up and coming

Here are a couple of interesting independents to keep an eye out for.

"Life During Wartime" Todd Solanz has a new film with familliar themes coming up. The director of "Happiness" revisits the land of twisted sexuality for a look at the repercussions of pedophilia . He ressurects and updates the lives of the central characters from "Happiness" but cast different actors to play them. Sounds like you might want to rent "Happiness' before you see this one. Then again, that's a lot of pedophilia for one sitting. Interesting cast though-Allison Janey, Ciaran Hinds, Ally Sheedy, Paul Reubens, Charlotte Rampling. Reviews have been pretty good.

"Precious" Gritty and urban, this is based on the Novel Push by Saphhire. Must have been a hell of a book because the film's full title is "Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire". No kidding. Anyway this story of a black overweight teenage girl with two kids caught in a cycle of abuse and poverty was an audience award winner at Sundance and that means a big indie push at Oscar time. In fact, Mo'Nique may be the odds on favorite to win an Oscar (you heard me) according to those early Oscar blogs. You may hear a lot about this one. Also starring Gabby Sadibe as "Precious" (on a bunch of blogs as a possibility for "Best Actress"), Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz and Sherri Shepherd. Directed by Lee Daniels.