Joss Whedon, the TV geek-wizard behind Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly who leapt into filmmaking big-time with last year's The Avengers, has taken a go at the oft adapted Shakespeare play Much Ado About Nothing. He proves to be just the man for the job. His adaptation of the Bard's prototypical romantic comedy doesn't discover any new layers of meaning or interpret the material differently from other productions -- nor does it need to. It's a sublimely jolly presentation of a delightful play.

Much Ado About Nothing is currently playing in theaters. Read Eric D. Snider's review.

The Kings of Summer, the feature debut by director Jordan Vogt-Roberts and writer Chris Galletta, is about all of the familiar crises that 15-year-olds face. The film, which played at Sundance under the title Toy's House, deserves recognition for its light, often hilarious depiction of summertime boyhood and the impatience to become an adult, says Eric D. Snider in his review.

With the radiant The Stories We Tell, actress, writer and director Sarah Polley breaks into even new territory: the personal documentary. The result is an absolute triumph.

Already generating Oscar buzz, Stories We Tell is currently playing in theaters. Read Eric D. Snider's rave review.

First-time writer-director Adam Leon's Gimme the Lootis about teenage graffiti artists (which is to say, vandals) who smoke and sell weed, commit numerous petty thefts, attempt a burglary, and swear like sailors. They're the type of kids you'd at least disapprove of if you saw them on the street, and possibly actively avoid. And yet pound for pound, Gimme the Loot is every bit as charming and joyful as it is profane.

Gimme the Loot is currently playing in limited release. Read Eric D. Snider's review.