HK Picks
Bottle Shock
(USA) Sundance favorite tracing the early days of winemaking in California in the 70s, when an American wine won a French tasting contest. Starring Alan Rickman and Bill Pullman. Opens Sep 18.

You Don’t Mess with the Zohan
(USA) The annual Adam Sandler laughfest, this time from Judd Apatow (“40 Year Old Virgin”). Sandler stars as a former Mossad agent who fakes his own death to become a hairdresser in New York. Opens Sep 18.

Opening

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. Opened Sep 11.

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

Meet Dave
(USA) Opened Sep 11. See review, above.

Continuing

HK Picks
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.

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

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

HK Picks
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) Wedding comedy in which Patrick Dempsey prances around as a bridesmaid of the girl he wants to marry (Michelle Monaghan). Directed by Paul Weiland. 2 Stars. BC, 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

Rule#1
(Singapore/Hong Kong) See review, opposite.

The Strangers
(USA) Hot on the heels of the “Funny Games” remake, this similar horror about a couple being tormented in their vacation home ditches the intellectual pretexts of the former in favor of a balls-to-the-wall fright orgy. Directed by Bryan Bertino. Starring Liv Tyler, Scott Speedman. 2 Stars.

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 screenings at the Film Archive.

Woman in the Dunes
(Japan, 1964) Winner of the Special Jury Prize at Cannes, an etymologist is trapped under some sand dunes, where he starts a passionate relationship with a woman who lives there. Sat, Sep 13, 7:30pm.

Seisaku’s Wife
(Japan, 1965) A young widow, ostracized as an “ill omen” in her village, starts a tragic relationship with a man against all odds. Sun, Sep 14, 6:30pm.

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

HK Picks
Ballistic
(Taiwan, 2007) An honest Taiwanese cop (Simon Yam), delving deep into the assassination of the president (inspired by former president Chen Shui-bian’s attempted assassination in 2004), finds himself stuck in a web of corruption. Mon, Sep 15, 4pm. Grand Cinema.

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. Sun, Sep 14, 7:15pm. Space Museum.