Robin Hood
Forget all that you knew about the legendary archer and his band of Merry Men and prepare yourself for what is basically Gladiator with bows and arrows. Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe pair up yet again in this origin story, with Cate Blanchett adding her regal stature as Marian. Some(like myself) balked at the bland action and glacial pace, but others may find that this updated take on the classic tale is more to their liking.
American Beauty(Sapphire Series)
The only reason I'm including this is because American Beauty has taken so much flack since it won Best Picture back in 1999. While not everything works(anything with Wes Bentley is completely overdone), Kevin Spacey's performance as the mid-life crisis inflicted Lester Burnham is still one for the ages.
The Secret in Their Eyes
It would take a pretty mammoth effort to defeat The White Ribbon as best foreign language film at the Oscars last year, and that's exactly what The Secret in Their Eyes is. A multi faceted crime story/thriller about one detective's obsession with a decade's old murder case that affected not only personal life but set the tone for his entire career.
Stomp the Yard: Homecoming
I'll do my best to ignore the fact that Rob Hardy(Trois, The Gospel) is directing this and remember that I actually enjoyed the first Stomp the Yard. This direct-to-DVD sequel brings back Columbus Short for a brief cameo to bridge the stories, but the focus is now on Collins Pennie(Half Nelson) as an upstart stepper on his way to the championship.
Ondine
Ondine might've blown in and out of theaters earlier this year, but Colin Farrell has been soundly praised for his dreamy performance in this little Irish mythological romance. He stars a poor fisherman who one day catches a woman in his fishing net. He and his imaginative daughter beleve the woman to be a mermaid. With her arrival comes a surge of good luck, but unfortunately nothing lasts forever and things soon take a dark turn.
