Goddess of Mercy

2004

Director Ann Hui's film, which opened the 2004 Hong Kong International Film Festival, follows the travails of An Xin (Vicki Zhao), a woman whose work life may be under control, but whose love life is in a shambles. And no wonder: She's juggling two men -- a drug kingpin she meets through work (Nicholas Tse) and her reformed playboy fiancée (Liu Yunlong). Plus, An Xin still hasn't gotten over the death of her husband, Tienjun (Chen Jiabin).

2.8 Average Rating

Nights and Weekends

2008

Joe Swanberg and Greta Gerwig (collaborators on the indie fave Hannah Takes the Stairs) write, direct and star in this penetrating character study about a couple dealing with the ups and downs of maintaining a long-distance relationship. Despite their deep love for each other, James and Mattie are forced to face the possibility that traveling back and forth between New York and Chicago may ultimately spell the demise of their relationship.

2.8 Average Rating

November Moon

1984

To escape the escalating Nazi threat in her native Germany, young Jew November Messing (Gabriele Osburg) finds sanctuary and love with a daring mademoiselle. November is taken in by a Parisian family. The brother and sister of the household develop amorous feelings for November -- who falls for the mademoiselle, Férial (Christiane Millet). When the Germans occupy the city, Férial takes enormous personal risks to shield her lover from the Nazis.

2.8 Average Rating

Inescapable

2003

Directed by Helen Lesnick, this sexually frank drama follows the steamy affair that Chloe and Jessie carry on behind their girlfriends' backs. But as the new lovers' fling becomes more passionate, they find themselves plagued by guilt.

2.8 Average Rating

Late Bloomers

1997

At a suburban Texas high school, Dinah (Connie Nelson), a geometry teacher and basketball coach, and Carly (Dee Hennigan), a principal's assistant and wife of an algebra teacher, lip lock during basketball practice and soon find themselves in the midst of a passionate affair. But when word gets out, the ensuing scandal rocks the foundations of their pious community.

2.8 Average Rating

Crazy Love

1987

Based on sordid tales (are there any other kind?) from Charles Bukowski's &NFi;Love Is a Dog from Hell&NFi_;, this movie deconstructs three crucial nights over the course of 20 years in the life of bumbling antihero Harry Voss as he runs the gamut from love to defeat. In turn, Voss also progresses from childhood to acne-scared teen to alcoholic adult. A nice blend of pathos and black comedy, Crazy Love will probably offend sensitive viewers!

2.8 Average Rating

Novel Romance

2006

Traci Lords, Paul Johansson, Sherilyn Fenn and Mariette Hartley star in this romantic comedy. Magazine editor Max Normane (Lords) has it all: looks, brains and self-assurance. She lacks one thing she wants, though -- a baby. Hard-to-please Max wants a progeny who can edit &NFi;and&NFi_; write, so when egotistical but gifted author Jake Benjamin (Johansson) enters her life, she makes a Faustian bargain: Jake's sperm in return for publishing his book.

2.8 Average Rating

Shades of Fear

1993

Mystery lurks in the shadowy corners of a luxurious ocean liner as a young woman traveling on her own enters into a romantic liaison with a handsome stranger who may be an accomplished art forger and a cold-hearted killer. Vanessa Redgrave, John Hurt and Jonathan Pryce star.

2.8 Average Rating

April's Shower

2003

Love, laughter and friendship take center stage in this touching comedy, in which accomplished chef Alex (Trish Doolan) is consumed with the preparations for the bridal shower she's throwing for her best friend, April (Denise Miller). Although they're close, the two are experiencing friction, the cause of which they have yet to reveal. As the minutes pass by, it's clear this is an event that neither of them will forget, and nor will their guests.

2.8 Average Rating

Brand New Day

2009

In an idyllic port town on Australia's west coast in the summer of 1969, carefree 16-year-old Willie (Rocky McKenzie) enjoys hanging out with his pals and wooing a beautiful singer named Rosie (Jessica Mauboy) -- until his mom ships him back to a Catholic boarding school in Perth. An act of rebellion soon triggers a wild homebound journey for our young hero in this energetic adaptation of the beloved Australian stage musical from 1990.

2.8 Average Rating

I Love You, Don't Touch Me

1998

Intent on finding the man of her dreams, a young woman hits the dating scene in this romantic comedy. Katie (Marla Schaffel) endures one bad date after another in her quest to find Mr. Right. She rejects her best friend, Ben (Mitchell Whitfield), when he expresses his interest in her, choosing suave Richard (Michael Harris) instead. Richard seems perfect at first, but Katie learns the hard way that true love was right in front of her all along.

2.8 Average Rating

Watching You

2003

Catch some of the best lesbian-themed short films from around the world in this fascinating collection. The selections include "4PM," a British movie in which a one-night stand brings comic relief; the Israeli feature "Watching You," in which the green-eyed monster -- jealousy -- rears its hideous head; "Dear Emily," an American short in which an older woman reminisces over her first crush, and more.

2.8 Average Rating

Female Perversions

1996

This movie tests Louise J. Kaplan's novel, through the character of Eve, a young, successful attorney. Caught between her career aspirations and her desire to help her kleptomaniac sister, Eve walks a tightrope between toughness and vulnerability.

2.8 Average Rating

Siao Yu

1995

To help her boyfriend, Gang Wei (Chung Hua Tou ), achieve American citizenship, Siao Yu (Rene Liu) moves from China to New York, where she enters into a bogus marriage with an aging Italian named Mario (Daniel Travanti) who used to be a journalist but now spends most of his time gambling. But when Mario's wife (Marj Dusay) -- who left him years ago -- suddenly returns, the oddly matched foursome develops a strangely familiar relationship.

2.8 Average Rating

Iris

2004

In this Spanish-language drama, young photographer Iris (played by Silke) lives in danger and squalor like nearly everyone else in her war-torn country, constantly reminded that time is fleeting and life sometimes devalued. But she perseveres, determined to eke out a peaceful -- even passionate -- existence, buoyed by the possibility of love and the hope she finds in her daughter. The supporting cast includes Ana Torrent and Gines Garcia Millan.

2.8 Average Rating

Go Fish

1994

Brash lesbian Camille "Max" West (Guinevere Turner) is looking for romance in this hip, film festival favorite. Sick of hearing Max whine about her love life, her roommate sets Max up with the bashful, older -- and frumpy -- Ely (V.S. Brodie). Not surprisingly, their meeting doesn't exactly set off fireworks. But just as Max begins to believe she's destined to be alone, she discovers that life's best surprises sometimes come in ordinary packages.

2.8 Average Rating