Here are the Mini Reviews presented by Cineman Syndicate for September 12, 2008:

TOWELHEAD. Alan Ball (American Beauty) trains his gimlet eye on the sexual awakening of a half-Lebanese, half-American thirteen-year-old girl. Set in 1991, just as the first Gulf War commences, Jasira's story initially appears to be merely a salacious social satire about prejudice and exploitation. It's that and more -- including a caustically humorous, often outlandish character study. Although there's a plethora of iniquity on display, no one comes off as completely evil or unsympathetic thanks to Ball's assured treatment and the believable performances he coaxes from young Bishil, Peter Macdissi as Jasira's father, and Aaron Eckhart. It also helps that the movie ends on an upbeat note. (R) GOOD DRAMA. Director - Alan Ball; Lead - Summer Bishil; Running Time -116 minutes. Capsule review by John P. McCarthy.  

BURN AFTER READING. On the heels of No Country For Old Men, the Coen Brothers let their hair down with a chortle-worthy farce set in Washington, D.C. Potentially sensitive data belonging to a disgraced CIA analyst (John Malkovich) falls into the hands of two dopey health club employees (McDormand and Brad Pitt). An adulterous Federal Marshal (George Clooney) is implicated in the pair's lame-brained extortion scheme. Anything would seem light after NCFOM, and this slightly underdeveloped film is truly a lark. While America's bumbling security services are satirized, it's not meant to be deep; the pleasure stems from watching an A-list ensemble act goofy. (R) GOOD COMEDY Directors - Joel & Ethan Coen; Lead - Frances McDormand;  Running Time - 96 minutes. Capsule review by John P. McCarthy. 

THE WOMEN. Call it "Sex and the Suburbs." When Ryan's wealthy Connecticut housewife discovers her husband is cheating, all hell breaks loose because she...drum roll, please…talks about it with her friends. Among her circle of catty, manipulative, passive-aggressive female stereotypes are the perpetual mother (Debra Messing), the man-hating lesbian (Jada Pinkett Smith), and the high-powered magazine editor (Annette Bening, channeling Diane Keaton). If you didn't know this remake of the 1939 film, itself based on Clare Boothe's play, was written and directed by "Murphy Brown" vet English, you'd swear it was the mean-spirited invention of a man who doesn't know any women but hates them anyway. (PG-13) BORING COMEDY-DRAMA. Director - Diane English;  Lead -Meg Ryan; Running Time - 114 minutes. Capsule review by MaryAnn Johanson. 

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(Towelhead poster --  © 2008 Warner Independent Pictures. All Rights Reserved.)