Writer-director Mike Mills put all his heart and art into Beginners, a powerful, poignant autobiographical film that shows "Oliver," Mills' fictional avatar, coming to terms with his seventy-five year old father's simultaneous revelations (a) that he is gay, and (b) that he has a terminal disease. Beginners premiered at The Toronto International Film Festival, where it earned rave reviews—not the cliché kind of raves, but genuinely exuberant, effusive exclamations of praise and delight. Beginners is scheduled to hit theaters during the summer, 2011, when it can provide welcome relief from ripped-from-the-comics fare."Ewan McGregor stars as Oliver, and Christopher Plummer stars as Hal, Oliver's "tumultuously gay" father. No strangers to intense drama, ribald comedy, or brilliant performances, both McGregor and Plummer show, as The Los Angeles Times said, "a strong sense of responsibility to their real-world counterparts." Responsibility comes to life in Beginners as humor, honesty, genuine love and affection, which Oliver learns in the last days of his father's life and then attempts to carry into new love with Anna, also brilliantly portrayed by Melanie Laurent. Anna is as unpredictable and irreverent as Hal was tumultuous and exuberant, so that loving her challenges all the bravery, humor, and hope Oliver has learned from his father.

It's a Christmas time of 2004. An ordinary British family Henry (Ewan McGregor) and Maria (Naomi Watts) visits Thailand on vacations with their three children: Lucas, who is just turned 7, and his younger brothers Simon and Thomas (children are played by Tom Holland, Oaklee Pendergastand and Samuel Joslin, accordingly). As they reach the Thai hotel, their family suit is upgraded to villa, a horrible decision, as it turns after. They are exchanging some Christmas gifts and heading to the coastline the morning after. Nothing has presaged a catastrophe. But meanwhile the terrible roar is heard from the seaside, and, in the moment, a giant wave of Tsunami covers the shoreline with all the tourists on it, including Henry, Maria and their beloved children. The wave is crashing trees, houses, cars, throwing human bodies to right and left. In a few seconds it appears that Henry, Simon and Thomas were picked up by the strong current and wiped to the inner part of land while Maria and Lucas are struggling for their survive in the roaring waves full of fallen tries which strike them inflicting terrible wounds, and making "the happy end" for them almost impossible. The movie, filmed by Juan Antonio Bayona, an outstanding Spanish director and producer, keeps us on the toes these first 20 minutes. The super-realistic 3D sound of imminent Tsunami is awesome, the pictures of scorched post-Tsunami landscape are phenomenally affecting, and the rest of the story based on true life events is very touchable and tragic.

"Lola" is a 1981 drama film directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder. The movie is set in post-World War II Germany and tells the story of Lola, a young and ambitious cabaret singer who dreams of becoming a famous actress. She becomes involved with a powerful businessman, Schuckert, who helps her career but also leads her down a path of corruption and compromise.

"Casualties of War" is a 1989 American war drama film based on the true story of a group of American soldiers who committed a heinous crime during the Vietnam War. The movie follows the story of Private First Class Max Eriksson, a young soldier who witnesses the abduction, rape, and murder of a Vietnamese girl by his comrades.

Platoon is a 1986 war film directed by Oliver Stone, which depicts the experiences of a young US Army volunteer, Chris Taylor, during the Vietnam War. The movie explores the brutality and psychological toll of combat, as well as the moral ambiguities of the conflict. The cast includes Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger, and Willem Dafoe.

Choreography, writing, acting, attitude, and some knowledge of the martial arts can make for an entertaining movie such as we find in the 2011 release of Warrior. Most "sports" related movies are too predictable and technical to make them entertaining enough to please a wide audience but this one covers nearly all the bases to make it a family oriented film. Even the addition of Nick Nolte as the father of a young man training for a mixed martial arts competitive tournament brings plenty of pathos and family values to the film. Nolte is a former boxer and an alcoholic whose two sons, played by Tom Hardy (Tom Conlon) and Joel Edgerton (playing Brendan Conlon) decide to become professional mixed martial arts fighters and ultimately compete against each other. Nolte (as Paddy Conlon) has his hands full with his own demons but tries to be of help for the sake of family ties. Also starring Jennifer Morrison (playing Tess Conlon), William Mapother (David Milligan), and Kurt Angle (as Koba) Warrior is filled with action and great fight sequences.