Black Swan

Buy-it - Natalie Portman is the mysterious "black swan" in this psychological thriller set in the world of New York City ballet where competition is brewing with a new dancer in the company, Mila Kunis.

Alice in Wonderland (2010)

Skip-it - This long-awaited live-action version of Alice has had people on the edge of their seat since the first poster of Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter was released, and unfortunately, that's as interesting and cool as the rabbit hole ever gets. Alice in a 3-D wonderland was visually entertaining (though more gimmicky and not a part of the story like Avatar), but it's almost too Tim-Burtony, even by his standards. You'll love the tea party with Depp and the hare, and Helena Bonham Carter is the perfect Red Queen, but everything else disappoints.

A Charlie Brown Christmas

Rent-it (closer to Christmas time) - Another classic Christmas film that you could catch on all the major networks post-Thanksgiving, but is worth a look on Blu-ray this year.

Conviction

Rent-it - This remarkable true story starring Hilary Swank, Minnie Driver, and Sam Rockwell will have you vehemently rooting for a sister who puts herself through law school to help prove her imprisoned brother is innocent.

Catfish

Wait-for-it - Well actually, first make sure you see the trailer, because half of the intrigue begins with the intrigue, then wait patiently until this "true" story is in a theater close enough to completely "shock" you."

Animal Kingdom

Rent-it - This brilliant Australian cops and robbers drama starring Guy Pearce is so perfect it'll make you wish you lived in Australia and were best friends with this Guy.

Centurion

Rent-it - Set during the 2nd century Roman conquest of Britain, this bloody R-rated swords-and-sandals film is perfect film to kick back and watch at home with the guys and some beers.

All Good Things

Skip-it - Ryan Gosling and Kirsten Dunst are the title characters in this based-on-a-true story ("based" being the key word) about the most notorious missing persons case in New York history that will leave you with little to no answers and hundreds of questions.

A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)

Rent-it - Visually it holds up, and this Freddy may be better than Englund's version, but, unfortunately, this NOES reboot is lacking the twists and depth of story that made the original so terrifyingly great.

Celine: Through the Eyes of the World

Skip-it - Unless you are a huge Celine Dion fan, or still (inexplicably) obsessed with Titanic, skip this concert DVD.

Biutiful

Rent-it - A funny looking Oscar winner Javier Bardem (who? I know - he's the bad guy from No Country for Old Men) ironically makes this script about a father's love for his children even more beautiful than the title suggests.

Extract

Rent-it - Jason Bateman (Juno) and Mila Kunis (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) in another Mike Judge (Office Space) comedy about the workplace. Yes, please!

Enlighten Up!

Rent-it - You rarely get to say thought-provoking and funny in the same phrase, but this documentary about a yoga-loving filmmaker is just that.

Elizabeth (1 & 2)

Rent-it - For both of these films, Cate Blanchett turns in her typically stellar performance making this "history lesson" more interesting, entertaining, and dramatic than you expect.

Edge of Love

Skip-it - One can understand how a man could fall for both Keira Knightley and Sienna Miller at the same time, making these two hours of your movie-viewing life pointless.

Eat Pray Love

Skip-it - Despite the catchy trailer song, and Julia Roberts headlining, this film is very skippable, especially if you read or plan to read the much, much better book.

12

Rent-it - An adaptation of 12 Angry Men, this film follows a jury about to find a young boy guilty in the murder of his stepfather, a Russian military officer. However, one of the jurors votes in favor of acquittal.  

127 Hours

Rent-it - James Franco is the infamous outdoorsman Aron Ralston who famously got trapped under a boulder while on one of his solo adventures - and whether or not you know the ending you will be completely moved, shocked and thrilled by the finale.

Easy A

Rent-it - This film about high school, virginity, and cliques is smart, and though it doesn't ace the test, it definitely brings home a solid B+ on the report card.

Date Night

Skip-it - It's Night at the Museum meets The Office meets 30 Rock meets Max Payne, literally, Shawn Levy, Steve Carrell, Tina Fey, and Mark Wahlberg combine for an awkward blend of comedy and action that even these current comedic icons can't save.

Cyrus

Rent-it - This "smart" comedy about a man, down-on-luck, who finally finds the woman of his dreams is better than most of the mainstream comedies that will hit theaters this summer.

Client 9

Rent-it - This is the documentary about the dramatic rise and fall of the New York governor Eliot Spitzer who was caught seeing prostitutes.

Clash of the Titans

Rent-it - Despite overdone 3-D action, Clash of the Titans is completely flat, lacking both story and solid performances from the leads. Rent it in 2011 to watch on your new 3-D HDTV, otherwise its only interesting a semi-history lesson on Greek mythology.

Certified Copy

Rent-it - Juliette Binoche may earn herself an Oscar nomination for provocative performance in this playful drama about a man and woman pretending to married and how that affects their recently acquainted relationship.

Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore

Skip-it - Even the CGI-ed-animal-mouth voiceovers are second rate in this overly digital inexplicable sequel.

Burlesque

Skip-it - Christina Aguilera is a small town girl with a big voice (surprise!) who moves to LA, becomes a cocktail waitress, and eventually makes her way on stage to sing (surprise!). The soundtrack is good, the film is awful.

Boxing Gym

Rent-it - This documentary about a boxing gym in Texas is unusually quiet and not at all violent - making it an exceptional story about the art and characters of the sport - rather than the bloody entertainment it is often considered.

Babies

Rent-it - If you are mom or especially soon-to-be-mother you will thoroughly enjoy this documentary that follows 4 babies through the first year of life; otherwise, you will be checking your watch every ten minutes wondering when the cuteness will end.  

Alpha and Omega

Skip-it - This 3-D animated film about two wolves in love is actually hard on the eye, and totally pointless to see. 

Cop Out

Skip-it - Should have been a minute-long gag on 30 Rock with Bruce Willis guest starring during sweeps week, not an 1-hour and 50-minute feature film.

Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans

Rent-it - Nicolas Cage is the most hot-and-cold, hit-or-miss actor in Hollywood, but when he is hot, no one compares. In Bad Lieutenant, Cage plays a bad cop, along side his partner (Val Kilmer) and prostitute "girl-friend" (Eva Mendes) in a post-Hurricane-Katrina New Orleans, and this Cage-character is more brilliantly unhinged than any role he's ever conquered before (including, Leaving Las Vegas and Adaptation combined).

Beautiful Boy

Rent-it - Parents will feel for these parents Maria Bello and Michael Sheen, who struggle with "why" their son committed a mass shooting at his college and then took his own life. But the rest of us are left too far outside the story to really feel the emotions a story like this should portray.

Extraordinary Measures

Skip-it - And wait for TV, because this film starring Brendan Fraser, Harrison Ford and Keri Russell is from the film division within CBS Corporation, and looks just so.