Lots of good new releases in music (Sufjan Stevens, Flaming Lips), movies ("Where the Wild Things Are," "New York, I Love You"), and video games ("Demon's Souls"), but the real news is what's going on Friday night. An art auction to benefit Uni will be held on campus at 6 p.m., and the brilliant humorist David Sedaris will appear at the Virginia at 8. Go to both!

MOVIE RELEASES THIS WEEK

"New York, I Love You"
Rated R, 11 co-directors
Limited release: Friday, Oct. 16
"New York, I Love You" is the American spin-off of "Paris, je t'aime." This film will talk you through different sections of New York City and show different scenes of love in the Big Apple.

"Where the Wild Things Are"
Rated PG, dir. Spike Jonze
Nationwide release: Friday, Oct. 16
Based on (Maurice Sendak's 1963 children's picture book of the same name, "Where the Wild Things Are" tells the story of Max (Max Records), a naughty little boy who is punished by parents and set to bed early. In his dreams, he creates a world with wild creatures that obey only his rule.

"The Stepfather"
Rated PG-13, dir. Nelson McCormick
Nationwide release: Friday, Oct. 16
When Michael (Penn Badgley of "Gossip Girl" fame) returns from military school, he finds his mother (Sela Ward) happily living with her new boyfriend, David (Dylan Walsh). As Michael gets to know David, he becomes wary of this too-good-to-be-true figure.

"Law Abiding Citizen"
Rated R, dir. F. Gary Gray
Nationwide release: Friday, Oct. 16
Clyde Shelton (Gerard Butler), an everyday, law-abiding citizen, is distraught after the murder of his wife and daughter. The two killers are arrested, but in a deal with the prosecutor's office one of them avoids the death penalty by testifying against the other. This enrages Clyde, who waits 10 years to seek the justice that the legal system denied him. Jamie Foxx plays Nick Rice, the assistant district attorney who was involved in the plea bargain.

"Black Dynamite"
Rated R, dir. Scott Sanders
Limited release: Friday, Oct. 16
In this send-up of blaxploitation action films, Black Dynamite (Michael Jai White) is a fearless agent who fights against The Man in 1970s America. The Man killed his brother, gave drugs to orphans, and adulterated malt liquor. Black Dynamite wants to purge the world of evil; in doing so, he must ride the world The Man.

Eleni's Pick: Hands down, "New York, I Love You," although it's in limited release and might not reach Champaign-Urbana for a while. Keep an eye out for it.

CD Releases This Week

"The BQE"
Sufjan Stevens
This. Looks. Incredible. So, "The BQE," short for the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, is a musical documentary mixed-media thing by one of my very favorite artists, indie-folk legend Sufjan Stevens. It was filmed, shot, and partially recorded on the eponymous interstate. As his first full-length original release since 2005's "Illinois," I'm highly anticipating it.

"Embryonic"
The Flaming Lips
Though this album was technically only due to be released today, it did not leak so much as flood. As such, I can assure you it's a wonderful new piece of experimental/space rock. With wonderful guest appearances by names such as MGMT and Yeah Yeah Yeahs vocalist Karen O, it's a stand-alone piece with what I can only describe as explosive, symphonic, wonderful songs.

"1969" (EP)
Los Lonely Boys
Los Lonely Boys have always represented conflict for me: a group of incredibly talented artists releasing in a genre I despise, which they refer to as "Texican Rock 'n' Roll." However, this new EP looks fairly promising, covering such rock staples as The Beatles, The Doors, and Santana. I don't know if I recommend it, but it certainly can't be bad.

"She Wolf"
Shakira
I'd be highly remiss as a music critic if didn't so much as mention this. However, I really dislike Shakira, and from what I've heard, this album is no exception. Unremarkable, overproduced dance pop, blah blah blah, whatever. If this seems overly negative, just listen to the single … and also, who calls herself a she wolf? Hardly a complimentary title, but think I agree.

Katy's Pick: "The BQE," without a doubt. I absolutely adore Sufjan, and if this is anywhere near as good as his previous work, it will be wonderful.

DVD Releases This Week

"The Proposal"
Rated PG-13, dir. Anne Fletcher
Original U.S. theatrical release: June 19, 2009
Margaret (Sandra Bullock), an overworked, overambitious New York book editor, is forced to marry an American or be deported back to Canada. Margaret convinces Andrew (Ryan Reynolds), her assistant whom she constantly torments, to marry her. But after all of these years of harsh treatment from Margaret, Andrew wants to give her a taste of her own medicine.

"Land of the Lost"
Rated PG-13, dir. Brad Silberling
Original U.S. theatrical release: June 5, 2009
Dr. Rick Marshall (Will Ferrell) gets sucked sucked into a vortfunex, into the time when dinosaurs roamed. Now, Dr. Marshall needs to find out how to get back to the 21st century without being killed in the distant land.

"Drag Me To Hell"
Rated PG-13, dir. Sam Raimi
Original U.S. theatrical release: May 29, 2009
From IMDb: "A loan officer (Alison Lohman) ordered to evict an old woman from her home finds herself the recipient of a supernatural curse, which turns her life into a living hell. Desperate, she turns to a seer to try and save her soul, while evil forces work to push her to a breaking point."

Eleni's Pick: "The Proposal" looks like a really cute film.

New Video Game Releases

"Demon's Souls"
Developer: From Software
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Have you ever played an RPG? Then you will love “Demon’s Souls.” Never played one? You will still love it. You explore demonic, often dungeonlike settings, dying often. However, unlike in most games, dying is the point. Your memory, as well as the blood stains from your earlier deaths, act as a guide and allow you to strategize. The game is wonderful, the enemies perfect, and it seems to be well-polished, no bugs or annoyances. It is, in short, a joy to play. I regret not having spent more time with the game, which goes for $59.99, and I am actually contemplating purchasing a PS3 just to do so.

"Spore Hero"
Developer: EA Montreal
Publisher: Electronic Arts
If you have played the original "Spore," then you know what a great combination of strategy and adventure it is. This is what I expected when I picked up “Spore Hero.” What I got was mediocre, an action twist on the same “early earth” idea. The game gives you the same “creature creator” of the original, but the interesting evolution process is all gone, and the concept that was so great in a strategic PC game is terrible in an action-adventure Wii game. Despite its awkward nature, the game is mildly interesting (in the loosest sense) and does the best it can, considering the premise. "Spore Hero" is available now on the Wii for a ridiculous $49.99.

Luke's Pick: "Demon's Souls," for sure! Anything that makes me want to spend a couple hundred on a new console is a true gaming miracle.

EVENTS IN C-U THIS WEEK

Uni Celebrates the Arts
6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16
Campbell Alumni Center, 601 S. Lincoln Ave., Urbana
Tickets: $50-$150
This gala event will benefit the Ellie Stoddard Faculty Enhancement Endowment. Ellie Stoddard graduated from Uni High in 1950 and went on to a successful career as the owner and manager of the Gallery of Graphic Arts in New York City. Upon her death on May 2, 2002, Ellie left Uni 23 pieces of art to be auctioned off, with the proceeds to benefit the endowment that she established in 2001. To see the works up for auction, click here. Money from ticket sales will go to benefit the Uni fine arts department.

An Evening with David Sedaris
8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16
Virginia Theatre, 203 W. Park, Champaign
Tickets: $42.50, $47.50, $55
Author David Sedaris has established himself as one of America's great satirical wits through his stories, essays, commentaries, and public appearances. His best-selling works include "Barrel Fever," "Holidays on Ice," "Naked," "Me Talk Pretty One Day," and "When You Are Engulfed in Flames." He frequently publishes in The New Yorker, and his work has been included in two editions of "The Best American Essays."

Gargoyle Pick: Are you kidding? Go to the auction at 6, support the fine arts at your favorite school, then head to the Virginia at 8 for an evening of Sedaris. Pricey, sure, but it's so worth it.