Better Living 1998  N/R, 95 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Max Mayer
Cast: Olympia Dukakis, Roy Scheider, Edward Herrmann, Deborah Hedwall, Catherine Corpeny, Wendy Hoopes, James Villemaire, Phyllis Somerville, Scott Cohen, Jamie Gonzalez
When Tom (Roy Scheider) arrives home after a 15 year absence, he finds his nutty wife, Nora (Olympia Dukakis), digging a hole in the back yard. Tom takes the project one step further: this hole will be a family shelter, and their three grown daughters are assigned to help store canned goods for the future.
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The Curious Case of Benjamin Button 2008  PG-13, 167 min.
Genre: Drama / Mystery / Fantasy / Romance
Director: David Fincher
Cast: Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Tilda Swinton, Taraji P. Henson, Julia Ormond, Jason Flemyng, Mahershalalhashbaz Ali, Jared Harris, Elias Koteas, Phyllis Somerville, Rampai Mohadi, Elle Fanning, Madisen Beaty, Lance E. Nichols, Ed Metzger
Based on F. Scott Fitzgerald's story, this plot revolves around Benjamin Button (Brad Pitt) who, when he is born, is in his 80s, and then spends his lifetime growing young. He meets Daisy (Elle Fanning) when she is six years old and he is in his 70s, and their lives will intersect in their star-crossed relationship as Daisy (played by Madisen Beaty as a 10-year-old) ages into an adult Daisy (Cate Blanchett). Later, as Benjamin continues to grow younger, he spends time with Captain Mike (Jared Harris) aboard a tugboat and learns the true meaning of life and how he has been able to view life from his own unique perspective. The film won three Academy Awards and was nominated for 10 others which included Best Picture, Actor (Pitt), Supporting Actress (Taraji P. Henson for her role as Queenie), and Director.
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 Little Children 2006  R, 130 min.
Genre: Drama / Comedy / Romance
Director: Todd Field
Cast: Kate Winslet, Jennifer Connelly, Patrick Wilson, Noah Emmerich, Jackie Earle Haley, Gregg Edelman, Phyllis Somerville, Raymond J. Barry, Jane Adams, Ty Simpkins, Sadie Goldstein, Trini Alvarado
Suburban parents–stay-at-home dad Brad Adamson (Patrick Wilson) and frustrated mom Sarah Pierce (Kate Winslet)–meet while taking their children to community playgrounds. Their sexual attraction to each other is obvious, and, after awhile, a torrid affair ensues. Meanwhile, Brad's friend Larry Hedges (Noah Emmerich) spends much of his time driving by the house of recently released sex offender Ronald James McGorvey (Jackie Earle Haley) who has returned to the neighborhood to live with his mother (Phyllis Somerville). The lives and adventures of other parents in the neighborhood cross as well while supervising their children at playgrounds and pools in the small town. Three Academy Award nominations were received, including Best Actress (Kate Winslet) and Supporting Actress (Jackie Earle Haley).
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 Lucky You 2007  PG-13, 124 min.
Genre: Comedy / Drama / Romance
Director: Curtis Hanson
Cast: Eric Bana, Drew Barrymore, Robert Duvall, Charles Martin Smith, Horatio Sanz, Robert Downey Jr., Debra Messing, Jean Smart, Evan Jones, Phyllis Somerville, Delaine Yates, Mykel Shannon Jenkins, Saverio Guerra, Danny Hoch, Olivia Tracey
Huck Cheever (Eric Bana) is a big-time Las Vegas cardsharp who loses as often as he wins. He learned poker from his father, L.C. Cheever (Robert Duvall), who is a two-time World Series of Poker champion, and Huck hopes to be competing against L.C. in the next World Championship. The other part of Huck's life is aspiring lounge singer Billie Offer (Drew Barrymore) who hooks up with him, leaves him, comes back, and leaves again in their on-again, off-again relationship. But the main thrust of this story is Huck trying to obtain the $10,000 needed to enter the World Poker Championship.
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| 1. Better Living (1998)
2. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
3. Little Children (2006)
4. Lucky You (2007)
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