“Tickled” centers on Farrier, a New Zealand journalist who stumbles on a video of a competitive tickling league online and reaches out to the company responsible for the video with a request to do a story.

NASHVILLE — The Nashville Film Festival is a unique experience for the serious moviegoer, a 10-day event that features 271 films representing 42 nations.

It’s an eclectic mix of everything from films that are slated for release in coming months to films still looking for a distributor. The first six days featured a pair of standouts in the documentary “Tickled” from David Farrier and Dylan Reeves and the whimsical romantic comedy “It Had to Be You.”

“Tickled” centers on Farrier, a New Zealand journalist who stumbles on a video of a competitive tickling league online and reaches out to the company responsible for the video with a request to do a story.

The request turns into threats of lawsuits and other slurs concerning Farrier’s sexual orientation – sparking Farrier to dig even deeper into the company and the competitors.

This is a fascinating experience with a film that starts with this absurdly humorous angle and then delves into something much more sinister.

The twists and discoveries are quite shocking, and the film becomes more about how much we really know about the person on the other end of that email or written correspondence.

It’s a compelling piece that will spark plenty of discussion among those who see it. “Tickled” is slated for a theatrical release later this summer.

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

The film was directed by Sasha Gordon, a composer making her feature film directorial debut. Gordon’s background in music is evident, with “It Had to Be You” having this rhythmic quality that gives the film a sort of “Amelie” vibe.

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.

It’s a charming crowd-pleaser that kept the full house of the screening I attended entertained throughout.

Other highlights in the first six days:

•“Five Nights in Maine” from first-time director Maris Curran features strong work from David Oyelowo and Dianne Weist.

•“Thank You Del: The Story of the Del Close Marathon” tells the story of the man who helped shape modern improvisation comedy – influencing everyone from Amy Poehler to Bill Murray. The film does a good job of peeling back the curtain and dissecting how a performer creates material on the spot.

•“A Fat Wreck” details independent label Fat Wreck Chords and how it helped shape the underground punk rock movement in the past 25 years.

The Nashville Film Festival runs through Saturday. For more information, visit nashvillefilmfestival.org.

ALSO IN THEATERS

Meanwhile, back in theaters, this week’s releases include “Criminal” (C-), which could qualify as the oddest film to date. It’s a weird action film that features little action and a protagonist that stretches the anti-hero label well beyond the point of reason.

For the most part, it’s a pretty by-the-numbers thriller that’s riddled with cliches, but it slightly sets itself apart because of its sheer insanity.

The premise itself is goofy enough.

Ryan Reynolds plays a CIA agent named Bill Pope who is ambushed and killed while trying to make a deal with a hacker known as the Dutchman (Michael Pitt).

Desperate to find the Dutchman before a ruthless tycoon (Jordi Molla) can find him, an agent named Quaker Wells (Gary Oldman) approves Pope being part of a doctor’s experimental procedure, in which one person’s memories can be transferred to someone else.

The doctor (Tommy Lee Jones) finds the perfect recipient in Jericho (Kevin Costner), a career sociopath with no remorse.

When Jericho awakens from the procedure, he escapes and appears to be the same as he ever was, but slowly Pope’s memories start to creep in, leaving Jericho with no choice but to get involved and help the CIA find the Dutchman.

If you think that sounds a bit convoluted and silly, you would be correct.

The whole thing plays out in this oddly dark comic manner, with Costner’s socially awkward psycho slowly morphing into a caring member of society. (Well, as caring as someone who kills dozens of innocent people can be).

There lies one of the main problems with “Criminal.” Some of Jericho’s actions are played for laughs but can’t mask the fact that he’s a protagonist that does some pretty reprehensible stuff.

The odd tone at least makes “Criminal” interesting in a can’t-take-your-eyes away from the train wreck sort of way, because all of the CIA stuff feels like it was taken from the Cold War thriller handbook.

Reynolds has hopefully graduated from the body switching movies now after the success of “Deadpool,” while Jones and Oldman seem to be barely interested. You can practically see Oldman looking offscreen to make sure the paycheck is waiting.

You also get Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman from “Batman v. Superman”) thrown in as Pope’s wife, part of a strange subplot that is clearly designed to set up the forced happy ending.

It’s just another weird piece of the bizarre puzzle that is “Criminal” – a film that I’m sure the whole cast hopes is forgotten as quickly as possible.

“Criminal” is rated R for strong violence and language throughout and is now playing at the Regal Bowling Green Stadium 12 and Highland Cinemas in Glasgow.

— To get more thoughts from Micheal Compton on the Nashville Film Festival and a review of Don Cheadle’s directorial debut “Miles Ahead,” visit his blog at bgdailynews.com/blogs/reel_to_reel or follow him on Twitter @mcompton428.