"Telling Lies in America"

Karchy ( Brad Renfro) is a shy Hungarian-American living in 1960's Cleveland. He's a social outcast at his elitist Catholic high school. When he's taken under the wing of a hip radio DJ (Kevin Bacon), he suddenly becomes cool. But the lies he begins telling, quickly get him in trouble. This off-beat movie is fun to watch, not only for the plot, but for the excellent performances by Bacon and Renfro.
4 1/2 stars out of 5

I could only find this clip from the movie. There doesn't seem to be an official trailer on youtube.

"Shooter"

If you're in the mood for an action flic, this is it. Mark Wahlberg absolutely kicks butt in this movie. Here's the plot: a retired sniper, who's the best in the world at what he does, is hired by the government to prevent the assassination of the president. When a visiting dignitary is shot, everyone is after him, because they accuse of him of being the killer. But, Mark Wahlberg turns into a one-man-army! What a movie. Not a complicated plot, just a lot of fun!

4 stars out of 5.

"High Tide"

In this movie, directed by Gillian Anderson, a backup singer to an Elvis impersonator gets the sack while on the road in Australia. She ends up stuck in a small town, waiting for her car to be repaired. While staying in a caravan park, she runs into her daughter, whom she abandoned years before. The daughter is being raised by her grandmother, and has been told that her mother is dead. Some great performances, especially by Judy Davis who plays the deadbeat mom, and her young daughter, Claudia Karvan.
4 1/2 stars out of 5

I could't find a youtube trailer, but this one will work. You'll have to do a cut and past.
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/high_tide/trailers/10904639/

"Girlfriend"

Excellent little film. The story takes place in the rural South and revolves around Evan, a kid in his late 20s who has Down syndrome. He's a sweet, gentle guy who has a crush on a divorcee, who he knew in high school. When his mother dies, he inherits a bunch of money, which he wants to use to take care of his "girlfriend" who's always in financial trouble. There are several times in the movie where you say to yourself, "Uh-oh. I know where this is headed". I won't be a spoiler and tell you what happens, but let's just say, I encourage you to stick with the movie. The actor who plays Even, I believe is somewhat intellectually challenged in real life, but what a performance! And Shannon Woodward, as the girlfriend, is also amazing.

4 1/2 out of 5 stars

"The Hunter"

Willem Defoe plays a bounty hunter who's hired by a pharmaceutical company to tract down an animal that's believed to be extinct. He goes to Tasmania in search of the Tasmanian Tiger. Wile there, he stays with a family, who's father has been missing for over a year, who also believed the Tiger to still be alive. The movie is a slow paced, psychological thriller. Did this film ever make it to the theaters? I'd never heard of it before and I can understand if it went direct to dvd. Some may find it boring, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The acting and scenery are both outstanding. And the ending makes the movie worth watching.
4 stars out of 5

"Surrogate Valentine"

A struggling musician, played by guitarist Goh Nakamura, is asked to teach an actor how to play the guitar for a movie he's starring in. The mismatched couple strike up an unlikely friendship. Goh is quiet and contemplative while the knucklehead actor is one of those guys who's talking and can't shut up. It's part road movie, part romance. The dialogue is well written and the two characters are instantly likable. It was one of those movies you didn't want to end. A real indie gem.
4 1/2 stars out of 5

"The Good Heart"

This is what indie films are all about. A low budget, quirky story, great acting and dialogue. Jacques (Brian Cox) is a cranky old bar owner who's just had his fifth heart attack. He realizes that there isn't anyone to take over the bar when he dies. So he befriends a young homeless person (Paul Dano) and teaches him the ropes of running a bar. The movie is a bit depressing at times since the main character is such a bitter, caustic old fart. But overall, it's an interesting story. Pay attention to the dialogue of the bar patron's-- they deliver some great lines.

4 stars out of 5