In James Hynes?s new novel, a middle-aged man on a one-day trip to Austin, Tex., for a job interview comes full to life at long last.

Melissa Milgrom?s oddball first book is a pinballing tour through the poorly understood world of taxidermy.

?The Gastronomica Reader? is an anthology of more than 40 essays from the thought-provoking food magazine.

With ?The Surrendered,? Chang-rae Lee has written the most ambitious and compelling novel of his already impressive career.

Digital media raises the question of what part the traditional book publisher will play in the future.

Rocker Lenny Kravitz makes his debut as a film star in this indie drama based on the beloved novel PUSH. Clareece "Precious" Jones (Gabourey "Gabbie" Sidibe) is a Harlem teen who is pregnant with her second child. But with the help of a teacher (Paula Patton) and a nurse (Kravitz), Precious may be able to navigate the way to a new life. PUSH also stars Mo'nique as Precious's mother. (1 hr. 51 min.)

Filipino director Brillante Mendoza brings a frank, gritty immediacy to SERBIS, a multi-character, day-in-the-life portrait of a family-run movie house in the Philippines. Only this isn't your typical movie house. It's actually a downtrodden venue that shows graphic double features and allows the clientele to make their own sexual connections in the dark shadows. Today is a very important day, for Nanay Flor, the family matriarch, is going to discover if she won a years-in-the-making bigamy case against her husband. Meanwhile, her children are involved in dramatic situations of their own. Alan has just learned troubling news about his girlfriend, and Nayda is married but attracted to her cousin Ronald. As the day develops and the verdict comes down, the Pinedas struggle to focus on the daily tasks associated with the theater, even as their own personal conflicts threaten to overwhelm them.

Shot on video, SERBIS recalls films from the Dogme 95 movement. Mendoza and screenwriter Armando Lao have clearly constructed these dramatic situations, yet they are shot on consumer video with such energy that the film often feels like a documentary. Mendoza pulls no punches, showing multiple scenes of behind-the-scenes sexuality that are even more graphic than the X-rated behavior unfolding on the cavernous theater's silver screen. SERBIS provides a realistic, unflinching glimpse into this hyper-sexualized world. (1 hr. 33 min.)

John Cusack and Tim Robbins star in this comedy as Ivan and Josh, a pair of dim witted security guards who love music videos and lose their jobs after throwing a party while they're supposed to be working. Having no immediate job prospects, the two decide to form their own music video production company, dubbing themselves the "Video Aces." These aces soon learn that it's hard to get work in LA and end up working on spec for Mo Fuzz who instructs them to fill their videos with lots of T&A. It's not long before Ivan and Josh have become hot property in the business and try to use their newfound status to resurrect the career of their favorite R&B duo, the Swanky Modes. However, their plans hit a snag when they receive a potentially damaging videotape of a prominent politician indulging in his bizarre fetish and the two try to cash in on their find. (1 hr. 37 min.)