Film adaptation of street tough Jim Carroll’s epistle about his kaleidoscopic free fall into the harrowing world of drug addiction. As a member of a seemingly unbeatable high school basketball squad, Jim’s life centers around the basketball court and the court becomes a metaphor for the world in his mind. A best friend who is dying of leukemia, a coach (”Swifty”) who takes unacceptable liberties with the boys on his team, teenage sexual angst, and an unhealthy appetite for heroin — all of these begin to encroach on young Jim’s dream of becoming a basketball star. Soon, the dark streets of New York become a refuge from his mother’s mounting concern for her son. He can’t go home and his only escape from the reality of the streets is heroin for which he steals, robs and prostitutes himself. Only with the help of Reggie, an older neighborhood friend with whom Jim “picked up a game” now and then, is he able to begin the long journey back to sanity. Written by Mark Fleetwood {mfleetwo@mail.coin.missouri.edu}

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“Anger Management” is another example of a good idea gone bad. Take two popular actors with radically different styles, mix in a sprinkling of a few name actors, throw in Adam Sandler’s buddies in supporting roles, and ask them to take an intriguing idea and turn it into a solid comedy. The result? Well, let’s just say this is deeply disappointing considering how much promise Sandler showed in “Punch-Drunk Love.” And Nicholson’s far from blameless. He takes his wild man character from the latter part of “The Shining,” tones it down a bit, and then generally looks uncomfortable with the results throughout this film.

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Six unemployed steel workers, inspired by the Chippendale’s dancers, form a male striptease act. The women cheer them on to go for “the full monty” - total nudity. Written by Jon Reeves (from press kit) {jreeves@imdb.com}

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I walked out of “House of Sand and Fog” with two distinct thoughts pinging around in my brain. One, the acting in “House of Sand and Fog” was some of the best of the year. And two, I was thinking in amazement about the way director/screenwriter Vadim Perelman was able to make me alternately despise and cheer for each of the central characters in a balanced fashion over the entire course of the movie. Normally you get to pick one bad guy and wish evil thoughts on him or her over the course of the film. That’s not so easy with “House of Sand and Fog.” The characters were so well developed and human, with all the foibles that implies, it was difficult to find a hero or a villain and label them with that designation for longer than a scene or two.

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Victor (Leguizamo), is trying to escape his life as a drug dealer in the South Bronx. Enter Jack (Sarsgaard), a Wall Street investment banker with a business proposal that has Victor’s name (and money) written all over it. Written by Anonymous

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