“Gracie”

From the opening scene in “Gracie,” when 15-year-old Gracie Bowen (Carly Schroeder) knocks a bottle off the hood of a car with a soccer ball kicked barefoot from 20 yards, it's obvious she’s got ability. Trouble is, hardly anyone notices. Gracie lives in the shadow of her high-school soccer-star brother Johnny (Jesse Lee Soffer). But Gracie doesn’t mind. He’s one of the few people to recognize and nurture her talent. So when a tragic accident takes Johnny’s life, Gracie decides to honor his memory by carrying on the family’s soccer tradition. But there is no girl’s soccer team at Gracie’s South Orange, N.J. school. And whoever she turns to for help – from her father (Dermot Mulroney) to her friends, to the coaches and the school board – Gracie only hears words of discouragement. Ultimately, it’s up to her to fight for their respect and the right to play with the boys. As in every underdog-comes-from-behind movie, Gracie gets her shot – both figuratively and literally. This inspiring story is based on the real life of Elisabeth Shue, who plays Gracie’s mom and delivers a valuable piece of advice at a pivotal point in the film. My tweet: Gracie-To earn a spot on the boy’s soccer team, a young girl has to perform gender attitude-reassignment surgery on her critics. 7 (out of 10)

“Gracie”

Released: 2007

Rating: PG-13

Length: 95 minutes

Cast: Carly Schroeder, Dermot Mulroney, Elisabeth Shue, Andrew Shue

Director: Davis Guggenheim

Genre(s): Drama, Teen, Family

“House of Games”

This taut psychological thriller is David Mamet’s directorial debut and tells the story of Margaret Ford (Lindsay Crouse), a psychologist trying to help a patient who’s in over his head with gambling debts. When she approaches the con-man who owns the marker, Mike (Mamet veteran Joe Mantegna), he asks for Margaret’s help in deciphering other card players’ “tells” or body language. As Margaret get drawn deeper and deeper into Mike’s world as part of his con game, what she doesn’t know is that she’s the one being played. It’s a complex, well-crafted puzzle about games inside games with an ending that you’ll never see coming. Or as I wrote on Twitter: House of Games-In this Mamet film, a psychologist learning how con men ply their trade gets sucked into a con herself. You will too. 9 (out of 10)

“House of Games”

Released: 1987

Rating: R

Length: 102 minutes

Cast: Lindsay Crouse, Joe Mantegna, Mike Nussbaum, Lilia Skala

Director: David Mamet

Genre(s): Thriller, Crime, Mystery

“The World’s Fastest Indian”

“I feel the need, the need for speed,” may have been from “Top Gun.” But it might as well have been uttered by New Zealander Burt Munro (Anthony Hopkins) in “The World’s Fastest Indian.” This fact-based drama is the story of the 67-year-old grandfather’s dream of setting the land-speed record in his modified 1920 Indian Scout motorcycle. Having tinkered for more than 25 years to squeeze every ounce of performance out of the bike, he finally mortgages his home to take the Indian to the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah to race (hopefully) into the record books. Everyone thinks the endearingly crusty Munro is going to kill himself, including the officials at Bonneville, who need a little convincing before letting the brake-less, chute-less bike with makeshift tires and an equally antique rider onto the track. Ultimately, Burt gets his run. But will he get his record? My Tweet: The World's Fastest Indian-Anthony Hopkins wants to set the record in his tatty Indian motorcycle. So no, it's not a John Ford western. 8 (out of 10) It’s a feel-good movie for guys.

“The World’s Fastest Indian”

Released: 2005

Rating: PG-13

Length: 127 minutes

Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Christopher Lawford, Bruce Greenwood, Paul Rodriguez

Director: Roger Donaldson

Genre(s): Drama, Period, Biopic