“Gomorra” is a contemporary Neapolitan mob drama that exposes Italy’s criminal underbelly by telling five stories of individuals who think they can make their own compact with Camorra, the area’s Mafia. A drama of five interconnected stories, each of them illustrating the levels of organized crime in modern-day Naples.

Matteo Garrone’s adaptation of Roberto Saviano’s sensation-causing book burst onto the international scene by winning the Grand Jury Prize at Cannes back in May. En route to its U.S. release, it earned 5 European Film Awards, became Italy’s Foreign-Language Oscar pick (eclipsing Il Divo in both instances), found an American sponsor in Martin Scorsese, and — oh yeah — three of the film’s actors have been connected to actual-real mob activities. Other fun facts about this should’ve-been-Oscar contender: Author Saviano, who had a hand in the screenplay, has been living under 24-hour protection since the release of his book; however, to strengthen the film’s anti-hero sentiment, Saviano is not a character in the narrative.

Director: Matteo Garrone
Stars: Gianfelice Imparato, Salvatore Abruzzese, Toni Servillo
Studio: IFC Films

It’s the Halloween party they’ve all been waiting for, to have fun with friends and hang out with fellow Star Wars fans and partners in crime. However, events take a turn when one of their bunch who long ago outgrew his old gang and took on adult responsibilities is suddenly in their midst again. Reconnecting is not easy. But soon, Eric, Windows, Hutch and Zoe realize that Linus will not live long enough to experience what’s been on their minds for ages: The long-awaited theatrical release of Star Wars – Episode I, which is still several months away. Linus once again suggests to his friends what he’s been scheming since fifth grade: Breaking into Skywalker Ranch, this time to steal a print of the movie. Crazy, right? But it might be the only way for Linus to see the movie before he dies. So as insane as it sounds, they take Hutch’s van and embark on a mission to drive across half the country to the Ranch.

Here’s the trailer. Director Kyle Newman’s comedy, which traveled a bumpy road to its theatrical release, restores a sense of nostalgia — we just wish it traveled all the way back to those halcyon days before the Star Wars episodes were renumbered and Jar Jar Binks was under wraps at Skywalker Ranch. Still, you have to hand it to the real-world fanboys and girls who lobbied Harvey Weinstein until the big softie agreed to release Newman’s cut of the film. If I were being called “Darth Weinstein” for stripping a film of its context, I’d probably cave after a few rounds with the Faithful, too …

Rated PG-13 for pervasive crude and sexual material, language and drug content.

Director: Kyle Newman
Stars: Dan Fogler, Jay Baruchel, Kristen Bell
Studio: Weinstein Company, The
Release Date: 13 February 2009 (Iceland)

The film follows an ex-CIA “Preventer”, who is faced with recovering his daughter after she is kidnapped by human trafficking|sex-traffickers in Paris, France.

Bryan (Liam Neeson), a former secret agent living in the US. He is skilled in hand to hand combat, divorced; and loves his 17-year-old daughter Kim (Maggie Grace) who lives with his ex-wife and her new husband Stuart (Xander Berkeley). Kim wants to take a vacation in Europe with her friend Amanda (Katie Cassidy), and together follow U2’s European tour. Kim’s mother allows this, but Kim also needs permission from her father. Since Kim fears that Bryan will not consent, she pretends that they will only stay in Paris. Reluctantly, Bryan agrees.

In Paris a seemingly friendly young man named Peter (Nicolas Giraud) proposes to share a taxi with them to the house where Kim and her friend are staying, and so they do. However, the man works for an Albanian Mafia|Albanian criminal organization, to which he reports the address.

Director Pierre Morel’s follow up to the nouveau classique District B13 is looking stressful! And yet how awesome will it be to watch Liam Neeson throw a punch in pursuit of the baddies who made off with Maggie Grace? You have to leave it to Luc Besson and his Transporter cronies (Morel was the cinematographer for the first two Frank Martin chapters and co-screenwriter Robert Mark Kamen has had a hand in all three movies) for making a real-life scenario so freaky/engaging, though I’m hoping I won’t be spoiled as to the story’s twists and resolution before it comes out Stateside since the movie has been out in Asia and Europe for months. Though I will say Ms. Grace, who looks a bit like Jennifer Connelly here, does not do a full reveal for her legion of followers.

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence, disturbing thematic material, sexual content, some drug references and language.

Director: Pierre Morel
Stars: Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Famke Janssen
Studio: Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation
Release Date: 30 January 2009 (USA)

When a shopping mall is overtaken by a gang of organized crooks, it’s up to the a mild-mannered security guard to save the day. Paul Blart is a mild-mannered, dutiful family father who works as a security guard in a New Jersey mall. For years, he has applied to become a cop, but he always fails the physics exam due to his overweight. One day, a gang of organized criminals place the mall under siege and take hostages. Blart becomes trapped inside, and because of his sense of duty, refuses to leave. He thus becomes the police’s eyes on the inside and has to stop the criminals on his own.

Cuddly Kevin James ventures out on his own for the first time with a leading-man project that feels like it’d be better suited for a lowered-expectations comedian like Rob Schneider. Or Dane Cook. But I guess you put a chubby guy in a rent-a-cop outfit and the jokes just write themselves. (Or perhaps not, as evidenced by this Blart-related viral video.) Meanwhile, director Steve Carr continues to gravitate away from his still-kinda-funny R-rated debut.

Rated PG for some violence, mild crude and suggestive humor, and language.

Director: Steve Carr
Stars: Kevin James, Keir O’Donnell, Jayma Mays, Raini Rodriguez, Stephen Rannazzisi
Studio: Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE)
Release Date: 16 January 2009 (USA)

Two lifelong friends who have survived the mean streets of South Boston find it increasingly hard to maintain a balance between their personal lives and the “jobs” they take for a local crime boss (Goodman).

WDKY marks the arrival of actor-turned-director Brian Goodman, who mined his personal experiences in order to generate this story of two friends quickly moving in opposite directions in their lives, with both of them facing potential dead ends. Since the drama’s debut at the Toronto Film Festival back in September, critics have indicated that Goodman’s ultra-convincing story, as well as the interplay between Ruffalo and Hawke (“career bests,” we hear), take the familiar-sounding tale to new heights. Let’s see how well Yari Film Group does in getting the word out on this one; the studio has kept most of their films under wraps this year (The Accidental Husband, Assassination of a High School President), though they are making an awards-season push with this film and Nothing But the Truth.

Rated R for language, drug use, some violence and brief sexuality.