For a quick look at all the entertainment choices the Gargoyle has featured this year, be sure to visit our A&E Hitlist. There you'll find at-a-glance info about all the movies, DVDs, CDs, and video games that we've included in our weekly entertainment guides since the school year began. In addition, you'll find links to external reviews (usually by Roger Ebert or New York Times critics) of all the movies and DVDs in our weekly guides, plus iTunes or MySpace links to our music selections. We've also added GameSpot links to our video game choices. So check out this wealth of A&E info!

Movies opening in C-U

“Fool’s Gold”
(Rated PG-13, dir. Andrew Tennant)
Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson, who co-starred in “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,” reunite in this caper about the exploits of a surfer-cum-treasure hunter and his wife.

“Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins”
(Rated PG-13, dir. Malcolm D. Lee)
Martin Lawrence stars as a successful self-help guru who returns home, with his son and diva girlfriend, to his eccentric Georgia family for his parents’ 50th anniversary.

Kumars’ Pick: In one corner, we have Kate Hudson in a bikini for an hour and a half. In the other, we have, um, the guy who managed to be even more annoying than Will Smith in “Bad Boys.” This one’s a no-brainer, folks.

CD releases this week

“Sleep Through the Static”
Jack Johnson
The popular Hawaiian-born singer/songwriter brings more acoustic music with “Sleep Through the Static,” his fifth major studio album. This follows his monkey-inspired 2006 album, “Sing-a-Longs and Lullabies for the Film Curious George.”

“Lucky”
Nada Surf
Nada Surf bring a sense of sarcastic wit to indie/alt rock that most bands could only dream of, best exemplified by their 1996 hit “Popular,” the ultimate tongue-in-cheek anthem about high school life. Guest appearances on the new album, only their fifth, include Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie.

“Detours”
Sheryl Crow
The country-rock superstar and environmental activist is back. “I'm really encouraging artists to write about what's going on, because we seem to be very distracted by some lightweight topics,” Crow told Billboard. “I think it's time to start writing about the reality of what's around us.” Singles include Hurricane Katrina-inspired “Love is Free” and “Shine Over Babylon.”

Laura’s Pick: Jack Johnson. Why? Because his upbeat melodical strummings just make you want to bust out!

DVD releases this week

“The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford”
(Rated R, dir. Andrew Dominik)
Brad Pitt stars as Jesse James in this exploration of the life of America’s most notorious bandit. Casey Affleck (recipient of an Oscar nomination for his performance), Zooey Deschanel, Mary-Louise Parker, and Sam Rockwell round out a star-studded ensemble.

“Feast of Love”
(Rated R, dir. Robert Benton)
Morgan Freeman, Greg Kinnear, and Selma Blair look for love in a coffee shop in their modest Oregon town, and each finds more than they bargained for.

“2 Days in Paris”
(Rated R, dir. Julie Delpy)
French photographer Marion (Julie Delpy) and American interior designer Jack (Adam Goldberg) take a trip to Europe in order to save their dull relationship, but a visit to Marion’s home city of Paris proves a comical and disastrous obstacle that their relationship may not surmount.

“Elizabeth: The Golden Age”
(Rated PG-13, dir. Shekhar Kapur)
Shekhar Kapur’s sequel to his critically acclaimed 1998 historical drama “Elizabeth” finds the titular monarch (Cate Blanchett) embroiled in conflict with Spain’s warmongering King Philip II and a tragic romance with Sir Walter Raleigh (Clive Owen).

“The Brave One”
(Rated R, dir. Neil Jordan)
Neil Jordan (“The Crying Game,” “Interview with the Vampire,” “The Good Thief”) directs this drama about a rape victim (Jodie Foster) who becomes a vigilante, prowling the streets of New York in search of revenge.

“Across the Universe”
(Rated PG-13, dir. Julie Taymor)
“Titus” director Julie Taymor helms this Beatles-themed musical love story set against the back-drop of the rock ‘n’ roll and anti-war protests of the 1960s.

Kumars’ Pick: I’ve only seen one of these as of today, and that’s Taymor’s “Across the Universe.” I wasn’t particularly impressed, but if you’re a huge Beatles fan you should at least find it a pleasurable experiment in musical cinema. The cream of the crop this week seems to be the exceptionally well-regarded “Assassination of Jesse James,” which found Champaign-Urbana only briefly during its limited theatrical release.

Video game releases this week

“Devil May Cry 4”
(Capcom)
A young knight Nero is given a task by the “Order of the Sword” to defend the memory of a historical Dark Knight named Sparda. Equipped with his “Devil Bringer” Arm, the Red Queen sword, and Blue Rose pistols, Nero sets out on a journey to destroy all the demons that threaten to do any harm to Sparda. “Devil May Cry 4” costs $59.99 for the Xbox 360 and PS3.

“Assassin’s Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles”
(Ubisoft)
Set during the Third Crusade in 1191 A.D, “Altaïr's Chronicles” is a prequel to the popular “Assassin’s Creed” game. The prequel will provide the background story on how Altaïr became an assassin and will also feature four new cities. “Assassin’s Creed: Altair Chronicles” costs $29.99 for the DS.

“Sins of a Solar Empire”
(Stardock)
This galactic real-time strategy game features three races: the Trader Emergency Coalition (TEC), the Advent, and the Vasari. Each of these three races has its own unique style, structure, weapons, technologies, and stories. The TEC is the most industrious, the Advent has rare resources and is the strongest, and the Vasari the most technologically superior. “Sins of a Solar Empire” costs $39.99 for the PC.

Gordon’s Pick: “Devil May Cry 4.” A hero goes on a journey to destroy demons — a classic scenario that still works.