Cristin Milioti and Dan Soder appear in a scene from "It Had to Be You."

Monday’s quartet of films viewed at the Nashville Film Festival were four very different films, although two had one distinct link.

“It Had to Be You” and “Five Nights in Maine” were the first feature films for their respective female directors and each brought a keen vision to their project.

“It Had to Be You” is a whimsical romantic comedy tells the story of a jingle writer named Sonia (Cristin Milioti), who re-evaluates her life when her boyfriend Chris (Dan Soder) proposes. Sonia isn’t loves Chris, but isn’t sure she is ready to be married.

The film was directed by Sasha Gordon, who gives the film a sort of “Amelie” vibe. It’s a charming crowd-pleaser that kept the full house of the screening I attended entertained throughout.

Milioti makes it all work with this adorable dorkiness that projects on the screen as she stumbles through her life trying to figure out if marriage is truly for her.

“Five Nights in Maine” also deals with relationships, but from a completely different point of view.

David Oyelowo plays Sherwin, who is devastated when his wife is killed in a car accident. 

Sherwin decides to travel to Maine to meet his estranged mother-in-law (Diane Weist), who is also confronting guilt and grief over her daughter’s death.

“Five Nights in Maine” was written and directed by Maris Curran, who said during the post screening question and answer session that she started to write the film as her marriage was falling apart – wanting to tell a story about how to deal with the ground falling out underneath you when your hopes and dreams and sense of family change in an instant.

The film deals with this subject in a very touching manner, full of raw emotion with Oyelowo and Weist both very good. Rosie Perez also has a nice performance in a supporting role.

The unspoken grief is evident throughout the film, but “Five Nights in Maine” isn’t a total downer – with some humorous moments sprinkled in that adds a sense of realism to the story.

“Five Nights in Maine” is slated for a theatrical release in late summer/early fall.

Another film that I expect will see a theatrical release is the documentary “Thank You Del: The Story of the Del Close Marathon” which tells the story of the man who helped shape modern improvisation comedy – influencing everyone from Amy Poehler to Bill Murray.

If you are a fan of improv this is a film that will interest you, doing a good job of peeling back the curtain and dissecting how a performer creates material on the spot.

The final film I watched Monday was “The Great and the Small” never quite delivers, despite some intriguing ideas and a capable cast.

The story of a young man (Nick Fink) living on the streets and his interactions with his ex-girlfriend and a woman (Melanie Lynskey) who recently lost her adopted son never quite comes together and is ultimately unsatisfying.

Writer/director Dusty Bias holds plot points from the audience far too long and by the time they are revealed it comes way too late in the film.