By Neil Pedley

After last week's ridiculously crowded release schedule, this week's is somewhat more manageable.

"The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian"
Fans salivating at the prospect of some post-Middle Earth fantasy creature smackdown were left disappointed last time around as, for all its promise, initial "Narnia" installment "The Lion the Witch and The Wardrobe" possessed about as much bite as a hibernating tortoise. Looking to fill the hole left by a certain boy wizard in the summer release schedule, the second adventure into Narnia sees the four Pevensie siblings summoned back to the fantastical world to find that 1300 years have passed and their former kingdom lies in ruins. Joining forces with heir to the throne Prince Caspian (Ben Bames), the children lead a renegade army into battle against the tyrannical King Miraz, seeking to restore Narnia and bring about peace once more.
Opens wide.

"My Father, My Lord"
The winner of the Best Narrative Feature award at last year's Tribeca Film Festival is an Israeli drama from first time director David Volach set in an Orthodox community where a rabbi struggles with his relationship with his doting son. In Hebrew with subtitles.
Opens in New York.

"Quantum Hoops"
Caltech students are famous for many things, but athleticism isn't one of them — the university basketball team hasn't won a game in 21 years. Rick Greenwald's debut documentary, narrated by David Duchovny, follows the Beavers at the end of their 2006 season as they try to break their 240 game losing streak.
Opens in New York.

"Reprise"
A staple on the European festival circuit since its debut two years ago, this playfully melancholic drama about friendship and ambition was Norway's bid for the 2006 best foreign language film Oscar. Written over the course of five years by Joachim Trier and Eskil Vogt, "Reprise" tells of two idealistic young writers whose friendship is threatened when one's manuscript is published and the other is not. "Reprise" has won critical praise for Trier's audacious blend of a highly kinetic directing style with a classic French New Wave sensibility, but it wasn't until uber-producer and tastemaker Scott Rudin stepped in that the film found a U.S. distributor in Miramax. In Norwegian with subtitles.
Opens in limited release.

"Sangre de Mi Sangre"
The debut feature from writer/director Christopher Zalla netted a Grand Jury Prize at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival, where it was known as "Padre Nuestro." With a new title (which translates in English to "Blood of My Blood"), this drama follows Mexican immigrant Pedro as he travels to New York City in search of his successful (and estranged) father. Along the way, he meets Juan, a charismatic young con man who steals Pedro's identity and abandons him in the city. The two race to find Pedro's father first, one in search of his love, the other in pursuit of his money. In Spanish with subtitles.
Opens in limited release.

"Yella"
Germany's Christian Petzold, who has been compared to Claude Chabrol, directed this disquieting thriller about a woman who flees an abusive husband for a new job in Hanover, only to become involved in a cutthroat corporate scheme that offers its own dangers. This film, which won over critics at its premiere at the Berlin Film Festival last year, is the first of Petzold's to get a U.S. release. In German with subtitles.
Opens in New York.

[Photo: "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian," Walt Disney Studios, 2008]

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