Fernando's View
By Fernando F. Croce

Sci-fi fans will savor "District 9," while "Ponyo" is for the young and young at heart. On DVD, "Adventureland" and "Rudo y Cursi" offer romance and laughs, "Goodbye, Solo" may wring some tears.

In Theaters:

District 9 (TriStar Pictures): What happens when aliens come to Earth but, instead of trying to take over the planet, they settle among humans and become unwanted refugees? That's the intriguing question at the center of this original, resourceful sci-fi thriller produced by Peter Jackson ("Lord of the Rings"). Set in an alien slum compound in South Africa, the fast-paced plot follows a combat specialist named Wikus (Sharlto Copley) who's hired to destroy the creatures but, once sprayed with a fluid that makes him slowly turn into one of the interplanetary visitors, comes to realize the complexities of the situation. Director Neill Blomkamp introduces a variety of sharp satirical concepts about survival, corruption, and prejudice between species without ever letting the action wane.

Ponyo (Walt Disney Pictures): Hayao Miyazaki ("Spirited Away") shows once more why he's one of the most revered directors of animated features with this enchanting children's story. Loosely based on Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Mermaid," it tells an unusual fairy tale about a young goldfish named Ponyo who's determined to leave the deep sea and start life on land as a human. Transformed into a red-haired little girl, Ponyo befriends a 5-year-old boy named Sosuke, but can she hide from her past long enough to find a new home? Putting even Pixar's movies to shame, Miyazaki's colorful and heartfelt fairy tale is for the young and the young at heart. With a voice cast that includes Liam Neeson, Cate Blanchett, Matt Damon and Cloris Leachman.

New on DVD:

Netflix tip: With so many titles available, it's not uncommon for viewers to forget the name of a certain movie. Not to worry-just enter the name of one of the actors or the movie's genre on the search box, and your memory will be refreshed within moments.

Adventureland (Miramax): Greg Mottola ("Superbad") delivers another fond, funny look at the loves and foibles of young people. Set in the summer of 1987, it stars Jesse Eisenberg as James, a student who, having recently finished college, is planning to take off on an European trip. However, when trouble at home scotch his travel plans and jeopardize his plans for grad school, he takes up a less than ideal job working at the local amusement park. Full of bratty children and brassy parents, it seems like a nightmare job until he meets co-worker Em (Kristen Stewart). Closer to Richard Linklater's thoughtful portraits of youth ("Dazed and Confused") than to Judd Apatow's raunchy comedies, this heartfelt film shows how relationships can be their own kind of rollercoaster.

Goodbye Solo (Roadside Attractions): Solo ( Souléymane Sy Savané) is a cheerful family man from Senegal trying to make it in North Carolina by driving a taxi cab. William (Red West) is a life-hardened, aged local who has little hope in dreams and even less patience with the enthusiasm of someone like Solo. It's difficult to imagine a more unlikely pair of protagonists, yet once brought together over the course of a long drive to the mountains, the two men gradually develop an understanding of each other's sets of values, and true friendship blossoms. Warmly acted and directed with a keen eye for surprising humanity by Ramin Bahrani, this is a deeply moving, at times unexpectedly funny, and ultimately hopeful look at human connection in difficult times.

Rudo y Cursi (Sony Pictures Classics): Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna ("Y Tu Mama Tambien") team up once more for this screwball comedy, which hits theaters after a crowd-pleasing run in film festivals. The stars play Mexican brothers who work in a banana plantation and spend their free time playing soccer and dreaming of moving to Mexico City. Cursi (Garcia Bernal) wants to become a singer, while Rudo (Luna) is a family man obsessed with gambling and sports. When a talent scout comes to the field and picks Cursi for the major leagues, Rudo goes after them with comic consequences. A mix of social commentary and raucous jock humor, it may be the rare film to please fans of "Amores Perrors" as well as "Wedding Crashers." With subtitles.