A rookie journalist has returned to the abandoned frontier of Earth with the dream of writing a career-making story about the descendants of those who were left behind. There she finds a decaying society ruled through fear by a mysterious, ageless despot.

A teenager and his mother find themselves besieged by threatening forces when they move into a new house.

In a depressed Texas town, British foreign exchange teacher Anna attempts to inject some life into her hopeless kids by introducing them to soccer. They’re terrible at first, but Anna and her football-hero assistant whip them into shape. As they work overtime, the pair help kids build their self-esteem and also get involved in solving family squabbles.