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Anyone who still doesn’t know the plot of Twilight is avoiding it on purpose. In the third instalment, brave, awkward Bella must chose between two perfect loves. Will she discard human life for eternally beautiful Edward, whose selfless love strengthens him to resist her blood? Will she grow old with Jacob, her fiercely loyal best friend who loves her despite continual rejection? Or will vengeful vampires kill her before she decides?

Eclipse is the strongest Twilight volume because it’s less about fantasy than choices. Bella loves everyone around her – parents, vampires, werewolves; and they all want conflicting futures for her. As she approaches high school graduation, she faces the questions all teenagers must: who am I going to be? Which life will I pursue? How will I disappoint? It’s still a ridiculously romantic fantasy, full of teen angst and absurd villains. But you knew that going in.

Adrien Brody is Royce, a mercenary who reluctantly leads a group of elite warriors who come to realize they’ve been brought together on an alien planet…as prey. With the notable exception of a disgraced physician, they are all cold-blooded killers – mercenaries, Yakuza, convicts, death squad members – human “predators” that are now being systemically hunted and eliminated by a new breed of alien Predators.

As a CIA officer, Evelyn Salt (Jolie) swore an oath to duty, honor and country. Her loyalty will be tested when a defector accuses her of being a Russian spy. Salt goes on the run, using all her skills and years of experience as a covert operative to elude capture. Salt’s efforts to prove her innocence only serve to cast doubt on her motives, as the hunt to uncover the truth behind her identity continues.

It’s hard to make dead mice funny. This is probably why the much darker director’s cut of Ratatouille will never see the light of day. Dinner for Schmucks, however, manages to not only make them hilarious but also integral to the story. These mice are the starring players in the intricate and meticulously crafted dioramas of Barry Speck, the titular schmuck played by the effortlessly ridiculous Steve Carell.

Paul Rudd, who had previously teamed up with Carell in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy and The 40 Year-Old Virgin, plays Tim Conrad, a mid-level executive with a problem: His boss has invited him to a "dinner for winners" in which each guest must bring along eccentric person (schmuck) to be judged (ridiculed). The winner earns a trophy and the executive that brought him or her gets glory the glory. Although Tim is hesitant to participate, when he quite literally runs into Barry Speck, a walking library of oddities, he sees an opportunity that just might be too good to pass up.

While this synopsis may seem a bit confusing and convoluted, it only begins to scratch the surface of this consistently uproarious and at times touching film.  Add to the mix one blind swordsman, two deluded psychics and a narcissistic conceptual artist with a penchant for wearing goat horns, and it soon becomes clear that this dinner is going to be one to remember. Let’s just hope the dead mice don’t spoil anyone’s appetite.

After challenging an evil dragon, rescuing a beautiful princess and saving your in—laws’ kingdom, what’s an ogre to do? Well, if you’re Shrek, you suddenly wind up a domesticated family man. Instead of scaring villagers away like he used to, a reluctant Shrek now agrees to autograph pitchforks. What’s happened to this ogre’s roar? Longing for the days when he felt like a “real ogre,” Shrek is duped into signing a pact with the smooth—talking dealmaker, Rumpelstiltskin. Shrek suddenly finds himself in a twisted, alternate version of Far Far Away, where ogres are hunted, Rumpelstiltskin is king and Shrek and Fiona have never met. Now, it’s up to Shrek to undo all he’s done in the hopes of saving his friends, restoring his world and reclaiming his one True Love.

For those of us lucky enough to have grown up with Beverly Cleary’s wonderful books about the Quimby family of Klickitat Street, the idea of a Hollywood putting its glossy spin on these beloved childhood friends seems nearly sacrilegious. But despite some departures from the spirit of the original text  (awkward Beezus is now cute and popular) and oddly glammed-up casting (model Moynahan as Ramona’s mom?), Ramona holds up as an entertaining film about the ups and downs of sibling rivalry and family life, with a healthy message about individuality. Roger Ebert calls it a “sweet salute” to a time of greater innocence, and the Washington Post says, “Allen’s direction is bright and imaginative.”

It’s hard to make dead mice funny. This is probably why the much darker director’s cut of Ratatouille will never see the light of day. Dinner for Schmucks, however, manages to not only make them hilarious but also integral to the story. These mice are the starring players in the intricate and meticulously crafted dioramas of Barry Speck, the titular schmuck played by the effortlessly ridiculous Steve Carell.

Paul Rudd, who had previously teamed up with Carell in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy and The 40 Year-Old Virgin, plays Tim Conrad, a mid-level executive with a problem: His boss has invited him to a "dinner for winners" in which each guest must bring along eccentric person (schmuck) to be judged (ridiculed). The winner earns a trophy and the executive that brought him or her gets glory the glory. Although Tim is hesitant to participate, when he quite literally runs into Barry Speck, a walking library of oddities, he sees an opportunity that just might be too good to pass up.

While this synopsis may seem a bit confusing and convoluted, it only begins to scratch the surface of this consistently uproarious and at times touching film.  Add to the mix one blind swordsman, two deluded psychics and a narcissistic conceptual artist with a penchant for wearing goat horns, and it soon becomes clear that this dinner is going to be one to remember. Let’s just hope the dead mice don’t spoil anyone’s appetite.

As a CIA officer, Evelyn Salt (Jolie) swore an oath to duty, honor and country. Her loyalty will be tested when a defector accuses her of being a Russian spy. Salt goes on the run, using all her skills and years of experience as a covert operative to elude capture. Salt’s efforts to prove her innocence only serve to cast doubt on her motives, as the hunt to uncover the truth behind her identity continues.

After challenging an evil dragon, rescuing a beautiful princess and saving your in—laws’ kingdom, what’s an ogre to do? Well, if you’re Shrek, you suddenly wind up a domesticated family man. Instead of scaring villagers away like he used to, a reluctant Shrek now agrees to autograph pitchforks. What’s happened to this ogre’s roar? Longing for the days when he felt like a “real ogre,” Shrek is duped into signing a pact with the smooth—talking dealmaker, Rumpelstiltskin. Shrek suddenly finds himself in a twisted, alternate version of Far Far Away, where ogres are hunted, Rumpelstiltskin is king and Shrek and Fiona have never met. Now, it’s up to Shrek to undo all he’s done in the hopes of saving his friends, restoring his world and reclaiming his one True Love.

For those of us lucky enough to have grown up with Beverly Cleary’s wonderful books about the Quimby family of Klickitat Street, the idea of a Hollywood putting its glossy spin on these beloved childhood friends seems nearly sacrilegious. But despite some departures from the spirit of the original text  (awkward Beezus is now cute and popular) and oddly glammed-up casting (model Moynahan as Ramona’s mom?), Ramona holds up as an entertaining film about the ups and downs of sibling rivalry and family life, with a healthy message about individuality. Roger Ebert calls it a “sweet salute” to a time of greater innocence, and the Washington Post says, “Allen’s direction is bright and imaginative.”

As a CIA officer, Evelyn Salt (Jolie) swore an oath to duty, honor and country. Her loyalty will be tested when a defector accuses her of being a Russian spy. Salt goes on the run, using all her skills and years of experience as a covert operative to elude capture. Salt’s efforts to prove her innocence only serve to cast doubt on her motives, as the hunt to uncover the truth behind her identity continues.

It’s hard to make dead mice funny. This is probably why the much darker director’s cut of Ratatouille will never see the light of day. Dinner for Schmucks, however, manages to not only make them hilarious but also integral to the story. These mice are the starring players in the intricate and meticulously crafted dioramas of Barry Speck, the titular schmuck played by the effortlessly ridiculous Steve Carell.

Paul Rudd, who had previously teamed up with Carell in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy and The 40 Year-Old Virgin, plays Tim Conrad, a mid-level executive with a problem: His boss has invited him to a "dinner for winners" in which each guest must bring along eccentric person (schmuck) to be judged (ridiculed). The winner earns a trophy and the executive that brought him or her gets glory the glory. Although Tim is hesitant to participate, when he quite literally runs into Barry Speck, a walking library of oddities, he sees an opportunity that just might be too good to pass up.

While this synopsis may seem a bit confusing and convoluted, it only begins to scratch the surface of this consistently uproarious and at times touching film.  Add to the mix one blind swordsman, two deluded psychics and a narcissistic conceptual artist with a penchant for wearing goat horns, and it soon becomes clear that this dinner is going to be one to remember. Let’s just hope the dead mice don’t spoil anyone’s appetite.

After challenging an evil dragon, rescuing a beautiful princess and saving your in—laws’ kingdom, what’s an ogre to do? Well, if you’re Shrek, you suddenly wind up a domesticated family man. Instead of scaring villagers away like he used to, a reluctant Shrek now agrees to autograph pitchforks. What’s happened to this ogre’s roar? Longing for the days when he felt like a “real ogre,” Shrek is duped into signing a pact with the smooth—talking dealmaker, Rumpelstiltskin. Shrek suddenly finds himself in a twisted, alternate version of Far Far Away, where ogres are hunted, Rumpelstiltskin is king and Shrek and Fiona have never met. Now, it’s up to Shrek to undo all he’s done in the hopes of saving his friends, restoring his world and reclaiming his one True Love.

For those of us lucky enough to have grown up with Beverly Cleary’s wonderful books about the Quimby family of Klickitat Street, the idea of a Hollywood putting its glossy spin on these beloved childhood friends seems nearly sacrilegious. But despite some departures from the spirit of the original text  (awkward Beezus is now cute and popular) and oddly glammed-up casting (model Moynahan as Ramona’s mom?), Ramona holds up as an entertaining film about the ups and downs of sibling rivalry and family life, with a healthy message about individuality. Roger Ebert calls it a “sweet salute” to a time of greater innocence, and the Washington Post says, “Allen’s direction is bright and imaginative.”

It’s hard to make dead mice funny. This is probably why the much darker director’s cut of Ratatouille will never see the light of day. Dinner for Schmucks, however, manages to not only make them hilarious but also integral to the story. These mice are the starring players in the intricate and meticulously crafted dioramas of Barry Speck, the titular schmuck played by the effortlessly ridiculous Steve Carell.

Paul Rudd, who had previously teamed up with Carell in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy and The 40 Year-Old Virgin, plays Tim Conrad, a mid-level executive with a problem: His boss has invited him to a "dinner for winners" in which each guest must bring along eccentric person (schmuck) to be judged (ridiculed). The winner earns a trophy and the executive that brought him or her gets glory the glory. Although Tim is hesitant to participate, when he quite literally runs into Barry Speck, a walking library of oddities, he sees an opportunity that just might be too good to pass up.

While this synopsis may seem a bit confusing and convoluted, it only begins to scratch the surface of this consistently uproarious and at times touching film.  Add to the mix one blind swordsman, two deluded psychics and a narcissistic conceptual artist with a penchant for wearing goat horns, and it soon becomes clear that this dinner is going to be one to remember. Let’s just hope the dead mice don’t spoil anyone’s appetite.

As a CIA officer, Evelyn Salt (Jolie) swore an oath to duty, honor and country. Her loyalty will be tested when a defector accuses her of being a Russian spy. Salt goes on the run, using all her skills and years of experience as a covert operative to elude capture. Salt’s efforts to prove her innocence only serve to cast doubt on her motives, as the hunt to uncover the truth behind her identity continues.

It’s hard to make dead mice funny. This is probably why the much darker director’s cut of Ratatouille will never see the light of day. Dinner for Schmucks, however, manages to not only make them hilarious but also integral to the story. These mice are the starring players in the intricate and meticulously crafted dioramas of Barry Speck, the titular schmuck played by the effortlessly ridiculous Steve Carell.

Paul Rudd, who had previously teamed up with Carell in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy and The 40 Year-Old Virgin, plays Tim Conrad, a mid-level executive with a problem: His boss has invited him to a "dinner for winners" in which each guest must bring along eccentric person (schmuck) to be judged (ridiculed). The winner earns a trophy and the executive that brought him or her gets glory the glory. Although Tim is hesitant to participate, when he quite literally runs into Barry Speck, a walking library of oddities, he sees an opportunity that just might be too good to pass up.

While this synopsis may seem a bit confusing and convoluted, it only begins to scratch the surface of this consistently uproarious and at times touching film.  Add to the mix one blind swordsman, two deluded psychics and a narcissistic conceptual artist with a penchant for wearing goat horns, and it soon becomes clear that this dinner is going to be one to remember. Let’s just hope the dead mice don’t spoil anyone’s appetite.

Move over, Humphrey Bogart. There’s a new detective on the block in an unrequited love story so intense that you ache in longing sympathy. The production, winner of this year’s best foreign-language film Oscar, is also about justice in corrupt 1974 Argentina and retribution for a rape and murder so brutal that 25 years after the crime, it still haunts the now retired investigating agent Benjamin Espósito (Darin). His boss at the time was out of his league, an upper-class Ivy League-educated lawyer, Irene Menéndez-Hastings (Villamil). He visits her in 1999 (she’s now a judge} and the engrossing production weaves past and present through flashbacks. Says critic Roger Ebert: “This is a real movie, the kind they literally don’t make very much anymore.”

A powerful crime drama set on the streets of Jaffa’s Ajami neighbourhood—a melting pot of cultures and conflicting views among Jews, Muslims and Christians—and told through the eyes of a cross-section of the city’s inhabitants: a young Israeli fighting a criminal vendetta against his family, a Palestinian refugee working illegally to finance a life-saving surgery, a Jewish police detective obsessed with finding his missing brother, and an affluent Palestinian dreaming of a future with his Jewish girlfriend. As their stories intersect, and the film’s narrative shifts back and forth in time, we witness a dramatic collision of different worlds and the tragic consequences of enemies living as neighbours.

A powerful crime drama set on the streets of Jaffa’s Ajami neighbourhood—a melting pot of cultures and conflicting views among Jews, Muslims and Christians—and told through the eyes of a cross-section of the city’s inhabitants: a young Israeli fighting a criminal vendetta against his family, a Palestinian refugee working illegally to finance a life-saving surgery, a Jewish police detective obsessed with finding his missing brother, and an affluent Palestinian dreaming of a future with his Jewish girlfriend. As their stories intersect, and the film’s narrative shifts back and forth in time, we witness a dramatic collision of different worlds and the tragic consequences of enemies living as neighbours.

Move over, Humphrey Bogart. There’s a new detective on the block in an unrequited love story so intense that you ache in longing sympathy. The production, winner of this year’s best foreign-language film Oscar, is also about justice in corrupt 1974 Argentina and retribution for a rape and murder so brutal that 25 years after the crime, it still haunts the now retired investigating agent Benjamin Espósito (Darin). His boss at the time was out of his league, an upper-class Ivy League-educated lawyer, Irene Menéndez-Hastings (Villamil). He visits her in 1999 (she’s now a judge} and the engrossing production weaves past and present through flashbacks. Says critic Roger Ebert: “This is a real movie, the kind they literally don’t make very much anymore.”

When the film opens, car salesman Ben (Douglas) is on the verge of a comeback, but some of the same motivations that led to his demise are threatening to take him down again. He's divorced from Nancy (Sarandon), his college sweetheart and the one person who knows him better than anyone. Although he still finds the time to hang out with his daughter Susan (Fischer) and his adoring grandson, she breaks off contact when she discovers he's seeing one of her friends. His girlfriend Jordan is the daughter of a very influential businessman who's on the board of a major auto manufacturer. If Ben can just keep his hubris in check for a little while longer, he will be back as big as ever. But circumstances place him in very close proximity with the one girl he shouldn't touch, throwing everything into jeopardy.

I Am Love tells the story of the wealthy Recchi family, whose lives are undergoing sweeping changes. Eduardo Sr., the family patriarch, has decided to name a successor to the reigns of his massive industrial company, surprising everyone by splitting power between his son Tancredi, and grandson Edo. But Edo dreams of opening a restaurant with his friend Antonio, a handsome and talented chef. At the heart of the family is Tancredi’s wife Emma (Swinton), a Russian immigrant who has adopted the culture of Milan. An adoring and attentive mother, her existence is shocked to the core when she falls quickly and deeply in love with Edo’s friend and partner Antonio, and embarks on a passionate love affair that will change her family forever.

Air, Water, Earth, Fire. Four nations tied by destiny when the Fire Nation launches a brutal war against the others. A century has passed with no hope in sight to change the path of this destruction. Caught between combat and courage, Aang (Ringer) discovers he is the lone Avatar with the power to manipulate all four elements. Aang teams with Katara (Peltz), a Waterbender, and her brother, Sokka (Jackson Rathbone), to restore balance to their war-torn world.

When the film opens, car salesman Ben (Douglas) is on the verge of a comeback, but some of the same motivations that led to his demise are threatening to take him down again. He's divorced from Nancy (Sarandon), his college sweetheart and the one person who knows him better than anyone. Although he still finds the time to hang out with his daughter Susan (Fischer) and his adoring grandson, she breaks off contact when she discovers he's seeing one of her friends. His girlfriend Jordan is the daughter of a very influential businessman who's on the board of a major auto manufacturer. If Ben can just keep his hubris in check for a little while longer, he will be back as big as ever. But circumstances place him in very close proximity with the one girl he shouldn't touch, throwing everything into jeopardy.

I Am Love tells the story of the wealthy Recchi family, whose lives are undergoing sweeping changes. Eduardo Sr., the family patriarch, has decided to name a successor to the reigns of his massive industrial company, surprising everyone by splitting power between his son Tancredi, and grandson Edo. But Edo dreams of opening a restaurant with his friend Antonio, a handsome and talented chef. At the heart of the family is Tancredi’s wife Emma (Swinton), a Russian immigrant who has adopted the culture of Milan. An adoring and attentive mother, her existence is shocked to the core when she falls quickly and deeply in love with Edo’s friend and partner Antonio, and embarks on a passionate love affair that will change her family forever.

When the film opens, car salesman Ben (Douglas) is on the verge of a comeback, but some of the same motivations that led to his demise are threatening to take him down again. He's divorced from Nancy (Sarandon), his college sweetheart and the one person who knows him better than anyone. Although he still finds the time to hang out with his daughter Susan (Fischer) and his adoring grandson, she breaks off contact when she discovers he's seeing one of her friends. His girlfriend Jordan is the daughter of a very influential businessman who's on the board of a major auto manufacturer. If Ben can just keep his hubris in check for a little while longer, he will be back as big as ever. But circumstances place him in very close proximity with the one girl he shouldn't touch, throwing everything into jeopardy.

Air, Water, Earth, Fire. Four nations tied by destiny when the Fire Nation launches a brutal war against the others. A century has passed with no hope in sight to change the path of this destruction. Caught between combat and courage, Aang (Ringer) discovers he is the lone Avatar with the power to manipulate all four elements. Aang teams with Katara (Peltz), a Waterbender, and her brother, Sokka (Jackson Rathbone), to restore balance to their war-torn world.

I Am Love tells the story of the wealthy Recchi family, whose lives are undergoing sweeping changes. Eduardo Sr., the family patriarch, has decided to name a successor to the reigns of his massive industrial company, surprising everyone by splitting power between his son Tancredi, and grandson Edo. But Edo dreams of opening a restaurant with his friend Antonio, a handsome and talented chef. At the heart of the family is Tancredi’s wife Emma (Swinton), a Russian immigrant who has adopted the culture of Milan. An adoring and attentive mother, her existence is shocked to the core when she falls quickly and deeply in love with Edo’s friend and partner Antonio, and embarks on a passionate love affair that will change her family forever.

When the film opens, car salesman Ben (Douglas) is on the verge of a comeback, but some of the same motivations that led to his demise are threatening to take him down again. He's divorced from Nancy (Sarandon), his college sweetheart and the one person who knows him better than anyone. Although he still finds the time to hang out with his daughter Susan (Fischer) and his adoring grandson, she breaks off contact when she discovers he's seeing one of her friends. His girlfriend Jordan is the daughter of a very influential businessman who's on the board of a major auto manufacturer. If Ben can just keep his hubris in check for a little while longer, he will be back as big as ever. But circumstances place him in very close proximity with the one girl he shouldn't touch, throwing everything into jeopardy.

I Am Love tells the story of the wealthy Recchi family, whose lives are undergoing sweeping changes. Eduardo Sr., the family patriarch, has decided to name a successor to the reigns of his massive industrial company, surprising everyone by splitting power between his son Tancredi, and grandson Edo. But Edo dreams of opening a restaurant with his friend Antonio, a handsome and talented chef. At the heart of the family is Tancredi’s wife Emma (Swinton), a Russian immigrant who has adopted the culture of Milan. An adoring and attentive mother, her existence is shocked to the core when she falls quickly and deeply in love with Edo’s friend and partner Antonio, and embarks on a passionate love affair that will change her family forever.

When the film opens, car salesman Ben (Douglas) is on the verge of a comeback, but some of the same motivations that led to his demise are threatening to take him down again. He's divorced from Nancy (Sarandon), his college sweetheart and the one person who knows him better than anyone. Although he still finds the time to hang out with his daughter Susan (Fischer) and his adoring grandson, she breaks off contact when she discovers he's seeing one of her friends. His girlfriend Jordan is the daughter of a very influential businessman who's on the board of a major auto manufacturer. If Ben can just keep his hubris in check for a little while longer, he will be back as big as ever. But circumstances place him in very close proximity with the one girl he shouldn't touch, throwing everything into jeopardy.

I Am Love tells the story of the wealthy Recchi family, whose lives are undergoing sweeping changes. Eduardo Sr., the family patriarch, has decided to name a successor to the reigns of his massive industrial company, surprising everyone by splitting power between his son Tancredi, and grandson Edo. But Edo dreams of opening a restaurant with his friend Antonio, a handsome and talented chef. At the heart of the family is Tancredi’s wife Emma (Swinton), a Russian immigrant who has adopted the culture of Milan. An adoring and attentive mother, her existence is shocked to the core when she falls quickly and deeply in love with Edo’s friend and partner Antonio, and embarks on a passionate love affair that will change her family forever.

When the film opens, car salesman Ben (Douglas) is on the verge of a comeback, but some of the same motivations that led to his demise are threatening to take him down again. He's divorced from Nancy (Sarandon), his college sweetheart and the one person who knows him better than anyone. Although he still finds the time to hang out with his daughter Susan (Fischer) and his adoring grandson, she breaks off contact when she discovers he's seeing one of her friends. His girlfriend Jordan is the daughter of a very influential businessman who's on the board of a major auto manufacturer. If Ben can just keep his hubris in check for a little while longer, he will be back as big as ever. But circumstances place him in very close proximity with the one girl he shouldn't touch, throwing everything into jeopardy.

When the film opens, car salesman Ben (Douglas) is on the verge of a comeback, but some of the same motivations that led to his demise are threatening to take him down again. He's divorced from Nancy (Sarandon), his college sweetheart and the one person who knows him better than anyone. Although he still finds the time to hang out with his daughter Susan (Fischer) and his adoring grandson, she breaks off contact when she discovers he's seeing one of her friends. His girlfriend Jordan is the daughter of a very influential businessman who's on the board of a major auto manufacturer. If Ben can just keep his hubris in check for a little while longer, he will be back as big as ever. But circumstances place him in very close proximity with the one girl he shouldn't touch, throwing everything into jeopardy.

In the sparse, cold and monumentally depressing rural Ozarks, 17-year-old Ree Dolly (Lawrence) is given some awful news. Her father, a lifetime criminal recently arrested for a drug deal, has put up his house as collateral for his bond. This means if Dad doesn’t show up at court, Ree, her invalid mother and two child siblings lose their home. This Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner is a refreshing thriller/neo-noir anchored in character, featuring actors and locations few of us have seen before. Yet, writer/director Debra Granik builds up her textured film on the foundation of familiar Western genre tropes, resulting in a comforting genre-based familiarity with all indie production credibility in tact. It's one of best films of the year so far.

The closing film of the 2009 Cannes Film Festival, Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky, chronicles the love affair between the French fashion icon, Coco Chanel, and Russian-born composer Igor Stravinsky. After struggling financially to provide decent life conditions for his wife and four children, Stravinsky accepts an invitation from newly met Chanel to move to her country house near Paris. The viewer can feel mutual fascination between Chanel and Stravinsky from their very first meeting, and it doesn't take long for the affair, which lasted only a summer of 1920, to blossom. According to director's (Jan Kounen) interpretation, the affair brings liberation to Stravinsky' s music, and a success in creating a perfect perfume, well known Chanel No. 5., to Coco. Kousen creates an intimate and emotionally charged film, and shows how desire and love can bring the best and worst of people.

In the sparse, cold and monumentally depressing rural Ozarks, 17-year-old Ree Dolly (Lawrence) is given some awful news. Her father, a lifetime criminal recently arrested for a drug deal, has put up his house as collateral for his bond. This means if Dad doesn’t show up at court, Ree, her invalid mother and two child siblings lose their home. This Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner is a refreshing thriller/neo-noir anchored in character, featuring actors and locations few of us have seen before. Yet, writer/director Debra Granik builds up her textured film on the foundation of familiar Western genre tropes, resulting in a comforting genre-based familiarity with all indie production credibility in tact. It's one of best films of the year so far.

In the sparse, cold and monumentally depressing rural Ozarks, 17-year-old Ree Dolly (Lawrence) is given some awful news. Her father, a lifetime criminal recently arrested for a drug deal, has put up his house as collateral for his bond. This means if Dad doesn’t show up at court, Ree, her invalid mother and two child siblings lose their home. This Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner is a refreshing thriller/neo-noir anchored in character, featuring actors and locations few of us have seen before. Yet, writer/director Debra Granik builds up her textured film on the foundation of familiar Western genre tropes, resulting in a comforting genre-based familiarity with all indie production credibility in tact. It's one of best films of the year so far.

The closing film of the 2009 Cannes Film Festival, Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky, chronicles the love affair between the French fashion icon, Coco Chanel, and Russian-born composer Igor Stravinsky. After struggling financially to provide decent life conditions for his wife and four children, Stravinsky accepts an invitation from newly met Chanel to move to her country house near Paris. The viewer can feel mutual fascination between Chanel and Stravinsky from their very first meeting, and it doesn't take long for the affair, which lasted only a summer of 1920, to blossom. According to director's (Jan Kounen) interpretation, the affair brings liberation to Stravinsky' s music, and a success in creating a perfect perfume, well known Chanel No. 5., to Coco. Kousen creates an intimate and emotionally charged film, and shows how desire and love can bring the best and worst of people.