"Beautiful Girls"

What a charming little movie. The story revolves around a pianist who returns to the small town where he grew up for his high school reunion. He gets caught up in the affairs of his unambitious friends. Not a whole lot happens, but he faces the possibilities of what his future could be.The relationship he stikes up with Natalie Portman is absolutely priceless.  Great cast and writing. The film stars Timothy Hutton, Uma Thurman, Mat Dillon, Rosie O'Donnell, Mira Sorvino, and a very young Natalie Portman.
4 1/2 stars out of 5

"Jeff, Who Lives at Home"

The theme of this charming indie film is "Everything happens for a reason". The story centers around two brothers, played by Jason Segel and Ed Helm. Segel's character, Jeff is in his 30's and still lives in his mom's basement. Jeff is sent to the store to buy some glue for a home repair. And there his day of destiny begins. The story line is pretty unpredictable and the plot takes several twists and turns. It's offbeat and I can see why it didn't do well at the box office. Both Helm and Segel do a great job. Susan Sarandon playing the mom was also excellent, as usual. Highly recommended.
4 1/2 stars out of 5

"The Cure"

An 11-year old strikes up a friendship with the boy next door who's constantly picked on because he contracted AIDS through a transfusion. When they read that a doctor in New Orleans has discovered a cure for the disease, the two of them head down the Mississippi on a raft. It's a touching story, with plenty of beautiful scenery. And the two young actors, Joe Mazzello and Brad Renfro do an absolutely amazing job.
4 stars out of 5.

"Dandelion"

A very different coming-of-age movie. The tale centers around Mason, a lonely teen-age boy who lives with parents who are totally uncommunicative. When a troubled girl moves into their small town, he falls for her and they form a close bond. When his dad accidentally hits and kills someone with his car, Mason takes the fall for him. The main part of the tale is after he gets out of a juvenile correctional facility. The movie has a lot of open spaces, both in terms of dialog and scenery. The photography is beautiful, taking its time showing the broad vistas of the mid-western landscape. And the acting is superb. You might get bored with the pacing of the movie, but I found it captivating.
3.5 stars out of 5.

Here's a link to one of the few trailers I found: http://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play;_ylt=A2KLqIGMTOhQfm4A9xj7w8QF;_ylu=X3oDMTBrc3VyamVwBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDdmlkBHZ0aWQD?p=%22Dandelion%22+movie+trailer&vid=4ca8f78ba940ca7e7a407554ae238b4a&l=&turl=http%3A%2F%2Fts4.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DV.4796714816241807%26pid%3D15.1&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.videodetective.com%2Fmovies%2Fdandelion%2F58858&tit=Dandelion&c=1&sigr=11ko0tc2k&&tt=b

"Holiday Engagement"

Thirty-something Hillary has spent her whole life trying to please her demanding mother. Just before Thanksgiving, she breaks up with her well-to-do- fiancee. Rather than disappoint her mom one more time, she hires an actor to play her fiancee, whom the family has never met. Of course, hilarity ensues. All kinds of mix-ups and cover-ups. Obviously, it's not a very deep movie, but I though it was a fun diversion. A fun movie to watch with the whole family.
3.5 out of 5 stars

"Noel"

What a perfect Christmas movie. It's about the lives of five people who are faced with spending Christmas alone. It's one of those films where several lives are interconnected. Noel stars Susan Sarandon, Penelope Cruz, Robin Williams, Paul Walker, and Alan Arkin. Be sure to have the tissues close by. I'm just a sucker for tearjerkers like this.

"Incendiery"

Michelle Williams plays a housewife who loses her husband and son in a terrorist attack at a soccer match while she's having an affair. She's guilt-ridden and struggles to cope with her loss. This is a powerful film and is difficult to watch at times. But Ms Williams gives an absolutely riveting performance. I really can't believe she's not in more movies. What a rare talent. This is a film well worth watching.
4 stars out of 5