This Week in Entertainment

By Louis Lesser     9/26/12 7:00pm

"The 2nd Law" - Muse -The sixth studio album from the English alternative rock band has been robustly described by lead singer Matthew Bellamy as "a Christian gangster rap jazz odyssey, with some ambient rebellious dubstep and face-melting metal flamenco cowboy psychedelic music." In other words, the band will certainly be experimenting with its signature symphonic sound. Singles already released in- clude "Madness" and "Survival," the latter of which doubled as the official song of the 2012 London Olympics.

"Won't Back Down" -This film is based on the 2010 parent trigger law debates in California, when administrative overhaul was proposed for underperforming public schools in the Los Angeles area. The plot follows two determined mothers (Mag- gie Gyllenhaal, "The Dark Knight" and Viola Davis, "The Help") who look to transform their children's failing inner-city school. This movie is the first appearance of actress Holly Hunter ("The Incredibles") in over seven years and also stars Ving Rhames "Mission: Impossible."PG, 121 minutes.

"Dark Shadows" - From the unique mind of acclaimed director Tim Burton, this adaptation of the soap opera of the same name follows an imprisoned, cursed vampire (Johnny Depp, "Pirates of the Caribbean") who, after 200 years, is freed into 1970s America and UK, and, with the help of his descendants, attempts to settle a previous romance. Met with mixed reception from both critics and audiences during its theatrical release, the film looks to find an audience at home. Available on DVD and Blu-Ray.

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"Kaleidoscope Dream" - Miguel - The second album from rhythm and blues soul-man Miguel looks to please critics and audiences with sultry songs such as lead single "Adorn" and includes a feature from Alicia Keyes. This release follows in the footsteps of a new wave of R&B artists less concerned with electronic sounds and more interested in unfurling slow grooves, in the style of artists such as Frank Ocean, The Week- nd and Elle Varner. This is also Miguel's first album under RCA Records after the disbandment of Jive Records.

"The Casual Vacancy " - This highly anticipated new book from "Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling is her first novel both written outside of her blockbuster series and for an adult audience. Though non-disclosure agreements have kept many publications mum, the black comedy is said to follow an election for a newly open seat on a parish council fraught with passion, duplicity and unexpected revelations. Be sure to watch whether this book catches on with one of the largest built-in literary audiences of all time.

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