Hot Sheet: Bening, and Lilith

Movies

The Kids Are All Right -- Writer-director Lisa Cholodenko drew from her own life to create this touching drama about Nic (Annette Bening) and Jules (Julianne Moore), the mothers of two teenagers who want to bond with their biological father (Mark Ruffalo). The Kids Are All Right is getting rave reviews for its performances -- Bening's in particular -- but it's Cholodenko's ability to create a loving, albeit flawed, modern family without getting preachy or political.

Grease Sing-A-Long -- Whether you're the "Hopelessly Devoted to You" type or you'd rather swig a shot and sing along with Rizzo, the Grease Sing-a-Long (in select theaters now) promises to be a truly gay affair in every sense of the word. Gay director Randal Kleiser shapes the film with a gay sensibility, and of course, there's always Danny Zuko (John Travolta) with the greased hair and skintight pants.

Predators -- Adrien Brody might not have much of a sense of humor about himself, but he is a good actor, and if anyone can give some gravitas to the latest installment in the Predator franchise, it's him. Picking up where the second film left off (and pretending the Alien vs. Predator face-off never happened), he and Laurence Fishburne star in this unapologetically B movie from producer Robert Rodriguez.

Music

M A Y A by M.I.A. -- She's taken heat for her violent video of "Born Free" as well as trashing Lady Gaga, but M.I.A. has never been a wallflower. The music on her third release, M A Y A, is just as in-your-face. Pay special attention to "XXXO," where the British-Sri Lankan star screams defiantly, "You want me be somebody who I'm really not." Just try not to dance. Out Tuesday.

Lilith Fair -- The 21st-century incarnation of the all-women tour has taken a lot of knocks, with shows canceled and superstar Kelly Clarkson dropping out. But it still has Sarah McLachlan, Brandi Carlile, Miranda Lambert, Emmylou Harris, Jill Scott, Mary J. Blige, and upstart Marina and the Diamonds. The tour hits Las Vegas on Friday, Irvine, Calif., on Saturday, and Denver on Tuesday.

DVDs

8: The Mormon Proposition -- Narrated by the Academy Award-winning screenwriter of Milk, Dustin Lance Black, Reed Cowan's compelling documentary chronicles the lengths to which the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints went to repeal marriage equality in California.

The Lucy Show: The Official Second Season -- In the sophomore season of her follow-up to the iconic I Love Lucy and first series without ex-husband Desi Arnaz, Lucille Ball, still teamed with best friend Vivian Vance, pulls out all the stops aping Elizabeth Taylor in an overwrought community theater production of Cleopatra and having the nerve to teach legendary diva Ethel Merman to sing.

Chloe -- Taking a cue from erotic thrillers like The Hand That Rocks the Cradle and Basic Instinct, Chloe casts Julianne Moore as a jealous wife who hires a call girl named Chloe (Amanda Seyfried) to seduce her husband (Liam Neeson). Things get a bit out of hand when it becomes clear men aren't exactly Chloe's cup of tea. Moore and Seyfried steam up the screen in this indie thriller from director Atom Egoyan.