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Departures

Daigo Kobayashi - a devoted cellist in an orchestra that has just been dissolved - decides to move back to his hometown with his wife to look for work and start over. He answers a classified ad entitled "Departures" thinking it is an advertisement for a travel agency only to discover that the job is actually for a "Nokanshi" or "encoffineer," a funeral professional who prepares deceased bodies for burial and entry into the next life. While his wife and others despise the job, Daigo takes a certain pride in his work and begins to perfect the art of "Nokanshi," acting as a gentle gatekeeper between life and death, between the departed and the family of the departed. The film follows his profound and sometimes comical journey with death as he uncovers the wonder, joy and meaning of life and living. In Japanese with English subtitles. Won the 2009 Oscar for Best Foreign-Language film.

Director: Yojiro Takita. Stars: Masahiro Motoki, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Ryoko Hirosue, Kazuko Yoshiyuki, Kimiko Yo, Takashi Sasano. 2009, 130 mins., drama.

Fame

Contemporary remake of the 1980 fan-favorite. Follows a crew of dancers, singers, actors and artists over four years at the New York City High School of Performing Arts. A diverse, creative powerhouse, the school offers students from all walks of life a chance to live out their dreams and achieve real and lasting fame ... the kind that comes only from talent, dedication, and hard work. In an incredibly competitive atmosphere, students, mentored by the best and toughest teachers, strive for their moment in the spotlight and find out who among them has what is takes to succeed.

Director: Kevin Tancharoen. Stars: Naturi Naughton, Asher Book, Kristy Flores, Paul Iacono, Paul McGill, Kay Panabaker, Kherington Payne, Collins Pennie, Walter Perez, Anna Maria Perez de Tagle, Debbie Allen, Charles S. Dutton, Kelsey Grammer, Megan Mullally, Bebe Neuwirth. 2009, 107 mins., drama-musical.

Halloween II

Picks up at the exact moment that 2007's "Halloween" remake stopped and follows the aftermath of Michael Myers's (Tyler Mane) murderous rampage through the eyes of heroine Laurie Strode (Scout Taylor Compton). It's that time of year again, and Michael Myers has returned home to sleepy Haddonfield, Ill., to take care of some unfinished family business. Unleashing a trail of terror, Myers will stop at nothing to bring closure to the secrets of his twisted past. But the people of the town have an unlikely new hero, if they can only stay alive long enough to stop the unstoppable.

Director: Rob Zombie. Stars: Scout Taylor Compton, Malcolm McDowell, Brad Dourif, Danielle Harris, Sheri Moon Zombie, Tyler Mane. 2009, 101 mins., horror.

Post Grad

When her carefully constructed life begins to unravel, an aspiring book editor wonders if she'll ever live up to her own high expectations. Ryden Malby has a master plan: Graduate college, get a great job, hang out with her best friend and find the perfect guy. But her plan spins out of control when she's forced to move back home with her eccentric family. By the time she lands her dream job, she realizes it's meaningless without the man of her dreams ... and the people she loves.

Director: Vicky Jenson. Stars: Alexis Bledel, Zach Gilford, Michael Keaton, Jane Lynch, Bobby Coleman, Carol Burnett. 2009, 120 mins., comedy.

Moon

Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell) is nearing the completion of his three-year-long contract with Lunar Industries, mining Earth's primary source of energy on the dark side of the Moon. Alone with only the base's vigilant computer, Gerty (voiced by Kevin Spacey), as his sole companion, Bell's extended isolation has taken its toll. The only link to the outside world comes from satellite messages from his wife and young daughter. He longs to return home but a terrible accident on the lunar surface leads to a disturbing discovery that contributes to his growing sense of paranoia and dislocation so many miles away from home.

Director: Duncan Jones. Stars: Sam Rockwell, Kaya Scodelario, Benedict Wong, Matt Berry, Malcolm Stewart, Dominique McElligott, voice of Kevin Spacey. 2009, 97 mins., science fiction.

Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All By Myself

When Madea, America's favorite pistol-packing grandma, catches 16-year-old Jennifer and her two younger brothers looting her home, she decides to take matters into her own hands and delivers the young delinquents to the only relative they have: their aunt April. Initially wanting nothing to do with the kids, April learns along the way that she can change her old ways and become a better person. But it takes a lot of work and the help of a handsome Mexican immigrant who moves in with April to push her to change.

Director: Tyler Perry. Stars: Tyler Perry, Taraji P. Henson, Mary J. Blige, Brian White, Hope Olaide Wilson, Adam Rodriguez, Kwesi Nii-Lante Boakye, Frederick Siglar. 2009, 113 mins., comedy.