Frank, a Scottish shipbuilder, gets laid off after decades on the job. He decides, after using the local pool to take his mind off his unemployment, to swim the English Channel. This wonderful little gem tells the story of one man’s refusal to accept limitations and his perseverance through adversity.

Grade: A-.

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Forces of good and evil vie for one little girl’s life in this astonishing, low-budget fantasy. Ink, an aspiring Incubus, takes her from her bed, captures a Storyteller, and their interaction plays out in this incredibly artistic and wonderfully original piece, complete with vulnerable, poignant moments and fun action.

Grade: A+.

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In this gorgeous Italian movie, a young voice actress begins having nightmares about traumatic events from her childhood and travels to America to discuss them with her older brother. Among her close friends are beautifully flawed characters, including a blind lesbian and a newly divorced older woman who befriends her.

Grade: A-.

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This short documentary follows the sacrifices and hardships of three writers trying to get their screenplays made into movies. The writers experience a number of setbacks and have to rewrite everything several times. It shows how difficult creative work can be and how tough persevering to one’s goals can be.

Grade: B.

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In this moving drama set in the poorest urban neighborhood in Auckland, the daughter of a noble Maori family tries to rescue her family from alcoholism, physical abuse, and despair. Rena Owen shines in her role as the sometimes exasperatingly forgiving mother, Beth, working with a fantastic, albeit painful, script.

Grade: A.

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The Modernist blends minimal German techno with electro house in this set of thirteen tracks from 1999. With solid dancefloor appeal, this would hold its own mixed into a DJ set with music a decade newer. For a nice understated album of good grooves, this solid set delivers the goods.

Grade: B+.

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Syd, a guy obsessed with his ex-girlfriend, London, hustles his way into her going-away party after meeting an Englishman with lots of cocaine. After spending the evening drinking and doing drugs in her bathroom with her friends, the two become friends in this very loud, very revealing character study.

Grade: B.

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Denzel Washington shines in this Spike Lee picture about Bleek Williams, the leader of a jazz quintet, trying to balance his music, two girlfriends, inept management, and low pay. Complete with an introspective style, flawed characters, and amazing music by Terrence Blanchard and Branford Marsalis, this gem is worth seeing.

Grade: A-.

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Three students at Carleton College in Minnesota undertake an unusual project to disconnect completely from the internet and attempt to finish the semester without using computers at all. This inventive project baffles their classmates and professors alike and is full of interesting moments involving old technology, like books and typewriters.

Grade: B+.

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Jim Killeen searches for his name on Google and finds other men around the world with his name. He decides to document his quest to meet them in this documentary. While the men are interesting, this plays more like a self-indulgent travelogue, glossing over stories in favor of sightseeing.

Grade: C.

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