"The Widow of Saint-Pierre," based on a true story, circa 1850, is set on a remote French outpost off the coast of Canada. Juliette Binoche, giving a performance of implosive force and feeling that far surpasses her Oscar-nominated work in Chocolat, plays the wife of an officer (the superb Daniel Auteuil) who supports her efforts to help rehabilitate a convicted murderer (Underground director Emir Kusturica, in a subtly powerful acting debut), at least for the months it takes for a guillotine to arrive from Paris. Director Patrice Leconte ("Girl on the Bridge") turns this bizarre romantic triangle into something hypnotic and haunting — that rare period piece that resonates with provocative life.

“Time to Pretend”

Listening to MGMT’s breakthrough song, one might interpret it as being about the excesses of rock stardom, but it’s actually about the duo’s pet praying mantis. Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden told Rolling Stone they got the idea from the insect's jerky movements. The mantis died, but the two bandmates kept the egg sack and allowed the hundreds of eggs to hatch. “We tried to name them all, but they died after a day,” said Goldwasser, with VanWyngarden chiming in, “But the praying mantis dance inspired us.”