Block Party (Rogue Pictures)
March 3

STARS: Dave Chappelle, Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, Kanye West, many others

THE DEAL: Before Chappelle ran off to Africa to “get his shit together,”
he threw an old school block party at a secret location in Brooklyn and invited friends, neighbors, and some of the biggest names in hip-hop. Director Michel Gonry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) mixes standup comedy, interviews, and live music into the season’s funniest and most energetic flick.

HOW TO SEE IT: This is the only way you’re going to see Chappelle until the new season of his show finally gets unleashed, so get your ass to the theater, homey.

16 Blocks (Warner Bros.)
March 3

STARS: Bruce Willis, Mos Def, David Morse, Alfre Woodard

THE DEAL: In this white-knuckler from director Richard Donner (the Lethal Weapon series), a burned-out NYC detective (Willis) must escort a prisoner (Mos Def) the titular distance from the precinct to the courthouse. But as the recent
transit strike proved, 16 New York City blocks can be a hell of a long distance—especially when Mos’ heavily armed
ex-partners try to stop them.

HOW TO SEE IT: It’s nice to see Willis getting back to tortured cop roles, but we’ll probably wait for video to see this meat-and-potatoes action flick.

Inside Man (Universal)
March 24

STARS: Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, Jodie Foster, Christopher Plummer

THE DEAL: For his latest joint, Spike Lee aims for a commercial hit with this thriller about an ambitious cop (Washington, teaming with Lee for the fourth time) who must talk down a master thief (Owen), whose perfect heist has turned into a hostage situation. Matters are complicated by the presence of a powerful lawyer with mysterious allegiances (Foster, in a rare supporting role).

HOW TO SEE IT: Spike clearly needs the dough, so help a brother out and buy a ticket. In fact, buy two. It’s Spike Lee, dammit!

V For Vendetta (Warner Bros.)
March 17

STARS: Natalie Portman, Hugo Weaving, Stephen Rea, Stephen Fry

THE DEAL: Set in a totalitarian England of the future, a young woman (Portman) is saved by a masked vigilante (Weaving) known only as “V,” who blows up two London landmarks and urges the populace to rise up against oppression. The action sequences (and disturbing relevance to post-9/11 life) come courtesy of a script by the Wachowski Brothers, based on Alan Moore’s graphic novel.

HOW TO SEE IT: A flick this massively destructive needs to be seen on the big screen, so be prepared to shell out your 10 bucks.