Mano-A-Mano With "A Better Life" Director Chris Weitz (PHOTOS)

Ahhhh ... first impressions can be so much fun. If Superman was among us, but instead of earning a living as a "mild mannered reporter" he was earning a living as a movie director who dabbled in acting, he would look and come across just like the tall, smart, elegant and slightly mysterious Chris Weitz.

This is a compliment and the truest first impression this writer got when she had the chance to sit down with Weitz recently to talk about his latest movie, A Better Life.

When he is not channeling Clark Kent, Weitz is a Writer/Director who specializes in challenging convention: he last directed The Twilight Saga: New Moon and previously adapted and directed, the Oscar®-winning epic fantasy adventure The Golden Compass. With his brother Paul Weitz, he also co-directed the award-winning hit film About a Boy and not long before that, he confirmed he could do comedy by directing American Pie, the phenomenally successful first installment of the Pie franchise.   

After swinging his pendulum far and wide, Weitz has now decided to swing away in the entirely opposite direction with A Better Life, his newest film.  

A Better Life is a small budget, independent production that tells a poignant, multi-generational story about Carlos Galindo (Demian Bichir) an undocumented immigrant who is willing to make every kind of sacrifice to build a better life for his child (Jose Julian). The movie, which opened this weekend to strong reviews, even carries a bit of an Oscar buzz with its leading man, the Mexican actor Demian Bichir, being rumored as a possible Oscar contender. Not bad for a small, unassuming and modest film.