Geoffrey Rush shines as history's most infamous and literate libertine--the Marquis de Sade--in director Philip Kaufman's adaptation of the Doug Wright play. Set in 19th-century France's infamous Charenton insane asylum, the "speculative drama" chronicles the battle of wills between the sly de Sade, the director/priest trying to reason with him (Joaquin Phoenix), and the conservative doctor (Michael Caine) sent by Napoleon to stop the Marquis' scandalous writings. Kate Winslet co-stars as a laundress who becomes de Sade's confidante and object of desire. 124 min. Widescreen; Soundtracks: English 5.1 and Dolby Surround, French; Subtitles: English, Spanish; audio commentary; "making of" featurettes; theatrical trailer; scene access.

Graphic sex scenes highlight this controversial, first English-language effort from French filmmaker Patrice Chereau ("Queen Margot"). Mark Rylance is a lonely nightclub worker who meets once a week for steamy sex with aspiring actress Kerry Fox. Rylance follows Fox home one night, discovers she's married to cab driver Timothy Spall, and strikes up a friendship with Spall, eventually divulging the intimate details of the anonymous affair with the cabbie's wife. Uncut, unrated version contains nudity and explicit sex; adults only. 115 min.