I’m a math guy. In point of fact, I’m a statistician by training and career. At one point in the movie, we discover that ten people get stranded in a remote motel and the all have the same birthday, May 10th. There is Ed (John Cusack), a former cop who is a driver for an actress, Caroline Suzanne (Rebecca De Mornay). He accidentally runs down a woman Alice York (Leila Kenzle), the mother of a 10-year-old self-imposed mute boy (Bret Loehr) and the wife of George (John C. McGinley), all of whom Ed transports along with his boss to the motel run by Larry (John Hawkes). Later, a hooker on her way to Florida named Paris (Amanda Peet) and a pair of newlyweds, Ginny (Clea DuVall) and Lou (William Lee Scott), are forced off the road and into the motel. And there is a cop Rhodes (Ray Liotta) who is holding in custody the loopy but dangerous Robert Maine (Jake Busey). They are scampering frantically to solve the mystery of who is in the process of murdering all of them and why.

Terrific movie… but let’s get back to the math. I went looking up details in my math stuff and figured out that the chances are one in eight that two people in a room of ten would have the same birthday. And if you had 23 in the same room, chances would be 50-50 that two people would have the same birthday. To have a 50 percent chance of ten people in the same room with the same birthday, you’d need approximately 1,181 people. If any of this is of interest, do a Google search on “birthday problem” or “birthday paradox.”

Director:  James Mangold Writer:  Michael Cooney Cast:
John Cusack -  Ed Ray Liotta -  Rhodes Amanda Peet -  Paris John Hawkes -  Larry Alfred Molina -  Dr. Malick Clea DuVall -  Ginny John C. McGinley -  George York William Lee Scott -  Lou		Jake Busey -  Robert Maine Pruitt Taylor Vince -  Malcolm Rivers Rebecca DeMornay -  Caroline Suzanne Carmen Argenziano -  Defense Lawyer Marshall Bell -  District Attorney Leila Kenzle -  Alice York Matt Letscher -  Assistant District Attorney Bret Loehr -  Timmy York

Heart attack city. A handful of events converge. All impose a degree of stress. They intertwine, offset, distract, merge. How much can a body absorb before an effect is noticed. All it takes is one more before… At 51, Dan Foreman (Dennis Quaid) and his wife Ann (Marg Helgenberger) are having a baby, his new boss, for whom he is passed over, is 26 and his daughter Alex (Scarlett Johansson) is dating him. Can it get any worse?

Director:  Paul Weitz; Chris Weitz Writer:  Paul Weitz Cast:
Dennis Quaid -  Dan Foreman Topher Grace -  Carter Duryea Scarlett Johansson -  Alex Foreman Marg Helgenberger -  Ann Foreman David Paymer -  Morty Clark Gregg -  Mark Steckle Philip Baker Hall -  Eugene Kalb Selma Blair -  Kimberly		Frankie Faison -  Corwin Ty Burrell -  Enrique Colon Kevin Chapman -  Lou Amy Aquino -  Alicia Zena Grey -  Jana Foreman Colleen Camp -  Receptionist Lauren Tom -  Obstetrician Ron Bottitta -  Porsche Dealer

Some times it doesn’t pay to threaten people particularly when they hold the keys to all of your secrets. Mr. Pettikreep (Vass Anderson) brings the surveyor’s report for the theme park planned by Lord Hailstock (Kevin McNally). Foolishly, he threatens his servant with taking away everything the old codger has and putting him on the street penniless. $10 says the lord will get his ass kicked down the road. Any takers?

Director:  John Eyres Writer:  John Eyres; Max Myers Cast:
Eddie Griffin -  Jimmy McDevitt Anna Friel -  Maureen Vass Anderson -  Mr. Pettikreep Roger Ashton-Griffiths -  Tom Flannery Angus Barnett -  Milos O Shea James Bradshaw -  Malachy McNulty Tallulah Pitt-Brown -  Kathleen Kevin McNally -  Lord Hailstock		Ray Callaghan -  Doc Murphy Christopher Dunne -  Michael O’Malley Nevan Finegan -  Sean McNulty Tom Georgeson -  Father Duffy Togo Igawa -  Mr. Suzuki Cathy Murphy -  Dora Marion O’Dwyer -  Donna Petey Pablo -  Jimmy’s Street Pot Customer

Do you want to see your kids squirm? Start talking about sex with your spouse in front of them. After meeting Abby Willoughby (Jennifer Westfeldt) earlier in the day and her proposing marriage, Ira Black (Chris Messina) introduces her to his parents Seymour (Robert Klein) and Arlene Black (Judith Light) who reveal that each one has cheated on the other during their 30+ years of marriage and yet they have a wonderful sex life. Ira just slides down in his seat in mortification. There are some things a child doesn’t need to know about his parents.

Director:  Robert Cary Writer:  Jennifer Westfeldt Cast:
Chris Messina -  Ira Black Jennifer Westfeldt -  Abby Willoughby Frances Conroy -  Lynne Willoughby Fred Willard -  Michael Willoughby Robert Klein -  Seymour Black Judith Light -  Arlene Black Hayden Adams -  Kissing Subway Guy Jason Alexander -  Dr. Morris Saperstein		Robert Bagnell -  Jimmy Ken Barnett -  Bobby Brad Bellamy -  Henry Mary Louise Burke -  Janice Maddie Corman -  Lea Matthew Del Negro -  Seth Jon Hamm -  Ronnie Darrell Hammond -  Dr. Rosenblum

When I was working through my teenage angst, I hid behind sarcasm. I think it was a way to deal with confusion as to what I wanted to do and where I was going in life. I finally figured it out on the precipice of expulsion from school and the panic in realizing I’d have to get a job. So I can identify somewhat with Igby Slocomb (Kieran Culkin) whose mum Mimi (Susan Sarandon) wants to run his life. He is headed to the dreaded military academy when he detours to the New York City loft of the mistress of his godfather, D.H. (Jeff Goldblum). Rachel (Amanda Peet) has some problems of her own (like heroin) but he meets and is smitten by Sookie Sapperstein (Claire Danes). She seems to have the whole world figured out, but it turns out she is just as confused about things. His brother Oliver (Ryan Phillippe) shows up and tells Igby that Mimi is suffering from cancer. He know it is only a matter of time before he’s going to have to grow up. Now my life wasn’t quite this dramatic but I did decide what and where I was going.

Director:  Burr Steers Writer:  Burr Steers Cast:
Kieran Culkin -  Jason ‘Igby’ Slocumb, Jr. Claire Danes -  Sookie Sapperstein Jeff Goldblum -  D.H. Banes Jared Harris -  Russel Amanda Peet -  Rachel Ryan Phillippe -  Oliver ‘Ollie’ Slocumb Bill Pullman -  Jason Slocumb Susan Sarandon -  Mimi Slocumb		Rory Culkin -  10-Year-Old Igby Peter Tambakis -  13-Year-Old Oliver Bill Irwin -  Lt. Ernest Smith, Pershing Academy Kathleen Gati -  Ida Gannon Forrester -  Little Cadet Celia Weston -  Bunny Elizabeth Jagger -  Lisa Fiedler Nick Wyman -  Suit

It is hard to deny what you are. At the same time, it is nobody’s business but your own. How do you cope with events when someone finally says something that most folks have been thinking but are too polite to voice? That is the conundrum facing Howard Brackett (Kevin Kline). He doesn’t think he is but he hasn’t thought much about it while he hasn’t been able to evade all of the stereotypes that most people associate with being gay—his love of show tunes, his theatrical mannerisms and his waiting until his wedding to sleep with his fiancee. And then there is his attempt to absorb the rules on a motivational tape, “Be a Man,” while compulsively and frantically cleaning house to the music of ABBA.

Director:  Frank Oz Writer:  Paul Rudnick Cast:
Kevin Kline -  Howard Brackett Joan Cusack -  Emily Montgomery Matt Dillon -  Cameron Drake Debbie Reynolds -  Berniece Brackett Wilford Brimley -  Frank Brackett Bob Newhart -  Tom Halliwell Tom Selleck -  Peter Malloy Deborah Rush -  Ava Blazer		Lewis J. Stadlen -  Ed Kenrow Gregory Jbara -  Walter Brackett Shalom Harlow -  Sonya J. Smith-Cameron -  Trina Paxton Kate McGregor-Stewart -  Aunt Becky Shawn Hatosy -  Jack Zak Orth -  Mike Lauren Ambrose -  Vicky