Most stand-up comics probably only dream about being involved in a movie as funny and refreshingly honest as Mike Birbiglia’s “Sleepwalk with Me,” let alone one that marks their directorial debut. Based on his one-man show of the same name (which was in turn inspired by actual events from his life), the film is a witty human comedy about the fear of commitment and finding one’s place in the world, and it’s hands-down one of my favorite movies of the year. Much like Birbiglia’s stand-up in the film, the story is entertaining because it’s so incredibly personal (something that’s missing from most Hollywood productions), and he makes it even more so by narrating the movie via segments where he speaks directly to the audience a la Ferris Bueller. “Sleepwalk with Me” actually fared pretty well in theaters during its platform release this past fall, but if you didn’t get a chance to catch it then, be sure to add it to your must-see list for the new year, because the film is so good that if you weren’t a fan of Birbiglia beforehand, you almost certainly will be afterwards.

Blu-ray Highlight: There are some good extras on the disc, but the audio commentary with star/co-writer/co-director Mike Birbiglia and producer/co-writer Ira Glass is the best of the bunch, with the duo discussing the making of the movie in detail, including some behind-the-scenes anecdotes and things they learned on set as first-time filmmakers.

William Friedkin hasn’t made a great film in a very long time, and while “Killer Joe” doesn’t exactly remedy that, it’s the best movie that he’s made in a while. Adapted by Tracy Letts from his stage play of the same name, the self-described “totally twisted, deep-fried, Texas redneck trailer park murder story” is one of the most intense and polarizing moviegoing experiences in recent memory. Although the strange series of events that transpire during the course of the movie has already divided audiences (particularly a tension-packed final act that gets pretty weird and perverse), it’s as oddly fascinating to watch unravel as it is repulsive. Every single performance is great – from Gina Gerson’s devious stepmom, to Emile Hirsch’s pathetic bottom-feeder, to Thomas Hayden Church’s clueless father, to Juno Temple’s trailer park princess – but it’s star Matthew McConaughey who truly commands the screen with his best role in ages. It’s about time the actor finally showed off his full potential, and this white trash “Blood Simple” does that and more.

Blu-ray Highlight: The making-of featurette “Southern Fried Hospitality: From Stage to Screen” is definitely worth checking out for the interviews with the various cast and crew, but it’s director William Friedkin’s audio commentary that is the real highlight. Friedkin is one of those filmmakers that’s just a lot of fun to listen to speak, and his commentary track for “Killer Joe” is an excellent discussion about making the movie and, in talking about the infamous NC-17 rating, the politics of the business as well.

It was only inevitable that “Pitch Perfect” would draw some comparisons to “Glee,” but while the show’s success certainly helped pave the way for making organized singing groups cool again, that would be like comparing Adele to Katy Perry. The film actually feels more like the a cappella cousin of the “Step Up” movies, and although that may not inspire a whole lot of confidence, it’s a really charming comedy filled with great performances (both acting and musical) that’s only slightly hindered by its conventional formula. In fact, one of movie’s biggest draws is the musical performances, and while there’s no denying that they’re fun to watch, “Pitch Perfect” would be just as shallow as the “Step Up” series without such a great cast, including the always reliable Anna Kendrick and Australian up-and-comer Rebel Wilson in a breakout role. Written by Kay Cannon, whose experience as a writer for “30 Rock” tells you all you need to know about the movie’s offbeat sense of humor, “Pitch Perfect” is the kind of film that many people would normally overlook based on its premise, but that would be a mistake.

Blu-ray Highlight: Though Universal hasn’t exactly skimped on bonus material – which includes a pair of audio commentaries, alternate takes and deleted scenes – there’s nothing here that really stands out. At least there’s always the movie to watch again.

Hollywood has released some pretty pointless remakes over the years, but some films are actually worth remaking if there’s room for improvement, and although Paul Verhoeven’s sci-fi cult classic “Total Recall” has its share of admirers, the movie isn’t exactly bulletproof. With that said, however, Len Wiseman’s slicker, darker update isn’t any better. Though the film shares quite a bit in common with Verhoeven’s original movie, following many of the same story beats until its drastically different third act, it feels bland by comparison. Colin Farrell makes for a more believable Everyman than Arnold Schwarzenegger, but he lacks the charisma that the iconic action hero brought to the role, while Jessica Biel and Bryan Cranston don’t fare much better. Kate Beckinsale’s Lori is the only character who feels like an improvement, and that’s mostly due to the economical decision to combine the Sharon Stone and Michael Ironside roles into one villain. Wiseman does his best to freshen things up, but you can never quite shake that feeling of déjà vu while watching the film, and that only begs the question, why bother remaking it at all?

Blu-ray Highlight: A review copy didn’t arrive in time, but a quick look at the disc’s extras is promising, including a director commentary and a full-length behind-the-scenes feature called Insight Mode that sounds a lot like Warner Bros.’ Maximum Movie Mode.

You’d be hard pressed to find anything more quintessentially American than baseball and Clint Eastwood, so it’s a little surprising that it took this long for someone to think of combining the two. Though “Trouble with the Curve” isn’t exactly the kind of project that you’d expect would lure Eastwood out of semi-retirement from acting, the fact that the movie is directed by longtime producer Robert Lorenz clearly played a big part in his decision. Eastwood’s involvement was a real coup for the first-time helmer, because if it weren’t for the film’s excellent cast, “Trouble with the Curve” would have been pretty forgettable. It’s hard to imagine the movie being any good with other actors in the roles, because although it runs a bit long for such a simple story, and Lorenz lays on the drama pretty thick at times, the cast (which also includes Amy Adams, Justin Timberlake and John Goodman) adds just enough class to save the film from its own undoing. It won’t be remembered as a great baseball movie, but there are much worse ways to spend your afternoon.

Blu-ray Highlight: Warner Bros. has put together a pair of generic behind-the-scenes featurettes – one focusing on director Robert Lorenz and the other on his cast – for the movie’s Blu-ray release, but neither could hardly be considered a highlight of any kind.

You’ll probably notice that there aren’t very many movies receiving wide releases this month, and that partly has to do with the return of a certain wise-cracking web-slinger to the big screen, but it’s mostly because every studio is terrified of “The Dark Knight Rises,” and they should be. Christopher Nolan’s last Batman film absolutely dominated the box office, eventually grossing just over a billion dollars worldwide, and if the business that “The Avengers” has been doing is any indication, the third installment is going to easily exceed that. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t other movies worth checking out, because just about every title on this list should be considered must-see.

Who: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Martin Sheen and Sally Field
What: Peter Parker finds a clue that might help explain why his parents disappeared years earlier, leading him to his father’s former partner, Dr. Curt Connors.
When: July 3rd
Why: Sony’s decision to reboot the Spider-Man series only a decade after Sam Raimi’s first movie was released has earned its share of naysayers, but having already seen director Marc Webb’s new version, most people are going to be happy with the direction the series is headed. Though it’s a bit of a pain to have to sit through Peter Parker’s origin story all over again, Webb makes it just different enough that it’s never boring. The action scenes are also well-staged, and Spider-Man’s wise-cracking humor remains intact, but the best part about the movie is the characters themselves. Not only are the actors perfectly cast in their respective roles (especially Andrew Garfield, who embodies everything that’s great about Spider-Man), but the relationships are actually interesting, and you can’t say that about every superhero film, Raimi’s trilogy included.

Who: Taylor Kitsch, Aaron Johnson, Blake Lively, Salma Hayek and Benicio del Toro
What: Marijuana growers Ben and Chon face off against the Mexican drug cartel that kidnapped their shared girlfriend.
When: July 6th
Why: It’s been awhile since Oliver Stone made a movie worth caring about, but this big screen adaptation of Don Wilson’s bestseller has certainly piqued my interest. A drug-fueled crime thriller that looks like something the director would have made back in the 90s, “Savages” has a cool premise and a great cast to boot. Okay, so maybe Taylor Kitsch hasn’t had the best year between “John Carter” flopping and “Battleship” failing to find its sea legs at the domestic box office, but Aaron Johnson has impressed with his career choices lately, and the idea of Salma Hayek playing the big bad is oozing with potential. Though it’s unclear whether the film is supposed to have that grindhouse feel on purpose, if Stone can pull it off, he might just have another cult hit on his hands.

Who: Joel Kinnaman, Matias Varela, Dragomir Mrsic and Mahmut Suvacki
What: A three-tiered story centered on drugs and organized crime, focusing on a young man who becomes a runner for a cocaine dealer.
When: July 13th
Why: I don’t know a whole lot about Daniel Espinosa’s “Easy Money” (originally titled “Snabba Cash” in its native country) other than it stars Joel Kinnaman of AMC’s “The Killing” and was a near-universal hit on the festival circuit, but quite frankly, that’s enough for me. The Swedish film industry has gotten a huge boost thanks to the “Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” series in recent years, and “Easy Money” reportedly follows in the same footsteps. Though I wasn’t crazy about Espinosa’s U.S. debut, “Safe House,” it had enough good moments (especially the fight scenes) to suggest he’s a promising talent. Plus, I’d see anything Kinnaman does these days, because his work on “The Killing” is so amazing that it’s no wonder he’s been tapped as Hollywood’s new It guy.

Who: Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, Michael Caine and Gary Oldman
What: Eight years after Batman took the fall for Two Face’s crimes, a new terrorist named Bane arrives in Gotham, prompting the Dark Knight to come out of hiding.
When: July 20th
Why: Do you really need a reason? “Batman Begins” and “The Dark Knight” are two of the best superhero movies ever made, and if early buzz is to be believed, the third and final installment of Christopher Nolan’s trilogy is the best one yet. Though it’s going to be hard beating Heath Ledger’s performance as the Joker, Tom Hardy certainly looks up to the task as the equally interesting Bane, who presents a completely different kind of threat. The involvement of the morally ambiguous Selina Kyle should also add some nice complexity to the story, and the fact that she’s played by Anne Hathaway doesn’t hurt either. I’m still not completely sold on the idea of introducing a flying vehicle into Batman’s arsenal of tech, but if Nolan has proven anything with these films, it’s that if something doesn’t make sense in his version of Gotham City, then it doesn’t belong.

Who: Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Jonah Hill, Richard Ayoade and Rosemarie DeWitt
What: Suburban dads who form a neighborhood watch group find themselves defending the Earth from an alien invasion.
When: July 27th
Why: Perhaps best described as “Attack the Block” in the suburbs, “The Watch” has the potential to be really good, but that all depends on whether director Akiva Schaffer was able to keep his cast on a relatively tight leash. While Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn and Jonah Hill have all carved out successful careers due to their excellent improv skills, they also have a tendency to take jokes too far. (See: the interrogation scene in the trailer.) With a script written by “Superbad” scribes Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, however, it’s hard to imagine that very much riffing was required. Then again, the real reason to see the film isn’t even for Stiller, Vaughn or Hill, but the fourth member of the Neighborhood Watch team played by British comedian Richard Ayoade. Already a star in the UK, it’s about time that American audiences saw what all the fuss was about.

Who: Matthew McConaughey, Emile Hirsch, Juno Temple and Thomas Haden Church
What: When a debt puts a young man’s life in danger, he orders a hit on his good-for-nothing mother in order to collect the insurance money.
When: July 27th
Why: I had the chance to see William Friedkin’s latest movie at SXSW earlier this year, and it’s without a doubt the best film that he’s made in a very long time. Adapted by Tracy Letts from his stage play of the same name, this self-described “totally twisted, deep-fried, Texas redneck trailer park murder story” is one of the most intense and polarizing moviegoing experiences of the past decade. The events that transpire over the course of the film will likely divide audiences (particularly a tension-packed final act that gets a bit weird and perverse), it’s as fascinating to watch unravel as it is repulsive. Every single performance is great, but it’s Matthew McConaughey who commands the screen with what might just be the best role of his career. It’s about time the actor showed off his full potential, and this white trash “Blood Simple” does all that and more.

Who: Paul Dano, Zoe Kazan, Chris Messina, Annette Bening and Antonio Banderas
What: A novelist struggling with writer’s block finds romance in a most unusual way: by creating a female character he thinks will love him, and then willing her into existence.
When: July 27th
Why: It’s been six years since Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris’ directorial debut “Little Miss Sunshine” took Hollywood by storm, so it’s not surprising that people were beginning to worry that they might just be a one-hit wonder. Though it’s going to be almost impossible to replicate the success of their first film, “Ruby Sparks” definitely has the potential to be another hit for the duo, critically if not commercially. Reuniting Dayton and Faris with actor Paul Dano, and co-starring indie darling Zoe Kazan (who also wrote the screenplay), the movie has such a unique premise that, if executed correctly, it’s going to be really hard to forget come awards time. I wouldn’t start filling out your Oscar ballots yet, but “Ruby Sparks” could be this year’s “Midnight in Paris.”

“Nature Calls”

I never got the chance to see director Todd Rohal’s “The Catechism Cataclysm” when it played at SXSW last year, but after watching his new comedy “Nature Calls,” I’m kind of glad that I didn’t. The film stars Patton Oswalt as Randy, an assistant scoutmaster desperately trying to help his father’s deteriorating Boy Scout troop regain its former glory. When the few remaining members ditch their upcoming camping trip in favor of going to a sleepover for the adopted son of Randy’s brother, Kirk (Johnny Knoxville), however, he crashes the party and convinces the kids to go camping with him. What follows is an incredible mess of a movie that tries to pass juvenile stupidity off as comedy, but instead barely registers a laugh due to Knoxville and Rob Riggle’s annoyingly over-the-top performances as idiot man-children. There’s actually a good message straining to be heard amongst all the stupidity, but despite its attempt at balancing vulgarity with heart, “Nature Calls” fails on nearly every level imaginable. It’s a shame that this will go down as Patrice O’Neal’s final film performance, because although it got a good reception from the SXSW crowd, this would never make it onto a theater screen through more conventional means.

“Safety Not Guaranteed”

Colin Trevorrow’s feature film debut is exactly the kind of movie that you go to a film festival hoping to see. Based on a real-life classified ad that was posted by a man seeking a partner to go back in time with, the movie stars Audrey Plaza, Jake Johnson and Karan Soni as a trio of Seattle magazine employees who track down the mystery author hoping it will lead them to a good story. What they don’t realize is that although Kenneth (indie go-to guy Mark Duplass) may be a little eccentric, he honestly believes that he’s solved the riddle to time travel. A character-driven dramedy with equal parts humor and heart, “Safety Not Guaranteed” is a beautiful film about the human spirit that is impossible to ignore. All four actors deliver some incredibly honest and funny performances, but it’s Plaza who shows that she can do a lot more than spit out a witty one-liner and mug for the camera. “Safety Not Guaranteed” is original, humorous, heartfelt and, perhaps most importantly, filled with immense hope. And in a cinematic landscape fueled by cynicism, it’s nice to see a movie that hasn’t given up on the human race, no matter how strange we may be.

“Killer Joe”

William Friedkin hasn’t made a great film in a very long time, and while “Killer Joe” doesn’t exactly remedy that, it’s the best movie that he’s made in a while. Adapted by Tracy Letts from his stage play of the same name, the self-described “totally twisted, deep-fried, Texas redneck trailer park murder story” is one of the most intense and polarizing moviegoing experiences in recent memory. Matthew McConaughey stars as the title character, a Dallas police detective who moonlights as a contract killer. When he’s hired by a young man (Emile Hirsch) in debt to a crime lord to kill his mother and collect on her $50,000 life insurance, Joe takes his younger sister Dottie (Juno Temple) as collateral until he’s paid for his services. But as is usually the case with movies like this, things go horribly wrong, and although the events that transpire will likely divide audiences (particularly a tension-packed final act that gets a bit weird and perverse), it’s as oddly fascinating to watch unravel as it is repulsive. Every single performance is great – from Gina Gerson’s devious stepmom to Thomas Hayden Church’s clueless father – but it’s McConaughey who truly commands the screen with his best role in ages. It’s about time the actor showed off his full potential, and this white trash “Blood Simple” does that and more.