Two teens in a small desert city earn cash standing on the side of the street holding signs for cheap loans. They make a game of it, spinning the signs like they’re doing skateboard tricks. “More tricks, more money, dawg,” says the baller white kid teaching a newbie the ropes of the street in a g...

A young woman becomes flustered when her boyfriend refuses to help prepare for an upcoming trip. Surreal moments begin to add up — Alex’s tooth falls out, an entire body of water lies just outside her window. Dauterman nails the feeling of a nightmare, say when your partner becomes inexplicably u...

On their first day living together, a young couple experiences ghosts from their past. “Houseplants,” from director Prashanth Kamalakanthan, is an elliptical drama that glimpses into the private life of Alma and Ron, a struggling couple on a vulnerable day. Over time, your partner changes and you...

Anne gathers herself for a job interview, a casual one at a coffee shop, but still a job interview. When her potential new employer arrives, a smooth, well-dressed man named Georg, giving off all the social cues of a first date, she’s caught off-guard and scrambles to react. Brilliantly observed ...

An awkward guest shows up to a party and makes things weird for everyone. Written by Kate Berlant, Andrew DeYoung and John Early, “Rachel” is a hilariously creepy portrait of a strange evening in the lives of a group of L.A. creatives. Early stars as the man throwing a party for his boyfriend, Go...

A peculiar miracle binds together a pregnant nun in 1960s Ireland and a West Texas gas station attendant 25 years later. Eli Powers writes and directs “Holy Moses,” a stark fable told in two parts about a pair of individuals forced to reckon with what they have witnessed, and what it all means. I...

A very unfunny family history is spun into brilliant comedy from co-directors Samy Burch and Alex Mechanik. They begin with a doozy of a premise and keep pushing. When it all comes together, it feels like a wallop, but it’s largely packaged as a deadpan farce about a group therapy session. Bev is...

When a fire starts in Queens, a news reporter attempts to get the scoop from a rambling eccentric named Lorraine. It’s “Grey Gardens” meets local news in this brilliant sendup of awkward TV appearances written by and starring Cole Escola. "Lorraine Was On The News!" only needs one shot — a slow t...

Crashing on the couch of a family friend, a young man acclimates to life in New York City. Brendan Kirk directs “Henry Gets a Shot,” a low-key comedy about a kid from the suburbs and his reluctant battle to take some adult action. Henry lays passed out on the sofa. Danny, an older family friend, ...