The Obvious:
Taken While vacationing with a friend in Paris, an American girl (Maggie Grace) is kidnapped by a gang of human traffickers intent on selling her into forced prostitution. Now, her father, Bryan (Liam Neeson), a former soldier, must pull out all the stops to save her. But with his best years possibly behind him, Bryan’s task may be more than he can handle. Directed by Pierre Morel, this relentless action thriller also stars Famke Janssen.
Wise Blood Legendary director John Huston takes on legendary writer Flannery O’Connor with this film version of her debut novel, centered on an angry young man — Hazel Motes (Brad Dourif) — who returns from war and starts the Church Without Christ. In a small Southern town populated by a cast of misfits — including a sidewalk preacher (Harry Dean Stanton) and his Lolita-esque daughter (Amy Wright) — Motes lurches toward salvation.
Underworld: Rise of the Lycans A prequel to the first two Underworld films, this fantasy explains the origins of the feud between the Vampires and the Lycans. Aided by his secret love, Sonja (Rhona Mitra), courageous Lucian (Michael Sheen) leads the Lycans in battle against brutal Vampire king Viktor (Bill Nighy). Determined to break the king’s enslavement of his people, Lucian faces off against the Death Dealer army in a bid for Lycan independence.
S. Darko: A Donnie Darko Tale In this trippy sequel to Donnie Darko, Donnie’s younger sister, Samantha (Daveigh Chase), sets out for Hollywood, only to become stranded in a remote town where she begins to have visions concerning the end of the world. Now she and best friend Corey (Briana Evigan) must unravel the mystery — and confront their own demons — before the world is doomed. Chris Fisher directs this genre-bending thriller that also stars Jackson Rathbone.
Valkyrie Wounded in Africa during World War II, Col. Claus von Stauffenberg (Tom Cruise) returns to his native Germany and joins the Resistance, becoming involved in a daring plan to create a shadow government and assassinate Hitler. Soon, events dictate that he become a central player — and he finds himself tasked with both leading the coup and personally killing Hitler. Based on true events, this drama co-stars Stephen Fry, Bill Nighy and Eddie Izzard.
Outlander Fleeing an interstellar war, Kainan (James Caviezel) crashes on the shores of Norway during the Iron Age. An extraterrestrial monstrosity called the Moorwen also survives the crash, and begins cutting a bloody swath of destruction through the Norwegian countryside. Armed with the high-tech weaponry of his planet, Kainan teams up with the Vikings to end the Moorwen’s rampage. Sophia Myles co-stars in this sci-fi adventure epic.
Have Seen and Recommend:
Wind in the Willows Spendthrift Mr. J. Thaddeus Toad doesn’t worry about budgeting as he buys extravagant cars and loses money to some disreputable weasels. But now, his excessive spending is about to cause him to lose the home he adores, Toad Manor. Luckily, his good friends Ratty, Moley and Angus MacBadger will help him out — as long as he promises to correct his attitude and learn to save in this charming animated classic from Walt Disney Studios.
Penn & Teller: Bullsh*t!: Season 6 Popular illusionists Penn & Teller continue their crusade to separate fact from fiction and expose the nonsense behind many of the country’s hot-button issues, commonly accepted beliefs, urban legends and oft-debated theories. Among the topics the acerbic showmen have tackled and demystified are creationism, end-of-the-world paranoia, exorcism, ground zero and near-death experiences.
Lovejoy: Season 5 The vintage trade continues to be an adventure for East Anglia antiques dealer Lovejoy (Ian McShane), whose keen eye rarely fails him — but often lands him in hot water with customers and strangers alike. Adventures abound in this fifth season of the beloved BBC series, as Lovejoy takes over Felsham Hall, brings on a new apprentice (Diane Parish), meets his match in an auctioneer (Caroline Langrishe), gets in trouble with the police and more.
Oh No!
Paul Blart: Mall Cop Kevin James (“King of Queens”) stars in this comedy as Paul Blart, an overzealous security guard who finds himself in way over his head when he attempts to thwart a criminal mastermind’s (Keir O’Donnell) plot to rob an entire shopping mall. Bobby Cannavale (Snakes on a Plane), Jayma Mays and Shirley Knight also star in this family-friendly laffer from director Steve Carr
Jack Squad With an eye on spicing up their dead-end lives, three female friends (Dawnisha Halfkenny, Onira Tares and Patshreba Williams) transform themselves into “The Jack Squad,” a covert team of thieves who target wealthy men by seducing them and taking them for everything they’ve got. Their new business venture proves endlessly profitable — until a local kingpin gets wind of their scheme and promptly asks for his piece of the pie.
Possibilities:
The Reluctant Dragon Fueled by tales of brave, dragon-fighting knights, a boy decides to confront the dragon that has everyone in his village frightened in this enchanting animated classic. But when he tracks down the beast, he finds an unexpectedly gentle creature. Uninterested in terrorizing people, the dragon would rather read poetry and create music. Now, the boy must halt the dragon slayer who’s planning to take down his new friend in a battle to the death.
Rembrandt Charles Laughton delivers a memorable performance as famed artist Rembrandt in director Alexander Korda’s biopic, which starts after Rembrandt’s wife dies and his work veers toward a dark and unpopular direction. A powerful exploration of creativity and self-determination, the film shows Rembrandt living and working as he pleases, despite a scandalous affair with a young maid and the public rejection of his new style.
The Private Life of Don Juan In his last performance, Douglas Fairbanks stars as an aging Don Juan who fakes his death to escape his own legend. Unfortunately, the mature lothario discovers that without fame, he has lost his famous powers of seduction. Now, he must beg his long-suffering wife, Dolores, to take him back. Director Alexander Korda punctures the Don Juan myth, focusing on his later years, when nobody believes he was once the celebrated lover.
The Private Life of Henry VIII Charles Laughton makes the larger-than-life King Henry VIII seem even bigger in a stunning performance that centers on the ruler’s romantic life. Acclaimed director Alexander Korda shows a mercurial king who is governed by love, lust and politics. The classic film traces Henry’s six marriages, including the tragic story of Catherine Howard, and his disastrous fourth union with Anne of Cleves, played by Laughton’s real-life wife, Elsa Lancaster.
Carve Her Name with Pride Brave patriot Violette Szabo (Virginia McKenna) helps defeat the Germans in this World War II drama based on R.J. Minney’s biographical novel about the real-life heroine. When her husband is killed in battle, Londoner Szabo joins the British secret service and agrees to spy on the enemy — even though it means being separated from her baby. Eventually captured and tortured by the Nazis, the intrepid agent refuses to betray the Allies.
Northwest Frontier After accepting an assignment to smuggle an endangered Hindu prince out of colonial India before Muslim rebels can kill him, a British army captain (Kenneth More) risks his own life to save a nation. Boarding a train that snakes through hostile Muslim territory, he rubs elbows with a hard-bitten reporter and an arms merchant before finding romance with the young prince’s American governess (Lauren Bacall).
The King and Four Queens When con man Dan Kehoe (Clark Gable) ends up in a nearly deserted town, he tries to woo and convince four women — Birdie (Barbara Nichols), Oralie (Sara Shane), Sabina (Eleanor Parker) and Ruby (Jean Willes) — that he has a right to a share in the proceeds of a recent robbery pulled off by their husbands. But Ma McDade (Jo Van Fleet), the gunslinging family matriarch, is wise to him game. Raoul Walsh directs this funny Western romance.
The Friends of Eddie Coyle Crime may pay, but it doesn’t necessarily pay
well — at least not for small-time hood Eddie Coyle (Robert Mitchum), who’s about to be hauled off to jail for gunrunning, leaving behind a wife and kids but not a penny to his name. Desperate to salvage his freedom, Coyle begins serving two masters — the cops (as a snitch) and his criminal associates (as a weapons supplier) in this 1970s gem helmed by Peter Yates.
Christian Finnegan: Au Contraire Funnyman Christian Finnegan shares his unique views on politics, pop culture and interpersonal relations during this sidesplitting show filmed at Philadelphia’s Trocadero Theatre in October 2008. The performance features Finnegan at his best, mining humor from the most embarrassing experiences and examining the lives of celebrities, politicians and friends to identify the ridiculous, the hypocritical and the truly preposterous.
French & Saunders: Live Wildly popular British comedy team Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders bring their award-winning brand of quirky humor to the stage in London’s West End, delighting a capacity crowd at the historic Shaftesbury Theatre. Combining razor-sharp improvisational wit with fearless, sketch-style spoofs of popular U.K. television shows such as “Casualty” and “Big Brother,” the pair proves once again that innovative satire is alive and well.
French & Saunders: The Video Comedy duo Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders present this collection of outrageous sketches that skewer everything from sports and fine art to fat men who watch beauty pageants and the confusing world of gynecology and reproductive technology. Featuring special guests Robbie Coltrane, Lenny Henry, Adrian Edmondson and the band Raw Sex (aka Rowland Rivron and Simon Brint), this comedy bonanza is sure to keep you in stitches.
Kingdom: Series 2 Kindhearted lawyer Peter Kingdom (Stephen Fry) and his colleague, Lyle (Karl Davies), continue to take on unusual personal-injury cases — including a brotherly battle over a burger van and an unsightly situation involving a nudist colony — in this quirky British series. When Peter isn’t helping eccentric locals find justice, he’s attempting to sort out the truth about his missing brother, Simon (Dominic Mafham).
Pie in the Sky: Series 1 Henry Crabbe (Richard Griffiths), the detective who loves food, is great at what he does, but after 25 years on the force, he’s determined to live out his dream and open up his own restaurant. Trouble is, the force can’t afford to let him go. So with a solution that satisfies both his wife (Maggie Steed) and boss (Malcolm Sinclair), Henry feeds a serious craving for early retirement and resolves to be both head chef and crime solver.
Taggart: Violent Delights Set It’s business as usual at Glasgow’s Maryhill Police Department, where cantankerous detective Jim Taggart (Mark McManus) continues to push the envelope as he hunts down some of the most loathsome criminals in Scotland. This collection finds him delving into the art world to solve a homicide, sussing out suspicious relatives of a dead retiree, and making the most of a telescope and camera to find out who killed a beautiful teacher.
Taggart: Ring of Deceit Set Glasgow, Scotland, proves to be a dangerous place — at least as seen through the eyes of police detective Jim Taggart (Mark McManus), a tough, no-nonsense cop who isn’t afraid to push the limits in his search for the truth. In this trio of episodes, a rapist branded “the Mechanic” may have killed a dead scientist, a health guru falls under suspicion, and a list of unrelated names at a crime scene may not be as random as it seems.
Taggart: The Hit Man Set Mark McManus reprises his role as the indefatigable, tough-as-nails Jim Taggart, a detective who lives by his own rules at the Maryhill Police Department, in this trio of episodes from the gritty sleuth series set in Scotland. Taggart tries to exonerate an old friend accused of a string of homicides, endeavors to identify two skulls found at a construction site and takes on puzzling murders that may be racially motivated.
O Jerusalem Two American friends — Bobby (JJ Feild), a Jew, and Saïd (Saïd Taghmaoui), an Arab — find themselves at the center of a historic struggle as the creation of Israel sparks an all-out battle between Arabs, Jews and Brits, all fighting for control of the Holy Land. Against the backdrop of one of history’s bloodiest conflicts, Saïd and Bobby are torn between their allegiance to their people and their loyalty to each other.
Pride of Africa Safari tour guide David Webb (Robert Powell) takes a job as head of security on the luxury train
Pride of Africa and discovers that the wealthy passengers can be just as dangerous as the wild animals he knows so well. As the train sets off across the lush countryside, Webb contends with a dangerous kidnapping plot, a heated lovers’ quarrel and a possible murder in this made-for-TV mystery set in the 1930s.
Pufnstuf When young Jimmy (Jack Wild) plays his flute at the seashore, it magically springs to life — and attracts the attention of the wretched Witchiepoo (Billie Hayes), who schemes to ensnare Jimmy in her castle and claim his supernatural flute for herself. Jimmy flees to the Living Island, where colorful dragon Pufnstuf helps him hatch a plan to thwart Witchiepoo and get safely home. This fanciful film is based on the TV show “H.R. Pufnstuf.”
Saturday Morning Cartoons: 1960s: Vol. 1 Kick back and relax like it’s Saturday morning — no matter what day of the week it is — with this collection of classic cartoons from the 1960s that features the Flintstones, Quick-Draw McGraw, Porky Pig and a long list of other popular characters. Highlights include the pilot episode of “The Jetsons” in which the family meets their new maid, Rosey, for the first time and several episodes from “The Magilla Gorilla Show.”
Saturday Morning Cartoons: 1970s: Vol. 1 With a big bowl of sugary cereal and this collection of classic cartoons from the 1970s featuring popular characters like Batman, Tarzan and Yogi Bear, you can turn any time of day into an impromptu Saturday morning on the couch. Highlights include a Scooby-Doo mystery involving a haunted pirate ship; and a deep-sea adventure with Josie and the Pussy Cats; and a pair of “Hong Kong Phooey” episodes.
Bunny Chow John Barker directs this engaging comedy about three stand-up comedians who hit the open road to Oppikoppi, South Africa’s renowned rock music festival, where they hope to catch their break into the big time. But their dreams are put on hold as acute stage fright, bizarre hangers-on and the temptations of excessive revelry teach them a thing or two about who they really are. Kagiso Lediga, Joey Yusuf Rasdien and David Kibuuka star.
Man Hunt While hunting in the Bavarian Alps, Brit Alan Thorndike (Walter Pidgeon) stumbles upon an opportunity to assassinate Adolph Hitler. But when Thorndike is captured and beaten, he escapes and journeys back to England with the aid of a boy (Roddy McDowall) and a prostitute (Joan Bennett). Ace director Fritz Lang’s gripping spy thriller, based on the 1939 novel
Rogue Male, also stars Roger Imhof and John Carradine.
Fanboys They’ve waited patiently for years for the release of Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace. But when one of their own discovers he’s terminally ill, a group of pals embarks on a road trip to Skywalker Ranch to steal the long-anticipated film. Sam Huntington, Chris Marquette, Dan Fogler, Jay Baruchel and Kristin Bell star in director Kyle Newman’s labor of geek love. Star Wars alums Billy Dee Williams, Carrie Fisher and Ray Park make cameos.
Jo Koy: Don’t Make Him Angry Hailed by
Variety as one of “10 Comics to Watch,” comedian Jo Koy spares no one — certainly not his mother or young son — from his comedic punches in this Comedy Central special filmed at New York’s Hunter College. Applying his scathing wit to everything from international travel to Olympic swimming and his disdain for all things French, the Filipino-American comic provides an edgy, energetic performance that has the audience howling
Russell Brand in New York City Best known on this side of the Atlantic for scene-stealing roles in films such as Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Russell Brand brings his unique brand of stand-up stateside with this Comedy Central special. With teased hair, tight pants and black-rimmed eyes, Brand looks more like a bad-boy rocker than a comic, but he proves looks can be deceiving with a wickedly funny set that pokes fun at everything from horseback riding to his own sexual prowess.
True Blood: Season 1 Mind-reading Louisiana waitress Sookie Stackhouse’s (Anna Paquin, in a Golden Globe-winning role) life gets complicated when she falls for vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer) in a world where vampires live openly and drink synthetic blood. Trying to improve their image and legitimize their finances, the out-of-the-coffin bloodsuckers hire PR firms and contribute to influential Republican politicians. Alan Ball (“Six Feet Under”) helms the HBO series.
Documentaries and Music:
The Matter of Angels and Demons Taking its cues from Dan Brown’s wildly successful
Angels & Demons, this thought-provoking documentary investigates the legitimacy of the best-selling book’s claims, delving into the history of the Masons, early Rome, the Papacy and more. Other highlights include an examination of the lives of the poet John Milton, the sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini and the astronomer Galileo, plus a guided tour along the Illuminati’s “Path of Illumination.”
Paul Simon and Friends In 2007, pop-music icon Paul Simon received the first-ever Gershwin Prize for Popular Music, awarded in this star-studded spectacle held in Washington, D.C., that features performances by a host of Simon’s friends and colleagues. Among the many artists taking the stage to sing classic Simon tunes are former sidekick Art Garfunkel, Lyle Lovett, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, James Taylor, Marc Anthony, Alison Krauss, Shawn Colvin and many more.
The Weird:
High Hopes When Tom’s hopes to have his first Hollywood film financed are dashed, he and his friends explore creative financing: they plan to steal a case of government-issued Mary Jane and return it to the FBI for the reward money. With an idea that seems more foolish than foolproof, can a ruse like this really work? Joe Eckardt directs; Corin Nemec, David Faustino, Jason Mewes, Jason Marsden, Edward Furlong, Lacey Chabert and Andy Dick star.
Mega Shark Versus Giant Octopus After a series of mysterious disasters occurs in the Pacific, from the disappearance of a plane to the destruction of an oil rig, a group of scientists discovers that a secret military mission has unearthed a prehistoric shark and a giant octopus. When the government learns of the existence of the menacing beasts, the team of scientists is tasked with formulating a plan to destroy the phenomenal creatures. Lorenzo Lamas and Deborah Gibson star.
Eden Log When a man named Tolbiac (Clovis Cornillac) awakens to find himself naked, disoriented and trapped somewhere deep underground, he begins an epic journey through a labyrinth of tunnels and dark caverns on his way toward the surface. Pursued by strange digital ghosts and other technological monsters, he uncovers clues to his predicament, which involves a scientific biosphere experiment gone awry. Franck Vestial directs this dark sci-fi thriller.
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