Aaron Katz Movies

Aaron Katz wrote and directed this mumblecore comedy drama in which a guy with more ideas than experience plays private eye. Doug (Cris Lankenau) has long had a passion for classic detective fiction and enrolled in a college in Chicago to study forensic science with an eye toward someday working with the police. But after a few months, Doug's ambition runs out of steam, and he leaves the Midwest to move back to his hometown of Portland. Doug ends up moving in with his older sister, Gail (Trieste Kelly Dunn), and taking a variety of odd jobs that won't tax his energy or intelligence. However, Doug unexpectedly gets another shot at becoming a detective when his former girlfriend disappears and he's asked to help track her down. Doug joins forces with his pal Carlos (Raúl Castillo) and starts smoking a pipe so he'll feel more like Sherlock Holmes, but as the search goes on the case becomes more complicated (and potentially dangerous) than expected. Cold Weather received its world premiere at the 2010 South by Southwest Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Two people who fall in love while separated by 800 miles find it's hard to stay friends while living in the same city in this low-key independent drama. James (Joe Swanberg) and Mattie (Greta Gerwig) are in love and trying to make their relationship work. But James lives and works in Chicago, while Mattie calls New York home, and though they try to visit one another as often as they can, their infrequent weekends together are punctuated by telephone calls, e-mails, on-line chatting, and sending digital pictures back and forth. As much as Mattie cares for James, in time the space between them is too much to deal with and they break up. Twelve months later, James' career as a video-game designer is taking off, and a new project necessitates a move to New York City; while they're no longer lovers, he tries to reconnect with Mattie, though his recent success has added a new and uncomfortable element to their relationship. Joe Swanberg and Greta Gerwig wrote, directed, and produced Nights and Weekends as well as playing the two leads; the film received its world premiere at the 2008 South by Southwest Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

An apathetic seventeen-year old shares a dark secret that causes his aimless new friend to immediately sever ties in director Aaron Katz's talky teen drama. Gus spends most of his time relating self-indulgent tales of sexual conquests and drug fueled frenzies to his best friend Bill. Jessica seems to be drifting away from most of her friends, and lately things have gotten so bad that she isn't even speaking with her one-time best-friend Christie. Every Fourth of July all the kids gather at Brian's house to drink free beer and watch the fireworks. This year, Gus meets Jessica at the party and tries to pick her up. When she blows off his obvious come-on, Gus tells Jessica a secret that he has never revealed to even his closest of friends. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi