What's up, couch potatoes! Here are your top picks for the newest movie-night-in. Who needs the dang mall, anyway?

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo ($16.99 at Amazon)
God, finally! Everybody’s been yapping about this book, which I can’t get out of the library because so many other people have requested it. If you’re in the same boat, here’s the movie, about a 40-year-old murder investigated by a troubled journalist and a sexy, gothy, computer geek-girl. Folks who loved the book say the movie does a good job, and everyone says it’s a terrific, taut thriller -- but they warn of some violence. Great for home date-night!

A Single Man ($17.99 at Amazon)
So. Freakin’. Sad. Here’s your chick-night-in fix. It may not feature strappy sandals, but it does have Colin Firth -- but not in the way you’re used to seeing him. He plays a heartbroken gay guy in 1962, dealing with the death of his partner and with only a boozy Julianne Moore as his confidante. He rightly got an Oscar nom for his subtle performance, and as a special bonus, it was directed by fashion designer Tom Ford. So it’s a feast for the eyes as well as a heartrending drama.

Brooklyn’s Finest ($15.99 at Amazon)
Did you like Training Day with Ethan Hawke and Denzel Washington? Then you’ll probably like this one, which also has Ethan Hawke but adds Richard Gere, Don Cheadle, and Lili Taylor to the mix. Here’s what you need to know: Three cops make their way through a violent, cynical world toward almost certain doom, but you have to watch to find out who’s the doomiest. Good times, if you like that sort of thing.

Bitten ($14.49 at Amazon)
Suffering from Twilight overload? If you love vampires and hate the current obsession, this might be your antidote: A little-known indie flick starring Jason Mewes (yeah, Jay from the Jay/Silent Bob Kevin Smith movies) as a paramedic who rescues a fallen damsel who turns out to have bloodsucking tendencies. Reviews are mixed, but many love its dark comedy. At 80 minutes long, how bad could it be?

Image via Amazon