The Headliner

Step Up

Like the rest of the true patriots, the studios took this week off and declined to make any big releases available via VOD this weekend. However, your cable company has responded to your pressing need for more Channing Tatum with a dump of his old movies, the best of which is (obviously) Step Up. Watch Tatum dance! Mostly clothed, but still! Enjoy Baltimore looking slightly less gritty than on The Wire! And see Tatum fall in love with his co-star/future wife Jenna Dewan right before your very eyes!

New and Notable

The American Dream

If you still have a patriotic hangover, this documentary-style story of two friends filming their last days together before shipping off with the Marines to Afghanistan may be just what you need. (If you have a regular hangover, probably not. There’s yelling.)

The Cup

If Warrior had more horses, less Nick Nolte, and let its stars speak in something approximating their real accents, it might look something like this.

Collaborator

Classic “Hey! It’s That Guy!” Martin Donovan wrote, directed, and stars in this film about two old friends meeting up for a beer that turns into a hostage situation, as can sometimes occur.

#ReGENERATION

Ryan Gosling narrates this documentary, which portrays the Occupy movement as part of a generation’s need to define itself.

The Forger

Alfred Molina appears to be the only star having any fun in The Forger, in which Josh Hutcherson of The Hunger Games is an art-forging prodigy. I’ll call this the week’s best bet in the genre of “comedy (unintentional).”

Heat Wave

YouTube doesn’t seem to have a subtitled version of the trailer for Heat Wave (or, as it’s titled in French, Après le Sud). It does look pretty hot, though.

How to Live Forever

Is eternal life possible? Is it desirable? And what does Suzanne Somers have to say on the topic? All these questions and (probably) more are answered in this documentary.

“In Theaters” VOD Pick

Take This Waltz

Away From Her, the last film Sarah Polley directed, was a beautiful if heartbreaking love story, and this one will have to be pretty spectacular to surpass it. That said, it does feature a fully naked Sarah Silverman.

Weird Indie of the Week

Mac & Devin Go to High School

You see, the phrase “high school” might have a double meaning if you’re talking about a film in which Snoop Dogg plays a “15th-year senior.”

Early VOD Premiere of the Week

Why Stop Now

Just your typical “son trying to get his mom one last score so she qualifies for rehab and then ends up getting embroiled with her dealer” story, except this one stars Oscar winner Melissa Leo, Oscar nominee Jesse Eisenberg, and … EGOT winner Tracy Morgan.

Masochist’s Choice

Goobers!

Originally titled Mystery Monsters, Goobers! is being released now, for the first time, 15 years after its completion. Another sign that it might not be so great: There is no trailer for it anywhere on the Internet. But I swear it exists.