Two divorcees decide to marry and must come to terms with their differences and finances in this charmingly unassuming portrait of the changing face of the middle American family circa early 1980s. As the date comes closer, their intimate conversations acquire an awkward tension as they negotiate compromises and emotional baggage like business partners. At a time when gender roles were still shifting, the economy was down, and divorce rates were on the rise, Second Time Around is a simply-arranged window into the private lives of a reorganized family giving the American Dream another go. – BG

Phyllis and Phil Tobey tell how they turned their lives around when they found religion through a branch of conservative Christian fundamentalism. Their staunch faith pervades every aspect of the small community’s days, and their young son is already questioning his willingness to submit. From the exorcisms performed in the back of a veterinarian’s clinic to hands-on healings at a convention, they strive to rid themselves of all kinds of illnesses and demons. Co-directed by the late Richard Leacock, Community of Praise is a peculiarly American take on religious belief and fervor that reveals a heartfelt longing for community and wholeness. – BG