Britain in 1961 is a drab place, adjusting to the loss of the Empire and afraid of the Bomb.  Nonetheless, Oxford bound Jenny slogs on, leading the life laid out for her, until she meets a mysterious older man who showers her with gifts, a trip to her beloved Paris and eventually a marriage proposal.  Is it all too good to be true?  The fact that her class is reading Jane Eyre is not a good sign.  Nominated for three Academy Awards, An Education stars Carey Mulligan and has an 85 percent rating at Metacritic.

At a wedding, Philippe meets the woman of his dreams. Though no one seems to know much about her, Senta is beautiful, headstrong and very interested in him. There is one small obstacle to their living happily ever after - she feels he should kill someone at random to show how much he loves her. The death of a drifter in the neighborhood seems to offer a golden opportunity for Philippe to please his new beloved, but things get very complicated. A film by French New Wave director and master of suspense Claude Chabrol, The Bridesmaid has a 74 percent rating at Metacritic.

By 1936, all of Europe's mountains have been conquered, save one, the Eiger, in the Swiss Alps. The fascist governments of the day are especially eager to score propaganda points by having one of their people be the first on top. Toni and Andi want no part of this; without official permission or support, they head off to Switzerland and begin their own ascent of the mountain. Things go well until bad weather and the mistakes of others turn the expedition into a grim battle for survival. North Face was nominated for an Academy Award and has an 83 percent rating at Rotten Tomatoes.

William leads a dull, quiet life operating a one man accounting firm in a nondescript office building. One day a young woman enters his office, begins to relate problems of a very personal nature, and abruptly leaves, promising to return the following week. Deeply confused, he gradually realizes she has mistaken his office for that of the psychotherapist down the hall. The good doctor seems surprisingly unfazed by the mix-up and suggests that he continue seeing her. Directed by Patrice LeConte, Intimate Strangers has a 70 percent rating at Metacritic.

Dying is never easy, especially if you're as famous as Leo Tolstoy. In 1910, the celebrated writer is in failing health, but friends and family continue to compete for his attention, his approval and the copyright to his books. The Last Station, starring Christopher Plummer and Helen Mirren, was nominated for two Academy Awards and has a 70 percent rating at Rotten Tomatoes.

Syracuse, the owner of a small fishing boat in a remote part of Ireland, is surprised one day to find a young woman ensnarled in his nets. Ondine, as she prefers to be called, is quiet, awkward and otherworldly; his daughter thinks she is a mermaid. Syracuse is happy to have her around - she seems to draw fish purely by the sound of her singing - but a creepy stranger arrives in town with plans of his own. A Neal Jordan film, Ondine has a 65 percent rating at Metacritic.