In this controversial comedy, a young teenaged Arab-American girl discovers her awakening sexuality and contends with racist neighbors, her very strict and demanding father, and the sexual advances of an adult neighbor. The script, based on a novel, is well-written, the acting believable, and the story frequently shocking.

Grade: B-.

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Elijah Wood stars as a Jewish American, who travels to the Ukraine on a quest to find out what happened to the woman who saved his grandfather during World War II. He’s aided by a cranky old man and a chattery pop culture enthusiast who uses hilariously stilted broken English.

Grade: B.

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This hip-hop mockumentary chronicles the rise and fame of a fictional rap group, NWH, and their sexual, political, and legal exploits. For fans of rap and hip-hop, many of the parody characters here will be very obvious. For others, this scathing lampoon of rap culture may seem silly.

Grade: B-.

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Justin Bateman anchors a talented cast in this quirky romantic comedy about a guy who runs a food extract factory, who contends with an unfaithful wife and an industrial accident that attracts a beautiful con artist, played by Mila Kunis. While the picture is entertaining, the plot sometimes seems clunky.

Grade: C+.

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Four college students return home to Palo Alto during Thanksgiving break after their first semester away from home. They revisit their old high school, struggle with relationship issues, and go on various adventures. Endearingly quirky characters, good acting, and a sweet script bring a picturesque set of stories to life.

Grade: B.

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This Swedish film, based on the best-selling novel by the late Stieg Larsson, follows the investigation by a middle-aged journalist, assisted by a troubled but brilliant female hacker, of the disappearance of an industrialist’s niece in the sixties. This intricate mystery twists and turns brilliantly through unexpected territory.

Grade: A+.

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Kathryn Bigelow directs this critically-acclaimed picture that follows the exploits of an explosive ordinance disposal detail of the US Army, trying to defuse and disarm improvised explosive devices. Brilliant acting performances and a realistic screenplay earned this masterful work a plethora of awards, including an Oscar for Best Director.

Grade: A+.

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A Jewish singer in Nazi-occupied Holland infiltrates the SS headquarters in the Hague to act as a spy for the Dutch resistance. This gritty period thriller is very well written, has a palpable atmosphere of intrigue and danger, shows the inside of underground resistance, and features believable acting performances.

Grade: A.

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Seth Rogen, James Franco, and Danny McBride lead a star-studded cast in this Judd Apatow-produced stoner action comedy. Rogen is Dale Denton, a process server, who runs to his pot dealer (Franco) for help after witnessing a murder. The two have to survive crooked cops and ruthless criminals.

Grade: B.

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Jonah Hill and Michael Cera star in this hilarious Judd Apatow-produced high school party comedy. In their attempts to get alcohol for a party their classmates are throwing, they ditch a creepy stranger, evade a pair of bumbling cops, and try to seduce girls far out of their league.

Grade: B+.

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