Cristina Lule

This little indie darling came out of its Sundance Film Festival debut last year with high praise. Right away, what got me intrigued was the premise: Three journalists head out to Seattle to do an exposé on a man who puts out a classified ad seeking a time-traveling partner.

“Safety Not Guaranteed” has a quirky charm about it and equally charming quirky characters.

The film’s odd premise keeps things light, but then I quickly realized how little it actually had to do with time travel. The real travel was either the journey the characters took discovering something about themselves or the time they spent living in the past. If you like time-travel films, “Star Wars” references or surprise endings, you should definitely check out “Safety Not Guaranteed.”

Scott Barrett

The first time I heard the French musician Françoiz Breut, it was by chance. The hours of albums on repeat thereafter and for years to come were entirely by choice.

This past January, Mrs. Breut released her sixth album, La Chirurgie Des Sentiments, in line with her usual style, which is almost one all to herself. Her music is generally classified as indie, moody French pop and chanson.

Francoiz’s songs are mostly sung in French, which, although I do not understand a word, draws me even further into the entrancing and mysterious sway that her vocals possess.

Françoiz Breut is largely unknown in the American scene but take a chance and listen.

By Elizabeth Ramirez - movie pick

If you’re in the mood for a tear jerker, look no further than “La Misma Luna” (the original Spanish title of “Under the Same Moon”). This movie is in Spanish, but reading subtitles is not rocket science. It is a heartwarming movie that will make you emotional from beginning to end. It tells the story of 9-year-old Carlitos who is left behind by his mother Rosario who works illegally in the U.S. The story develops when Carlitos decides to embark on a journey to find his mother. This movie makes you understand what really happens when a child is left behind by his or her parent who travels miles for a better future and a child yearning for his or her parent. Child actor Adrian Alonso makes every scene worthwhile. You can see his frustration, sadness and determination to find his mother in his facial expressions and not just verbally. It warms the heart but it’s funny too, thanks to Mexican comedian Eugenio Derbez. His sarcasm is sure to make you laugh.

By Fabian Garcia - album pick

Raphael Saadiq brings back a magical soul element with his 2008 album “The Way I See It.” The album sounds like something you might have heard back in the 1950s or 1960s when Motown hits were flooding the radio. A noticeable doo-wop vibe is present throughout all the songs as Saadiq sings about love and inspiration on what seems to be a vintage performance microphone. Tracks such as “Calling,” “Oh Girl” and “Never Give You Up” truly anchor the record as an homage to Motown’s musical style. By revisiting an outdated sound in R&B, he was able to breathe new life into an almost forgotten genre.

Limited features and overall quality production propel this album beyond a mediocre rendition of old soul music. The songs may sound a little familiar because of similar melodies we’ve heard in famous oldies, but they actually stand on their own quite well as original works. Saadiq sings as smoothly as he did when he was with Tony! Toni! Toné! and clearly adds his own flair to each track with echo effects to imitate the past. If you’re into oldies, soul or just plain love-songs, then this album is something to look for.

By Nathan Mendelowitz - game pick

A great game you may have missed and should pick up is 2008’s “Prince of Persia.” Ubisoft decided to start new with the Prince of Persia franchise after a successful trilogy of videogames.

The visuals are cell-shaded making it look cartoony, yet it is still clean looking and it makes the game vibrant and colorful. It’s a nice change from the dark and realistic styles of the previous games. Ubisoft also went back to what made the franchise great with acrobatic platforming.

Players can have the characters jump around climbing huge structures and it has a parkour feel of running around the beautifully rendered ancient Persian environment. The combat is also simple with simple button commands to dodge and parry enemies. The other great aspect is there is no anger while playing since you can’t die. It’s a system inviting players to try different ways to get through each level on a trial and error basis. It’s fun and keeps the gameplay fresh. It’s a game worth getting, so don’t wait any longer to play.