This Week in Entertainment

By Louis Lesser     1/9/13 6:00pm

Movies:

Gangster Squad: Set in the 1940s, the movie chronicles a division of the Los Angeles Police Department as it fights to keep its city free of gangsters, even if it means breaking the law in order to protect it. Originally scheduled to be released last September, the film was delayed in the wake of the Aurora, Colo. shootings, which also caused additional reshoots of several scenes in order to change a plot line concerning a cinema attack. Co-starring Josh Brolin (No Country For Old Men) and Ryan Gosling (Crazy Stupid Love), the film looks to make a mark as a new wide release in a market saturated with holiday leftovers. R, 113 minutes. 

Zero Dark Thirty: Recently snubbed a nomination for best director, Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker) gives  an inside look at the United States' manhunt to locate Osama Bin Laden. Featuring Jessica Chastain (The Help) in the lead role of a key operative, the film has already been met with praise from its limited release in New York and Los Angeles and was selected as one of the 10 best films of 2012 by the American Film Institute. However, it has also sparked controversy and criticism for its allegedly pro-torture stance and allegations that the filmmakers obtained improper access to classified materials. R, 157 minutes.

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Music:

Long Live A$AP - A$AP Rocky: The highly anticipated debut studio album of Harlem rapper ASAP Rocky finally sees its release after countless delays amid much anticipation from the hip-hop community. Featuring lead singles "Goldie" and "F**kin' Problems," and guest appearances from fellow young rap artists such as Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q and Big K.R.I.T., Rocky creates a unique, "chopped and screwed" influenced effort; combining both party anthems and more compelling tracks about his youthful struggle.

Set You Free - Gary Allan: The ninth studio album from Gary Allan provides listeners with another collection of country songs, including the lead single, "Every Storm." The tracks on the CD are sequenced within a storyline of a failed relationship and conquering the loneliness of its aftermath. Allan also plays lead guitar on a number of the tracks and penned several of the songs himself, a more personal effort for the star.

DVD & Blu-Ray

Taken 2: The follow-up to 2009's surprising hit, this film follows former CIA agent Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson, Schindler's List), who, after being surprised by his daughter and ex-wife while on a business trip to Istanbul, must face a group of revenge-seeking criminals after his family members go missing. Despite mixed critical reception, the film outgrossed its predecessor and was a major theatrical hit this past fall. Bonus features include an alternate ending, as well as deleted and extended scenes.

To Rome With Love: Marking director Woody Allen's first acting role since 2006's Scoop, this ensemble romantic comedy is told in the form of four separate vignettes, each set in Rome. Starring a cast featuring Academy Award winners such as Penelope Cruz (Vicky Cristina Barcelona) and Roberto Benigni (Life is Beautiful), the critical consensus on the film is that while not one of Allen's best, it still makes for an enjoyable movie-watching experience. Bonus features include a behind-the-scenes documentary on the making of the movie.

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