Look for "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist" to pack the theaters this weekend. But if you really want some good entertainment, check out the new solo album by former Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello, and then head down to the South Quad at noon Saturday to catch Uni High's own Hannah Leskosky as she performs her ventriloquist act for the College of Education's Youth Literature Festival. And, of course, don't forget the Uni Cultural Fair this Friday!

MOVIES OPENING IN C-U THIS WEEK

Note: Information about the film "Blindness" has been added to this guide. Thanks to the anonymous commenter who pointed out that it will be released this week. We've also added information about "Flash of Genius."

"Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist"
Rated PG-13, dir. Peter Sollett
Nick (Michael Cera) is the recently dumped straight guitarist of a queerxcore band in New York. Norah (Kat Dennings), a stranger at one of his gigs, asks him to pretend to be her boyfriend for five minutes. The two embark on a nightlong adventure through New York’s punk scene and encounter a series of friends and strangers that shape their new romance.

"Beverly Hills Chihuahua"
Rated PG, dir. Raja Gosnell
Chloe (voiced by Drew Barrymore) is a kitsch celebutante Chihuahua from Beverly Hills who finds herself lost while vacationing in Mexico. She enlists the help of Papi (voiced by George Lopez) to help her get back home. Dance numbers with dozens of dogs in mock-Aztec headdress and cries of "Ay Chihuahua" ensue.

"How to Lose Friends & Alienate People"
Rated R, dir. Robert B. Weide
Sidney Young (Simon Pegg) is a cynical writer for an alternative magazine who mainly makes fun of celebrities and the world of entertainment, so he’s incredibly surprised when he’s offered a job following starlets at New York’s mainstream Sharps magazine. He begins a journey toward his idea of success, which involves a lot of womanizing, homophobia, gross-out humor, and an intense lack of social skills in this film that claims it has something to offend everyone.

"Religulous"
Rated R, dir. Larry Charles
Bill Maher takes a spiritual journey throughout the world, from the Western Wall to the American Bible Belt, in this documentary about how people view religion and what effect it has on their lives. Christianity, Scientology, Mormonism, and Islam are focused on, among others.

"Blindness"
Rated R, dir. Fernando Meirelles
If pedigree means anything, "Blindness" could be one of the great movies of the fall season. Based on a novel by Nobel Prize winner José Saramago and directed by Fernando Meirelles of "City of God" fame, "Blindness" has received extensive praise. Julianne Moore stars as a doctor's wife who is the only person who retains the ability to see in a town where everyone suddenly becomes blind. Mark Ruffalo co-stars as Moore's husband in this story of a community breaking down into chaos.

"Flash of Genius"
Rated PG-13, dir. Marc Abraham
Greg Kinnear stars as a college professor who invents a windshield wiper that should have made him and his family rich. Instead, the auto industry denies him credit, and he battles the corporate giants to get the recognition he deserves. Based on a true story.

Laura’s Pick: So my freshman year I asked one of the Uni librarians to recommend the trashiest book in the library. The book I got was "Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist," and it was terrible! Surprisingly, the film version looks a lot less headache-inducing, especially if you ignore the fact that Michael Cera's in it. You should all go see it. "Religulous" looks really interesting, but also kind of like an oversimplified view of world religions. Skip the other two.

NEW CD RELEASES IN STORES THIS WEEK

"The Fabled City"
Tom Morello: The Nightwatchman
Best known as the blistering lead guitarist for Rage Against the Machine, Tom Morello as a solo artist remains just as political, but he's turned down the volume considerably. Acoustic guitar is now his instrument of choice, but as Morello says on his MySpace page: "You don't gotta be loud, son, to be heavy as sh**!" Billing himself as Tom Morello: The Nightwatchman, the Harvard alum and Libertyville High grad has added a few more instruments to the mix. More importantly, he has become a storyteller, not just a political agitator. The time he's spent with Bruce Springsteen singing about the Ghost of Tom Joad has clearly rubbed off, and that's a good thing. The album's first single, "Whatever It Takes," is perfectly crafted political rock. Listen to it for free here.

"Way to Normal"
Ben Folds
Ben Folds, once a staple of mid-'90s hipster radio as leader of Ben Folds Five, releases his third solo album. With his trademark piano work and melodramatic emoting, Folds offers enough solid material to make his fans happy. One of the highlights: "You Don't Know Me,'' a duet with pianist/singer-songwriter Regina Spektor.

"Snowflake Midnight"
Mercury Rev
Dream-pop stalwarts Mercury Rev have been quietly building an impressive library of releases over the years. Sometimes compared to The Flaming Lips, with whom they've shared personnel, the Buffalo, N.Y., band never achieved the popularity of their Oklahoma friends. Still, Rev's 2001 album, "All Is Dream," ranks as a must-have for any indie devotee. It was made before the 9/11 attacks, but the album's high point, "The Dark is Rising," seems uncannily prescient and remains to this day unbearably haunting. Their seventh studio album, "Snowflake Midnight," has gotten good reviews. The band's Web site, always impartial, refers to the album as "a resplendent fractal, folding in upon itself, into something continually new, unpredictable and spontaneous, and yet, paradoxically at times so subtly self-aware, never failing to resemble itself in the whole." The band is offering a companion album of 11 tracks, "Strange Attractor," as a free MP3 download.

"The Glass Passenger"
Jack's Mannequin
From Entertainment Weekly: "Jack's Mannequin frontman Andrew McMahon sticks to his formula of friendly piano and new-wave-influenced beats on his second album. But this time he weaves in darker themes of desperation and adversity, as 'The Glass Passenger' is loosely inspired by his recent battle with leukemia (now in remission)."

OG Pick: Tom Morello. But treat yourself to some Mercury Rev, old or new, if you've never heard them. "The Dark is Rising" is not to be missed.

NEW DVD RELEASES IN STORES THIS WEEK

"Iron Man"
Rated PG-13, dir. John Favreau
Engineering mastermind Tony Stark is captured in Afghanistan and ordered to build a missile for his captors. Instead, he creates a powerful metal suit that he uses to escape and fight the corrupt businesses that have been selling weapons to insurgents.

"Forgetting Sarah Marshall"
Rated R, dir. Nicholas Stoller
Peter Bretter (Jason Segal) has spent the past few years of his life existing mainly as the boyfriend of successful actress Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell). So when he gets dumped, he’s understandably a bit confused about what to do with his life. He heads on vacation in Hawaii, only to find that Sarah and her new beau (Russell Means) are staying at the same resort.

Laura’s Pick: These look boring. "Iron Man" if you really have to …

NEW VIDEO GAME RELEASES IN STORES THIS WEEK

"Silent Hill: Homecoming"
Konami
Alex Shephard is a war veteran who has suffered huge psychological problems. When he returns home, he discovers that his whole family is missing. In order to find them, Shephard must traverse "Silent Hill," a place which is abandoned, always shrouded with fog, and filled with unknown creatures. "Silent Hill: Homecoming" costs $59.99 for the Xbox360 and PS3.

"Harvest Moon: Tree of Tranquility"
Natsume
You are a boy or a girl, and your goal is to establish your own magical farm that can create rainbows to revive trees. "Harvest Moon: Tree of Tranquility" costs $49.99 for the Wii.

"Mount & Blade"
Paradox Interactive
Set in medieval times, this role-playing action game allows you to play in five different factions and traverse its open world. "Mount & Blade" costs $29.99 for the PC.

Gordon’s Pick: If you like spooky and horror genre games, you can check out "Silent Hill: Homecoming." Otherwise there is nothing good this week.

LIVE ENTERTAINMENT THIS WEEK

Hannah Leskosky
Noon, Saturday, Oct. 4
South Quad
Uni senior Hannah Leskosky brings her skills as a ventriloquist to the South Quad this weekend as part of the entertainment for the U of I College of Education's Youth Literature Festival. She'll be performing on the storytelling/puppetry stage. The festival itself looks great. More than 20 authors will visit area schools on Thursday and Friday. Marc Aronson, author of "Race: A History Beyond Black and White," will visit Uni on Friday. He'll speak to subfreshmen at 9 a.m., participate in the Uni High Cultural Fair from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., then meet with the World History class during fifth period. On Saturday, an impressive array of entertainment is scheduled throughout C-U, including Hannah's performance. For the full schedule, click here.

OG Pick: Hannah, of course!