MOVIES OPENING IN C-U THIS WEEK

"Dan in Real Life" (Rated PG-13, dir. Peter Hedges)
Steve Carell, Juliette Binoche, Dane Cook, and Emily Blunt headline this comedy about a relationship advice columnist (Carell) who can’t seem to succeed at his own relationships. The plot seems predictable, but the director, Peter Hedges, wrote the novel and screenplay for the 1993 Johnny Depp cult classic "What's Eating Gilbert Grape," so maybe there are some fresh takes here.

"Saw IV" (Rated R, dir. Darren Lynn Bousman)
Evil mastermind Jigsaw has seemingly cooked up another deadly game from beyond the grave, this time to finish off the police officer who escaped “Saw III” alive. The "Saw" franchise has been a huge moneymaker for Lions Gate Films, and the latest installment will probably live up to that track record. Releasing it a few days before Halloween won't hurt.

Kumars’ Pick: The proverbial pickings are slim this week, with only two new releases in theaters and nothing new at Boardman’s. If you’re a devotee of the dreadfully dull “Saw” franchise, I highly doubt that critical approval (or, for that matter, my own) will sway your decision to see the latest installment. Despite its (mostly) promising cast, “Dan in Real Life” sounds like a dozen different films and TV shows that came before it, and the presence of the insufferable Dane Cook really pushes this one over the fence. Rent something to tide you over until “The Darjeeling Limited” finally arrives. No, I have no idea when it’s coming.

Oct. 25 Update: According to the new schedules just released, "The Darjeeling Limited" will open Friday, Oct. 26, at both the Savoy 16 and Beverly 18. Click here for times.

NEW CD RELEASES IN STORES THIS WEEK

Little Brother, “Getback”
Little Brother release their first record since cutting off their longstanding relationship with producer 9th Wonder. “Getback” will be the North Carolina duo’s third album, and will feature guest performances by artists like Dion and Lil’ Wayne.

7L & Esoteric, “Egoclapper”
Boston MC Esoteric drops his first largely solo release on his own fledgling label, Fly Casual Creative. While Esoteric produced the majority of the album (a first for him), other producers include 45 King, Raydar Ellis, and longtime partner 7L. As a bonus, when fans purchase the record from UGHH, they will receive a copy of Eso’s latest concept album, Esoteric vs. Gary Numan, “Pterodactyl Tubeway,” on which he reworks the tunes of the electropop pioneer.

Babyshambles, “Shotter’s Nation”
Pete Doherty’s four-piece has finally lived up to their own expectations. Their new album, “Shotter’s Nation,” combines their eclectic influences — ranging from '60s Motown to '90s Britpop — with the production of Stephen Street (Blur, The Smiths) to create a varied collection of pop melodies. A highlight of the record, the acoustic closer “The Lost Art of Murder,” features guitar by Scotland’s legendary folk songwriter Bert Jansch.

Carrie Underwood, “Carnival Ride”
American Idol and Grammy-winning songstress Carrie Underwood releases her sophomore effort, riding the wave of her Top-20 single “So Small.” The title of the album, “Carnival Ride,” is an important symbol for Underwood, representing life and its combination of joys and unstoppability.

Coheed And Cambria, “Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume Two: No World For Tomorrow”
These progressive rockers get even more experimental with “No World For Tomorrow,” the penultimate installment in their tetralogy of concept albums dealing with the fictional Amory Wars. The band expanded their instrumental scope for the record, utilizing pianos and organs to create a new sound that lead singer Claudio Sanchez describes as “Ray Charles on Quaaludes.” While there is still one album left in the concept, it is slated to be a prequel, so “No World for Tomorrow” will provide the ending for the saga.

Erin’s Pick: My brain hurts … there was way too much stuff to preview this week. I’ll probably go with Babyshambles and Little Brother, though I have to admit I’m curious about “Pterodactyl Tubeway.” Judging by the three tracks on their MySpace, Babyshambles have a refreshing vintage touch to them but don’t seem to sound like any one thing in particular, so I’m interested to see what I can make of the album overall.

NEW DVD RELEASES IN STORES THIS WEEK

"Home of the Brave" (Rated R, dir. Irwin Winkler)
Samuel L. Jackson, Jessica Biel, Brian Presley, and 50 Cent are Iraq war veterans who return home to America and find that their personal battles are only just beginning.

"Hostel: Part II" (Rated R, dir. Eli Roth)
Eli Roth’s second saga of sadistic torture finds three American girls lured into an exotic locale only to stumble into a trap that could see their lives brought to a grisly end.

"Mr. Brooks" (Rated R, dir. Bruce A. Evans)
Kevin Costner stars as Mr. Brooks, the successful businessman who’s got it all — money, charm, generosity, a loving family, and the deadly secret of a gruesome pastime.

Kumars’ Pick: None of these are really my cup of tea, but I’ve at least heard marginally good things about “Hostel: Part II.” If you’re, you know, into that sort of thing.

LOCAL SHOWS & CONCERTS

Friday, October 26: Whisperwall, Company Of Thieves, Keslinger, 8 p.m., Courtyard Café, $6.
Whisperwall, a downstate powerpop group, pay a visit to the Courtyard with Chicago indie-rockers Company Of Thieves and suburban pop-punkers Keslinger.

Friday, October 26: The Greytones Record Release Show, 9 p.m., The Iron Post, $5.
Local alt-rockers The Greytones drop their first EP this week (entitled “Penumbra”), and they will celebrate with a concert at the humble Urbana bar.

Saturday, October 27: Alleyway Sex, JigSaw, The Fad, 8 p.m., Independent Media Center, $5.
Local ska-punk veterans Alleyway Sex join Champaign’s JigSaw and Long Island’s The Fad for an all-ages evening of ska and punk delight.

Erin’s Pick: Personally, my show of the week will be the performance of the Georgian State Dance Company on Wednesday, but that’s probably just my interest in Eastern Europe talking. In terms of the other choices, I’d go with the IMC show. The Fad sound great. Check out their MySpace and listen to “Ska Boom.” It’s seriously one of the most infectious songs I’ve heard lately.

NEW VIDEO GAME RELEASES IN STORES THIS WEEK

“Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground” (Activision)
As the ninth installment of the popular Tony Hawk series, "Proving Ground" allows players to create their own stories. There are three lifestyles in Proving Ground: career skaters, rigger skaters, and hardcore skaters. Each lifestyle has its own unique set of characteristics. Also in "Proving Ground," players can create their own skate parks, build their own unique skills, and create their own videos. “Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground” costs $59.99 for the PS3 and Xbox360, $49.99 for the Wii, $39.99 for the PS2, and $29.99 for the DS.

“Fury” (Gamecock Media Group)
“Fury” is a sword and sorcery MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game), but it is not like any games that I’ve ever seen or played. Unlike a traditional MMORPG that allows players to explore areas and fight monsters, “Fury” focuses purely on PvP (player vs. player) and is all about fighting other players. There are three game types: vortex (capture the flag), elimination (team battles), and bloodbath (free for all). “Fury” costs $49.99 on the PC and is free for online play.

“Beautiful Katamari” (Namco Bandai)
“Beautiful Katamari” is the fourth game of the Katamari series and is a third-person puzzle action game, following the same bizarre game play as the previous games ("Katamari Damacy," "We ♥ Katamari," "Me & My Katamari"). In “Beautiful Katamari,” one plays as a magical and adhesive ball, called katamari, and collect objects to increase his or her size. There are many different objectives the player has to accomplish, such as making the planet Mercury. Building upon the previous games, “Beautiful Katamari” allows players to play with other people online for the first time and contains over 50 playable characters with their own styles. “Beautiful Katamari” costs $39.99 on the Xbox360.

Gordon’s Pick: There aren’t many great releases this week and none of these games are really worth recommending. “Fury” is the most unique of the three games featured, but even though it takes a new approach to MMORPGs, it seems to me that there isn’t enough content in the game to keep someone to play it for more than a week.