The first word heard in “Feeling Randy” is “boner,” which, when taken together with the film’s title, promises a salacious and raunchy comedy. But writer-director Dean Lent’s debut feature (not counting the 1987 anthology film “Border Radio”) is sweeter and much more sublime than the usual teenage-boys-trying-to-lose-their-virginity romp. That may be its plot, but this […]

Watching “Nawi,” two things become quickly evident. First, a wonderful lead performance carries the film. Michelle Lemuya Ikeny plays the eponymous character, a 13-year-old who yearns to go to high school but instead must face the patriarchal traditions of her community. She’s set to be married off for a substantial dowry in livestock. Second, the […]

In crafting a quietly affectionate film about a man who thinks he might be an alien, “Sky Peals” director Moin Hussain manages to make an allegory about solitude and isolation with a deft and steady hand. The film’s lead character, a 30-something British man of Pakistani origin, could be a stand-in for millions who feel […]