Tiny Furniture

Written and directed by Lena Dunham, creator of the hit HBO show “Girls,” this indie film follows Dunham in a realistic look at the life of a recent college graduate as she tries to find direction in her life. After moving back in with her mother, Dunham attempts to become romantically involved with different men who are far less interested in romance. Like all works by Dunham, she is painfully raw and truthful in her portrayal of young adult life. Hilarious one moment and heartbreaking the next, “Tiny Furniture” is a wonderful indie treat.

Not rated

Requiem for a Dream

This film explicitly shows the the damage of drug use on the lives of those who fall victim to it. Jared Leto, who won an Oscar for his role in “Dallas Buyers Club,” plays a young artist with a loving girlfriend and proud mother. Unfortunately, he casually experiments with drugs. Time is given to developing the dreams of each character before drugs take hold and the film spirals into despair. Horribly depressing yet undeniably riveting, “Requiem for a Dream” is a grim trip into the destructive world of substance abuse that should be experienced if for no other reason than to serve as a warning to those who would dare enter that world.

Rated R (17 and up)