YOU, THE LIVING - Aside from being one of the most amazingly cool and cryptically titled works of Magical Realism ever, Swedish iconoclast Roy Andersson's latest is a unique sort of experience. Anyone familiar with his SONGS FROM THE SECOND FLOOR will nod knowingly. "With a technical, compositional rigour that puts other movie-makers and visual artists to shame," (U.K. Guardian) Andersson acheives a perfect blend of black hearted humor, tenderness, and sly formalism.

THE INVENTION OF LYING - Here's hoping that Brit-wit Ricky Gervais hasn't gotten soft in the few years he's been surfacing in bland-ish American efforts. THE INVENTION OF LYING marks his return as writer/director/star, a formula that (after birthing the huge-ist sitcom since Seinfeld, THE OFFICE) last produced the more mature, equally brilliant series EXTRAS.

24 CITY - "Artfully composed, rich in offbeat details, and punctuated with pop songs, 24 City weaves together the stories of three generations of factory workers (some real, some played by actors) into a fascinating oral history of post-revolutionary China and a bracing meditation on the massive physical and psychological changes transforming the country." (Cinema Guild) Great to see mainland China's post new-wave maestro Zhang Jia-Ke getting much-deserved critical attention.

WEEDS Season 5 - Andy steps off the deep end and makes an anonymous call to child protective services, while Nancy has a total freak out in her minimum security rehab detention center - the gateway season.

THE CHASER - Nobody does hard-boiled misogyny quite like the Koreans. No offense, I know the country must house some more wholesome filmmakers. But don't be too scared; fans of OLDBOY or SAVE THE GREEN PLANET probably won't bat a lash at the content in *the* critically acclaimed box-office must-see juggernaut of 2008. You won't find this one anywhere else, folks!

OUTRAGE - For the last 20 years or so, director Kirby Dick has quietly become one of the most consistently rewarding documentarians. While his subject matter may seem a bit fringe when compared to the Spurlocks of the world (ranging from a dying sado-exhibitionist, to a sex surrogate, to a look at how the MPAA rates films), Kirby has a knack for treating them with an intelligence and humanity. OUTRAGE cracks the lid on the Whitehouse's critically hypocritical relationship with homosexuality.

PANDORUM - Critics and audiences couldn't be more divided when it comes to this terrifyingly Corman-esque 'hard sci-fi' thriller! Give the people what they want, I say. Genre fans have much to cheer about lately -- another must-see Dennis Quaid movie?!

ACCORDING TO GRETA - it's totally cool to date the hunky new cook at work; Gram-Gram's worried, though. Seems there's a criminal past, oh no! Forbidden libidinal teen angst fest stars Hillary Duff.

SOMERS TOWN - Shane Meadows (THIS IS ENGLAND) does a fine job displaying a softer side that is light, dare we say inspirational, without pandering to its audience. Fans of quality characters and an emphasis on text, take note. (P.S.- your TV is fine. It's black and white on purpose.)

SMOKIN' ACES 2 - "The Deuce" is loose, fast and bullet-ridden.

MY FÜHRER - German satire taking place right before the fall of the Third Reich, in a crumbling Berlin, portraying Hitler as "one of history's most unsalvageable lost causes, and far more deserving of the occasional small dick joke than of his station at the zenith of the villain canon." (Slate Magazine)

ABSURDISTAN - More magnificent Magical Realism from the director of the much beloved TUVALU, based on the book. Sure-fire winner from Russia.

THE HURT LOCKER - This universally acclaimed war drama from action film director Kathryn Bigelow (STRANGE DAYS, POINT BREAK) will be "studied twenty years from now when people want to understand something of what happened to American soldiers in Iraq," according to the New Yorker. "This one enters the pantheon of great American war films - and puts Kathryn Bigelow into the top tier of American directors." (S.F. Chronicle)

MOON - The fact that this was about a lone (or is he?) man in space, and it was written and directed by David Bowie's son, was enough to make me want to see this, and I was actually not disappointed by it. I thought I had it all figured out when Kevin Spacey's computer voice was a little too HAL-9000, and then again when some scenes from Tartovsky's SOLARIS seemed to creep in, but if you stick in there like I did, this is a worthwhile, original little space oddity. Recommended.

BIG FAN - Written and directed by Robert Siegel, writer of THE WRESTLER and former Editor in Chief of beloved mock-news site The Onion, so you know it's going to be worthwhile. Comedian Patton Oswalt plays a sports radio call-in fanatic in this frantic black-comedy-of-errors. "A spasmodically funny and bleak film about the love that speaks its name." (N.Y. Times)

IN THE LOOP - By now, using words like genius has doubtlessly become cliche. Still, tempting when considering the quick-witted humour of Armando Iannucci, whose absolutely biting satire The Thick of It lifts the veil off the cloistered world of British policy makers and spin doctors. This full-lenth feature finds the crew stateside on a foreign diplomacy mission, and features James Gandolfini (SOPRANOS) as well as Steve Coogan (HAMLET 2). Recommended!

AMREEKA - "When most filmmakers want to say something important about cultural conflicts, they labor to bring tears to our eyes. Dabis, by contrast, makes us laugh at ourselves and, in turn, each other." (L.A. Weekly) This highly acclaimed film follows the often humorous travails of a determined Palestinian divorcee and her teenage son after their immigration to the U.S. at the start of the Iraq War.

The SIMPSONS Season 20 - Celebrating two decades of near total domination of network television, they've jumped a few seasons ahead to commemorate the occasion.

LIKE STARS ON EARTH - Who doesn't love a good family feature? Curmudgeons and liars, that's who. For the rest of us, here comes a winner. Disney's first ever Hindi-language release is a sparkling example of why Indian cinema has rapidly become the most popular film import to the U.S. Features an optional English language track.

MANCORA - Peruvian road-trip-grieving movie from the director of LA MUJER DE MI HERMANO. Beautiful people, sex, drugs, and paradise.

GOLIATH - This festival favorite concerns a man-on-the-edge and his missing cat Goliath (the "sweetest, most perfect cat" in the world). Freshly divorced, demoted to working with a light-your-farts-on-fire crew who refer to him as "Bitch Tits," and most importantly, missing his furry best friend, our anti-hero looks for some kind of justice - but is there such a thing? Engaging and sometimes painfully real.

PASSING STRANGE - Spike Lee's latest joint is a straight up film version of the revved up musical experience that's single-handedly given Broadway its balls back. Penned, composed, and narrated by a man called 'Stew', this is the story of a young black man who bails his hood in search of "real-ness" that meanders from punk to gospel as our hero discovers various 'scenes' from Amsterdam to Berlin.

HALLOWEEN II - Fresh off the heels of his diabolical, Bakshi-esque 'El Superbeasto,' director Rob Zombie takes it to the next level- remaking sequels?! Actually looks kinda stunning (judging from some tasteful stills). Does this mean Rob will be coming to Loleta to remake Halloween III?

THE BURNING PLAIN - Starring Charlize Theron and Kim Basinger, this drama of intersecting paths was written and directed by Guillermo Arriaga, writer of BABEL, AMORES PERROS, and 21 GRAMS.

DEPARTURES - Hey, do you remember that one awards ceremony, the Oscars? Well, the Best Foreign Picture of last year has finally made its "perfectly framed, evocative" (Ebert) way to DVD. For something with depth, mortality, spirituality and joy, look no further.

MYSTICAL BRAIN - Interesting documentary probes the intersection of science and spirituality, attempting to measure the states of grace experienced by mystics with electrodes and fancy computer helmets.

I CAN DO BAD ALL BY MYSELF - Let me shout it from the rooftops, I loves me some Tyler Perry! Seriously, hater critics need to look themselves in the mirror and think about the sterile ivory towers their 'standards' are erecting. The fact is, I actually laugh and enjoy myself every time I watch one of his movies (if that makes me a dolt, so be it).

FAME - "I'm gonna live forever. I'm gonna learn how to fly." Of course you're not. But don't let that stop you from renting this glossed out feature-length update. Warning: they've taken out the teen pregnancy, illiteracy, racism and drug abuse from the original- the inspiration, cheese, and killer dance moves endure.

WRONG TURN AT TAHOE - If there's one thing this week's list is missing, it's guns. Guns and bloated Hollywood has-beens. Enter Harvey Keitel (once rightfully revered as the next De Niro for his oh-so-raw turns in classics like Bad Lieutenant and Fingers) and Cuba "show me the money" Gooding Jr., in this ruthless mob vengeance affair.