"Kill Bill: Volume One"
Uma Thurman, Lucy Liu
Quentin Tarantino ("Pulp Fiction," "Reservoir Dogs") returns to direct this madcap frenzy of revenge-fueled bloodletting extravaganza.
Thurman plays the Bride, a former assassin who abandons the business and her boss, Bill (David Carradine), and is thusly punished by being sent into a coma. Upon awakening, she begins a vengeful journey to kill those who would have her dead--all of Bill's inner circle, and finally Bill himself.
Ninjas, extreme blood-spilling and kinky throwbacks to 1970s genre films promise for a wild ride only Tarantino could provide.
Who should see it: Audiences craving insane portions of brutally choreographed action replete with plenty of dismemberment
"Intolerable Cruelty"
George Clooney,
Catherine Zeta-Jones
Marking another cult director's return to the multiplex, Joel and Ethan Coen ("The Big Lebowski," "O Brother, Where Art Thou?") tackle both romantic comedies and the superficiality of Los Angeles life.
Clooney, who plays a divorce lawyer, becomes enamored with Zeta-Jones, acting as a soon-to-be ex-wife of one of his clients, and the two begin an odd courtship mostly involving deceptive antics.
Quirky humor and offbeat characters are the trademark of the Coens, and with a cast like this it's destined to be quality.
Who should see it: Anyone sick and tired of routine college potty humor
"House of the Dead"
Sonya Salomma, Will Sanderson
When a group of college co-eds attempt to go to a rave on a remote island near Seattle, they get accosted by zombies in this spring break horror movie.
Cynthia, Greg and Karma, played by Salomma, Sanderson and Enuka Okuma, respectively, convince their friend Alicia (Ona Grauer) to go to a rave. When they arrive, they find nothing but carnage, and it becomes a battle to survive.
Rated "R" for language, gore and nudity, the film should have enough blood and guts to please the most hard-core gore junkies. Spliced into the action sequences is footage from Sega's video game "House of the Dead 2," which inspired the movie.
Who should see it: Arcade lurkers who spend all their quarters playing "House of the Dead"
"Mystic River"
Sean Penn, Tim Robbins
Hailed by critics as Clint Eastwood's best directing effort yet, this film debuted at Cannes in May and recently opened in New York City, stunning viewers with its darkly moving story.
Based on a book by Dennis Lehane, "River" tells the story of childhood friends Jimmy Markum (Penn), Dave Boyle (Robbins) and Sean Devine (Kevin Bacon), who grew apart after a tragic event and are brought back together 25 years later over the murder of Jimmy's daughter. Devine and his partner (Laurence Fishburne) investigate the case while playing cat-and-mouse with Jimmy, who is out for revenge.
"Mystic River" is rated "R" for language and violence, but the real turn-off for anyone is the film's complexity and mature subject matter, which deals with rape, murder and child abuse.
Who should see it: Fans of Eastwood's rough style and anyone looking for an alternative to campy action films
"The Italian Job"
Mark Wahlberg,
Charlize Theron
This fast-paced action flick takes a lighthearted approach to the traditional heist movie. After a job in Venice, one of the members of a crack team led by too-cool Charlie Croker (Wahlberg) double-crosses the group.
The always dead-on Edward Norton plays the betrayer, and dignified Donald Sutherland and enthusiastic Seth Green are also on the team. Director F. Gary Gray has already shown he can deftly steer both smart thrillers with 1998's "The Negotiator" and raunchy comedy with his 1995 debut, "Friday."
For those who couldn't get enough of the adorable Mini Coopers featured in the film, the DVD includes two featurettes on them, along with deleted scenes and a making-of featurette.
Who should see it: Those dreaming of racing a Mini south on I-35 this weekend
"Hollywood Homicide"
Harrison Ford,
Josh Hartnett

Hotties-for-all-ages Ford and Hartnett star in this buddy-cop flick about a pair of Los Angeles policemen assigned to a rap industry-related murder case.
"White Men Can't Jump" director Ron Shelton goes with an old-faithful filmic formula of coupling smart-aleck police officers with a slick action plot.
DVD special features are slim, with a director commentary being the only item of note.
Who should see it: Mothers and daughters who want an eye-candy getaway from football games
"Down With Love"
Renee Zellweger,
Ewan McGregor

What looks like "Lover Come Back," bounces like "Bring It On" and talks like "Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde"?
The Zellweger and McGregor romantic comedy that bombed in the box office this summer. Directed by Peyton Reed, who also helmed "Bring It On," and written by the screenwriting team behind the upcoming sequel to "Legally Blonde," this film drew comparisons to the 1960s Doris Day and Rock Hudson Technicolor tales of love between archrivals.
DVD special features are just as bouncy and sugary as the film, with a "Here's to Love" music video, bloopers and deleted scenes.
Who should see it: Couples who are compromising with a football Saturday and a romantic comedy musical Friday
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