13 Minutes

In Lindsay Gossling's impressive feature writing and directing debut, Minninnewah is ripped apart by residents' own smallness and judgments as much as the twister that threatens to destroy them. And the outcome of this slice-of-life suspenser is just as unpredictable as that of the path of a tornado. That's because it examines everyday actions and attitudes that dot the American landscape, leaving it up to viewers to determine what's right and what's wrong. And while there are a lot of characters to get to know in a short amount of time, they're not underdeveloped; they do things and make decisions that some viewers may see as villainous and others might cheer on.

In a small community, it's not uncommon for the lives of families of diverse backgrounds to intertwine. Here, we get a wide range of folks, all facing dilemmas meant to prompt viewers to examine their own thought process. Upper-middle-class parents Kim and Brad (Amy Smart and Peter Facinelli) both work in the weather industry and know that an epic weather event is headed their way: Should they serve their community by doing their jobs and leave their deaf daughter with a trusted babysitter, or should a parent be with their child (and, if so, which parent)? Pregnant teen Maddy is grappling with making the right decision for her, getting advice and pressure from those whose personal views and wishes may not be aligned with her own. Hardworking, skilled mechanic Carlos (Yancey Arias) is in the country illegally to marry the love of his life: Do you judge him or relate to his plight? Young farmer Luke (Will Peltz) is working on accepting his sexuality, and his boyfriend has given him an ultimatum to come out to his religious parents or lose the relationship -- which consequence is worse? This is a story of the heartland, not Hollywood, so don't expect the ending to be wrapped in a bow -- it's realistically messy, just like debris spread across the plain after an F5 storm.