Thun Nation

Amid the holocaust of internecine tribal fighting in Rwanda that sees the savage butchering of hundreds of thousands of men, women and children, one ordinary hotel manager (Oscar nominee Don Cheadle) musters the courage to save more than 1,000 helpless refugees. Sophie Okonedo, Nick Nolte and Joaquin Phoenix co-star in this powerful film -- often described as an African Schindler's List -- directed by Terry George. - Thun Nation

It was the 1970s in the South Bronx when a handful of innovative DJs and fast-rhyming MCs laid down the sound for a dance revolution. These B-boys -- also known as "breakboys" or "breakdancers" -- helped pioneer hip-hop culture, and their stories are told in this lively documentary. The film gathers archival footage from the '70s through the new millennium, as well as interviews with celebs KRS-One, Redman, Mos Def and many others. - Thun Nation

Director Sergio Leone's sprawling crime epic follows a group of Jewish mobsters (including Robert De Niro, James Woods and Elizabeth McGovern) who rise in the ranks of organized crime in 1920s New York City. Their story unfolds in flashbacks as ringleader Noodles (De Niro) returns to Brooklyn some 30 years later to reunite and reminisce with his cohorts. Nominated for two Golden Globes, this gritty drama was Leone's last directorial effort. - Thun Nation

This contemplative Ingmar Bergman film explores the disillusionment of aging physician Isak Borg (Victor Sjöström), who begins to reflect on his life while en route to Lund, Sweden, to receive an honorary degree. Along the way, a string of encounters causes him to experience hallucinations that expose his darkest fears, and he realizes that the choices he's made have rendered a life devoid of meaning. Can he find redemption before it's too late? - Thun Nation

David Schisgall's startling documentary captures the heartbreaking stories of underage girls -- many as young as 13 -- who've been forced into prostitution in New York, exposing how pimps use isolation, violence and drugs to keep girls dependent. Many of the girls interviewed take part in GEMS, a shelter and mentoring program founded by activist Rachel Lloyd -- once a prostitute herself -- that helps them transition out of "the life." - Thun Nation

Clever 12-year-old Fresh (Sean Nelson) runs drugs for local dealers to survive and support himself and his sister in this moving drama. Motherless and living with an alcoholic father (Samuel L. Jackson) who spends his days playing chess in the park, Fresh has to depend on himself. But when he witnesses a murder and finds his life on the line, Fresh develops a plan to survive and bring down the neighborhood dealers. Giancarlo Esposito co-stars. - Thun Nation

Joe Berlinger's provocative documentary explores the ongoing battle waged by 30,000 indigenous Ecuadorans and their lawyers against Chevron for dumping billions of gallons of toxic waste into the Amazon, a catastrophe dubbed the "Amazon Chernobyl." - Thun Nation

A burger-loving hit man (John Travolta), his philosophical partner (Samuel L. Jackson), a drug-addled gangster's moll (Uma Thurman) and a washed-up boxer (Bruce Willis) converge in this sprawling, comedic crime caper. - Thun Nation

Scrappy street orphan Alejandro (Alejandro Polanco) lives and works amid the mass of auto shops and junkyards known as the Iron Triangle just outside Queens, N.Y. But when his teenage sister (Isamar Gonzales) arrives, the ambitious boy is inspired to make life better for them both. Nominated for two Independent Spirit Awards, this sophomore feature from director Ramin Bahrani offers an unflinching look at life on society's margins. - Thun Nation

Federico Fellini's lush and intoxicating masterpiece, La Dolce Vita, is a meditation on the meaning of life and love and stars Marcello Mastroianni as Marcello, a gossip writer who seeks the fleeting excesses and decadence of life and sex. He sleeps with the beautiful Maddalena (Anouk Aimee), alienating and driving his lover, Emma (Yvonne Furneaux), to attempt suicide. When he meets an elusive actress, Sylvia (Anita Ekberg), he dives deep into the abyss. - Thun Nation

This award-winning series tells the story of two working-class, Irish-American brothers -- self-important politician Tommy Caffee and mobster Michael -- whose divergent personalities make it hard to remember that they are family. - Thun Nation

With her in-your-face style, comedienne Lisa Lampanelli takes the stage in this stand-up special that originally aired on Comedy Central. Lampanelli's edgy, no-holds-barred humor has earned her comparisons to the legendary Don Rickles and shock jock Howard Stern. In this hilarious set, comedy's "Lovable Queen of Mean" takes out her aggression on subjects such as soccer moms, immigrants and ridiculous stereotypes. - Thun Nation

While waiting for their big breaks in show business, several Hollywood wannabes pay the bills by working at a Los Angeles catering company, led by big-dreaming team leader Ron (Ken Marino), in this sitcom created by "Veronica Mars" impresario Rob Thomas. The series also stars Adam Scott as a one-hit wonder, Martin Starr as dorky screenwriter, Jane Lynch as a flirty fading actress and Lizzy Caplan as an aspiring comedian. - Thun Nation

Joe Pesci and Robert De Niro chew plenty of scenery, but the focus of this gripping Martin Scorsese opus is real-world mobster Henry Hill (Ray Liotta), a gangster who dreamed of making it big but landed in the Witness Protection Program instead. Nominated for six Oscars (including Best Picture), the film's only win was Pesci's Best Supporting Actor statue for his scene-stealing portrayal of ticking time bomb Tommy DeVito. - Thun Nation

This edgy serial drama follows sanctimonious politico Tommy Caffee and his mobbed-up brother, Michael. When Michael returns home looking to take over the local syndicate, Tommy's task of protecting the community becomes tricky, to say the least. - Thun Nation

Creator David Simon's gritty HBO drama takes an unflinching look at Baltimore's drug culture, through the eyes of both the dealers and the police. Season 1 follows the investigation of a violent drug-dealing crew known as the Barksdale Organization. But the line between good and bad is blurred, as the cops push the boundaries of morality while even the hardened criminals display flashes of humanity. Dominic West stars as detective Jimmy McNulty. - Thun Nation

Slacker Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski (Jeff Bridges) gets involved in a gargantuan mess of events when he's mistaken for another man named Lebowski, whose wife has been kidnapped and is being held for ransom. All the while, Dude's friend, Walter (John Goodman), stirs the pot. Brothers Joel Coen and Ethan Coen write and direct this cult comedy classic that also stars Steve Buscemi, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Julianne Moore and John Turturro. - Thun Nation

When a fanatical U.S. general (Sterling Hayden) launches an air strike against the Soviets, they raise the stakes by threatening to unleash a "doomsday device," setting the stage for Armageddon in this classic black comedy that brilliantly skewers the nuclear age. The film's star-studded cast includes George C. Scott, Slim Pickens, James Earl Jones and Peter Sellers (who steals the show and copped an Oscar nod playing three roles). - Thun Nation

Get ready for belly laughs with this live 1996 performance by George Carlin from New York City's Beacon Theatre, featuring the comedian's acerbic observations as he derives humorous truths from weighty topics such as capital punishment and abortion. In his trademark provocative comedic style, Carlin has some choice words about absurd but all-too-familiar expressions, television news, hyphenated names and more. - Thun Nation

After young Antoine (Jean-Pierre Léaud) runs away, life on the streets of Paris leads to nothing but trouble and guilt in this gritty feature film debut from legendary director François Truffaut. Though he turns to petty crime to survive, Antoine's remorse often leads him to try to return things he's stolen -- with disastrous results. The film was nominated for a Best Screenplay Oscar and the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. - Thun Nation

Reflecting on the widening gap between the poor and rich in 1992 America, George Carlin had a novel proposal: Why not let the homeless live on golf courses? These and other insights populate the comic's classic set at Madison Square Garden. The performance finds Carlin at his misanthropic prime, riffing on the environment, flying on airplanes, penises and -- most presciently -- the first Gulf War. - Thun Nation

First broadcast on PBS in 1983, this documentary opened the world's eyes to a phenomenon taking over New York City, in which the urban landscape had been transformed by graffiti artists who invented a new visual language to express themselves. Adding to the wave of this new art form, MCs, DJs and B-boys rocked the city with new sounds and moves, as street-corner break-dance battles turned into performance art. - Thun Nation