On a normal weekend, there are usually eight or nine new independent films opening in limited release, compared to three four wide releases. But for Thanksgiving, those numbers switch sides -- the multiplexes will be crowded with Twilights and Bolts and Transporters and Christmases and so forth, while the art houses have only a few new titles arriving.

In other words, there's not much to say in this week's Indie Spotlight, and there won't be any need for a Spotlight next week at all. So enjoy these few limited-release films opening today and next Wednesday: The Betrayal, I Can't Think Straight, Lake City, and Special.

The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)
What it is: A documentary about a family that emigrated to the U.S. after the bombings in their native Laos that occurred during the Vietnam War.
What they're saying: Wow -- all 12 reviews at Rotten Tomatoes are positive. "Lyrical, expansive, unbearably beautiful," etc.
Where it's playing: New York City (IFC Center).
More info: The official website has a list of release dates, most of which are several weeks hence.

Lake City
What it is: A drama starring Troy Garity as a man who returns to his Southern home and his mom (Sissy Spacek) after a tragedy separated them for many years.
What they're saying: Lake City is a lovely title, but the critics are saying it's all wet, or some other water-related metaphor. With 11 notices at Rotten Tomatoes, only one is positive, the rest indicating that despite Sissy Spacek's good performance, the movie is too serious, contrived, and banal.
Where it's playing: New York City (Quad Cinema).
More info: I can't find an official site anywhere.

It's a light weekend at the multiplexes, with just one new wide release to take in. The good news there is that once you're done watching James Bond kill and/or sleep with people, you'll have plenty of time to head to the art houses and see what the independent scene has to offer. The Indie Spotlight is here to round 'em up for you, and there are nine diverse choices opening today: Bohica, A Christmas Tale, Dostana, The Dukes, Faded Memories, House of the Sleeping Beauties, How About You, Slumdog Millionaire, and We Are Wizards.

Here's the lowdown on each of them:

Slumdog Millionaire
What it is: It's the feel-good sensation of the year that has critics raving, that's what! It's about a kid from the streets of Mumbai who somehow makes it to the final round of India's "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" -- and in particular about the events of his life that brought him there.
What they're saying: Cinematical's Kim Voynar called it Danny Boyle's best film to date when she reviewed it at Telluride. It's rocking a 92% approval rating at Rotten Tomatoes, with an average score of 8.2 out of 10, making it one of the best-reviewed movies of the year. If this movie doesn't make you feel good it must be because your heart is gnarly and cankered.
Where it's playing: New York City (Angelika, Lincoln Plaza), Los Angeles (The Landmark), Chicago (Landmark Century Centre, Century Evanston 18), San Francsico (Embarcadero).
More info: The official site has a list of when it opens in other cities. Expansion starts next week.

Boo! And I mean "boo" in the Halloween sense, not in the "opposite-of-hooray" sense. The multiplexes have plenty of films geared toward this sacred holiday season, but so do the art houses! The Indie Spotlight is here to tell you what's opening in limited release this weekend, and there are a couple of frightfests in the mix. Just because it's not on 3,000 screens doesn't mean it can't scare the skittles out of you.

Here's the lineup today: Able Danger, Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father, Eden Lake, The First Basket, The Matador, The Other End of the Line, and Splinter. And here's the lowdown on each of them, in my own highly subjective order of preference.

Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father
What it is: An emotionally devastating documentary made by a man after his best friend was murdered.
What they're saying: We've been raving about this film ever since Erik Davis saw it at Slamdance back in January. It's one of the most powerful films I've ever seen, and I know about a dozen people who've seen it who would say the same thing. A few of them are at Rotten Tomatoes, where the film currently stands at 100%. See this movie.
Where it's playing: New York City (Cinema Village).
More info: The official site lists upcoming release dates in other cities

Splinter
What it is: A grisly horror flick about four young people who are terrorized by a parasitic creature.
What they're saying: Ten out of twelve critics at Rotten Tomatoes give it a thumbs-up, saying it's an efficient, creative B-movie -- exactly what it's supposed to be.
Where it's playing: New York City (City Cinemas Village East), Austin (Dobie Theatre), Los Angeles (Mann Chinese), Dallas (Studio Movie Grill), Oklahoma City (Museum of Art).
More info: The official site has upcoming release dates, plus info on how you can watch the film through some cable systems' on-demand service.

'Tis the season for cinematic horrors, but a fright-seeker's options aren't limited to Saw V or High School Musical 3. The Indie Spotlight has the lowdown on a batch of limited-release films opening today that may also terrify or amuse you. Four of the five have gotten almost nothing but great reviews, too.

Here's what's new today: Fear(s) of the Dark, I've Loved You So Long, Let the Right One In, Roadside Romeo, and Stranded: I Have Come from a Plane That Crashed on the Mountains. Those are some great titles, if nothing else. Here's the scoop on each of them.

Let the Right One In
What it is: Twelve-year-old boy develops a crush on a girl who might be a vampire. It's Twilight, but with the genders reversed, and in Swedish.
What they're saying: Raves all around the board, including Cinematical's Scott Weinberg. At Rotten Tomatoes, the acclaim is almost universal. (Owen Gleiberman: Welcome to Contraryville, population 1.) Everybody I know who has seen it says it's something special -- scary, twisted, witty, and even sweet.
Where it's playing: New York City (Angelika Film Center), Los Angeles (Laemmle Sunset 5, Laemmle Playhouse 7, Edwards University Town Center in Irvine).
More info: The official site has a list of upcoming playdates in other cities. Let's make this one a hit, people!

I've Loved You So Long
What it is: A French drama about a woman released from prison after 15 years who must try to reconnect with her sister and her sister's family. (Does the title make anyone else think of Full Metal Jacket? "Me love you long time!")
What they're saying: Cinematical gushed effusively when the film played at Telluride, calling it a "masterpiece." The Rotten Tomatoes score is overwhelmingly positive (90% at the moment), and the buzz is that Kristin Scott Thomas is a lock for an Oscar nomination and a solid bet for a win.
Where it's playing: New York City (Lincoln Plaza, Angelika Film Center), Los Angeles (Laemmle Town Center 5, Laemmle Playhouse 7, Laemmle Royal, Regency South Coast Village in Costa Mesa).
More info: Sony Classics' official site.

Here at the Indie Spotlight, we treat your multiplex woes with a healthy dose of limited-release independent flicks. Being an indie film doesn't automatically make it better than a mainstream movie -- but if it's bad, at least you know it didn't cost $100 million to make. Frugality is important in these trying economic times.

It's a rather light week for indies, with just four for our perusal: The Elephant King, Filth and Wisdom, Tru Loved, and What Just Happened. There's also Morning Light, a documentary about competitive open-sea sailing, which, while not an indie (it's from Disney), is opening on a limited number of screens. Cinematical's Jeffrey M. Anderson has a review here.

And now, the rundown!

What Just Happened
What it is: Barry Levinson directs an all-star cast (Robert De Niro, Bruce Willis, Stanley Tucci, John Turturro) in this Hollywood satire about a fading producer.
What they're saying: Cinematical's Scott Weinberg gave it a lukewarm review at Sundance, basically saying that if you're a big movie buff who already knows how Hollywood works, there won't be much new to laugh at. At Rotten Tomatoes, the reviews are 2-to-1 in favor of the flick.
Where it's playing: A few dozen screens in several major markets: New York, L.A., San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, Dallas, and Phoenix.
More info: The official site has a complete list of theaters, as well as where it's opening next.

The Elephant King
What it is: A drama about two American brothers sexing their way through Thailand one summer.
What they're saying: All four reviews at Rotten Tomatoes are scathing, calling it naive and desperate. But Variety's review, for some reason not yet posted at RT, has high praise for the acting and says the movie "deserves to find an audience."
Where it's playing: New York City (Angelika Film Center).
More info: The official site.

Welcome to the Indie Spotlight, our weekly roundup of the limited-release films opening outside the multiplexes all over this great land of ours. There are quite a few indie films debuting today, and while it's especially good news for movie buffs in New York City, the rest of us can make a note of the ones that look good and keep an eye out for when they come to our neck of the woods (wherever that neck may be).

Today we have, in alphabetical order: Ashes of Time Redux, Billy: The Early Years, Breakfast with Scot, Choose Connor, Fraude: Mexico 2006, Good Dick, Happy-Go-Lucky, Nights and Weekends, and Talento de Barrio. Here's the scoop on each of them, from widest opening to smallest.

Billy: The Early Years
What it is: A friendly, faithful biopic about the Rev. Billy Graham.
What they're saying: Nothing so far. If I had to guess, I'd reckon fans of the good reverend will find it pleasant, while those unfamiliar with or uninterested in him will find it boring. That's if I had to guess.
Where it's playing: About 300 locations throughout the southeastern quadrant of the United States, below the Mason-Dixon line and east of Amarillo.
More info: Here's the official site.

Talento de Barrio
What it is: Puerto Rican drama starring Daddy Yankee as a drug dealer who falls in love and becomes a reggaeton singer. I guess it's like a Puerto Rican Hustle & Flow.
What they're saying: The only two reviews available so far are very, very negative.
Where it's playing: About 20 screens in the greater New York City and Los Angeles areas.
More info: The official site lists the theaters it's playing in.

Did you hear there are like a million new films opening in wide release today? Well, there are. Some of them are pretty good, too. But just in case that's not enough to keep you occupied, here's the Indie Spotlight with several more titles that might interest you, most of them in limited release and a bit under the radar.

Now, "indie" can be a hard thing to pin down. Bill Maher's Religulous (opening today on 500 screens) might qualify, but you've probably already heard about it. Same goes for Blindness (1,700 screens). You don't need me for those. Instead, here are the five that we're shining the indie spotlight on: Allah Made Me Funny, An American Carol, Ballast, Kidnap, and Rachel Getting Married.

Rachel Getting Married
What it is: One of the big hits at the Toronto International Film Festival, it's a naturalistic drama about an addict (Anne Hathaway) who gets out of rehab just in time for her sister's wedding.
What they're saying: Cinematical's James Rocchi had almost nothing but good things to say about it in Toronto, particularly with regard to the screenplay and Hathaway's performance. (There's a bit of Oscar buzz around both.) At Rotten Tomatoes, the film stands at a solid 76%.
Where it's playing: New York City (Lincoln Plaza Cinemas, City Cinemas, Regal Union Square), Los Angeles (ArcLight Sherman Oaks, ArcLight Hollywood, Laemmle Playhouse in Pasadena, Edwards Westpark in Irvine, The Landmark), and International Falls, Minn. (Cinema 5).
More info: Sony Classics' official site.

Ballast
What it is: A bleak drama about life and death among the lower classes on the Mississippi Delta.
What they're saying: Cinematical's James Rocchi praised the film at Sundance (and interviewed the writer/director, Lance Hammer, here). At Rotten Tomatoes, 75% of the critics agree with The Rocch. It won prizes for its directing and cinematography at Sundance, too.
Where it's playing: New York City (Film Forum).
More info: The official site says it will expand to "select cities" in two weeks.

Do I smell like Toronto? That's because I just got back from the film festival they have up there, and the scent of independent film still lingers. (It smells like Patricia Clarkson.) So I am very much in the mood for this week's edition of the Indie Spotlight, which is all about what's opening beyond the multiplexes this weekend!

Six flicks hit the big screen today: Flow: For Love of Water, Forgiveness, Greetings from the Shore, Moving Midway, Proud American, and Towelhead. Here's the scoop on each of them.
Towelhead
What it is: A dark comedy from Six Feet Under creator (and American Beauty writer) Alan Ball, based on Alicia Erian's novel about an adolescent Arab-American girl living in Texas during the first Gulf War.
What they're saying: Cinematical liked it when it premiered at Toronto last year under the title Nothing Is Private. At Rotten Tomatoes, the critics are split 50/50 as I write this, some applauding its audacity and wit, others calling it reprehensible. (Personally, I'm in the first camp.)
Where it's playing: New York City (Angelika Film Center, AMC Loews Lincoln Square), Los Angeles (ArcLight Hollywood, The Landmark), and Garland, Texas (Walnut Theaters). I assume the random Texas location is because the film was shot there? Maybe?
More info: The official site has a list of when the film opens in other cities. It's rolling out pretty heavily in the next few weeks, so people outside of New York, L.A., and Garland will be able to see it soon.

Look, I don't want to make it sound like an either/or thing. You can see wide-release films AND art-house indies. I'm just saying that on this particular weekend, the only wide release is something starring Nicolas Cage in a mullet, and it wasn't screened for critics. So if it were an either/or thing, this would be a good time to become an art-house fanatic, and the Indie Spotlight is here to let you know what your options are.
Seven films are opening in limited release today: August Evening, Everybody Wants to Be Italian, Mister Foe, Ping Pong Playa, Save Me, A Secret, and Surfer, Dude. Here's the scoop on each of them.

Everybody Wants to Be Italian
What it is: A romantic comedy about a man and woman who both pretend to be Italian because they think the other is. OK, maybe this doesn't actually sound any better than the Nicolas Cage/mullet thing.
What they're saying: At Rotten Tomatoes, all of the reviews so far are giving it a big ol' kick in the meatballs.
Where it's playing: A few dozen theaters all over New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, and ... Salt Lake City? Well, OK.
More info: The official site has a handy list of theaters where it's playing.

Ping Pong Playa
What it is: A light, clean comedy about an Asian-American kid who has to step in when his family's ping pong championship is threatened.
What they're saying: Cinematical's Monika Bartyzel found it simply adorable last year at Toronto, saying it's predictable but charming. The reviews at Rotten Tomatoes are mixed so far -- it's either sweet and likable, or an annoying Napoleon Dynamite retread.
Where it's playing: New York City, plus the California cities of San Francisco, Alhambra, Berkeley, Glendale, Hollywood, Irvine, and San Jose.
More info: The official site has upcoming playdates, too.

The last weekend of the summer means the multiplexes will be crammed with Hollywood's leftover products, most of them rolled out without being screened for critics (never a good sign). But don't despair! The Indie Spotlight is here to fill you in on the limited-release, art-house films opening this weekend, and if they're not playing where you live, you can keep an eye out for when they do arrive. See, it gives you something to look forward to!

The six films opening today are, in alphabetical order: Ballet Shoes, I Served the King of England, My Mexican Shivah, Sukiyaki Western Django, Year of the Fish, and Young People F***ing. In a slightly more subjective order, here's the scoop on each of them.

Sukiyaki Western Django
What it is: A comedic Japanese tribute to the spaghetti Westerns, featuring Quentin Tarantino in a small role and directed by the twisted Takashi Miike.
What they're saying: The reviews are about evenly split at Rotten Tomatoes. Some say it's a one-joke movie that's all style and no substance; others say the sheer insanity of it makes it entertaining.
Where it's playing: New York City (Landmark Sunshine Cinema). Opens in L.A. on Sept. 12.
Official site: Taste the sukiyaki.

I Served the King of England
What it is: A comedy/drama about a man working at a fancy Prague hotel under the Nazis and then under the communists. It was the Czech Republic's official Oscar entry this year, though it didn't wind up getting nominated.
What they're saying: Every single review at Rotten Tomatoes is positive ("darkly humorous," "intelligent," "witty") -- every single review except for one, that is, by Jeffrey M. Anderson, who is also one of Cinematical's finest writers. Why you gotta be different, Jeff?
Where it's playing: New York City (Lincoln Plaza Cinemas, Quad Cinemas), Los Angeles (Laemmle Royal, Regency South Coast Village in Costa Mesa, Laemmle Playhouse 7 in Pasadena), San Francisco (Embarcadero Center Cinemas).
Official site: It's in English!