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In the 1980′ Naples, a young Fabietto (Filippo Scotti) is shaped by his experiences, sports, family, pop culture, and the general awkwardness of teen hormones, a combination that could propel him forward to pursue a career in cinema, if he had a just had a story to tell, then again, maybe he does. Written and Directed by Paolo Sorrentino this deeply personal story is told through stunning cinematography yet angular and indirect plot lines, sketching out a story similar to a Picasso painting, an implied meaning that one understands by looking at the total piece but not by studying its individual parts; for this reason, this semi avant garde storytelling approach probably won’t sit well with mass audiences, however, those up for a slow burn will definitely have something memorable to discuss later. The Hand of God is rated R.

Growing up on Long Island without a father present might have had detrimental impacts for Jr (Daniel Renieri/Tye Sheridan); but with his Uncle Charlie (Ben Affleck) and the barflies that frequent the Dickens Pub imparting their wisdom, with a little luck and a lot of hope Jr might just turn out okay. Based on the book written by J.R. Moehringer and screenplay by William Monahan, Directed by George Clooney this measured pace homecoming/coming of age tale rolls out slowly, avoiding extremes and staying safely in the shallower end of the pool. And, while the story itself does show the traditional hero’s quest, an attainment of knowledge or the “golden fleece” as it were, the overall journey doesn’t push forward in a memorable and meaningful way. End result, all parties get an A for effort, but an “eh?” for entertainment value. The Tender bar is rated R.