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Robert Altman's "Quintet" involves and comprises many things. A mystery without suspense. A thriller without visceral response. A cinematographer with glaucoma. A pokerfaced block of wood known as Paul Newman. An audience without emotional attachment. A work of hate. A derivative monstrosity. An unsalvageable mistake.

Do not believe "Quintet"'s supporters. Those who "like" the film have executed the amazing feat of effectively lying to themselves. This is not an intelligent art film. It is not complex or thought-provoking (unless you count, "How did this get made?"). It does not effectively create a "mood" (unless you appreciate utter, insufferable boredom). It is not a "cool" head movie. It is not Lynchian (that is an insult to David Lynch). It is not "deep" or "brave" or any other such nonsense. The distorted lenswork is not revolutionary or fascinating or even justified. Everything about this film is embarrassing and amateurish. This tragedy could have been prevented in the earliest stages of preproduction, with the realization that there was no script.

Altman is a valuable director. He can be utterly brilliant. But he is human. Humans make terrible mistakes. Like "Quintet." Don't make the mistake of watching it (or, if nothing else, paying to watch it).

"Love in the Time of Money" is a deeply affecting arthouse picture, more remarkable for the incendiary performances of its cast than for its story. Although the script is quite exceptional--namely for its delectable, believably human, dialogue--the plot revolves around some rather familiar scenarios in contemporary (arthouse) cinema, such as the hardships faced by a fledgling prostitute, the deterioration of an emotionally cold marriage, and the desperation of a troubled corporate drone. It seems almost impossible not to conjure up comparisons to "Leaving Las Vegas," "Happiness," and other bleak narratives of the same ilk. Still, writer/director Peter Mattei draws upon his background in the theatre to create complex characters and elicit staggering performances from his entire cast. The visual style of the film offers additional intrigue--gorgeous close-ups and very non-traditional (yet meaningful and mood-enhancing) framing provide proof that not all features shot on digital video are obliged to be shaky, amateurish messes (or effects-reliant space epics, for that matter). A highly promising debut feature from an exciting new cinematic talent, "Love in the Time of Money" is a low-budget gem that obviously made good use of the time and money put into it, and is certainly worth yours.

Dean Lincoln Hyers' feature-length directorial debut, "Bill's Gun Shop," is not without its share of weaknesses, like most directors' first films. For instance, those who enjoy open-ended narratives may still find themselves puzzled or unfulfilled by the numerous loose ends left hanging by the end of the film (written by independent legend Rob Nilsson). There are also a few last-minute additions to the cast of characters that are a bit jarring so late in the narrative. However, "Bill's Gun Shop" is a confident, well-made first feature that hints at the promising future of its director, Hyers.

Certainly the film's best qualities can be attributed, in no small part, to the established and respectable (if not quite yet A-list) cast and crew assembled for the project. Veteran character actors such as Tom Bower ("Pollock"), John Ashton ("Beverly Hills Cop"), and Victor Rivers ("The Mask of Zorro") bring powerful performances into the cast of mostly unknowns. Mickey Freeman's high-definition DV cinematography does much to add to the gritty atmosphere of many of the scenes. And Lee Percy ("Boys Don't Cry") lends his editing style to the film (along with first-timer Eric Goldstein), creating an effectively fractured sense of time, which works well in expressing the internal turmoil facing Dillon, the main character.

The overall strong performances and respectable production values of "Bill's Gun Shop" are indicative of Hyers' ability as a director to bring together a highly competent pool of talent and make the most of each person's contributions (even more commendable considering this was an independent production). As was stated earlier, Hyers shows great potential as a filmmaker and is someone to keep an eye on. Here's wishing him much success!