4BIA
(Thailand) That’s “Phobia” to you luddites. Four horrific short films from some of the most established directors in Thailand, each concerning a different psychological fear. Directed by Youngyooth Thongkonthun, Paween Purikitpanya, Banjong Pisanthanakun, Parkpoom Wongpoon. Opens Sep 11.

10 Promises with My Dog
(Japan) Akari, a 14-year-old girl living on the island of Hokkaido, struggles with her grueling life, until one day a golden retriever puppy wanders into her yard. Directed by Katsuhide Motoki. Starring Mayuko Fukuda, Reiko Takashima, Etsushi Toyokawa. Opens Sep 11.

Mamma Mia!
(USA) Missed it on Broadway? Catch the big-screen version of the hit ABBA musical. How they ever convinced an 11-time Oscar nominee, a former James Bond and a couple highly acclaimed European actors to star, we’ll never know (the answer is money). Directed by Phyllida Lloyd. Starring Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Stellan Skarsgard. Opens Sep 11.

Meet Dave
(USA) Eddie Murphy’s rapid decline is hastened with this ridiculous tale of a group of small aliens who operate a spaceship that looks just like a black dude with a silly face. If only it were true. Directed by Brian Robbins. Also starring Elizabeth Banks, Scott Caan. Opens Sep 11.

Opening

Bangkok Dangerous
(USA/Hong Kong) Nicolas Cage plays the assassin in this big-budget Hollywood remake from the Pang Brothers. Also starring Charlie Young and Shahkrit Yamnarm. Opened Sep 4.

Happy-Go-Lucky
(UK) The latest from veteran director Mike Leigh (“Secrets & Lies”). A thirtysomething schoolteacher faces the harsh realities of life while struggling to keep her cool. The perfect gweilo tale. Starring Sally Hawkins, Alexis Zegerman, Samuel Roukin. Opens Sep 6.

Rule#1
(Singapore/Hong Kong) Part cop-thriller, part horror, Singaporean director Kelvin Tong’s first Hong Kong outing stars Shawn Yu as a rookie policeman assigned to a mysterious department that specializes in the paranormal. Also starring Ekin Cheng, Stephanie Che, Fiona Xie. Opened Sep 4.

The Strangers
(USA) See review above.

Continuing

Cyborg She
(Japan) A college loner meets the girl of his dreams only to discover she’s a cyborg he invented in the future, in this sci-fi romantic comedy from popular Korean director Kwak Jae-young. 3 Stars. BC, MCL, UA

The Dark Knight
(USA) See Christian Bale, Heath Ledger and the SAR at their darkest in the Batman film everybody’s been waiting for. Directed by Christopher Nolan. 5 Stars. AMC, BC, BEA IMAX, MCL, UA

Election
(Hong Kong) Tammy Cheung’s documentary about the Legco election of 2004 may not be quite as riveting as Johnnie To’s triad extravaganza of the same name, but it offers plenty of insight into the bumps on Hong Kong’s road to democracy. BC

The Edge of Love
(UK) Matthew Rhys, Keira Knightley and Sienna Miller find themselves in a turbulent ménage a trois in this portrait of Welsh poet Dylan Thomas and the two women of his life. Directed by John Maybury. BC, UA

Forgive and Forget
(Hong Kong) Prolific romcom director Patrick Kong tries out a new genre with this creepfest about how dead boyfriends can be a killer to forget. Starring Andy On, Alice Tseng. BC, UA

Elite Squad
(Brazil) Jose Padilha’s blistering portrayal of the Special Police Operations Battalion in Rio de Janeiro has critics up in arms over its open embrace of street justice and police brutality. Starring André Ramiro, Wagna Moura. 4 Stars. BC, MCL

Funny Games
(USA) Michael Haneke’s Hollywood remake of his German experiment in sadism promises to have English-speaking audiences walking out equally nauseated. Starring Tim Roth, Naomi Watts, Michael Pitt. 2 Stars.

Hellboy II: The Golden Army
(USA) The red menace returns bigger and angrier than ever in Guillermo del Toro’s sequel to his 2004 comic book adaptation. 4 Stars. AMC, BC, MCL

HK Picks
Help Me Eros
(Taiwan) Lee Kang-sheng directs and stars in this bizarre experimental film about a depressive who tries to escape his urban alienation through sex and marijuana. BC

I’m Not There
(USA) Heath Ledger, Christian Bale, Marcus Carl Franklin, Ben Whishaw, Richard Gere, and Cate Blanchett all play Bob Dylan in this critically acclaimed biopic from Todd Haynes. 3 Stars. BC, MCL

I Just Didn’t Do It
(Japan) This taut courtroom drama about a man falsely charged with sexual harassment takes a critical look at the Japanese legal system’s 99 percent conviction rate. Directed by Masayuki Suo. Cantonese subtitles only. BC, MCL

Made of Honor
(USA) See review, p.40. BC, UA

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
(USA) Jet Li plays an ancient Chinese emperor who returns from the dead in another resurrection of the blockbuster many critics believe should have been left buried. Also starring Michelle Yeoh, Isabella Leong. 2 Stars. AMC, BC, MCL, UA

REC
(Spain) A young TV reporter and her cameraman run into more than they bargained for on a night assignment, in this handheld horror that makes “Blair Witch” look like a picnic in the park. Directed by Jaume Balagueró, Paco Plaza. BC, UA

Star Wars: The Clone Wars
(USA) Set between Episodes II and III, this CGI animation sees Anakin and Obi-Wan go off in search of mysterious renegades responsible for kidnapping Jabba the Hutt’s son. Directed by Dave Filoni. Opened Aug 21. AMC, BC, MCL, UA

Japanese New Wave Cinema
The best of Japanese New Wave Cinema from the 60s. Through Sep 28. Tickets $50 from Urbtix. Full listings at www.lcsd.gov.hk. All screening at the Film Archive.

A Street of Love and Hope
(Japan, 1959) Oshima Nagisa’s first film depicts the gap between the middle and lower classes, following a young scam artist who sells pigeons to unsuspecting buyers. Sat, Sep 6, 2:30pm.

Afraid to Die
(Japan, 1960) Famed award-winning novelist Yukio Mishima stars as a small-time gangster who is sent to prison after a failed hit, and vows his revenge. Sat, Sep 6, 6pm.

The Dry Lake
(Japan, 1960) A young, rebellious high school student who idolizes Hitler and Castro is sent down a path of violence and protest. Sat, Sep 6, 8:30pm.

The Naked Island
(Japan, 1960) Minimal dialogue and the sounds of the earth highlight this avant garde work, where a couple living on a farming island mourn the death of their son. Sun, Sep 7, 2:30pm.

Hogs and Warships
(Japan, 1961) A satire of post-war Japan—a young pimp for the American GIs joins a gang of thugs to sell black market pigs, but faces competition from rival mobs. Sun, Sep 7, 6:30pm.

Pitfall
(Japan, 1962) A documentary-style journey into existentialist surrealism, a white-gloved killer stalks a father and son in a deserted village. Sun, Sep 7, 9pm.

Summer International Film Festival
The annual program presented by Hong Kong International Film Festival Society. Through Sep 15. Tickets $60/$36 from Urbtix. Full listings at www.hkiff.org.hk.

HK Picks
Smiles of a Summer Night
(Sweden, 1955) Ingmar Bergman’s first film to gain international recognition
explores several fragile relationships. Sun, Sep 7, 2:30pm. Arts Centre.

Childhoods
(France, 2007) Six portrayals of the childhoods of the history’s six greatest directors - Ingmar Bergman, Alfred Hitchcock, Fritz Lang, Jean Renoir, Jacques Tati and Orson Welles – searching for possible defining moments. Fri, Sep 5, 9:45pm. Arts Centre.

The Heart
(Japan, 1955) Ichikawa Kon’s classic, based on the works by Natsume Soseki. The post-Meiji Empire tale tells of a college professor hiding a dark secret. Sat, Sep 6, 2:30pm. Arts Centre.

HK Picks
The Burmese Harp
(Japan, 1956) Winner of the top prize at Venice in ‘57, Ichikawa Kon paints a post-war picture of a Japanese soldier who disguises himself as a Buddhist harp player after the surrender. Sat, Sep 6, 4:45pm. Arts Centre.