The Story: A group of actors find themselves up against harsh -- potentially lethal -- reality when their director decides to make their movie's jungle warfare experience more authentic. The Lowdown: Explosive bad-taste comedy and Hollywood satire in a movie that sets out to offend everyone -- and may well succeed. It's also very funny…

Miller's Crossing will be shown at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 23, in Lord Auditorium at Pack Memorial Library as part of the library's Coen Brothers film series. Xpress movie critic Ken Hanke will introduce the film and discuss it after the screening. Subsequent screenings will be The Big Lebowski (1998) on Aug. 30 and O…

The Story: A couple of friends spend the summer in Barcelona where they both find romance with the same Bohemian painter. The Lowdown: A sad gracefulness marks this dramatic comedy from Woody Allen that's characterized by its humanity and compassion.

The Story: A pediatrician whose wife was murdered eight years ago suddenly starts receiving e-mails from her when two bodies connected to her supposed murder are discovered. The Lowdown: An entertaining, slick, engaging thriller in something of the Hitchcock mode that benefits from strong characters and stylish direction.

The Hendersonville Film Society will show The Great Race at 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 17, in the Smoky Mountain Theater at Lake Pointe Landing Retirement Community, 333 Thompson St., Hendersonville. (From Asheville, take I-26 to U.S. 64 West, turn right at the third light onto Thompson Street. Follow to the Lake Point Landing entrance and…

Morgan: A Suitable Case for Treatment, part of a series of Classic Cinema From Around the World, will be presented at 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 15, at Courtyard Gallery, 9 Walnut St. in downtown Asheville. Info: 273-3332.

Blood Simple will be shown at 2 p.m. (following a panel discussion on the Coen Bros.) Saturday, Aug. 16, in Lord Auditorium at Pack Memorial Library. Film historian and critic Peter Loewer will introduce the film and discuss it after the screening.

The Story: A stoner witnesses a murder and has to go on the run with his dope dealer when the killer comes after him. The Lowdown: There are at least three or four movies in one here, making for an intriguing, but ultimately unsatisfying mix. It's worth seeing for its sheer strangeness.

The Story: Evelyn Waugh's complex novel about Catholicism, class distinction and sexuality finds its way to the big screen. The Lowdown: Both an intelligent and intelligently condensed version of the book that not only replicates the story, but also comments on its themes.

The Story: A look into the lives of a Parisian mother and son -- largely through the eyes of the nanny, a Chinese film student. The Lowdown: Luxuriant in its slowness, Flight of the Red Balloon will either captivate you with its striking visuals and subtle character shadings, or send you in search of the…

The Story: A man thinks back on his relationship with his father who is dying of cancer. The Lowdown: A not very promising premise is turned into a remarkable -- and remarkably moving -- film through a great script, acting and direction.

The Hendersonville Film Society will show Lucrezia Borgia at 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 10, in the Smoky Mountain Theater at Lake Pointe Landing Retirement Community, 333 Thompson St., Hendersonville. (From Asheville, take I-26 to U.S. 64 West, turn right at the third light onto Thompson Street. Follow to the Lake Point Landing entrance and park…

The Story: Documentary on the Nazi plundering of the world's art treasures. The Lowdown: An intriguing premise that works best in broad strokes, but tends to bog down in the specifics.

Catch Us If You Can, part of a series of Classic Cinema From Around the World, will be presented at 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 8, at Courtyard Gallery, 9 Walnut St. in downtown Asheville. Info: 273-3332.

The Story: When a technical glitch causes a vote to go uncounted, the supposed voter is given the chance to vote again -- with his single vote determining the outcome of a presidential election. The Lowdown: A fairly preposterous scenario that might have worked as satire, but instead falls into a tub of mush and…

The Story: Two unemployed 40-year-old slackers who live with their parents behave like improbably vulgar grade-school children for an hour and a half. The Lowdown: Within 10 minutes, the tone of this unfunny film has been established. The movie merely keeps repeating it.

The Story: Fox Mulder is called back to work for the FBI to help them on a case involving a missing agent and a psychic priest. The Lowdown: A largely botched attempt to bring new life to the cult TV show. It features interesting ideas, but barely develops them, and moves at a glacial pace.

Marat/Sade, part of a series of Classic Cinema From Around the World, will be presented at 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 1, at Courtyard Gallery, 9 Walnut St. in downtown Asheville. Info: 273-3332.