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Directed by Fred Carpenter, Send No Flowers makes a smashing debut at the 16th annual Long Island International Film Expo winning six awards. Written by Lee Kolinsky and Michael A. Lovaglio "Send No Flowers" is one of the best indie gangland films I have seen in years. There is murder, intrigue and brutal beating in a strip club. This film is fast and densely exciting. Send No Flowers hooks you in early and does not disappoint, Sean Young is sensational playing a high-powered female boss who is just as ruthless in business and in love as men are. Supported by a cast that is smart and thrilling, the film also stars veteran actors Gianni Russo and Tony LoBianco and a fantastic surprising performance from comedian Jackie Martling. Send No Flowers is expertly shot and edited and gives the audience a simple plot that keeps you engaged until the credits roll. It's a film that demands to be watched again and again, although this movie resembles other gangster stories, I am looking forward to adding this movie to my DVD or Blu Ray collection.

Highly recommended to anyone and everyone. I have given a 10/10 rating to this documentary because director Michael J. Arbouet focuses on how smoking affects Megan but in all honesty there are much bigger problems in Megan's life as a direct result from smoking. We see her kicked off the swimming team, refusing to go to school and the most shocking result, although not proved is the fact that smoking may have indeed stunted her growth. Its interesting to note that smoking depicted in the movies is a primary reason children ages 10 to 14 try cigarettes, or because they want to seem grown up or cool. Megan really hits home with her straight forward approach of why she started smoking and why she stopped. The best part of the film was that it wasn't preachy, the filmmaker just says "Here look at this one story and form your own opinion." Great job!

Richard Signorelli has always been a screenwriter with a passion for bringing the culture out of the chaos trying to retain what is left of the American Italian culture trying to break the stereotype that all Italian Americans are mobsters. But what happens when the pursuit for meaning and belonging spiral in to despair? Richard delves into the emotional complexities of this question with his latest project, How to Grow a Fig Tree.

Based on a story that is loosely based on his life, How to Grow a Fig Tree follows two men, one at the beginning of his life and the other near his end. Widowed Grandfather Jack (Izzy Poidomani) is wracked with despair trying to cope with the death of his beloved wife while trying to raise his out of control grandson Michael (Chris Bashinelli) who struggles between an urge to find himself or just leave everything he has ever known for a better life, outside the close knit neighborhood. Richard along with director Michael J. Arbouet hopes the movie will make audiences look at family and culture in a new way. I saw this moving and powerful short film at the 2007 Long Island Big Fish Film Festival and was left wanting to see more. I was shocked after talking to the writer Richard Signorelli, when I found out that Izzy Poidomani the actor that played the grandfather never acted a day in his life. His performance was moving. Michael J. Arbouet directed the film with a beautiful eye and style that puts you in the film with these people and exposes you to their lives. I also found out that his short is actually based on a feature film Richard Signorelli is working on and that How to Grow a Fig Tree is part of a trilogy that he is working on. I'm not sure what other festivals this film will be showing at but if you are looking to see something new and fresh, I highly recommend this film.