1 As a castaway story, historical drama and portrait of an Olympian turned World War II POW, "Unbroken" is a touching and important work. Director Angelina Jolie creates a film both heartbreaking and inspiring, huge and subtle in every frame, every scene, every interaction. It's a great character study of the singular and real-life Louis Zamperini, the kind of man who struggles to stand straight however much life beats him down, even when the risks are extraordinary.
2 The video game "Game of Thrones: Iron From Ice" should be enough to keep the biggest fan satisfied until the hit HBO show returns. Take control of several new characters as they trade jabs with your favorite members of the houses of Westros. Available on game consoles, touch devices and desktops, gameplay is simple enough that casual gamers can jump right in. telltalegames.com/gameofthrones/
3 After the sugar-rush of the holidays come the January diet books. One of the most entertaining is "I'll Have What She's Having: My Adventures in Celebrity Dieting" by Rebecca Harrington. She confesses to a fascination with celebrity diets, and in her new book she tries out those practiced by Madonna, Sophia Loren, Greta Garbo, Elizabeth Taylor and others. It's both hilarious and sad to think of Gwyneth Paltrow subsisting on kale juice and raw almonds soaked in water, or Dolly Parton trying to slim down on vats of cabbage soup. In the end, Harrington decides, we should quit worrying about being perfect, and have a slice of pizza.
5 Amazon's original dramedy "Mozart in the Jungle" offers a fascinating, if embellished, glimpse into the passions (both musical and carnal) of the classical music arena. Our entree into this world is an aspiring oboist (Lola Kirke) who dreams of playing for the New York Philharmonic but settles for the job of assistant to the enfant terrible of a conductor (a delightful Gael García Bernal). If you tire of the histrionics of a top-notch cast that includes Malcolm McDowell, Bernadette Peters and Jason Schwarzman (who also is a writer and producer), there's always the glorious soundtrack. amazon.com
4 A man of few words, Led Zeppelin leader Jimmy Page put together "a visual documentary to reflect my contribution to music." With 512 pages and hundreds of photos, "Jimmy Page" captures him as a choir boy and a young rocker on his knees (in sport coat and tie) as well as in countless Zep concerts — including 1977 at Met Center, with a few cool rehearsal shots. Only one shot suggests the band's infamous decadence (Page guzzling from a Jack Daniels bottle), but this tome is all about celebrating guitar glory.



