BIG SCREEN

A Serious Man (R) -- Iconoclastic directors Joel and Ethan Coen (No Country for Old Men, Fargo) get personal with this comedy, loosely based on their middle-class Jewish upbringing, about a beleaguered college professor (Michael Stuhlbarg) who seeks advice from three rabbis on how to get control of his topsy-turvy life. As funny and bleak as anything the Coens have ever made, but without all the distancing stylistic tricks and irony.

Amelia (PG) -- Two-time Oscar winner Hilary Swank tries for a third with this glossy, award-baiting biopic of Amelia Earhart, who disappeared in 1937 while trying to fly solo around the world. Co-starring Richard Gere as her husband and Ewan McGregor as her lover. Directed by Mira Nair (The Perez Family, Monsoon Wedding).

Astro Boy (PG) -- The computer-animated adventures of a boy robot (voiced by Freddie Highmore) and his scientist creator (Nicolas Cage).

Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant (PG-13) -- The first of Darren Shan's popular series of novels to be filmed centers on a teenager (Chris Massoglia) who is turned into a vampire by a bloodsucker (John C. Reilly) and joins a circus. Because really, what else are you going to do now? Salma Hayek, Ken Watanabe, and Orlando Jones co-star for director Chris Weitz (American Pie), whose brother Paul is busy with vampires of his own on the set of New Moon.

Saw VI (R) -- Not to be confused with Saw V or Saw IV. Because this one is way different.

-- RENE RODRIGUEZ

SMALL SCREEN

Lock 'N Load (8 p.m. Wednesday, Showtime) -- This reality show, using hidden cameras, tracks daily life at a family-owned Colorado gun shop where customers chat about how their kids are doing at summer camp while they haggle over the price of AK-47s.

Occupation (8 p.m. Sunday, BBC America) -- Four years ago, FX tried airing a series about the war in Iraq while American soldiers were still fighting it. A brilliant drama that cut way too close to home, it was a ratings catastrophe. Let's see if viewers like it any better with a British accent.

Latino in America (9 p.m. Wednesday, CNN) -- A two-part, four-documentary (the second half airs Thursday) hosted by Soledad O'Brien, Latino in America takes an unusually broad look at America's largest minority group. Rich and poor, young and old, Cubans and Mexicans, Puerto Ricans and Guatemalans: what they have in common and the many things they don't.

-- GLENN GARVIN

Let Miami Herald TV critic Glenn Garvin program your TiVo! Just click on his best bets for the week at www.tivo.com/guruguide.

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