Animal Kingdom

A teen whose mother has died of drug overdose goes to live with his grandmother and uncles, who are involved in bank robberies and other crimes. They are not strangers to him although he hasn’t seen them for a long time. Josh (James Frecheville), who prefers to be known as “J,” re-meets his grandmother (Jacki Weaver), and uncles Darren who is just a few years older than himself, Craig, and the currently hiding Pope (Ben Mendelsohn) who seems to suffer from bipolarity or ADHD or something that involves meds he is not taking. It is Pope who is the wild card in the family, creating problems and conflicts among the others for his own benefit (which none of the others seem to see). Also in the group is Barry Brown (Joel Edgerton), a cohort who hangs out often at the house.

The Box

Based on a short story by noted scifi writer Richard Matheson and taking place in the 70s, this is a story with suggested futuristic, time/space continuum and alien elements. This was also previously adapted into a Twlight Zone episode. The movie though is directed by the guy who wrote and directed Donnie Darko, Richard Kelly.

A couple, Norma and Arthur Lewis (Cameron Diaz, James Marsden) live a comfortable life but pretty much paycheck to paycheck. She is a teacher and suffers from a childhood accident and her foot is malformed. He works at the FBI's Langley research division where he has been using their new age materials to try to make an orthopedic foot to make his wife’s life more comfortable. Out of the blue one day a box is left for them, a curious contraption with a big push button. A mystery man, Mr. Steward (Frank Langella) tempts them to push the button for a million dollars, with the condition that someone they don’t know will die as a result. The couple struggle with the decision, which must be made in 24 hours. Their troubles and the knowledge that it will affect someone they don't know, convince them to push the button, or more correctly she pushes it, and they immediately have regrets.

The Pentagon Papers

I found this film on Netflix while browsing for films Paul Giamatti is in. It’s a biopic starring James Spader as Daniel Ellsberg, a military analyst who came to realize he was unwittingly contributing to the continuing war in Vietnam with his information, while American politicians lied about the war's importance and necessity. Ellsberg first tries to convince them to end things on moral grounds once he finds out about the lying, but when politicians and others disagree, or are too scared to act, he leaks confidential files to the New York Times. He is tried for distribution of confidential information.

Dogville

Using a minimalist stage set, Lars von Trier tells the story of the mysterious runaway Grace (Nicole Kidman), whose fate is decided by the inhabitants of a Colorado town on a dead end street at the foot of the Rocky Mountains.

Tom (Paul Bettany) convinces the others to give Grace a chance, despite some gangsters looking for her. At first the town is wary, then more welcoming--even the sole citizen who is openly antagonostic to Grace, Chuck (Stellan Skarsgard). As Grace's hunters come closer to catching up to her, the town exploits her vulnerability, basically making this a morality play; they use and abuse her in the name of taking risks on her behalf.

sex, lies, and videotape

This was Steven Soderbergh's first film, which he wrote and directed, and put him on the map. A couple, John and Ann (Peter Gallagher, Andie MacDowell) gets a visit from his old friend, Graham (James Spader). Also part of this story is Cynthia (Laura San Giacomo), Ann's freewheeling sister.