 |  A Prophet – (French: Un prophète)
Jacques Audiard
Fans of The Godfather movies will enjoy this tale of organized crime in a French prison. Sentenced to six years in jail, Malik El Djebena cannot read or write at the age of 19. Arriving at the jail alone, he appears younger and more fragile than the other convicts. Cornered by the leader of the Corsican gang who rules the prison he is given a number of missions to carry out, toughening him up and gaining the gang leader's confidence in the process. Specifically, in this kill or be killed jail, Malik’s first assignment is to kill a fellow Arab prisoner who plans to snitch on the Corsican gang. However, Malikis (the Prophet namesake of this film) is an agile student in the twisted labyrinth of this French penitentiary and he goes from being a servant of the Corsican Mafia boss to something entirely different. A Prophet won the Grand Prix at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival. In French, Arabic and Corsican with English subtitles. |
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 | A Single Man
Tom Ford
This is an American drama based on the novel of the same name by Christopher Isherwood. It tells the story of a 52 year old gay British college professor, George Falconer (Colin Firth) who is besieged to find meaning to his life after the death of his long time partner. The protagonist is consoled by his closest friend and former lover, Charley (Julianne Moore), a 48 year old beauty who is living life without purpose after ending her marriage and having her son leave home after he comes of age. Set in Los Angeles in 1962, at the height of the Cuban missile crisis, it shows a day in the life of Falconer who must decide whether life is worth living or not. A Single Man is the directorial debut of fashion designer Tom Ford. Colin Firth won a BAFTA award for Best Actor and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama nomination. Moore was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture. |
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 | Father of the Bride
Charles Shyer
This romantic comedy has both hilarious moments as well as deeper touching ones. Steve Martin is excellent as the upset father whose twenty-two-year old "baby" daughter wants to get married. The rest of the cast is outstanding with Kimberly Williams as the bride, Diane Keaton as her levelheaded mother and Martin Short as the eccentric caterer who seems to speak an unknown language. Directed by Charles Shyer, this is a great film for the whole family to enjoy. |
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 | Ghost Writer
Roman Polanski
The Ghost Writer, entitled The Ghost in the United Kingdom, is a 2010 political thriller film, an adaptation of the Robert Harris novel The Ghost. The film was directed by Roman Polanski and based on a screenplay written by him and Harris. When a successful British ghostwriter agrees to complete the memoirs of former British Prime Minister Adam Lang, (alluding to Tony Blair) his agent assures him it is the opportunity of a lifetime. But the project seems doomed from the start - not least because his predecessor on the project, Lang's veteran assistant, died in an accident. However, as the book project gets into full swing a bombshell is dropped: the former Prime Minister is accused of ordering the kidnapping of suspected terrorists and handing them over to the CIA for torture. It stars Ewan McGregor, Pierce Brosnan, Kim Catrall and Olivia Williams. |
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 | Phantom of the Opera
Joel Schumacher
This version of the Phantom of the Opera, based on the novel of the same name by Gaston Leroux, is not the horror story of most previous versions, but a musical full of romance and passion. Gerald Butler is great as the dashing phantom with a mask to cover his disfigured face and the beautiful Emmy Rossum is excellent as the young soprano and object of his obsessive love. Directed by Joel Schumacher, this colorful film with the wonderful score by Andrew Lloyd Webber is a memorable musical. |
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 | Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
Kevin Reynolds
Romance, passion and humor unite in this version of the legend of Robin Hood. Kevin Costner gives a great performance as the Sherwood Forest outlaw leader. The rest of the cast is outstanding with Elizabeth Mastrantonio as Lady Marion and Alan Rickman as the evil Sheriff of Nottingham. Directed by Kevin Reynolds, this film, which brings all the pageantry of medieval England to the screen, is not to be missed. |
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 | The Stoning of Soraya M.
Cyrus Nowrasteh
The Stoning of Soraya M. (Persian: .سنگسار ثريا م) is a 2008 American drama film adapted from French-Iranian journalist Freidoune Sahebjam's 1990 book La Femme Lapidée. It was directed by Cyrus Nowrasteh. Academy Award nominee Shohreh Aghdashloo and 'The Passion of the Christ' leading actor Jim Caviezel star in this topical and enlightening story of one woman's persecution and inhumane execution at the hands of religious extremists. Based on a potent true story, the film has been lauded by audiences and critics worldwide including at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival. |
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 | The Untouchables
Brian De Palma
The Untouchables is an American crime drama based upon an autobiographical account of federal agent Eliot Ness about his efforts to bring gangster Al Capone to justice. Robert De Niro as Al Capone and Kevin Costner as Eliot Ness give outstanding performances. Sean Connery received the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as police officer Malone. Directed by Brian De Palma, with the screenplay by David Mamet, this suspense drama will keep you at the edge of your seat until the very end. |
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 | The White Ribbon
Michael Haneke
The White Ribbon (German: Das weiße Band, Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte) is a 2009 black and white drama film written and directed by Austrian filmmaker Michael Haneke. This foreboding mystery depicts village life in northern Germany just before the outbreak of the Great War. The story is narrated through the voice of the village schoolteacher as he remembers his charges and their families. Included are the village baron and his steward, the pastor, the doctor, the midwife, and the tenant farmers. Strange “accidents” envelope all of them -- taking on a more frequent and sinister nature as the story develops. The White Ribbon opened at the 62nd Cannes Film Festival in May 2009 and won the Palme d'Or, and went on to win the 2010 Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film. The film then received two nominations for Academy Awards; 2009 Best Foreign Language Film (representing Germany) and 2009 Best Cinematography (Christian Berger). |
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 | Welcome to the Dollhouse
Todd Solondz
Welcome to the Dollhouse is a 1995 American coming of age black comedy. An independent film, it launched the careers of Todd Solondz and Heather Matarazzo. Dawn Wiener (Heather Matarazzo) is a shy, unattractive, unpopular 7th grader in a middle-class suburban community in New Jersey. Her older brother Mark (Matthew Faber) is a nerdy high school student who plays clarinet in a garage band and shuns girls in order to prepare for college. Dawn's younger sister Missy is a pretty little girl who pesters her and dances happily in a tutu. Their mother is a shrewish woman who dotes on Missy and always sides with her in disputes with Dawn. Dawn's only friend is an effeminate fifth-grade boy named Ralphy, with whom she shares a dilapidated clubhouse in her backyard. This film won the Grand Jury Prize for best dramatic feature at the 1996 Sundance Film Festival. |
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 | World Trade Center
Oliver Stone
On September 11, 2001, Port Authority police officers John McLoughlin and Will Jimeno, who are patrolling the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan, see a plane fly dangerously low overhead. As all of the police officers return to the station, they take a glimpse at the TV, and find that the North Tower of the World Trade Center has been hit by a plane. Sergeant McLoughlin assigns many of the officers to assist in an evacuation attempt of the (still undamaged) South Tower, and they board a commandeered Metropolitan Transit Authority bus. On the bus, they hear reports that the South Tower has also been hit. |
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