"Nights in Rodanthe"

As you may know, I'm a sucker for romantic movies. And, as my wife likes to point out, Nicholas Sparks is one of the cheesiest writers ever. So this is one of his screenplays, and I loved it. Diane Lane and Richard Gere are caught up in a hurricane in North Carolina. The two of them both have troubled pasts.  They both connect with each other and then... I won't reveal more of the story, but, let me just say, if you're up for a real tear jerker, this is your ticket.
3 out of 5 stars

"Kodachrome"

Ed Harris, Jason Sudeikis. and Elizabeth Olsen star in an interesting road flic--one of my favorite genres. Ed plays a retired famous photographer who has a couple months to live. He has several rolls of Kodachrome film that he shot years ago that he wants developed and printed before he dies. The problem is, there's only one film lab that can still process them--they're in Kansas and he lives in New York. He asks his son, who despises him, to drive him there. It's not exactly a feel-good road trip. But well acted and well worth watching.
4 out of 5 stars

"The Gift"

Another creepy one. I don't know why Netflix keeps recommending these movies to me. I sort of enjoy them, in a perverse way. In this movie, a youngish married couple move from Chicago to California. They're played by Jason Bateman and Rebecca Hall. He runs into an old high school "pal," let's say, and the drama begins. His buddy, (played by Joe Egerton) begins stalking them, for an event that occurred back in high school. Jason Bateman proves in this movie that he's more than a comedic actor. Good acting and storyline overall.
4 out of 5 stars

"That Night"

One of the sweetest movies ever. Absolutely magical. A 17-year old teenager loses her dad, and a younger girl who lives across the street follows her exploits. It takes place in 1961 in New Jersey and doesn't follow the usual scripted format. I don't know why I've never heard of this movie--it's over 25 years old, for Pete's sake! It stars a very young Eliza Dushku and Juliette Lewis. The younger girl is fascinated by her neighbor's affair with an ostracized boy. She befriends her and becomes her accomplice to help her work things out with him. Their friendship is about kindred spirits, if you know what I mean. Wonderful movie.
4.5 out of 5 stars

"In Search of Fellini"

A small town Ohio girl, from a dysfunctional family, discovers the movies of the master filmmaker, Frederico Fillini. Out of the blue, she flies to Italy to try to meet him. While she's there, she has several Felliniesque experiences. It's a sweet homage to the master.  The movie vacillates between a Fellini style movie and a typical indie film. The acting is superb and the Italian scenery will make you want to hop on a plane and fly there immediately.
4 out of 5 stars

"Me and the Alien"

Talk about an off-beat movie. This one was quirky, different and rewarding. A Spanish punk band lets a kid with Downes Syndrome join the group. When they realize that the punk genre is becoming passe, they let him write some tunes. The group becomes hugely popular. The tension in the band starts when he becomes the star of the group. It's a fun, different movie, and in the end, it's really sweet. The acting and writing is quite good. Well worth watching.
3.5 out of 5 stars

"The Phenom"

Not at all what I expected. Based on the title, I thought this movie would be about a superstar that lights the baseball world on fire.  Actually, it's about a talented young pitcher (played by Johnny Simmons) trying to come to terms with his talents. He makes it to the Majors but when he struggles with his pitching, he's sent down to the minors. A large part of the movie involves him discussing his life with an unorthodox sports psychiatrist, (played brilliantly by Paul Giamatti, who's father was the Baseball Commissioner, Bart Giamatti) and dealing with his relentless father (Ethan Hawke). The acting and cinematography are wonderful. An underrated little gem.
4 out of 5 stars