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A powerful New York drama hits theaters this weekend, and hits hard.

"A Most Violent Year" is set in New York in 1981, and centers on an ambitious businessman, Abel Morales (Oscar Isaac), who seeks to expand his heating-oil business. His efforts are challenged by rival companies and their hired thugs, a U.S. Attorney (David Oyelowo) digging into his books, and his banking connections drying up before a crucial deal. Abel also must deal with his wife, Anna (Jessica Chastain), who wants to bring his mobster father into the business — something Abel wants to avoid. Writer-director J.C. Chandor ("All Is Lost") creates a tension-filled urban drama in the tradition of Sidney Lumet, and a compelling look at the dark side of the American dream.

The submarine thriller "Black Sea" stars Jude Law as a sub captain recently fired from a marine salvage company, who gets involved in a plot to find a stash of Nazi gold submerged in the Black Sea. Law's captain must gather a crew, get a dilapidated Russian sub seaworthy, and deal with paranoia and gold fever under the water. Director Kevin Macdonald ("The Last King of Scotland") builds the suspense expertly, for an exciting thriller.

The well-meaning but hopelessly flawed "Black or White" pits Kevin Costner and Octavia Spencer against each other in a custody battle for their mixed-race granddaughter (Jillian Estell). Writer-director Mike Binder ("Reign Over Me") creates cliched stereotypes instead of real characters, and delivers shrill speeches instead of authentic emotions.

The Cricket didn't get to see the teen time-travel thriller "Project Almanac," but his colleague Scott D. Pierce did. Another movie opening this weekend, the murder mystery "The Loft," was not screened for critics.