The Short List of Things to Do

Week of Oct. 10

Happy-Go-Lucky

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Sally Hawkins won the Berlin Film Festival's Best Actress award as a cockeyed-optimist schoolteacher in this larkish entry from the usually dour Brit auteur Leigh (Secrets & Lies, Vera Drake). Even if you don't find Hawkins as adorable as the movie does, you're likely to fall in love with Karina Fernandez, who plays an imperiously funny flamenco teacher.

Grade: B

November 28

The new Elvis Costello television series, Stephen Colbert's Christmas Special and Chungking Express on DVD

November 21

The Monty Python Holy Grail on DVD, Gears of War 2 for the gamers, Bolt in movie theaters, and more

October 10

The good cheer of Happy-Go-Lucky, reliving the amazing life of John Lennon, cathing up with The Starter Wife on TV, and more

October 3

Greg Kinnear, in Flash of Genius, Richard Jenkins in The Visitor, Anne Hathaway in Rachel Getting Married, and more

September 26

Jenny Lewis in the record stores, Dennis Lehane's The Given Day in bookstores, The Lucky Ones in movie theaters, and more