In Theaters Now: Brüno, I Love You, Beth Cooper, Humpday & More

Brüno
directed by Larry Charles
Sacha Baron Cohen is at it again with what will surely be the fantastically successful Brüno, the real/fake documentary in the same vein as Cohen’s first monster hit, Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan. In this film, Cohen disguises himself as an Austrian fashionista out to shock Americans with his flamboyant fabulousness. And judging by the stunts Brüno has pulled at such events as the recent MTV Movie Awards (where he landed ass-first on Eminem’s face), shock us he will. Charles first worked with Cohen on Borat and has since gone on to direct episodes of “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and the Bill Maher doc Religulous.

I Love You, Beth Cooper
directed by Chris Columbus
From the director of the first two Harry Potter movies comes I Love You, Beth Cooper, based on the popular book by Larry Doyle (who, apart from being a novelist, is also a celebrated television writer with episodes of “Daria,” “The Simpsons” and “Beavis and Butthead” to his name.) Beth Cooper follows the graduation night of Denis Cooverman, a hopeless geek who pronounces his love for the hottest girl in school during his valedictorian speech. The hottest girl in question is played by Hayden Panettiere, vying for her chance at movie stardom since starring in the failed TV project that is “Heroes.” But the breakout star of this movie will surely be Paul Rust as Denis, who developed a following on the Web for his sketch comedy.

The Hurt Locker
directed by Kathryn Bigelow
Lots of buzz is surrounding The Hurt Locker, a movie about bomb-disposal soldiers nearing the end of their rotation who get caught up in a deadly game of urban combat when they encounter a new sergeant. No stranger to war films, Bigelow also directed K-19: The Widowmaker. Written by journalist-screenwriter Mark Boal, whose 2004 reports while doing a stint in Baghdad were the basis for the movie, the movie has been intriguing audiences since debuting on the film festival circuit and actors Anthony Mackie and Jeremy Renner have already won Spirit Awards for their roles.

Humpday
directed by Lynn Shelton
Humpday marks the latest installment of the Mumblecore film movement director Shelton helped to create. A low-budget picture with a completely improvised script, the movie follows two perfectly straight guy friends who consider sleeping together for a pornographic art film project. The movie won the Grand and Special jury prizes at Sundance, where it received a lot of buzz, and went on to screen at Cannes.