The Hot Sheet

Movies

Machete -- Perhaps unfairly, Machete is getting most of its press because recently freed tabloid staple Lindsay Lohan pops up in her first film role in three years. Interestingly, she's naked half the time and also dons a nun's habit. Take that to mean what you will. Beyond that, Machete was born out of a fake trailer that aired before 2007's Grindhouse double feature, so expect tons of scantily clad women with guns. Director Robert Rodriguez is scoring good reviews for the film, which also stars Robert De Niro, Jessica Alba, and maybe-she-is, maybe-she-isn't gay Michelle Rodriguez.

Going the Distance -- Die-hard Prop. 8 opponent and self-described bisexual Drew Barrymore pairs up with her on-again, off-again boyfriend Justin Long in this late-summer romance -- which is rated R. Expect some adult humor this time around from Drew and company, which includes scene-stealer Christina Applegate in the best friend role.

The American -- George Clooney turns in quite possibly the best performance of his career in the shockingly subdued action thriller The American. Shot on location in Italy and Sweden, the film will likely disappoint fans who've grown accustomed to the Michael Bay style of making action movies. At its core, The American is really more a character study, with Clooney picture-perfect as a lonely, depressed assassin looking to get out of the business. Also excellent is Italian actress Violante Placido as the call girl he falls for.

Music

"Dragons" by the Green Children -- The video for the first ethereal single from the U.K. electro-pop duo (Milla Sunde and Marlow Bevan) draws on their love of the enchanting legends they grew up listening to and is already a sensation across the pond. The band's debut album, Encounter, full of what's been described as "cinematic fantasy pop,"will be released stateside on October 12.

Watch the video for "Dragons" below.

DVDs

My Trip Down the Pink Carpet -- Emmy award-winning actor Leslie Jordan has given memorable performances on Will & Grace and numerous other TV shows and films, but his greatest skill is perhaps a knack for outrageous storytelling. In this filmed version of his acclaimed one-man show, the Southern-born raconteur uses rapid-fire anecdotes and reenactments to chronicle his misadventures in show business.

Prime Suspect: The Complete Collection -- Helen Mirren's formidable, multi-award-winning performance as driven, hard-living, no-nonsense detective Jane Tennison stands as one of the iconic star's finest achievements. Ralph Fiennes and Tom Wilkinson are among the numerous before-they-were-famous actors who appear in supporting roles throughout this addictively watchable police procedural. All seven seasons are collected for the first time in this boxed set.

Sons of Anarchy: Season Two -- Inexplicably missing from this years Emmy nominations, Sons of Anarchy is violent, crass, and at times hard to watch -- but it's also quite possibly one of the best shows on TV. Sons of Anarchy, loosely based on Shakespeare's Hamlet, follows a gang of outlaw bikers who essentially take over a small town in Northern California. Katey Sagal in particular stands out as Gemma Teller, the manipulative mother hen to the boys' club, who'll stop at nothing to get what she wants.