The Obvious:
Twilight Based on Stephenie Meyer’s best-selling novel, Twilight follows the saga of Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart), who moves to a small town to live with her father. At school, she meets Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson), a mysterious classmate who reveals himself to be a 108-year-old vampire. Despite his cautions, Bella falls in love with Edward, which endangers her life when a coven of bloodsuckers arrives to challenge Edward and his family. — Not my thing, but an obvious choice for many.
Oh No!
Van Wilder: Freshman Year This prequel to National Lampoon’s cult hit Van Wilder takes us to the beginning of young Van’s (Jonathan Bennett) college career and reveals how the charismatic slacker became the indomitable party animal we’ve come to know and love. Shocked by the conservative environment of his new school, Van sets out to liberate the student body from the iron fist of the domineering Coolidge College dean (Kurt Fuller).
Possibilities:
The Velveteen Rabbit Sent to the house of his stern grandmother for the holiday season, young Toby finds an instant cure to his loneliness when he discovers an attic containing three special toys — including a stuffed rabbit — that magically come to life. Featuring the voice talents of Jane Seymour, Tom Skerritt and Ellen Burstyn, this delightful mix of live action and animation is inspired by the classic children’s book by Margery Williams.
Elegy Cultural critic David Kepesh (Ben Kingsley) sits comfortably in his ivory tower, divorced from any romantic or familial entanglements, that is, until a striking 24-year-old daughter (Penélope Cruz) of Cuban exiles reawakens his sense of sexual excitement. Their unlikely bond yields shocking revelations that change David’s life forever. Spanish director Isabel Coixet helms this star-studded adaptation of the Philip Roth novel The Dying Animal.
My Zinc Bed Featuring fine performances, this BBC production of playwright David Hare’s searing tale about addiction and manipulation follows recovering alcoholic Paul Peplow (Paddy Considine), who takes a job with Internet mogul Victor Quinn (Jonathan Pryce) — a man with a hidden agenda. Lured into working for Quinn, Paul soon discovers that his boss is a master manipulator obsessed with addictive personalities … which includes Quinn’s wife (Uma Thurman).
Wuthering Heights Emily Brontë’s sweeping tale of romance set against the backdrop of the Yorkshire moors gets the “Masterpiece” treatment in this lush made-for-television adaptation starring Charlotte Riley and Tom Hardy. Cathy (Riley) eventually fell in love with Heathcliff (Hardy), the young Gypsy boy her father brought home years ago. But now that they’re adults, another man (Tom Payne) is offering her his affections — and a far more comfortable life.
Chrysalis While investigating a human trafficking case that may involve the man (Alain Figlarz) who killed his wife years earlier, cop David Hoffmann (Albert Dupontel) uncovers a clinic run by professor Brügen (Marthe Keller), whose research involves dream control. Filmmaker Julien Leclercq’s stylishly shot French technothriller, set in Paris circa 2020, also stars Marie Guillard as Hoffmann’s partner and Melanie Thierry as Brügen’s daughter.
Azur and Asmar: The Princes’ Quest Raised on tales of a Djinn fairy princess, Azur — a young Frenchman — goes to North Africa in search of the spirit, only to discover that his close childhood friend, Asmar — an Arab youth whose mother raised both boys — also seeks the genie. Now the former best friends become rivals as each tries to locate the fantastic Djinn firs, but only one can be successful in their quest. Michel Ocelot directs this family-friendly animated tale.
Dodes’ka-Den Tokyo’s slums set the scene for master director Akira Kurosawa’s first color feature, a glimpse into the lives of urban have-nots at their most desperate and transcendent. Mentally disabled Rokkuchan (Yoshitaka Zushi) drives his imaginary trolley on a daily route through the slums on excursions that act as the glue for several tales involving vagrants, swingers, gossips and other scrappy characters. Kin Sugai and Toshiyuki Tonomura also star.
Head Case: Seasons 1 & 2 Alexandra Wentworth stars in this documentary-style comedy series as Dr. Elizabeth Goode, an unconventional therapist who uses ridicule, humiliation and derision to treat her patients, most of whom are members of the Hollywood elite. Among those making cameos as Dr. Goode’s stereotypically neurotic patients are Jason Priestley, Alanis Morissette, Andy Dick, NFL Network’s Rich Eisen, Tom Sizemore and Ralph Macchio.
Documentaries and Music:
Light at the Edge of the World Join renowned anthropologist Wade Davis on a trip around the world as he explores four indigenous cultures, tracking how each has defended its traditions against the encroaching forces of modernization. Davis ascends the Andes to meet with descendants of the Incas, examines the ancient skill of Wayfinding in Polynesia, visits the sacred Buddhist monasteries of Nepal, and follows Inuit hunters in the Arctic.
Monster Black Holes Take a journey into deep space with this illuminating National Geographic documentary and hear from scientists who explore the mysteries of black holes — regions of space that consume everything in their path and emit a massive amount of energy. Topics include how black holes form, how scientists might be able to harness their power, and whether a black hole at the center of the Milky Way could one day destroy the galaxy.
Suspense: The Lost Episodes: Vol. 3 Boris Karloff, Hume Cronyn, Walter Matthau and Lloyd Bridges are just a few of the stars who appear in these episodes of the popular CBS mystery anthology series that ran from 1949-54. From teenagers being held hostage in an amusement park by a disgruntled employee to a Rod Serling-penned episode in which a henpecked man plots to blow up his wife at an atomic bomb test site, this collection will keep viewers on the edge of their seats.
The Weird:
The Life of Lucky Cucumber Wannabe filmmakers Phillip Fellini (Sam Maccarone) and Forrest Fonda (Preston Lacy) think they’ve found the subject of a lifetime when they meet a cave-dwelling, beer-swilling Missouri backwoodsman named Lucky “Cucumber” Cavanaugh (Dian Bachar), rumored to be the unluckiest man alive. But when Lucky’s fortunes begin to turn, he and the filmmakers end up on a wild adventure in this comic mockumentary.
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