Agora — As Christianity gains steam in Roman Egypt toward the end of the fourth century A.D., a young slave (Max Minghella) weighs his desire for freedom against his growing love for his mistress (Rachel Weisz), an atheist as well as a professor of philosophy. Alejandro Amenábar (The Others) directs this epic drama based on the life of Hypatia of Alexandria, a noted Greek scholar and mathematician. Rupert Evans co-stars.
Wallander: S2 — Kenneth Branagh returns as sharp but sensitive detective Kurt Wallander in this collection of three full-length television mysteries based on the best-selling novels by Swedish author Hanning Mankell. The trio of tales finds Wallander investigating the deaths of an elderly farm couple, the double murder of a good friend and his father, and a disturbing series of murders involving deceased nuns and vigilante justice.
Winter’s Bone — In this noir drama set deep in Ozark territory, resilient teenager Ree Dolly (Jennifer Lawrence) goes on the trail of her missing drug-dealing father when his absence jeopardizes the safety of their family. The deadbeat dad has a critical court date pending, and Ree is determined that he make it — despite the objections of the insular Dolly clan. Director Debra Granik’s unflinching drama won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance.
Poldark: S2 — The dashing Capt. Ross Poldark (Robin Ellis) returns in the second installment of this beloved series set in Cornwall during the late 18th century, when social upheaval is tearing apart Britain and the aristocratic Ross takes up the cause of downtrodden miners. Ross is tormented by his stormy marriage to Demelza (Angharad Rees) and his love for his former fiancee, Elizabeth (Jill Townsend), who is unhappily wed to his brutish rival (Ralph Bates).
The Girl Who Played with Fire — Tech expert Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) becomes the prime suspect when two journalists, including Dag Svensson (Hans Christian Thulin), die after Millenium magazine publisher Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist) launches an exposé of the Swedish sex trade. In Part 2 of the trilogy based on the action novels of Stieg Larsson, the vampiric Salander vanishes as Blomkvist digs deep into a possible conspiracy.
Robin Hood — Russell Crowe stars as Robin Longstride in director Ridley Scott’s big-budget twist on the celebrated legend. When soldier Robin happens upon the dying Robert of Loxley, he promises to return the man’s sword to his family in Nottingham. There, he assumes Robert’s identity; romances his widow, Marion (Cate Blanchett); and draws the ire of the town’s sheriff (Matthew Macfadyen) and King John’s henchman, Godfrey (Mark Strong).
Please Give — Life gets knotty when successful Manhattan couple Alex (Oliver Platt) and Kate (Catherine Keener) develop a relationship with the granddaughters of Andra (Ann Morgan Guilbert), the cantankerous elderly woman who owns the apartment next to theirs — and who must die so they can expand their home. The all-star cast includes Amanda Peet, Rebecca Hall and Lois Smith in this indie feature from writer-director Nicole Holofcener (Friends with Money).
Holy Rollers — Inspired by a true story, director Kevin Asch’s film tells the story of Sam Gold (Jesse Eisenberg), a young Hasidic Jew from Brooklyn who breaks with Orthodox tradition when he becomes an intercontinental Ecstasy smuggler for an Israeli drug cartel. A blend of neurotic coming-of-age dramedy and tense crime thriller, the film features Justin Bartha (“National Treasure”) as Sam’s pal Yosef and hip-hop recording artist Q-Tip in a supporting role.
Get Him to the Greek — Ambitious young record company intern Aaron Green (Jonah Hill) will let nothing get in the way of his planned rise to the top in the music business — not even the unruly rock star (Russell Brand) he must escort to Los Angeles for the start of his anniversary concert. Doing whatever it takes to get the rocker from Point A to Point B, Aaron encounters all manners of mishaps in this comedy directed by Nicholas Stoller and produced by Judd Apatow.
The Infidel — When his mother dies, Muslim business owner and family man Mahmud Nasir (Omid Djalili) uncovers the two biggest surprises of his life: he was adopted as a baby and his birth parents weren’t Muslim — they were Jewish. As he scrambles to get a handle on his existential identity crisis, Mahmud turns to boozy Jewish cab driver Lenny (Richard Schiff) for a little spiritual counsel. Josh Appignanesi directs this indie comedy.
Against the Current — To honor the anniversary of his beloved wife’s death, financial writer Paul Thompson (Joseph Fiennes) sets out to swim the entire 150-mile length of the lower Hudson River with the help of friends Jeff (Justin Kirk) and Liz (Elizabeth Reaser), who are facing problems of their own. As they go about turning Thompson’s dream into a reality, each faces the inevitability of loss and learns the power of friendship. Peter Callahan directs.
Kisses — In this incisive Irish import, best friends Dylan (Shane Curry) and Kylie (Kelly O’Neill) find urban beauty — and peril — when they flee their dysfunctional homes in a squalid housing project after Dylan has a terrible row with his tosspot father. Arriving in Dublin to hunt for Dylan’s older brother, the youngsters embark on a shopping spree using cash Kylie stole from her sister. But as night falls, the city takes on a menacing air.
The Chaser — When his escorts start disappearing without settling their debts, cash-strapped pimp — and former police detective — Joong-ho (Yun-seok Kim) draws upon the skills of his old job to track down the recently missing Mi-Jin (Yeong-hie Seo). Cynical Joong-ho assumes a rival pimp has been siphoning off his labor pool, but it isn’t long before our hero closes in on the real and deadly truth in this gritty and gripping South Korean thriller.
Wild Grass — When the bag of amateur pilot Marguerite Muir (Sabine Azéma) is stolen and its contents are strewn over a parking lot, fate sets into motion an intriguing sequence of events involving the pilot, a dentist and a mysterious man (André Dussollier) who finds her wallet. French new wave pioneer Alain Resnais adapts the Christian Gailly novel into a stirring drama, which screened in competition at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival.
Bored to Death: S1 — In this HBO comedy series, struggling New York novelist Jonathan Ames (Jason Schwartzman) pushes procrastination to new heights when he jettisons his writing duties in favor of taking on cases as a self-styled private eye. With the unlikely help of his editor George (Ted Danson) and pal Ray (Zach Galifianakis), the pot-smoking gumshoe investigates missing sisters, cheating boyfriends, stolen skateboards and other cases.
Tales From the Dark Side: S4 — Alternating between horror, fantasy and sci-fi, the fourth season of this intriguing TV anthology series presents peculiar tales involving a resurrected mummy, a ghost photographer, alien visitors and many other extraordinary characters. Standout story lines this season include a screenwriter striking a deal with the devil, a boy inventing a device that can eat sounds, and a woman traveling through time into the past.
Star Wars — The Clone Wars: S2 — The second season of Lucasfilm’s computer-animated television series reveals more details and characters from the Clone Wars era — the period between Episodes II and III in the original Star Wars movies. The saga of Anakin Skywalker (voiced by Matt Lanter) — who now has his own Padawan in young Ahsoka Tano (Ashley Eckstein) — continues in this series that blends the look of Asian anime with unique 3-D animation styling.
The Venture Bros: S4 – Twins Hank and Dean, the sons of perpetually angry scientist Dr. Venture, continue globe-trotting in search of adventure, despite their decided lack of skill and intellect, in the fourth season of this Adult Swim animated series. When the Ventures’ longtime bodyguard, brawny Brock Samson, moves on to greener pastures, he’s replaced by ex-baddie Sgt. Hatred, who protects the family against their crazy arch-nemesis, the Monarch.
War of the Worlds: S2 — Dr. Harrison Blackwood (Jared Martin) and his small band of resistance fighters continue their battle for human survival in the second and final season of this short-lived science-fiction series based on H.G. Wells’s visionary novel of the same name. But the world they find themselves fighting for is much changed from the first season, as it’s been driven down by rioting, economic collapse and environmental decline.
Oceans — This Disneynature documentary from co-directors Jacques Perrin and Jacques Cluzaud examines the vital role water plays in human existence and the cause-and-effect interplay between oceans and the environment. Shot on location around the world, the feature-length film also dives beneath the surface with stunning underwater photography that documents lesser-known and endangered aquatic life forms.
The Crimson Wing: Mystery of the Flamingos — One million crimson-winged flamingos battle for survival across the breathtaking backdrop of Lake Natron in northern Tanzania in this sumptuously photographed Disney documentary. In their ambitious directorial debuts, filmmakers Matthew Aeberhard and Leander Ward journey to landscapes so remote that they’ve never been captured on camera before. Leave the civilized world behind for this transcendent cinematic experience.
Theater of War — Go behind the scenes of the Public Theater’s 2006 production of Bertolt Brecht’s
Mother Courage and Her Children, starring the legendary Meryl Streep and translated by Pulitzer Prize winner Tony Kushner. In addition to offering a rare window into Streep’s process, the documentary also examines how Brecht’s own tumultuous life experiences informed his remarkable play. Other interviewees include Streep’s co-star Kevin Kline.
South of the Border — Eager to investigate how the U.S. media has depicted Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, director Oliver Stone journeys south to interview the man himself and speaks with several other South American presidents in the process. Among the distinguished subjects in Stone’s probing and controversial documentary are Bolivia’s Evo Morales, Brazil’s Lula da Silva, Argentina’s Nestor Kirchner and Cuba’s Raul Castro.
The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia — Hailing from Boone County, W. Va., mountain dancer Jesco White may be the most famous member of the White clan — thanks to the 1991 documentary The Dancing Outlaw — but he’s hardly the most colorful. This film focuses on the rest of the brood. Director Julien Nitzberg spent a year with five generations of the West Virginia family — and spoke to various members of their community (including the sheriff) — to provide this colorful portrait.
Who is Harry Nilsson (And Why is Everybody Talkin’ About Him?) — Brilliant, mysterious singer-songwriter Harry Nilsson cut an indefinable path across the 1960s pop-cultural landscape, garnering such fans as John Lennon and Randy Newman. This discerning documentary lays bare the vast extent of Nilsson’s influence. Along with rare archival material — including home movies and audio clips — anecdotes from Jon Voight, Van Dyke Parks and other scene makers spotlight the highs and lows of a mercurial career.
Tags: DVD, DVDs, entertainment, film, kym's picks, movies, new releases
Agora — As Christianity gains steam in Roman Egypt toward the end of the fourth century A.D., a young slave (Max Minghella) weighs his desire for freedom against his growing love for his mistress (Rachel Weisz), an atheist as well as a professor of philosophy. Alejandro Amenábar (The Others) directs this epic drama based on the life of Hypatia of Alexandria, a noted Greek scholar and mathematician. Rupert Evans co-stars.
Wallander: S2 — Kenneth Branagh returns as sharp but sensitive detective Kurt Wallander in this collection of three full-length television mysteries based on the best-selling novels by Swedish author Hanning Mankell. The trio of tales finds Wallander investigating the deaths of an elderly farm couple, the double murder of a good friend and his father, and a disturbing series of murders involving deceased nuns and vigilante justice.
Winter’s Bone — In this noir drama set deep in Ozark territory, resilient teenager Ree Dolly (Jennifer Lawrence) goes on the trail of her missing drug-dealing father when his absence jeopardizes the safety of their family. The deadbeat dad has a critical court date pending, and Ree is determined that he make it — despite the objections of the insular Dolly clan. Director Debra Granik’s unflinching drama won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance.
Poldark: S2 — The dashing Capt. Ross Poldark (Robin Ellis) returns in the second installment of this beloved series set in Cornwall during the late 18th century, when social upheaval is tearing apart Britain and the aristocratic Ross takes up the cause of downtrodden miners. Ross is tormented by his stormy marriage to Demelza (Angharad Rees) and his love for his former fiancee, Elizabeth (Jill Townsend), who is unhappily wed to his brutish rival (Ralph Bates).
The Girl Who Played with Fire — Tech expert Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) becomes the prime suspect when two journalists, including Dag Svensson (Hans Christian Thulin), die after Millenium magazine publisher Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist) launches an exposé of the Swedish sex trade. In Part 2 of the trilogy based on the action novels of Stieg Larsson, the vampiric Salander vanishes as Blomkvist digs deep into a possible conspiracy.
Robin Hood — Russell Crowe stars as Robin Longstride in director Ridley Scott’s big-budget twist on the celebrated legend. When soldier Robin happens upon the dying Robert of Loxley, he promises to return the man’s sword to his family in Nottingham. There, he assumes Robert’s identity; romances his widow, Marion (Cate Blanchett); and draws the ire of the town’s sheriff (Matthew Macfadyen) and King John’s henchman, Godfrey (Mark Strong).
Please Give — Life gets knotty when successful Manhattan couple Alex (Oliver Platt) and Kate (Catherine Keener) develop a relationship with the granddaughters of Andra (Ann Morgan Guilbert), the cantankerous elderly woman who owns the apartment next to theirs — and who must die so they can expand their home. The all-star cast includes Amanda Peet, Rebecca Hall and Lois Smith in this indie feature from writer-director Nicole Holofcener (Friends with Money).
Holy Rollers — Inspired by a true story, director Kevin Asch’s film tells the story of Sam Gold (Jesse Eisenberg), a young Hasidic Jew from Brooklyn who breaks with Orthodox tradition when he becomes an intercontinental Ecstasy smuggler for an Israeli drug cartel. A blend of neurotic coming-of-age dramedy and tense crime thriller, the film features Justin Bartha (“National Treasure”) as Sam’s pal Yosef and hip-hop recording artist Q-Tip in a supporting role.
Get Him to the Greek — Ambitious young record company intern Aaron Green (Jonah Hill) will let nothing get in the way of his planned rise to the top in the music business — not even the unruly rock star (Russell Brand) he must escort to Los Angeles for the start of his anniversary concert. Doing whatever it takes to get the rocker from Point A to Point B, Aaron encounters all manners of mishaps in this comedy directed by Nicholas Stoller and produced by Judd Apatow.
The Infidel — When his mother dies, Muslim business owner and family man Mahmud Nasir (Omid Djalili) uncovers the two biggest surprises of his life: he was adopted as a baby and his birth parents weren’t Muslim — they were Jewish. As he scrambles to get a handle on his existential identity crisis, Mahmud turns to boozy Jewish cab driver Lenny (Richard Schiff) for a little spiritual counsel. Josh Appignanesi directs this indie comedy.
Against the Current — To honor the anniversary of his beloved wife’s death, financial writer Paul Thompson (Joseph Fiennes) sets out to swim the entire 150-mile length of the lower Hudson River with the help of friends Jeff (Justin Kirk) and Liz (Elizabeth Reaser), who are facing problems of their own. As they go about turning Thompson’s dream into a reality, each faces the inevitability of loss and learns the power of friendship. Peter Callahan directs.
Kisses — In this incisive Irish import, best friends Dylan (Shane Curry) and Kylie (Kelly O’Neill) find urban beauty — and peril — when they flee their dysfunctional homes in a squalid housing project after Dylan has a terrible row with his tosspot father. Arriving in Dublin to hunt for Dylan’s older brother, the youngsters embark on a shopping spree using cash Kylie stole from her sister. But as night falls, the city takes on a menacing air.
The Chaser — When his escorts start disappearing without settling their debts, cash-strapped pimp — and former police detective — Joong-ho (Yun-seok Kim) draws upon the skills of his old job to track down the recently missing Mi-Jin (Yeong-hie Seo). Cynical Joong-ho assumes a rival pimp has been siphoning off his labor pool, but it isn’t long before our hero closes in on the real and deadly truth in this gritty and gripping South Korean thriller.
Wild Grass — When the bag of amateur pilot Marguerite Muir (Sabine Azéma) is stolen and its contents are strewn over a parking lot, fate sets into motion an intriguing sequence of events involving the pilot, a dentist and a mysterious man (André Dussollier) who finds her wallet. French new wave pioneer Alain Resnais adapts the Christian Gailly novel into a stirring drama, which screened in competition at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival.
Bored to Death: S1 — In this HBO comedy series, struggling New York novelist Jonathan Ames (Jason Schwartzman) pushes procrastination to new heights when he jettisons his writing duties in favor of taking on cases as a self-styled private eye. With the unlikely help of his editor George (Ted Danson) and pal Ray (Zach Galifianakis), the pot-smoking gumshoe investigates missing sisters, cheating boyfriends, stolen skateboards and other cases.
Tales From the Dark Side: S4 — Alternating between horror, fantasy and sci-fi, the fourth season of this intriguing TV anthology series presents peculiar tales involving a resurrected mummy, a ghost photographer, alien visitors and many other extraordinary characters. Standout story lines this season include a screenwriter striking a deal with the devil, a boy inventing a device that can eat sounds, and a woman traveling through time into the past.
Star Wars — The Clone Wars: S2 — The second season of Lucasfilm’s computer-animated television series reveals more details and characters from the Clone Wars era — the period between Episodes II and III in the original Star Wars movies. The saga of Anakin Skywalker (voiced by Matt Lanter) — who now has his own Padawan in young Ahsoka Tano (Ashley Eckstein) — continues in this series that blends the look of Asian anime with unique 3-D animation styling.
The Venture Bros: S4 – Twins Hank and Dean, the sons of perpetually angry scientist Dr. Venture, continue globe-trotting in search of adventure, despite their decided lack of skill and intellect, in the fourth season of this Adult Swim animated series. When the Ventures’ longtime bodyguard, brawny Brock Samson, moves on to greener pastures, he’s replaced by ex-baddie Sgt. Hatred, who protects the family against their crazy arch-nemesis, the Monarch.
War of the Worlds: S2 — Dr. Harrison Blackwood (Jared Martin) and his small band of resistance fighters continue their battle for human survival in the second and final season of this short-lived science-fiction series based on H.G. Wells’s visionary novel of the same name. But the world they find themselves fighting for is much changed from the first season, as it’s been driven down by rioting, economic collapse and environmental decline.
Oceans — This Disneynature documentary from co-directors Jacques Perrin and Jacques Cluzaud examines the vital role water plays in human existence and the cause-and-effect interplay between oceans and the environment. Shot on location around the world, the feature-length film also dives beneath the surface with stunning underwater photography that documents lesser-known and endangered aquatic life forms.
The Crimson Wing: Mystery of the Flamingos — One million crimson-winged flamingos battle for survival across the breathtaking backdrop of Lake Natron in northern Tanzania in this sumptuously photographed Disney documentary. In their ambitious directorial debuts, filmmakers Matthew Aeberhard and Leander Ward journey to landscapes so remote that they’ve never been captured on camera before. Leave the civilized world behind for this transcendent cinematic experience.
Theater of War — Go behind the scenes of the Public Theater’s 2006 production of Bertolt Brecht’s Mother Courage and Her Children, starring the legendary Meryl Streep and translated by Pulitzer Prize winner Tony Kushner. In addition to offering a rare window into Streep’s process, the documentary also examines how Brecht’s own tumultuous life experiences informed his remarkable play. Other interviewees include Streep’s co-star Kevin Kline.
South of the Border — Eager to investigate how the U.S. media has depicted Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, director Oliver Stone journeys south to interview the man himself and speaks with several other South American presidents in the process. Among the distinguished subjects in Stone’s probing and controversial documentary are Bolivia’s Evo Morales, Brazil’s Lula da Silva, Argentina’s Nestor Kirchner and Cuba’s Raul Castro.
The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia — Hailing from Boone County, W. Va., mountain dancer Jesco White may be the most famous member of the White clan — thanks to the 1991 documentary The Dancing Outlaw — but he’s hardly the most colorful. This film focuses on the rest of the brood. Director Julien Nitzberg spent a year with five generations of the West Virginia family — and spoke to various members of their community (including the sheriff) — to provide this colorful portrait.
Who is Harry Nilsson (And Why is Everybody Talkin’ About Him?) — Brilliant, mysterious singer-songwriter Harry Nilsson cut an indefinable path across the 1960s pop-cultural landscape, garnering such fans as John Lennon and Randy Newman. This discerning documentary lays bare the vast extent of Nilsson’s influence. Along with rare archival material — including home movies and audio clips — anecdotes from Jon Voight, Van Dyke Parks and other scene makers spotlight the highs and lows of a mercurial career.
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