October Releases

DAVE KEHR

OCTOBER

Oct. 1

BALLAST Against the hardscrabble background of the Mississippi Delta, a single mother (Tarra Riggs) fights to save her son from the temptations of drugs and crime. Lance Hammer directs; with Micheal J. Smith Sr..

Oct. 3

ALLAH MADE ME FUNNY Three Muslim comedians from different ethnic backgrounds — Azhar Usman, Bryant Moss and Mohammed Amer — strut their stuff in a concert film.

AN AMERICAN CAROL Kevin P. Farley stars as a Michael Moore-ish documentary filmmaker whose campaign to abolish the Fourth of July holiday is interrupted when he is taken on a tour of American history by the ghosts of George Washington (Jon Voight), George S. Patton (Kelsey Grammer) and John F. Kennedy (Chriss Anglin), who teach him the true meaning of patriotism. Directed by David Zucker (“Airplane!”).

BEVERLY HILLS CHIHUAHUA Talking dogs! A pampered Beverly Hills Chihuahua with the voice of Drew Barrymore gets lost in Mexico; a German shepherd (Andy Garcia), a rat (Cheech Marin) and an iguana (Paul Rodriguez) are among the articulate creatures who help her find her way home. Raja Gosnell directs.

THE BROTHERS BLOOM A pair of accomplished con artists, played by Adrien Brody and Mark Ruffalo, enlist the help of a screwball heiress (Rachel Weisz) for one last job. Rian Johnson wrote and directed.

FLASH OF GENIUS The true story of the amateur inventor Robert Kearns (Greg Kinnear) and his extended struggle to claim compensation from the American automobile industry for one of his discoveries. Directed by Marc Abraham; with Lauren Graham, Dermot Mulroney and Alan Alda. Page 38.

HOW TO LOSE FRIENDS AND ALIENATE PEOPLE Simon Pegg (“Shawn of the Dead”) as a graceless British celebrity journalist who lands a job with a big-time American magazine. He proves to have a genius for getting on everyone’s nerves. With Kirsten Dunst, Gillian Anderson and Jeff Bridges; Robert B. Weide directs.

JUST BURIED A failing funeral home’s new owner (Jay Baruchel) teams up with the staff mortician (Rose Byrne) to drum up some business the “Sweeney Todd” way. Chaz Thorne wrote and directed.

NICK AND NORAH’S INFINITE PLAYLIST A pair of sensitive 20-somethings (Michael Cera and Kat Dennings) meet during a long night of New York club hopping and initiate a relationship that may change their lives. Peter Sollett directs. Page 40.

THE PLEASURE OF BEING ROBBED Joshua Safdie’s New York independent film stars Eleonore Hendricks as a compulsive thief motivated more by curiosity and a sense of adventure than mere profit. Mr. Safdie co-stars as her friend and a beneficiary of her paradoxical largess.

RACHEL GETTING MARRIED Anne Hathaway taps into her inner bad girl to play a disturbed and disturbing young woman who checks out of rehab to attend the lavish wedding of her sister (Rosemarie DeWitt). Jonathan Demme directs this dramatic comedy; with Bill Irwin, Anna Deavere Smith and Debra Winger. Page 38.

RELIGULOUS Bill Maher trots the globe, talking to people about their views on religion while carefully refraining from using cheap tricks to make them look ridiculous. Oh, wait — it’s directed by Larry Charles.

Oct. 8

DELWENDE From Burkina Faso, S. Pierre Yameogo’s film tells the story of an elderly village woman who is suspected of being a “soul eater” — responsible for the mysterious deaths of several local children — and driven from her home. Her daughter goes in search of her.

ROCKNROLLA The writer-director Guy Ritchie (“Snatch”) returns to the London underworld for a story of crooks chasing profits in a real estate deal engineered by the Russian mob. With Gerard Butler, Thandie Newton, Jeremy Piven, Tom Wilkinson and Idris Elba.

Oct. 10

ASHES OF TIME REDUX Hong Kong’s most aggressively stylish filmmaker, Wong Kar-wai, offers a re-edited version of one of his most ambitious efforts, a martial arts epic starring Leslie Cheung and Maggie Cheung originally released in 1994. With Brigitte Lin and both Tony Leungs (Leung Chiu-wai and Leung Ka-fai). A new score features cello solos by Yo-Yo Ma.

BILLY: THE EARLY YEARS The young Billy Graham in his tent revival days, as played by Armie Hammer under the direction of Robby Benson (“Ode to Billy Joe”).

BODY OF LIES An enterprising journalist (Leonardo DiCaprio) attempts to penetrate the network of a terrorist leader with the help of a sly veteran C.I.A. agent (Russell Crowe). Ridley Scott directs.

BREAKFAST WITH SCOT A macho gay sportscaster (Tom Cavanagh) becomes the temporary guardian of an 11-year-old boy (Noah Bernett) who loves all things pink and girly. Laurie Lynd directs.

CITY OF EMBER Teenagers look for a way out of an underground city of the future facing collapse. Bill Murray is the relentlessly upbeat mayor; with Tim Robbins, Toby Jones, Martin Landau and Mary Kay Place. Gil Kenan (“Monster House”) directs.

THE EXPRESS The story of Ernie Davis (Rob Brown), the first African-American to win the Heisman Trophy. Dennis Quaid plays his inspirational coach; with Omar Benson Miller and Clancy Brown. Gary Fleder directs.

HAPPY-GO-LUCKY A single schoolteacher in London (Sally Hawkins) takes driving lessons from a young man (Eddie Marsan) who is her temperamental opposite — angry and embittered where she is irrepressibly optimistic. A new comedy from Mike Leigh . Page 40.

NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS Joe Swanberg and Greta Gerwig, the team behind “Hannah Takes the Stairs,” directed this drama in which they star as a couple separated by distances both physical (New York and Chicago) and emotional.

OPA! Matthew Modine as an archaeologist whose search for the cup of St. John the Divine leads him to a Greek island and the lovely owner (Agni Scott) of the local taverna. Udayan Prasad directs; with Richard Griffiths.

QUARANTINE A television reporter (Jennifer Carpenter) and her cameraman (Steve Harris) are trapped inside an apartment building where a mysterious something is on the loose. John Erick Dowdle directs this remake of Jaume Balagueró’s Spanish film “[REC].”

Oct. 15

FRONTRUNNERS Four students run for president of the student council in the highly competitive arena of Stuyvesant High School in New York City. Caroline Suh directs.

Oct. 17

FILTH AND WISDOM Madonna adds another credit to her résumé — feature film director — with this story of three London roommates (Eugene Hutz, Holly Weston and Vicky McClure) who survive as best they can while pursuing their personal and professional dreams.

GOOD DICK Meeting cute in contemporary Los Angeles: a video-store clerk (Jason Ritter) and the young woman who rents erotic DVD’s from him (Marianna Palka, who also wrote and directed).

MARY Abel Ferrara is the current darling of the European film critical establishment, but his movies are having a hard time getting released in the United States. This one, a Venice festival prize winner from 2005, concerns three people who share a passionate interest in Mary Magdalene: an actress (Juliette Binoche), a director (Matthew Modine) and a television reporter (Forest Whitaker). With Heather Graham and Marion Cotillard.

MAX PAYNE Based on a popular video game, John Moore’s film follows a rogue cop (Mark Wahlberg) on the trail of the unspeakable villains who murdered his family. With Chris O’Donnell, Beau Bridges, Ludacris and Mila Kunis.

MORNING LIGHT A crew of 15 young sailors mans a 52-foot sloop in an open-sea race. The Walt Disney Company produced this inspirational documentary, directed by Mark Monroe.

THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES Dakota Fanning is a 14-year-old who runs away from her difficult father (Paul Bettany) and finds safe harbor living with three strong-minded sisters (Queen Latifah, Sophie Okonedo and Alicia Keys) in a small Southern town. Gina Prince-Bythewood directs.

SEX DRIVE Suspense, as a shy Chicago teenager (Josh Zuckerman) who’s been using a fake picture on his Facebook page, drives to Knoxville, Tenn., to meet the girl he’s been romancing on the Internet. With Clark Duke, Amanda Crew and James Marsden; Sean Anders directs.

SHELTER ME (RIPARO) A lesbian couple (Maria de Medeiros and Antonia Liskova) informally adopt a young Moroccan immigrant (Mounir Ouadi) who has hidden in their car to cross the border into Italy. Complications ensue when the boy falls in love with one of the women. Marco S. Puccioni directs; in Italian.

W. The director Oliver Stone takes a parting shot at George W. Bush with a biographical fantasy starring Josh Brolin as the 43rd president of the United States, James Cromwell and Ellen Burstyn as his parents, Elizabeth Banks as his wife, and Richard Dreyfuss (Dick Cheney), Thandie Newton (Condoleezza Rice), Ioan Gruffudd (Tony Blair), Scott Glenn (Donald H. Rumsfield), Toby Jones (Karl Rove), Rob Corddry (Ari Fleischer) and Jeffrey Wright (Colin L. Powell).

WHAT JUST HAPPENED? Based on the memoir by the producer Art Linson, Barry Levinson’s film describes the comically chaotic life of a middle-aged Hollywood player (Robert De Niro) as he struggles to mount a prestige project called “Fiercely,” starring Sean Penn (as himself). With Catherine Keener, Robin Wright Penn, Kristen Stewart, Stanley Tucci, Bruce Willis and John Turturro.WHO DOES SHE THINK SHE IS? Pamela Tanner Boll and Nancy Kennedy’s documentary looks at the lives of five women artists attempting to balance motherhood and career.

Oct. 22

STRANDED 29 Uruguayan rugby players are stranded in the snow-capped Andes when the plane taking them to a match in Chile is forced into a crash landing. Gonzalo Arijon’s documentary promises the truth behind a story that has already served as the basis of the pulpy 1993 film “Alive.”

Oct. 24

BEN X A boy (Greg Timmermans) with Asperger’s syndrome is bullied by his peers but finds solace in video gaming, as well as in the fantasy girlfriend, Scarlite (Laura Verlinden) he conjures up for himself. Nic Balthazar directs.

CHANGELING When her kidnapped child is returned to her by the police, a Los Angeles mother (Angelina Jolie) begins to suspect that the boy is not her own. Clint Eastwood directs from a screenplay by J. Michael Straczynski, based on a true story from the 1920s. With John Malkovich and Amy Ryan. EDEN As Breda (Eileen Walsh) and Billy (Aidan Kelly) approach their 10th wedding anniversary, she imagines that they are on the brink of an emotional renewal, while he completes his plans to seduce the local hottie. Declan Recks directs this Irish feature from a play by Eugene O’Brien.

FEAR(S) OF THE DARK An animated compendium of horror tales from some leading graphic novelists and comic book authors, including Charles Burns and Marie Caillou.

HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 3: SENIOR YEAR After two hits on cable, Disney moves its “High School Musical” franchise to the theatrical arena. A prom, a championship basketball game and the production of a big spring musical provide the dramatic highlights, with all the regulars on hand: Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Lucas Grabeel, Corbin Bleu, Monique Coleman. Kenny Ortega directs.

I’VE LOVED YOU SO LONG Released from prison after serving a sentence for the killing of her 6-year-old son, Juliette (Kristin Scott Thomas) finds a home and solace with the younger sister, Léa (Elsa Zylberstein) she barely knew. Philippe Claudel wrote and directed this French-language film.

LET THE RIGHT ONE IN Swedish vampires, via an adaptation of John Ajvide Lindqvist’s cult novel about a 12-year-old boy and his best friend, the 200-year-old girl (Lina Leandersson) who lives next door. Tomas Alfredsson directs. Page 40.

NEWS FROM HOME/NEWS FROM HOUSE The history of a three-story building in West Jerusalem and how it passed from Palestinian to Israeli hands. Following “House” (1980) and “A House in Jerusalem” (1998), the new film completes a trilogy by the director Amos Gitai.

NOAH’S ARC: JUMPING THE BROOM Based on the Logo network cable series “Noah’s Arc,” the story of four African-American gay men who renew their friendship during a weekend wedding on Martha’s Vineyard. Patrik-Ian Polk directs.

PASSENGERS A therapist (Anne Hathaway) becomes romantically involved with a client, a secretive young man (Patrick Wilson) who has survived a plane crash. With David Morse, Clea DuVall and Andre Braugher; Rodrigo Garcia (“Things You Can Tell Just by Looking at Her”) directs.

PRIDE AND GLORY Edward Norton as a New York City cop who suspects that his brother-in-law (Colin Farrell) may be involved in shady doings. Gavin O’Connor directs; with Noah Emmerich, Jon Voight and Jennifer Ehle. ROADSIDE ROMEO Something different: an animated feature from Bollywood, a production of Yash Raj Films and the Walt Disney Company. The Indian star Saif Ali Khan lends his voice to the lead character, a pampered dog abandoned in the mean streets of Mumbai. Jugal Hansraj directs.

SAW V The world’s most moralistic serial killer, Jigsaw (Tobin Bell), returns to teach more unlucky folks to appreciate the true beauty of life by subjecting them to fiendish tortures. David Hackl, the production designer on the last three “Saw” films, steps up to director on this one. With Scott Patterson and Julie Benz.

SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK Another beleaguered Charlie Kaufman hero, a theater director played by Philip Seymour Hoffman, takes refuge from the women in his life (Samantha Morton, Catherine Keener, Michelle Williams, Hope Davis) by burrowing into a new super-production that eventually takes over his life and becomes difficult to distinguish from it. With Emily Watson, Dianne Wiest, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Tom Noonan. Page 35.

THE UNIVERSE OF KEITH HARING The filmmaker Christina Clausen examines the life and work of the popular artist through the testimony of assorted celebrities and art world figures.

ZIDANE, A 21ST CENTURY PORTRAIT The revered soccer star Zinédine Zidane, profiled in a documentary by Douglas Gordon and Philippe Parreno.

Oct. 29

THE FIRST BASKET Little-known fact: The first player to score for the brand-new New York Knickerbockers back in 1946 was Ossie Schectman, a Jewish athlete from Queens. David Vyorst’s documentary traces this and other great Jewish moments in the history of basketball from the turn of the century to today.

Oct. 31

THE HAUNTING OF MOLLY HARTLEY Haley Bennett (“Music and Lyrics”) stars as the title character, a student at a private girl’s school who, as her 18th birthday approaches, discovers the horrible truth of her destiny. With Chace Crawford; Mickey Liddell directs.

MONKS: THE TRANSATLANTIC FEEDBACK The story of an underground rock band, the Monks, founded by five American soldiers stationed in Germany during the cold war; the filmmakers credit the group with the invention of the industrial, heavy metal, punk and techno schools. Dietmar Post and Lucia Palacios direct.

ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO Platonic friends Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks decide to produce a sex film to pay the rent, leading to the expected unexpected consequences. From the Rabelasian mind of the writer-director Kevin Smith.