We’re taking the bait with this Blair Witch-esque documentary from Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost that was a huge success at Sundance. Follow photographer Nev as he investigates a Facebook crush. (That’s all we’re going to say about the plot.) Having seen it, we can tell you the less you know, the better — watch the trailer at your own risk.
It’s like: Nope. No more hints.
Take: Any one (or ten) of your 738 Facebook friends.
Premieres: Today

An honest, low-budget (like Little Miss Sunshine, it’s the tiny Sundance film that could), relationship dramedy about a seven years’ married couple (Katie Aselton and Dax Shepard) who find themselves going through the cliche dry spell — no sex, just crosswords. Things get interesting when they decide to give each other a “night off” to partake in meaningless sex with a stranger — no strings attached.
It’s like: Indecent Proposal with a twist (and sadly, sans Redford).
Take your: Significant other — though you may wanna have a chat beforehand, just so no one gets the wrong (or right) idea.
Premieres: Today

Love him or hate him, Ben Affleck’s sophomore crime thriller, which showed at the Toronto fest, features a solid cast (Jeremy Renner, Jon Hamm) and ruminations on brotherhood, love, and the need to escape a crooked life. We hear the pace is fierce, the car chases are nail biting, and the accents are wicked smaht.
It’s like: Point Break meets The Departed.
Take your: Pahtnahs in crime.
Premieres: Today

Mark Romanek’s dystopian, festival-hopping (London, Telluride, Toronto) film adaptation stars leading lovelies Keira Knightley and Carey Mulligan. The renowned music video director uses stunning cinematography to tell a layered story about a British boarding school where things aren’t what they seem. The book broke our hearts, and the movie does it justice.
It’s like: Atonement with a hint of The Island.
Take your: Mom. And tissues.
Premiered: Last Wednesday

Accumulating nominations at Sundance and Berlin, Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman’s flick follows the obscenity trial brought about by the publication of Allen Ginsberg’s epic poem. It’s been described as “cinematic rebellion” and a film whose mistakes only make it better. We appreciate the attempt and the opportunity to watch James Franco tap into his inner Beat. Possible bonus: made-in-Thailand animated segments sound tracked by the poem.
It’s like: I’m Not There meets A Single Man.
Take your: Self on a rainy Sunday afternoon.
Premieres: September 24

Pepto for the usual nausea-inducing rom com, this foreign flick (and Tribeca success) is director Pascal Chaumeil’s debut feature. A charming Frenchman and his sister run a business designed to break up unhappy couples; conflict arises when a job requires him to break his own rules. Our take: Any film that pays homage to Dirty Dancing and ’80s power duo Wham is a must-see.
It’s like: The anti-Hitch. In French.
Take your: Date (see how he/she does with subtitles).
Premiered: September 10

Argentine Gaspar Noé’s (Irreversible, I Stand Alone) self-described “psychedelic melodrama” is just the thrill we’re seeking. The frenetic story line (intricate steady-cam shots and hypnotic beats) follows a drug dealer from his death in Japan through his afterlife quest to watch over his sister. Premiering at Cannes more than a year ago, the film flowed through last year’s festival circuit, though never in its entirety.
It’s like: 2001: a Space Odyssey meets Requiem for a Dream.
Take your: Art house, indie-loving film school pals.
Premieres: September 24

Claustrophiliacs, rejoice. Ditching his trademark endearing sarcasm, Ryan Reynolds plays a contractor in Iraq who gets attacked and awakens to find himself trapped inside a coffin with just a cell phone and lighter. Note: We want to find out where you get cell service six feet under when we can’t get one single bar in some corners of our office.
It’s like: Hitchcock thriller Vertigo with a dash of Vacancy (Nimród Antal).
Take your: Shovel — and someone to hold your hand.
Premieres: September 24

Davis Guggenheim’s provocative documentary explores the failures of the U.S. public school system through the interlocked stories of a handful of youngsters. We’re thankful for a film that gives names to the shocking statistics and raises awareness while attempting actual change.
It’s like: An Inconvenient Truth about educational policy.
Take your: Chatty pal who likes animated postfilm debate.
Premieres: September 24