(in alphabetical order; indicates we especially like it)

Bleak House (2005, 480m, NR):  Gillian Anderson stars in this acclaimed BBC miniseries adapted from the Charles Dickens novel.

The Comedy Central Roast of Pamela Anderson (2005, 90m, NR):  Stars galore come out to salute, in a way, the busty "Baywatch" star and her ex-husband/porno co-star Tommy Lee in this raunchy, uncensored event.  Courtney Love, of course, shows up totally wasted.

Death in Gaza (2004, 80m, NR):  This harrowing documentary depicts the violence of turmoil in the Gaza Strip, culminating tragically in the death of the film's director, James Miller.

The Dress (1996, 103m, NR):  The title piece of clothing brings sex, violence, happiness and despair to a succession of owners in this darkly comic Dutch fable.

The Eels With Strings: Live at Town Hall (2005, 96m, NR):  Unpredictable head Eel Mark Everett brings the most complex version of his band yet to NYC in support of the album 'Blinking Lights and Other Revelations.'

First Descent (2005, 110m, PG-13):  Stunning photography of champion snowboarders hurtling down Alaskan mountains combines with an informative history of the sport in this big-screen documentary.

The Hobart Shakespeareans (2005, 56m, NR):  In one inner-city Los Angeles elementary school, a dedicated teacher leads a class of immigrant fifth-graders in preparations for a year-end performance of 'Hamlet.'

The Ice Harvest (2005, 89m, R):  John Cusack stars as a sleazy mob lawyer who, with his even sleazier pal (Billy Bob Thornton), steals two million bucks from his boss.  Over the course of one very unsilent Christmas Eve, though, his plans all fall apart in this dark comedy directed by Harold Ramis.

Lady and the Tramp (1955, 75m, G):  The Disney classic about spaghetti-eating dogs finally shows up on DVD, in an extras-packed two-disc edition.

Left of the Dial (2005, 98m, NR):  Originally broadcast on HBO, this documentary takes a hard look at the creation of the liberal radio network Air America.

Little Tony (1998, 95m, NR):  From the director of 'The Dress' comes this story of the weird love triangle between an illiterate Dutch farmer, his wife, and the woman she hires to teach him to read.

Metropolitan (1990, 98m, PG-13):  The beloved debut of writer-director Whit Stillman ('The Last Days of Disco') slyly peers into the lives of a group of Manhattan debutantes with smart, literate dialogue to burn.  Criterion DVD includes commentaries, deleted scenes, and more.

Peep 'TV' Show (2004, 98m, NR):  A Japanese Goth Lolita hooks up with a guys who runs a surveillance website in this story of post-9/11 life in Tokyo.

Pride & Prejudice (2005, 129m, PG):  The latest adaptation of Jane Austen's beloved novel stars Oscar-nominated Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Bennet, who discovers that her first impressions of the boorish Mr. Darcy (Matthew MacFadyen) may need correcting.

R-Point (2004, 107m, NR):  Set in 1972 Vietnam, this Korean horror/war movie follows a band of soldiers sent to investigate the disappearance of a squad six months earlier in an isolated jungle region.

Shapes of the Invisible (1997, 72m, NR):  Electron microscopes and high-definition cameras combine to provide a fascinating glimpse at the subatomic world in this European documentary.

Soldiers in the Army of God (2000, 70m, NR):  Without being preachy or dogmatic, this HBO documentary takes us inside the world of violent anti-abortion extremists.

A State of Mind (2004, 93m, NR):  This British documentary gained amazing access to the closed society of North Korea in order to tell the story of two girls preparing for the annual gymnastic spectacle of the Mass Games.

The Thing About My Folks (2005, 96m, PG-13):  Paul Reiser and Peter Falk star as son and father in this warmhearted family comedy.

Torremolinos 73 (2003, 91m, NR):  In this saucy Spanish comedy, set in 1973, an encyclopedia salesman and his wife accidentally become adult movie stars, which turns out to be great for their marriage—for a while.

Twist of Faith (2004, 87m, NR):  Kirby Dick's Oscar-nominated documentary details the daily struggles of an Ohio firefighter confronting the priest abuse he suffered as a child.

Walk the Line (2005, 135m, PG-13):  Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon have both been nominated for Oscars for playing Johnny and June Carter Cash in this well-done biopic which follows Cash's struggles with fame and drugs during the 1950s and 60s.

The Werckmeister Harmonies (2000, 145m, NR):  Hungarian Bela Tarr, an influence on Gus Van Sant among others, directs this demanding but rewarding film about a desolate small town and the effect upon it of the arrival of a whale carcass displayed under a tent.

Where the Truth Lies (2005, 107m, NR):  Kevin Bacon and Colin Firth star as a big-time entertainment duo (think Martin & Lewis) who are pressured by a reporter (Alison Lohman) into revealing the truth behind a young woman's death fifteen years earlier.  Atom Egoyan, in a departure, directs.

William Eggleston in the Real World (2005, 86m, NR):  Director Michael Almereyda ("Nadja") profiles the noted photographer, often called the father of color photography.

Young Mr. Lincoln (1939, 100m, NR):  John Ford directs Henry Fonda as the sixteenth president, back when he was just an Illinois country lawyer, in this classic piece of Americana.  Criterion's two-disc set includes an in-depth BBC documentary on Ford's early career.

Zathura (2005, 113m, PG):  A board game leads two brothers into an intergalactic adventure in this effects-laden product from a book by the author of 'Jumanji.'

Previous weeks: 2-21-06