Big Stan (IIB) Rob Schneider directs and stars in this comedy about a real-estate conman who trains with a mysterious guru to become a martial-artist after he learns that he is going to jail. CT

Blindness (IIB) After a blindness epidemic grips the world, a country's government turns an abandoned mental asylum into a quarantine area where its sightless inhabitants live under the threat of violence and terror. Julianne Moore and Mark Ruffalo star. Fernado Meirelles directs. Not reviewed.

Dragonball Evolution (IIB) Goku (Justin Chatwin), a warrior who protects the Earth, trains with Master Roshi (Chow Yun-Fat) to fight against the evil Lord Piccolo (James Marsters) who tries to destroy the world by gathering the seven mystical Dragon Balls. James Wong directs. Not reviewed.

Gran Torino (IIB) Clint Eastwood plays a disgruntled Korean war veteran who tries to reform a teenaged Hmong neighbour who attempts to steal his 1972 Gran Torino. Bee Vang and Ahney Her star. Eastwood directs. CT

Orz Boyz (IIA) (Mandarin) A Taiwanese children's drama about two boys who believe they can be transported to a fairy-tale world through a portal at a water park. Not reviewed.

Wake of Death (IIB) Jean-Claude Van Damme plays a vengeful, reformed gangster whose wife is brutally murdered by a Chinese triad member (Simon Yam Tat-wah). Philippe Martinez directs. Not reviewed.

General Releases

Coming Soon (IIB) (Thai): The directorial debut of Sopon Sukdapisit, the writer of Shutter, tells the story of a creepy ghost that hunts people who have watched a horror movie in a multiplex. Not reviewed.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (IIA) Brad Pitt plays Benjamin, a man who is born in his 80s but ages backwards. Also stars Cate Blanchett, as his love interest who becomes too old for him, with Julia Ormond and Taraji P. Henson. David Fincher directs. CT

The Equation of Love and Death (IIB) (Putonghua): Zhou Xun plays a heartbroken cab driver who may reunite with her missing boyfriend thanks to a series of coincidences and mishaps. Cao Baoping directs this black comedy. CT

The Forbidden Legend: Sex and the Chopsticks 2 (III) (Cantonese): The second instalment of the sexploitation series starring Japanese porn stars as the wives and concubines of a lusty merchant during the Song Dynasty. CT

Frost/Nixon (IIB): A drama about the series of interviews broadcast on US television by British TV personality David Frost on Richard Nixon three years after the Watergate scandal ended the latter's presidency. Starring Michael Sheen and Frank Langella. Ron Howard directs. CT

Gu Gu the Cat (I) (Japanese): A comic artist, devastated by the death of her old pet, regains her faith in life thanks to a new cat but soon suffers a serious illness. Kyoko Koizumi stars. Not reviewed.

Hotel For Dogs (IIA): Two orphans (Emma Roberts and Jake T. Austin) transform a rundown hotel into a canine paradise for their loyal dog after their new guardians announce that pets are strictly forbidden. Thor Freudenthal directs. Not reviewed.

Love Connected (IIB) (Cantonese) Director Yip Lim-sum reunites with Stephy Tang Lai-yan in this film about young couples falling in and out of love. Also stars Kay Tse On-kay. Not reviewed.

Milk (IIB) Sean Penn plays Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California. Also stars Emile Hirsch as a gay rights activist. Gus Van Sant directs. CT

Rachel Getting Married (IIB): Family conflicts resurface and tensions simmer as an estranged daughter (Anne Hathaway) returns home from rehab to attend her sister's wedding. Also stars Rosemarie DeWitt as the sister and Debra Winger as their mother. Jonathan Demme directs. CT

Revolutionary Road (IIB) A drama starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet as a couple who are dissatisfied with the conformity of life in a Connecticut suburb. Also stars Kathy Bates and Michael Shannon. Sam Mendes directs. CT

Slumdog Millionaire (IIB) (Hindi and English) Danny Boyle directs this film about an 18-year-old orphan from the slums of Mumbai who stands to win the Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Dev Patel, Anil Kapoor, Irrfan Khan and Madhur Mittal star. CT

Winged Creatures (IIB) Rowan Woods directs this drama about five traumatised people struggling to regain their faith in life after they survive a random shooting by a suicidal gunman. Starring Dakota Fanning, Forest Whitaker, Guy Pearce and Kate Beckinsale. Not reviewed.

Zack and Miri Make a Porno (III) Lifelong friends (Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks) decide to make a porn movie for some quick cash and vow that having sex won't ruin their friendship. Also stars Craig Robinson and Jason Mewes. Not reviewed.

Art House

Four Nights of Indiestory InD Blue presents a programme of films from Korea's largest independent film distributor, including the following one. Until Mar 18. Broadway Cinematheque, 3 Public Square St, Yau Ma Tei, HK$60. Inquiries: 2572 7202

Written Drama about a man who learns that one of his kidneys has been stolen, and that he's just a character in an unfinished film. In Korean with English subtitles. Today and Mar 18, 9.40pm, Broadway Cinematheque.

S-21: The Khmer Rouge Killing Machine Rithy Panh's documentary reunites Khmer Rouge prison guards and their captives who discuss what occurred inside their detention centre. In Khmer and Vietnamese with English subtitles. Sat, Mar 21, 11am, 10 Chancery Lane Gallery, 10 Chancery Lane, SoHo, free. Inquiries: 2810 0065

HK Independent Short Films and Video Awards (Ifva) Festival The HK Arts Centre presents a selection of short films and videos from Hong Kong and beyond, including the following seven programmes. Tomorrow-Mar 22. HK Arts Centre, 2 Harbour Rd, Wan Chai; HK Space Museum, 10 Salisbury Rd, TST; HK Art School, Room 1907AB, 19/F Hopewell Centre, Wan Chai, HK$50, HK$190 (Closing gala). Inquiries: 2572 7202

Invisibles Programme of five short films (including Wim Wenders' Invisible Crimes) revealing situations that have been ignored in Bolivia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Central African Republic and Colombia. In Swahili, Spanish and English with Chinese and English subtitles. Tomorrow, 7.30pm, HK Arts Centre (by invitation only); Sat, 7.30pm, HK Space Museum; Mar 18, 7.30pm, HK Arts Centre.

Animated Wonderland for Children Fourteen dialogue-free and family-friendly short animation films exploring dreams and nightmares from countries including Estonia, Japan and Britain. Sat, 2.30pm, HK Space Museum.

The 14th Ifva (Animation Category) Finalist Showcase Nine short animated films from Hong Kong, including Yim which centres on an old style tea caf?, and Yeung Sin-ling's My Mother is an Alien, about the hiding of a major family secret. Most films without dialogue. Sat, 5pm, HK Arts Centre.

Reality Shows Programme of four documentary shorts about subjects including a young Muslim competitor in a beauty pageant for Israeli-Arab women and an Iranian street painter whose works become animated. In Arabic, Hebrew, Farsi, English, Swedish and Dinka with English subtitles. Mar 17, 8pm, HK Arts Centre.

Mind-Blowing World Animations International selection of 13 animation shorts from Japan and European countries such as Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia and France; 10 without dialogue; three in French with English subtitles. Mar 20, 9.30pm, HK Arts Centre.

The 14 Ifva (Asian New Force) Finalist Showcase Programme 2 Five short films from the mainland, Taiwan, India and Iran about the relations between families, cities and history, including one about a mother who has to get up early each morning to take her children to school (Go To School) and another about a tech-savvy old man who can communicate with people from around the world but has difficulties connecting with his son (Disconnection). In various languages, with English subtitles for the films containing dialogue. Mar 21, 5pm, HK Arts Centre.

My China Now Ten shorts from China, including one that conveys a blind child's perspective of his country (Zhai Yuan's China), a documentary account of election day in a small village (Voting Day) and a work about old railway tracks and factories in northwest China (25,000 Miles to Heaven). In Putonghua with English and, in some cases, Chinese subtitles. Mar 21, 8pm, HK Arts Centre.

The Game of Love and Chance Tunisian-born director Abdellatif Kechiche's romantic drama about a schoolboy whose secret crush for a girl leads him to become her stage partner in their class play. In French with English subtitles. Mar 16, 7.15pm, Mar 22, 1.30pm, The Grand Cinema.

Change of Address Romantic comedy about a shy musician who, shortly after arriving in Paris, moves into an apartment and meets a student he's interested in. In French with English subtitles. Mar 17, 7.15pm, Mar 21, 3.50pm, The Grand Cinema.

Those Who Remain Drama about a man and woman who become close while their significant others are being treated for cancer at a hospital. In French with English subtitles. Mar 18, 7.15pm, Mar 22, 5.45pm, The Grand Cinema

I'm Not Scared A young Italian boy makes a discovery at an abandoned farmhouse that catapults him into a frighteningly adult world. In Italian with Chinese and English subtitles. Mar 15, 12.15pm, Broadway Cinematheque, 3 Public Square St, Yau Ma Tei, HK$45. Inquiries: 2388 0002

A Girl's Life Three 15-minute-long films about gender stereotyping (Ana; Breaking it or Not; and The Life of a Girl) produced by Focus on Film students aged between 11 and 25. In English with Chinese subtitles. Mar 15, 3pm, HK Federation of Youth Groups Building, 21 Pak Fuk Rd, North Point, free (but donations accepted). Inquiries: 2987 6656

German Film Forum The Goethe-Institut HK presents a programme of five films by Turkish-German director Fatih Akin, including the following one. Until Mar 20. HK Film Archive, 50 Lei King Rd, Sai Wan Ho, HK$50 Urbtix. Inquiries: 2802 0088

The Edge of Heaven Drama set in Germany and Turkey about two families whose lives become intertwined in unorthodox ways. In German, Turkish and English with English subtitles. Mar 20, 7.30pm, HK Film Archive.

The Double Life of Veronique Krzystof Kieslowski's drama about two young women (both played by Irene Jacob) who never quite meet but always felt each others' existence. In French and Polish with Chinese and English subtitles. Mar 22, 12.30pm, Broadway Cinematheque, 3 Public Square St, Yau Ma Tei, HK$45. Inquiries: 2388 0002