MAO’S LAST DANCER (Australia 2009) ***
Directed by Bruce Beresford

Aussie director Bruce Beresford’s (DRIVING MISS DAISY, DON’S PARTY) ambitious dance epic is based on the true story of dancer Li (Chi Cao) who stayed back in the U.S. and refused to return to China. 

MOTHER AND CHILD (USA/Spain 2009) ***1/2
Directed by Rodrigo Garcia

As the title implies, the film is a story of a MOTHER AND CHILD – in fact about 3 mothers, so viewers will get their money’s worth in terms of drama.  And writer/director Garcia delivers his drama in a film that weaves the three stories better than other films of multiple stories like CRASH or BROOKLY’S FINEST.

LETTERS TO JULIET (USA 2010) **
Directed by Gary Winick

There are romantic comedies and there are romantic dramas.  Holly wood often comes up with ideas for romantic comedies that are just unfunny (THE BACK-UP PLAN) or romantic dramas that are have no drama.  In the case of LETTERS TO JULIET, the drama is replaced with mushy sappiness.

EXIT THORUGH THE GIFT SHOP (USA/UK 2010) ***
Directed by Banksy

Don’t expect any elaborately researched documentary or famous talking heads in Banksy’s EXIT THORUGH THE GIFT SHOP.  Even the main subject has been described as an idiot with mental problems.  But Banksi’s film is so intriguing that the material holds interest for a film despite the fact that most of the film is done with hand-held camera and has an amateurish feel.  But EXIT THORUGH THE GIFT SHOP captures the spirit of the material, and tells the story through straight forward documentation.

BABIES (France 2010) **
Directed by Thomas Balmes

The premise of this documentary is that everyone loves babies, so a film taking a look at one year in the life of four babies from around the world, from Mongolia to Namibia to San Francisco to Tokyo would likely be a hit.