Thomas Ian Nicholas

CHICAGO – “American Reunion” is not unlike the event from which it takes its title. Some of it rekindles memories of what worked in the past in a nostalgic, even sweet way. Some of it reminds one what they liked about these people in the first place. Some of it is just sad.

CHICAGO – For a brief shining moment, it looked like the cast of 1999’s “American Pie” would be the break-out stars of the new millenium. Sadly, 13 years have passed and most of them haven’t fulfilled on their potential with a few never topping that first film, which is still a sweet, raunchy, comedy classic. Therefore, I’m sure most of the “Pie” kids were ecstatic that a fourth film, “American Reunion,” finally got off the ground, to be released on April 2nd, 2012. Before you catch up with them in a theater, catch up at home with the release of the first three films — the great “American Pie,” the decent “American Pie 2,” and the pretty-bad “American Wedding.”

CHICAGO – I’ve seen over a hundred films since seeing Nicole Holofcener’s “Please Give” and the movie has somehow lingered in the back of my mind. It’s what happens when characters are this well-drawn and believable. If a movie feels genuine, it has a much longer staying power and writer/director Holofcener (“Lovely and Amazing,” “Friends With Money”) makes dramedies about people that almost instantly feel completely genuine. “Please Give,” recently released on Blu-ray and DVD, is one of the best dramedies of the year.

Rating: 4.0/5.0

CHICAGO – Writer/director Nicole Holofcener (“Lovely and Amazing,” “Friends With Money”) has an amazing ability to write characters that immediately feel genuine. It helps to have an actress as free of artifice as Catherine Keener as your regular lead but we shouldn’t diminish Holofcener’s rare ear for dialogue that actually sounds like it wasn’t created by a screenwriting machine.