Happy X-Week! In the time you're not spending helping out at your favorite local charity, there are some great new movies coming out this week, including the much-talked-about "Iron Man 2"! Also in stores are the highly anticipated indie rock titans The New Pornographers and Broken Social Scene. And, of course, don't forget Big Show this weekend! Look below for more.

MOVIE RELEASES THIS WEEK

"Mother and Child"
Rated R, dir. Rodrigo García
Nationwide release: Friday, May 7
Forty years ago, a 14-year-old girl in Africa got pregnant. In the present day, we meet three women: Elizabeth (Naomi Watts), the lawyer who happily exploits her body to get what she wants and is sour that her mother gave her up; her mother, Karen (Annette Bening), the ice cold health-care professional; and Lucy (Kerry Washington), the woman who is struck with the realization that she is infertile and decides to adopt.

"Iron Man 2"
Rated PG-13, dir. Jon Favreau
Nationwide release: Friday, May 7
Robert Downey Jr. is back to reprise his role as billionaire inventor Tony Stark. Mr. Stark has just finished his latest invention. Naturally, it's good … so good that not only his enemies want it, but his government does, too. What's a hero to do?

"Babies"
Rated PG, dir. Thomas Balmes
Nationwide release: Friday, May 7
Opening this week at the Art Theater in downtown Champaign, "Babies" is a documentary by French filmmaker Thomas Balmes about the lives and families of four babies around the world — in Mongolia, Namibia, San Francisco, and Tokyo.

Eleni's Pick: "Mother and Child" sounds like it could be film of the year.

CDs in stores this week

"Forgiveness Rock Record"
Broken Social Scene
Broken Social Scene is not a band so much as a collective. Featuring Pavement's Spiral Stairs, Metric's Emily Haines, Feist, and a couple members of Stars (among many, many others), "Forgiveness Rock Record" is an eclectic, sparkling, and surprising album with brilliant "guest" appearances (insofar as anyone could be a guest in such a transient group), and unmatched instrumentals. It's been streaming online for a while now, and I love every minute of it.

"Together"
The New Pornographers
The New Pornographers are one of the more talented power pop bands to emerge in recent years, featuring the unmatched vocals of Neko Case alongside the Immaculate Machine's Kathryn Caulder. Their four previous studio albums have been named to "best of" indie rock lists, and expectations are high that "Together" will be every bit as good.

"Stuck on Nothing"
Free Energy
Free Energy has a similar vibe to the New Pornographers and Broken Social Scene both — a little more rock-edged but essentially the same sweet, sunny indie rock. It's a little glam, a little disco, a little '70s static and noise pop, and great in weird, unquantifiable ways. Their first full-length album, "Stuck on Nothing" is already predicted to be one of the best albums of 2010, and I'm looking forward to hearing it in full.

Katy's Pick: This is such a great week for indie rock, and all of these are good. But if you're budgeted for music, I'd hold out for next week's highly anticipated release of The National's "High Violet."

DVD RELEASES THIS WEEK

"Nine"
Rated PG-13, dir. Rob Marshall
Original U.S. theatrical release: Dec. 25, 2009
For film buffs, Frederico Fellini's 1963 masterpiece "8 1/2" retains iconic status as one of the greatest works of European cinema. "Nine" is the musical adaptation, starring Daniel Day-Lewis as Guido Contini, a famed film director who struggles mightily with his professional and personal lives. "Nine" is directed by Rob Marshall, whose last musical was the Oscar-winning "Chicago." Nominated for four Academy Awards, "Nine" is sure to become a classic.

"Tooth Fairy"
Rated PG, dir. Michael Lembeck
Original U.S. theatrical release: Jan. 22, 2010
Derek (Dwayne Johnson), a hockey player, is not the most upstanding of citizens. After a particularly bad deed, he is finally punished: He must be a tooth fairy for one week.

Eleni's Pick: I have yet to see "Nine," and it looks really, really good.

VIDEO GAME RELEASES THIS WEEK

"WHAT DID I DO TO DESERVE THIS, MY LORD?! 2"
Developer: Acquire
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
If you play many video games, you probably have spent a fair amount of time in a dungeon. But do you ever think about all the work that goes into maintaining that pit of despair? In "WHAT DID I DO TO DESERVE THIS, MY LORD?! 2" you must build a dungeon that has a sustainable ecosystem, without being too hospitable to heroes. Heroes, the terrible people who dare to enter your domain, must be stopped before they manage to colonize the dungeon. An interesting twist on a strategy game, but I still don't think I will be enjoying strategy on the PSP. "WHAT DID I DO TO DESERVE THIS, MY LORD?! 2" is available this week for $29.99, but only on PSP.

"Fat Princess: Fistful of Cake"
Developers: Titan Studios
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Few games dare to ask the really important questions: Why are we here? Is there a meaning to life? How many overweight princesses can you kidnap? Well, "Fat Princess: Fistful of Cake" answers the last one. As the name hints, your goal is to transport the "big-boned" princess back to your base, while ensuring she stays well-fed. However, you aren't the only one trying to find her-highness and her desserts. You compete against other players, and they won't fall easily. This is almost an exact remake of the PS3 "Fat Princess," but this one has the added bonus of PSP WiFi multiplayer. This doesn't seem like a bad way to spend $19.99, especially considering the other PSP games out there.

Luke's pick: I think that "WHAT DID I DO TO DESERVE THIS, MY LORD?! 2" sounds too quirky to pass up.

Local shows and events this week

Uni High Big Show
7:30 p.m. Friday, May 7, and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 8
North Attic Playhouse
Tickets: $5 for students, faculty; $6 for others
The annual conclusion to X-Week, Big Show features a series of 33 student-written and -performed sketches directed this year by seniors Laura Dripps, Anna Gooler, and Ethan Schiller. All proceeds to the Daily Bread Soup Kitchen, the designated charity for X-Week 2010.

Katy's Pick: Big Show! It's always great, and all the money's for a good cause.