Weekend Movie Forecast: Frost/Nixon, Cadillac Records

The Black Balloon tells the story of a middle class Australian family coping with an autistic eldest son. Scott Foundas at the Village Voice writes: Produced for what was likely a day's Botox budget on Baz Luhrmann's Australia, the auspicious Oz import The Black Balloon comes on like a Rain Man for the High School Musical set, but quickly establishes itself as that rare 'disease movie' in which the disorder in question is mined neither for mawkish sentimentality nor ersatz inspirationalism.

"Perhaps because Down herself grew up with two autistic siblings, she brings a decidedly piss-(and-shit)-and-vinegar approach to the story of shy Queensland teen Thomas (Rhys Wakefield), who has enough trouble fitting in at his new high school and returning the flirtation of his comely phys-ed classmate (stunning, saucer-eyed newcomer Gemma Ward) without the interference of his shortbus-riding autistic brother (Luke Ford, who acts the part with total conviction)."