"The Go-Getter"

Perfect little road movie. It's about a young man who steals a car to find his brother. He's lost touch of him and he wants to reconnect with him and tell him their mom has died. Along the way he meets some real characters. He also is in contact with the owner of the car when she calls her cell phone which she left in vehicle. The cinematography, dialog, and acting are all excellent. This is the reason I love indie films.
4 stars out of 5

"5 Star Day"

What an unexpected treat this movie was. The storyline is about a college senior who need to complete a project to graduate. His presentation revolves around the premise that astrology is B.S. Well, he reads his horoscope on his birthday, and it predicts one of his best days ever. A "5 star day". As it turns out, it's one of his worst days ever. So he embarks on a mission to track down three people who were born at the same time in the same hospital and compare how their birthdays were. I won't reveal any more of the story, but believe me, it's a movie well worth watching.
4 stars out of 5.

"The Others"

If you want to be totally creeped out by a movie, this one is your cup of tea. Nichole Kidman plays a mom who's raising two young children in a country home in Jersey during WWII. Her husband is away fighting for England and her daughter starts seeing ghosts in the house. Three mysterious former  workers show up to help with the household. Kidman starts to hear strange noises herself and starts to unwind. There were several times when the hair on the back of my neck stood up. This movie was subtle, but scared the crap out of me. This movie is like something Hitchcock would have made.

3 1/2 out of 5 stars

"Middle of Nowhere"

Set in a small town in Ohio, this is a story about two teenage kids who meet while working at a theme park. They go into business together selling pot because he's looking for financial independence, while she needs money to go to med school. It's a story of self discovery and the excellent cast of unknowns (except for Susan Sarandon) do a great job.  The movie follows them through varios adventures over the course of a summer. It's not your typical "shallow and soulless kids behaving badly" movies. I found myself feeling for the young characters.  I think Dorian, (Anton Yelchin) and Grace (Eva Amurri)  are both promising young actors.
4 stars out of 5.

"Phoebe In Wonderland"

A totally enchanting movie. Elle Fanning, in her first movie, delivers an absolutely incredible performance. She's a young girl who has some mental and emotional problems. She's totally infatuated with the Alice in Wonderland story. When she's cast in a school performance of the play, all her dreams come true. It's a feel good movie that's appropriate for the whole family.
4 1/2 stars out of 5.

"The Island on Bird Street"

What a gem of a movie!  It's the story of a young Polish Jew who has to fend for himself after his father is taken away by the Nazis. He manages to survive in the bombed out Ghetto in Warsaw. The movie reminds me of several post-Apocalyptic movies I've seen in that, for long periods of the film, there is no dialog and the young boy is the only person on camera. The story is both bleak and full of subtle optimism. The actor, Jordan Kiziuk won several awards for his performance and you can easily see why. It's a shame that this is the only movie he's made. What a powerful film. This one will stick with you for a long time!
4 1/2 stars out of 5.

"The Safety of Objects"

It's complicated. That's the best way to describe this interesting movie. The story involves the lives of four suburban families The movie starts out jumping back and forth among the families through the course of a day. Then it jumps back and forth in time. I know it sounds confusing, but in the end, it all makes sense. The connecting event involves Glen Close's son who is in a coma as the result of a car accident. The movie reminds me a little of an Altman film. It's not an uplifting movie, but it will definitely stick with you. 3 1/2 stars.