American tourist Jesse and French student Celine meet by chance on the train from Budapest to Vienna. Sensing that they are developing a connection, Jesse asks Celine to spend the day with him in Vienna, and she agrees. Passing the time before his scheduled flight the next morning. the two embark on a spiritual and emotional odyssey. Bonding through the act of conversation, Jesse and Celine discover each other’s true essence - their hopes and dreams, their passions and peeves, and their wants and needs. How do two perfect strangers connect so intimately over the course of a single day? What is that special thing that bonds two people so strongly? As their bond turns to love, what will happen to them the next morning when Jesse flies away? This is a lovely movie proving that two people can learn more in a day of introspection and bonding than most people learn in a lifetime. The key is honesty. Absolutely beautiful. Written by randywong@fairisaac.com

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Jesse, a writer from the US, and Celine, a Frenchwoman working for an environment protection organization, acquainted nine years ago on the train from Budapest to Vienna, meet again when Jesse arrives in Paris for a reading of his new book. As they have only a few hours until his plane leaves, they stroll through Paris, talking about their experiences, views and whether they still love each other, although Jesse is already married with a kid. Written by Moritz Muehlenhoff {jmm@inutil.org}

I bet the filmmakers would love to have a dollar for every time someone compares this movie to “My Big Fat Greek Wedding.” Their coffers would be greatly enriched, as comparisons to Nia Vardalos‘ “Greek Wedding” are inevitable. As I left the screening, the majority of the audience rumblings had to do with renaming the film. I heard “My Big Fat Indian Wedding” and “My Big Fat Soccer Movie” kicked around the most frequently, proving that comparisons to last year’s indie-film-that-could will undoubtedly be made.

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“Bewitched” is a TV-show-turned-into-a-movie hybrid. It’s not a remake of the show itself; it’s a movie about remaking the classic TV show, focusing on the behind-the-scenes antics of the actors cast to fill the roles of Samantha and Darrin from the original “Bewitched” TV series. Does that sound confusing? It’s actually not, though my explanation may well be.

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Pick your own tagline for this one. My suggestions: “Beyond Boredom” or “Beyond Belief” or “Why Isn’t There Anything Entertaining About This Movie?” or “Clive Owen is Great But…” or “A Love Story Without Chemistry.” I could go on and on.

What starts out with an interesting premise quickly deteriorates into a cockeyed political statement. If you support the humanitarian work prominently featured in “Beyond Borders,” you’ll be disappointed in how Hollywood has taken an important program and screwed around with its basic mission statement.

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Billy Madison is the 27 year-old son of Bryan Madison, a very rich man who has made his living in the hotel industry. Billy stands to inherit his father’s empire but only if he can make it through all 12 grades, 2 weeks per grade, to prove that he has what it takes to run the family business. Written by Paul D. Geiser {pgeiser@freenet.columbus.oh.us}

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Rick has been given a new identity by the FBI for helping convict a drug dealing FBI agent. Fifteen years later his former fiance recognises him. Rick’s FBI ‘minder’ has been replaced by a corrupt agent who helps the drug dealing FBI agent and his accomplice locate him. There are many subsequent chase scenes as Rick and girlfriend revisit his former haunts. Written by Rob Hartill

Nicole Kidman as a Russian? At first consideration that may seem an unlikely bit of casting, but it’s no more unlikely than Nicole Kidman winning accolades singing and dancing in a rousing romantic musical. In “Birthday Girl,” Kidman dons sleazy costumes, darkens her hair, chain smokes, and speaks with a Russian accent that seems a mixture of Natasha from “Rocky and Bullwinkle” and true Russian. What’s amazing is that despite the fact that you never forget it’s Kidman playing a Russian, she manages to pull off this part without missing a step.

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The story about Swedish ambassador in Chile - Harald Edelstam - and his heroic actions to protect the innocent people from the execution during and after the military coup on September 11th 1973. We travel with Edelstam during the terrible moments just after the coup and follows his never-ending fight for human rights, law and order. What drove him? And what price did he end up paying for his total commitment? Haunted by his own demons the we experiences on close hand how a womanizer desperately searches to find love again, a task only doable, if he can fight his own past and redeem himself. After saving hundreds - maybe even thousands - he is challenged once more, this time to save his newfound love from the death penalty issued by the regime. Another impossible task and a desperate chase against time. Based on a true story about a man, that did, what all of us only dreams of. Written by Producer

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In rural Mississippi, Lazarus, a former blues musician who survives by truck farming, finds a young girl nearly beaten to death near his home. She’s the white-trash town tramp, molded by a life of sexual abuse at the hands of her father and verbal abuse from her mother, who seems to delight in reminding Rae of her mistake in not aborting her. Lazarus, who is also facing personal crisis at the dissolution of his marriage, nurses Rae back to health, providing her with gentle, fatherly advice as well as an education in blues music. Rae’s boyfriend, Ronnie, goaded by the man who nearly beat Rae to death, misunderstands the relationship between Lazarus and Rae, and vows to kill him. Lazarus, exhibiting a street-smart understanding of violence and its motives, calls Ronnie’s bluff, senses that he is as troubled as Rae, and becomes a guiding force in the young couple’s resurrection. Written by Joe Jurca