TIME OUT FILM GUIDE 2009 (17TH EDITION)

The 17th edition of the "Time Out Film Guide" contains a whopping 1,700 pages covering an equal number of films. All the features readers have come to expect from this popular series are here, for both casual dippers, trivia hounds, and hard-core cinephiles. Dozens of appendices arrange movies by category -- from dramas, thrillers, and comedies to Italian, Japanese, and Iranian films. As always, there''s a reassuring egalitarianism at work here, with popular genre movies and art-house treasures side by side. A cast and director list make it easy to locate a favorite star or auteur, including the year of each film cited. Included too are reviews of notable international DVD releases from the past year and detailed website listings, along with the extensive cross-indexes that are the series'' trademarks. The span of this 17th edition covers 39 years of reviews by Time Out''s fearless writers.