Lee Israel forged more than 400 letters from Noël Coward, Dorothy Parker and other literary celebrities, a criminal career she recounts in her book, ?Can You Ever Forgive Me??

Brunonia Barry?s debut novel, set in modern-day Salem, Mass., puts a new spin on the witch hunts.

Novels informed by the values and brands of fashion are starting to pump that well dry.

The film version of ?Brideshead Revisited? opens Friday, but for loyalists, the 1981 British television adaptation of Evelyn Waugh?s novel obviated any need for a revival.

Richard Brody demystifies Jean-Luc Godard?s legend to elucidate his life, his times and his work.

Inspired by a true story, 21 mixes Las Vegas casino wheeling and dealing with college-kid angst: think OCEAN'S ELEVEN via THE PAPER CHASE. Kevin Spacey is crafty MIT professor Micky Rosa, who trains brainiac students to count cards and then flies them out to Vegas to raid the blackjack tables between classes. At first they rake in a bundle, but then catch the unwanted attention of tough-guy security chief, Cole Williams (Laurence Fishburne) who wants to prove himself before he's replaced by face recognition software. Super math genius Ben Campbell (Jim Sturgess) originally joins the ring in order to come up with the $300,000 he needs for tuition money, but he's also gaga over the ring's resident babe, Jill (Kate Bosworth). When he finds out Professor Rosa hasn't been dealing entirely from a straight deck, Ben's high-end shopping spree dreams turn sour (though card counting is not illegal) and the battle of wits is on, no second chances given. Spacey is in his preternaturally calm, morally compromised element, stealing scenes left and right; Fishburne brings the hangdog depth; and everything bubbles over the 24-karat rocks, courtesy of director Robert Luketic (LEGALLY BLONDE). 21 is based on the bestseller BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE by Ben Mezrich. (2 hrs. 2 min.)

Simon (Delon) is a Paris nightclub owner and the leader of a gang of bank robbers. When he and his buddies knock over a small town bank, one of his accomplices is wounded. It isn't long before the local police comissaire, Edourd, takes an interest in the case, and who, unfortunately, is one of Simon's close friends. As Simon and his crew prepare for a much larger heist using the stolen money, Edourd begins to put the pieces of the puzzle together, creating a difficult situation for both friends. A deft and stylish thriller from director Melville (LE SAMOURAI), whose influence is still felt today by directors as diverse as Quentin Tarantino, Jim Jarmusch, and John Woo. It was his last film. Original French title: UN FLIC.

HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL star Ashley Tisdale is...grounded. This madcap teen comedy stars Tisdale as Mandy, a girl who is invited to a big bash by Drew, the dreamiest dreamboat the halls of Mandy's high school have ever seen. In order for the evening to go well, however, Mandy's going to have to deal with Drew's bitter ex-girlfriends, thwart her overprotective father, and take on any other challenge that might get in between her and the man of her dreams in this randy romp from director Stephen Herek (DON'T TELL MOM THE BABYSITTER'S DEAD, BILL AND TED'S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE).