The Messenger
Screenwriter Oren Moverman (co-writer of the Bob Dylan biopic I’m Not There) makes a brilliant directorial debut with this affecting tale of life after near death. With three months left in the service, Staff Sgt. Will Montgomery (Ben Foster), shipped home after being wounded in Iraq, draws special duty: As a casualty notification officer, he must break the news of fallen soldiers to their next of kin. His partner, Tony Stone (Woody Harrelson), sums up the process—get in, do the job with honor, get out. During these nonetheless draining encounters, Will’s emotional detachment begins to dissolve, especially with one young widow (Samantha Morton). Drawing on universal themes, The Messenger is at heart a surprising, humorous, and very human portrait of grief, friendship, and survival. (USA, 105 min., R, Print courtesy of Oscilloscope Laboratories) See our  CineFiles to view trailer and more film info.

The Last Station
A tale of two romances, one just beginning, one near its end, The Last Station is a richly complex, often funny chronicle of the difficulty of living with love and the impossibility of living without it. In his adaptation, writer-director Michael Hoffman (Restoration) juxtaposes the relationship between Leo Tolstoy (Christopher Plummer) and his wife of 48 years, Sofya (Helen Mirren), against the burgeoning love between Valentin (James McAvoy), Tolstoy’s idealistic young secretary, and Masha (Kerry Condon), a teacher equally committed to the writer’s values. Meanwhile, Sofya butts heads with Chertkov (Paul Giamatti), her husband’s disciple, who believes Tolstoy should bequeath his entire fortune to the Russian people instead of his family. Through riveting performances and a fearless take on big emotions, the film transforms Tolstoy’s long-ago story into one with modern relevance. (UK, 112 min., R, Print courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics) See our CineFiles to view trailer and more film info.

Everybody's Fine
In this remake of Giuseppe Tornatore’s 1990 classic Stanno Tutti Bene, an appraisal of family bonds, director Kirk Jones (Waking Ned Devine) transplants the scenario to the U.S., where relationships among kin, often separated by long distances, can be strained. Reprising the role originally played by Marcello Mastroianni, Robert De Niro turns in a masterfully understated performance as the recent widower who impulsively decides to travel across the country and reconnect with his adult children. As he soon discovers, however, it’s impossible to turn back the clock when it comes to assuming parental responsibility, and the information his late wife had passed on about their children wasn’t quite accurate. Kate Beckinsale, Drew Barrymore, and Sam Rockwell co-star in this touching yet surprisingly funny exploration of the ties that bind. (USA, 100 min., PG-13, Print courtesy of Miramax Films) See our CineFiles to view trailer and more film info.

The Hurt Locker
The military’s unrecognized heroes are the elite bomb-squad technicians who volunteer for the high-pressure, high-stakes assignment of defusing the crude roadside bombs in Baghdad. The Grand Prize winner at the Venice Film Festival, director Kathryn Bigelow’s riveting account, based on the firsthand observations of journalist and screenwriter Mark Boal, follows one such team as they hunt for bombs while struggling to understand their mercurial new leader, who blurs the line between bravery and bravado. Full of adrenaline-packed action scenes, the film still manages to put a new spin on the classic war drama. With a cast that includes Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Guy Pearce, and Ralph Fiennes, The Hurt Locker is both a viscerally loaded portrayal of sacrifice and heroism, and a probing study of the soul-numbing rigors and potent allure of the modern battlefield. (USA, 131 min., R, Print courtesy of Summit Entertainment) See our CineFiles to view trailer and more film info.

That Evening Sun
Placed in a nursing home by his son and promptly forgotten, 80-year-old Abner Meecham (Hal Holbrook) decides waiting to die is no way to live. He leaves the home and returns to his Tennessee farm, only to find that his son has leased it to longtime nemesis Lonzo Choat (Ray McKinnon), who intends to stay put. Aiming to outlast his opponent, Meecham moves into a tenant shack on the land. Adapting his screenplay from a short story by William Gay,  first-time director Scott Teems has produced a searing account of one man’s tradition versus another’s opportunism, with beautifully spare dialogue, deliberate pacing, and an unmistakably Southern milieu. Holbrook is stellar as the ornery, forthright Meecham, who struggles to make a stand in a world that is slowly slipping from his grasp. (USA, 110 min., PG-13, Print courtesy of Freestyle Releasing/Dogwood Entertainment) See our CineFiles to view trailer and more film info.

The Young Victoria
Far removed from traditional portrayals of a dour Queen Victoria, this beautifully realized romantic film begins just before her ascension to the throne at age 18. In a magnetic performance as Victoria, Emily Blunt (The Devil Wears Prada) balances girlish enthusiasm, royal reserve, and stubborn imprudence as she navigates the ruthless political machinations conducted by those around her, including her domineering mother, the Duchess of Kent (Miranda Richardson). She also embarks on a passionate romance with Prince Albert (Rupert Friend), her German cousin, whom she then marries. But defining their marital roles against Victoria’s political stature proves a struggle with modern-day resonance. In this revealing look at a little-known side of Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, French Canadian director Jean-Marc Vallée and screenwriter Julian Fellowes (Gosford Park) eloquently convey the human element so vital to Victoria’s legacy. (UK, 100 min., PG, Print courtesy of Apparition) See our  CineFiles to view trailer and more film info.

Brothers
From acclaimed director Jim Sheridan (In the Name of the Father, My Left Foot) comes this powerful story of two siblings who are polar opposites and the series of unexpected events that shake the foundation of their family dynamic. A decorated Marine about to embark on his fourth tour of duty, Captain Sam Cahill (Tobey Maguire) is a steadfast and beloved family man married to his high school sweetheart (Natalie Portman), with whom he has two children. His charismatic younger brother Tommy is the family black sheep, a drifter fresh out of prison. Shortly after Sam ships out to Afghanistan, the Cahill family receives shocking news and Tommy finds himself assuming new-found responsibilities that lead to a situation with unsettling consequences. (USA, 110 min., R, Print courtesy of Lionsgate) See our CineFiles to view trailer and more film info.

Creation
Featuring riveting performances by real-life couple Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly, this compelling film from accomplished director Jon Amiel (Entrapment, Copycat) delivers a profoundly human portrayal of Charles Darwin as he prepares to publish his revolutionary ideas. Having married and settled in a small village after his far-flung travels, an ailing Darwin is formulating the theories that would become On the Origin of Species. Yet he and his wife, Emma, are overcome by grief after the death of their nine-year-old daughter, Annie, who had shared her father’s fascination with natural history. As Darwin becomes increasingly convinced of a world in which God has no place, Emma tenaciously clings to her religious faith. Based on the book Annie’s Box by Darwin’s great-great-grandson, Creation explores the idea that history is written more by the inner workings of the heart than by strict adherence to scientific fact. (UK, 108 min., Not Yet Rated, Print courtesy of Newmarket Films) See our CineFiles to view trailer and more film info.

The Art of the Steal
In documenting the shrewdly engineered takeover of the world’s greatest privately held art collection, filmmaker Don Argott has created a thrilling whodunit, as well as a provocative look at public access to art. At the heart of this fascinating story is the $25-billion collection of post-Impressionist and early modern paintings amassed by Dr. Albert Barnes at his home near Philadelphia. In 1922 Barnes established an educational foundation that allowed limited access to the art. Always at odds with Philadelphia’s power elite, the irascible Barnes stipulated in his will that his paintings never be sold, lent, or moved— especially to the city. In this tale of intrigue and double-crosses, a hit at the Toronto and New York film festivals, Argott deftly exposes the controversy over relocating the collection and turning it into a major tourist attraction. (USA, 101 min., Not Rated, Print courtesy of Sundance Selects) See our CineFiles for more film info.

A Single Man
Celebrated fashion designer Tom Ford makes an auspicious directorial and screenwriting debut with this quietly sensual, impeccably styled meditation on love interrupted, based on the Christopher Isherwood novel. In a captivating performance that may rank as his finest screen work to date, Colin Firth plays George, a British academic in 1962 Los Angeles, grief-stricken by the recent death of his partner, Jim (Matthew Goode). George seeks solace by going through the motions of his regimented daily routine, but as this particular day unfolds, we catch a glimpse of what’s behind his immaculately suited exterior. The cast includes Julianne Moore as George’s boozy best friend and Nicholas Hoult (About a Boy) as one of his students. Very much of its era, A Single Man also meticulously evokes timeless themes of isolation and connection. (USA, 99 min., R, Print courtesy of The Weinstein Co.) See our CineFiles to view trailer and more film info.

Valentino: The Last Emperor
This behind-the-scenes look at legendary Italian fashion designer Valentino is more than just an exercise in style. It’s also a meditation on the creative process, a loving look at the designer’s extended family—loyal friends and employees as well as longtime lover and business partner Giancarlo Giammetti— and a swan song to a dying age of haute couture. Drawn from more than 250 hours of footage compiled over two years, the film highlights Valentino’s jet-set world of villas, yachts, celebrities, and fashion shows, culminating in an extravagant three-day party in Rome to mark the designer’s 45-year career. Directed by Vanity Fair correspondent Matt Tyrnauer, Valentino captures the glittering facets of an extraordinary man who has become one of the most beloved icons of high style. (USA, 96 min., PG-13, Print courtesy of Acolyte Films) See our CineFiles to view trailer and more film info.

Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire
One of the year’s most audacious, raw, and impressive films, this second feature from Lee Daniels (producer of Monster’s Ball) is the story of Claireece “Precious” Jones (Gabourey Sidibe), a Harlem teenager caught in a seemingly insurmountable chain of harrowing circumstances. Nearly illiterate and morbidly obese, she is regularly teased at school. Her home life is worse—her tyrannical mother (Mo’Nique) makes constant demands, and her father abuses her. With the guidance of a teacher (Paula Patton) and a welfare counselor (Mariah Carey) who somehow penetrate her stolid isolation, Precious begins summoning all the emotional energy she possesses to find her voice. Voted Audience Favorite Feature at Aspen Filmfest, Precious… is an unsparing and ultimately inspiring account of the inner strength to be found in the unlikeliest of places. (USA, 109 min., R, Print courtesy of Lionsgate) See our CineFiles to view trailer and more film info.

Looking for Eric
A middle-aged postal employee in Manchester, England, Eric Bishop (Steve Evets) faces a crisis deeper than his regular panic attacks. He’s singlehandedly raising two unruly teenage stepsons who have just gotten mixed up with gangsters, and now his daughter, with a newborn herself, asks for help. As a result, he’ll inevitably have to reconnect with Lily, his first wife and the love of his life, whom he naively walked out on years ago. In the wake of his co-workers’ ineffectual— and hilarious—attempts to help, an increasingly desperate Eric turns to his hero: French soccer genius, philosopher, and poster boy Eric Cantona. This exceedingly entertaining film from British director Ken Loach ultimately makes a strong stand for the importance of community and the solidarity of friends. (UK/France/Italy/Belgium/Spain, 116 min., Not Rated, Print courtesy of IFC Films) See our CineFiles to view trailer and more film info.

The Road
This faithfully rendered adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s Pulitzer Prize–winning novel is a chilling, poignant depiction of humanity’s last vestiges in the face of global destruction. After an unspecified catastrophe wipes out most of the world, a desperate father (Viggo Mortensen) and his young son (newcomer Kodi Smit-McPhee) travel through a post-apocalyptic U.S. on a long and dangerous journey of survival. Artfully directed by John Hillcoat (The Proposition) and hauntingly shot, the film is at once a dark epic adventure, mythic journey, and pressing morality tale. The all-star cast, which includes Charlize Theron, Robert Duvall, and Guy Pearce, delivers remarkable performances, especially Mortensen. Behind its often heartbreaking desolation, The Road is at its core a love story between father and son, in a world where love is about the only thing left. (USA, 113 min., R, Print courtesy of Dimension Films) See our CineFiles to view trailer and more film info.

Bright Star
The passionate, yet unconsummated, romance between the 19th-century Romantic poet John Keats and his neighbor Fanny Brawne produced some of the most extraordinary love letters in literary history. In this lyrical new film from writer-director Jane Campion (The Piano), Abbie Cornish gives a graceful, absorbing performance as Brawne, the spirited young seamstress whose knowledge of both poetry and human desire deepens under the thrall of the brilliant young bard (Ben Whishaw), while Paul Schneider portrays Keats’s overprotective friend and patron, Charles Brown, with spot-on boorishness. Campion deftly transports us to a time when poems were commonplace and young women had a carefully circumscribed place in society; far from a staid period piece, however, Bright Star is a ravishing feast for the heart and senses. (UK/Australia, 119 min., PG, Print courtesy of Apparition) See our CineFiles to view trailer and more film info.

The Lovely Bones
An extraordinary film adaptation of Alice Sebold’s best-selling novel by director Peter Jackson (Lord of the Rings), The Lovely Bones is narrated by precocious 14-year-old Susie Salmon after she’s been murdered. From a dreamlike afterworld that embodies the ideal heaven of a teenage girl, Susie matterof- factly relates the details of her death and adjustment to this strange new place while looking down on her family and weighing a desire for them to heal against her desire for vengeance. Saoirse Ronan (Atonement) is completely captivating as Susie, whose humorous observations leaven the dark subject matter. And Jackson’s trademark vivid imagery transforms the film from a tale of tragedy to one of love and redemption. The cast also includes recent Aspen Film honoree Stanley Tucci, Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz, and Susan Sarandon. (USA/UK/New Zealand, 135 min., PG-13, Print courtesy of Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks) See our CineFiles to view trailer and more film info.

The Wildest Dream
In 1924, when George Mallory set out to become the first person to reach the top of Mount Everest, he was torn between his love for his wife, Ruth, and his devotion to his goal. He was last seen alive 800 feet below the summit. In 1999, American mountaineer Conrad Anker discovered Mallory’s frozen body—and all of his belongings except the photograph of Ruth that he had vowed to leave atop the peak. In a quest to determine if Mallory achieved his goal, Anker returned to Everest in 2007 to retrace the climber’s footsteps. Directed by renowned documentarian Anthony Geffen and narrated by Liam Neeson, with additional voicing by Ralph Fiennes and Natasha Richardson, The Wildest Dream draws on letters, archival footage, and Anker’s expedition to tell a story of mountain adventure and passion. (UK, 93 min., Not Rated, Print courtesy of National Geographic Entertainment) See our CineFiles to view trailer and more film info.

Nine
From director Rob Marshall (Chicago, Memoirs of a Geisha) comes this starstudded version of the exuberant and provocative Tony Award®-winning Broadway musical. Inspired by Federico Fellini’s 8½, Nine takes us to 1960s Venice, where film director Guido Contini (Daniel Day-Lewis), on the brink of 40, finds both his creativity and his marriage on the verge of running out. As he struggles to regain balance, he encounters various, often conflicting demands from the numerous women in his life, including his wife (Marion Cotillard), mistress (Penélope Cruz), film-star muse (Nicole Kidman), confidante and costume designer (Judi Dench), an American fashion journalist (Kate Hudson), and his mother (Sophia Loren). In scenes that seamlessly blend fantasy and reality, Guido confronts the various manifestations of female energy that have influenced his past success and current stasis. (USA, 119 min., PG-13, Print courtesy of The Weinstein Co.) See our CineFiles to view trailer and more film info.