Festival Film Picks Courtesy of film critic Richard Crouse

	BURIED Directed by Rodrigo Cortés. Starring Ryan Reynolds, Stephen Tobolowsky, Samantha Mathis. Buried begins with a Blair Witch close-up—all eyes and nose—of star Ryan Reynolds. In the next 90 minutes we learn he is a civilian truck driver in Iraq who was taken hostage, buried underground with a cell phone and a Zippo and will be left there to die unless a ransom is paid. Intense and claustrophobic this one features inventive work from director Rodrigo Cortes and a revelatory central performance from Reynolds.
	FUBAR 2 Directed by Michael Dowse. Starring David Lawrence, Kelsey Johnson, Terra Hazelton. Terry and Dean (Dave Lawrence and Paul J. Spence) are the most famous hosers since Bob and Doug MacKenzie. The advertising tagline for the original Fubar said the pair would “explore the depths of friendship, and the art and science of drinking beer like a man.” In Fubar 2 they explore whether there is common ground between their headbanging lifestyle.
	JACK GOES BOATING Directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman. Starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Lola Glaudini, Amy Ryan. Phillip Seymour Hoffman makes his directorial debut with a story about love, betrayal and friendship. Hoffman also leads the cast, playing a role he originated in the original stage production.
	YOU WILL MEET A TALL DARK STRANGER Directed by Woody Allen. Starring Antonio Banderas, Josh Brolin, Anthony Hopkins Set in London, the only thing that really sets this apart from Woody Allen’s NYC films is the accents. It’s a mix of light comedy and satire buoyed by great performances from Gemma Jones, Josh Brolin and Lucy Punch.
	BLUE VALENTINE Directed by Derek Cianfrance. Starring Ryan Gosling, Michelle Williams, Mike Vogel. Oscar nominee Ryan Gostling and Michelle Williams star in this stark portrait of a couple trying to save their marriage.
	LET ME IN Directed by Matt Reeves. Starring Chloe Moretz, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Richard Jenkins The much anticipated English language remake of one of the best films of last year, Let the Right One In. Produced by the legendary Hammer Studios, this should be one of the most striking vampire movies of the year (Sorry Twihards!).