The big releases this weekend are Dear John and From Paris with Love. But what else is out? Seven other films that you probably haven't heard of...

1. Ajami is Israel's submission to this year's Oscars. The film was co-directed by Israeli and Palestinian directing partners, and features a story centered around a revenge killing in the diverse Israeli neighborhood of Jaffa. As an audience, we follow multiple perspectives on a tragic event and watch as the consequences unfold and fears build, giving us what almost becomes a creative blueprint for racial tensions.
    

2. “The Most Dangerous Man in America” Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers is a documentary following the story of the printing of secret government documents in the New York Times in relation to Vietnam. The man who shed so much light on the truth behind illegal decisions made by top government officials, including four presidents, Daniel Ellsberg is chronicled in this film. A must-see for any documentary lover.

3. Bass Ackwards is a road film, a story that reminds us that when we end up on the road (or on any kind of journey at all) that the trip is almost always about something other than what it appears to be. Written, directed and starring Linas Phillips, the film almost alternates genres and changes pacing often...making for an unpredictable film experience bordering on the French New Wave. Definitely an interesting film that will likely cause you to have a strong reaction leaving the theater, and as I always say, the best films are the ones you either love or hate.

4. Terribly Happy is an official Oscar selection, a Danish film that follows a Copenhagen police officer, Robert, when he is transferred to a small town after a nervous breakdown. The film is something akin to a Western, with Robert playing the role of Marshal in a small and dangerous town full of secrets. The film is dark and highly stylized, it's an absolute must-see if you follow Oscar related and nominated films every year.

5. The Shinjuku Incident is a Chinese drama/action film that follows a poor worker, Tietou as he deals with life as an illegal immigrant in Japan. He emigrated there to search for his love, Xiu Xiu, who also went there years ago, and the two have lost track of each other over time. When Tietou finds himself accidentally involved with the Yakuza, a mystery unravels that may ultimately lead him to his love and a cause to fight for. Jackie Chan stars.

6. District 13: Ultimatum is an action thriller, the R-rated sequel to the original District 13. The film follows partners Damian and Leito as they use their martial arts skills to save their neighborhood from gang violence and corrupt government forces.

7. Frozen is an R-rated, what I would call, survivalist horror film. It's in the vein of other claustrophobic classics, such as Lifeboat, though it may be closer to the vulnerability horror of Open Water. Three skiers end up trapped on a ski lift for what they know will be a period of days, and as the temperatures drop to dangerous lows, the skiers experience the consistent onslaughts of dangerous weather, wildlife, and the limits of the human mind.