Little Manhattan (DVD, 2009, Dual Side; Dove O-Ring)

Mark Levin, who penned the film WIMBLEDON and was a co-producer of 80's staple THE WONDER YEARS, makes his directorial debut with LITTLE MANHATTAN. Simultaneously heartwarming and grueling, the film is a charming depiction of urban puppy love, set to a backdrop of landmarks New Yorkers will enjoy spotting. Gabe (Josh Hutcherson, ZATHURA) is a precocious 11-year-old who has a happy life on the Upper West Side, playing ball with his friends and preparing for a football career someday under the eye of his doting dad (Bradley Whitford, THE WEST WING, THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS). The only wrench in the works comes from his parents' long road to divorce, and his mom's (Cynthia Nixon, SEX & THE CITY) decision to start dating while Dad still lives in the apartment. When Gabe decides to sign up for karate class, his world is turned upside down by Rosemary Tesescoe (newcomer Charlie Ray), the "third-prettiest girl" in his class. Rosemary is good at karate while Gabe struggles with it, and her offer to help him practice leads to a chance for the kids to get to know each other. This gives rise to Gabe's eye-opening shift in how he sees Rosemary--and girls in general--as he discovers feelings he didn't even know existed. The halting evolution of their relationship avoids sentimentality, guided by Gabe's internal monologue that is both hilariously uncertain and surprisingly wise. The kids do things like get lost together in Central Park, and ride the subway alone for the first time--braving the terrors of the West Village, no less--exploring the city and their newfound feelings with a refreshing sincerity. Gabe's grand gestures manage to inspire the adults around him to rethink some things and take some risks of their own, while his discoveries about the meaning of love are something to which viewers of any age can relate.