind. Based on the best-selling novel by David Ignatius and directed by Ridley Scott, this suspenseful spy thriller features top-rate performances and explosive action sequences.

 

Religulous Politically provocative talk show host Bill Maher skewers the current state of organized religion in this documentary that derives its title from a blend of the words “religion” and “ridiculous.” Making stops in Jerusalem, the Vatican and other holy destinations, Maher travels the world to talk to believers from a variety of faiths to find out why they’re so sure their religion is right — and why they’re so certain others are wrong.

  

Have Seen and Recommend: 

 

The Outrage When outlaw Juan Carrasco (Paul Newman) stands trial for the rape of a settler woman (Claire Bloom) and the murder of her husband (Laurence Harvey), three conflicting accounts of the crime emerge. A conversation between a con man (Edward G. Robinson), a preacher (William Shatner) and a prospector (Howard Da Silva) further muddies the truth. Martin Ritt directs this dramatic Western based on Akira Kurosawa’s film Rashomon.

 

The Silver Chalice After he’s sold into slavery by his villainous uncle, Greek sculptor Basil (Paul Newman, in his big-screen debut) is forced to fashion a silver chalice intended to hold the cup Christ used during the Last Supper. Loosely based on Thomas B. Costain’s novel of the same name, this costume epic also stars Jack Palance as Simon the Magician, Lorne Greene as Saint Peter and Virginia Mayo as the seductive Helena.

 

The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice Librarian Flynn Carsen (Noah Wyle) must rescue a kidnapped scholar and track down the legendary Judas Chalice to save the world from a dangerous vampire, in the third installment of this popular adventure film series. Carsen teams up with a mysterious woman (Stana Katic) and sets out for New Orleans, hoping to find the powerful chalice before it falls into the hands of a cult that believes it can revive the infamous Vlad Dracul.

 

Ironweed Jack Nicholson and Meryl Streep star in this moody Depression-era drama about Francis Phelan, a former pro baseball player haunted by his past and now living the squalid life of a nomadic drunk. Crippled by guilt and sorrow, Phelan reunites with his erstwhile lover and drinking pal (Streep) on the bleak streets of 1938 Albany, N.Y. Hector Babenco directs this Oscar-nominated adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by William Kennedy.

 

Cat Dancers After inheriting a black leopard from actor William Holden, acclaimed adagio dancers Ron and Joy Holiday began working big cats into their routine. The story of the famously known Cat Dancers turns tragic after a younger trainer joins the team. Masterfully composed from archival footage of the duo’s four-decade career, this documentary juxtaposes the allure and glamour of the Las Vegas show scene with the raw brutality of the ferocious felines.

 

Breaking Bad: Season 1 Diagnosed with cancer and given only two years left to live, high school chemistry teacher Walter (Bryan Cranston) attempts to secure his family’s financial future by teaming up with his former student, Jesse (Aaron Paul), to produce and distribute the illegal drug meth. As Walter slowly builds his empire, his wife, Skyler (Anna Gunn), grows suspicious of his erratic behavior, and the DEA starts searching for the area’s new drug kingpin.

 

Oh No! 

 

Extreme Movie Amiable geek Mike (Ryan Pinkston) chases down the girl of his dreams, while Fred (Michael Cera) looks for love in a chat room and Chuck (Frankie Muniz) and his experienced girlfriend take their sex life to the next (very weird) level. Co-written by comic heavyweights Andy Samberg and Will Forte, this outrageous raunch-fest chronicles the highs and lows of teen lovemaking in all its embarrassing glory. Jamie Kennedy and Andy Milonakis co-star.

 

99 A college playboy needs just one more conquest to win a bet that he could sleep with 100 women before he graduates — but sealing the deal could be difficult with only hours to go and 99 babes roaming campus looking for revenge. Meanwhile, a classmate and recreational drug enthusiast risks forfeiting his inheritance unless he can steal back his tainted urine sample. Jereme Badger and Bobby Campo star in this comic romp from director Pete Guzzo.

 

Cyclops When a cyclops (Dimitar Maslarski) terrorizes the ancient Roman countryside, treacherous emperor Tiberius (Eric Roberts) sends his best general, Marcus (Kevin Stapleton), to capture the creature and bring it back to Rome to appear in the gladiatorial games. But when Tiberius also banishes Marcus to the games, the soldier teams up with the cylcops to overthrow the wretched ruler. Declan O’Brien directs this historical fantasy.

 

Possibilities: 

 

The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest: Season 1: Vol. 1 Jump into action with Jonny Quest, his father, and his pals Hadji, Jessie and Race in this animated series that brings the classic 1960s cartoon into the 1990s, where the heroes use the virtual reality QuestWorld in their adventures. Jonny and friends look for sea monsters in the Indian Ocean, stumble upon the lost city of El Dorado, take on ghostly pirates in Bermuda and investigate aliens in Washington, D.C.

 

Islander Returning home after a stint in prison for causing a tragic accident at sea, island lobster fisherman Eben Cole (Tom Hildreth) finds he’s become a pariah. Determined to win back his wife, Cheryl (Amy Jo Johnson), and daughter Sara (Emma Ford), Eben struggles to make a new life for himself, with the help of veteran fisherman Popper (Philip Baker Hall). Filmed on location in Maine, this poignant drama features stunning cinematography.

 

Choke With his mother (Anjelica Huston) suffering from Alzheimer’s, medical school dropout Victor Mancini (Sam Rockwell) devises a plan to pay her hospital bills. At high-class restaurants, he pretends to choke, waits to be rescued and then later asks his saviors for money. In addition to being a con man, Victor is a sex addict who works at a colonial theme park. This film is based on the novel by cult literary phenom Chuck Palahniuk ( Fight Club).

 

Dead Like Me: Life After Death A new assignment hits home for grim reaper Georgia (Ellen Muth) when her latest reaping, Hudson Hart (Jordan Hudyma), turns out to be the secret love of her sister, Reggie (Britt McKillip). Meanwhile, Calvin Kane (Henry Ian Cusick) takes over as Head Reaper, but he’s not highly regarded by his undead underlings Daisy (Sarah Wynter), Roxy (Jasmine Guy) and Mason (Callum Blue) in this feature follow-up to the short-lived Showtime cult hit.

 

How to Lose Friends & Alienate People Life changes drastically for alternative rag writer Sidney Young (Simon Pegg) when he takes a job at Clayton Harding’s (Jeff Bridges) glossy magazine. There, he’s drawn into a risky affair with a co-worker (Kirsten Dunst), and his contempt for celebrity is tested by starlet Sophie Maes (Megan Fox). Based on Toby Young’s memoir, the indie comedy co-stars Gillian Anderson as the dragon-lady publicist whose power plays turn Young’s life upside down.

 

Wycliffe: Series 1 Based on the popular crime novels by W.J. Burley, this cop drama centers on Charles Wycliffe (Jack Shepherd), a serious-minded detective superintendent tasked with solving Cornwall county’s most befuddling murders. Also starring in this absorbing whodunit series are Jimmy Yuill as skirt-chasing Inspector Doug Kersey, Helen Masters as career-driven Detective Inspector Lucy Lane and Tim Wylton as the pathologist Franks.

 

I Served the King of England Writer-director Jirí Menzel helms this bittersweet fable of Jan Dite (Ivan Barnev), an opportunistic young waiter in pre-World War II Czechoslovakia. Shrewdly attaching himself to the rich and famous, Dite dreams of one day owning his own hotel. When a tragedy unexpectedly delivers his wish, Dite discovers that hanging on to his dream is even harder than achieving it. Julia Jentsch and Martin Huba co-star.

 

The Kaiser’s Lackey After learning the fine art of kissing up to his superiors while kissing off his subordinates, the spineless but ambitious Diedrich (Werner Peters) climbs his way through his fraternity, his paper factory, his town council and more. Working his way to his biggest job — that of an underling for the kaiser himself — Diedrich makes for a keenly entertaining protagonist in this biting German satire, an overlooked gem by director Wolfgang Staudte.

 

What Just Happened? Harried film producer Ben (Robert De Niro) juggles a lunatic director, a temperamental actor (Bruce Willis) and an out-of-control production while courting a studio head (Catherine Keener) and dealing with his ex-wife (Robin Wright Penn) in Barry Levinson’s funny and poignant exploration of the movie business. The all-star comedy is based on the sharply observed novel by veteran Hollywood producer Art Linson.

 

Oliver Twist William Miller stars in this BBC production of Oliver Twist, Charles Dickens’s tale of a poor orphan who is drawn into the sordid London underworld and its petty crime by the Artful Dodger (Adam Arnold) and his gang. The wretched Fagin (Timothy Spall) pressures Oliver into more serious misdeeds, while the kindly Mr. Brownlow (Edward Fox) tries to give Oliver a brighter future. Coky Giedroyc directs.

 

Windcroft In the wake of his father’s death, John (Joe Ryan) returns to rural Pennsylvania with his wife, Diane (Vanessa Daniels), to move into his childhood home in this suspenseful indie thriller. But along with the house comes a history of violence and deception. Things only get more confusing when an old flame (Monica Knight) shows up and makes fast friends with Diane, putting John in a dizzying hold between sanity and madness.

 

Canterbury’s Law: The Complete Series Julianna Margulies stars in this prime-time Fox drama as spirited attorney Elizabeth Canterbury, a woman who balances her desire to help others seek justice with her own ongoing struggle to deal with her son’s unsolved disappearance. Though Elizabeth’s professional life is decidedly driven, her personal life with her law professor husband, Matt (Aidan Quinn), is haunted by their shared grief over losing their only child.

 

Enemy at the Door: Series 1 Featuring superb cinematography and compelling performances, this acclaimed drama series depicts the dual perspectives of English civilians and their World War II Nazi occupiers during a painful era in British history. While stern German Maj. Richter (Alfred Burke) is put in charge of the Channel Islands occupation, physician Philip Martel (Bernard Horsfall) is tapped to represent the islanders. Emily Richard plays Martel’s iron-willed daughter.

 

Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder While humanity awaits the magnificent new Green Age, ancient forces return to screw up everything, leaving Fry (voiced by Billy West) as the best hope for the universe — yikes! — in this feature-length “Futurama” installment. Meanwhile, Fry also falls for a married fembot, and Leela (Katey Sagal) goes on the run from Zapp Brannigan (West). Bonus features include “How to Draw Futurama in 10 Very Difficult Steps.”

 

Defying Gravity Following the untimely death of her mother, troubled teenager Cassandra (Alexandra Mathews) secretly takes refuge on the grounds of a cemetery, where she’s befriended by Jorge (Mario Martinez), an eccentric caretaker, and Shore (Macauley Gray), a schizophrenic, van-dwelling college dropout. Directed by Michael Keller, this quirky indie dramedy also stars William Belli as unforgettable transvestite waitress Lola.

 

Documentaries and Musicals: 

 

Blood, Boobs & Beast Sci-fi and horror auteur Don Dohler (The Alien Factor) is the subject of this documentary that reveals how the video market’s insatiable appetite for “blood, boobs and beasts” ultimately turned off the director to the business. Chronicling Dohler’s on-again, off-again relationship with Hollywood, the film provides both an adventure in genre filmmaking and an affectionate portrait of a man who inspired Robert Crumb, Art Spiegelman and others.

 

The Brain Drawing on cutting-edge computer graphic imaging, scientific case studies and expert analysis, this History Channel documentary offers a fascinating exploration into the inner workings of the human brain. From the processes of making decisions to theories on the brain’s role in the battle between good and evil, this one-of-a-kind experience unravels the mysteries behind many of man’s deepest questions.

 

The Weird: 

 

Alice in Wondertown Drama teacher Alicia (Thais Valdés) visits the town of Maravillas on a cultural mission and encounters an endless string of bizarre situations: circus animals in the streets, mirrors acting like doors, swarms of cockroaches and more. She soon discovers that the town’s inhabitants are actually fired bureaucrats who can’t escape from the strange place. The surreal satire of Cuban society was a prizewinner at the Berlin International Film Festival.

 

Toto in the Moon When scientists realize that Pasquale’s (Totò) blood is similar to that of a monkey’s, they decide to send him on a mission into space. But Pasquale’s exploration of the cosmos experiences setbacks when German spies and aliens harass him and his partner. A legendary Italian comedian, Totò provides many laughs in this science fiction comedy, which also stars Sylva Koscina, Ugo Tognazzi and Sandra Milo.

 

Boogie Vision A hapless filmmaker may have finally struck gold when he begins romancing a woman with a wealthy father. Now, if he can just get her dad to finance his latest project, he’ll finally be able to create the schlocky movie he’s been wanting to make. Frank Millen, Bert Belant, Marlene Selsman and Michael Blakney star in this zany 1970s comedy that combines satire, campy sex and period animation. James Bryan wrote and directed the film.

 

Batbabe: The Dark Nightie When heartless supercriminal the Jerker steals Bacchum City’s entire supply of adult movies, lusty crime-fighter Batbabe (Darian Caine) strips down and steps up to vanquish the villain and get Bacchum’s lifeblood flowing once again. But just how far will Batbabe go to restore passion to the streets? And what’s the connection between Batbabe and mysterious strip club owner Wendy Wane? John Bacchus directs this titillating romp.

Review: Goya’s Ghosts (2006)

               

NETFLIX SYNOPSIS:  Initially favored by royalty, Spanish painter Francisco Goya (Stellan Skarsgård) is targeted by the Spanish Inquisition when he paints young Inés (Natalie Portman), whom the church views as a heretic. Twenty years later, Inés is released from the dungeon and requests Goya’s help in finding the daughter she bore while imprisoned. Javier Bardem and Randy Quaid also star in Academy Award-winning director Milos Forman‘s epic true story.

REVIEW:  Several of my friends told me they were disappointed by this movie. I’m sad to say I now feel the same…but only because I hoped for, and indeed expected, more. There is much good here–the cast is excellent, the costumes and sets superb, the story compelling enough on its face. Forman’s films are always meticulously crafted with a rich and sumptuous look; this one is no exception. It’s just that the whole thing feels as though his canvas ended up being a bit to small for his frame, and couldn’t quite stretch enough to contain the entire vision. The outstanding cast seems wasted, as situations and dialog don’t ring true, and the entire narrative is surprisingly flat, for all the drama inherent in the script. Ambitious but significantly flawed. Goya’s lithographs in the beginning scene and the montage of paintings beneath the end credits are very nearly the high points of the film. For me to feel so disappointed and still give the film 3.5 Netflix stars is a testament to the skill of all involved.

Update: No More “Nottingham”

Apparently we’re not going to be treated to Russell Crowe playing both the Sheriff and Robin Hood in Ridley Scott’s Nottingham.  The movie, which is due to start production in 2 months, has been retitled…wait for it…Robin Hood, and will focus on the hero’s early days as a bowman in the army of Richard the Lionhearted.  The infamous Sheriff has been relegated to a minor role, while France is now the major villain, in the aftermath of the Norman invasion.

More from an interview with Ridley Scott on the MTV Movies Blog.

Kym’s Picks: 02/10/2009

The Obvious:

 

Frozen River On a Mohawk reservation on the Canadian border, Ray (Melissa Leo, in an Oscar-nominated role) teams with widowed tribe member Lila (Misty Upham) to smuggle illegal immigrants into the United States. Although the work provides the women with much-needed money, each trip puts them in danger. How long will their luck hold before the authorities close in? Charlie McDermott co-stars in this drama nominated for multiple Independent Spirit Awards, including Best Feature.

 

W. Academy Award winner Oliver Stone directs an all-star cast in this satiric retrospective of the life and political career of George W. Bush (Josh Brolin), from his troubles as a young adult through his governorship of Texas and all the way to the Oval Office. Among the key supporting players are Richard Dreyfuss as veep Dick Cheney, Elizabeth Banks as first lady Laura Bush and Thandie Newton as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

 

Blindness Julianne Moore stars in this adaptation of José Saramago’s gripping masterpiece in which a plague of blindness overtakes the residents of her entire city. All sense of order breaks loose in the mental hospital where the blind are being quarantined, and it’s up to a woman (Moore) who’s keeping her sight a secret to lead a group safely to the streets. Gael García Bernal, Mark Ruffalo, Sandra Oh and Danny Glover also star in this psychological thriller.

 

Have Seen and Recommend:

 

Tales from the Darkside: Season 1 Eerie tales about a levitating boy, an endlessly ringing phone, an undead grandpa, a vengeful genie and a bookie whose life depends on a bet populate the premiere season of this macabre 1980s anthology series. The episodes — adapted from stories by Stephen King, Clive Barker and other horror writers — include guest appearances by Danny Aiello, Tippi Hedren, Justine Bateman, Harry Anderson, Carol Kane, Eddie Bracken and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

 

Simon & Simon: Season 2 Private detective brothers Rick (Gerald McRaney) and A.J. Simon (Jameson Parker) are so different that they can’t help but clash when it comes to solving some of the strangest cases in San Diego. The second season of this Emmy-nominated 1980s series finds the Simons hunting down an abducted dolphin so the animal’s grieving mate won’t starve herself to death, and helping a beloved television cowboy clear his name.

 

Wild at Heart: Series 1 Following a family bonding excursion to the African continent, veterinary surgeon Danny Trevanions (Stephen Tompkinson) and his new wife, Sarah (Amanda Holden), decide to uproot their family from Britain to the South African bush. Once there, the Trevanions decide to restore a dilapidated wild game reserve and turn it into the new family business. Lucy-Jo Hudson and Luke Ward-Wilkinson also star in this charming television series.

 

Possibilities:

 

My Name Is Bruce Mistaken for the character he plays in the Evil Dead films, B-movie icon Bruce Campbell (playing himself) is kidnapped by the citizens of a small mining town who want him to save them from a vengeful demon. At first, Campbell thinks it’s all part of an elaborate prank. But when he realizes the demon is in fact real, he comes face to face with a second terrifying enemy — his own fear. Ted Raimi co-stars in this tongue-in-cheek comedy.

 

Karma Police Recruited by a secret society known as the Karma Police, agent Charles West (Chamblee Ferguson) travels the world punishing the bad and rewarding the good. But the power of judging others’ actions takes its toll on West, who soon finds what goes around comes around. Hiding his true motivations, West keeps meting out punishments and rewards as his past closes in on him. John Wesley Shipp, Nicole Leigh Verdin and David Sullivan co-star.

 

Miracle at St. Anna During World War II, four black American soldiers find themselves trapped in a Tuscan village behind enemy lines. As they attempt to evade German forces and reunite with their comrades, the four experience firsthand the tragedy and triumph of war. Based on the acclaimed novel by James McBride and directed by Spike Lee, this epic war film stars Laz Alonso, Derek Luke, John Turturro, Omar Benson Miller and Michael Ealy.

 

Blade on the Feather Student Daniel Young (Tom Conti) appears unannounced at the country estate of retired university don Jason Cavendish (Donald Pleasence) claiming to be writing a thesis on one of Cavendish’s fantasy novels, but soon the visitor’s true agenda emerges. The twisting tale of British espionage — penned by the masterful British scribe Dennis Potter — also stars Denholm Elliott as Cavendish’s trusty butler.

 

The Lodger When a serial killer starts knocking off West Hollywood working girls in grisly ways, a mentally unbalanced landlady becomes convinced that one of her tenants is involved in the killings. Meanwhile, a detective who is under suspicion discovers clues to the murders that lead him to several disturbing revelations. David Ondaatje directs this remake of Alfred Hitchcock’s 1927 film of the same name. Simon Baker and Hope Davis star.

 

Chocolate Acclaimed Thai action director Prachya Pinkaew helms this martial arts drama, which follows Zen (JeeJa Yanin), a young autistic woman who discovers that she has the uncanny ability to absorb precision fighting skills just by watching martial arts movies. When her cancer-ridden mother’s creditors come calling, Zen attempts to settle the debts by standing up to a hardnosed gang of criminals who have wrongfully swindled money from her family.

 

Palimpsest: A Hypnotic Mystery When his friend and colleague falls from a window, troubled cop Marek (Andrzej Chyra) is assigned to the case and must determine whether the cause of death was murder or suicide. But as he delves deeper into the mystery, he is plunged into a mysterious dark underworld. Is it real or is it a mad delusion? Polish director Konrad Niewolski helms this stylish psychological thriller, which won Best Cinematography at the 2006 Polish Film Festival.

 

Simon of the Desert Cinematic legend Luis Bunuel directs this absurdist short film that follows the travails of a pious Catholic man who sets out to prove his devotion to God by living atop a column for six years, six months and six days. Inspired by the tale of St. Simeon Stylites, Bunuel’s satire takes square aim at the institution of religion – a recurring theme found in many of the director’s most popular works, including The Exterminating Angel and L’Age d’Or.

 

The Exterminating Angel Following an elegant dinner party, the guests begin to realize that they can’t leave the house in this absurdist satire written and directed by surrealist maestro Luis Buñuel. With no servants, the upper-crust group slowly loses its civility. As conditions worsen, they descend into savagery, experimenting with witchcraft, stuffing dead party guests into the closet, and cooking slaughtered sheep over fires of burning furniture.

 

Imprint Native American prosecutor Shayla Stonefeather (Tonantzin Carmelo) returns to the reservation to visit her father. After hearing strange voices, she must confront the memories of her long-missing brother and a Lakota boy she convicted in a controversial trial. Shayla initially refuses to believe there may be a supernatural connection, but soon realizes that she will have to listen to the ghostly apparitions in this paranormal thriller.

 

Documentaries and Music:

 

Darwin’s Secret Notebooks This documentary delves into the private journals of Charles Darwin, revealing the deliberate process by which the naturalist — and one-time creationist — arrived at his understanding of natural selection. Computer-generated imagery illustrates Darwin’s theories, and stunning cinematography takes you to the locations that sparked his revolutionary ideas. Evolutionary biologist Armand Leroi hosts this journey into the mind of a cautious genius.

 

Fractals: Hunting the Hidden Dimension: Nova Determined to understand the repeating patterns he was finding in nature, French mathematician Benoit Mandelbrot used an early form of computer imagery to produce his own versions, coining the recurring shapes fractals. This installment of the PBS series “Nova” examines the rules of these self-similar patterns and explores the ways these fascinating geometric configurations can be applied in the fields of science, medicine and the arts.

 

Rona Barrett’s Hollywood: Nothing But the Truth Through intimate one-on-one interviews, celebrity journalist Rona Barrett learns the secrets and dreams of Hollywood legends such as Cher, Raquel Welch, Robin Williams, John Travolta, John Wayne, Burt Reynolds, Richard Dreyfuss and many more. With more than 30 years of experience, Barrett knows how to connect with celebrities and talk to them about the issues they would normally share only with friends.

 

Joni Mitchell’s The Fiddle and the Drum Music icon Joni Mitchell pieces together dance, video art and her own acclaimed music in this unique and moving performance, a meditation on war and environmental disregard. Mitchell teams with choreographer Jean Grand-Maître of the Alberta Ballet Company for this project, which features the songs “Sex Kills,” “If,” “Slouching Toward Bethlehem,” “If I Had a Heart,” “For the Roses” and “Big Yellow Taxi.”

 

Kate Bush: The Hounds of Love: A Classic Album Under Review Featuring astute track-by-track analysis, this in-depth retrospective revisits British pop-rocker Kate Bush’s epic 1985 release “The Hounds of Love,” with noted journalists, musicologists and a host of insiders weighing in on the austere masterpiece. Rounding out the 90-minute video are live and studio performances of each song on the album, archival interviews with Bush and contributor biographies.

 

Roger McGuinn: Live at the Basement A founding member of popular rock band the Byrds, Roger McGuinn delivers an intimate music performance that features many of his group’s classics like “Feel a Whole Lot Better,” “The Ballad of Easy Rider,” “You Showed Me” and “Mr. Spaceman.” Throughout the course of the program, McGuinn appears in interviews in which he discusses the origins of specific songs and his experiences as part of the Byrds.

 

The Moody Blues: Inside the Music Original production engineers, music journalists and respected insiders analyze an amazing selection of performance footage from classic rock superstars the Moody Blues, providing unique insights and fascinating stories about this influential band. The documentary features longtime Decca engineer Derek Varnals, who mixed most of the band’s albums, their producer Tony Clarke, agent Keith Altham and journalist John Mendelssohn.

 

The Weird:

 

Otto; or, Up With Dead People Controversial filmmaker Bruce La Bruce’s irreverent take on zombie movies centers on a cheerless, undead teenager named Otto, whose quest for love and acceptance outstrips his hunger for flesh. Feeding on roadkill, Otto wanders the streets contemplating his existence and looking for a job in this unapologetically campy German import. Jey Crisfar, Katharina Klewinghaus, Susanne Sachsse and Marcel Schlutt star.

 

Videogame Theater Delight in the darkest secrets of videogame characters like Pac-Man, Frogger and Donkey Kong with this wickedly funny program, which uses puppets, hand-drawn backgrounds and retro music to tell outrageous tales of sex, drugs and violence. While poking fun at a plethora of pop culture icons, this behind-the-scenes look at the arcade world offers plenty of absurdity, offbeat humor and bizarre images.

 

imps* Short for The Immoral Minority Picture Show, this irreverent comedy skit anthology from writer-director Scott Mansfield is an equal-opportunity offender, skewering all facets of society with reckless abandon. Created in the tradition of the infamous Zucker Bros’ classic Kentucky Fried Movie, this hilarious film features several Hollywood notables, including Fred Willard, Michael McKean, Peter Scolari, Jimmie Walker and Linda Blair.

The Obvious: 

 

Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa A botched rescue attempt strands Alex the lion (voiced by Ben Stiller) and his companions smack dab in the African wild. Sadly, as in Madagascar, Alex discovers he has little in common with the locals, having lived for so long in the city. His friends, meanwhile, begin to doubt they’ll ever make it back to the zoo. David Schwimmer, Jada Pinkett Smith, Chris Rock and Sacha Baron Cohen reprise their voice roles in this hysterical animated sequel.

 

Zack and Miri Make a Porno Zack (Seth Rogen) and Miri (Elizabeth Banks) have been platonic friends for years. When they both find themselves in financial hot water, they hit upon the idea of making an adult film to bring in some easy money. But when “action” is called, these two friends discover that unspoken feelings for each other may threaten the whole enterprise. Writer-director Kevin Smith helms this comic look at the line between friendship and romance. 

 

The Secret Life of Bees Haunted by the death of her mother, 14-year-old Lily (Dakota Fanning) escapes the dreary life she lives on her father’s farm and heads to Tiburon, S.C., with her friend and caregiver, Rosaleen (Jennifer Hudson), setting off on a life-changing journey of self-discovery. Set amidst the hotbed of racial tensions in the South in the 1960s, Gina Prince-Bythewood’s dramatic tale is based on the bestselling novel by Sue Monk Kidd.

 

Have Seen and Recommend: 

 

Vibes Linked by their supernatural gifts, psychic hairdresser Sylvia Pickel (Cyndi Lauper) and psychometrist Nick Deezy (Jeff Goldblum) are recruited by treasure hunter Harry Buscafusco (Peter Falk) to help him locate his missing son in the mountains of Ecuador. But when they arrive in South America, Silvia and Nick discover that Buscafusco has actually tricked them into helping him find a lost city made of gold.

 

Oh No! 

 

Depth Charge When a rogue Navy officer (Eric Roberts) and a team of mercenaries hijack a nuclear submarine and hold the world hostage, two honorable crewmen work to undermine the plot before the crazed commander can launch the weapons. Now they must engage in a lethal game of cat-and-mouse far beneath the waves as the clock ticks steadily toward doomsday. Terrence O’Hara directs this thriller that co-stars Jason Gedrick and Barry Bostwick.

 

Private Valentine: Blonde & Dangerous After her latest movie bombs at the box office and she discovers that her crooked accountant has robbed her blind, spoiled Hollywood starlet Megan Valentine (Jessica Simpson) impulsively decides to enlist in the U.S. Army. Now, the pampered princess must channel her inner solider in order to make it through basic training. Director Steve Miner’s lighthearted comedy also stars Steve Guttenberg, Cheri Oteri and Vivica A. Fox.

 

Smoke Jumper When the fire department blames Kristen Scott (Brooke Burns) for a rescue attempt gone wrong, claiming she can’t handle her job, the determined female firefighter joins an elite smoke jumper unit to prove that she has the mettle to be the best. But when a lethal wildfire interrupts her training, Kristen must find the courage to enter the deadly blaze and conquer her own pernicious doubts. Erin Karpluk and Rick Ravanello co-star.

 

Possibilities: 

 

Gumshoe Bingo-caller Eddie Ginley (Albert Finney, in a BAFTA-nominated performance) wants to make a career change in this hard-boiled detective spoof. So, he quits his job, buys a trench coat and starts his own detective agency. Soon, he’s engaged in a case reminiscent of the Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett novels he loves, featuring a femme fatale (Janice Rule) and a sinister fat man (George Silver). The film received a Best Screenplay BAFTA nod.

 

Inside Daisy Clover When teenager Daisy Clover (Natalie Wood) rises from beach-dwelling obscurity to Hollywood celebrity overnight, she quickly discovers that the glitter of 1930s-era Tinseltown hides a dark side of exploitation and fear. Now she must learn to smile for the cameras as she navigates the twisted world of manipulative studio executives, empty relationships and disintegrating mental health. Robert Redford, Christopher Plummer and Ruth Gordon co-star.

 

Our Man in Havana Inspired by Cold War paranoia, author Graham Greene penned this cynical comedy about vacuum cleaner salesman Jim Wormold (Alec Guinness), whose territory happens to be pre-revolutionary Cuba. Approached by an undercover intelligence agent (Noel Coward), Jim unwittingly agrees to provide espionage services to the British government. Director Carol Reed’s hilarious political farce earned a Golden Globe Best Comedy nomination in 1960.

 

Sex and the Single Girl Natalie Wood stars as Helen Gurley Brown in this farce loosely based on Brown’s book of the same name. Trying to land an interview with the noted psychologist, unscrupulous journalist Bob Weston (Tony Curtis) poses as a man seeking therapy for marital troubles. The two fall in love, but when Weston’s charade is nearly exposed, he must resort to ever-more-desperate trickery to avoid revealing his true identity. Lauren Bacall co-stars.

 

Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist When his painfully recent ex-girlfriend (Alexis Dziena) shows up at a gig his band is playing in the city, Nick (Michael Cera) grabs the first girl he sees (Kat Dennings) and asks her to pretend that she’s dating him — but only for the next five minutes. He never expected their fauxmance to turn into something real. Still, the more time they spend together, the more it seems like they’re falling in love.

 

The Good Student Nerdy teacher Ronald Gibb (Tim Daly) has trouble hiding his tiny crush on gorgeous student Ally (Hayden Panettiere), which all starts to look very bad for Ronald once Ally is kidnapped and he’s the last person to be seen with her. As Ronald becomes the main suspect, the suburban community turns upside down in this dark comedy, also starring William Sadler as Ally’s entrepreneurial father and Sarah Steele as the spunky Amber Jinxs.

 

Inside Moves After a failed suicide attempt resulting in a crippled leg, Roary (John Savage) finds comfort, friendship and revelation at — of all places — Max’s Bar, a local watering hole. There, he finds he’s not the only handicapped person around: there’s Jerry (David Morse) the bartender and former basketball star with a bad leg, and Louise (Diana Scarwid, in an Oscar-nominated performance) the waitress with emotional damage. Richard Donner directs.

 

Yentl Based on Isaac Bashevis Singer’s story, this Oscar-winning musical stars Barbra Streisand as Yentl, the bookish daughter of a Talmud teacher who instructs her even though it’s forbidden to teach the sacred text to girls. Determined to continue her schooling after her father dies, Yentl disguises herself as a boy to gain entry to a yeshiva. There, she meets the brilliant Avigdor (Mandy Patinkin), who only has eyes for Hadass (Amy Irving).

 

Love Comes Lately Based on Nobel Prize winner Isaac Bashevis Singer’s writings, this whimsical tale from director Jan Schütte follows charmer Max Kohn (Otto Tausig), an 80-year-old author who escapes life’s doldrums by losing himself in his imagination’s colorful creations. Elizabeth Peña portrays Max’s daffy cleaning lady, while Rhea Perlman, Barbara Hershey and Tovah Feldshuh play the disparate women in his romantic orbit.

 

Documentaries and Music: 

 

The Singing Revolution James and Maureen Castle Tusty’s moving documentary recounts Estonia’s fight for independence from Soviet occupation, telling the remarkable story of the hundreds of thousands of protestors who gathered in public to voice their dissent through song. After 50 years of rule by the oppressive Soviet regime, the people of Estonia gave life to a grassroots movement for change by staging passionate rallies and singing forbidden patriotic songs.

 

Rent: Filmed Live on Broadway This program captures the final Broadway stage performance of Jonathan Larson’s Pulitzer and Tony Award-winning musical “Rent,” filmed live in Manhattan’s Nederlander Theatre, where the play ran for 12 years. Following a group of young artists struggling with life and love in the era of the AIDS epidemic, the production features show-stopping renditions of songs such as “One Song Glory,” “I Should Tell You,” “I’ll Cover You,” “Will I?” and more.

 

k.d. lang: Live in London with the BBC Concert Orchestra Backed by the BBC Concert Orchestra, critically acclaimed vocalist k.d. lang wows fans with her distinctive voice in this concert filmed at St. Luke’s Church in London during her world tour in support of 2008’s “Watershed” album. Highlights from this thrilling performance include “Coming Home,” “Wash Me Clean,” “Western Stars,” “Smoke Rings,” “I Dream of Spring” and lang’s singular interpretation of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.” 

 

The Weird: 

 

Black Swarm When she moves back to her small hometown, policewoman Jane Kozik (Sarah Allen) discovers that lethal mutant wasps are stinging townsfolk, then incubating their young inside the victims’ zombielike bodies. Now Kozik, an exterminator (Sebastien Roberts) and a beautiful entomologist (Jayne Heitmeyer) join forces to stop the insects before the entire village falls prey to their sinister stings. David Winning directs this creepy horror film.

 

Dead Noon When long-dead Wild West outlaw Frank (Robert Bear) rises from the grave, he leads a bloodthirsty posse of skeletons, zombies and undead cowpokes in a raid against an unsuspecting modern town. Now it is up to the local sheriff (Scott Phillips) to strap on his spurs and square off against the hellish gang in a supernatural showdown at the stroke of dead noon. Andrew Wiest directs this horror-Western hybrid that co-stars Lillith Fields.

Danny Boyle Receives 2009 DGA Award

Danny Boyle received the Director’s Guild of America award for Slumdog Millionaire last night. That definitely puts him ahead of the pack for the big nod by the Academy– since its beginnings in 1948, the DGA award has only gone to 6 directors who did not go on to win the Oscar for that year.

Ari Folman won the best documentary award for Waltz with Bashir, which is up for Best Foreign-Language Film at the Oscars. Best television film/miniseries award went to Jay Roach for Recount.

Complete list of DGA awards and more about the evening’s festivities at the Hollywood Reporter.