Just added to the Movies You Might Not Know list:
- “Once” was an indie hit earlier this year, and deservedly so. It’s about a street busker in Dublin and a Czech immigrant he meets on the sidewalk, who team up to create some clever rock songs, which form the soundtrack for their unique relationship. The guy is Glenn Hansard, who you may have seen in “The Commitments,” and the woman is Marketa Irglova, who teamed up with him to perform some of these songs during appearances on Letterman and elsewhere. If you missed “Once” in theaters, get it on DVD.
- “Derailed” starts out as a meet-cute romance, with Clive Owen and Jennifer Aniston as people married to others who meet on a commuter train to Chicago and eventually end up in a hotel room for an affair. From there, things change quickly, and you’re in the middle of a thriller. At times, Owen’s adventure is reminiscent of Griffin Dunne’s hellish night in “After Hours,” but when it’s over, the movie has redeemed itself. And any movie is enhanced by the presence of Giancarlo Esposito.
- “Frankie and Johnny Are Married” is the story of TV director Michael Pressman (“The Practice,” “Picket Fences”), who decides to stage his own production of the two-person drama “Frankie and Johnny in the Clair De Lune,” starring his wife, Lisa Chess. Unfortunately, the show keeps running into problems, particularly with Alan Rosenberg as the male lead. The movie has a documentary feel and everyone uses their real name (a bold move for Rosenberg, whose character is a major jerk). Not for everyone, but if you’re into behind-the-scenes showbiz stories, you’ll enjoy it.