Moon posterStill, they are returning from the Festival: Moon by Bowie’s boy Duncan Jones is a Paramount exclusive which should do quite nicely for them as they prepare for new ownership (discuss rumours you might have heard in the comments). After three years alone mining the moon Sam Rockwell might be going slightly nuts and imagining that he’s got company. Or is he?

The Penthouse and the Lighthouse both share Stephen Frears’ Chéri and the documentary that launched the Festival back in June, The September Issue. Chéri is based on two novels by Colette and is a cherished project by acclaimed screenwriter Christopher Hampton (Dangerous Liaisons, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly).

[The rest of this week’s new releases after the jump]

The September Issue is a fly on the wall thing about Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of Vogue and tormentor of editorial assistants. In a vaguely Wellington-related link, Anna Wintour’s step-daughter-in-law is from Newlands.

Creator of The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up, Judd Apatow gets a little bit serious with his overlong new film Funny People. Adam Sandler plays a rich stand-up comic/movie star who discovers he is dying and attempts to reconnect with the world via a friendship with aspiring comedian Seth Rogen. Readings and Sky City Queensgate.

Aliens in the Attic is that rare thing at the moment – a film that under 16s can go and see (that isn’t Up). A group of toothy kids (one of whom was second fiddle to the leads in High School Musical) discover an advanced party of angry looking but knee-high aliens intent on taking over the planet – and only the kids can stop them. Readings, Empire, Sky City Queensgate.

There’s a one-off screening at 4.00pm on Sunday at the Paramount of Russell Campbell’s new documentary, Sisters from Siberia about WCC councillor Stephanie Cook’s adoption of two Russian daughters (and by extension a look at the Russian emigré community in Wellington).

The film I’m most looking forward to this week is at the Film Society on Monday night: Paradjanov‘s The Colour of Pomegranates from 1968, a film described on IMDb as "one of the greatest masterpieces of the 20th century". I’ve missed almost everything the Film Society has screened this year as Monday night is Capital Times "write the bloody review" night but there’s no way I’m missing this.

And, at the Embassy on Sunday at 2.30pm they have Grease.

All the commercial releases will be reviewed (subject to space) in the Capital Times on Wednesday. Funerals & Snakes is in a bit of disarray at the moment after a botched host change but plans are afoot for a relaunch in early October. Meanwhile, tell us what you are watching in the comments.