Aimee Schoof Movies
A skeptical attorney moves into a beautiful house with an ominous history, only to experience a series of bizarre and frightening occurrences beyond his comprehension. Bryan Becket (Tim Daly) never believed in the supernatural. When Bryan's aunt dies under mysterious circumstances, he dismisses reports that her house is haunted and decides to move in. Almost immediately, Bryan begins to suspect that there is something terribly wrong with the house; voices begin calling out to him from the darkness, seemingly providing clues to some deep mystery. Though he senses that he is somehow connected to the house, he can't figure out how and begins questioning his own sanity. In his search for medical help, Bryan comes into contact with a young psychic (Zoe Saldana) who claims the house harbors a dreadful secret. Together, Bryan and the psychic prepare to unlock a mystery that leads them both into the darkest corners of the skeptic's own disturbed mind. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tim Daly, Tom Arnold, (more)
This warm and breezy romantic comedy from director Jay Jonroy explores an interracial romance between the unlikeliest of partners: a Muslim refugee and a New York Jew. David Fine (David Moscow), the host of a Big Apple man-on-the-street TV show called "Sex and Happiness," never expected to meet and fall in love with a Middle Eastern immigrant - particularly given his marital engagement to a Jewish partner, Abby (Callie Thorne). But his path soon intersects with that of Layla, a young woman orphaned when Saddam Hussein's troops gassed the rest of her family. She now lives with relatives in Manhattan, and (unbeknownst to the kinfolk, who believe she's a nursing student) supports herself by collecting under the table for a slightly suggestive dance act - the warm-up for a local belly dancer. With deportation looming, Layla looks for an out; a customs official suggests a marriage of convenience, but that soon becomes unnecessary when Layla meets David and deep, abiding love blooms. . . to the horror of both families. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Moscow, Shiva Rose, (more)
John Savage and Mary Catherine Stewart star in Pet Sematary director Mary Lambert's foreboding tale of a mysterious Victorian home, and one particularly vengeful doppelganger. Shortly after moving into a sprawling Victorian home with her controlling father (Savage) and former beauty-queen mother Stewart), frightened teen Emma (Elisabeth Moss) begins seeing ghastly visions of her deceased twin sister. As the visions become increasingly vivid Emma begins to wonder if she is slowly going insane, eventually confiding her dark secret in her mentally handicapped older brother Frankie (Tom Malloy). When Frankie proves unable to comprehend the true depth of his sister's fear, Emma gradually begins to suspect that her parents have begun practicing a diabolical form of Wicca in order to resurrect their deceased child. Now the only one who will listen to Emma is kindly local police detective John Trevor (Jason Lewis, yet while the attic of the her picturesque Victorian home may finally provide an answer to all of Emma's questions, it could also prove the very place she meets a grim demise. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jason Lewis, John Savage, (more)
- 2007
As the last two people on Earth make their way across the hyper-dimension of a sun-scorched Texas desert, the nightmares of the man suddenly manifest into seven rednecks that embark on a destructive rampage and answer to no one but the Black Dog. Will and Mia are chasing the light, but the darkness is right on their heels. This is a world where the wind whispers ancient secrets, and shadows seem to have a mind of their own. When Will's nightmares take the form of seven roving hayseeds who feed on the couple's fears, Will and Mia must summon the courage to conquer these malevolent manifestations and repopulate the planet. The future of the entire human race rests on the shoulders of these two young lovers. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Wrong Turn director Rob Schmidt takes the helm for this thriller inspired by the grim true-life exploits of an alphabet-obsessed New York serial killer and starring Timothy Hutton, Cary Elwes, Eliza Dushku, and Michael Ironside. When Rochester, NY-based police investigator Megan Paige (Dushku) discovers that ten year old Carla Castillo was brutally raped and murdered in nearby Churchville, she becomes convinced that the department is dealing with a serial killer. Paige is a driven detective whose devotion to her job often crosses the border into obsession. Her fiancé, Kenneth Shine (Elwes), is a lieutenant with the Rochester Police Department, and as both jockey for the same promotion, the cracks in their relationship begin to show. Later, when Megan becomes haunted by visions of Carla and fails to solve the case, a concerned Captain Gullikson (Tom Noonan) takes her off of the case. Suffering a nervous breakdown shortly thereafter, Megan is diagnosed with adult onset of paranoid schizophrenia and placed in a psychiatric hospital, where she promptly breaks off her engagement to Kenneth.
Two years later, Megan has returned to the precinct as a records clerk, and Kenneth is now the head of the department. Over time, Megan begins developing a friendship with wheelchair-bound Richard Ledge (Hutton). When a local girl named Wendy Walsh is abducted, raped, and murdered in Webster, Megan convinces Kenneth to let her ride along with Detective Steven Harper (Tom Malloy) as an advisor to the case. But the gruesome nature of the case once again prompts strange visions for Megan. Now she is haunted by two murder victims, and to make matters worse, she's beginning to develop embarrassing involuntary ticks and stops taking her medication. As the hallucinations get worse and the case starts to run cold, Megan struggles to find the one piece of evidence that will lead them to the killer before her dark side takes over once again. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Two years later, Megan has returned to the precinct as a records clerk, and Kenneth is now the head of the department. Over time, Megan begins developing a friendship with wheelchair-bound Richard Ledge (Hutton). When a local girl named Wendy Walsh is abducted, raped, and murdered in Webster, Megan convinces Kenneth to let her ride along with Detective Steven Harper (Tom Malloy) as an advisor to the case. But the gruesome nature of the case once again prompts strange visions for Megan. Now she is haunted by two murder victims, and to make matters worse, she's beginning to develop embarrassing involuntary ticks and stops taking her medication. As the hallucinations get worse and the case starts to run cold, Megan struggles to find the one piece of evidence that will lead them to the killer before her dark side takes over once again. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eliza Dushku, Cary Elwes, (more)
A reclusive Vietnam veteran finds his quiet life thrown into chaos upon receiving an unexpected visitor in this tale of friendship and healing starring Danny Glover, Linda Hamilton, and Ron Perlman. Though 35 years have passed since Jake (Glover) returned to American soil after fighting in the Vietnam war, the horrors of the battlefield still linger vividly in his mind. Instead of returning to the hustle and bustle of the city, Jake has chosen to seek solitude in the serene forests of the Pacific Northwest -- cutting all ties to modern society save for the occasional trip into town for supplies. When a terminally ill army buddy appears on Jake's doorstep pleading with his old friend to take care of his young daughter, the gruff veteran reluctantly accepts. As the bond between Jake and his new charge strengthens, the seeds of their growing friendship sets into motion a healing process that will reach beyond Jake to affect an entire community of forgotten war veterans. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Danny Glover, Linda Hamilton, (more)
A man on the run from the law wonders if he should betray a former ally in this independent drama. Top (Nic Mevoli) is a member of a political activist group who live and work together in an abandoned house in Philadelphia. Top, the son of a police officer, grew up poor and knows a few things about life on the streets, while Jake (Ben Bartlett), one of the group's spokesmen, is a Harvard dropout who comes from a wealthy and privileged background, which makes Top question his sincerity. One night, police raid the group house and a melee ensues, during which a cop is killed. Top and Jake go their separate ways afterward, each going underground to avoid arrest. However, when word spreads that Jake is suspected of having killed the officer, Top is pressured by his dad to find his former comrade and bring him to justice. Featuring a cast of real-life political activists, Exist: Not a Protest Film was written and directed by Esther Bell; Tunde Adebimpe from the alternative rock group TV on the Radio also appears in the film. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nic Mevoli, Ben Bartlett, (more)
The feature-film debut of filmmaker Rodney Evans, who wrote and produced in addition to taking on directing duties, Brother to Brother explores the life and struggles of black, gay artists in the present and past. Anthony Mackie stars as Perry Williams, a young man dealing with the strife involved with being both African-American and a homosexual in contemporary New York. He is shunned by his father for his sexual identity and wary of being viewed as a sell-out by black peers when his work gains a white audience. When Williams meets an aging poet who was involved in the Harlem Renaissance of the 1930s, he suddenly finds himself transported back in time and cavorting with the likes of Langston Hughes (Daniel Sunjata) and Zora Neale Hurston (Aunjanue Ellis). Among such legends, Williams is able to gain perspective about his own life. Also starring Roger Robinson and Larry Gilliard Jr., Brother to Brother screened in competition at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anthony Mackie, Roger Robinson, (more)
Hip-hop mogul Damon Dash (Paper Soldiers) directs this semi-autobiographical film based on his life as the proprietor of Roc-a-Fella Records. Ebon Moss-Bachrach stars as David Katz, a reporter who, upon interviewing rap producer Damon (Capone), finds himself drawn deeper and deeper into the high-class world of hip-hop. Before he knows it, Katz ignites a war within the label that could bring down the operation for good. A bevy of celebrities from all walks of life make appearances, including Riddick Bowe, Lorraine Bracco, Mariah Carey, Sean "P. Diddy" Combs, Carson Daly, Jay-Z, Chloe Sevigny, James Toback, and countless others. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Devon Aoki, (more)
A man finds himself having to decide between one of two women -- not once, but twice -- in this independent drama. In 1993, Coles (Mark Ruffalo) is a film student at Sarah Lawrence where he meets two fellow undergrads, Thea (Kathleen Robertson) and Sam (Maya Stange). Coles and Sam come together and Thea fades out of the picture. In time, Sam tires of Coles' aimlessly hedonistic attitude, and they break up. Ten years later, Coles, after a failed career in feature films, is doing animation for an advertising agency and living with his girlfriend, Claire (Petra Wright); Thea helps run a successful restaurant with her husband, Miles (David Thornton); and Sam, smarting from a bad breakup, returns to New York after several years in London. Coles runs into Sam and discovers he still has strong feelings for her, but has to decide if they're strong enough to break off his relationship with Claire. XX/XY was the first feature film from writer/director Austin Chick. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mark Ruffalo, Kathleen Robertson, (more)
A woman is forced to decide which of her dreams she'd like to come true in this musical-comedy drama. Billie Golden (Isabel Rose) is a young woman who dreams of being a successful cabaret singer and often imagines herself performing in a swank lounge or starring in a classic movie musical of the 1940s. At the moment, however, Billie is singing in a dingy cocktail lounge near an airport and lives in a ramshackle row house in Queens with her hard-drinking mother (Alix Korey). One day, Billie bumps into an old friend from high school, Greg Ellenbogen (Cameron Bancroft); as it happens, Greg is now a very successful lawyer, and he still carries a torch for Billie. While Greg loves Billie and can easily give her all the creature comforts of life, she's also infatuated with Elliot (Andrew McCarthy), a hipster piano player who believes in her abilities as a singer. When Greg asks Billie for her hand in marriage, she's forced to decide between love and security or the career in music for which she's always longed. Also screened under the title Standard Time, Anything but Love includes an appearance by legendary entertainer Eartha Kitt; leading lady Rose also wrote the film's screenplay. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Isabel Rose, Andrew McCarthy, (more)
He's hip, he's fly, and he never mixes meat with dairy -- he's the world's first Jewish private eye, and he's out to save the world in this satiric comedy. Mordechai Jefferson Carver (Adam Goldberg) is a super-cool Jewish detective who takes no mess and is always ready to do the right thing for his Torah-reading brothers. But Carver is a lone wolf, and he isn't so sure he's interested in taking an assignment from Chief Bloomenbergansteinthal (Peter Coyote) of the Jewish Justice League -- or at least not until he meets the Chief's gorgeous daughter, Esther (Judy Greer). It seems a mysterious stranger named Damien (Andy Dick) has made it his business to persuade Jewish children to abandon their faith in favor of celebrating Christmas, and it's Carver's job to put an end to Damien's campaign while urging kids to be proud of their Semitic heritage. The Hebrew Hammer also features Nora Dunn as Carver's kvetching mother, and a cameo appearance by Melvin Van Peebles as outlaw blaxploitation icon Sweetback. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Adam Goldberg, Judy Greer, (more)
Tony Pemberton directs this retro-tinged experimental drama about the evils that men do to women. Structured with a dual narrative, the film takes place both in rural Russia during some unnamed point in the past and in contemporary New York City. The Russian narrative focuses on Pitsee (Tatiana Kamina), a young girl living in a dysfunctional family. Though she tries to appease her irritable, depressed mother, she is eventually handed over to her coarse grandmother. When she grows to be an adolescent, she must fend off the advances of her creepy uncle Alyosha (Donovan Barton), who "loves her too much." The New York segment concerns the adult Pitsee (Dasha Volga) who came to the Big Apple to look for the man who impregnated her in Moscow. Though rakish slacker Alex (Rik Nagel) seems happy enough to see her again, he is in no rush to marry her. Eventually, Alex palms her off on his buddy Dog Walker (Sage), a DJ with extra space in his apartment. This film premiered at the 2000 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dasha Volga, Rik Nagel, (more)
