Welcome back to the Indie Spotlight, in which we list the new limited-release films being released today. Keep an eye out for when they come to your local art house or Netflix queue.

We only have three new ones this week, which should leave you plenty of time for the Janna Fontana movie.

• Anvil! The Story of Anvil (pictured) was one of the success stories at Sundance in 2008, where it played in one of the lower-profile sections and sort of came from nowhere to be a much-buzzed-about hit. It's about a Canadian heavy metal band that has been together for 30 years without ever quite hitting the bigtime. You will think it is a mockumentary, but no, it's real, and the story is inspiring, hilarious, and bizarre. Cinematical's James Rocchi loved it (he even got quoted on the poster!), calling it "a hymn to the human spirit, played loud in power chords." And hey, check out that 98% positive rating at Rotten Tomatoes! It's just playing in New York and Los Angeles for now, but just wait, it'll make the rounds.

• The Mysteries of Pittsburgh is based on beloved author Michael Chabon's first novel, a coming-of-age story adapted and directed by the guy who directed Dodgeball. (Uh-oh.) If Anvil was one of the success stories at Sundance 2008, this was one of the major disappointments. Cinematical's Scott Weinberg reviewed it then, saying it's "such an inert, episodic, and familiar piece of very typical festival fare. It's as if Mr. Thurber watched six Sundance films at random, and then just copied his favorite scenes from each one." The consensus at Rotten Tomatoes is dismal, too: only 11% of the reviews are positive. Playing in New York, L.A., San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, and Minneapolis.

Welcome back to the Indie Spotlight, in which we list the new limited-release films being released today. Keep an eye out for when they come to your local art house or Netflix queue.

• Alien Trespass (pictured), opening on about 40 screens nationwide, is a loving, non-parody homage to the cheesy invaders-from-space B-movies of the 1950s. For me, the style wears thin too quickly; the fact that the '50s films were corny out of necessity while this one is doing it on purpose makes it feel insincere. Indeed, it has a low 31% approval rating at Rotten Tomatoes.

• Bart Got a Room is a comedy about a nerdy Jewish teenager trying to find a date for the prom. Cinematical's Erik Davis loved it at Tribeca last year, and the 71% positive rating at Rotten Tomatoes backs him up.

• C Me Dance combines the world of evangelical Christianity with the world of dancing. Sold! It's opening on about 150 screens nationwide. No reviews are up yet, but I would suspect it's a preaching-to-the-choir sort of thing, aimed at people who are already evangelical Christians.

• Sugar comes from the Half Nelson team of Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck and is finally hitting theaters after premiering at Sundance last year. It's about a young Dominican Republic baseball player who is recruited by scouts and brought to the U.S. to train for the majors. Cinematical's Kim Voynar liked it quite a bit, calling it a coming-of-age story more than a baseball movie, and as beautiful as "a painting brought to life" -- and hey, check out that 88% positive rating at Rotten Tomatoes!

And now: the Indie Spotlight. In which you are alerted to the smaller, under-the-radar films opening in limited release this weekend. They usually start in New York and Los Angeles, but be patient. They'll turn up at your local art house or on Netflix sooner or later.

Here's what opens outside the multiplexes today:

• Goodbye Solo (pictured), from Iranian-American wunderkind Ramin Bahrani (Man Push Cart), is about a young Senegalese taxi driver in North Carolina who befriends a cranky old coot. It has drawn universal acclaim -- literally, as 100% of the reviews at Rotten Tomatoes so far are positive. Cinematical's Kim Voynar reviewed it at Toronto last year and called it "a level of filmmaking that inspires without overwhelming, impresses without overreaching." Playing in NYC and Chicago.

• Spinning into Butter is a drama about race relations and political correctness on a college campus. Starring Sarah Jessica Parker, Beau Bridges, and Miranda Richardson, it's based on an acclaimed play but isn't getting much praise as a movie: only 27% of critics at Rotten Tomatoes have liked it. Playing in New York, D.C., and Cambridge, Mass.

• American Swing is a documentary about Plato's Retreat, a famous New York sex club of the 1970s and '80s, back before AIDS came along and spoiled all the fun of casual unprotected sex with multiple anonymous partners. The reviews so far are about evenly mixed, with four in favor and six against at Rotten Tomatoes. Even those who liked it seem to acknowledge it's not terribly deep, though the subject matter might be inherently interesting to some. Playing at Quad Cinema in New York City.

The arrival of Watchmen this weekend has caused the other studios to flee in terror, but not the indies! There are several smaller films opening in limited release today, and the Indie Spotlight is here to round 'em up for you. Make a note of the ones that sound good and watch for when they come to your city (or to cable, or to DVD, etc.).

• Everlasting Moments (pictured) is a Swedish drama, based on a true story, about a young female photographer in the early 1900s. It was on the shortlist for the foreign-language category at the Oscars this year, but was not nominated. Cinematical's Kim Voynar lurved it at Telluride last September, calling it "that rare cinematic experience that you settle back, bite into, and then savor as the subtle richness of the film cleanses the palate and fills the soul." Mmm... Swedish palate cleanser.... At Rotten Tomatoes, 85% of the reviews agree with Kim.

• Phoebe in Wonderland delighted many of us at Sundance last year (including Cinematical's Kim Voynar) with its imaginative, funny depiction of a smart little girl who has trouble conforming to society's rules. I'm a little surprised by the mixed reviews (about half and half) at Rotten Tomatoes; I thought the general consensus was a lot more positive. Oh well. Don't listen to them, listen to Kim and me. It's a sweet movie. Look for it on about a dozen screens around the country.

• 12, from Russia, was nominated for an Oscar last year. That makes sense, considering it's a remake of 12 Angry Men, which was nominated for three Oscars itself back in 1957. Rotten Tomatoes has it at 89%, with critics using words like "riveting," "aggressively entertaining," and "intense." It's playing in L.A. and New York now, and it will tour the country in the coming weeks.

It's a terrible weekend for movie fans, as the only two new wide releases are a Jonas Brothers concert movie and a film based on the Street Fighter video games. So basically, if you're not a 13-year-old girl or an 18-year-old guy (or whoever the target audience is for a Street Fighter movie), you're hosed -- unless you venture to the art houses and independent theaters, where you'll find some diversity. The Indie Spotlight has the lowdown on what's opening in limited release today. Let us begin!

• Crossing Over (pictured), a multi-story drama about immigration from The Cooler writer/director Wayne Kramer, stars Harrison Ford, Ray Liotta, and Ashley Judd, among many others. The critics are comparing it to Crash and Babel, and not in a good way. It's opening on about a dozen screens in New York and L.A., and will expand in the coming weeks.

• An American Affair sounds like an odd mix: It's about a 13-year-old boy's relationship with a 30-year-old woman (Gretchen Mol), set against the backdrop of the JFK years, complete with conspiracy theories. The score at Rotten Tomatoes so far is 7 negative and only 3 positive, with most mentioning the political-thriller elements as being the weakest part.

• The Velveteen Rabbit is based on the classic children's tale and mixes live action with animation. The cast includes Ellen Burstyn, Jane Seymour, and Tom Skerritt. And it was directed by Michael Landon Jr.! It's from Utah-based Feature Films for Families, and the company promises on the film's website that if you don't enjoy it, they'll give you a DVD of one of their other movies for free. Of course, if you don't like this one, there's a good chance you wouldn't like the other stuff they make, either, but still. Just one review at Rotten Tomatoes so far, but it's a rave.

The Indie Spotlight is a weekly feature intended to remind you of new films that aren't playing on 2,000 screens and that haven't been advertised to you on TV a hundred times in the last week. For the most part, these titles are opening only in New York and will expand from there. But those of us who live elsewhere can keep an eye out for them, if not at the local art house then on DVD.

Here's what opens today:

• Two Lovers, starring Joaquin Phoenix as a man who comes home to Brooklyn and falls for Vinessa Shaw, while his parents want him to marry Gwyneth Paltrow. It's mostly raves at Rotten Tomatoes, including a glowing review from Cinematical's Kim Voynar (who saw it at Cannes last year), calling it "thoughtful, evocative, and more true to real human existence than most of the dreck that comes out of Hollywood studios."

• Gomorra, an unglamorous look at modern-day organized crime in Italy, won the top prize at Cannes and has hauled in several wins at other festivals, too. It was Italy's submission for this year's foreign language category at the Oscars, but the silly-heads at the Academy failed to nominate it. (It was nominated for a Golden Globe, but honestly, what wasn't?) Cinematical's James Rocchi contributes to the film's 87% approval rating at Rotten Tomatoes by comparing it to TV's The Wire and calling it "a sweeping, stirring film that has the shoot-and-loot tension of the best crime cinema but also has the scope and serious intent of great drama."

• The Caller, a corporate mystery thriller starring Frank Langella and Elliott Gould. Both actors are earning praise, but nine of the ten reviews at Rotten Tomatoes are scathing. It's only playing at one theater in Manhattan and will show up on DVD in a few weeks anyway. But, just for the record, here it is on the list.
  

Hey, what do you know, it's already the second weekend of 2009! Only 50 to go before 2010! Most independent-film distributors took a break the last couple weeks (as did most of mainstream Hollywood), but they're getting back into the swing of things now, and the Indie Spotlight is here, as always, to let you know what's playing beyond the multiplexes.

Your indie selections this weekend are: Cargo 200, Just Another Love Story, Silent Light, Yonkers Joe, and the After Dark Horrorfest 2009. Keep reading for the scoop on each of them.

Silent Light (pictured)
What it is: A quiet, slow, contemplative drama about a case of adultery in a small Mennonite community in northern Mexico.
What they're saying: I reviewed it for Cinematical at the Portland International Film Festival last year and described the cinematography as breathtakingly beautiful, the story simple and mesmerizing. I'm one of the 83% of critics at Rotten Tomatoes who liked it. Make no mistake, though: It's a slooow movie -- on purpose. The idea is to become absorbed in the thoughts and feelings of the characters.
Where it's playing: New York City (Film Forum).
More info: The official site is lovely to look at it, if nothing else.

Not that it's any of my business, but are your halls decked? Is your gay apparel donned? Good! Then you have time to go to the movies, and the Indie Spotlight is here to tell you what's playing beyond the multiplexes!

'Tis the season for limited-release pictures that are sort of indie films and sort of studio productions. For example, this weekend there's Doubt (in NY, LA, Chicago, Boston, and San Francisco), The Reader (NY and LA), and Che (NY and LA) -- but you've heard plenty about those films elsewhere. There's also Delgo, which is a truly independent animated film -- but it's opening on 1,800 screens, so you don't need me to tell you about it here.

Our focus is the stuff that might be under the radar, which this week includes: Adam Resurrected, Dark Streets, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, Timecrimes, What Doesn't Kill You, Where God Left His Shoes, While She Was Out, and Wendy and Lucy. For the details, read on!

Wendy and Lucy (pictured)
What it is: A quiet drama about a penniless woman (Michelle Williams) whose car breaks down in rural Oregon while she's heading West to find a job. Lucy is the name of her dog and traveling companion. The film is not, as I previously believed, a biopic about the red-haired girl from the fast food place and Linus' older sister.
What they're saying: Cinematical raved about it at Cannes earlier this year, and 89% of the critics at Rotten Tomatoes agree. The consensus is that it's a tender, beautifully shot, emotionally intimate little film.
Where it's playing: New York City (Film Forum), Los Angeles (Laemmle Sunset 5).
More info: The official site has a list of release dates for a few dozen other cities.

Put down that leftover-turkey sandwich and pay attention! There are movies to be watched! The majors have Punisher: War Zone, Cadillac Records, and Nobel Son to amuse and/or annoy you, but the Indie Spotlight is here to tell you about the independent flicks opening in limited release today. They are: The Black Balloon, Ciao, Hunger, and Let Them Chirp Awhile. See what strikes your fancy, and keep an eye out for when it comes to your neck of the woods.

Herewith, the lowdown on each of 'em:

The Black Balloon
What it is: An Australian drama about a young man and his autistic brother. Toni Collette plays their mom.
What they're saying: Wow -- that premise sounds fraught with peril, but so far 100% of the review at Rotten Tomatoes are positive. Now we're intrigued.
Where it's playing: New York City (AMC Empire 25, Clearview's Port Washington, Cinemart Cinemas) and Los Angeles (Laemmle Town Center 5, Majestic Crest).
More info: The official site is certainly precious-looking.

Hunger
What it is: A true story about Irish hunger-striker Bobby Sands, shot with brutal, unflinching realism by up-and-coming filmmaker Steve McQueen (no relation).
What they're saying: Cinematical raved about it at Cannes, where it won prizes. At Rotten Tomatoes, an impressive 93% of the reviews are positive, often saying it's hard to watch but undeniably well-made and unforgettable.
Where it's playing: Only at the Nuart Theatre in Los Angeles. It's there for a one-week run to qualify for Oscar consideration; it'll be released for reals in 2009.
More info: Here's the U.K. site.

On a normal weekend, there are usually eight or nine new independent films opening in limited release, compared to three four wide releases. But for Thanksgiving, those numbers switch sides -- the multiplexes will be crowded with Twilights and Bolts and Transporters and Christmases and so forth, while the art houses have only a few new titles arriving.

In other words, there's not much to say in this week's Indie Spotlight, and there won't be any need for a Spotlight next week at all. So enjoy these few limited-release films opening today and next Wednesday: The Betrayal, I Can't Think Straight, Lake City, and Special.

The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)
What it is: A documentary about a family that emigrated to the U.S. after the bombings in their native Laos that occurred during the Vietnam War.
What they're saying: Wow -- all 12 reviews at Rotten Tomatoes are positive. "Lyrical, expansive, unbearably beautiful," etc.
Where it's playing: New York City (IFC Center).
More info: The official website has a list of release dates, most of which are several weeks hence.

Lake City
What it is: A drama starring Troy Garity as a man who returns to his Southern home and his mom (Sissy Spacek) after a tragedy separated them for many years.
What they're saying: Lake City is a lovely title, but the critics are saying it's all wet, or some other water-related metaphor. With 11 notices at Rotten Tomatoes, only one is positive, the rest indicating that despite Sissy Spacek's good performance, the movie is too serious, contrived, and banal.
Where it's playing: New York City (Quad Cinema).
More info: I can't find an official site anywhere.