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Every week, I search through movie release schedules to find movie rentals that I would have otherwise missed for lack of TV advertising. I'll watch the big name releases along with everyone else, but I know from experience that sometimes the box office failures, critically panned, straight to DVD, and independently financed movies nobody's heard of can offer some real hidden gems. As they say, one man's trash is another man's treasure. This column is dedicated to bringing awareness to those potential treasures. Listed alphabetically, each movie includes a list of notable cast members, a basic plot summary, its DVD and/or release date (based on Netflix - other services may have the movie earlier), and the basic reason why the movie caught my attention. With any luck, one or more of these will catch your attention, too. My four picks of the week are listed at the end of the column.

Here's my watchlist of DVD and streaming releases for the week of February 5th:

Alex Cross

Who: Tyler Perry, Matthew Fox, Edward Burns, Jean Reno, John C. McGinley, Giancarlo Esposito

What: A serial killer (Fox) targets the family of Detective Alex Cross (Perry), based on the James Patterson novel Cross.

When: February 5th

Why: Patterson fans will probably want to see the book in movie form. Some Perry fans might want to see him play a serious character after his lighter perennial role as Madea. Based on the trailers, I don't buy him as a tough cop (I liked Morgan Freeman in the role), but I'm impressed by how intense former Lost star Fox got for his psychotic, sinewy character. Plus I like to watch Jean Reno movies whenever I can.

Celeste & Jesse Forever

Who: Rashida Jones, Andy Samberg, Ari Graynor, Elijah Wood, Chris Messina, Eric Christian Olsen

What: A bittersweet romance, with Jones and Samberg as a couple in the process of getting divorce but still acting like best friends, until they start stumbling into new relationships. Graynor and Olsen play friends of Jones, Wood is her coworker, and Messina her potential new boyfriend. Rashida Jones wrote the screenplay with castmate Will McCormack.

When: February 5th

Why: Jones and Samberg have great chemistry, and the bittersweetness is lovely. Just be warned: I'd suggest something else more blissful if you're looking for a romantic date movie for Valentine's Day.

Deadfall

Who: Eric Bana, Olivia Wilde, Charlie Hunnam, Sissy Spacek, Kris Kristofferson, Kate Mara, Treat Williams

What: A crime thriller starring Bana and Wilde as brother and sister thieves who use an innocent family (Hunnam and his parents, Spacek and Kristofferson) for cover after robbing an Indian casino.

When: February 5th

Why: (Not to be mistaken for the 1993 Nic Cage movie). The trailer makes the plot look thrilling enough. Mostly I'd watch this for Wilde and Mara.

Flight

Who: Denzel Washington, Kelly Reilly, Bruce Greenwood, John Goodman, Don Cheadle, Melissa Leo, director Robert Zemeckis, cinematographer Don Burgess, screenwriter John Gatins

What: Denzel plays airline pilot Whip Whitaker, who saves most of a plane from an amazing crash, but then struggles with his own addictions. Reilly plays a fellow addict, Goodman plays his supplier, and Cheadle plays the lawyer who's intent on keeping Whitaker out of jail.

When: February 5th

Why: Denzel got Best Actor nominations from the Screen Actors Guild and Oscar voters, and John Gatins was nominated for his screenplay by the Writer's Guild of America and Oscar voters. I think it's a better movie than half of the Best Picture nominees, with great acting and some fantastic visuals. Make sure you see this.

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