CHECK YOUR HEAD

Two years after his short film about a drug-addicted inner-city teacher won sundance, Ryan Fleck returns with his feature-length adaptation of that story, Half Nelson. By Matthew Ross.

OLD SCHOOL

Dito Montiel adapts his own autobiographical memoir, A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, into a haunting cinematic memory piece. By Scott Macaulay.

WATCHING THE DETECTIVES

Fearless filmmaker Kirby Dick turns the tables on independent film’s favorite whipping boy — the MPAA. By Anthony Kaufman.

SUPER FREAKS

This year’s Sundance hit, Little Miss Sunshine, is a winning comedy/drama about the ultimate dysfunctional family. By Josh Horowitz.

MARRIAGE AND ITS DISCONTENTS

Distributor turned writer-director Jeff Lipsky explores the vissicitudes of contemporary unions in his second feature, Flannel Pajamas. By Adam Pincus.

EXIT STRATEGY

Cunning French filmmaker François Ozon takes a decidedly somber tone with his mortal melodrama, Time to Leave. By Peter Bowen.

DOUBLE TALK

Jason Guerrasio talks with Hans Canosa about making his split-screen drama Conversations With Other Women.