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THE COVE – Plight of the dolphins (DVD)

The must-see doc of the season -- hands down
With Richard O'Barry, Louie Psihoyos, Hardy Jones and Michael Illiff
Directed by Louie Psihoyos

Not only is “The Cove” more exciting than any thriller but it’s a heartstopping, disturbing one, showing a situation we can all do something about. As citizens of the world, as unworthy custodians of the planet we live on, and as individuals for whom the environment means not only the possibility of life for future generations but our personal health, this tremendous undertaking should be seen by ... more >

The girl who kicked the hornets’ nest

Brains and guts but less glory
With Michael Nyqvist, Noomi Rapace and Lena Endre
Directed by Daniel Alfredson

Daniel Alfredson, director of the second “Millennium” film (“The Girl Who Played With Fire”), has delivered again with the final installment of the Steig Larsson/Lisbeth Salander trilogy, “The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets' Nest.” “Fire” ended with a cliffhanger: the never-say-die heroine—Salander—had just narrowly escaped another attempt on her life before being rescued by celebrity journalist ... more >

The Rite

Exorcism! Malfeasance!
With Colin O'Donoghue, Anthony Hopkins, Ciarán Hinds and Alice Braga
Directed by Mikael Håfström

If you walk into “The Rite” without ever having seen another exorcism movie, then you might have a hell of a time. The odds are that it isn’t the case. These films have an unholy way of multiplying. As such, we know most of their moves. The habits of these films are now old hat on Linda Blair’s spinning head. Have you ever wondered how “The Exorcist” looked in 1973? For an audience raised on ... more >

Valhalla Rising

One from Denmark's rising-star filmmaker
With Mads Mikkelsen, Maarten Stevenson and Alexander Morton
Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn

What do you get when a director known for uncompromising violence decides to do a period piece--set in 1,000AD Viking country, that is. In a word, a masterpiece. Danish enfant terrible Nicolas Winding Refn (director of the cult hit “Pusher” series) made his latest film, “Valhalla Rising,” after an aborted attempt at making a real horror movie (Refn’s favorite film is the original “Texas ... more >

Transsiberian

In case you missed it
Woody Harrelson, Emily Mortimer and Ben Kingsley
Directed by Brad Anderson

Notice how we waste perfectly good time sitting through overhyped, predictable, often gooey stuff—Little Miss Sunshine anyone?—and miss out real gems that come and go so quietly they might be on tiptoe? One such movie is the 2008 Transsiberian, an edge-of-your-seat taut thriller that channels Hitchcock like nobody’s business. Good from start to finish, even managing to avoid the usually absurd ... more >