Norwegian director Anne Sewitsky’s feature debut, originally titled “Insanely Happy,” (though there may be something lost in translation) is the story of a housewife who attempts to remain happy as her family is coming apart. Kaja is concerned because her husband doesn’t appear to love her anymore, her son is constantly irritated with her, and the bleak snowy landscape is starting to overcome her and her surroundings.

If you can imagine that without crawling into a mental fetal position, then you can imagine “Cars 2.” In this animated sequel from Disney’s Pixar studio, Owen Wilson’s neurotic race car Lightning McQueen turns over the keys to the two-ton four-wheeled village idiot Mater, the buck-toothed tow truck. Jar Jar, it’s your big chance!

In June 2009, O’Brien graduated from Late Night on NBC, replacing Jay Leno on the Tonight Show and knocking him back to an ill-conceived 10 PM slot; seven months later, due to poor ratings all around and complaints from NBC affiliates, Leno’s show was moved back to 11:35 PM, and O’Brien was asked to take a 12:05 AM slot. He refused, pointing out that an after-midnight slot isn’t “the Tonight show,” and walked away with $45 million. Not too shabby—most of us would have jumped at such an opportunity, and we wouldn’t get squat if we turned it down. But as the movie makes clear, Conan O’Brien is a wreck without an audience. When the filmmakers ask him if he’s ever happy out of the spotlight, he glares at them, and he doesn’t seem to be joking around. For the first time, Conan’s freakish height, his chuckle-under-the-breath Irish humor—laced with contempt even when goofily self-mocking—is more intimidating than funny.

This second film by director Asghar Farhadi (pictured, below right), whose 2009 film "About Elly" already received widespread attention, has been leading the box-office in France. Parisians have been lining up and many of the screenings have required advance reservations to guarantee seating. Not bad for an axis of evil country. With decent marketing here, the same response should be anticipated even though this movie will likely only play to New York and L.A.

Why so much eagerness about it? Because “Separation” has been doing exceptionally well with the critics. Le Monde called it “excellent” and La Croix said the movie was “breathtaking” and “fascinating.” And that’s just a sampling of the praise that the film has been showered with

“Weekend” isn’t so cynical that it’s incapable of showing its characters’ feelings for each other. It’s simply unflinchingly honest about Russell and Glen’s lives: everything from their childhoods to their sexual habits is discussed in detail—with an openness that you’d never see in a straight romantic comedy.

Farmiga’s direction keeps the story moving while never tipping into melodrama. In other hands the film could have lost its focus on its protagonist’s journey and emphasized the cult-like church instead—but Farmiga maintains her concentration on her character, allowing everything else in the film to swirl around, but never obscure, her. Just for this, the film deserves praise; the fact that it’s also simply excellent is an added bonus.

Directed by Cindy Meehl. Starring Buck Brannaman. [jwplayer config=”TrailerPagePlayer” mediaid=”4020″]