Virginia Madsen

Paul Nilsson, a successful security chief for an international bank, finds himself a pawn in a dangerous game when he receives word that his family has been kidnapped. The kidnappers, led by devious and ruthless mastermind Bill Cox, force Paul to rob his bank and commit one of the largest thefts in history. The situation becomes more ominous when he realizes that he is being set up for embezzlement and all traces of the real thieves will vanish. What follows is a high-stakes game of cat and mouse as Paul uses his security expertise to try and turn the tables on the criminals.

If you can give The Astronaut Farmer the big, bounding leap of faith it requires, you'll probably enjoy this good-natured film about the importance of holding on to your dreams. The title character (and the dreamer in question) is Charlie Farmer (Billy Bob Thornton), a Texas ranch owner and former aeronautics engineer who's got a homemade rocket in his barn and a dream to blast into space.

With Sideways, Paul Giamatti (American Splendor, Storytelling) has become an unlikely but engaging romantic lead. Struggling novelist and wine connoisseur Miles (Giamatti) takes his best friend Jack (Thomas Haden Church, Wings) on a wine-tasting tour of California vineyards for a kind of extended bachelor party.